The abandoned warehouse, with its broken windows and peeling paint, was littered with empty boxes. The boxes once contained stolen equipment, gathered over the past weeks. The warehouse had been transformed into a makeshift robotics lab with the sounds of computers whirring and buzzing constantly.
The walls were lined with work benches, with computer screens scattered throughout the lab, all displaying complex lines of code. One such screen was displaying the progress of a simulation that had been running for the past three days. It was Professor Ivo's attempt to understand the code of Dr Gerro, which was written in a programming language that did not exist in this world. The simulation was at 99%.
On the other side of the room, computer screens showed new schematics that Ivo was putting together using what he'd learned from the physiology of the two Androids that had orchestrated his escape. The genius of Dr Gerro was, at the very least, on par with his own. What he'd learned from Gerro's work would take his own work to a new level.
Professor Ivo was hunched over a screen, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he coded a new set of commands into a powerful laptop directly connected to the head Of Android 18. It was fascinating to think that she was once human. The strides made by Dr Gerro were amazing if you would be willing to ignore the ethical implications.
The sound of the screeching warehouse door echoed through the floor as Android 17 arrived carrying a large box containing more stolen equipment. In his other hand, a bag of Big Belly burger.
"I got was you asked for" 17 said.
Ivo eagerly opened the bag and stuffed some fries into his mouth. "You can put the box over there" Ivo said, pointing to the working bench containing the more powerful computers in the warehouse.
"It's done" said 17 gesturing to the screen which had been running the simulation.
The Professor made his way to the screen and started looking through the results.
"It worked!" exclaimed Ivo looking to 17, who seemed unimpressed.
"Do You know what I just did?" asked Ivo. "Do you know how many people can decode a programming language using raw binary files and some simulated hardware responses?"
"How far are you with fixing my sister?", asked 17 seemingly cold and aloof.
"The answer is probably less than five people" Ivo muttered under his breath. "The hardware has been fixed. But, I need to make sure that I know exactly what the software does." Ivo said, giving up hope for any praise from the Android. "We need to make sure that, before we boot it up, it doesn't have any bugs…"
The Professor was interrupted as 17 seized him by the throat. "Watch your mouth, SHE! Is my sister" said the Android.
Ivo was confused by the strong reaction yet deadpan expression on the Android's face. 17 released his grip. Ivo knew he had nothing to fear.
Ivo spent the next few days sifting through the simulation data, at times running smaller tests to double check his understanding of Dr Gerro's work. On the third day he discovered something of interest.
"What exactly are you saying?" 17 asked.
"When the Dr turned you into cyborgs, he wrote in functionality that acts as a middleware between your thoughts as they form, and your thoughts as you perceive them. In some cases, the function searches for certain patterns and removes them. In other cases, it adds patterns". Ivo seemed excited.
"Get to the point" 17 said.
"Those patterns, by the looks of them" continued Ivo "seem to be memories, feelings, thoughts, locked away, inaccessible to you now".
"What are you saying?" 17 said. Now visibly agitated.
"I'm saying that both you and your sister, your thoughts are not always you're own. Your actions, your free will. It's limited. Your sense of self built on limited information. You're only a fraction of who you were before. The rest is what Gerro wanted you to be". Ivo pointed at the simulation data as if to illustrate his point.
The Android looked at Professor Ivo, a hint of frustration in his eyes. "So, the Dr locked away our memories? Is there a way to access them?"
"Not per say," said Ivo. "I could try writing code to induce those patterns instead, but as it stands my understanding of Gerro's language is limited. If I remove the code entirely, those patterns could emerge without being filtered out and you'd find out what they are. Problem is, we don't know when those thoughts or feelings will occur. They might never occur at all."
"So, what you're saying is," said 17" If you try to recover my lost memories you might mess it up. If you don't, I might never remember them at all?"
"Exactly that" Ivo said.
