I wish I owned DBZ, but I don't. I own DVD's and tapes, but it just isn't the same. I also don't own the rights to any of the music pieces you see selected, just copies of merchandise, such a shame. The artists that created them are geniuses and we all must bow to them.

Chapter 37: Upgrade

A large blast ripped through the concrete street from underground. It sailed into the overcast morning skies, followed quickly by a small boy and an older android. They flew high above the city streets before stopping and turning around. It wasn't long before the larger Thirteen busted out from the ground, covered in random chunks of dirt that quickly fell off. Thirteen landed in the street and stared up at Verto and Seventeen.

"Seventeen, we've gotta try and lure him out of the city," Verto whispered.

"Got it!" Seventeen replied.

"Come on you poor excuse for a trash can!" Verto shouted. Thirteen frowned at the insult and fired a series of red blasts at Verto, who dodged them all easily as he glided through the air. Thirteen eventually stopped firing and stomped over to a parked car, picking it up. He threw it directly at Verto, scaring several brave enough to look out a window nearby. Verto caught the car easily, but settled for tossing it harmlessly towards the mountains. Thirteen frowned at this and moved closer to a residential building, grabbing at its base. The strong android began to actually rip the structure from its foundation and the ground as he lifted.

Verto's eyes widened, Shit, there's people inside there. Verto dived down to stop him just as Seventeen did the same. Seventeen reached Thirteen first, but was bashed away easily by a backhand. The building dropped back in place, kicking up dust into Thirteen's eyes. Verto took advantage when Thirteen swung wildly at him, and moved in from behind, kicking hard to the back of Thirteen's head. Thirteen barely flinched and swung his huge arm around, missing again. Verto reappeared at his front and hammered Thirteen's torso with dozens of blue fists. Thirteen slowly turned back, barely even registering the blows as he kicked towards Verto's vanishing form. The boy reappeared nearby, disheartened by the results of the skirmish.

Guess I shouldn't be that surprised. He's a physical tank that I'm not going to budge easily without ki. Full power is obviously out of the question for now. I'll have to use the more potent Psi techniques on him. At least I appear to have him beat in speed, though he doesn't seem to be in a hurry either. I hope to hell he isn't the type to hold back.

"Come on, where is Son Goku?" Thirteen roared finally.

"Probably asleep, just my guess," Verto replied.

"The girl said that he would come if his friends are endangered! Perhaps you just need to suffer first!" Thirteen suggested.

"Maybe that will work," Verto agreed with a slight grin, "He probably can't sense the battle though with the Saiyan power inhibitors on. Even though they don't affect him this far away, he also won't be able to sense anything around here. Let's take this fight out of town and I'll bet he shows up!" Verto waved Thirteen on, hoping the android would answer the call. Come on you damn blueberry tin can, take the bait! Thirteen gave him a curious glance, but showed no signs of movement.

"If these power dampeners are keeping your energy low, it would be very stupid to change locations and give you any possible advantage. I can tell there is more to you then what my scanners detect! I shall destroy you first before searching for Goku!" Thirteen declared.

Verto cringed slightly, Damn, was worth the try. Guess I'll have to fry his ass before this fight gets too out of control! Thirteen began charging a very powerful blast similar to the previous one he had fired in the cave.

"Let's see how tough you really are! Deadly Bomber!" Thirteen shouted as he released his blast. The bomb sailed at Verto slowly, but zeroed in on his position without a problem. Verto glided away from it, but it followed easily. The bomb zigzagged through the sky as its target avoided contact. After this failed repositioning, Verto turned as he flew backwards, firing several small blasts to deter the bigger one. It kept on coming, and Verto's blue aura flashed on as he picked up speed. As he neared the city outskirts, Verto stopped and turned around, casting a shimmering blue hand forward. Thirteen's eyes widened as he grinned and used his power to shove his attack forward. The red bomb crashed into a blue spinning barrier just three feet from Verto, and struggled to move forward. As sparks of differing energy started to appear, there was a clear realization that the bomb was going to explode at any second.

