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 38: Red Dawn
A normal enough blue car was parked on the side of a North City street. Its windshield glimmered with the reflection of the morning sky, which was overcast. It appeared to have no faults in the paint or structure, indicating that it was well cared for. That came to an abrupt end when the body of Android Seventeen slammed into it. The front end folded and bent all the way in, more or less putting whatever was left of the engine in the back seat. The frame was crumpled into a mangled mass of metal that formed a semi-circle around the injured android. He tried to crawl out, but only managed to tumble to the ground ahead. Thirteen stood still nearby, chuckling at the sight.
"Well that was a disappointment, both in design and strength. Is Goku that weak?" he asked.
Verto growled in frustration, "You don't need to worry about him. I'm going to bury you first!"
"Then do it boy! I'm right here!" Thirteen dared. Verto's right hand began to glow brightly as he slowly walked forward, fist fully clenched.
"That again? You'll just waste your energy," Thirteen pointed out. Verto paused and opened his hand again as his energy ball shrank in size before spinning slowly.
"Maybe, but I can adjust my tactics. Let's see if you're right about that this time!" Verto replied. Thirteen spread his arms wide, inviting the attack. Verto wasted no time and threw it at him dead on at high velocity. Thirteen's grin never subsided as he lifted one huge palm to block it. When it hit however, ice encased his forearm and quickly spread to his shoulder. Thirteen's eyes went wide as the Psionic ice quickly covered his body. Not a second later, the area was covered in blue light again as Verto began charging a much bigger attack. The smaller boy flew straight at him with his glowing fist drawn back just as the ice started to crack apart. Thirteen roared and flexed out of the ice trap, completely open for the attack about to hit him.
"Galic Fist!" Verto shouted just as Thirteen glanced down. Verto let him have it in his huge torso, and the resulting blast blinded all that could see. Once the light cleared, a line of buildings tumbled to the ground, indicating that Thirteen had been flung right through them all at once. The dust and debris clogged the air between them, and Verto stood by cautiously, unsure if he had done enough damage. A sudden rumble followed by the ground shaking said otherwise. Verto cringed angrily and powered up another attack in his palm as he searched for where Thirteen would reappear. The ground behind Verto began to rip apart from underneath and rushed towards Verto, who turned with one hand aimed straight ahead with the other supporting it. Rather it was foolish or not, Verto closed his eyes to help focus his blast. It changed from a bright blue sphere to a small ball mid-palm with constant streams of lightning threatening to lash out. The ground shaking increased in intensity just before Thirteen burst out from the ground, ready to unload with a huge punch. Verto's eyes snapped open just in time to see it, and he fired. Thirteen froze in midair just as dozens upon dozens of lightning bolts rushed out from Verto's palm, striking every inch of Thirteen's metallic body several times over. The big android grunted and howled with apparent pain as Verto kept channeling his energy.
Come on, drop you big son of a bitch! If this doesn't work, not much else will! The lightning burst continued for nearly a minute before Thirteen finally fell to his knees and Verto was forced to stop, panting hard. Once Verto stopped, Thirteen got right back up.
"Shit!" Verto shouted. Thirteen was not happy, and showed it as his body sparked and smoked from various places, but for the most part he was only a little burnt. Verto could make out a sizable dent in Thirteen's torso, but that was all.
"That actually hurt you little bastard!" Thirteen snarled. Verto feigned a grin, Great, not only is he unaffected, now he's mad too. Only one thing left to try now, and I hate having to try it! Verto's aura flashed to life as he showed signs of further powering up. Thirteen's smile returned as he assumed his fighter's stance. Verto suddenly turned and blasted off into the skies, turning Thirteen's grin into confusion. He began to follow the small Saiyan quickly towards the outskirts of the city. Verto kept flying, but slowed down considerably once Thirteen was in the air. Verto turned his head back just enough to spot the android, Come on, fall for it! I'm just a wounded duck here. I've got to lure him out of here before I resort to using Kaioken on him! Thirteen glanced around and stopped dead in his tracks just on the city's edge. Verto also stopped and turned to face him, very sure that Thirteen had smelled the trap.
"Come on you big chicken shit! You said you wanted Goku, I'll take you straight to him! What are you, scared?" he dared.
