2 – Double Lariat

Gohan, Piccolo, Krillin and Tien could only watch the surreal scene of the android wailing over the loss of her companion. Gohan in particular couldn't help be feel slightly guilty, especially as this android looked like a girl not much older than himself.

In fact, he wondered just who the good guy here was- was it Vegeta, laughing cruelly and relishing the destruction of the first android? Or was it 'Rin', an android with perfectly normal human feelings?

It was all very confusing, but then again, the androids had to be stopped. They were- or at least, the one remaining- still capable of killing innocents, as both had demonstrated in South city.

Vegeta slowly landed on the ground, and walked towards the android, who was still weeping.

"What a mess. You're just a machine! You both knew exactly what you were getting yourselves into when you tried to kill Kakarrot," he said, his typical scowl back in place. Rin did not seem to notice him, and was transfixed on Len's head, still smoking from Vegeta's attack.

"Oh, get a grip," Vegeta growled, speeding towards the head and booting it into the distance.

Rin, horrified, finally noticed Vegeta.

"Y...you...monster!" she spat, tears welling up in her eyes.

"This, coming from a puppet machine? I'd be offended if it wasn't for the fact that your opinion seems to be the general consensus around these parts," he responded, smirking in the Z fighters' direction.

He paused, before his smirk grew deeper.

"No, that's not quite right," he said, "you've offended me by even daring to hope you could beat me."

Rin was silent, trembling with fury.

"Are you going to attack?"

Rin glanced between Vegeta, now coldly staring at her, and the Z fighters, who all looked uncertain about the situation.

"Or flee?"

Rin eyed the rocky outcroppings, trying to plan her escape.

"I'll tell you what. I'm feeling generous," Vegeta said, another smirk on his face, "I'll give you a whole minute to get a headstart."

Almost instantaneously, Rin threw herself towards the rocky outcroppings, running at full speed. She looked back only once to verify that Vegeta wasn't on her trail.

I must hurry to the lab...

I'll get Dr Gero to activate Luka. There's no way Vegeta could beat her.

No way anyone can.


Meanwhile, Vegeta was preparing to hunt down the android.

"You don't have to follow. Why don't you go home and drink some milk or something," he bragged to the Z fighters, "and stay out of my way."

Before they could respond, the mysterious youth appeared, apparently relieved that they weren't all dead. He surveyed the scene at hand.

"Guys! Where's the android? And where is Goku?" he asked, trying to hide his panic.

"Goku's being treated for the virus now, he only just started feeling the effects," Krillin said, as Trunks approached the Z fighters.

"What about the android?"

Krillin and the others nodded in Vegeta's direction, who was watching the youth carefully.

"You mean fath...Vegeta took it out?"

"Just one so far, but he did it so easily," Tien said.

"Yeah, then he let the other one go," Gohan added.

"What...another one?"

"Alright, I've had enough waiting around here. Time for an android hunt!" Vegeta declared, flying off. The youth hurtled after him, still visibly confused by the others' comments, and was followed by the Z fighters.


I think I've covered enough ground on foot now, it'll be fine if I take to the air now...

At that precise moment, Vegeta, the Z fighters and an unidentified teen flew past.

Or not.

Unfortunately for Rin, Tien had spotted her, and the fighters surrounded her. Vegeta floated towards her.

"Looks like I found you," he said, smirking.

Rin growled, and desperately looked for a way out.

"Hold on, Vegeta," Piccolo suddenly said, to everyone's surprise, and Vegeta's bemusement, "let me handle her."

The Saiyan prince considered for a moment, before relenting.

"Fine. But don't you dare let her escape. I'll finish her once you've been taken care of."

Piccolo smirked, and took off his cape and turban, cracking his knuckles and stretching his neck. Carefully eyeing his opponent, he slipped into a fighting stance.

This is too good to be true.

Rin smirked, not scanning Piccolo's power.

Below mine...as predicted.

I'll crush him easily, and use that as an opening to escape.

"Bring it on, 'Demon King'," she taunted, slipping into her own fighting stance.