Verto frowned in determination, Screw it, this is gonna take effort. Verto's aura flowed back into view, with random spurts of lightning running through it. The red bomb was forcibly pushed into the sky as Verto lowered towards the ground. Due to the slow ascent though, it appeared that the bomb would continue its pursuit. Verto's hand went up, firing a small but potent beam straight at it. The night sky exploded into a bright red display of power, likely waking everyone in North City and perhaps a third of the world with them. Verto watched the energy waves slowly die down before locking onto Thirteen, who still hadn't moved.

Damnit! Fuckin robot is smart enough to stay in town. I've got to take him out now! Thirteen grinned slightly and moved deeper into the city, out of sight for the moment. Verto's right arm shot out, and his bright blue sword formed as he took off and entered the labyrinth of buildings. People backed away from windows as he flew through quickly, but eagerly came back to see what would happen. Verto spotted Thirteen waiting patiently in an intersection, and dove straight for him.

"Time for the junk yard!" Verto shouted ahead as charged in.

Thirteen spread his arms wide, "Give it your best shot runt!" Verto increased his flight speed and slashed into Thirteen's chest with the full intention to cut him in half. He plowed right on by and stopped, realizing that he didn't feel the cut. He glanced backwards to see Thirteen is not only still there, but unaffected.

"W-What the - hell?" Verto stammered.

Thirteen turned around, "Well, I'm waiting! You can do better than that little insect brush of an attack!" Verto flashed forward, sword held high as he slashed downwards into Thirteen's massive neckline. His sword stopped at the skin and didn't go any further.

Verto froze in shock, This is bad. Thirteen punched him away, and Verto landed on his back, still dazed that his attack didn't go through.

"Just what the hell are you made of?" Verto asked as he sat up.

Thirteen's grin didn't falter, "Dr. Gero designed me to be flawless in this final form. Dr. Cash however had found imperfections in my outer shell at certain points and coated my body with an energy resistant compound derived from an alien species known as Protoss. It takes a much greater force than that to break it!" Verto's frown deepened as Thirteen explained, He's Psi resistant? Great, as if things hadn't gone bad enough today!

"I hope for your sake that wasn't your best attack. If so, I'm afraid this little game is over!" Thirteen claimed as he stepped closer. Verto rolled backwards onto his feet as he pulled back into a charging stance.

"You're delusional you bucket of bolts! I prefer using that attack because it won't damage the surroundings as much as my other moves. But, I'm willing to push the envelope if I have to!" Thirteen nodded slightly as Verto dropped back and charged a very large blast in with one hand as he carefully kept his eye on the big android.

"My turn, let's see how tough your skin really is!" Verto challenged. Thirteen didn't respond, but did step forward into a defensive stance. Verto's grin reappeared for a brief moment as the attack swelled, covering the area in blinding blue light.

"Well?" Thirteen asked.

"You should enjoy your last moment before you're nothing but scrap metal! By the way, your moment is up!" Verto said.

"Good, you're boring me!" Thirteen replied.

"Final Shine!" Thirteen lifted his arms as the huge blast rushed out, intent on blocking it. The blue energy wave smashed into Thirteen and forced him backwards several dozen feet. He was able to dig in and eventually stop and struggle with it for a few seconds. Then Thirteen lifted up and threw the blast aside. The resulting explosion tore through the city in a straight line, leaving little to nothing behind in its wake. Thirteen stared at the result before turning back to his opponent, slight concern etched on his artificial face.

Verto's fists shook in anger, God damnit, this big motherfucker is too much.

"I'll give you one more chance to beat me!" Thirteen dared.

Verto scowled at the ground as he thought things over. Psi sword is out; blasting him to death is out. I can't count on feedback getting through, not without some sort of chink in the armor. The options are running low fast. I could freeze him but what good will that do if I can't do anything after the fact? He'll just power out of it. There's a chance that the Psi storm could be effective since it disrupted Seventeen, but I can't rely on it as a good damage dealer without using a lot of energy. And there's no guarantee if that much focused energy can even get through!

"If you are struggling to decide what attack to use, how about your strongest one!" Thirteen suggested. Just as he finished, a big golden blast hit him from behind, courtesy of Seventeen. It took out the other side of the street opposite Verto's, but did nothing to Thirteen.

"Pathetic worm!" Thirteen shouted at him.

