Thoughts

Computer Speech/Robotic Speech

"Speech"

Disclaimer: DC and the Dragonball Franchise belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.

Chapter 72: Vestiges I


January 18th

Age 764 (2014), Chikyu, West City, Capsule Corp

Yamcha shook the large jug of milk in his hand and frowned. It was empty, just like all the others. Bulma had stockpiled her massive closet-sized fridge the previous day, and all the liquids it contained were already gone. An assortment of juices, sodas, milk, alcohol, water, and even Yamcha's smoothies had been drunk. There was nothing to eat either; every ounce of food had been devoured, including this morning's leftover breakfast.

Bulma's personal chef had prepared a gourmet meal that would've satiated an entire football team. Yamcha's mouth drooled, just thinking about the trays of pancakes, waffles, eggs, and sizzling strips of bacon that had been served. Bulma, Yamcha, Dr. Brief, and Mrs. Brief had all eaten to their heart's content. Vegeta had been absent, training as usual, but there had been more than enough left over for him and at least a dozen other people, but it was all gone now, and the culprit was obvious.

Yamcha angrily slammed the fridge's metal door and turned to face Bulma's vast island kitchen.

This was a reoccurring problem at the Capsule Corp's headquarters, and Yamcha was at his wit's end. Vegeta consistently ingurgitated everything without sparing a thought for anyone else's stomach. Yamcha was well aware of a Saiyan's appetite, he'd witnessed Goku consume grotesque amounts of food numerous times, but Vegeta took it a step further and seemed to relish in antagonizing him. Even when Yamcha labeled his food and drinks, Vegeta went out of his way to taste them.

"Great, now I'm going to have to order food….again," Yamcha sighed and combed his fingers through his tall spiky hair.

"You're so dramatic; you can use my credit card if it's that big of a deal," Bulma said as she slowly crept into the kitchen. Yamcha's eyes widened as soon as he noticed her approaching.

"I didn't sense your Ki," He said, slightly perturbed. "I thought you'd be busy in your lab for the rest of the day."

"I finished fixing one of LexCorp's Scouters; that's why you didn't sense me," Bulma dug into one of her white lab coat's pockets and pulled it out. "I completed my goal a lot earlier than I expected."

Yamcha nodded in understanding. Martian Manhunter had telepathically filled him in on those details. Amanda Waller's attack on Capsule Corp had caused a major uptick in security concerns and was the reason why Vegeta was stuck at Bulma's home in the first place.

"We need to do something about Vegeta," Yamcha announced. His anger was still bubbling internally.

"Oh, not this again," Bulma rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "We've had this conversation countless times already, Yamcha."

"And we'll keep having it until things change. I still can't believe that monster's staying here in the first place."

"You know why that is. Don't act dumb."

"Of course, I know why, but it still irks me," Yamcha pouted. "You're the only one who can reactivate the bomb inside Vegeta's head. He's well aware of that, but that idiot still insists on being a jackass. He needs to learn how to behave as a guest in someone's house."

"You're a guest in this house too, or did you forget that?" Bulma asked with a raised brow.

"You're letting me stay here, and I really appreciate that Bulma, but I'm also your Boyf- "

"- Boyfriend? Since when? This is news to me," Bulma snorted. "According to all the celebrity magazines and social media, you're single!"

Yamcha winced at Bulma's shout. "No, it's not like that, I swear," he pleaded, frantically waving his arms in protest. "I told that cashier in New York that my relationship status was complicated. That's all I said. I didn't expect her to run to the media and spread that information, and that was nearly a year ago when I said that, Bulma."

"That doesn't change the fact that you said it! Our relationship status was or is allegedly complicated, but when it comes to telling me how to run things in my own house, you're suddenly my boyfriend now?"

"I'm not trying to tell you how to run your house," Yamcha groaned. He'd have to walk on eggshells to make things right with her. "Things have been rocky between us since my resurrection; I think we can both admit that, right? But I still have strong feelings for you, and you know that. The only problem is…."

"The only problem is what?" Bulma interjected. "Spit it out, don't be shy," she closed the distance between them and glared at her lover, who was struggling to form words.

"Oh, another lover's quarrel, how lovely," Vegeta chuckled as he abruptly barged into the kitchen. Bulma and Yamcha's attention immediately switched to him. The Saiyan prince was fresh out of the shower, and the scent of Gucci body wash lingered on him. He was dressed in an ankle-length white robe similar to the size of Bulma's lab coat, and he wore white cashmere slippers on his feet. The embroidery on the robe looked oddly familiar to Yamcha, and upon further inspection, the Lone Wolf realized that it was his.

"Take that off….now!" Yamcha angrily demanded.

"Why? It's the only decent robe in this house, and it's fit for a prince," Vegeta said smugly, dismissing Yamcha with a wave. "But if that blasted woman next to you would hurry up with my laundry, I could return to my normal clothing; I can't train dressed like this."

"His laundry? You're doing Vegeta's laundry?!" Yamcha scowled so deep Bulma feared his lips would stay stuck that way.

"He doesn't know how to do laundry, so I told him I'd do it for him. You know how much of a clean freak I am, Yamcha. I can't have his funky clothes stinking up my house. If it were up to Vegeta, he'd never wash them."

Yamcha slowly backed away from Bulma. "I….I….I can't believe this! First, you let him eat up all the food in the house, and now you're doing his laundry for him? You never help me clean my clothes! I have to wash all my Gi's by myself!" Yamcha pointed to his trademark orange outfit. "This is nuts!"

"Oh, that reminds me, woman, next time you go shopping, purchase some more nuts. I ate them all this morning," Vegeta grabbed a banana from a cupboard and peeled it. "The fridge is empty, too, so I suggest you call that chef over again or make another run to the store."

