Alright, guys here are, nothing much to say except enjoy the chapter!
Desire for Humanity
Lazuli watched as her daughter slept, she looked so peaceful like nothing was happening out in the world. It was nice, it felt like before this whole mess started where they were a happy family of three. It was going to take a lot of work but she vows she'll do all she can to get everything back that way.
She then heard footsteps in the halls of the palace. She couldn't sense whoever it was. Could it be Lapis? She couldn't take chances, she looked down at her daughter and shook her awake. "Iolite, wake up." She whispered.
Iolite was groggy as she opened and closed her eyes. "M-mom?" She asked struggling to wake up.
"Iolite someone's coming, go and hide! I'll yell if you need to run."
Iolite listened to her mother's words and got into a wardrobe.
Lazuli hid at the edge of the doorway waiting for whoever was coming from the door.
As the door opened Lazuli aimed her hand at the head of whoever was approaching but stopped when she saw a familiar gentle giant.
"16?!"
The Android turned to her and smiled glad to see one of his friends not in the worse for wear. "Hello, Lazuli."
Lazuli in a rare moment of weakness hugged the larger Android. "I'm glad you're alright."
16 nodded and turned to the wardrobe.
It slightly opened and out walked the little girl who was always full of life whenever 16 was around.
"Hi, 16." She said but not with the excited tone she usually gave.
He noticed the tone but he needed to make priorities and turned to Lazuli. "Are Lapis and Trunks unharmed as well?"
Lazuli nodded. "Yes, but what's happened, where did Baby take you?"
"Baby?" 16 asked. "Is that the name of the parasite?"
"Yes, don't ask me why." She said not sure who'd name this thing and why. "Look, Trunks and Lapis are trying to find the sacred water I'm sure you can sense them right?"
He tilted his head. "Are you not coming?"
"I rather not have Iolite see them right now." She replied. "A lot's happened 16 I'll explain it when I have a chance."
The Android nodded he eyed Iolite who was trying to avert her gaze. He couldn't help but wonder what else he caused. He walked away leaving the two behind.
Once he was out of view she looked at her daughter, she wanted to say something but couldn't figure out how to word it so she kept silent.
To her surprise, her daughter started talking. "I'm sorry, I just"
"It's ok Iolite, I know it's hard." Lazuli said and held a motherly smile. "We'll figure all of this out after this is all over ok?"
The little girl thought of the whole situation, the clones, her grandmother being under mind control, Zangya dying to save her, and of course finding out that her mother and uncle were partially responsible for the state of the world. "When will this be over?"
Lazuli hesitated but she walked up to her daughter and wrapped her arms around her. She was relieved when she didn't push her away but she didn't embrace her either. "Soon, ok? We promise."
With 16 here they can locate the other clones and put an end to this. Then they can finally start to heal.
16 made it to the door where he sensed Lapis and Trunks and a third individual with traces of Baby in their body. He wondered if they were aware of him being in there. Though the Android was sure that it was just a regular possessed human and posed no threat, he opened the door with caution and was surprised at what he was seeing.
Lapis was holding the nose of the infected human all tied up while Trunks was pouring water down the poor man's mouth.
The duo turned to the door as the man was fighting not to swallow the water.
They stopped what they were doing and the man fell over.
"16!" Trunks yelled with a smile and then he realized that the man fell on the ground and grabbed him to make sure he was at least lying in a comfortable position. Sure he's annoyed by what he's been yelling but that's only because he was possessed.
"Finally some good news." Lapis said walking up to the largest Android. "What took you so long?"
"That is a long story." He eyed the man that Trunks was positioning against the wall. "Can you explain what is going on here?"
The Android and Saiyan looked at each other realizing how strange they looked. They went on to explain that their trying to figure out where the sacred water is and they have to go through pots and pots of water to find it. Then they went to explain the parasite that 16 had tried to destroy as quickly as they could.
Once 16 heard them trying to find the sacred water among all these pots he scanned them with his eyes. "My readings indicate that this is all normal water."