"Come on kid, there's got to be some sort of trick up your sleeve. Maybe some way to combine forces here," Seventeen said as he landed next to Verto.

The smaller boy turned his head just slightly, "Well, there is something we can do with that, but I doubt it would work. There's a strong attack I learned not long ago that when done correctly is more devastating then just about anything else!"

"Well, use it!" Seventeen urged.

"Not that simple. With the power dampeners on, I can't do it on my own. I can do it with someone else's help, but for it to work best, our power levels have to be synced up, or at least the amount of energy we use at that moment has to be equal. That's a problem because I can't sense your energy. Plus I don't know if it works with android energy anyway," Verto explained.

"What are you two waiting for? Sunrise?" Thirteen shouted.

"Be patient, it's almost here!" Verto shouted back.

"Are you sure this attack will do damage if it works?" Seventeen whispered.

"If it works, it'll probably blow him away. We wouldn't need to max out either, it's effective enough!"

"Last I knew, I was nearly half as strong as you during the Zerg war. How much stronger have you gotten since then?" Seventeen asked.

"Not sure, it's not like I have a scouter on me. Like this, I'd say about fifty percent with just Psi energy, maybe more. A lot more if I were transformed, but that isn't happening," Verto replied.

"Does this attack work only at a close range, or at a distance?"

"You don't want to be close when it goes off," Verto suggested.

"I figured. I meant do we have to attack separately?" Seventeen asked again.

"We don't have to, but it'll work better. Blasting him together won't make it as potent, and we'd have to use more energy, but it would be easier."

"The hard way then. Channel about a third of your energy. I'll hit him with everything I've got. That should be very close to equal!" Seventeen suggested.

"All right, use something big on him. I'll have to pierce the blast with my attack; a bulky blast won't allow it to work correctly. How long will it take you to recover if this doesn't work?" Verto asked with slight concern.

"Too long, we can't miss!"

"Trust me, if this doesn't work, it won't be because we missed," Verto reassured him.

"I'm going to rust if you don't hurry it up!" Thirteen roared from across the street.

"Good, maybe you'll melt down easier! Simmer down grouchy gears, I told you to savor your final moments!" Verto answered as he stepped away from Seventeen.

"Nice touch, let's get started!" Seventeen declared as he aimed his cannon arm. Please let this work.

Both Seventeen and Verto started charging their blasts, though Seventeen wasn't finished as quickly as Verto. Thirteen cocked his head slightly at the sight before him. Seventeen was obviously preparing to fire off as strong a blast as he could conjure, but Verto was doing something different. He was only charging up two fingers, similar to the description of Piccolo's attack that Thirteen had in his files. As blinding and obvious as Seventeen's attack was beginning to be, Thirteen was more concerned with the smaller one that was sending random lightning bolts into the air. Verto stepped sideways one more time as Seventeen finished, making Thirteen even more uncertain about what was going to happen. He had already figured out that they would attack at the same time, but the discussion they had been having seemed to take much longer then it should of it this was their plan.

Verto didn't even glance over, "Whenever you're ready!" Seventeen's face was full of determination and rage and with a mighty roar he fired the biggest attack yet. The overly big golden blast slowly moved towards Thirteen, who stood ready to catch it as he kept an eye on Verto, who still hadn't fired. Thirteen gave Seventeen's blast his full attention within a few seconds of it hitting, and immediately regretted it when he heard Verto's voice.

"Shock Cannon!" Thirteen barely even detected the smaller blue beam as it sailed towards him. He caught the blast of Seventeen's and let it push him backwards. His eyes opened wide as he calculated the path of Verto's attack, which put it at hitting Seventeen's energy ball instead of Thirteen.

Their timing is too far off, perfect! It will most likely push Seventeen's pitiful attack out of the way! I had nothing to fear after all! Verto's small, fast beam slammed into Seventeen's and penetrated it. Thirteen grinned as the ball fluctuated, giving off the impression that it was going to get canceled out. This grin turned into surprised fear when it turned green just before it enveloped Thirteen completely.

Boom. The noise wave from the Shock Cannon explosion shattered any windows nearby, and gave just about everyone nearby deaf ears for a few seconds. Seventeen promptly sighed and stood up, panting slightly.

