Oh, Hey! Sorry for the delay. I had troubles with this chapter because I honestly didn't like it that much. I had to rewrite it a few times but, in the end, I decided to go with it because its important for the story flow. Again, sorry for vanishing, sorry for taking so long to finish this story, and for the whole wait. I am writing the next chapter as this is being posted so I will focus myself on my free time to finish this fic and then move to My Fiancé. I also have a new idea for a fic, that I think you guys are gonna love it, but for now, I need to focus on those two.

Nothing more, go ahead!

-x-

Chapter 23

A loud thud was heard a good meter away from where the two saiyans where, making both stand up and look in its direction. Without the presence of ki their enemies had the upper hand, supposedly that is; after the androids, and now the keepers, the fighters were adjusted enough for noticing and foreseeing movements in a fight to get surprised. Louder steel steps that indicated something heavy coming their way could be heard, and while they waited their senses got higher and higher, until the sound stopped, and only normal footsteps could be heard. Soon enough they saw Wickey emerge from the shadows.

"Well, well, well. You two did put up on a good show, didn't you?" The android said while crossing his arms behind his back, his red eyes looking into the pile of trash that his robots turned out after the fight.

Neither of the sayians answered that as they wanted Wickey to keep talking so the world could see what he was really like. But at the same time, Gohan had a nauseous feeling at the pitch of his stomach when it came to the sound they heard earlier. What did Wickey bring with him?

"Not as talkative as when you two were my prisoners, huh?" Wickey started to walk around the duo, the three individuals' eyes never letting go of their enemies. "You see, your blood did a really good material, Golden Warrior." The man smiled viciously at the teenager boy, knowing that he had a little piece of information that could make him lose his calm composure.

Gohan only frowned; he knew what Wickey was trying to do and, he had to admit, if he was the younger Gohan back in the years, he'd have got himself into the obviously trap. But now, after all the things he had gone through, he wouldn't do such a simple mistake. Vegeta growled at his side; the prince was obviously getting tired of this game they decided to pull off with the android.

"Just spit it out. I'm sick of your voice already." Vegeta said crossing his arms on his chest, his voice making Wickey stop his walk, the man was now facing the duo, while their back was towards the way he came from.

"Getting impatient, I see." He took a deep breath – did he even breath to begin with? "I wonder what your little plan is about. I mean, revealing my plan to the whole world was a smart move, but did they believe in you? The one who alone destroyed, no, massacred, an entire village by himself, telling something like that… I don't think so." He looked disappointed though as he didn't see any sign of emotion at his attempt to get to their psychological side; that annoyed him.

"If you say so." Gohan said with a bored tone. In truth he knew that what Wickey said was true, there should have people who didn't believe in him because of that, but it didn't really matter as the man himself just admitted it in a live broadcast. But why was he having a feeling that they were missing something here?

"What happened to the two of you? Both used to be way easier to tease… this is boring." Wickey shook his head in disapproval as he crossed his arms on his chest, smiling right after. "Since we've come to this, let me introduce someone to you guys. Oh, I mean…" he cleaned his throat. "Its more like a reintroduction…"

Both saiyans exchanged confused looks to one another, until they noticed a incoming attack coming from behind them, from the place Wickey first came from and where the metal steps stopped a few minutes earlier. In a fast instinct they dodged the hit, getting separated while the attacker dug his fist into the ground they were just standing on. They could now at least notice what had come to fright them, and it didn't set right to Gohan; to Vegeta it wasn't that big of a deal as to the young saiyan though.

As the robot got his fist out of the earth, Gohan hoped that this was just another sick game from Wickey. He had to have copies of their blueprint, right? That's how he managed to do exactly copies out of Seventeen and Eighteen after all… but this… the characteristic orange mohawk, the often-gentle eyes (that now glowed with malice), his height… it was too identical for his liking… too identical to his former friend…

Wickey could only be amused as he saw the face of Goham twist to calm to anger, his eyes flashing teal as he looked over to Wickey.

"You dared to make a copy of him?! Do you think this is going to make me not go after you, or suffer while fighting? He died seven years ago; this is just another machine you fabricated." Gohan said with anger, but in truth he was in an internal battle; would he be capable of destroying his friend? It got worse as Wickey's laugh echoed stronger than before.

"You know, I did think on doing that… but I still had the original pieces that Cell didn't manage to destroy. His memories were intact, only a part of his body died that day. This, is the real friend you had in that difficult year my dear, Golden Fighter." Wickey laughed in a maniac tone, until his heart was content while noticing the boy's face change. "Execute order number one, Sixteen. Kill the Golden Fighter."

Gohan's mind went blank for a moment, as the piece of information took in, and he didn't notice the punch aiming for his stomach until it hit him. The force was enough to send him a good meters away, his body spinning at the wrecked ground, until he stopped. Vegeta tickled his tongue in disappointment and disapproval; he knew how sentimental Gohan was, and how bad it sometimes got into his focused mind while fighting, but he couldn't really blame the boy. After years living on Earth, he knew that if someone used Bulma or Trunks against him, he'd act in the exact same way. The boy was just too soft and reacted at everything that he considered wrong.

"That's more like it." Wickey said while a big smile made its way to his face, his voice making Vegeta look at him.

"Well, let's see what you're made of, you shitty piece of metal." That did take Wickey by surprise, as he didn't had time to react at Vegeta punching him on the face.

