Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Dragonball V: A World Both Familiar and Foreign ❯ Grief ( Chapter 31 )

DragonBall V: A World both Familiar and Foreign

Required Disclaimer: I don't own the DB franchise, I've never worked for them, I'm not making any money off this, and I'm dead sexxy baby! Read and enjoy.

Chapter 31: Grief

The energy shockwave of Vegeta's last fatal attack hit Kami's lookout, throwing everyone off their feet. A moment later, Bulma felt the terrible hole in her heart and knew that her mate was gone. Her agonized wails overshadowed Okura's, who had been roused from his sleep by the blast. Trunks squeezed his eyes shut and knelt down next to Bulma, who was still sitting on her heels and weeping into her hands. "I'm sorry mom." He whispered, wrapping his arms around her and closing his eyes in reverence for his father's sacrifice. His eyes popped open a moment later and he stared at Peasa in shock.

The girl was shaking in grief and rage and her energy level was skyrocketing. She cried out in rage and suddenly a golden aura blasted into existence around her. The stones around her feet shattered and a crater formed around her feet from power generated from her shaking form. "OTOUSAN!" She cried into the winds that were still disturbed by the energy release from both the dying prince and now the newest Super Saiyan.

"She's… she's done it. Peasa…" Trunks shook his head, still in shock.

A few moments later Peasa turned to fix her intense turquoise eyes on Trunks. "A little over 23 hours before Goku and Piccolo get done. Someone has to do something. Stay with mom, kiddo. There's something I have to do."

Before the lavender-haired demi-Saiyan could protest, the girl had blasted into the air. "Holy crap she's fast…" He murmured. He sighed and held Bulma a little closer, noticing she had quieted down. She was exhausted from the crying, and was nearly unconscious. "I'm so sorry, Okaasan. Father's death shall not be in vain. This I swear to you." Tears fell from his eyes as he wondered if he was about to lose a sister as well.

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Cell groaned as the last part of his body finished regenerating. He shook blood and slime from his body and frowned down at the prone form of the fallen Saiyan prince. He looked around for several minutes, but the blonde android and the short monk were nowhere to be found so he hissed in frustration. "Damn you Vegeta, I was so close to reaching my perfect form!" He prodded the still form of the Saiyan man with the tip of his foot, but there was no movement from him. "Dead? How pathetic." He raised his hand to disintegrate the body but he paused for a moment. There was something in the air… He looked up just in time to see an energy ball hurtling towards him. Reacting on instinct, he jumped backwards and to the left, barely dodging the attack.

Peasa floated in the air, glowing with primal golden energy as she regarded the creature that was responsible for her adoptive father's death. "Gara nii larakaii su behk. Ni laraki er tasa, ii se tor sed kosami las!" She spat out the words, glowing brighter with each passing moment as her energy level continued to climb.

The bio-engineered monstrosity blinked. "Sorry, I didn't understand a word of that little girl." The threat was clear however, so he lowered himself into a defensive crouch.

"It was in the Saiyan tongue, you freak. I think the meaning was likely pretty clear so I won't repeat it." The Saiyan girl flew at Cell and seemed to split into three people. They all flew in separate patterns, confusing Cell. He blasted at one of them, but the energy flew through the girl and a moment later she vanished. Before the monster realized he had just attacked an illusion, the real Peasa shot a bolt of ki into her opponent's unprotected back. She paused a moment to assess the damage, but unsurprisingly the green monstrosity was unharmed.

"Yes… I know you. I have a piece of you inside me. Your essence is particularly… invigorating." Cell smiled and licked his lips. "Surprising though, that you're so weak. I expected better out of you."

The Saiyan girl smiled. "I may not be the most powerful warrior in the universe, but I make up for it in brains. Look at your back."

The beast frowned and looked over his shoulder and his eyes widened in confusion and bit of fear when he saw the energy ball she had shot at him was still attached to his back and had not dissipated. "What is the meaning of this!?" He demanded.