"Awesome attack kid!" he smiled. The smoke and dust slowly dispersed, revealing a much larger crater than before. Seventeen glanced over at Verto, who hadn't reacted yet and was staring at ground zero with a deadly seriousness.

"It didn't work," Verto said as calm as possible.

"Are you kidding me? It combined and detonated in his face! It let loose much more power just as you said it would!" Seventeen argued.

"It detonated alright, but not with anything extra behind it. All that happened was the amount of energy present was delivered as is! My Final Shine attack earlier was stronger than that!"

"Yes it was!" Thirteen said from the center. The dust cleared, revealing a deep grin on the big android's face.

"He's unscathed!" Seventeen pointed out. He glanced over to see Verto's worried expression, but noted that he was holding his stomach just slightly.

"Now it's my turn!" Thirteen declared as he stomped towards them. Verto dropped into a ready stance and grimaced as he felt a violent rumble in his gut. This isn't gonna be good. Hell of a time for a stomachache.

Bulma and Lenz crept through the cave slowly, hugging the walls as they went. Bulma was clutching a small gun at a shaky ready position. Just because she lucked out and found it in her lab coat didn't mean she felt any safer. Lenz looked ready for anything, but at the same time she was cautious enough to stay at a slow pace. Several small shockwaves rattled and rumbled through the ground, dropping small amounts of dirt and dust. They eventually came to the large fork in the path, with the remnants of two large doors sitting in place.

"Looks like little brother's handiwork, but which way?" Lenz pondered. Bulma eyed both doors, but noticed the distinct difference immediately.

"The opening in that one is bigger, so that android probably came from there. We should go the other way, you lead," Bulma pointed to their right. Lenz nodded and ducked through the wrecked door, entering another dark passage. A few small torches were lit along the way, but it was barely enough to even see the walls and flooring.

"You would think they would have booby trapped the place!" Lenz claimed.

"Why do you think I'm staying behind you?"

"I figured that, it's just a little disappointing when things are too easy!"

Bulma rolled her eyes, "Saiyans." Lenz stopped short when she heard a faint click behind the walls.

Bulma stopped as well, "What is it?"

"Shhh!" Suddenly, the flooring ahead fell away, breaking off a twelve-foot section that spanned the width of the room. Both women peered over, hearing a distant crash towards the bottom of the abyss.

"That wouldn't have been good!" Bulma pointed out.

"Not to mention it would have ruined my clothes!" Lenz added. Bulma rolled her eyes again as she glanced around over the gaping hole in the room.

"We could just jump," Lenz suggested.

"You say 'we' like I could make that leap. News flash, I can't!" Bulma retorted.

"No problem, hold onto me!" Lenz said as she spread her arms. Bulma hugged her tight and held on for dear life. Lenz got a running start and cleared the chasm easily with Bulma in tow. She walked forward again, but stopped when she didn't hear Bulma following.

Lenz turned around, "What is it?" Bulma didn't answer her, but Lenz didn't need one when they both heard a distinct beeping sound. Lenz isolated the noise, finding it coming from the sidewall.

"Oh crap!" Lenz shouted as she ran forward. The wall suddenly exploded, showering the area with various rocks as the cave passage was buried. The dust cleared quickly, revealing that Lenz had blocked Bulma from harm's way.

"Whew, thanks!" Bulma said.

"Great, the path is buried, this may take a few minutes to dig through," Lenz said as she dusted her ripped dress off. Bulma nodded as Lenz started to tear rocks from the huge pile, throwing them all backwards into the pit. Bulma eyed Lenz carefully for a moment before thinking up a question she had been meaning to ask for a while. She shook her head at the timing of it, but they obviously had a few minutes.

"Lenz, tell me something. Did you pay for those?" Bulma asked as she pointed.

Lenz stared back in question, "Pay for what? What do you mean by that?"

Bulma stepped closer and promptly poked Lenz in the chest, "Those, are they real?"

Lenz glanced down, puzzled, "Of course they're real! Whoever heard of fake breasts?"

"You obviously haven't been on this planet long enough to know about that then. Which is fine, you certainly don't need it," Bulma chuckled.