The Titans Tower loomed above the shoreline, a sleek, modern structure that seemed to defy gravity with its unique design. The towers exterior was made of gleaming metal, with sharp angles and curves that gave it a futuristic feel. The entire building was in the shape of a giant uppercase T, serving as a beacon for those who needed the Titan's help.
The top floor was the command centre, a high-tech hub that was always buzzing with activity. It was here where the Titans received their missions and coordinated their efforts to save the world from danger. Rows of computer terminals and screens lined the walls. In the centre of the room was a massive table where they discussed strategies and planned their missions.
Seated at the table was Dick Grayson, the hero known as Nightwing, engaged in a conversation on one of the large screens.
His adopted father and mentor Bruce Wayne was on the other end of the call.
"Update on the progress of the Ivo case?" Bruce asked.
"Reports of multiple labs being robbed of highly powerful equipment from different cities indicate that Ivo and his accomplices are building something".
"Another Amazo?" asked Bruce.
"Possibly, but he'd need a body. None of the stolen equipment indicates that he might be building a shell".
Bruce scratched his stubble in thought. "And his location?"
"I'm assuming that he's purposely hit locations far away from where he's hiding. I've mapped out the locations that have been hit and a pattern emerged. Intersecting lines drawn from the furthers locations hint that they might be somewhere in Bloodhaven. I've been monitoring the area".
"Dispatch the Titans to survey. Heavy hitters. If Ivo's building another Amazo, we can't let him finish" Said Bruce.
"Way ahead of you." Dick said. The call ended.
Dick swirled the amber liquid in his glass lost in thought trying to decide who was best suited for the job at hand. Eventually he set the glass down and spoke a command to the Titans AI.
"Computer, call Donna, M'gann, Wally"
Androids 17 and 18 strolled down the bustling streets of downtown Bloodhaven, the sounds of car horns and chattering pedestrians filled their ears. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm glow across the towering skyscrapers around them.
"I don't feel any different" said 18. She had been woken up earlier that day.
"That's okay. It takes time" said 17 as he pondered.
"So then. What are we supposed to do now?"
17 shrugged. "I don't feel the urge to kill anyone. I supposed that's the difference". He watched her expression.
18 nodded thoughtfully.
They turned a corner. A group of street performers caught their attention. A man was juggling while another played the guitar and sang. What a strange world.
"I've been thinking" said 17 "I'd like to see a Rhino".
"A Rhino?".
"Yeah. And an Elephant."
"You break free from the programming of a mad doctor, and now you want to see a rhino?" 18 asked.
"I've always wanted to see one. Do you have a better suggestion?" 17 asked.
"Yep" said 18 pointing further up the street.
17 looked. In the direction stood a chic clothing store, its bright white exterior contrasting sharply with the busy surroundings. In the store's window stood a mannequin dressed in a stunning, shimmering gown that caught the eye of his sister.
The dress seemed, to 18, a masterpiece of design made from a fabric that glimmered in the sunlight. For the first time in years, she remembered the feeling of excitement.
"Fine…" 17 sighed as they headed to the store.
Suddenly the sound of screeching tires filled the air causing everyone to turn and look. A car had lost control, careening down the street towards the store. The driver was frantically trying to regain control, but it seemed too late.
People screamed and scattered, trying to get out of the cars path. Before the car could crash into the store front, 18 leaped towards it in an instant, stopping it dead in its tracks.
The car had been stopped inches before the storefront, forming a cloud of dust and debris billowing up around it.
18 looked back to see that the dress was okay. The people in the street gazed at her with awe, their eyes wild with amazement. They began to applaud and cheer for the hero who had saved the day. Some of the watchers had already posted to social media. The driver was fine, knocked out by his airbag.
She looked around to see the crowd. A girl child somewhere between four and six years old rushed to her, hugging her leg, thanking 18 for saving her. Had 18 not intervened, the girl would've been crushed by the vehicle. The girls' mother was extremely grateful too.