"I am no fool, runt! So stop playing me for one!" Thirteen shouted back. He then turned and raised his hands, drawing up an even larger Deadly Bomb than before.
"You will fight me here, or I will destroy this entire city now!" Thirteen demanded.
"Leave them out of this!" Verto pleaded.
"I would, except I know you'll keep trying to undermine me. Your pathetic emotions will decide things though. They say that the true test of a man is what he does when he or someone he cares for is staring death in the face. You may not be a man yet, but I will test your resolve. Stay here and finish this fight, or watch them all evaporate before your very eyes! Their fate is in your hands!" Thirteen stated. Verto stared at the ground, seething over the ultimatum.
"Decide, or I'll decide for you!" Thirteen warned again.
"Fine, but we fight on the outskirts! Deal?" Verto offered.
"Deal, guess I don't need this anymore!" Thirteen declared as he tossed his blast nonchalantly over his shoulder. Verto's eyes went wide as the bomb fell towards the city, and he sped towards it. Thirteen cut him off with a harsh knee that stopped Verto in his tracks. Verto quickly shot a blast towards the bomb to deflect it, but he was unable to give it enough power to do much. The bomb wobbled off course from the small impact, but still fell into the eastern portion of North City.
"No!" Verto shouted in terror as Thirteen backed away. The bright red explosion leveled everything it touched, wiping out the entire eastern half of North City and leaving an incredibly deep crater in its wake. Large amounts of dust flooded through the air around Verto and Thirteen. Around Verto though, the dust was swirling and even catching sparks. Verto shuddered in anger, his hands trembling.
Thirteen laughed evilly, "Have I made my point boy?" This only added to the storm slowly forming around Verto as he turned towards the android. His eyes flashed with the color of blood briefly before staying a brilliant blue. The storm subsided back into his normal, flowing aura, and he took a deep breath before giving off a death glare of the ages. Verto didn't respond to Thirteen's continued laughter, though he was still shaking in rage as his eyes drifted towards the ground.
No, I can't lose control, not yet! If I lose it again, I may not be stopped like last time. This is not the time or place to be testing that power. There are still a lot of people alive down there! Verto's thoughts distracted him enough that Thirteen raced towards him unnoticed. Thirteen clothes-lined Verto and flipped him completely around before watching him freefall towards the ground. Thirteen didn't wait for the recovery and dove down, kicking Verto hard and sending him flailing back towards the city and straight into a building. It collapsed as Thirteen landed in the dust filled street and waited. It didn't take long for the rubble to disperse and reveal a bruised Verto flying out of it. Thirteen readied himself, but was amazed when Verto stopped cold in his tracks, eyes full of surprise.
"Are you crazy? Get out of here!" Verto shouted at him.
"What are you talking about boy?" Thirteen grunted. Thirteen then realized that Verto was speaking to someone else and quickly turned to see whom. Behind the barrel of a pistol aimed at him, was Bulma Briefs.
Thirteen snickered, "Ah, Miss Briefs, how kind of you to join us." Bulma didn't answer, but did fire the gun. Thirteen frowned when the bullet bounced off the side of his head.
"How utterly annoying!" Thirteen grumbled. Thirteen's palm turned upwards as he charged a strong blast to return the favor. His blast vanished when his arm was suddenly yanked upwards. Verto pulled hard, lifting the small giant into the air before spinning around several times and letting go. Thirteen went sailing into the atmosphere and Verto turned his attention briefly to Bulma.
"That was really fucking stupid! Get the hell out of here before he comes back!" Verto screamed at her. He didn't bother to see her off and took flight, chasing Thirteen's flailing form. Once into the cloud layers, Verto lost track of Thirteen completely and paused to look around for him. Just as he broke through the top cloud layer and into the morning sky, he found the missing android. Thirteen was in the process of powering up his largest Deadly Bomb so far.
Great, gotta deflect this one! As Verto dropped back with both palms facing inward, he frantically realized how high he was. Wait a sec, I'm high enough that I should have my ki back…but where is it? Unless the range of those power dampeners really is that much. Damnit, I can't hold back on this one! Thirteen laughed as Verto's energy beam started to form.
"That's Goku's move, how appropriate! Too bad you'll only dishonor his legacy!" Thirteen claimed as his attack finished.
