The amphitheatre quaked with every blow Kale connected and 18 winced in sympathy. A month ago, she would have delighted in watching Trunks get pounded, but it was amazing how things could change in a few weeks. Right now, she wished he could find a way to overcome this female Broly and eventually defeat Bojack as well, but she knew he was being held back against his will. She just need to get to Kogu and –
A flash of green and Trunks skittered through the sand. His jacket was gone, his singlet barely existed, his pants were shredded and he suffered numerous cuts and bruises. He needed more power, but the collar restrained him and Kale grinned as she prepared an Eraser Cannon in both hands. Trunks opened his bloodied eyes towards the throne, seeing the chained 18, the smug grin on Bojack's face, the echoes of the cheering crowd seeping into his dulled hearing.
"This is because of Bojack! He did this to Sadal! He hunted the Saiyans like animals, making them fight to the death for his sick, twisted pleasure! I have to win! I have to destroy Bojack! I can't let him get away with this!"
His rage, white-hot, boiled to the surface. The collar beeped rapidly, trying to suppress the rising power, as Kale launched into the air, ready to come crashing down on her target. She smashed into the sand and the Cannons exploded, but there was no Trunks. She frowned and then the amphitheatre began to shake. Trunks screamed, his wrath too much for the collar to contain and it gave one final, pathetic beep before it snapped under the pressure. The crowd murmured as cracks appeared in their seats, Trunks unleashing his power for everyone to see. He wasn't trying to control it at all and he let it run loose and wild. He wanted them to know his power.
Bojack frowned as his throne trembled, while 18 smirked. Bio-electricity whipped up in a fury around Trunks and with a final shout, he ascended into Super Saiyan 2, the energy shield shattering from his power. He kept a fierce, stoic look for the intimidation factor and then his lips quirked into a smirk.
"Start the rebellion."
Kale snarled and lunged – Trunks countered with a blow to her stomach. She barely had time to register the attack before Trunks struck her again, the force of his punch rocking the arena. Another snarl from Kale, another swing and a miss. Trunks kneed her in the jaw and fired a Burning Attack. She snagged his ankle and slammed him to the ground, but copped a Masenko in return that actually staggered her.
"Bujin, Bido, I don't like where this is going," Bojack said. "Contain him."
"Yes, master," Bido thumped his chest and he flew out into the arena with his diminutive comrade.
Due to her throwing punches with mindless ferocity, Trunks was able to dodge her fists with ease and when an opening appeared, he blasted Kale with the Galick Gun at point-blank and she smashed into the arena wall. She fell to her knees, panting heavily, as Trunks noticed the two Hera. However, someone else landed beside him and a Kamehameha Wave slammed into Bido.
"About time you showed up," Trunks smiled.
"We got held up in a meteor shower," 16 replied.
"How'd you find us?"
The Android tapped his head. "According to the chip, we are in a separate universe."
Bido shook off the Kamehameha easily, but he was fuming and glared at Super Saiyan Pan. She gave him a huge grin and flashed the peace sign. Bojack growled under his breath at the newcomers and 18 saw her chance. She moved for Kogu and smacked the device from his hands, but Bojack snapped the chain and 18 crumbled to the ground. Trunks saw the action and Bojack found himself smashed through his throne, Trunks unleashing numerous blows of fury to his body as they sped through the sky. The Hera winced from the impact of the blows and he realised he underestimated the hybrid.
Pandemonium erupted.
Those loyal to Bojack tried to enter the arena to attack 16, but were opposed by others who saw an opportunity to overthrow the regime once and for all. Bido and Bujin were held up fending off their sudden attackers, as Pan zipped towards 18. Kogu snarled and drew his sword, but 18 hurled the chain at him, tangling his legs. He fell like a clown and 18 smashed her fist into the device, unlocking not just her collar, but every surviving prisoner's collars, while Pan met opposition from Zangya.
"Ah, that's so much better," 18 said, rubbing her bare neck.
"Curse you," Kogu growled, now free of the chain. "I'll cut you to ribbons-"
He gagged, 18's fist punched deep into his stomach while she wore a bored look. "Please shut up."