"You don't tell Bulma what to do!" Yamcha balled his hands into fists; the disrespect was too much to bear now.

"I'll do as I please, you imbecile!" Vegeta ate his banana in one bite and gestured for Yamcha to attack him. "This won't be much of a fight, but at least I'll get to test my new abilities on someone."

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!" Bulma screeched at the top of her lungs. "I swear it's like I'm dealing with a bunch of kids in this house. Male egos are so freakin fragile. If you really want to fight, take it to the training room. I won't let either of you mess up my – "

"Alert Alert multiple unknown potential assailants have been detected outside, and based on their formation, they appear to be gearing up for an attack."

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that," Yamcha muttered as he glanced at the ceiling. An electronic voice blared throughout the Capsule Corp headquarters on several hidden, miniature speakers. It was Bulma's latest and arguably greatest invention. The voice was a multipurpose artificial intelligence that primarily functioned as round-the-clock security. The AI was named after Bulma's sister, and each letter stood for something, but Yamcha always forgot their meaning.

"TIGHTS," Bulma called out. "Show me the security footage from a street view outside my house. Pull it up on my fridge's touchscreen."

In seconds the deed was done, and the kitchen's three occupants scrambled to the fridge for a closer view of the video. As usual, several tourists and star-struck citizens were outside snapping pictures of Bulma's home. Capsule Corp was a city landmark and renowned worldwide; the building received hundreds of visitors every day, and surprisingly, the Suicide Squad's attack on the headquarters had boosted its popularity. People from all walks of life stopped by to gawk at Bulma's home, but none of them had ever been Frieza Force soldiers. Vegeta recognized them instantly; they were impossible to miss.

"That's an entire platoon of soldiers!" Vegeta exclaimed as he finished counting them. They hovered over the Capsule Corp building in a circle and looked poised to strike.

"TIGHTS, reinforce the protective shield around our house and disperse the crowd. I want those people out of harm's way….now."

"As you command, Bulma." A simple emergency alert would clear any potential victims from the area.

"Why didn't we sense them? Why haven't they attacked yet? What are they waiting for?" Yamcha questioned as he observed the video footage with narrowed eyes. "Are they after something or, rather, someone?" the former bandit set his sights on Vegeta, who responded with a snarl.

"I don't know why they're here, and I don't give a damn either. If you want to sit here wasting your breath on nonsense, fine, but there's a fight clearly waiting, and I prefer to strike first." Vegeta didn't say another word and took off, promptly blasting through the roof. Yamcha had no choice but to follow. He gave Bulma a parting kiss on the lips and chased after the Saiyan.


January 18th

Age 764 (2014), Washington, D.C, Hall of Justice

"Any news from Hal?" The Flash asked as he leaned forward in his chair. The mood today was unusually tense, and even his nerves were on edge.

"No," Batman responded with a frown. "It's been over a year now, and I haven't received any update from the Green Lantern. J'onn, has he contacted you?" Bruce turned to the Martian beside him, brimming with hope, but it was the same ole story.

The Martian Manhunter shook his head. "No. The last contact I had with Hal Jordan was when the entire Justice League was seated at this very table discussing Frieza and the Planet Trade Organization. Since that day, the Green Lantern has essentially been a ghost. I visited his last known address, but the people I spoke to there said they hadn't seen him in ages."

"Maybe he's spoken to big blue?" The Flash offered as he glanced at an empty seat across the large round table. The insignia of Superman's S-Shield was plastered on the chair. Every member of the Justice League had their symbols stitched on their assigned seats, but some were more recognizable than others. Whenever Superman wasn't present, it was glaringly obvious.

"Clark would've told me so we can safely say no to that idea," Batman answered. "The only person left who we could ask is Aquaman, but we all know Hal hasn't spoken to him." A rare smile stretched across Batman's lips, but it dissipated as soon as J'onn reminded him of a harsh reality.

"The Green Lantern warned us that Frieza's defeat would have galactic ramifications. There's no telling what's going on in space right now. A despot has finally been dethroned, and countless factions are likely vying for power. The Green Lantern Corps has to maintain order in the midst of all that chaos."

"You're right, J'onn," Bruce said somberly. "But true as that may be, it would be nice to receive any kind of news from Hal. The tiniest bit of information would be helpful. At the very least, it could point us in the right direction. The Planet Trade Organization will inevitably attack Earth, but when? I'm tired of anxiously waiting, and I know I'm not the only one."

"The League and Argus have been making preparations for that. You don't think what we've done is enough?" The Flash asked.

Batman's eyes narrowed. "It's never enough. Even with all the training Superman's been doing; I don't know if we're up to the task. The Argus agents who were killed during the Massacre in Manhattan were resurrected, and they'll boost our numbers, but we're facing a threat from a galaxy-spanning empire. We need more heavy hitters. Hopefully, Goku returns soon; Wonder Woman already has and –"

"- Sorry to interrupt you, Batman, but a realization just struck me," The Martian Manhunter cut in. "The Justice League hasn't formally asked Wonder Woman to join its ranks yet. We've allowed her to reconnect and bond with her friends and family over these past few months, but at some point, we have to ask her."

"I agree with J'onn," The Flash added. "The worst thing Diana can say is no, and the League desperately needs some women. The media's starting to call us an all-boys club."

"I know. I've heard the chatters. We can thank the likes of Vicki Vale and Lois Lane for those complaints." As much as it irked Batman to agree with them, those reporters were right. The Justice League was optically too androcentric. J'onn could shape-shift into practically anything, but at his core, he was still a man.

