AFadingKich5

Author: Swiss Army Knife
Email: dragonswissarmyknife@hotmail.com

A Fading Ki
Chapter 5 - Mechanically Enhanced

“Mother, where are you taking me?” Trunks asked, as he was lead away down the hall.

The woman’s face was set as hard as rock in determination. It was obvious to the boy that she had decided something important in her mind, and nothing on this side of earth could change her mind – or would dare to try.

She led him down the stairs deep under the ground, where she had moved her lab for safety when the androids had come. She spoke to him, briefly offering explanation as they descended.

“I have something to show you, Trunks.” Bulma informed him. “Something that might very well bring an end to that android and all of its murder.”

Trunks double blinked at her statement – half in shock that this was the first time he had heard of such a project, half in disbelief that his mother was capable of creating something so powerful. What kind of weapon could she possibly build that would be able to destroy the Jinzouningen?

“Mother – “ He tried to interrupt her, but she would have none of it.

“I know that you won’t understand why I haven’t used it before today, but I hope you understand that I was just worried because of how risky applying such technology would be…” She trailed off, as if calculating the risks in her head. Her head was shaking as she continued. “No, I had hoped that there would be another way, but now you’re all that I have left.”

They had reached the bottom of the steps and were quickly upon the labs entrance. Without so much as slowing, Bulma’s thin hand went up to the control board for ID conformation, and the doors swung open.

Leaving her bewildered boy behind, she strode quickly over to her main worktable and began rummaging around, looking rather desperately for something. Her frustration was evident as her search continued.

“Darn it, where is that key?” Trunks overheard her grumble, cursing under her breath.

Not for the first time, Trunks wondered how close his mother was to the line that separated genius and…well, insanity. Though she was undoubtedly the most brilliant person that he knew, it was amazing how volatile and scatterbrained that she could be simultaneously.

“Mother, do you need me to help you find something?” Trunks asked as an assorted piece of machinery went sailing a bit to close to his head.

The woman ignored him, but them suddenly bolted upward, something clutched triumphantly in one hand.

“Ha! I’ve found it!” Bulma declared.

Wasting no time, she moved to the wall and jammed the key into a small, unobtrusive crack. Trunks would have to admit being startled when a small door appeared out of the rock and swung open. How long has that been there, He wondered. And, Surely this powerful weapon isn’t so small that it could fit into that tiny crevice.

“Here it is,” Bulma smiled and withdrew her hand. “I know that you must think I’m crazy Trunks, but you’re just going to have to trust your mother…”

“What is it?” The boy asked curiously, though his voice undoubtedly betrayed his incredulity.

The woman outstretched her hand, and lying there on her palm was a standard capsule. There was nothing special in it’s appearance, aside from the row of neatly printed numbers along the side. They read – 22917918.

“What do the number’s mean, mother?” Trunks asked, rather mystified. “Are they some kind of code, telling you what’s inside?”

Bulma nodded. “But you won’t need to worry about the numbers,” She told him. “We’re going to open it, and I am going to show you how we will finally be able to destroy the androids.”

Trunks hadn’t lost his shred of disbelief. He had never known his mother to lie (though for her to exaggerate just slightly was a common enough occurrence), but he still couldn’t imagine something so powerful. Not after all of the murder and destruction. Not after Gohon.

However, his mother did not seem bothered by his unsure countenance, and with one gentle underhanded swing, tossed the tiny capsule to the floor. It had barely touched the floor when the familiar whoosh of air exploded with a quiet bang before them and smoke temporarily surrounded the newly appeared item

As the gaseous cloud dissipated, Trunk’s eyes opened wide in awe.

Mouth hanging open, he gazed in wonder at what was now before him. It was so large! Though he had no idea of what the machine did, his followed it with his eyes, measuring its every dimension.

It was roughly in the shape of a cylinder, or a huge rocket. There were no boosters on the bottom, but there was a small compartment about big enough to seat one passenger along the top behind a thick glass visor. The name of CAPSULE CORP. was printed proudly on the side.

To Trunks, it looked like something out of a science fiction movie.