"You know, I've always wondered why little brother gives me crap about them. I think he likes them big though; I've caught him staring more than once. Not as much as Trunks or half the other human boys…" Lenz trailed off as she blushed slightly. Bulma started to giggle a bit, before it broke into an all out laugh.

Lenz gave her a confused smile, "What?"

"Your naïve and almost innocent view on the world. It's refreshing even in a tense situation," Bulma laughed.

"Maybe, but that doesn't explain why you asked if these were real," Lenz reminded as she held up the two heavy objects in question.

"There aren't many women on Earth that are that big without some sort of enhancement job done, or by being extremely overweight. It involves what we refer to as cosmetic surgery," Bulma explained with a huge grin on her face.

"So what are fake ones made of?" Lenz asked.

"Usually silicone."

Lenz became even more confused, "Why would someone want to put that in their body? Wouldn't it be dangerous in the long run, maybe poisonous or something? I can't imagine it would look good at all unless they got it just right!" Lenz claimed.

"I don't think most women care about the long run. As long as it improves their appearance long enough to attract attention. Men in general don't care if they're real or fake, seeing as they're not thinking with the brain attached at the neck. Although, a great many like them big, thus why someone would do it. People like me and you just got lucky with what we got growing up," Bulma continued.

"Well that shoots my next theory out the window. I thought that little brother liked staring at me. But now that I think about it, Fasha was rather flat, so he must not like them big," Lenz said as she stared at the ground.

Bulma laughed hard again, "Compared to you, most everyone is flat! Maybe he's too young to care right now. You can ask him, but I doubt he'll give you a straight answer. He's a nice enough kid that it probably doesn't matter to him at all." Lenz smiled slightly as she returned to digging through the rock pile.

"I wish he was a little older," she whispered.

"I don't. We've already been through that mess, and technically he's been through it twice!" Bulma replied.

"So, what was he like when he was older?" Lenz asked.

"I couldn't really tell you to be honest. I wasn't around him enough at the time due to complications. But I'd say he was just a taller version of what he is now. Well, and bigger all over too…" Bulma said as she grinned and shook her head slightly.

Lenz grinned back as she ripped a large boulder out and threw it aside, "I think we're getting through now." The next rock she dislodged confirmed this, revealing a large enough gap for them both to get through.

"Let's go," Bulma said as she stepped through.

Bulma and Lenz came up to an office door much like the previous wings. There were only a few blue lights on inside with no sign of activity. Bulma slowly opened the door and peered in. The lab inside was huge, with tables scattered randomly and cluttered with various instruments. Several large containers were also strung about, some filled with fluid. One in particular caught Bulma's eye, mostly because it was preserving something inside. Bulma's eyes widened as she approached it, and flashbacks filled her mind.

"What is that thing?" Lenz asked. The thing in question had several spider-like limbs, except the legs looked more like pale human fingers. It also had a long tail and an assortment of organs covering its underside. As Lenz got within a few inches of the container, the creature moved just a bit.

"That son of a bitch!" Bulma rasped.

"So, are you going to tell me what this means?" Lenz asked. Before Bulma could answer, a large part of the far wall began lifting up, revealing a brighter light. Beyond this wall was another chamber, though smaller than the lab whole. Flandal Cash was grinning at them both, standing next to a large man strapped to a table. He appeared to be sleeping at the moment, but had an odd array of tubes stuck in his body. He also sported much larger muscles than most humans could naturally have, like juiced up bodybuilder since birth. A number of flashing lights came from the side, revealing a large computer with multiple displays and readouts.

"I was beginning to wonder what was taking you so long. Didn't run into anything unpleasant I trust?" Cash asked.

"You're insane you know. Why in the world would you be keeping a creature like this? Do you even realize what it can produce?" Bulma retorted.

"I'm fully aware of the alien's reproduction abilities. I actually had two more, but they were useless dead specimens. I found that one barely alive out in the snow. As I'm sure you're aware Miss Briefs, you should never pass up a discovery," Cash said as his grin widened. Bulma growled lowly at Cash's reference to her own mistake.

"Don't concern yourself with that creature though. It's an intriguing species, but ultimately it and those like it would be in my way!" Cash pressed a button on the computer panel and watched as the container glowed for a moment. Then random sparks of electricity surrounded it and the parasite inside jolted and twitched violently for several seconds before falling limp.