Bujin snickered as he tangled Saiyans up in his Psycho Threads, draining their energy, until Ocarin's energy-coated fist blasted through his skull. Bido snarled and 16 struck him. However, with Bujin now dead, the work he had done to Kale to keep her under Bojack's control no longer existed. Her mind free, Kale grabbed Bido by the face and drove him into the ground, her grip tightening. Bido panicked and blasted her right in the face, but it did nothing except infuriate Kale and with a shout, she crushed his head like a rotten watermelon.
Zangya booted Pan away with a snicker and narrowly dodged an energy blast, although it did singe a few of her hair strands. She turned with a glare at 18, who smirked at her.
"Oops. I missed."
"Curse you," Zangya growled.
"Yeah. Your buddy said the same thing and well," 18 said with a glance at Kogu's corpse, "he's not doing too well."
The female Hera flew at the female Android and the fight was on.
-X-
An uppercut that shook the air and Bojack crashed into the ruins of a Saiyan village, a memento of his conquest. He wiped the blood from his lip and glared at Trunks, a bottle of barely-contained rage. His golden aura pulsed rapidly and Bojack growled. Twenty years he had ruled over Sadal. Twenty years he had subjected the Saiyans to his power, crushing any rebellion with ease and he was not going to let it all go to waste because of a Saiyan from another universe.
With a roar, Bojack powered up, his coat and bandana destroyed by the transformation his body went under. His hair and eyebrows now fiery red while his skin became chartreuse. Now he was going to crush Trunks and make him regret ever challenging him.
"Is that all?" Trunks said stoically.
Bojack's fist crunched into his jaw. In response, Trunks coolly kicked him in the stomach and the Hera gagged. The hybrid prepared a ki blast, but Bojack recovered quickly and shouted as he hit Trunks with a clothesline and the ki blast went errant. An explosion erupted in the village, as Bojack smashed his elbow into Trunks' chest and drilled him into the ground. With a shout, he unleashed the Grand Smasher – and missed.
Trunks landed a kidney shot, Bojack yelped and the hybrid blasted him with a punch to the jaw. The Hera's jaw ached from the blow and he snarled. How dare the half-Saiyan make him feel pain! It was something Bojack was not used to and he was going to make Trunks suffer. He unleashed the Trap Shooter, emerald energy blasts glittering in the sky as they zoned in on Trunks. He weaved through the danger-field and connected with the Burning Strike that smashed Bojack across the planet.
-X-
18 smirked as she blocked Zangya's punches, toying with the Hera. In the arena below, Ocarin, Pan and 16 were turning the tide against Bojack's supporters with the help of Kale, Cabba and Caulifla. Frost was nowhere to be found, no doubt preserving his worthless hide, but 18 didn't care about him. She just wanted to teach someone a lesson.
"What are you?" Zangya screeched in frustration, the vexation that she was unable to land a blow getting the better of her.
"I'm an Android," 18 replied coolly and she thumped the Hera in the gut. "And you know what you are? You're not even worth my time."
Zangya wheezed when she felt her ribs crack from another blow and in shock, she couldn't escape the High-Pressure Wave that engulfed her. Watching the battle unfold below her, 18 turned her attention towards the horizon, where she could faintly see the glow of Trunks' aura. Another glance told her that Ocarin had things under control and so, she flew after Trunks. After all, she had some payback in mind for Bojack.
When she got there, she found Trunks and Bojack locked in a power struggle, the ground crumbling beneath their power, until Trunks booted the Hera in the jaw and took note of her presence.
"I've got this handled," he said and Bojack smashed him in the face.
"Sure you do," 18 said dryly and she unleashed the High-Pressure Wave at her oppressor. Bojack avoided the beam and took to the air, as Trunks joined her. "Besides, I owe him."
Bojack growled at the pair and 18 struck first. However, her blow had no impact, but Trunks crunched his knee into Bojack's face and the Hera tumbled through the air. 18 growled to herself in annoyance, realising she was nowhere close enough in strength to do any damage and it frustrated her. She wanted revenge; she wanted to make Bojack hurt for what he'd done to her, but how could she when she made the impact of a flea? Trunks, on the other hand, was able to dominate Bojack.
Until the Hera's eyes turned red, black lines appeared under them and he roared with inhuman fury as a purple aura surrounded him, his power increasing and 18's jaw dropped in recognition.
"Demigra," she whispered.