It was also safe to say that he was impressed.

Optimistic for what felt like the first time in months, the boy pried his eyes away from the amazing sight before him and to his quiet mother. She seemed preoccupied, not paying much attention to the contraption.

“Mother!” Trunks laughed. “That thing looks fantastic! What on earth does it do?”

Bulma looked confused, and so Trunks clarified. “That huge machine – you said that it could defeat the androids. How?”

The woman shook her head. “Trunks, that’s not what I wanted to show you.”

Without another word, Bulma strode to the side of the mysterious ship and picked up a small, plain white box that Trunks had missed earlier. She held it up for him to see and smiled.

“This is my trump card for defeating that android.” She told him triumphantly.

Trunks nearly face faulted. He had difficulty hiding his disappointment as his mother came back to his side, working at yet another lock at the boxes side. Swiftly, his head swung back the impressive craft, and then returned to the box.

“B-but mother – “ He cried. “If that’s your weapon, then what is that thing?” He pointed to the large ship.

Bulma glanced backward disinterestedly, and then waved her hand in dismissal. “Just a pet project,” She said offhandedly, and Trunks thought he heard her murmur something like Time Machine under her breath…

“This is our weapon, Trunks.” Bulma said, undoing the latch. She sat down the box and lifted the lid. A small piece of computer guts and a vile of seemingly clear fluid were incased in Styrofoam. Reaching in and lifting out the bottle, the woman picked up a syringe from her worktable and filled it with the translucent liquid.

She held it up carefully in front of her son’s confused face.

“This,” She said in a low voice. “Is a biomechanical computer virus.”

*****

Far from Capsule Corp., a young man stood with his back to the setting sun and watched anxiously as a small band of humans made their way slowly out of the city. He sighed as he monitored them, momentarily having to fight off the urge to follow after them.

Maybe I should at least make sure they get far enough away from here, He thought rather hesitantly. Just to make sure Juuhachigou doesn’t see them…

Though Kuririn didn’t know it, one icy pair off eyes were already staring down on him from the sky. A young woman hung in the air, arms crossed, also watching the humans parade off down the road, and at Kuririn, who was just watching them go. Her eyes narrowed as he took to the skies.

“Kuririn!” She called sharply, and watched him spasm in mid-flight as he recognized her voice. Very slowly, he turned around. There was a strange expression on his face as he shamefully made his way over to her.

“What have you done?” She hissed at him quietly. “You let those pathetic creature right out of you hands! I told you to tell me if you found anything.”

“I know…” Kuririn said quietly.

“Then why didn’t you do it!” She yelled, making the small human cringe.

He shook his head and murmured. “I don’t know exactly, Juu-chan…” He admitted. “But there was something strange about them…” He shook his head again. “I don’t know.”

He dared a small peek up at her face. “Do you think...you could just please let them leave…” He somehow managed to ask. “Just this once!”

Juuhachigou didn’t know what enraged her more; the fact that he had deliberately disobeyed her and let them go, or that he was now asking her to spare them…

“Idiot…” She hissed under her breath. But then there came a slight twinkle to her eye. She grinned. “Fine. I’ll let them go.”

Kuririn’s head jolted upward. “Really?!” He honestly couldn’t believe what he had heard. “ You mean it?”

The cyborg nodded quietly, hiding the scheming happiness from her face. “You just head home, Kuririn.” She said. “I have one more thing to do before we’re done for the day…”

He looked at her curiously. “Can’t I help?”

She shook her head. At the sight of his face, she repeated her oath to leave the family alone. Seemingly satisfied, Kuririn left.

Juuhachigou chuckled watching him leave. She turned and scanned the ground until she spotted the family. They were heading west, supposedly to the nearest civilization.

“Yes,” She smirked at them. “Lead me to the next city that I need…”

*****

“A biomechanical what?” Trunk’s head was swirling in an unidentified cloud of emotions.

He stood there beside his mother, the last of all his family and friends, in the midst of a lab that looked more like a bomb shelter because of the danger that tainted their world now because of only one solitary being that was a computer and something like a human. And he was unable to take his eyes off this tiny little syringe full of fluid.