Before she could react, Piccolo had rammed his knee into her face, and kicked her to the ground. After a few moments spent to comprehend what had just happened, Rin picked herself up and brushed herself off.

She stared at Piccolo, wondering just how much of a fluke that last attack was.

Piccolo stared back, a humourless smile on his face.

Both charged at each other, clashing in midair, dodging each other's blows until Piccolo launched his fist into Rin's stomach, and threw her into a plateau.

The android rose from the debris, confused and frustrated.

What the hell is going on? I'm supposed to be far stronger than Piccolo! Dr Gero designed me to be stronger than any mortal being!

"How...are you so powerful?" Rin blurted, despair creeping into her train of thought. With Piccolo this strong, and Vegeta watching, her chances of escape were minimal.

"Surprised, huh? Well, you might have stood a chance had we not been warned of your arrival...I guess we have Trunks to thank for that," Piccolo divulged, glancing towards the unidentified sword-wielder. Rin turned her attention towards Trunks, who had been frowning since he'd arrived.

Apparently she was not the only one surprised by this young man- Vegeta gasped in shock, as if he'd just worked out something. But this did not interest Rin, who was almost ready to give up.

"You...you killed Len! You're all monsters! I HATE YOU!" Rin screamed in frustration.

"What? You mean you haven't beaten Miku yet?" Trunks yelled to the Z fighters, who all looked at each other, shaking their heads.

Miku?

They know about Miku?

"No! Not her too! Please, don't kill her too!" Rin continued screaming, only interrupted by the arrival of a hovercar. Everyone turned their attention towards it as it sped to the group, and Rin instantly took the opportunity to escape.

"You'll regret this day for the rest of your short lives! When I return to Dr Gero's lab, I'll activate Luka! No one can stop her! You'll be sorry then, you freaks!" she shouted, throwing a huge wave of energy, which hit the car and most of her surroundings, and quickly fleeing from the scene.


"What's the meaning of this, Trunks?"

"Yeah, what's happening? Who's Miku? And Luka?"

"Hurry it up! I want to destroy the android!"

Trunks was faced with a barrage of questions from the Z fighters after Bulma, baby Trunks and Yajirobe had been rescued from the wreckage of the hovercar.

"...That android you fought...wasn't the one who ruins the world of the future," Trunks began his explanation after taking a moment to gather his thoughts, "I've never even heard of Len, Luka, or this Rin we saw."

"So, what are they, then?" Krillin asked.

"Other androids created by Dr Gero, I guess. That one had the tattoo on its arm that said '02'. The one I warned you about has '01' on its arm."

"What else can you tell us about the android of your time?" Piccolo inquired.

"Ah...she has long, blue hair, tied up into two ponytails. She looks like she's in her mid-teens, and..." Trunks trailed off.

"What? Speak up!" Vegeta demanded impatiently.

"Her strength is far beyond that other android's. I don't know about the ones you fought, but Hatsune Miku...has an infinite energy supply."

The others were noticeably taken aback by this, but Vegeta was more interested in the more pressing issue at hand.

"Enough of this prattle! Where is Dr Gero's lab?" he barked.

"I think it's in a cave somewhere outside of North city," Bulma replied, after a moment's thought.

"Then it's settled," Piccolo said, "we'll find the lab, destroy any other androids there before they're activated, and find out where this 'Miku' is."

"What a cowardly notion. I will find the lab, and crush each android with my own two hands!" Vegeta proudly declared.

"No! You mustn't! You can't underestimate these androids!" Trunks exclaimed, "we should wait for Son Goku to get better, and then-"

"Wait for Kakarrot? What good would he be? I'm far stronger than him now!" Vegeta yelled, "I need no one!"

He flew off, drawing a golden line across the sky, speeding towards North city.

"No...you can't...you don't stand a chance, father," Trunks said, racing after him.

"Father?" Bulma repeated, watching the boy fly off.

"His name is Trunks; he's your son from the future. The very same one you're holding in your arms right now," Piccolo explained.