"I did consider using it as a bioweapon, however it would have caused more problems than it fixed. Personally, I'd rather deal with opponents that can think in an intelligent manner, otherwise what is the point in trying to match wits against them? That young boy of yours for example," Cash pointed as another screen came down from the ceiling. It flipped on, showing Verto and Thirteen staring each other down.

"Very clever of you to keep such a fascinating creature hidden," Cash commended.

Bulma frowned, "Hidden? I don't put a leash on him if that's what you meant."

"I would. Our conversation earlier has sparked my interest, and that has also opened my eyes to the events of the Zerg invasion. There was a point, towards the end, that your Saiyans and the Protoss began fighting each other, correct?" Cash asked as Bulma nodded grimly.

"This boy, Verto is it? He was seen on the front lines during the war. But then, along with the Zerg and the Protoss, he disappeared. I find it strange and definitely not coincidental that he should return almost a year later, emitting energy that almost mirrors that of the Protoss. Was he induced into some sort of Protoss weapon test?"

Bulma rolled her eyes, "Only you would assume that. Actually he began showing signs of this energy before any of them even showed up. Kind of shoots down that theory doesn't it?"

"Maybe. What happened to him while he was gone? It's obvious something occurred," Cash pointed out.

"I wouldn't know. I wasn't there, nor did I leave Earth; I figured you would know that," Bulma grumbled.

"You may not know the exact specifics, but you do know something. That boy is much different from the other Saiyans," Cash said. Bulma had a saddened expression on her face and Lenz stared at her in silent alarm.

"He changed. His experience of that war changed him. I knew it the instant he got back. I don't think it was a good kind of change either. He's so wound up inside now, he clearly suffered. To what end I have no idea, but I doubt you really want to find out. Sometimes I get this feeling that if pushed just hard enough, he might just kill everyone on this planet without much of a second thought. He's always had a fair amount of control over his emotions, but I don't think he has it anymore. That righteousness that was so much like Goku and Gohan just isn't there anymore. Who knows what might happen if he snaps," Bulma warned.

"Nah, little brother is fine! You're just nervous about his Saiyan instincts emerging," Lenz said nonchalantly.

"Lenz, remember who I'm married to. I think I would know a thing or two about Saiyan issues," Bulma said sternly. Cash stayed silent for a brief moment, appearing to be considering his options with this information.

"I suggest you end this now Flandal! It's only a matter of time before that android is beaten!" Bulma suggested.

"Don't underestimate Thirteen! He's been coated with an energy resistant material based on Protoss ship armor," Cash boasted.

Bulma stifled a grin, "Even Protoss armor can only take so much of a beating before it gives in!"

Cash ignored her, "If only I could have had the chance to purge the remainder of Gero's command lines. Damned thing keeps wanting to target only Son Goku. Such a brilliant mind wasted on plotting revenge!"

"Careful, you'll end up just like Gero if you keep this up. Then you can actually meet him at the bottom of Hell!" Bulma shouted.

"Who's this Gero anyway, I keep hearing his name. I never met him while I was down there," Lenz wondered.

"He made Eighteen and most of the other androids. He also created a creature called Cell," Bulma explained quickly.

Lenz gulped noticeably, "Oh, him I've met."

"Ah yes, Cell. What a wonderfully unique creature. Pity he had to get himself killed by Goku's son," Cash smiled lightly.

"Does this have a point, or are we just explaining our ugly history?" Bulma asked angrily.

"Calm down Miss Briefs, you'll be plagued by frown lines at this rate. And of course this has a point. I want the strongest fighter in this world, and obviously it has to be a Saiyan. I have to find that someone before Frost gets here, and Vegeta probably isn't the best choice. Son Gohan however, looks very promising. The boy on the other hand, might be a threat to my work. He must be eliminated!" Cash surmised.

"Ha! You'll never get anywhere near him! I'll kill you with my bare hands!" Lenz growled as she stepped forward.

"I doubt that girl," Cash said, unimpressed.

"And just what is going to stop me? I'm a Saiyan too, and I sure don't need any energy to crush your skull!" Lenz boasted.