That was his mother’s great plan?

She was just going to give the Jinzouningen a shot full of that and then it would be over?

Why didn’t she use this when they first came? Why didn’t she use it to save Father? And Gohon? First there was disbelief and sorrow. Then denial. She’s finally lost it. The stress has gotten to be too much and she thinks that a little water will kill of the earth’s greatest enemy.

And finally…finally, there was anger. What kind of revenge is that?

His thoughts became consumed with images of his Sensei’s death and all of the lives that had been destroyed forever at burning, demolished city. He remembered her demonically glowing red eyes and her malicious laughter as she surveyed her handy work.

And his mother thought she was just going to stick that crazed creature with a needle and just let her die? What kind of punishment was that after all that she had done? How could such a simple, painless death satisfy the need that he had bubbling inside him to take revenge for Gohon and the people of earth that had been left in his care?

The answer? It couldn’t. It couldn’t.

Distantly, he heard his mother going on and on about this virus. How she had designed it as a failsafe for her own work, but had halted work on it after the Jinzouningen came. How she had realized its potential and begun to experiment with it – to transform what had one been a computer chip (the one in the box) to a liquid that could be injected into a biological target.

She didn’t know for certain it would work, she explained. But the fieldwork that she had done with it seemed to indicate that it would.

Then again, she was apologizing for not using it sooner – expressing grief that it took her until now to be desperate enough to try it. It was just so risky, she said. Just so risky…

Trunks gritted his teeth. “What about this is risky, Mother!” He exclaimed suddenly, interrupting her. He was mad – the affects that the horrific night had had on him were beginning to build again, heading for another desperate climax.

Bulma seemed almost annoyed at being interrupted, but stopped to carefully explain. “You don’t seem to understand what it would take to inject this serum. Think of it Trunks, how hard it has been to find the Jinzouningen lately. Since it’s alone now, it’s been trying to avoid direct confrontation.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Trunks asked, rather sullenly. His eyes were far off, a fire smoldering in his lovely blue irises.

Bulma put her hand on her hips, businesslike. “The virus would have to be injected by another person,” She said. “Which would mean that you would have to find it, or be there when it goes for another town – though we have no idea where it could strike next. And even if you were in the right place miraculously, then a person would still almost have to fight the Jinzouningen to get close enough to inject the virus.”

Trunks looked up angrily. “But what about all the people mother – “ He began.

Bulma sighed, “It’s a chance that we would have to take; a city’s the only place that I could think to lure it.”

Trunks growled lowly. He counted every human life as his responsibility now that Gohon had left. He was their protector now. Could he really purposefully use them as bait? And still there was the problem of revenge.

Turning his back to his mother, Trunks voiced his question softly in a low, dangerous sounding voice. “And what about Gohon and Father and everyone else that that creature has murdered, Mother?” He asked her. His eyes flickered. “Would you simply put their killer to sleep as if it were a dog and be done with it?”

Bulma’s eyes were large and sad when her son completed his statement. Though he couldn’t know it, his words and tones where remarkably like Vejitta’s himself.

And that scared her.

*****

Unaware of the plans being made for her undoing, Juuhachigou continued to follow the tiny, exhausted family as they trudged slowly on toward a nearby town. She wasn’t entirely certain herself where they were headed, but the head male of the humans seemed to walk with purpose, and so she trusted they were going in a worthy direction.

Also unbeknown to the lone Jinzouningen was this: The family was heading toward the biggest city that they knew in hopes of getting help. There was a company in that city that had been giving out relief to refuges.

That company was known as Capsule Corp.

*****

“Trunks,” Bulma walked up cautiously to her son’s side. Her face was pained, for it broke her heart to see her child under the chains of such responsibility and hatred. “Son, you have to understand. This isn’t just about taking revenge. I miss your father more than you know, but the facts are that we have to do this in a way that will spare as many lives as possible.”

Trunks still wouldn’t look at his mother. “That filthy Jinzouningen deserves pain.” He mumbled.