As everyone looked at baby Trunks in shock, Piccolo continued, "we need to hurry if we're to destroy this new android before it's activated."


Dr Gero stood in his lab, eyeing the various screens he had set up telling him the condition of each of his androids. There was one screen showing the status of CV03, currently deactivated but nevertheless in full working order. CV01 was a similar story, but he had no idea where that android had gone or what it was doing. But it was still fully functional.

What concerned him were the readings for his CV02 androids. Len was apparently destroyed, and Rin had taken damage. But how? There was no way Son Goku could be more powerful than those two.

It was little matter, he thought, as he eyed the lone screen on the other side of the lab. His ultimate creation was on track, and the parts needed for its completion were in no danger of being destroyed, even if the android hosts were.

He allowed himself to relax slightly, before the lab door opened and Rin hurtled in.

"What is the meaning of this, number two?" he demanded.

"Len was destroyed!"

"I already know that. Why did you return? Have you killed Son Goku?"

"No, he got this power-up, and then Vegeta came and did the same thing and he killed Len!" Rin babbled, tears welling in her eyes again.

Dr Gero, was of course, not a sympathetic man. His biggest failure, in his eyes, was not creating a fully obedient emotion-free AI.

"And you escaped?" he asked, coldly staring at Rin.

"Yes, but they followed me here...I think they might find us."

"You fool! What were you thinking, leading them here? If you aren't good enough for the job, then you are useless to me!"

"But...I don't want to die," Rin sniffed, drying her eyes, "I want to avenge Len! I want to activate Luka!"

Gero was about to flat out deny it, but he realised that the situation may call for a change in plan. If Vegeta was stronger than CV02, then he would have no way of protecting himself against him when he eventually found the lab. And knowing Vegeta's slightly destructive tendencies, there was a chance, however slim, that his secret project could be destroyed.

On the other hand, CV03's power was far beyond that of CV02, but was not obedient in the slightest. In this situation, though, it may fight off Vegeta, as it was threatening CV02.

The androids in the CV line seemed to have an odd sentimental connection- they were not programmed with it, and no amount of modifications could change it in any of them. In this case, it could be useful.

Dr Gero hesitated, before finally coming to a conclusion.

"Step aside, number two."

Rin complied, watching the doctor approach Luka's capsule with a calculating look in his eyes. His finger hovered over the activation button, after which there would be no turning back.

He pressed it.

The capsule slowly opened, steam blowing out, revealing Megurine Luka's elegant form. Her eyes opened, and she sat up, taking in her surroundings. She focused on Rin, and then Dr Gero.

"I was under the impression you didn't want me active, doctor. Why the change of heart?" she asked, climbing out of the capsule, her eyes now settling on the status screens.

"Circumstances have changed. Son Goku and his allies proved to be too powerful for CV02-"

"Where is Hatsune Miku?"

"W-what?"

"Len has been destroyed, Rin survived and is here now...but why is Miku active? Where is she?"

Gero clenched his teeth. He had not been expecting this.

"CV01 is a rogue unit. I have no use for it."

"So...you don't know," Luka summarised, turning her attention towards Rin.

"Rin. Why did you and Len attack Son Goku?"

"We were...ordered to," Rin said, glancing over to Dr Gero.

"Ordered? You still obey him?"

Rin did not respond.

"So, what would happen if our good friend were to...perish?" Luka mused, staring at Rin.

"I don't know," Rin admitted nervously.

"Now wait just a-" Dr Gero started.

Without warning, the entrance to the lab exploded, revealing Vegeta, Trunks, Piccolo, Tien and Krillin. Rin took a step back, terrified by their presence, while Gero eyed Luka cautiously.

Luka briefly glanced at the intruders, before taking Rin's hand.

"We need to find Miku, Rin. Now don't let go, or this might hurt."

With a snap of her fingers, the lab exploded, instantly killing Dr Gero and throwing the Z fighters back outside.


A/N: Things are heating up, but just how strong is Megurine Luka? Find out next time...