"What, so we've been wasting our time?" Lapis asked annoyed.
"Likely, however assuming that Sacred Water is something magical my sensors cannot detect it being any different from normal water." Sadly Dr. Gero never had any idea to detect magic, not that he accepted the concept of magic anyway.
Trunks sighed heavily and grabbed the bridge of his nose. "Guess we'll have to keep trying, so 16 what happened with you, how far away did Baby send you?"
"Far enough that I would've needed a few more days to make it back to Earth. So I headed for New Namek."
"And you used their dragon balls to get here?" Trunks asked as that was the only logical option.
"If things went a different direction I would have, but no. Baby managed to find New Namek."
This made the two look panicked from that but 16 rose a hand.
"That is no longer a concern I had managed to trick Baby to taking us to Earth and I destroyed Goku's body."
"You what? That's, that's great!" Trunks yelled not believing their luck. "But does that mean you destroyed Baby?"
"Baby escaped the clone before I could finish him off." 16 stated.
Trunks deflated at that but still smiled. "That's fine though, now without Goku's clone they're sitting ducks, if we find them we can destroy them!"
Lapis looked at 16 and smirked. "So you can find the rest of them right?"
16 nodded but frowned. "Yes, however, I discovered something when I destroyed Goku's clone. When I destroyed it, its energy was scattered and my sensors detected that the remaining Androids received a divided boost of power."
"So what your saying everytime we destroyed an Android, the rest stronger." Trunks replied. "Is that right?"
The Android nodded in response. It must've been another upgrade that the possess Bulma added to the machine, so they've destroyed the Human Z-fighters, it increased their power but not by much, but Piccolo, and then 'Goku' with only three of them they must've gotten noticeably stronger.
"He really did put Bulma to work." Lapis noted.
"He's gonna pay for using my mother like this, still the tides starting to turn in our favor." Trunks said he's had a long endeavor with this whole mess and is glad that it was pretty much over. "And 16 listen, we got good news to, we found out where they've been making the clones, it's been here in the hyperbolic time chamber this whole time. Baby had possessed Dende and has been since this whole mess started, but thanks to Zangya's quick thinking she destroyed the door before Gohan's clone could be completed."
This brought some comfort to the android in her last moments Zangya managed to contribute to their survival. "That is good, if Gohan's clone was created I'm not sure how strong it would be, it might've been best that Zangya destroyed the entrance."
Trunks stood up ready to go. "So what are we waiting for let's finish this." He said wanting to go after the remaining clones.
"Before we go I advise finding the sacred water."
Trunks at first wasn't sure about this. "We should go deal with Baby's androids now though, if we destroy his androids he won't be a threat."
"That may be true, however, if Baby were able to possess one of you, especially if he were to possess Iolite, we'd have a bigger problem on our hands especially if he destroys the lookout along with the Sacred Water, he has no reason to keep it here with Gohan's clone trapped, and if it's destroy we will not be able to free Babidi's possessed victimns."
That changed the tension of the room, even the man that they essentially kidnapped felt a chill down his spine.
"Your right 16, we'll keep looking, faster this time." Trunks said turning to Lapis.
He nodded though he wasn't looking forward to this asenine task.
"Very good, I will keep a watch on the clones and for any sign of Baby. I will leave you back to work."
Trunks and Lapis turned to their tied-up possessed human.
"Y-you bastards when Lord Baby gets here yo-" He was forced to drink more water.
The duo had decided to get busy forcing this man to drink practically gallons of water.
16 stood at the edge of the lookout and scanning for high power levels. He looked in the direction of where he detected three high power levels along with a couple very small ones likely Dende, Popo, and Bulma.
The Android would keep an eye on them along with focusing on finding the actual parasite itself but to no avail. Baby was intelligent enough to hide his power level. The thought of that creature disgusted him. He remembered watching those possessed people killing each other on Baby's command. He made him make a choice between saving lives and destroying the enemy. They can be revived he knows that but still, they might keep that memory of watching themselves kill each other into Otherworld and when their resurrected. That thought filled the machine with anger which was rare for his programming.