“This is our only hope! What it deserves we cannot deliver – you cannot kill that android Trunks!” Bulma exclaimed, eyes filling with angry tears. When Trunks turned around in surprise, she waved a sorrowfully furious finger in his face.

“And I won’t have you going and dying trying to do something that you can’t!”

Trunks, though still somewhat heated, was touched by his mothers emotion. He knew that she only wanted to protect him, but she did not understand all that was currently resting in his hands. He shook his head dubiously,

“It is too simple, Mother.”

Bulma had by now fully whipped away her tears and had replaced her sorrow with a mask of indifference and a façade of fury.

“Simple! One of my most sophisticated systems I have ever created and you call it simple!” She raved. “And you don’t even realize what it does!”

This simple phase rocked the boy, as he realized that what she said was true. He didn’t know what it did. “Mother, the virus – it would shut down the Jinzouningen wouldn’t it?”

Bulma’s face was tense. She had left her place beside her son and was carefully filling another four syringes with the virus. She humphed at his ignorant question.

“It would do more then simply shut it down,” She relayed solemnly. “The android is more than a simple machine. I would wager that “it” is more of a “she”: A cyborg.”

Trunks obviously didn’t understand, and so Bulma went on. “That creature, whether android or cyborg, is not a computer chip, Trunks. It or she lives, and breathes, and bleeds. This virus would penetrate the central, mechanical core of her – and it would do more than shut her down; it would kill her.” Her eyes met her sons for a brief moment as she looked up from her hands.

“And it would be anything but quick and painless.”

*****

The sun was beginning to go down over Satan City as a particular young man reached his broken, shattered home and lighted on the roof of the building. He sighed as he looked back into the deep oranges and purples of the darkening sky.

There was a strange feeling about him – one of dread. He felt in his gut that something was wrong. Even the air that he breathed seemed heavy and ominous.

Was something going to happen? He wondered, sitting down amidst the rubble to wait on the return of his companion. Something bad?

I wish Juuhachigou were here. He thought quietly to himself.

*****

Trunks and Bulma were standing in silence, carefully analyzing the other; when suddenly, they felt themselves jarred as if by a great explosion above them. The ground lurched beneath them, and Bulma yelped as she lost her footing a fell to the ground.

“Mother!” Trunks yelled, rushing to pull her up and shield her with his flaring ki.

Bulma accepted his protection from the lightly falling debris only momentarily. Quickly, she grabbed the five syringes and pulled them close to her. Turning her large eyes up to meet her son’s, she found his hand and placed their hope in his palm.

A siren like alarm was sounding behind them as she spoke. “It is the Jinzouningen, Trunks!” She cried. “It looks as though we will not have to find her after all.”

“But, Mother – “ Trunks protested. “I can’t leave you alone!”

“You’ll have to,” She told him, pulling him to the entrance. There was another explosion, this time smaller. “Don’t worry about me; this underground bunker is the safest place I could be. You have to find a way to get that into the Jinzouningen!”

Trunks hesitated only a moment. Then he nodded, heading for the stairs.

Before he could go, his mother caught his arm. “This is our only chance, Son.” She told him under a penetrating glance. She let him go. “Be careful.”

Trunks didn’t look back, but charged up the stairs. He clutched the syringes in his hand even more tightly. His mother was right. This was their only chance.

And darn him if he let Gohon down again.

*****

Juuhachigou was laughing wildly as she stood in the sky and watched the people before her scatter as she sent yet another building crumbling to the ground at their feet. She was oblivious to their screams, to the way that they looked up at her in terror and hatred.

No, she was only aware of when they fell. She smiled when they were caught in her energy blasts, or when the raining concrete crushed them. She loved the pandemonium greatly with a sadistic glee.

When it came to this part of the killing, it was almost as if she forgot herself. The brief spout of minor guilt that had come upon her when she had slain the family that had lead her to the city had completely disappeared. She only distantly remembered her promise to Kuririn, and didn’t rightly care.

So absorbed was she in her sport that she almost didn’t spot the flaming ki that hit the sky only a few moments later. It caught her eye only at the barest corner, and she took no lasting notice of it until it called to her.