"Bye bye." Peasa called cheerfully, clenching her fist and causing the energy bomb to detonate. She was knocked backwards by the concussive force of the blast and fell on her posterior, but the damage was done. Cell was in pieces. One of his arms was no more, the other was attached to the half of his chest that remained. One leg was half gone and the other was lying several meters away. His head, on the other hand, was lying upside down ten meters from the rest of his body. The Saiyan girl ran over to Vegeta's lifeless body and hoisted it up. She paused a moment to glance backwards and saw that Cell was regenerating from his severed head. "Disgusting." She spat. She took off at top speed, carrying her father's body back to the guardian's lookout and leaving the bio-monster to his fate.

Peasa touched down on top of the lookout and fell to her knees in exhaustion. She looked up at Trunks as her hair and eyes resumed their normal dark color and she nearly fainted from the energy drain the attack she had used caused on her. "Mission accomplished." The Saiyan girl gasped out before falling unconscious across the deceased form of Vegeta.

Trunks shook his head and sighed. He had placed Bulma on a bed and left her and Okura in the care of Chichi a few minutes before he felt Peasa throw all of her energy into a strange delayed blast ki attack so he had decided to wait for her. He was a little frustrated now, because he wondered if he had gone with her that perhaps he could have finished the monster off after the girl had injured him. But there was no point in wondering about it now. He glanced over at Tien and Yamcha who had stopped in their sparring to look over at the Saiyan prince and Peasa. Grimness shadowed their expressions, and after a respectful nod at the young demi-Saiyan, they returned to their sparring. They were all worried about Cell, because after both Vegeta's deadly attacks and Peasa's, the monster had increased in power, true to his stolen Saiyan heritage. It was getting more and more difficult to kill the creature every time they attacked it. And that was not good. Trunks looked up at the clock over the hyperbolic time chamber and sighed in frustration. "It's likely all up to you guys." He glanced to his right and nodded at Gohan, who had approached him warily. "Hey little guy."

The boy sat down next to the older demi-Saiyan. "Trunks, I'm sorry about your dad. I know how it feels to lose a father. When I thought my dad was dead…"

"Spare me, Gohan." Trunks snapped at him.

The younger boy recoiled and blinked in surprise. "Sorry, I was just trying to help."

"I grew up without a father. At least you had that much." Trunks spat out angrily. "And you still have your father. So I don't want to hear about how sad you were when you thought your father was dead!"

Gohan stood up and clenched his fists. "My father was dead for a whole year once. So I do know. I was just trying to make you feel a little better, but I'll leave you alone. I wouldn't want you to say anything you'll regret later." The boy turned and hurried away, fighting back angry and hurt tears.

"You're lucky Piccolo didn't see you snap at Gohan like that." Yamcha stated, shaking his head. "He'd have ripped your head off. Take it easy on him. We know you're hurting but there's no call to take it out on your friends."

The lavender-haired youth glared at the older man. "Yeah, whatever." He took one last look at his fallen father and walked away.

The former desert bandit sighed and looked at Tien. "He needs some time. He's been handed a tough break."

The three-eyed man nodded and glanced at Peasa. "Yeah, I'd hate to be in their shoes. We just have to take out Cell."

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Mr. Satan landed his plane and peered over some bushes at the newly reformed Red Ribbon Army camp that he had just delivered his last set of cargo to. He pulled out a detonator switch and chuckled at his ingenuity. "Dupe me into delivering supplies to the bad guys, will ya? Well, I'll show ya!" After finding out (from his ever so much more intelligent daughter) that he had unknowingly been doing the dirty work of the RR army, he had checked out the cargo and found bombs. It took a bit of thought but he finally figured out how to set one of the bombs up on a manual detonator switch. One that he had just pressed. Explosions rocked the camp as the biggest supply tent, and a good bit of the surrounding area, went up in flames.

The world champion placed his hands on his hips and bellowed in laughter. He coughed and crept forward as he saw movement, knowing he had to finish the job now. It was the least he could do, after all. He stealthily (or as stealthily as a bulky and often clumsy behemoth of a man could be) made his way forward, hiding behind rocks, bushes, and trees. He rushed forward suddenly and punched three men unconscious and took a machine gun from one of them. "Oh yeah, now we're talkin'!"