She beheld the child's face, unsure of what to do in the current situation, when suddenly, images began to flood her mind. The faces of countless other little girls just like the one she had saved.
Memories came rushing towards her, the memories of the countless evils that she had committed. She could recall every detail with perfect clarity.
She felt her chest pull right.
She remembered reveling in the destruction and chaos she had caused, taking joy in the pain and suffering of others, relishing in the power she wielded. But now as she stood, crowded, yet alone with her thoughts, the feelings that she should have felt back then had all come flooding in.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she fell to her knees. The crowd began to give her space, wondering what was happening. The little girl took a step back, concerned. Some of the onlookers were still recording.
There was pain. She felt it in her chest.
She had destroyed so many families, hurt so many people, destroyed so many lives. And now, for the first time, felt the gravity of it all. She and her brother had massacred an entire planet.
Suddenly, to the onlookers, she disappeared.
On a nearby rooftop 17 set her down.
"You feel it, don't you?" he asked.
"I remember" she said, falling to her knees once more, her voice barely a whisper. "I remember everything". Teardrops were hitting the rooftop floor.
17 began stroking her hair. "I know." He spoke. "I felt it too. A few days ago. Even now I still feel it. I'm sorry".
"What have we done?" she cried "It feels awful!"
17 dropped down to match her level. "I know" he said.
"Make it stop".
He kept stroking her hair.
The sun had set.
On the rooftop of a nearby building, Wally West surveyed the scene with a pair of binoculars. The speedster had witnessed the entire exchange, though unable to hear anything. He was sure it Ivo's associates.
"Dick…" he said, talking into his earpiece "I think I found them".
In sector 665, a planet loomed in the inky void. A lush and vibrant world previously untouched, now showing the signs of a battle between a group of Red and Yellow Lanterns.
The battle had been raging on for what seemed like hours, with neither side gaining an advantage even though the Red lanterns were outnumbered. The two forces were evenly matched, the advantage in numbers of the Yellow Lanterns matched by the unwavering rage and ferocity of the Reds.
The battle had come to be when Attrocitus was made aware that a small army of Yellow Lanterns had created a base of operations in sector 665. The Red Leader dispatched a few of his most capable members to deal with the infringement. He couldn't allow them to setup so close to Ysmault.
The air was thick with the sound of clashing power rings and the smell of burnt ozone. Energies collided with deafening explosions, sending shockwaves across the battlefield. Both sides were unleashing barrages of energy attacks.
Red Lanterns hurled their rage-fueled energy constructs, their fiery red energy tearing through the air as Yellows retaliated with their own. Precise controlled strikes were cutting through the air like a knife.
As the battle went on, individual skirmishes broke out all over. Some we engaged in hand-to-hand combat where energy constructs seemed to cancel each other out.
The Red Lantern Bleez, who was commanding the group, charged towards a group of Yellow Lanterns, her blood energy shield protecting her from their attacks. She swept her arm in a wide arc, unleashing a powerful wave of energy that knocked several enemies out of the sky.
"Where the hell is he?" she yelled into her power ring, transmitting the message to Rankor, who was firing from a red energy gatling gun.
A yellow Lantern responded by flying towards him, his yellow energy sword cutting through the air. Rankor parried the attack with an energy constructed claw. The two constructs clashing against each other in a shower of sparks.
"He's meditating!" Rankor replied.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Bleez yelled. Her rage increasing as she cut through a group of three yellow with a single strike of a red scythe.
In another part of the battlefield, a Red Lantern was cornered by three Yellows. The red snarled and bared his teeth, eyes glowing with a fierce red light.
The Red roared in defiance and charged towards the two enemies, his energy forming a massive first. One of the Yellows responded by creating a vine that entangle the Red, while the other constructed a massive sledge that came crashing down with a thunderous force.
As the battle raged on, no side seemed to be winning. For every blow that the Red Lanterns struck, the Yellow Lanterns countered with a strike of their own. The two sides were locked in a deadly dance, each fighting with a fierce determination to emerge victorious.