"If you don't want to ask her, I will," The Flash proposed. "I know you and Superman are the face of the Justice League, but I'm sure I can get the job done; plus, it'll give me an excuse to swing by her house and have some of her food again. She makes one hell of a gyro."

The Martian Manhunter and Batman didn't respond verbally. They turned and stared at each other, blinking quizzically, until the Flash broke their silence.

"Too much information? My bad," The Flash apologized as he sweatdropped.

"No, there's nothing to apologize for, Barry; I agree with you. When the time is right, you should be the one to ask Wonder Woman to join the Justice League." Batman said, much to The Flash's surprise.

"And when exactly is the right time?" Barry questioned, using his fingers as imaginary quotation marks.

"I'll leave that to your discretion. Ask her when you see fit. She's avoided being in the public eye since she returned from Themyscira. Outside of the League and a few others, no one knows she's back at home. Whenever she feels comfortable reentering the spotlight would be my suggestion."

"That makes sense, but how will I know when that is?" The Flash mused as he scratched his head. "Actually, J'onn, maybe you'd be better suited for thi…" the speedster's voice trailed as the Martian suddenly stood up with a panicked expression on his face.

"We need to evacuate the building immediately!"

"J'onn, what's going on?" Batman demanded as he jumped out of his seat. The Martian never behaved like this without good reason, but the Hall of Justice's security system hadn't notified Bruce of any approaching threat.

"I sense multiple psionic presences headed to our location, and their minds are filled with rage, hatred, and blood lust. They're still a few miles away, but their thoughts are so loud I can hear them from here. They want to blow up the Hall of Justice!"

It was Barry's turn to rise. He stood up with a bug-eyed expression, heart filled with concern. There were dozens of visitors and employees in the Hall of Justice at this very moment, and their lives would all be in danger. The Justice League could take care of itself, but those civilians needed to be escorted out immediately. There was no time to waste explaining himself to Batman or the Martian Manhunter, so The Flash didn't; he silently sped out of the room, leaving a trail of gold lightning behind him.

By the time Bruce and J'onn finished blinking, Barry was gone. His actions were obvious and didn't require an explanation, but now it was their turn to act. Batman and the Martian Manhunter nodded at each other and took off in separate directions. J'onn floated toward the stained glass ceiling and phased through it, dashing off to intercept the incoming enemies. Bruce, on the other hand, raced toward his private quarters.

Every member of the Justice League had a room to themselves. J'onn was the only one who resided in the Hall of Justice full-time, but rooms were available to any team member who wanted to use them. Aquaman and the Green Lantern had never even stepped inside theirs; The Flash used his sparingly, and Superman had an entire fortress, so a spare room at the Hall of Justice felt redundant. But Bruce treated his room like an extra Batcave; he armed it to the teeth and kept an assortment of weapons and tools inside it, and he would need them now more than ever.

Whoever was on their way to the Hall of Justice was bold, extremely bold. Since the inception of the Justice League, no villain had dared to attack their headquarters. Criminals were stupid, dumb, and halfwitted, but none were so brazenly foolish as to attack the world's mightiest group of heroes at their doorstep, not without a plan, at least. But if they had no plan, that meant this set of villains were banking on brute strength or overwhelming force to get the job done, neither of which bode well for the Justice League.


January 18th

Age 764 (2014), Chikyu, Kame House

"We'll get started again after lunch," Tien said as he wiped his forehead with a small towel. He was drenched in sweat from head to toe, and a shower was calling his name, but there was still more training to be done; he wasn't satisfied yet.

Chiaotzu nodded affirmatively and slumped into the ground, taking a breather. His white tank top was soaked in sweat, and the searing rays from the cloudless sky doubled his misery, but the ocean's cool breeze provided some modicum of relief. He lay flat on the ground, sinking into the grainy pebbles of sand that comprised the outer layer of Master Roshi's island, and let his mind wander. He was at peace momentarily until a raucous noise disrupted his tranquility.

"Get your asses in here and eat this food while it's still hot. I ain't got all day!"

Chiaotzu's eyes jolted open at the sound of Launch's harsh voice. He didn't even have to turn in her direction to decipher which personality she was in; it was apparent.

"You heard me, Tien, hurry up and come eat!"

Chiaotzu stood up and saw Launch in her blonde-haired personality, dragging Tien inside the Kame House. His resistance was futile, and Launch won their struggle easily, though Tien didn't put up much of a fight. Launch barked threats at Chiaotzu, swearing to shoot him if he didn't follow as she shoved Tien through the door. Her words were far from empty threats, and while bullets wouldn't harm him, Chiaotzu didn't want to invoke her wrath any further. He hurried up the front steps, pulled the door handle, and softly closed the door behind him.

Inside the house, Krillin, Master Roshi, and Tien were seated at a kitchen table with several plates of food in front of them. The aroma was heavenly, but Launch's blue-haired personality had likely done all the cooking. Turtle was noticeably absent from the congregation. Master Roshi's loyal companion had gone out for a swim earlier in the day and had yet to return. Launch was washing her hands in a nearby sink, and Chiaotzu decided to join her.

She was a clean freak, and a pair of dirty hands contaminating her food would make her go nuclear. Chiaotzu floated up to the sink's height and hovered beside Launch, waiting for her to finish. She wore her standard outfit, which featured a light-green crop top, yellow shorts, a red belt, green socks with red shoes, and a matching red ribbon in her hair. An unusually long white apron was draped over her clothes, and it displayed a message in large bold letters. The words said, "kiss the chef," and Chiaotzu knew who that saying was targeted at, Tien.