Verto growled but ignored him, Gotta strike quickly with as much power as I can dish out! If this becomes a struggle, I'm up shit creek! Thirteen released his Deadly Bomb, dropping it straight towards Verto's small frame. Verto's gray aura came to life, before changing to a deep blue.
"Kaioken!" Verto's Kamehameha exploded in size as he fired it. Once beam and bomb clashed, it was very clear which was going to succeed. The Deadly Bomb never had a chance and was pushed into space before it detonated. Once it was clear, Verto was hunched over and trying to catch his breath. Thirteen dove down and smashed him over the head and Verto plummeted towards the ground. He smacked pavement and broke through, leaving his own small crater behind. Thirteen landed an instant later with a victorious grin on his face. He stepped into the crater and drove his big boot into Verto's back. Verto cried out in pain instantly, until a gunshot filled the air. Thirteen scowled when another bullet hit his shoulder, and turned to see Bulma again.
Thirteen shook his head slightly as he quickly charged a blast and fired, "Death wish granted!" Bulma screamed, as the blast appeared to overwhelm her. It cleared quickly, and all that could be seen was an unmoving body buried under rubble. The ground shook violently and Thirteen was thrown aside by a sudden energy surge. Thirteen got back up in anger, but stopped in genuine surprise. Verto was on his feet, teeth clinched and seething in red-hot rage. Verto's aura was back in full, and was it now a deep red color. His eyes were glowing with a similar hue, and Thirteen backed up a step in caution as vivid lightning bursts struck the air. One such stream arced out from the boy and lashed across Thirteen's face as he ducked aside. A short but wide gash was opened along the side of Thirteen's head, and he began to realize that the fight had just turned completely around.
Verto's teeth opened long enough for a sharp intake of breath before his battle cry hit the air, "You'll pay!"
Lenz staggered to a knee, her face heavily bruised. Ash Sotsu, her opponent, was bleeding from the head, chest and arms in various places. The entire fight had been a virtual slugfest so far, and neither appeared to have a clear advantage. Bulma had stood by and watched only because she didn't want to chance Cash having some other surprise up his sleeve. She considered firing the gun she had at Ash, but after watching Lenz struggle with the behemoth, she doubted a bullet would do much. Besides, that meant risking even a casual touch of the electrified cage, which would likely kill her. There didn't appear to be any control panels or switches on her side of the room anyway, so she remained stuck. That didn't stop her from glancing around every so often to make sure nothing suddenly changed. She especially kept checking the limp alien parasite just in case it was only unconscious. Flandal Cash himself was barely paying any attention to the cage match itself. He remained concerned with watching Android Thirteen take on Verto and Seventeen. Seventeen was more or less reduced to a battered bystander during the face off. Thirteen didn't appear to be affected by any of Verto's attacks so far, but he also couldn't catch him. Bulma had been rather confident of Verto beating the android, but that confidence waned when she saw him start to get frustrated. That frustration began to shift to anger when Thirteen began blasting the buildings around them without care.
A sharp smack brought Bulma back to the bloody brawl in front of her. Lenz had just backhanded Ash in the side of his face. He staggered to his right, pausing long enough for Lenz to capitalize on another opening. Lenz drove her entire leg into Ash's abdomen, and the big man swayed. When he didn't go down, Lenz backed up several steps while he remained stunned. Just as he showed signs of recovery, Lenz ran at him and jumped into an attempted flying kick. Ash caught Lenz by her extended leg and stopped her momentum easily. Then he held her high at arms length as she squirmed to get free. Ash pulled up and swung down hard, slamming Lenz into the floor face first. Ash kept his grip tight and pulled Lenz back up. The young girl hung somewhat limply as she gasped aloud in pain, blood coming from both her forehead and nose. Ash lifted her high once again, intent on causing more damage. Lenz opened her eyes wide when she realized it and reached out quickly, raking his eyes. The monstrous man dropped her immediately to hold and shield his eyes, big mistake. Lenz got to a knee and drove her forearm straight up into Ash's crotch. Ash wailed in pain and fell over, holding the family jewels protectively.
Bulma cheered, "Nice one!"