"16"
The Android turned towards the voice. It was Lazuli stepping out of the Lookout.
"Lazuli, are you not supposed to be with Iolite?"
"Lapis told me that Goku's clone was gone so I thought I could afford to give her some space, she needs it." Lazuli reasoned. "I thought I should tell you something."
16 kept his eyes towards the direction where he can sense the clones but nodded.
"About Iolite, the first clones attacked us at our home and she, she found out the truth."
That made 16 flinch a bit, he glanced at her. "I see" That explains her reaction to him when she came. "Does she know everything?"
"Yes," Lazuli replied. "She knows about what me and Lapis did, she also knows that you were innocent." She explained. "I'm sorry but I don't think she believes us on that."
16 was silent still focusing on their targets. He saw the look she gave him when he entered the room, she seemed so afraid, normally when she saw him she would want to have him play with her, spar with her, anything the child would define as fun. But now she looked at him as those humans did when he was programmed to find and kill Trunks. And all of this was a by-product of what he said years ago.
"You are not the one who needs to apologize." 16 replied.
Lazuli looked at him strangely from that response.
"Years ago days before not long before Daburack, when Bulma was upgrading me I told her that I desired a human body." He explained. "Now she created a machine to give me what I desired, however, it is now being used against us by creating these clones. All of this. Zangya's death, Iolite discovering the truth, you have to fight against clones of your victims, and Trunks having to face those he wanted to meet growing up. It was all because I overreached."
Lazuli looked at the Android and put a hand on his arm. "16 this is not your fault. This is all because of that monster, he's to blame for what happened, not you."
16 wanted to believe her but his logic would not agree with it. "Baby would have not had access to the Cell Replicator if I had simply accepted being a machine, it is all my doing."
"No," Lazuli said matter of factly. "Even if that's true, even if she didn't invent it what makes you think we would've been better off? Baby clearly has a twisted way to get revenge, he would have found another way to be a threat, he might've just possessed Trunks and tried to destroy us, you don't know if things would've been better without it, maybe it could've been worse. There's nothing wrong with you wanting to be human 16."
The Android heard this and glanced at Lazuli. "Still I believe that things would be better if I remained a machine."
"And why's that?"
"Earlier, when I destroyed Goku's clone Baby gave me a choice." He explained. "He had put humans in danger and wanted to use my desire to save them to escape. I chose to destroy him and I did not hesitate, and even still Baby still escaped."
"16 what you did was the right call" Lazuli reasoned. "Trunks would've done the same thing, those people can still be revived if you had chosen to save them Baby would be a much bigger problem."
"I know." He replied. "But if I had been human, I'd have more emotions and it might've gotten in the way of my choice. Perhaps it's better for all of us if I remain a machine."
Lazuli heard that and was shocked hearing this. 16 has always wanted a human body and to hear him debating to remain a machine was mind-boggling to her.
16 didn't say anything and just observed his targets, he's never felt a true desire to destroy before now.
"You know 16, when Dr. Gero converted my brother and me into Androids, I didn't care about being human." She explained. "Honestly I wasn't sure I cared when I was free from his control, in fact when I was, I remembered everyone I killed. Lapis and I were never saints but just imagining the things I've done to all the humans, to Trunks, it hurts, just remembering what happened, it hurts so much that I wish I didn't feel anything, I wish I was just a machine so I wouldn't feel anything." She confessed. "But when Trunks had moved on from what happened when he and I became a couple and when Iolite was born those feelings were unforgettable in a better way, I was happy. It makes all the terrible things I feel worth being human to me." She smiled and looked to 16. "If you really want to stay a machine it's your choice 16, but please really think about it, ok? I can promise you if anyone deserves to feel it's you."
16 said nothing as he kept surveying the planet almost unswayed in his decision.