Tien was oblivious to all of Launch's romantic advances, and his resurrection had seemingly made things even worse. According to Master Roshi, Launch had cried for weeks after Tien's death. The turtle hermit was still fixing numerous bullet holes caused by her angry gunfire from the day she heard the news of her lover's demise. Tien's return to life rejuvenated her spirit and gave her hope that things would be different this time, but unfortunately, Tien's mind was elsewhere.

The former assassin was solely focused on getting stronger and locating his daughter; his time in the Otherworld had granted him much-needed clarity. Life was fragile and fleeting, and death was always around the corner. For those reasons, Tien desired to attain greater strength to protect his loved ones. He had a child out there, somewhere in the world, who he'd never met before, and that guilt gnawed at him each day. His daughter needed his love first and foremost, and due to that, Launch's affections would always be unrequited.

Launch finally finished washing her hands and gave the sink to Chiaotzu. The mime-like warrior scrubbed his hands thoroughly, though he didn't take as long as Launch, and floated over to the kitchen table when he was done. Everyone was already digging in by the time he sat down. Tien had a mouthful of chicken, Krillin was chewing pasta, Launch was forcefully stabbing a meatball with her fork, and Master Roshi was drinking a bowl of soup. Chiaotzu didn't know where to begin, so he went small and started with an entrée, helping himself to a few handfuls of garlic bread. They melted in his mouth.

The time flew by, and before everyone knew it, all the plates of food were finished. Chiaotzu hadn't realized he was that hungry. He rubbed his stomach and satisfaction and leaned back in his chair as a conversation broke out at the table.

"I hope none of you expect me to clean these dishes; I already did all the damn cooking!" Launch shrieked as she stood up with a machine gun. Aside from her, everyone else looked too sluggish to move.

"N-N-No, of course not, Launch; you've done more than enough for the day," Krillin quickly answered. His teeth were chattering as Launch slowly put down her firearm. It was a miracle she managed to fit a weapon of that size in her shorts.

"Good. Looks like I finally knocked some sense into ya," she reached over and smacked Krillin's clean-shaven head, a habit she was far too fond of. A dark red bruise formed, and the former monk sobbed as he tried to soothe it. "Do you always have to do that?"

"Yes," Launch replied with a devilish grin. She turned to Master Roshi, who was seated beside her, and the Kamesennin instinctively put his arms over his face.

"Whoa, what's got your panties in a bunch?" She asked. "You got soup in your beard, but since you wanna be such a pansy about it, you can wipe it off yourself." She grabbed a napkin from the table and flung it at him. It smacked him dead in the face.

"Thanks for the lunch; it was delicious," Chiaotzu said as he suppressed a belch. "I didn't know you could cook Italian cuisine."

"There's a lot of things you and Tien don't know about me, small fry," She winked at the Triclops, but he never saw it. "I learned a lot traveling the world while you and Tien were dead. But speaking of death, both of y'all are gonna wind up back in the grave if you keep training like this. If Frieza was gonna attack, he would've done it by now."

Krillin wished he could share Launch's optimism, but a frown consumed his face. "You didn't witness what I witnessed on Namek, Launch. Frieza isn't the type of guy to let bygones be bygones. He's in space right now, scheming and planning his revenge as we speak. Everyone needs to be prepared."

"So why ain't that pervert training with y'all? I know you took the day off from training, Krillin, but Master Roshi hasn't joined you guys for a single session." Launch glared at the Kamesennin, and he turned beet red.

"W-w-well now L-L-Launch, you see, at my old age, I ain't as strong as I used to be, and I'm pretty sure I've hit my ceiling power-wise. This is the younger generation's fight. They have Superman, Goku, Wonder Woman, Tien, Krillin, and Chioatzu; the list goes on and on. They don't need silly ole me to help them, ain't right, boys?" Master Roshi looked for support from his former students, and they all avoided his gaze except for Tien.

"The Justice League are great allies to us, but we can't solely rely on them; they reside in America. Who's going to protect Chikyu? We have to step up to the plate now more than ever, especially with Goku being MIA. We failed the first time when the Saiyans invaded, and I refuse to let that ever happen again."

"Such passion; it's a shame you'll never fulfill that oath."

All the residents of Kame House froze as the words reached their ears. Whose voice was that? Was the mutual question in all their minds. It was deep, guttural, and monstrous. Multiple pairs of eyeballs scanned the area, frantically trying to locate the unwelcome guest. The TV was off, so it couldn't be that; maybe it was a video from someone's cell phone?

Krillin looked under the table and checked his phone, but it was off. When he glanced back up, he saw Tien's finger pointing at the kitchen window. It was open, the shutters were flapping, and someone was standing outside, but Krillin couldn't make heads or tails of who it was from this distance. He slid out of his chair and nervously walked closer. The red bull-like creature outside the window smirked, making eye contact with Krillin as he extended an arm. That was the last thing the former monk saw before a purple beam of energy engulfed his field of vision.


January 18th

Age 764 (2014), Chikyu, Mount Paozu, The Son Family Residence

The Ki blast that tore through Diana's house was quickly followed by several others. They rained down from every possible angle and detonated in multiple fiery explosions upon impact. It was a bombardment, an unexpected flurry from an unknown assailant, and the assault never ceased, not even for a second. The kitchen was instantly vaporized when Wonder Woman swatted the first blast. The meal she had laboriously prepared for her son had gone to waste.

She prayed Gohan was safe as she raced to his bathroom. Ki beams pelted her olive skin, harmlessly bouncing off it as she sped through the remains of her living room. She could've deflected the attacks, but she couldn't dare risk harming her son by accident. Smoke and fire obscured her vision, but she pushed through it. A normal person would've been choking and gasping for oxygen, but she was a Demigod endowed with the strength of her aloof father, Zeus.