Meanwhile, Gohan floated above the planets atmosphere, his eyes closed, his body suspended in the zero gravity, rotating gently. Breathing in deeply the synthetic air created by the ring. He enjoyed the feeling of the cool rush fill his lungs.
The red ring gave him the ability to construct an arm of red energy. He was surprised by how real it felt. For a moment he enjoyed the sensation of channeling ki at its fingertips.
He allowed himself to explore his thoughts, focusing on the sensation of his body floating freely in the void, the feeling of weightlessness washing over him. He imagined himself as a leaf on a gentle stream, carried effortlessly by the current.
"This is stupid" he thought.
He began to feel the rage rise slowly.
He allowed it to rise, and remained patient
"Be calm" he thought.
It slowly faded away.
"Where the fuck are you?" he heard Zilus's voice calling for him through the power ring.
He let his mind wander to the universe around him. The twinkling stars, the swirling galaxies, the gaseous nebulas – all of them part of a vast, interconnected web of cosmic energy.
He felt stupid once more.
The rage began to rise.
He allowed it to fade.
He could hear the battle raging on the planets surface through his power ring. The creative curses of his allies. He could feel their energy levels. They had been outnumbered in this battle but still managed to fight the enemy to a stalemate. Though he knew that as the battle went on, they would fatigue, and the Yellows would gain the advantage due to their numbers.
"The rage will consume you from the inside... It needs an outlet" he remembered the words of Atrocittus.
"You fucking asshole!" the voice of Bleez began through the ring. He knew she was talking to him.
He exhaled.
"Move out of the way", he spoke into the ring.
He felt for the various energy signatures on the battle field.
Slowly, he opened his eyes and allowed himself to be pulled gently by the planets gravity.
The rage began to rise.
This time, he fed it.
As he approached the planets atmosphere, he felt the heat begin to build around him.
With a sudden burst of energy, he increased his speed and began to cut through the air, breaking the sound barrier. He flew towards the ground at breakneck speed, landing in the middle of the Yellow army with a deafening boom. The force of the impact caused the ground to rapture and crack all around him sending the Yellow Lanterns scattering and falling all around him.
Slowly, he ascended into the air.
He allowed the rage to rush to the surface, this time, exercising control. The air began to crackle and spark as he ascended into the Super Saiyan 2 transformation. This time far more elegantly.
"It needs an outlet" he remembered the words, as he began to expel ridiculous amounts of energy sending more Yellow Lanterns hurtling in all directions.
Only the strongest of the Yellow Lanterns were left. They still outnumbered the Reds.
Once the remaining Yellows had gotten over the shock of what they had just witnessed, they began to rush in.
Gohan powered down to his base form. The first Lantern was met with a devastating punch, which sent him hurtling backwards with a deafening explosion. The second was dispatched just as quickly, his energy shield scattered with a single blow.
And so it continued, Gohan tore through the army of Yellow Lanterns like a whirlwind of destruction. With each blow, he sent an enemy flying backwards, their yellow energy flickering before fading.
The Yellows fought back with all their strength, unleashing a barrage of energy blasts, constructs, and physical attacks, but it was no use. Gohan was too powerful. He grabbed a Yellow Lantern by the face and flew across the battlefield shoving his head into the dirt as the Yellow cried out in agony. The remaining Lanterns saw this.
They began to retreat.
His Allies began rounding up the Yellow Lanterns that were attempting to escape.
When the battle was over, Gohan stood amidst the wreckage, his chest heaving as he tried to once more bottle up the rage that he had unleashed. Even now in his base form, sparks of electricity threatened to electrocute any who might step into its range.
The ground began to shake as he battled to control the beast within.
"Hold yourself Lantern" Bleez said as she approached.
"Your mind is powerful" she said. "You control your rage. It does not control you" she walked through the electricity and stood face to face.
"Hold yourself" she said, gently.
The ground stopped shaking.