He crept forward again and saw a mass of soldiers trying to put out the supplies. By the sounds of it, they thought that one of the bombs had just malfunctioned and seemed not to be expecting an attack. <Good thing they're so stupid!> Hercule thought. He rushed forward and started laughing as his machine gun went off, drilling holes in the ground, the tents, and occasionally even a soldier or two. "Payback time! Yeah!" He shouted. His laughter died out when he ran out of ammo and most of the soldiers were still standing. And worse, they were drawing their guns and aiming at him. "Uh oh…"

As a hail of bullets flew at him, the martial arts expert cried like a baby and took off in a dead run, crying for his mommy. <Gunna have to come up with a better plan now… assuming I live! Videl baby, daddy's gunna do his best not to leave you an orphan!>

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Goku began to sweat. Moments ago, he was holding his own against the super-charged Piccolo, using the maximum level of his Super Saiyan powers. But moments ago, the Namek had split into two. With a determined smile, Goku launched into an offensive against one of the Piccolos, dodging and blocking attacks from the second when he could. After a fierce spar session that seemed to last an eternity, they both slumped to the ground exhausted, the former guardian once more becoming one person. "Good morning workout!" Goku exclaimed, grinning at his one-time nemesis. "After we rest up we should have breakfast! Or… I guess I should have breakfast and you can have your water."

The Namek grunted in agreement. "Tell me, Goku. How long have you been holding that Super Saiyan form? I haven't seen you power down in days."

Goku laughed and scratched the back of his head. "Oh, I guess it's been about a week now. I figure I'll be stronger if I can make the Super Saiyan form feel natural. I just know in my bones that there is a level beyond a Super Saiyan, so I'm trying my best to reach it. I'm not sure what it'll take though. It was a pretty intense moment that got me to the first level."

Piccolo shook his head in amazement. "A level beyond a Super Saiyan? I guess it's worth a try. We'll need everything we have to beat Cell. I just hope that Krillin and Vegeta either take Cell down, or at the very least keep him from absorbing that girl."

"So she really saved your life? Wow. I wonder why she turned on her brother." Goku pondered, staring up at the white expanse of the time dimension.

The Namek shrugged. "I'm not complaining. I think it's time to increase the weight of my training clothes. You want an upgrade as well?"

The Saiyan's eyes blinked a few times then he smiled. "Yeah, sure! Every little bit helps, right?" He laughed and rubbed his empty stomach. "Breakfast time!" He announced, taking to the air and flying back to the entrance to the Room of Spirit and Time, just after Piccolo shot him with a white beam that tripled the weight of his training gi.

The former guardian felt beads of sweat form on his hairless head as he watched Goku inhale food. "Must you be so disgusting, Goku? If I did eat food, I think I'd lose my appetite watching you eat."

"I can't help it! I'm starving!" Goku exclaimed between bites. After finally sating his appetite, he patted his stuffed belly and sighed. "Oh, I'm so full! When we spar, don't hit me in my stomach, ok?"

Piccolo grinned. "Maybe that's the first place I'll hit you, Son. So you're ready, then?"

The Saiyan nodded. "Yep! Let's go!" He took to the air and flew out into the deeper reaches of the room, where the temperature and gravity fluctuations were at their most extreme. After both warriors had powered back up to their maximum, they started sparring again, enjoying the challenge that they were evoking in each other.

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Krillin woke up to the tickling sensation of hair in his face. He yawned and stretched and sat up slowly, turning to look at the figure next to him. He had expected to see the Saiyan teen Peasa, but instead he saw a lovely blonde woman asleep next to him. "Nani!?" Krillin scratched his head and stared in awe for a few moments, then his brain finished waking up and memory flooded back to him. "Oh… wow, she didn't kill me. That's a good sign. I guess I fell asleep after burning all that energy flying."