Lazuli walked away deciding to go back to her daughter.
The android's hardened eyes softened for a bit and he glanced to Lazuli retreating but he refocused on the task at hand.
First destroy Baby, worry about the decision later.
Trunks had splashed water in the man's face.
The man as usual started threats. "Would you stop this nonsense, I wi-Ahh!"
Trunks and Lapis's bored expressions changed when they see the man have a different reaction.
He screamed and dark vapors left his body.
"Wait you feel that right?" Trunks asked.
Lapis focused on his energy sensing. "It's traces of Baby's energy, I feel it and it's disappearing from him."
The man gasped loudly and looked around. "W-what, who are you people where's my family!"
It worked, they found it.
Trunks decided to try to calm the poor man down. "It's going to be alright sir, we'll g-"
Lapis did a very light chop at his neck making the man lose consciousness.
"What was that? I was trying to calm him down!"
"Oh what you think we can explain why he's in a strange place floating in the sky tied up with two strangers?" He rose an eyebrow at his brother-in-law.
Trunks was about to argue but realized he didn't really have an argument for that. "Alright, we found the sacred water, let's put this somewhere safe have Dende drink it when we capture him." He said.
"What about him?" He said pointing at the man unconscious.
"We should take him home, I'm pretty sure he's safe from the other civilians, they may be possessed but they got no reason to go after someone who's not." He replied.
"Fine, I'll" He sniffed. "You smell that?"
Trunks sniffed the air, with his Saiyan nose it was worse for him. He looked in the direction of the smell and sees the man's pants were wet, on the ground he can see liquid that he didn't want to see it. ""Oh no! He should've said he needed to go!" He said covering his nose, honestly, with all the water he drank he didn't expect him to urinate.
Lapis looked down at the man and at Trunks. "Well, Trunks what are you waiting for?"
"What?"
The Cyborg continued with a friendly smile. "Take him home, take him home and let's go after Baby's Androids."
"No way, why should I?" He demanded not wanting to take the man who just pissed himself home.
"I brought him here and it's only fair you take him back." He reasoned.
"Well it's safer for you to take him home they can't sense your energy, but they can sense mine."
"Just use your Mystic, or Ultimate, whatever form to take him there and back should be faster than they are."
"No way, this was your plan, you should be responsible to take him home."
Lapis countered. "I don't see what the big deal is, your rich, what your afraid to get a little urine on your clothes?"
Trunks countered as well. "I'm just saying both strategically, and reason you should take him home, it was your idea, so it's your responsibility and again they can't sense your energy!"
"Well 16's here, he'll know when their coming, without Goku's clone we can just move at a safe distance with Iolite until you get back, so you don't have to be as cautious anymore, just take him there and come back easy."
The two comically argued who should take them home for another minute before deciding on rock paper scissors.
Trunks used scissors, and Lapis chose Rock.
Lapis smirked while Trunks grimaced.
"Alright" Lapis smirked while grabbing the sacred water pot from Trunks. "I'll put this somewhere safe, you take him home and we'll head out when you're ready."
Trunks fought not to groan, he eyed the sack that Lapis carried him in, he didn't want to but he also didn't want any piss on him. "Fine, where did you take him from?"
Lapis smiled as Trunks bagged the man and left.
Once all that was taken care of Trunks had used a capsule to bring out a fresh change of clothes and put them on afraid that some of the man's urine was on him. Once he was sure that the smell was gone he immediately flew to the lookout.
After that, he made it to the lookout without any ambush from the clones, he was in a room with 16, Lapis, Lazuli and Iolite who was sitting on a bed.
"Alright, so Lazuli will stay here with Iolite, the rest of us will go after Baby's remaining clones."
The group all nodded at Trunks's plan.
Trunks hugged Iolite. "I know you've been scared but this will all over soon ok?"
Iolite nodded as she hugged her father back, it's all she wanted for what feels like a while.
The half Saiyan stood up and looked at his wife.
