Gega03: If you mean on one of the websites, I stopped those. I have a message board now, link is my homepage link in my bio. If that's what you're already talking about, I only update as sections are finished so as not to reveal later points. And a few stories wont have Power Levels, like Legends - Book I (and the two that will follow). Neither will Adrift. Everything else, I believe, is up to date. Please correct me if I'm wrong though. As for this story, Unrivaled, and Retrun of Recoome, well, those aren't far enough along yet to make it worth the time.

Chapter Two - Family Matters

A pair of light blue eyes fluttered open and looked about groggily. The body they belonged to was cold and sore. "Where... where am I? Why am I here?" she wondered. She tried to move her arms but they wouldn't obey. Turning to look she saw why, metal straps bound her arms to the wall at the wrists holding her up in a cross shape. "W-what's going on?" She shifted her feet and found that they were shackled with metal chains to the wall as well.

She heard a loud and agonized scream suddenly fill the hall outside. Her eyes opened wide as the scream dragged on for several moments before fading away completely. Her clothes weren't thick enough to keep out the damp chill of the air as she looked about her in fear and worry. The room she was in was small, only a six foot cube. Across from her was the door, solid steel like the room, with a small opening at the top to see through and to let fresh air in through.

"Think girl... what's the last thing you remember? I... I was on my way to the cafeteria for lunch..." She shook her head to shake off the cobwebs still clinging to her mind. "I was going to get lunch and... a voice behind me called my name." She narrowed her eyes as she thought, a stray lock of blonde hair falling down over her face.

"Who was it? Oh, why can't I remember!" She lightly smacked the back of her head into the wall behind her as she tried to think. "What did he look like? I can remember green and red... he was big... Gah! Come on Marron, think!" She closed her eyes tightly and focused.

"Mmmm, now aren't you a nice one to look at?" a voice said from outside the cell. Marron opened her eyes and looked through the opening. All she could make out were a pair of blue eyes. "So, what are you in here for?" Before Marron had a chance to say anything a female voice cut in, seemingly from down the hall. She couldn't hear most of what she said, only 'alone' and 'off-limits'. Whatever she'd said made the man groan. "Babe, you spoil all of my fun."

The woman snorted. "Tough, deal with it. Though from the sound of it you had some fun earlier." She was a lot closer now and a second later she saw another pair of eyes, these ones blue as well, enter the view through the opening in the door. The woman leaned forward a bit and Marron realized she must be kissing the man. After a moment she pulled back. "Besides, you're mine now."

The man laughed. "Possessive, aren't we? Okay, okay, I'll leave her alone. Though I am interested in what you're up to this time."

"Just helping out the Doctor with a project."

"Ah, she's to be a test subject then? Poor thing, so pretty too." he said gazing in at her again. "You know babe, she kind of looks like you."

The woman snorted. "You said the same thing about that waitress yesterday, and the servant Cold brought with him, and..."

"Okay, okay. I get your point. All blonde women look alike to me."

The woman chuckled. "If you weren't so cute I'd smack you." she said playfully. "Now, aren't you needed in a meeting with your father?"

He sighed. "Nothing but boring matters of state. He's not sent me out on an actual mission since I was little kid! I don't get why he's making me..."

"Learn to be king?" the woman asked. "Oh, gee, I don't know... maybe because you're a prince?"

The man snorted. "It's just a title these days. The Cold Family runs all the paperwork, you guys handle all the actual fighting and enforcing of laws..." he shook his head. "Hell, father's not even really king anymore. He lost that title when his power was surpassed..."

The woman placed a finger on his lips silencing him. "Your father isn't the strongest anymore, no. He hasn't been for years. But he is still king, the others only care about getting stronger, not ruling."

As she listened to the exchange Marron's mind was working a mile a minute. "He's a Prince? She's his girl... they've got blue eyes, she's blonde... He's training to be King... Oh Kami! Could they... but... how? Why?" Her eyes widened as she suddenly remembered who'd been behind her, who'd called her name. "Android 16! But why? What do they want with... wait... what did they say? I'm going to be a test subject? The Doctor? Oh... no... no... no..." Marron began trying to pull her hands free of her shackles as the two people outside kissed again and then the man walked off.