He frowned and looked around, finding himself in an old log cabin. By the dust caking the furniture, it didn't look like anyone had lived here for years. He poked around and found only some canned foods that were edible. Everything else had long since spoiled. He grabbed some chopsticks and opened up some cans of fruit and chewed on the preserved produce, watching the android sleep. <I guess she does sleep… that's comforting. It would just be weird if she was sitting there watching me sleep all night. Gosh, she sure is pretty… did Dr. Gero make her that way, or was she a person before he tampered with her?>

After three cans of peaches and two of strawberries, he was satisfied. He was thankful that he didn't require as much food as a Saiyan, or else he would have torn through every can in the cupboard and likely still been hungry. The monk strolled outside and reached out with his senses, but he became worried when he couldn't sense Cell. "He must be masking his ki signature. Damn… I won't know if he finds us until it's too late." He felt Peasa, Trunks, Yamcha, Tien, Chaotzu, Bulma, and Chichi up on the lookout but it was obvious that Goku and Piccolo were still training. Judging by the time of day, he figured they'd be at it for another 14 hours. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt a soft warm hand touch his shoulder. "AAAH!"

"Gomen. It's just me." 18 stated coldly. She gazed in the same direction that the short man had just been looking moments before and frowned. "Is he dead? I can't feel that monster anywhere."

"Nah, I doubt it. He's just hiding while he looks for you… us." Krillin replied. He glanced sideways at her. "So, what's your name?"

"Android 18." The blonde cyborg replied, turning to look at the position of the sun. "You're Krillin, right? Gero has detailed files on you."

"Oh… say… um… so did you… uh…." The monk paused when the android fixed her cold blue eyes on his. He coughed and continued his question. "Uh… were you a person, before Gero? Or… are you… you know… all metal?" <She sure looks soft and fleshy… oh man…>

Android 18 raised an eyebrow. "I'm really not sure. My first real memory was waking up in Gero's lab. But, I got the impression that I was human before he… enhanced me. What do you think? Do I feel human?"

Krillin began to sweat. "Uh… I don't know. You felt human enough when you ah… you know. Kissed me." He felt his cheeks heating up and he knew he was blushing. <Why do I feel so awkward around her? It's not like I'm totally inexperienced around women anymore. Ok… so my last girlfriend was a Saiyan girl with a very healthy libido, who almost always made the first move, but still… I'm a little smooth with the ladies, aren't I?> He didn't realize how silly his grin looked at that moment.

"Well…" 18 frowned. "Touch me. Do I feel human? I can't tell."

The monk nearly fainted. "You… want me to touch you?!" He didn't know whether to run away or grab on for dear life.

"Hurry up! What's your problem!?" The lovely blonde demanded in an irritated tone.

"Yes ma'am!" Krillin cried. He reached out hesitantly and cupped one of the android's full breasts. "Ooooh yeah… feels human to me…"

"Somewhere else, you hentai!" 18 shouted, smacking the man upside the head.

The dark-haired monk laughed nervously and ran his fingers over the woman's arm. "Sorry… you didn't really specify. Feels like real skin. May I…" He pointed to her stomach. The cybernetically enhanced girl frowned for a moment but lifted her shirt up to just under her breasts without commenting. Krillin slid his fingers over her taut stomach for several long moments, even rubbing it in a circular motion. He glanced up and saw the android's eyes flutter for a moment then open back up to stare down into his own. "Feels human here too. It feels almost like steel under here, but it basically feels like well developed muscles. My stomach feels about the same way. Are you sure you're an android?"

The blue-eyed girl frowned in thought and leaned against the wall. "Yeah, pretty sure. I just don't know what all has been changed. I have sensors, I know that much. And files… hey, that man that appeared with you and Vegeta, and grabbed that green guy… that was Goku, wasn't it?"

The short monk chewed his bottom lip nervously. "Uh… yeah. That was Son Goku. He's a great guy, he really is. Gero was pissed off at him because he defeated the Red Ribbon Army, which were these really bad people."

