The sun was setting on the horizon as Trunks gazed out at the gravity pod. He had to break up a fight between Ocarin and 18 when he sensed the former's rising energy and while the Namekian stated it was only a sparring match, Trunks knew better when it came to 18: she would have been toying with him before she moved in for the kill. After tossing 18 some of his mother's old clothes, Trunks forced the Android into the gravity pod with the threat of the remote. 18 went reluctantly and with a glare of hatred, not that Trunks cared, but as he listened to the gravity pod hum and his mother worked on the remote, he thought about his lifelong enemy.
If it hadn't been for 18's help, Trunks felt he wouldn't have been able to defeat Broly and it gave him some thought on 16's words: potentially, 18 could be a great assist to Earth, but she had to want it and after a lifetime of mayhem and slaughter, Trunks felt that such a thing was impossible for 18 to achieve. He didn't think she was worth the time or effort and was only doing this to humour 16.
It certainly left him conflicted on what to do with her, but it wasn't something Trunks wanted to dwell on right now, so he headed inside, eager for the comfort of his bed.
-X-
"What is this place?" 17 questioned in confusion. Everywhere around them was clouds and the twins stood on a path that was filled with small, sentient white clouds, all heading towards a temple in the distance. 18, who'd been here a minute before him, shrugged.
"If I had to guess, I'd say we're in Heaven or something like it. We are dead after all."
17's face contorted in fury at the reminder. "That punk! How did he get stronger than us? Wasn't it just last month we were kicking him around? There's no way he got stronger so quickly."
"It doesn't matter, 17. Not anymore. We're dead and I feel this compulsion to go to that temple."
The older twin sighed in annoyance. "I'm guessing that's where we get told we've been very naughty and should go to Hell? If anything, we should be let into Heaven for doing such a good job of eradicating the humans. Hey, I wonder if we get wings and a cool harp."
18 glanced above her brother's head. "Well, you do have a nice halo. Really compliments you."
17 glowered at her. "Very funny. Like you can talk. I suppose we should go and find out our fate. Hell can't be that bad. We did put up with humans for twenty years; what's worse than them?"
The twins traversed the path, 18 looking around in disgust at the peaceful realm. She used to laugh at the idea of Heaven, believing only in life and death and that there was nothing beyond either one.
To be honest, it wasn't something she gave a lot of thought to. She killed and she killed indiscriminately and for fun; there was no one who could stop her and her brother. She thought she would last forever, the second strongest being in the world. Then it changed and here she was, in the afterlife she never believed in.
It sickened her to her stomach that she had to see this and if she didn't hate Trunks already, her hatred intensified. Where did that brat get off on killing her? What gave him the damn right? She wished dearly to repay him tenfold, but given she was literally dead, she knew there was not much she could really do about it? Could she?
"Ah, Androids 17 and 18," King Yemma boomed and 18's eyes widened briefly at the size of the giant before she resumed her piercing bored look. "I have been expecting you for some time now. So, mass genocide and near-extinction of the human race?"
"Hey, we were doing them a favour," 17 said. "Are they not in a better place now instead of stumbling through their pathetic lives like the weak sheep they are?"
"You certainly kept me busy for the past twenty years. Regardless, you have a new home in Hell."
King Yemma slammed a stamp down upon his desk twice and the next thing 18 knew, she was falling, 17 by her side. She tried to stop herself, but her flight abilities were neutralised and as she passed through the clouds, Hell opened up beneath her, an ugly barren wasteland of decay and misery and there was a mountain made solely of sharp pins and that just so happened to be the Androids' landing pad. Immense pain shot through 18's body when she was impaled and her eyes widened in agony. This was the first time she had ever felt true pain and it was excruciating!
-X-
Inside the gravity chamber, 18's limbs twitched as consciousness started to flood back into her body.
-X-
"You know, this isn't so bad," 17 smirked, looking very proud of himself. The fact that he currently had Frieza beneath his boot was probably a good reason why. "I could get used to this."
"You'll have to," 18 said, looking quite bored, arms crossed over her chest. "We're here for eternity."
King Cold lay in a heap near her feet, whimpering in pain as he clutched his ribs. Amusing as it was to have the powerful emperor and his father cowering before their power; it was starting to get stale. In some ways, it reminded 18 of Trunks: she and 17 would beat up Frieza and Cold for fun (and sometimes Ginyu Force if they wanted to get involved), the two Arcosians would flee, swearing revenge and whenever they tried again, it'd be the same result. The same cycle every time: rinse, wash and repeat. At least Trunks and to a lesser extent, Gohan, made it fun. Here, there was nobody to kill because every time she did 'kill' someone, they simply came back.
Kami, she was bored. If this was the punishment she was subjected to in order to suffer; it was working.
There was a scream in the distance and 18 perked up. Usually that meant a new soul had arrived in Hell and that also meant a potential plaything for her and 17. She just hoped that they could provide some decent entertainment.
"Looks like it's your lucky day, boys," 17 smirked at Frieza. "You might not get beaten up as much now. And to think we were finally bonding."
"I will get you, you worm," Frieza snarled, despite his head being pinned to the ground. "I will make you suffer for humiliating me."
"Yeah, yeah, tell me something new, okay, 'Emperor'," the Android said with a mocking inflection on the last word and he kicked Frieza away from him and turned to his sister. "So, who will it be?"
It was a waiting game, but mercifully, they didn't have to wait long. Both 17 and 18 frowned at the bizarre creature approaching them and the beast licked his beak-like mouth, his sinister reptilian eyes looking at the twins with hunger.
"What are you?" 18 asked.
"Dear 'sister', do you not know me? I am Cell, Dr. Gero's greatest creation."