A second later she heard the lock on the door snap open and the handle turned. Marron felt her blood run cold as the door swung open. It's opening triggered the dim overhead lights to brighten to a more normal level and Marron saw for certain that she'd been right. Standing before her was a young looking woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. She had on a pair of brown boots, black pants, a denim skirt, a black shirt with long white sleeves with black stripes, and an open denim jacket with the sleeves cut off.

"An... Android 18..." she breathed.

"In the flesh." she said slowly walking closer to her. "You know, you almost got the two of us into a bit of trouble." 18 stopped a foot away from the woman and reached out a hand. Marron jerked and turned her head but 18 merely brushed the stray lock of blonde hair off her face. "Twenty-five years is a long time..." she mumbled.

"Wh-why... me..." Marron choked, obviously frightened.

"Don't be scared Marron, I wont let anything happen to you. And I apologize for 16's... lack of restraint at times. He wasn't supposed to knock you out like that." 18 sighed and ran a hand through her hair. As she looked at Marron she suddenly smiled. "Trunks was right, we do look a lot alike. You've got my eyes, and my nose..." she chuckled. "Thank Kami for that."

"Y-your eyes and nose?" Marron asked confused.

18 sighed again and shook her head. "Promise me you wont try and take off if I let you free? I don't want one of the guards blasting you into little pieces." Marron nodded. "I don't even know why 16 chained you up." she muttered as she released first her left arm and then her right. As she bent down and opened the shackles around her ankles she shook her head. "His AI has been upgraded a half dozen times and I swear, he gets dumber each time. These days I think 19's more intelligent..."

As the last of the shackles opened 18 stood up again and stared at Marron for a moment. "Still... as much as you look like me you look like your father too."

"My... father? You... know my father? Wait, look like you? I... I don't... I don't understand..."

18 sighed and turned around. "Follow me Marron." was all she said. 18 led the other woman out of the cell and down a long corridor. On both sides were more doors leading into cells like the one she'd just been in. From a few she could hear low crying as they passed and she'd braved a glance into a couple of them. The first looked empty but the second held a man, she couldn't tell his age since she couldn't see his face. He was restrained same as she had been, but he lacked clothes. He also had welts of various shapes and sizes covering his body. As soon as she saw him she wished she hadn't and looked away.

After a bit the cell doors ended and the walls became smooth unbroken steel. They continued on like that for several yards before she saw another door along the right wall. It was a set of double doors with round glass panes set into them, obviously not the cells of before. Marron cast a glance through one of the windows into the room. It was large and filled with metal operating tables and various devices she couldn't make heads or tails of, and she was pretty sure she didn't want to find out what they were either.

After going a bit further they passed through a set of solid double doors, no windows in these ones, and emerged from the cold and sterile steel hall into one of wooden walls and tile floors. 18 led her down another hall, around a corner, down another hall, through a large empty chamber of some kind, a ballroom most likely, and up three flights of stairs. At last they entered another room and came to a stop.

The room had one window that looked out at the setting sun and was lightly furnished. A simple bed, a couple chairs, a desk, a couch, a TV, and a computer. 18 took a seat in one of the chairs and then motioned for Marron to sit on the couch. As Marron took her seat she had a clear view of 18's closet. There were a couple other outfits and two sets of armor. One was red and white, the colors of the Red Ribbon Army. The other was purple and black, the colors of an Imperial General. Simply seeing the armors in the closet was imposing enough, she could only imagine what it would be like to see 18 fully decked out in them.

Suddenly she realized the other woman was speaking. "Oh... I-I'm sorry... I must have... z-zoned out."

18 nodded. "There's no reason to be scared Marron. I was saying that you aren't actually one of the Doctor's test subjects. I just said that so Trunks would drop the matter."

"So then... that was the Prince?" she asked.

"Yes."

"He was a lot more..."

"Civil?" 18 asked with a grin. "He has his moments."

It still felt odd, to be speaking to Android 18 like this, but she was feeling more comfortable now. "Before... y-you mentioned that I had... That... you knew..." Well, she's feeling more comfortable, yes, but it was still odd. "You said I almost got us into a bit of trouble."