“Jinzouningen!” It cried out lividly, challengingly.

Slowly, Juuhachigou turned. Her smile faded as she saw whom it was hovering in the sky in front of her. Pushing back her curses of annoyance, she placidly crossed her arms across her breast.

“Well, if it isn’t the little purple headed brat.” She taunted. “It seems as if we have finally caught up to each other. I had intended to wait for this confrontation, but I suppose it doesn’t matter in the long run.”

Trunks was seething. This was his city that she was destroying. The people were his own neighbors and friends.

“What’s wrong, brat?” The Jinzouningen asked him mockingly. She spread her hands with an evil, self-satisfied grin. “Don’t you like it? Or are you too busy fretting over how you’re too weak to defeat me to notice?”

Gritting his teeth to bite back careless, hatful words, Trunks clinched his fist tightly, forcing his power through his body. He would need all the strength that he had for this battle. And he could not allow himself to get angry.

Juuhachigou smirked. She knew how to provoke the wretch.

“Are you just going to stand there and glare at me? Or maybe you’re simply screwing up your pathetic power to commit suicide and try to kill me that way, just like your cowardly master.”

As expected, the ki charged through his veins, multiplying with rage – Juuhachigou’s sensors registered it. His eyes were wide and his breath hissed through his teeth as he tried desperately to hold in his rage.

“Y-you!” He cried, almost brokenly.

Juuhachigou chuckled, amused and satisfied with his obvious pain. “That’s right, filth,” She spat at him. “You Sensei died as a coward – who else would seek to destroy his enemy the way he killed my brother!”

That was all it took, and Trunk’s barely suppressed power exploded with grief and unhampered, uncontrollable wildness. Screaming as his ki inhabited every inch off muscle and sinew, Trunks’ blinding aura erupted golden around him and he sprang ferociously at the waiting, confident Jinzouningen.

It was a stupid thing to do really. Juuhachigou was prepared to meet him, and swung agilely out of the way as he powered through, almost blind with rage and anger.

“Jinzouningen!” He cried wrathfully as he swung his fist at her emotionless face.

Juuhachigou’s head moved almost imperceptibly to dodge the blow, and her pale blond hair stirred in the wind of his fist. Then, equally as effortlessly as her move to dodge his attack, she clasped his fist and buried her knee in his stomach.

The boy didn’t even have time to gag before another swift kick sent him soaring through the air and them ramming into the ground. Through the haze before his eyes as he collected himself, he could faintly hear her laughing.

“Did the little boy loose his temper?” She scoffed.

Trunks growled as he pushed himself up from the hard, broken concrete. He spat a mouthful of blood to the side, and was about to power up again when he registered the blood on his fingers. Confused, he raised his mutilated hand up to his face and watched the crimson liquid slid down his skin to pool in his lacerated palm.

“How…” He wondered.

Looking down to his side, he saw the glass scattered on the stone amidst his own blood. The remains of the five syringes that his mother had given him. Crushed. Broken in his own hand.

“No!” Trunks cried agonizingly, falling back to his knees and reaching for the fragments.

Three of the syringes were entirely destroyed, their viral liquid spilt and utterly useless. The fourth was badly damaged, and leaking. Only one seemed in good enough condition to use. There were long hairline cracks etching one side, but it was intact.

Trunks gingerly picked up this one last hope. His relief was almost tangible, though his quilt remained. He had almost destroyed them all, and now he would have only one chance.

*****

Kuririn woke abruptly from a restless, uneasy doze. His unfocused eyes were for a moment confused, and then scared. He jumped up from the debris and ran to the edge of the roof to gaze out into the night sky.

There was a swelling power out there somewhere, as great as he had ever felt. It fluctuated up and down, as if in battle, and though Kuririn could not sense anyone else near by, he had a feeling that he knew whom it was.

“Juuhachigou?” He whispered, frightened.

Another surge of dread hit his stomach almost painfully, leaving him more sure than before that something terrible was about to happen to her. Something was wrong, and she was all alone. Without stopping to think of the consequences accompanying his action, Kuririn took off in the direction of the enormous ki.