She prepared herself to kick down Gohan's door, but it no longer existed by the time she reached it. His bedroom was ablaze, and tall, thick bright flames licked at the remains of the ceiling. Her son's toys, pictures, books, shoes, clothes, and miscellaneous accessories were all scorched or were on the verge of being burnt to a crisp. Diana ground her teeth in anger. Whoever was responsible for this would pay with blood; she swore it by the gods.

She zoomed into the bathroom, weaving through countless energy beams, and found…..nothing.

Her son wasn't there. His bathroom was nothing but ashes, which was either deeply concerning or a good sign. Gohan had fled the area or been totally annihilated; there was no in-between. It didn't take Diana long to figure out which one it was. The furious bellow of a Kamehameha from outside jolted her from her reverie.

Her son was alive, and Diana wasted no time joining him. The roof was on the verge of collapsing, and she wouldn't stick around to see it fall; she leaped through one of its openings. Diana soared into the sky, and the fresh air hit her like a tidal wave. She exhaled a smoke-free breath and thanked The Anemoi for their gift, but she couldn't dwell on the feeling too long; she was instantly surrounded.

Scores and scores of Frieza Force soldiers encircled her and her son. They stretched as far as her eyes could see and looked like a horde of locusts from her vantage point.

"Athena, have mercy," Diana mumbled to no one in particular. She knew about the might Frieza possessed, but nothing could've prepared her for his raw number of soldiers. There were hundreds of them, possibly even thousands. The day of judgment was here. Diana's nightmares had finally come to fruition.

Frieza's warriors stopped firing at her home and set their sights on her. They were a hodgepodge group of alien warriors, ranging from humanoids to insect-like creatures. Most of them were equipped with arm canons attached to their Scouters and helmets, and they fired in unison, unleashing a rainbow-colored collage of energy beams at Diana. The attacks never landed; Diana phased out of sight before they got within a foot of her.

The soldier's blasts unwittingly struck their comrades, slicing through their Battle Armor in a grisly shower of blood. Basketball-sized holes were left behind in abdomens, chests, and groins. Diana watched their horrified and startled expressions from a distance as they scoured the skies, searching for her. They already had their hands full with her son, who was molly whopping squads of warriors with ease. Somehow he'd managed to put on his Gi after the attacks on his house had begun, or maybe he'd never made it to the shower in the first place. Either way, the Demi-Saiyan was giving them all they could handle.

Diana's heart swelled with pride. She materialized behind an enemy and elbowed him in the neck. She withheld using enough force to snap it but used just enough to incapacitate him. He fell unconscious instantly and dropped out of the sky, dashing her plans. She'd avoided directly killing him, but the fall would still do it anyway.

She watched him plummet before another enemy strode her way. He was a big burly alien who had more feathers than sense. His fingers were basically talons, and he used them recklessly, slashing at Diana without a plan in mind. The Themysciran queen danced out of harm's way and parried every single strike. His movements were too easy to read, and his technique was weak.

A sturdy kick to his bony chin disposed of him, sending him rocketing through the Earth's atmosphere. The rest of Frieza's soldiers wisely decided to tag team Diana. A group of them rushed her from the front and back. This time she didn't run; she stood her ground and took them all head-on. They slammed into her like a battering ram, but the Amazon didn't budge. The civil war on Themyscira taught her how to battle multiple opponents simultaneously.

Unlike her son, she had no long-range attacks; everything had to be hand-to-hand. Her Lasso of Truth would've come in handy at a time like his, but it was buried underneath her house's rubble. All she could do was split her attention and use her immense strength to subdue her foes. Diana concentrated on the soldiers in front of her first; they were the ones she had a clear view of. She couldn't afford to expend any unnecessary energy, so she focused on eliminating them as quickly as possible.

One blow was enough to do the trick. Kicks, punches, elbows, karate chops, it didn't matter; the Frieza Force soldiers dropped like flies as Diana swept through them. The enemies behind her were unrelenting, though, and they bombarded her with everything they had, but it wasn't enough to deter her in the slightest. Diana shrugged off their hardest hits and kept rolling.

A multitude of Ki blasts hammered her as she fought two, three, four, and sometimes even five opponents at once. Her Gi was surely torn or on the verge of ripping, but she paid it no mind. She had almost defeated all the enemies in front of her when someone suddenly jumped on her back. He was heavy, three hundred pounds at least, and he held on to Diana's back for dear life. No matter how many times she hit him in the face, he refused to let go.

Diana was still withholding the majority of her strength, but this current foe would force her to kill him. While she debated how to handle the situation, a nearby soldier took the opportunity to clamp onto her left leg. One of his comrades followed suit and grabbed her right leg. Two more soldiers grabbed each of her arms and violently jerked them. This was clearly some sort of trap, but what was the end goal?

The answer became apparent as Diana saw a nebulous ball of Ki forming fifty yards away. Five Frieza Force soldiers pumped their Ki into the ever-expanding orb of energy. It grew and grew until it was the size of Diana's invisible jet. Once it was complete, one soldier held it up and flung it. Countless numbers of his peers stood in the way, but the soldier didn't care; he sacrificed them all.

They didn't even get the chance to scream as the Ki ball engulfed them, continuing its destructive roll toward Diana. The queen had witnessed enough. She broke free of her confines in one swift move, tossing her would-be jailers aside, and sprinted to intercept the attack. Her hands cupped the Ki ball as her chest thrust against it. It was hot, blisteringly so. Her half-brother Apollo would've admired its intensity.

Her legs churned as she ran on air, pushing the attack back. There was no way for her to decipher this Ki ball's destructive potential, but based on what she'd witnessed, it was dangerous enough to wipe out Mount Paozu. She wouldn't allow it. Diana lifted the orb of energy over her head and tossed it as far as possible. It ascended higher and higher until it became a twinkle in the sky and then faded from view. Several Frieza Force soldiers observed the scene, slack-jawed; they couldn't believe it.