Bojack's fist smashed against Trunks' knuckles and the explosive shockwave nearly tossed 18 aside like she was merely paper. The very being who had brought her back to life was now assisting the one who kept her as a personal pet. And if Bojack won, she was next.
No, she had to help, even if she was outmatched. She need the closure Bojack's death would bring. He had subjected her to degradation with the clothes and collar she'd been forced to wear, like she was subhuman. It was a position 18 never wanted to assume ever again and if she could assist in destroying Bojack for what he did to her, then she would do whatever needed to be done. That meant teaming up with Trunks and she would happily do it.
Bojack had to pay.
Trunks gritted his teeth, feeling the strength of Bojack's new power, felt the dark unnatural magic behind it. The Hera grinned sadistically and Trunks' feet dug into the ground as he was pushed back. Bojack roared and a Power Blitz slammed into him. Unaffected, he broke away from Trunks and launched at 18. She tried her Infinity Bullet, but Bojack appeared behind her and pressed a ki ball to her back. 18 yelled as the explosion spiralled her through the air and Trunks slammed an uppercut – Bojack pushed his chin against the hybrid's fist and smashed him with a head-butt. Chunks of the ground flew up from the impact of the half-Saiyan's body.
"Kami, he's strong," Trunks winced, his forehead throbbing. "He's probably stronger than me. That dark energy; I've felt it before – Demigra! So, I guess he's not done like I thought he was."
"Curse you, Demigra," 18 thought as she struggled to get up. "Why can't you stay in your stupid Crack? Why do you have to interfere now? What do you have to gain from this?"
Bojack fired the Grand Smasher and Trunks countered with a Burning Attack, even though he recognised the distraction attempt. Sure enough, Bojack clobbered him with an overhead strike and Trunks punctured the ground once more. 18 hit Bojack with a kick to his head; he hurled her onto Trunks and the hybrid wheezed from the impact, but whether it was from the force of her body landing on him or her knee hitting a delicate area was unknown.
"Pathetic worms," Bojack sneered and he held his hands out to the side, preparing his Galactic Buster. "Time to destroy this planet and every wretched Saiyan on it."
"Trunks-" 18 started.
"Yeah, I know," he groaned in reply. "Could you, I don't know, please move?"
"Oh, sorry."
Bojack was about to fire his ultimate attack and a massive shadow fell over him. He whirled around and Kale drove her fist into his face. Unaffected, but annoyed, Bojack struck her and Kale whined in pain. Trunks fired the Galick Gun and Bojack grinned as he stopped the beam with one hand. 18 prepared a ki ball in both hands and she flew at Bojack, as Trunks shouted and increased the power of the Galick Gun, forcing Bojack to use two hands.
"This is for humiliating me!" 18 thought once she reached face level and she poured her fury into her attack, unleashing twin beams of powerful energy right into Bojack.
He snarled as the energy connected and then his body was bombarded with more energy, courtesy of Kale. Cabba and Caulifla arrived, their Galick Gun and Full-Power Energy Wave combining together into a purple and red maelstrom, adding to the intensity. Bojack growled, under intense pressure from attacks from all angles and the magic imbued from Demigra shattered under the might, reducing Bojack's power.
In his prison, Demigra simply chuckled and gave a careless shrug. His time will come again soon.
"Say goodbye," Trunks said and he fired a final surge of power.
The turbulence from all the energy was too much for Bojack to handle and he howled as the resounding explosion disintegrated his body. The shockwave blasted 18 through the air and she tumbled, but Trunks caught her with ease. At first, she was grateful, but she quickly pushed away from him and he seemed more than happy to let her go. Nearby, Kale whimpered as she shrank in size, her power diminishing as she reverted to her normal form and passed out. She sank towards the ground and Caulifla seized her with gentle arms, lowering her with a fond smile.
"Now, Sadal is safe," Trunks said, relaxing his power and resumed his normal form.
"Great," 18 said. "Can we go home now? I'm in desperate need of a bath and some decent clothes." She sniffed Trunks and recoiled in disgust. "And I'm not the only one."
A/N: Well, that's done. Next, I will focus more on Trunks and 18's relationship for a while, until the next villainous arc (no, it's not Demigra. Not yet), so I want to say thank you to all the follows, faves and reviews so far. These two will happen soon.