Lenz wiped some blood from her lip and grinned back, "Like little brother says, do whatever it takes!" Ash barely got to a knee before Lenz rammed her knee into the side of his head. Lenz purposefully put enough force into it to kill any normal human easily. Ash's head did tip sideways, but his neck stayed intact. Lenz backed away as the big man remained on the ground.
"Man, what is it gonna take to put him down for good?" Lenz wondered.
"Try hitting him harder, don't hold back on him!" Bulma suggested.
"That's what I've been doing!"
Cash chuckled from the far side of the room, "As you can see, he can withstand and even match the brutal nature of you Saiyans! You can't last against him forever!" Bulma eyed the series of tubes going through Ash's neck, circulating the black, syrupy fluid.
"I can keep this up all day if I have to!" Lenz claimed.
"I doubt you'll need to. Tell me Flandal, what would happen if he were to be cut off from that compound you have pumping through his veins?" Bulma asked. Cash paused and didn't respond, giving Bulma the answer she needed.
"Fair enough. Pull the plug Lenz!" Bulma ordered. Lenz nodded back and ran towards Ash before jumping onto his back. She snatched the tubes up as Ash tried to rise and buck her off. Yanking hard, Lenz pulled the tubing right out of his skin. Ash roared in pain and threw her off as the floor began to pond with a mixture of red and black. As Ash tried to examine his own back, Lenz charged him and threw all her strength into her shoulder as she rammed him. Ash fell backwards, right into the electrified cage. Ash's whole body lit up with blue as zapping sounds filled the air. His deep, burly voice overlapped all noise for easily ten seconds as his back sizzled and smoked. Ash's painful facial expression dulled to blank and he collapsed to his stomach. His whole body was smoking, but not nearly like his charred back. Lenz waited a moment before stepping closer and checking his pulse. Lenz frowned, but then wrapped both hands around Ash's neck and turned hard, filling the room with a sickening crack.
"He's done. Now let me out of here!" she demanded.
"How stupid do I look girl?" Cash retorted. A bright flash came from the battle display, revealing that Verto had just hammered Thirteen with his Galic Fist attack, knocking the big android for several city blocks. Everyone stayed quiet for a few minutes as Thirteen erupted from the ground right into Verto's lightning attack. Cash's video feed clearly showed how winded Verto was becoming once the attack ended.
"Looks like your kid is getting frustrated," Cash noted.
"Your robot will be deep fried once little brother starts trying!" Lenz declared.
"Keep your threats; you're not in any position to make them," Cash stated. Back on the screen, Thirteen sent Verto flying through a building for once. When he came back, he started shouting something inaudible. Cash switched the angle and spotted whom he was shouting at. When he zoomed in, Bulma gasped.
"What the, that can't be right. Unless…what's Kati doing out there?" Kati Cash, who currently looked identical to Bulma, had a pistol in her hand, aimed straight at Thirteen. Flandal's own eyes widened, realizing that his daughter was about to do something very stupid. She fired and Thirteen turned when the bullet bounced off. Thirteen charged a blast to respond in kind, only to have his arm yanked upwards by Verto. Verto pulled the big android into the air and swung him around several times before letting go. Thirteen went sailing into the skies, well into the atmosphere. Verto landed and berated Kati for a few seconds before chasing after Thirteen. Kati's expression never changed the entire time, revealing to Cash what might have been going on.
He pressed a button on his console and spoke angrily, "Ranso, what have you done to Kati?"
"Nothing. Just planted a few useful ideas into her head. Think of it as punishment for defying your will," Ranso replied over the intercom.
"Call her back! Thirteen isn't programmed to determine friend from foe!" Cash ordered.
Ranso hesitated, "Yes, doctor!"
"And later, we will discuss your idea of punishment!" Cash warned.
Bulma scowled, "Sounds like your little witch likes taking things even further than you. Aren't you two a perfect couple?"
"I don't remember asking your opinion on the matter. Besides, your boy nearly had another traumatic experience. You wouldn't want him to have an emotional breakdown at a time like this!" Cash grinned.
Bulma returned the glance, "You're lucky he didn't. Bad things happen when Saiyans are under extreme duress, and Verto is no exception."
"Quit being so blind. It would have distracted the boy and Thirteen would have finished him off for good!" Cash claimed.