"You have my eyes and nose, I do know your father though I've not actually seen him in person for almost... twenty-four years now, and you did come close to causing a bit of a problem. I suppose I really should explain everything to you, I had always intended to eventually tell you, I just never expected it to be like this." 18 leaned back in her chair and gazed up at the ceiling. Suddenly she chuckled lightly. "Oh, this is going to sound like a line from a bad movie but, Marron, I am your mother."

"M-my mo-moth-mother?" Marron stammered.

"Yes. I know you found out about being adopted ten years ago, and I know you went looking for your parents. I've wanted to tell you but the risks..."

"Risks? And, why now, why like this? And who's my father?"

18 sighed. "I'll answer the middle two questions first, they're easiest. Now and like this is because... I no longer had a choice. Your application to Capsule Corp. was accepted... The first thing they do to new employees is do a genetic screening."

"So? I've had several of those."

"Not like this Marron. Most places only do genetic mapping. They look for defects and they compare to records to confirm parentage and race. Only, your parentage isn't on record, neither my DNA or your fathers. At least, not in the public database. But Capsule Corp. would have made the match... and explaining it would not have been easy. Easier than keeping you alive at least."

Marron's face went white. "W-what?"

18 closed her eyes and shook her head. "You'd have been used as bait instantly. Someone in the chain out to make a name for themselves would have grabbed you and held you hostage in order to draw out your father. You are my daughter... I couldn't just stand aside, despite how cold I may seem at times..."

"Who is he, my father?"

"I'll start at the beginning, it'll make more sense that way." 18 took a deep breath as she prepared herself. "It's been almost twenty-nine years now since I first came on-line for the final time. May 12th, 767. That's when Dr. Gero finished his work on my brother and I. Our original purpose had been to defeat the Masters and free the Earth. Built by the resistance as their ultimate weapons. Only Gero was a member of the Empire himself, planted in the resistance as a spy.

"My brother and I were selected for the process because Gero knew we'd side with the Empire." She shook her head. "None of that really matters, does it?" she sighed again. "Anyway, after final activation 17 and I wiped out the resistance base we'd been built in. We were unknown to the rest of the resistance. Gero made sure no one knew what we looked like, or that we'd even been finished. The idea was to have us infiltrate other bases.

"Since the bulk of our power is artificially created our actual KI output is that of a normal Human, we fit right in. The base I had been sent to was run by the Z-Force members. Years passed and I began to... actually fall in love with one of them, your father." 18 smiled for a moment but it faded as she continued. "I can remember the day I realized I was pregnant... I kept it from everyone, even your father. I made up an excuse and disappeared for a few months until you were born.

"I didn't want to give you up but, I knew that you'd be killed. So I dropped you off on the steps of the orphanage and went back to the base. A week later the order came to pull out. I warned your father the night before and he left with as many of the others as he could before the soldiers descended on the base and destroyed it."

"I... I remember reading about the numerous battles the year I was born..."

18 nodded. "17 and I had found the locations of a good dozen bases..."

"Y-you still haven't t-told me..."

"Krillin." 18 said simply. "Your father is Krillin."

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Three forms sat cross legged around a large crystal ball that sat between them in the short grass. Everyday for many years now these three had sat and watched the crystal ball. Sat and watched the universe spiraling out of control. They had seen the rise of both the Sai-jin and Changeling Empires.

Cold had been powerful for a mortal, even Cooler had been exceptionally powerful for a mortal. And then Frieza had been born, his power climbing much more rapidly than the rest of his family's had. When Frieza had first attained his fourth form Kibeto had called his power absurd. If Frieza's power had been absurd then Shin had no words to describe Cooler's power in his fifth form.

Meanwhile the Sai-jins were experiencing a boom in their powers as well. The former King Vegeta had been born with a power of over fifty thousand, an extreme absurdity among even the royal Sai-jin family. But he wasn't the only one, another child was born a few days later with a power of eight thousand. Then another and another. And all of these Sai-jins were without tails. It soon become the common belief among the Sai-jins that these children were a new step in evolution, Sai-jins born without their tails but the power of their Oozaru forms already present in their normal states. An occurrence the Supreme Kai had anticipated and had assumed would cause no problems.