*****

Juuhachigou watched curiously as the Sayiajin brat finally took back to the sky and came to hover directly in front of her. A drop of blood falling from the fingers of his left hand momentarily caught her eye, but she was soon distracted when he spoke.

“I have had enough of your taunting, Jinzouningen.” He said plainly and determinedly. “I have been searching for you, and you have only hidden from me – me, who you call a child. I would not call my Sensei any more cowardly than you have been.”

Juuhachigou’s fists unconsciously clinched, and her mouth turned downward into an angry sneer. Was that brat calling her a coward?

Forcing calmness upon herself, she carefully folded her arms. “ I had hoped to fight you after I had finished destroying this entire earth, and not before. Then, I imagined all the fun I would have with your pathetic life.” She smirked. “Planning it all has kept me entertained.”

Trunks didn’t even blink at her words. Not this time. “Is that so?” He asked. “I’m so glad to have spoiled you plans.”

Juuhachigou shrugged. “Like I said, it really doesn’t matter. You are as good as dead.”

“Am I?” The boy said sarcastically. “As good as dead? I don’t think so. You won’t get me angry again, and your arrogance has put you at a disadvantage. I think I have a better chance now then I ever will.”

Another smile from the cyborg woman. “Do you have something hidden up your sleeves, little boy?” She asked.

Trunks tilted his head slightly and eased back into a fighting stance. “Maybe. Are you ready to find out?”

This response elicited a short laugh from the other fighter, who willing uncrossed her arms and readied herself. Though Trunks could not have felt it, her artificial power began to rise exponentially, until tangible waves began to cut through the gray, burning air.

Across from her, her opponent also called upon every reserve of pain and anger in his body, using it o full the greatest power up that he had ever attempted. This was the battle that he could not loose, and to win it he would have to take some blows willingly.

There was no sound or signal that finally began the battle; neither of the combatants sought to strike the first blow. Yet in one harmonious movement, both locked on each other’s eyes, and suddenly broke out with amazing ferociously.

They met in the sky with a brilliant explosion of power and wind, as synthetic force and energy met the colorful and almost blinding ki band that extended many meters beyond the young super sayiajin.

Trunks screamed as he attacked, directing all of his power into his arm and legs, hoping to land a blow that would leave her debilitated long enough for him to strike out with the syringe. It was almost more than he could handle though, and he was soon beginning to tire. Fighting with only one hand simply wasn’t enough.

On the other side, Juuhachigou was quickly gaining dominance and knew it. Though at first she had been surprised at how much power that he had gained, she was now certain that he was still no match for her – golden hair or no golden hair. She laughed as she caught his arm and wrenched it around behind his back, listening to the delightful crunching sound as it broke beneath her relentless hold.

The boy screamed in anguish, but she cut him off quickly with a solid kick to the face that sent his helpless body spinning head over hills through the air. He caught himself quickly enough, but now his right arm dangled limply, and his face was smeared with thick read plasma. Through gasps he managed to straighten up, but did not bring up his remaining good arm.

This puzzled Juuhachigou, as did the defiance still on his face. She felt sure that he now knew that he was going to die, and yet, he still seemed to believe he could win.

And as for his other arm, she was unsure of what the brat’s problem was. In fact, he had not used it once since the beginning of her match. She had seen that it was bleeding somewhat, but she did not feel that she had broken it or damaged it too badly. Surely it wasn’t just those little cuts keeping him from fighting with it.

Juuhachigou shook her head disgustedly and smiled. Baby… She thought. She would teach him what it really meant to feel pain.

Crying out shrilly, she attacked him again, noting that he did not try to counter or block as she slammed into him. It was almost as if he was letting her hit him, and allowing her to do damage to his already beaten form.

And she didn’t like it one bit. Juuhachigou was not one to be played with.

Teleporting herself behind him as he was propelled backward toward the ground, she caught his tired, motionless body in two deadly claws. His breathing was raspy and sweat rolled down his face, but he made no move to struggle against her or to try and free himself.