"Oh really? I'm the blind one, and here you thought you were so thorough even with Frost's help. Well he already warned you for your own good, but it looks like you didn't heed his warning. There's a big reason why super villains like Frost's father Frieza and Cell were defeated. It usually centers around underestimating a Saiyan, especially an angry one. Their hair turns blonde for a reason. You probably should have investigated that first!" Bulma explained.
"Yeah, you don't want little brother to get mad. He'll pay you back ten fold!" Lenz added.
"Enough of these delusions of grandeur! It doesn't matter if he gets angry or not, Thirteen will kill him. And I have studied these Super Saiyans. Their golden form allows them to take their energy to new extremes. Well guess what, my power inhibitors don't allow that!" Cash countered.
"You saw it yourself Flandal, Verto has more than just Saiyan power behind him!" Bulma pointed out. The two scientists resumed their glaring contest as Verto suddenly slammed into the pavement, smashing a new crater into the street.
Cash smiled, "There, you see?" The view panned outward, showing Thirteen landing near Verto's prone form. He stepped forward and drove his feet into Verto's back. As Verto screamed in pain, Thirteen's attention shifted elsewhere once more. That's when Kati appeared on the screen again, gun aimed.
Cash's finger was on the intercom button in a heartbeat, "Ranso! Let her go!"
Ranso's voice shakily answered, "I'm sorry doctor, I can't! She's out of range!" Thirteen's next blast fired and swallowed Kati. When the light faded, a pair of legs could be seen under a pile of rubble, wearing Bulma's blue capsule skirt.
Cash gasped, "Kati?" He stood still and stared at her unmoving body, speechless. He still didn't react when the feed erupted with bright red light and Thirteen was suddenly forced away. He didn't even change the camera angle to see what had caused it. He only stared at his daughter's corpse, tears rolling out of his eyes. Bulma sighed heavily as Lenz suddenly glanced towards the ceiling.
"Well, I guess we'll have to wait until he snaps out of it," Bulma said.
"Maybe, maybe not," Lenz replied.
"What is it Lenz?" Bulma asked with concern.
Lenz looked slightly confused, "I can feel little brother's energy. I know I shouldn't be able to right now, but it's there. It feels really cold, but at the same time, hot like lava!"
Gohan woke up suddenly, startled as he had a bad dream. He glanced around his peaceful room and sighed with slight relief. It was his third nightmare in as many days. Gohan wasn't completely sure what there were really about. They seemed to feature some sort of evil being hell bent on destruction, each one different from the last. Since the sun was now peaking through his window, Gohan wondered where Goten was. The kid was hardly ever tardy when it came to rousing Gohan at sunrise. Gohan quickly remembered that Goten was staying the night at Capsule Corp. He did sense his father's antsy presence just outside. Gohan shook his head slightly, Probably warming up already. Gohan had promised Goku that he would endure an early morning bout with both him and Piccolo. Gohan did not sense his mentor nearby however, drawing his curiosity. Gohan's eyes narrowed, That's strange, Piccolo is never late. Gohan felt a slight aura of concern from Goku and elected to scan for the mighty Namek's presence. He found it quickly in the area of the lookout, though felt a rush of annoyance coming from him. Gohan was about to scan around the rest of the area when the phone rang, interrupting his focus. The front door slammed open as Goku beat everyone to the phone. Gohan had just reached the stairs when Goku hung up and began to pace with irritation.
"What's wrong dad?" Gohan asked.
"I've got a really bad feeling Gohan, something is wrong," Goku said cryptically. That was enough to grab Gohan's attention, but it didn't prove anything yet.
"What do you think it is?" Gohan inquired.
"I don't know, but I can't sense Vegeta or Trunks at Capsule Corp!" Goku said.
"They're probably still asleep dad, I doubt it's even twilight there yet," Gohan pointed out.
"That's not it; I can't sense anything from Capsule Corp at all. It's like there's a void of life in the middle of West City. And I can't sense anything around North City!" Gohan turned his head slightly to scan said areas himself. He blinked sharply when he sensed the same blankness in the air. His eyes promptly shifted to blue when he began to search for alternate energy sources. The blank spots vanished around both cities, but Gohan felt a strong surge from the north. That strong surge was Verto without a doubt, and Gohan felt it growing both stronger and darker.