18 frowned and started pacing around the room for a moment then sat down on the edge of the bed, leaning back onto her hands and regarding the man who was standing nervously by the door. "My programming is demanding I fight and kill Son, but… I don't know. I hate Gero. It was because of him that my brother became such a sadistic bastard. I don't want to carry out any of his wishes. I don't really want to fight him. There's no point to it. But, I don't know if I'll be able to keep from carrying out my programming. Even if I do… there's a…" She was about to tell the man she had a bomb implanted in her body which would likely detonate if she was around Goku and chose not to attack him, but then she thought better of it. He would likely tear out of there as fast as he could, and she really didn't want to be alone. "Well anyway… so why did you help me? You could have just destroyed me. It would save you a lot of trouble if you did. No more worrying about Cell absorbing me."

Krillin nodded slowly and approached her. "It would be simpler. Perhaps I should…" He raised his hand up, palm forward, and a small ball of ki formed in front of it. "But, I can be persuaded not to. Perhaps for another kiss…"

Android 18 scowled at the short man. "Fine. Don't expect me to like it."

The monk scratched the back of his head and stared at the floor sheepishly. "Gomen. Forget it, ok? I didn't mean to offend you. I don't want to hurt you. Piccolo had a reason for asking for your protection rather than your death, and I trust his judgment."

The blonde woman nodded. "Don't worry about it. So, what now?"

"Are you hungry?" The dark-haired man asked, taking a step towards where the canned foods were stored.

"Don't eat food. Well I can if I want to, but it's not necessary right now. I just eat a little something, really anything, occasionally for fusion. I won't need anything for a good while." She rolled over onto her stomach and looked out the window over the bed. "There's a lake over there. I wonder who use to live here?"

Krillin blushed. The android's short skirt had ridden up a bit, and he could see the entire length of her shapely legs as well as being able to see her underwear. He moved to sit by her on the bed and looked out the window as well, not wanting to stare. "I get the feeling that I've been in this area before, but I can't really place it. I guess it doesn't matter. The cabin has been abandoned for years. We aren't likely to be disturbed. Unless Cell finds a way to track us down. I'm keeping my power as low as I can, so hopefully he won't be able to sense either of us."

The girl nodded and looked over at him. <Wasn't he bald the last time I saw him? No matter, he's so much cuter with that hair. I'm not complaining.> "So why are you sticking with me? If you weren't going to kill me, you could just leave me here to fend for myself. I'm not your responsibility."

The monk shrugged. "I like you, I guess. Besides, I want to help keep you safe. Do you want me to leave? I'll respect your wishes…"

"No!" 18 blurted out, a little too quickly. She coughed nervously and continued. "I… don't want to be alone. I'm a little… apprehensive of that beast, seeing him just gobble up my brother like that. He was a bit stronger than me, so I know I stand no chance of defending myself." <Besides… I like you too.>

Krillin smiled and looked out at the lake again. He glanced to the side and saw some fishing poles and an idea formed in his head. "Say! How about we go swimming for a while, then do some fishing? I'd enjoy some fresh food. I've eaten nothing but rice the past year, and there's just canned foods here."

The pretty blonde android frowned in thought then shrugged. "Sure, why not? Anything beats sitting around here staring out the window." She followed him out to the water and stripped down to her underwear after seeing the man do the same. She jumped in after him and, though she tried to hide it, enjoyed herself quite a bit swimming around the lake and diving under it. It was the first time in her memory that she had ever been truly happy, and she was cherishing these moments.

Unfortunately, it was not to last. In the distance, Cell stood up from where he had been sitting while reaching out with his more developed senses. He couldn't feel Krillin, but with the added power of 17 in his body, he could faintly detect android #18. It was just enough to give him a general direction, so he focused on it and took to the air, cackling as he flew towards his destiny.

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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!! Heh… just kidding. So, what do you all think? Next chapter: Krillin vs. Cell in a contest to see who gets to eat #18! Heh… did I just say that? Teehee. Also, expect to see Videl have a scene, as well as Gohan and Peasa. Bulma will wake up and get past the sobbing part of grief and move into anger. So, look forward to that, my few and faithful readers. Bye for now!