"S-S-She's a monster!"

"We should leave her to Frieza or the Elite Warriors; they'll know what to do with her!"

"I bet she's a Super Saiyan!"

Diana heard several of them shout. She couldn't help but internally chuckle at that last comment. If only they knew what she really was. Her son was possibly on the verge of becoming a Super Saiyan, but only Goku would know best.

"Moooooooooooooom, do you mind if I finish this once and for all?" Wonder Woman heard her son say. He yelled the words, and when Diana looked over her shoulder, she saw her child rushing toward her at breakneck speed. His tiny legs came to a stop beside her, and Diana didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around him.

"I'm so glad you're safe, hunny. Did they hurt you?" She asked as she pecked his forehead. There would be hell to pay if any harm had befallen her son.

"No, mom, I'm fine," Gohan swore. He was flustered as his mother showered him with more kisses. He wanted to complain, but it wasn't his place to; his mother had every right to be concerned for his well-being. She eventually let him go, and once she did, Gohan posed his question once more.

"Can I finish this? This fight, I mean. I have an attack that can get rid of them once and for all."

Diana didn't respond. She took a moment to survey the battlefield. There were still throngs of Frieza Force soldiers present in the sky. Gohan had taken out a bunch, and she had done her part as well, but their number seemed unending. The soldiers were still shell-shocked at her earlier feat and were too frightened to make a move, but they'd eventually snap out of it.

The mother and son duo couldn't afford to waste any more time on Frieza's grunts. If his soldiers were here on Earth, that meant the Frost Demon was too, and he was the biggest threat of all.

Wonder Woman looked down at her son and gave him a nod. "Do it," she urged. She was curious to see what her son had in store.


January 18th

Age 764 (2014), Chikyu, West City, Capsule Corp

Vegeta was in the full swing of battle when Yamcha arrived outside. The Saiyan prince was engaged in multiple simultaneous fights but still managed to keep the upper hand. Frieza's forces swarmed him, wave after wave, but their overwhelming numbers meant nothing; Vegeta battered them all, but not without a few hiccups. A few enemies got their licks in, and while they didn't do any significant damage, they tore his robe to pieces. Yamcha's dismay was visceral as the tatters of his favorite robe were blown away by the passing breeze.

Fortunately, Vegeta had worn a pair of pants underneath the robe he'd stolen; otherwise, he would've been completely naked. His pants, blue-striped pajamas, were another item of clothing he'd borrowed from Yamcha. The former bandit was furious about that too, but he couldn't dwell on his indignation; he was in the midst of battle. Multiple Frieza Force soldiers attempted to corral him, but Yamcha wiggled out of their clutches, phasing in and out of sight at the speed of sound.

The streets were empty, and there wasn't a civilian in sight; Bulma's AI had done its job masterfully. That was one less thing for Yamcha to worry about as he fought; he despised collateral damage. Vegeta likely wouldn't care if anyone died because of him; after all, Nappa had wiped out the entire borough of Manhattan, and the prince had never once shown remorse for that. Yamcha would have to be his moral compass as their battle against Frieza's underlings spanned the skies.

Multiple sonic booms rocked the heavens as fists met fists. Yamcha hadn't been in a life-or-death situation since the Saiyan invasion, and he felt rusty. Sure, he'd trained in the Otherworld and various locations across the Earth post-resurrection, but there was no substitute for an opponent who actually wanted to kill you. He kept pace with his enemies and thwarted all their plans of attack, but his movements were just the slightest bit off. He could get away with a punch being an inch too short against foes like these, but when the inevitable confrontation with Frieza came, such mistakes would cost him his life.

His enemies were no slouches, though; they required every bit of Yamcha's concentration. He couldn't sense their power levels which made things even more difficult. Frieza's Forces had learned how to mask their Ki, or they'd developed some type of technology that prevented them from being detected. Yamcha couldn't put his finger on it either way, but it was extremely vexing. He had no way of knowing who his most dangerous enemy was, and there were several of them.

His opponents hailed from a multiplicity of worlds, and it was as if Yamcha's imagination had come to life. He'd encountered extraterrestrial life before dealing with the likes of Superman, Goku, and Piccolo, but they were all relatively humanoid. His foes were anything but that, and their physical makeup defied logic. One of his enemies was a literal orange blob that was very hard to kill. He could reconstitute his mass at any given moment and did so frequently.

Yamcha eventually struck him down with a Ki blast that atomized him, but it took more effort than planned. Vegeta was fairing better, but the prince was spamming Ki beams without concern for his surroundings. Some of his attacks hit their intended targets, but considerable amounts were deflected and blocked. Those Ki beams wiped out homes, office buildings, schools, parks, and even a church. Smoke clouded the sky, and the distant wails of police and firetruck sirens speeding to the rescue filled the air.

Things were quickly getting out of hand. The Capsule Corp's headquarters was safe, guarded by an invisible force field that Bulma had installed months ago, but the rest of her block was anything but. Several fires were raging across from and nearby Bulma's compound. Emergency services would soon be on the scene, further complicating things and creating a target for Frieza's Forces. Yamcha had to lead his enemies to a remote location before the entire city was demolished.

"We need to go, Vegeta!" Yamcha yelled at the Saiyan prince as he ducked underneath a jab. "We can't fight them like this!" the former bandit sprang back up and responded to his opponent with an elbow to the jaw, breaking it.

"If you're scared, just say that, Earthling. I'm not going anywhere! These buffoons will feel my wrath before I impose it on their master!" Vegeta spat back. He was having far too much fun barreling through his opponents. His passion for warfare had been stoked, and it was impossible to put out the flames now.