"Dad, I think there's a serious problem. Go check on Capsule Corp, I'll go to North City. Whatever is causing this must be there, because Verto feels like he's losing control of himself again. I don't think anyone else but me can deal with it!" Both father and son blasted off in different directions a few moments later, flying as fast as they could. If he loses control of himself again, I'm not sure we can stop him!
Android Thirteen didn't move as he tried to figure out what was going on in front of him. One moment he was clearly winning the battle, and the next he was being stared down again. This time by a radically powerful boy, whom a minute ago was clearly losing. At first Thirteen thought it was the Kaioken technique again, but this red aura brought more power and destruction with it. Thirteen could feel how volatile the air around him was, like an extremely hot thunderstorm. A stiff breeze circled through, wrapping around the raging epicenter that was Verto. His eyes had filled with a light red that matched everything else at the moment. There was a sharp increase in air temperature, and a generous spark ignited the ground and trees nearby. Orange and yellow flames flickered to life, quickly scorching anything nearby and spreading rapidly. Everyone watching in the remaining structures began to panic and fled the area. The few that were stuck on the upper floors called for help, but their screams fell on deaf ears. Thirteen backed up a few steps in caution. He had already seen Verto send his strongest attack into space easily, he didn't want to make any mistakes now. Down in the depths of his mechanical gut, he felt fortunate for his extra armor coating, because it was about to be tested again. Time seemed to slow to a crawl around Thirteen and Verto, even though nothing happened for much of it. Thirteen couldn't figure out just what Verto was waiting for. His angry burst was still evident by his glaring and glowing eyes as well as his clenched teeth and tight breathing. It was as if his power was stopping him from moving, or that he just couldn't control all of it yet. Several minutes passed before Verto even budged. When he finally did, he merely straightened up and took a deep breath, shutting his eyes. When he opened them again, Thirteen saw that his pupils had returned, but had turned a disturbing shade of crimson. He had the look of someone malicious, not righteous. Once Verto appeared to have control of himself, his glare deepened and he walked straight towards Thirteen.
Thirteen snorted, "Are you done crying already? Is this the part where I should be afraid?" Verto didn't answer as he continued forward at the same pace.
"Aren't you going to answer me with that annoying wit of yours? Or are you simply at a loss for words?" Thirteen asked. Verto stopped, barely a dozen feet from the android, and stared up into Thirteen's oddly colored eyes. For a moment, Thirteen felt slightly unnerved at this. The look in the boy's eyes was down right scary, but Thirteen chalked it up as intimidation tactics. Thirteen then grinned when Verto made no further move, seeing this as hesitation on Verto's part. He couldn't have been any more wrong.
"Well?" Thirteen frowned with slight impatience.
"Words won't save you, so don't bother saying any!" Verto rasped in a very low voice. Thirteen's previous feeling of fear returned, and a distinct chill ran up his metallic spine. The chill vanished when a reddened fist was buried into his torso. Thirteen gasped in surprise before trying to pound Verto's back. The boy was gone before Thirteen could swing his arm. A small forearm smashed into the back of Thirteen's head, and he flew forward, skidding through the hot, charred concrete. Thirteen recovered quickly and rose to his feet. He heard a footfall behind him and cringed in anticipation. Thirteen rapidly charged a blast, firing just as he turned. The blast wiped out half of what was already a ruined city block. Thirteen's eyes narrowed, realizing that he never even saw Verto there. He patiently waited for any sign of his opponent among the smoldering ashes. He looked left and right, snapping left again when a piece of brick rubble clattered to the ground. Thirteen relaxed for that brief moment before Verto promptly phased in behind him.
"You're finished," Verto said with his palm raised. Thirteen didn't even have time to turn before a bright and erratic red energy sword penetrated his back and speared through the front. Thirteen gasped as an eruption of oily fluid came from his mouth and his midsection sparked violently. Verto disengaged his sword and kicked Thirteen square in the back, putting him on the ground face first.
Verto promptly spit on him, "Pathetic piece of junk! Nothing but a glorified toaster!" Thirteen's pain filled face melted into confusion as he got up off the ground.