Years passed and the former King grew up and took his post. He chose his mate. And the Sai-jins were growing restless on their own little expanse of the galaxy. And then an unknown ship entered their space. On board that ship had been King Cold and his sons. The former King of Sai-jins had gone to space and met them aboard their ship. Kibeto, Shin, and Elder Kaioshin had all expected the meeting to burst into violence. The Sai-jins and the changelings would kill each other.

But that had not happened. In fact, the opposite had occurred. King Vegeta and King Cold had become instant allies, equals, an unholy alliance the likes of which the universe had never before seen. The two kings respected each others power and Cold took a liking to the ruthless nature of the Sai-jins. The perfect warriors, powerful, relentless, and ruthless. By this point in time no Sai-jin was ever born with a power below ten thousand.

And then Prince Vegeta was born. Born with a power half that of his father, just over 750,000. But there was more to this child than that, something that would not be discovered for several years. On Prince Vegeta's third birthday his combat training had begun. The King was having little trouble landing blows upon his son, getting past his weak and unpracticed defenses with expert ease. That is, until the Prince's anger had gotten the better of him. All had then changed in a flash of blinding gold. Three year old Vegeta transformed into a Super Sai-jin, apparently having been born with the ability.

The three year old Prince of Sai-jins was the strongest Sai-jin, and he was stronger than both King Cold and Cooler's maximum powers. His power had only been expected to triple over the span of his entire life. No more than that. It would eventually make him the strongest in the universe but it was nothing for the Kai's to be overly concerned with. Especially since they had seen for themselves that the mutation that had created these incredibly powerful Sai-jins had stabilized. The following generations would be a bit weaker than the current and the powers would hold there. At least, that's how it had looked.

Then the Elder Kaioshin had been watching the Earth one day following the exploits of a young Sai-jin child, one of the last of the 'second generation' of Sai-jins, and the weakest of them all, born with a power of only 200. A couple generations before he'd have been considered average, possibly even above average for being of third class blood, but in the current generation he was a weakling. Or he had been. When the Elder Kaioshin had first found him he was fourteen years old and had a power of over 90,000. At the most a Sai-jin would increase their power 30 fold over their life times, the average being only a 10 fold increase of power.

But this child, Kakkarotto was his name, was not following the pattern. In fourteen years his power had increased 4,500 fold. While he wasn't the strongest living Sai-jin his increase in strength was absurd, no matter what his race. And this was still excluding that fact that he, too, had been born with the innate ability to transform into a Super Sai-jin. The Kai's then examined this child in earnest, peeled away his aura and his spirit, picked at the fibers of his being, and examined the powers of his DNA and found an anomaly within an anomaly.

This child was unlike any other living Sai-jin. Not only did he have the same powered up DNA set-up as the other Sai-jins, born without a tail but with the Oozaru power constantly flowing through his body, he also had a near constant Zenkai Rush flowing through his body. This meant that his power would build far more rapidly than that of any other Sai-jin, or any other being. Even if the child were to suddenly become paralyzed in bed his power would still steadily increase, despite his lack of avtivity. Still, the Kai's had not been to worried.

Oh, but if only they had known then what they knew now! How things would have been different! If they could send what they were seeing now back in time, back to that day when Kakkarotto had been born, no, when Vegeta had been born... no, not good enough. Back to when Cold himself had first been born. Then things could be fixed, things could be changed. As it was, they had only a few glimmers of hope walking about on various planets. Until then they could do little but watch.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Another crushing shockwave of power washed out across the island beneath the two clashing titans as their fists slammed into each other's jaws. The man in the blue body suit and white and brown gloves, boots, and armor vanished suddenly. The other man wore a purple GI with red wristbands, a red belt, and black shoes. He turned and brought his arm up. The armored man's fist smashed into the other's arm with a crack and both grinned.

Both of them had crackling golden auras laced with blue lightning and golden hair, but they weren't identical. The man in the GI simply had tall and spiky golden hair, but the main in the armor had long flowing golden hair down to his waist.

"You've been training pretty hard these two years it would seem dad." the man in the GI said.

"And you've been slacking off Gohan."

Gohan shook his head. "Just trying not to kill Videl when we spar."

"She really should spar with Pan, they're closer to each others powers."

At last the two split apart from each other. "I know, but I think she loves testing her limits as much as we do. And our spars are about the only time we spend together anymore, Gero's got her working her ass off in the labs lately."