"You idiot!" Yamcha growled as he watched one of Vegeta's Ki beams sail toward West City's skyline, setting it ablaze. That was the final straw. If the prince refused to listen to reason, Yamcha would have to force him to see the light. He sparked his aura with a roar, flinging several opponents to the wayside, and dashed toward Vegeta. He caught the Saiyan off guard, tackling him at full speed, and accelerated toward the ocean.

Frieza's Forces trailed behind them every step of the way and abandoned West City to hunt their prey. In seconds both parties were gone, leaving a city in chaos in their wake. Bulma came outside to inspect the destruction once they'd finally departed. She thanked Kami that her home was unscathed, but the nearby vicinity and beyond that would require an enormous rebuild. She'd ensure that Capsule Corp foot the bill for all the damages.

She was in the middle of the street, making calculations in her mind, when a swirling vortex of energy suddenly formed behind her. Her lips trembled, and she tried to run, but it was too late. Bulma was knocked to the ground by the wind the vortex produced, and all she could do was try and crawl to safety as the violent gales pounded her body.

Dumb! Dumb! Dumb! I should've stayed in the house! Of course, Frieza would have a hidden weapon; I'm an idiot! Bulma cursed her stupidity as she frantically clawed at the gravel, desperately trying to avoid being sucked into whatever was circulating behind her. If this was her end, she had no one to blame but herself, but suddenly the winds tempered and came to a cease.

"I-I-I'm alive?" Bulma said in disbelief as she slowly stood up. She dusted herself off and pinched her face to see if this was all a dream. She yelped at the pain she caused. "Okay, this is real," she sourly deduced.

"Did we make it? Are we finally in the right year, Trunks?" Bulma heard a distinctly feminine voice say. A male voice responded, saying, "yes, I think so." The voices jarred Bulma from her stupor and forced her to cautiously turn around. What she saw startled her and made her backpedal with haste, but a woman's firm hand snatched her wrist before she got too far.

"Your mother aged well for a human; I can see why your father was so enamored with her beauty; her future and past selves look the same," A dark-haired woman said with a smile. She was as tall as Wonder Woman and bore a striking resemblance to the Themysciran queen. She was a distant relative, perhaps.

The person beside her, an average-sized male, who couldn't possibly be older than twenty, frowned. "We just arrived, and you've already said too much, Fury. The timeline is fragile, and we can't afford to fracture it; the consequences could be -"

"- Could be catastrophic, I know," The woman replied with a frustrated sigh. She loosened her grip on Bulma's wrist. "But we've already distorted the timeline in unfathomable ways. A little more tweaking can't possibly hurt."


A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 71!

A/N: I can't believe it only took me three days to write this chapter; this is the shortest it's ever taken me. For two weeks, I struggled to figure out how to start this chapter, and then boom, over the weekend, I had a sudden burst of inspiration. Writing is funny like reviewers tried to guess who Trunks' companion would be, most were wrong, but a few were right, and you finally saw her in this chapter. I haven't revealed her background, but her name alone should tell you everything.


Q/A:

Monster King: My knowledge of Marvel comics isn't as deep as my knowledge of DC. I couldn't properly do an MCU version of this story. Years ago, a writer on this site did an MCU/DBZ crossover story, but he never finished it. That's where I got the inspiration to do this story.

Historiasrandom: What you said is true regarding the anime, but I don't think the manga ever mentioned King Cold's 's really up to my discretion to decide how powerful I want him to be.

Vault Hunter: You only saw a brief snippet of Frieza's invasion at the tail end of the previous chapter. Calling it "pathetic" was a bit of an exaggeration. As you saw in this chapter, that soldier wasn't the only fighter the PTO sent out at the onset of their invasion. It seems like you've forgotten certain things regarding Superman. The Justice League didn't need to put Vegeta under an illusion to defeat him; it was simply the easiest, most efficient way to do it.

Why have a long, drawn-out fight if the Martian Manhunter is present and can use his telepathic abilities? Also, the altercation with Vegeta occurred before Superman's power started skyrocketing. Back in chapter 58, when Superman went to the Fortress of Solitude, he discovered his body was absorbing solar rays at a much faster rate; that's why he decided to train with Piccolo in the first place. Since chapter 58, Superman's only been getting stronger, and it's nearly been a year, in-story, since that time. Your recollection of the fight with the Suicide Squad is inaccurate.

Thanks for the kind words; character interactions are something I've tried to improve on. Sorry to disappoint you with this chapter, then; Goku and Diana's daughter was the other traveler from the future, lol.

gotham0101: Your question is a spoiler; I won't answer it, sorry. Gohan will be a beast, though.

Preston2006: One of your guesses regarding Trunks' companion was correct. Regarding your statement about Superman and Piccolo, I'll refer you to a response I made to another reviewer up above.

sun-wukong: If I'd used Diana's classic origins, Gohan probably wouldn't be as strong as he is now. I disagree with your sentiments regarding Superman. He doesn't need to date a human to stay connected to humanity. This is blasphemy to a lot of Superman fans, but I've honestly never cared for Superman and Lois Lane's relationship. Personally, I'm a Superman/Wonder Woman shipper, but I'll also take Lana Lang and a multitude of other choices over Lois Lane.

scl04: In the previous chapter, Gohan transformed into a False Super Saiyan, the form from the Lord Slug movie. I enjoy writing slice-of-life scenes, and I'd like to incorporate more of them into the story. Diana doesn't want to tell Gohan the truth, but eventually, she'll have to do it. Superman and Piccolo have gotten a lot closer since the earlier chapters of the story. After the battle with Frieza, I intend to show more DC/DBZ characters interacting with each other in day-to-day scenarios.