Sound of metal being bent could be heard both in Vegeta's ending fist and in Gohan's side of the fight. The prince took a fast look at where the younger fighter was, just to see that he had recovered and probably had a plan set on his mind. Getting his own focus back into the battle at hand, he moved fast and kicked Wickey in the gut, making the android be sent flying away from him and into the wreckage around the place.

Meanwhile Gohan had decided two things: first he had to incapacitate Sixteen, the same way Wickey messed his system, Bulma could undo it and reset him; second, he had to make sure the android didn't have the bomb inside of his torso again. The second part was essential, if the mad scientist did a reprogramming in him, he probably also put it back and that could result in more damage for civilians (his schoolmates in this case that were still around). So, with that in mind, Gohan went to a decisive punch at the android's torso, as he remembered perfectly the blueprint from that time – he had missed his friend, and the only way to remember him was studying the sheet that Bulma gave him. He was surprised that his punch managed to get inside its target so fast and clean, for sure. He did expect it to be difficult to do so as Sixteen was clearly powered with his blood, as his power had increased since their last fight, and looking up the boy got surprised.

Looking down at him was his old friend, a small smile so gentle that made Gohan second guess what he was doing. For a moment he thought he would be punched as he took notice of a movement at his right side, only to feel a hand on his shoulder, that with a firm grip gave him the incentive he needed.

"Do… it." The voice came out weak, but he knew it was his friend that was looking at him with the mostly gently eyes he could remember, showing that he did understand his plan of taking off the bomb. Gohan was surprised by it, but it soon made his decision very clear: he had to stop Wickey after incapacitating Sixteen.

With a secure movement Gohan grabbed the bomb and took it off his friend's chest, throwing it high in the sky right before launching a ki blast to explode it. Looking with intensity to Sixteen he smiled.

"I missed you and be sure that I will help you." After a soft nod, the android closed his eyes. It was clear to Gohan that even his programing being modified, he was still somehow in control. He could never know if it was due to some error that Wickey did, or simply because he didn't had time to finish the modifications that he wanted to put into his core that made it possible. He charged a ki blast into his palms and shoot it at his friend's torso, making his body fly away. Gohan had made sure that his head would be intact, so they could reconstruct Sixteen later on. "I am sorry. We will meet again, my friend." He then turned to the other fight going on; would Vegeta be enough to stop Wickey since he seemed to have more power than before?

His question was answered by a flying corpse to his feet: Wickey himself. The android cursed as he opened his now damaged and fissured eyes, only to meet the menacing teal eyes of Son Gohan. With a quick look around the android noticed that his final weapon was gone, maybe for good; scowling he blamed himself for not being able to finish all he wanted to do with the former android made by his creator; he shouldn't had fell for this obvious trap. With rage and guilty, Wickey pressed his chest, confusing both saiyans as they could now, surprisingly, feel his energy.

It was something they could never imagine that would happen; the android had probably infused himself with the power of all the mighty aliens he managed to make experiments on, what made him even more strong and worrisome than what the duo could imagine. His body started to glow with a bright light; Gohan had to move away from the android while covering his eyes as the brightness was so blinding that it hurt.

"Bloody hell." Was Vegeta's choice of words, as he could sense the android' power raise before the light faded away. With a bit of effort and due the light fading away, Gohan managed to open his eyes. He could understand Vegeta's words as he too was surprised by the sudden rise in power, but also with Wickey's form that has changed.

His ponytail was long gone – since his fight with the prince – and his gray hair was now red at the roots and blue from the middle until its end. The villainous black eyes took place as his skin turned as red as the roots of his hair, hands as blue as the ends of his hair. An evil smile appeared, together with a gray aura that surrounded his body. He sighed in delight.

"I took the freedom of making improvements on myself. I hope you two don't mind it, since most of this..." Wickey motioned to his whole body. "Came from the two of you." He laughed. "I don't think that either of you know what is your fully potential..." Looking at them he waved his hands. "Shall we restart?"

With gritted teeth both saiyans powered up and charged at the android.

"This broadcast is better than seeing things on that small crystal ball of yours, Uranai Baba" Kuririn said while looking at his laptop, with a bag of chips that he was sharing with his little Marron that was on his lap. Eighteen nodded while drinking her tea.

"Oh?! Then don't come ever again asking for favors to me!" The old woman yelled, hitting his head with said crystal ball. "You are all arrogant folks!" And with that she flew away from her brother's house.

"I wish her temper would change over time." Said Roshi as he went to put a hand on Eighteen's chest, only to be slapped on the face.

"To think that he would be capable of rebuilding Sixteen and reprogramming him... If only Dr. Gero wasn't bad, he could have helped the Earth with all of his intelligence." Kuririn stated while dirking a bit of his beer.

"As if. He was a selfish bastar... I mean, man." Eigtheen stopped herself of using such language near her daughter; she didn't want the kid to learn such words, yet. "Anyway, I hope this ends soon. I want to go shopping like I used to... I need more clothes."

Kuririn sweat dropped; his wife doesn't even have more space to put the clothes she already has as it is... They should move out from Roshi's house, as he needed to find a new job that pays more.

"Oh look! He just powered up! It wasn't going to be that easy!" Oloong said cheering up. "You two own me 100 zeny each! I knew he would change forms, every villain does!"

The couple sighed while giving him the money. They could've seen this one coming.

-x-

I won't make promises, but I will do everything I can to finish the next chapter as soon as I possible.

Thank you for reading, and for still being here!