Kakkarotto shook his head as his transformation vanished in a flash of gold. He brought an arm up and wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. "That transformation is still hard to maintain for long. At this rate I'll never get to the next level."

"What makes you so sure there is a fourth level?" Gohan asked powering down as well and rubbing his arm where that last punch had connected. "I mean, the increase in power from level two to level three is minimal in comparison to the other forms, only a fifty percent increase. And the power drain you seem to experience is so severe... I don't see how a fourth level could exist."

"It's there, just out of my reach. I can feel it when we spar but I can never quite get there. I'm closer now than last time but it's still too far away to grasp it. What about you? Have you tried breaking through to the third level yet?"

Gohan nodded. "I have. I did like you said but can't even feel another power in there anywhere..." he shook his head and frowned. "Maybe my Human side killed off the higher levels, or it's just suppressing them. Or maybe it's like those old ape things from before, you know, the higher forms have been absorbed into my normal state. Could be why I was so damn strong at birth."

"Maybe." Kakkarotto conceded as he turned off and looked into the distance. "Or maybe you just need the right motivation. You haven't been as excited as me about new levels of power. If you'll remember, you only got to the second level because Vegeta nearly killed Videl and you wanted to turn him inside out."

Gohan crossed his arms as he floated up beside his father. "It's not so much that he nearly killed her, it's what he was doing to her that nearly killed her that ticked me off. Videl is mine and has been since I first found her. He may be fine with screwing anything female and selling Bulma out to anyone with enough money but that's not the way I do things. I already know Vegeta's attitude has rubbed off on Trunks, but I think it's spreading to Goten now too."

Kakkarotto shrugged as his personal saucer ship began to descend down from space to pick them up. "Who knows, who cares."

"You and Vegeta can be so dense some times. Sooner or later Goten, Trunks, or Vegeta is going to get one of those Humans they're always with pregnant and not realize it."

"Well, I don't know about the boys, but Vegeta kills the Human women he's been with afterwards. All except Bulma anyway. Kill the woman kill the threat."

Gohan rolled his eyes at the sound of Vegeta's personal motto coming from his father. Kakkarotto hadn't so much as looked at another woman since first seeing Chi-Chi. Well, except for Videl. Gohan had to admit though, his mother was getting rather old. She certainly wouldn't last much longer, Humans were so frail. In a way he did thank Vegeta though, for nearly killing Videl. Gave him in excuse to have Gero turn her into one of his Cyborgs. Not only did that make her stronger, far stronger than any normal Human would ever be, but it also gave her Eternal Life, just like him and the other Masters.

"Well, I'm just glad Trunks picked 18 for a mate and not Pan. I'd rather not have to kill him. Besides, I think 17 makes a good fit with her. Though I am worried that we keep breeding in more Human DNA. Only Goten and Bra don't have to worry about that."

Kakkarotto shook his head as his ship landed and the top opened up. The two Sai-jins descended down toward it. "It's not that big of a deal really." he said. "It's not like any of us will ever actually die. Even if our lines do eventually descend into so much Human garbage they're no longer Sai-jin we'll still be here to keep things going."

"True." Gohan admitted. "Though I still can't figure out how 18 put's up with Trunks and his constant 'fun' down in the holding cells. Or how he can be so damn possessive with her while still screwing anything female." As his feet touched down on the metal floor of the ship he suddenly cringed and fell to the ground grabbing his right shoulder. "Ahhhhhhhhh! Damn!" he cried clenching his eyes shut. Kakkarotto cringed just looking at Gohan's shoulder muscles spasming.

"What did Gero say about that anyway?" he asked after a moment, once Gohan had regained his focus again and was climbing back to his feet.

"He can't find a damn thing wrong." Gohan muttered. "Neither could Bulma. They poked and prodded and tested for a week and got nothing. Well, no, they did figure out that whatever the hell the problem is, it drains my energy for a moment when it happens. I could have told them that much myself, hell, first time it happened I was in Super and it knocked me back down."

"If that happens during a fight, even just a spar..."

"I know. I'll talk to Gero again when we get back to Saiya."

Kakkarotto nodded. "We need to make a short stop over on Planet Cold first though, pick your mother up again."