Kabuto S. Inferno: Yeah, Wonder woman was definitely out of character in the earlier part of the previous chapter, but it was all for a specific ideas and thoughts regarding the seal are great, but I can't confirm or deny anything yet. The limits of Athena's seal will get tested very soon, though. The Justice League and Argus dropped the ball, lol, but that will be explained.

Jackalope89: Well, thanks to you, I had a new character to read up on. Booster Gold's sister is actually pretty cool. You weren't expecting who to time travel? I'll be shocked if Gotham Knights goes beyond one season; it looks awful, lol.

lucaselianperez2351: Gohan y Starfire eran una pareja obvia, así que decidí no hacerlo. Me gusta ir contra la corriente. Gracias por las palabras amables.

Fuckmegun: I don't plan on giving Gohan a superhero codename or having him do poses.

Ayrton Senna: Gohan's best friend will be a Teen Titan, is all I'll say.

Guest: I do have a love for unusual pairings, lol.

Maximum Rhapsody: Kuriza, personality-wise, isn't as cruel as the other members of his family. Frieza's arrival may or may not be the beginning of a split between the heroes.

Deagle135: Trunks already has a sibling, Bra. Are you asking if he'll have other siblings besides her?

Anonymous Mastermind: I basically skipped over the entirety of the Namek saga, so I have to at least partially make up for it with Frieza's invasion. I intend to give Gohan a group of friends in his age range, something that was severely lacking in canon. Batman hasn't adopted Nightwing yet. Nightwing will get adopted sometime around the Cell saga. Honestly, I have to google the DBZ timeline every time I write a chapter.

The Dragonball wiki has been vital to me. DC's timeline is a lot more complicated, but I have a few websites that have helped me tremendously. You saw who Trunks' mystery companion was in this chapter; I hope you liked her. Bulma's time machine will get addressed. This story will handle Trunks' time traveling a lot differently than in canon. I can't spoil how strong Trunks will be, but everything you said is valid and reasonable.

kaffeenator666: Chapter 70: You missed an update. I dropped two chapters on back-to-back Sundays, lol. Bekka isn't from the Gods and Monsters universe; she's native to this story. This version of Bekka is just primarily based on the Gods and Monsters version of her and her New 52 version. Highfather asked her about the Earth Zero versions of Goku and Superman because the New Gods exist outside the multiverse.

Frieza's durability has been ramped up to the highest degree. Trunks won't be able to kill him with one slice this time. The aftermath of Frieza's invasion will be fascinating on a galactic scale. Kuriza and Cooler will have a lot to deal with in upcoming chapters. I can't definitively say how strong this version of Mecha Frieza is, but he blows his canon counterpart out of the water.

Chapter 71: I've never seen Bekka paired with Superman, and I like the character, so why not? Darkseid was directly talking to Turles, which is why he said "your universe" instead of saying something like Earth Zero or Universe Zero. Apokolips and New Genesis exist outside the multiverse but simultaneously exist in each universe; it's a bit confusing. Only the best type of TVs for the Son household, lol. Gohan is definitely going to unlock SSJ earlier than he did in canon. I can't say exactly when but it will happen soon.

I hadn't given much thought to Goku and Gohan in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, but you made some excellent points. This version of Cell will require the Saiyans to increase their training significantly. Gohan will have a transformation that's just for him. Giving Cell Gohan's DNA would be really unfair, but then again, with everything he'll already have access to, it's not fair to begin with, lol.

The troubling brewing on Olympus will have consequences later. Piccolo called Superman "arguably the strongest" being on the planet because his power has increased to the point where that statement is plausible. It's open for interpretation. The pink alien at the end of the previous chapter was just a random character.

Thunderer: Those are valid concerns, but there's no reason to worry; Gohan will be more than a brute. His life outside of training, fighting, etc., will be explored.

Guest: Red Tornado won't play a role in the Android saga. I won't make any OC Androids.

North: This version of Gohan enjoys fighting, and it isn't something he does merely out of necessity. Both of his parents are warriors, so Gohan naturally takes after them. But down the line, Gohan will explore what living a "normal" life feels like. The first teenage sidekicks will appear during the seven years after the Cell saga.

I plan to make Cell perfect from the beginning because this story's Android saga will differ significantly from canon. Android 13 will appear. I previously stated that Wonder Woman is SSJ tier, but I didn't specify exactly how strong she is. Thanks for the kind words. I like your idea about Wonder Woman and Goku.

Thunder Dragon: Krillin teaming up with Batman would be fun to write. I haven't forgotten about the other Z fighters and their plot points. I have something planned for Tien and Yamcha in particular. Frieza won't be defeated like a chump in this story. A Lashina and Turles could happen. The sidekicks will appear after the Cell saga.

CRUDEN: Goku and Diana will have more children.

Ardee: Wonder Woman taunting Gohan was out of character, and it was addressed and noted in the previous chapter. She did it for a specific reason. Goku and Superman are the same age, and Kal-El has surpassed Piccolo.

BrianShooter672: This story won't follow the plot of Dragonball Super. Some elements and characters from DBS have appeared, but I won't include everything. Many things from DBS contradict what I've already established in this shared universe.

Leonsion: This story has no protagonist, but I understand what you mean. Goku hasn't appeared in a while, but he'll return shortly.

DRAGONDAVE45: Goku will appear soon. Gohan won't be paired with Power Girl or any Kryptonian.

Guest: It's never been in Superman's character to train canon-wise. His power is dependent on the sun and how much sunlight he's exposed to. Why train if you're just naturally going to get stronger due to the sun? That's what he thought until he was forced to alter his views.