Lazuli hugged him. "Listen I don't care if you can be revived, if you do something stupid enough to die again I'll make you wish you stay dead, got it?" She said with her eyes darkened.
Trunks felt very threatened by this, sometimes she's more horrifying than his mother. "R-right" He replied.
Lazuli smiled as she kissed him.
Trunks, Lapis, and 16 flew off the Lookout towards the direction of the Androids.
16 turned his head to Trunks. "I believe the best strategy would be for Lapis to fight Frieza, I will deal with Cooler, and Trunks you with Vegeta." He explained. "Understood?"
"Yeah"
Trunks thought of the first time he fought his father. "Right"
"And remember they are stronger now, because of Goku's energy spreading to them and the earthlings have been supplying them with energy over time so be prepared."
"Right!" Lapis and Trunks replied.
'Vegeta' turned Super Saiyan and stood his ground sensing one particular energy heading towards them and he knew Trunks wasn't alone. "Frieza, you better put up a better fight than you did last time!"
"Shut up monkey!" He shouted at the fake prince.
Trunks, Lapis, and 16 arrived at the cavern.
"This is it, it's over." Trunks stated as he stared at his 'father'.
'Vegeta' threw himself at Trunks and locked his hands with him in a power struggle.
Lapis did the same and threw a punch at 'Frieza' who blocked it with his forearm.
'Cooler' was about to intervene but was hit in the stomach by a Rocket Punch from 16.
'Vegeta' pushed his hands into Trunks's and even much to the half Saiyan's surprise 'Vegeta' was able to push him back and through the cavern and out of the cave. The fake prince grinned and chuckled. "Suprised at my strength boy?" He asked.
Trunks started to grin. "No, I just wanted us out of the cave!" He grabbed one of his forearms and spun around and tossed him away. He then aimed his hands forward. "Buster Cannon!" A yellow wave of energy was fired and it hit 'Vegeta's retreating form.
The half Saiyan watched the smoke unconvinced and then like clockwork he flew right out of the smoke screaming and he wasn't as injured as Trunks would've guessed.
The fake prince fired multiple Ki bombs at him as he flew.
Trunks was quick as he deflected each energy blast away from him as he got closer, and these blasts were a bit stronger than he expected.
Then 'Vegeta' appeared in front of him with a smirk and punched straight into his face and then kicked straight into his chest with both feet.
This sent the half Saiyan flying but he stopped his momentum as 'Vegeta' came with another punch only this time he swayed the attack and threw his own into Vegeta's stomach and spun kick across his face sending him flying and crashing into a mountain.
'It's true he did get stronger, but it's more than I expected.' He thought. 'This fight won't be as simple as I thought but I will win!'
'Vegeta' flew out of the smoke and grinned. "Tell me boy does it feel good attacking your own father?"
Trunks didn't respond to that he only eyed him waiting for his next move remembering his father from otherworld's attack style to counter him properly.
"I see, so you really don't see me as your father do you? Well, I should tell you I know how your father was before he died, would like to know what he thought of you and that woman?" He chuckled.
Trunks squeezed his fists and he dashed towards the clone not wanting to give him- it- not him- it a chance to try any mind games to give it the upper hand.
Meanwhile in the hyperbolic time chamber
It had been hours since Gohan's clone was trapped in the hyperbolic time chamber, on the outside. Inside the chamber it has been a few months and in that time, the clone of this timeline's Gohan flew across the time chambe, it tried to search for any possible exit.
'Gohan' even opted to search into the void and as it did the temperature was more drastic and ever-changing, the gravity was becoming more and more intense. Holes were on his orange and blue gi as they were not made to survive an environment as punishing as the chamber.
The clone stopped as he floated over the endless void. It looked around he realized that there was no exit, no way to intact the plan. It started to do one thing 'Bulma' did not design these clones to do. It started to feel, to feel anguish over not failing its part of the plan.
And with it's limited thinking it began to access memories that were meant to be locked away until Baby inhabited the body. Memories of Androids 17 and 18. While it is in here those androids remain alive and terrorizing the world.