Cash glanced over at the sleeping muscle man, "He will." The large man opened his eyes and grunted loudly. As he bent forward just slightly, Bulma could see the tubes were actually feeding into his neck, all filled with black fluid.

"And just what freak do we have here?" Lenz asked.

"Another test subject Cash? Looks like he's been through plenty. What have you done to this one?" Bulma added.

"Allow me to introduce subject zero-nine-one, a true volunteer to my work. His real name is Ash Sotsu, and he has allowed me to view the long-term effects of Chemical Z after a certain point of exposure. After nearly a month of two doses daily, his body can't live without it. It has to be constantly circulated through his bloodstream or else he goes into an extreme withdrawal that results in death. It's like a drug addict who maintains a high level of addiction and overdoses consistently. This is slightly different though. The exposure resulted in this super soldier you see now. His physical strength is greater than even a Saiyan's!" Cash claimed.

Lenz smirked, "Somehow I doubt that."

"Ash Sotsu? Why does that name sound familiar?" Bulma pondered.

"He was head of my security, you may have stumbled across that name while you were trying to spy on me," Cash replied.

Bulma stared at him in general confusion before sighing deeply; "As if you weren't bad enough, you have to poison others around you. So deluded." The clamps around Ash released, and he slowly lurched forward and dropped to his own two feet.

"We shall put him to the test then, Ash, destroy her!" Cash ordered. Ash stepped out, stretching his large frame as he lazily glanced at Lenz, who was cracking her knuckles.

"Be careful Lenz, I have a bad feeling about this!" Bulma warned. Lenz kept her confident smile and stepped forward. Once she got within a dozen feet or so, Cash threw another switch along the wall. A thick metal cage then dropped from the ceiling, surrounding Ash and Lenz and sealing Bulma off from the rest of the lab.

"Just a little insurance policy in case my calculations were off. Besides, I don't want my lab wrecked!" Cash explained.

"You think I won't be able to get out?" Lenz asked as she moved towards the cage bars. Cash didn't answer as Lenz grabbed the cage bars and tried to lift. Cash flipped another switch and the cage was engulfed in blue energy. Lenz screamed as the contact shocked her before she finally let go and backed away with both hands smoking.

"Does that answer your question? Those bars have enough current to power half the city for most of the day! Ash, you may take your time killing her!" Cash said. Ash grunted and trudged towards Lenz as she recovered from the electrical shock. She dodged Ash's first lazy punch easily and rolled to the left. Ash turned slowly, more than long enough for Lenz to land a sharp kick to his bulging neck. Ash stumbled, but caught himself and snarled in anger. Lenz's eyes widened in surprise, but she let it go and kicked high, striking Ash in the jaw. Ash's head went back by reaction, and his big body swayed. Confidence oozed into Lenz, but it faded when Ash recovered and snarled at her again. He barely had a trickle of blood coming from his mouth.

Lenz grimaced as she backed up a step, Oh boy, this could get rough. Ash marched towards Lenz, leaving small dents where his feet impacted. Lenz rushed to meet him, punching and yelling like a mad woman. Every hit made contact with Ash's beefed up chest, but none of them seemed to do anything. Lenz paused when she realized this and glanced up in surprise. Ash smacked her in the face with his huge hand, sending her sprawling to the ground. Lenz hit hard, but got to her feet quickly, rubbing her bruised cheek in genuine surprise.

"What did I tell you? Never doubt my words nor my creations!" Cash boasted. Lenz turned and bent her neck a bit as she popped the joints to loosen them. She then spit a decent amount of blood from her mouth as she balled her fists.

"Round two!" Lenz shouted as she charged in.

A/n:

WDG: Uh-oh. Tummy pains are bad, aren't they? I think it'll be… interesting, to see exactly how much of a beating that Protoss armor takes. :P

VB: Depends on how…unstable things become.

Next time on DBV: The battle between Verto and Thirteen continues as the young Saiyan tries his best against the toughened android. But when Verto becomes enraged and starts to lose control of himself, Thirteen takes an unexpected course of taunting him instead. What could be the reason for the maniacal android's actions? Is it an act of suicide, or one of delay while Thirteen seeks out his true target, Goku. Next time…