-X-
18 stirred, despite the pressure of the gravity chamber bearing down on her and her hand moved a few inches as she tried to get feeling back into her body.
-X-
"Absorb us?" 17 said incredulously. "Sorry, but we have no interest in becoming a part of you."
"By becoming one with me and helping me achieve perfection, I could help you escape from this dreary place," Cell said. "And together, we can kill the one who sent us here."
"Sorry, I'm not sold. We want nothing to do with Dr. Gero unless it involves beating him up and that mean we won't join you. You'll have to force us."
"Oh, I can do that," Cell grinned sinisterly.
17 sneered and suddenly he was in the ground fifty feet away. 18 blinked, taken back by Cell's speed and she quickly fired off several blasts. Cell chuckled as he darted around them and lashed out at her with his fist. 18 dodged the swing with ease, kneed Cell in the gut with such force, he gagged and 17 booted Cell in the face. A Photon Flash later and Cell was left snarling in frustration as he realised that he wasn't as strong as he thought he was, given that there hadn't been enough humans to absorb and he was outmatched by the two beings he so desperately craved.
"I didn't absorb enough essence. Curse that Trunks! Curse him!"
"You think you can take us on?" 18 smirked. "We were just playing with you. Let's go, 17."
The twins flew at Cell, attacking at once. He defended well at first and even managed to get in a few decent hits, but the Androids were relentless, utilising their endless energy and superior strength to hammer Cell and finally unleashed their signature energy beams together. Cell heaved, dual holes in his body and he grinned, enjoying the stunned looks of the twins as his wounds healed completely. However, he knew that it still wasn't enough, but if anything, he was relentless. He would not rest until he got what he wanted.
"Yes, we are just getting started," Cell grinned. "Soon, we will all be one."
He charged, the twins readied themselves and 17 suddenly fell forward, smoke curling from his back. 18 whirled around to the smirking Frieza as he lowered his finger. 17 growled, irritated that he had fallen to such a cheap shot from a weaker opponent.
"Now, now, there's plenty to go around."
"Do not interrupt me," Cell growled. "These two are mine!"
"A little tenderising never goes astray. Besides, I owe these two and I'm sure I'm not the only one," Frieza said with a flourish wave of his hand towards King Cold, the Ginyu Force, Nappa, Raditz and numerous other souls 17 and 18 had spent countless months tormenting, all looking for their chance at revenge. "It's something I believe we can all benefit from."
"Hm, very well," Cell said, his eyes flicking between Frieza and the Androids. "Let's have some fun."
"We've spent countless days beating all of you losers for fun and now, all of a sudden, you grow a spine," 18 sneered. "Step up and we'll take you all down."
-X-
18 snarled as she came to, the memory fresh in her mind as she fought against the intense gravity pressure. She remembered what happened next: Cell absorbed 17 in the confusion of the fight and she spent however long it was running scared. Funny how she had to die in order to experience fear for herself.
In life, she revelled in the fear of the humans, savouring how they fled at the mere mention of her arrival and in death, she became like her victims, hounded by a foe she couldn't defeat. Her murderous ways haunted her as she hid from Cell, brought on by her fear, tormenting her as she sought to survive. The experience left a horrible taste in 18's mouth and the only way she felt she could destroy the reminder was by killing Trunks, since he inflicted the horrible ordeal on her.
The very thought of Trunks sent a rush of white-hot rage through her veins and 18 glanced at her hand. She could only move it a few millimetres, but that was enough for her as she channelled energy to her palm. She needed to get out of this prison, get away from Trunks' home and come back when she was strong enough to kill him.
18 hit the ki ball against the floor and the gravity pod exploded. Trunks instantly woke up and rushed to his bedroom window to see the crumbling wreck that was the gravity pod and 18 take off into the night sky.
"Damn it," Trunks cursed as he quickly shoved on his boots and jacket and slipped his sword over his shoulder, just as his mother burst into his room, looking understandably harried.
"What happened?" Bulma demanded.
"18 blew up the pod and escaped," Trunks said. "I'm going to either bring her back or kill her. I haven't decided yet."
"Well, you better decide quick. I can't have that happening all the time, Trunks," his mother said. "16 is a sweet Android, but he might be a little misguided here."
"I know, Mom. I know. You fixed the remote?"
"In the kitchen."
He hurried down into the kitchen, grabbed the repaired remote, rushed outside and entered the sky, as 16 and Ocarin joined him, the latter looking quite annoyed.
"Wasn't he supposed to keep an eye on her?" the Namekian questioned, motioning to 16.
"I thought the gravity would keep her down until the morning," Trunks said. "It worked yesterday, but I didn't expect her to adapt to it so quickly. Obviously I underestimated her."
"She is too much of a liability," Ocarin said. "She is better off being destroyed and we would be better off not having her around. We would not be able to trust her."
"We cannot expect her to trust us so quickly," 16 tried to reason. "It will take time."
"Or she will murder us in our sleep. I barely know her, but I know I wouldn't trust her to watch my back."
"You and me both, Ocarin," Trunks agreed. He watched 18 carefully, noting that she was nearing a city. However, she veered away from the outskirts and he sighed in relief. He didn't want to have to fight her in a populated area if he could help it. "That said, she did help me stop Broly. Maybe, just maybe, she could be useful."
Ocarin scoffed. "I doubt it." They were nearing the desert range and Trunks felt a raindrop on his head, as Ocarin pulled up, charging energy in his hand. "This ends now," he said and he fired the blast at 18. Trunks watched as it zoned in on the Android and struck and she sank towards the desert ranges, a light shower springing up.
"And so it shall," Trunks thought, agreeing with Ocarin.