Had he at last resigned himself to death?

Juuhachigou didn’t think so. She had fought a number of Sayiajin in the past, and they were all frightfully hardheaded and stubborn to die. Nor one had given up so easily, not even that pathetic prince.

Leaning forward so that her cheek just barely touched his sweat-drenched blond strands, she hissed into his ear, “What are you up to, Boy?”

Trunks only took another sharp, harsh breath. His muscles were trembling with fatigue and abuse, and his right arm felt as if it were pulsing with waves of sharp, terrible pain. Though his fingers felt somewhat numb on both hands, he was able to loosely grip the tiny, harmless looking syringe still protectively cushioned in his left palm. It had becomes slippery with his blood, but he had somehow managed not to drop it.

She’s so close… He thought, trying to build up the strength he needed for this last attempt.

“Jinzouningen!” Trunks called hoarsely, trying to divert her attention while he rotated the syringe in his hand so that the needle pointed backward and toward the cyborg.

Juuhachigou laughed harshly, confidently; totally unaware of what was about to befall her. She gripped him a little bit tighter, causing pain to surge through his broken arm unbearably – but also managing to bring him that much closer to her. Those few centimeters that could make all the difference.

“What is it? Something to say before I kill you” She asked, voice sickeningly sweat.

“That’s right,” The boy managed to choke out through the blood and mucus his throat. Trunks had been redirecting all his strength to his left side. Almost ready… Only one chance.

“I have learned something about you today, Jinzouningen,” He told her.

The ignorant smile never left the she-devil’s face. “Hmmm. And what is that?” She asked.

Trunks thumb found the trigger of the simple tool in his hand. He found it in him to smile, though from her position behind him, Juuhachigou was unable to see in on his face. “I have learned that you and your “brother” are just the same,” Trunks said slowly. His voice rose to a shout with his final words. “Neither of you are smart enough to see a TRAP!

And without leaving the stunned cyborg any time to process his words, Trunks’ aura burst violently into flames and he jammed back his closed fist as hard as he could, directing the needle towards his adversaries exposed neck.

Juuhachigou shrieked as the tiny needle pierced her flesh, though more in surprise and shock than pain. Reflexively, she slammed the Sayiajin boy as far away from her as possible and ripped the sharp object from her throat.

Glaring down at her hand, she found an empty syringe.

“What?” She snarled, throwing her murderous glare down at the boy, who had somehow managed to catch himself. An empty syringe? A syringe that had been filled with what? Surely that wretch didn’t think that he could stop her with such a pathetic display.

That was when she heard the laughing. Not just a chuckle of amusement, but a deep, thrilled laughter that started as almost a frenzied giggle and ended in deep throated, rolling laughter. There were tears running down the Sayiajin boy’s face as he doubled over in mirth.

Juuhachigou was angry, and she easily crushed the syringe to glass powder. “What are you laughing about, filth?” She shouted.

Trunks could not control his chuckling. He was beaten; his arm was broken and useless; his own mother would probably have difficulty recognizing his bloodied face – and he could hardly contain his happiness.

“You fool!” He shouted, trying to stand erect and face the cyborg that had hurt him and his family so. He spat. “You’re so darned cocky that you’ve become careless and stupid! How dare you underestimate me!”

Juuhachigou didn’t bother to contain her rage at his defiant words. Escalating her power, she charged at him with a cocked fist, intending to put an end to his ridiculous babbling.

However, things did not go quite the way that she had expected…

After only a short burst of acceleration, Juuhachigou felt her head swing wildly. Temporarily blinded, the woman was forced to stop and pull short of her solemnly watching target. She tossed her head about disoriented, turning her blurred and dancing vision down towards her involuntarily shaking hands. A rush of fire fled throughout her body suddenly, causing her to spasm in mid air.

Gasping at the sudden pain, Juuhachigou turned frenzied eyes to Trunks. “What have you done to me?” She cried in confusion and anger.

No longer laughing, Trunks’ serious eyes watched her shake with satisfaction. He hadn’t been sure how long his mother’s virus would take to set in. Obviously, not long.