The clone didn't quite understand why but it began to feel more and more enraged as it remembered watching them gleefully destroying cities as though the world was their personal playground.
It needed to get out, it was Baby's ultimate weapon of retribution, it needed to stop the Androids once and for all. But it couldn't.
Enraged the clone became a Super Saiyan and it yelled loudly across the chamber. It still did not understand these feelings, it just felt like letting out a primal scream, it's limited brain could not understand it just needed to let it out for unknown reasons. Perhaps it's time here has taught it to acknowledge the original Gohan's feelings while he was alive and to on some level be self-aware.
Self-aware enough to want to avenge the loss humanity had suffer, avenge the loss that Gohan had suffered! The clone kept screaming and it shook the entire dimension.
A small ripple started to appear not far from him. And it was getting bigger and bigger. Showing outside the chamber.
Well I'm sure the majority of you saw that last part coming.
Originally I was going to end this with 16's talk with Lazuli but it felt like I was dragging the arc so I put more work into it as I think this chapter is better for the pacing, but you guys will be the judge of that.
Gohan's getting out, if only they were aware that getting out of the chamber was possible.
It was fun writing this and I hope it was fun reading this.
Oh I feel like I should say I know I promised new cover art but in between writing chapters my job and other responsibilities it's gonna take a bit longer. But I'm almost done with Iolite's design and will post it on my Deviantart RaosFanfics as quickly as possible and will finish the new cover art before the arc is done. Hope u guys understand.
Review Responces.
The Rocha: Hey good to hear from you!
Yes she did, Bulma's quite a good plot device ain't she?
Glad it caught you off guard, 16 had a while to fly, but yeah Baby did a good job putting him at a distance.
Glad you caught on, couldn't think of a more fitting title.
Hmm, interesting theory, time will tell if you are right.
He did, and too much as u can see lol.
Glad you enjoyed the fight I had fun writing it!
Like you said the mind of a machine, almost no beating it.
Well my reasoning for 'Goku' not going above times 5 kaioken was going to be because Kaioken was not meant for artificial energy so it needs larger quantities to do even a times 2 than regular Ki. But i think I like your reason better I might change it to that, and I'll give credit if I do.
Whoops. I think I dun goofed, I guess maybe i can argue that Tien like all the clones only had so many memories and some were scrapped including the Mafu Ba or at least how to make the charm to trap them. But your right if he used the Mafu-ba he might've won for Baby, might've been able to trap 16 in a jar instead.
Yep. It might've worked on Lapis or Lazuli as they've seen enough humans die and might at least hesitate enough for Baby to get away but not on good ole 16, he was quick to think that. Glad u liked that line I'm kinda too proud of it lol.
That's true! They have no way of knowing when to stop lol.
Yep, I was looking forward to that, and it felt really good to write it. Wonder if his programming was still there would it have been satisfied since it's technically Goku, or would it not be because it might know it's just a copy.
Find out next time on Dragon Ball OT!
Thank you! Hope this one was decent to!
The Rocha: Ch 80 Ya, Zangya did the best she could if Baby had possessed Iolite it would've been more problematic.
Lol, I know right? It was so fun having Zangya be a huge monkey wrench in his plans, feels good to make her useful. Let's hope she doesn't have to rest for long.
Yep, the Cold Brothers can work together if they have to, though who knows if it'll save them this time!
Well now you know!
Guest: Thank you. K, hope u enjoyed the story.
I-Love-Trunks1: Thank you!
SuperSaiyajin4Vegeta: Glad you enjoyed it! 16 is definitely a heavy hitter.
Shadowwriter01: Thank you! Hope you enjoy this one to!
Alright, that is everyone, hope u guys enjoyed. Please let me know any ideas, concerns, questions, predictions, criticisms you have for my chapter or story as whole. I enjoy reading your thoughts positive or negative and I'll do my best to entertain you.
Have an awesome day!