"Is that so? Then why am I still here? If I am so pathetic, why not destroy me as quickly as possible?" Thirteen asked.
"Don't tempt me anymore than you already have can-opener," Verto growled. To Thirteen, the boy didn't look cocky by any means; he had a truly uncaring expression on his face as he stared back at him. At the same time, he didn't look all that hesitant either, but there was something about his expression that revealed conflicting thoughts. For some strange reason, Thirteen felt reassured in the face of this new danger.
"Come on, if you've got the power to break me, then let's see it!" Thirteen dared.
Verto stepped back this time, "This fight has no meaning to it. It's pointless to continue."
Thirteen was surprised to say the least, "Is that a fact? Tell me why that is?"
"Destroying you like this won't do me any good. Go find Goku, he'll finish you off. I'm not gonna do it," Verto claimed. His eyes flickered slightly to a fainter red color and his aura faded. Thirteen wasn't sure how to react to this at all, considering everything else that had happened.
"Are you giving up then?" Thirteen dared to ask.
"You can call it that if you want," Verto replied as he turned on his foot and walked away.
"Why?"
Verto stopped and sighed heavily, "Because you are a soulless beast. Once I put the hole in your gut, it was obvious. You're still here because you are nothing but a robot, or your vaguely human parts are so small that they're only microchips. Using this power on you means nothing. And the longer I stay like this, the more likely I lose control of it. I can't allow that to happen."
Thirteen scoffed at this, "All that bravado about being stronger and protecting the innocent and now you're refusing to do it? Sounds like someone's priorities are mixed up. Are you worried that you might kill a few insects if you fire another blast? Poor baby! You fail to realize that a minor attack will do exactly that!"
"Maybe so, but I would become something worse than you if I continued this course of action. You would only kill them, at least they would have an afterlife," Verto said calmly.
"Rather the myths of the life after death are true or not, are you trying to say that you can erase people from existence?" Thirteen asked.
"In a nutshell, yes," Verto replied as he turned back around.
"Interesting," Thirteen said with a sly grin. Verto didn't respond as he stepped further away, in the general direction of the lab.
"I find it odd that you didn't try to avenge Miss Briefs. After trying to protect her and all," Thirteen pointed out.
Verto didn't even stop, "That wasn't her. It just took me a moment to figure that out. If it had been, I can promise you that you would have been dust after the first attack." Thirteen glanced over at the prone body, spotting strands of brown hair instead of blue.
"Doctor Cash's daughter, why would she help you?" Thirteen asked.
Verto stopped, "It may not have been up to her, nor does it matter. Go do what you were made for; I'll take care of her father." Thirteen shifted nervously as Verto lifted into the air, realizing that this boy was a very legitimate threat.
If I try to fight him again, it's very possible he will destroy me. But if I were to frustrate him enough to lose his composure, it's also possible that the other Saiyans will show. If he loses control like he suggests, he would destroy them for me. He will most likely kill Doctor Cash if I do not act, Thirteen pondered to himself. He quickly fired a blast across Verto's path, blowing up a fresh building along with anyone that might have been inside. Thirteen grinned slightly as Verto stopped, clenching his fists tightly.
"That was very stupid," Verto whispered.
"Not so fast boy! I need to repay you for this battle wound!" Thirteen declared. Verto turned, his eyes crimson again and his face full of rage. Thirteen thought he still looked too controlled.
"Leave now, and I will kill every human on this planet until you fight me! Starting with the remainder of this city!" Thirteen warned. Verto's red aura surged to life as the skies darkened, and random crackles of lightning filled the air. Thirteen's grin of success didn't last, as he realized that he might have made a very critical error. Verto's eyes suddenly shifted again as the whites filled with black and only the pupils glowed bright red. Verto cringed with apparent pain, but it faded when he spread his arms and released a great deal of energy.
"You fool!" Verto shouted. Just as he finished, another power surge came forth, and the entire area went up in flames.
A/Ns: Yes I know, a truly diabolical cliffhanger. Next time, on DBV…you know what, no, not this time. Ya'll know someone is probably going to go bye bye next time. Draw your own conclusions as to what happens, and if you can't, then go outside, and "Give into the Night!"
WDG: Uh-oh, there goes the neighborhood…
VB: Ka-boom bitch!