“It is something that my mother made especially for you, Jinzouningen.” Trunks told her. “A computer virus, designed especially for a biomechanical target.”

Juuhachigou was beginning to have difficulty breathing. “A virus?” She demanded in shock. Those humans managed to create a computer virus capable of affecting me like this?

“It’ll kill you.” Trunks supplied, seemingly able to read her thoughts.

Fear like she had never experienced before filled Juuhachigou despite herself. By now her scanners had come up before her eyes, flashing with warning.

~Intruder!~ Her computerized half shouted silently to her. Her main processing unit was giving her the same assessment that Trunks had. She was being attacked from the inside where she could not fight back.

The Sayiajin boy laughed at her again. He was happy. He felt that he had won.

“NOOO! “ Juuhachigou screamed violently, her body flaring with a sudden massive surge of rageful energy.

The blast traveled like a wave through the area, toppling the nearby buildings and instantly extinguishing all of the burning flames surrounding them. The wave hit Trunks too, and in his weakened state, he was tossed to the wind as easily as if he were a feather.

In the blinding flash of power, Trunks lost sight of the Jinzouningen and was lost in a feeling of high-speed weightlessness. What seemed like forever later, he felt himself crash painfully into the ground and skid backwards a few meters before finally coming to a halt.

Exhaustedly, he turned over onto his stomach and pushed himself up slowly to his knees. Breathing heavily, he turned his eyes to the sky, expecting to see the Jinzouningen. However, the night sky was empty.

“Darn it!” Trunks cried angrily, slamming his fist to the concrete. “How could she have gotten away?”

*****

Kuririn was panicked and flying as fast as he could in the direction of the city. Something it wrong! His mind screamed. He pushed himself faster.

He had felt the fighting, but just when he thought that it was over, the power he felt remained. And it did not die. Why hadn’t Juuhachigou finished it? Had something happened to her?

As he approached the battlefield, something ahead caught his eye. It appeared to be something falling from the sky. He was by now just in sight of the city, which he could already tell had been attacked. And though part of him wanted to go on in hopes of finding Juuhachigou, his gut again told him somehow to go see what it was he had thought he saw.

Descending cautiously, the nervous earthling walked carefully over the ruined earth. Clearing a group of low, wasted looking brush, Kuririn came upon a sight that he had never in his life expected to see.

“Juuhachigou!” He wailed.

And so it was. There sprawled on her stomach on the ground was Juuhachigou, fists clinching and unclenching reflexively. Her body was shaking uncontrollably as she rasped small breathes of air into unresponsive lungs. He looked as if she were dying.

Kuririn ran to her, and instinctively pulled her body into his arms. He called her name, but she was almost completely irresponsive.

“Juuhachigou, speak to me!” Kuririn cried. Who could have done this to you?

Her eyes breaking momentarily open with a burst of consciousness, Juuhachigou swallowed painfully and met his face briefly. She seemed to recognize him, for she didn’t start to struggle or panic, though she was obviously terribly confused and hurt.

“What happened, Juuhachigou?” Kuririn begged her to answer him. “What’s wrong with you?”

The blond headed cyborg seemed unable to focus, but rasped. “S-sayiajin…He had a v-virus – “

Her words were cut off by a terrible convulsion that shook her entire frame violently. She cried out in pain as the tremor rocked through her. She seemed barely able to move or breathe. The virus seemed to have penetrated her very core.

“I-I’m going to die…” She said in a voice barely above a whimper.

There were tears in Kuririn’s eyes as he held her, trying to sooth her. He shook his head.

“Don’t worry, Juu-chan,” He whispered to her. “You’re not going to die - I’ll find a way to help you.”

Another moan of agony ripped through her throat, as her body again heaved spasmodically against his. Her lovely, no longer demonic looking pale blue eyes cracked open just the tiniest bit, enough for him to be caught in her pain-riddled gaze. He had to choke back a sob, and he closed his eyes tightly.

I promise, I’ll do whatever it takes…

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~End Story~

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