Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I was confused.

Of course, I was.

There was nothing. No light. No sound. No sensation. Just pitch blackness, yet not quite empty. It moved, thick and slow like I was floating in some kind of… liquid void?

My thoughts felt sluggish. Detached. My mind swam through static.

Then it hit me.

"Ah… I'm dead, aren't I?"

Not exactly how I thought dying would feel, but I guess you don't get a handbook for this sort of thing. No bright light. No tunnel. Just… the memory of a party, a stupid dare, and a backflip I definitely shouldn't have attempted.

"...I knew I was going to die eventually," I muttered. "But I assumed it'd be cancer. Not a backflip. Ugh… I really hope no one was recording."

I let the silence settle again. There was no pain. No body. No real sense of self.

Except for one thing.

A hunger.

Deep. Endless. Gnawing at me, not my stomach, but somewhere deeper. A craving etched into the very core of my existence.

Why would I be hungry... when I was dead? which was a very valid question.

Then, suddenly, the void shifted. Like being yanked out of a dream. A jolt surged through me, almost like waking up too fast. The liquid? pulled away, and Gravity began acting upon me.

Sensation rushed in. My limbs tingled, awareness crashing down like a wave. I stumbled forward, heavy and light all at once, like I was wearing skin that didn't quite belong to me.

My feet hit solid ground. Cold... Metal maybe?

I opened my eyes.

Harsh artificial light flooded in, burning against newly sensitive eyes. I winced and instinctively shut them, then slowly opened them again, blinking against the brightness.

A lab?

Everything was pristine. The air even smelled sterile. The faint hum of machines filled the silence, monitors displaying unreadable data, robotic arms locked in standby mode, and soft blue lights pulsing gently across the floor panels.

I stared.

The room was vaguely circular, sleek, and unnervingly silent. A control console blinked in the corner. Medical pods lined the wall... how did i know that?

i quickly shook my head and gazed direction behind me, where I came from and... A vat. Full of pinkish fluid.

... Did I come out of that? Was... was I born out of that?

I turned back to face the room again, still trying to piece together what was happening. My head ached, like something pressing against a door not yet open.

A flash of something.

The curve of the lab wall. The hum of the lights. A sense of familiarity pulsed through me, even though I was sure this was my first time laying eyes on this place.

Am I a... some sort of clone? A lab-grown body? Biotech!? What type of reincarnation is this?

Seriously, what kind of sci-fi plot had I gotten dropped into?

I glanced back at the pods again. Déjà vu lingered at the edge of my thoughts, but I forced myself to ignore it.

Focus. Think.

Looking down at myself, it became obvious that something was off. My body felt wrong. Taller. Heavier in places that hadn't been heavy before.

Especially the chest.

I reached up, lightly poking at it with an unamused look.

"Yup. Definitely not my original body... neat, definitely got the genetic lottery in this life."

I was wearing a lab coat, too. Crisp and white, with the edges falling to my knees. Underneath was… a checkered mini-dress?

I stared down at it, unimpressed.

"Really? A checkerboard dress and heels? This was someone's idea of peak fashion?" i sighed "Oh well, not my place to judge. Atleast the lab coat is cool."

Was I a researcher in this life? Maybe... was I like experimenting on myself? mad scientist type? That's cool. a little unsettling. But still cool.

I rubbed my arms, trying to shake the creeping disorientation.... and extreme hunger, Jesus. I needed something to distract myself with... like... a mirror!

"I need to see what I look like properly," I muttered.

Eyes scanning the room, I walked slowly, my steps echoing softly against the metal floor. I checked beside the consoles, then circled around the nearest pod.

And then I found it.

A polished reflective panel on the wall. Not a full mirror, but enough to catch a glimpse.

I stepped in front of it.

Long, wild, bushy auburn hair that fell down to my hips. Pale skin, unnaturally smooth with a faint glow. Piercing blue eyes behind a pair of glasses. Hoop earrings. A short, high-neck minidress with a red and blue checker pattern, paired with black tights. One red heel, one blue, both tipped with gold. A lab coat draped over the whole thing.

I stared.

My breath hitched. My chest rose and fell.

"W-what!?"

I stepped back and blinked rapidly. Then waved my hands. Made weird motions. Raised my arms. Touched my face. Everything mirrored exactly.

.

.

.

"Holy shit!" I gawked, mouth hanging open, the woman in the mirror doing the same.

It took me a few minutes just to process what I was seeing. "Well… I guess I know where I am now. Or… who I am."

I looked again at my reflection, squinting.

"Never would I have expected to be reincarnated as Android 21. I really should've paid more attention to the FighterZ plot." I scratched the back of my head, then shrugged. "Oh well. Not like it'd make a difference. The whole thing started because Android 21 got hungry and wanted to absorb people… I think? I only really played the online matches."

I laughed nervously. "What's the worst that cou-"

A sharp pain tore through my stomach. I dropped to one knee, clutching it with both arms as an overwhelming wave of hunger crashed through me.

For a full minute, I couldn't move. Could barely breathe. My body trembled with the force of it.

Eventually, the feeling dulled just enough to stand again.

I staggered upright, panting. "Okay. First plan. Find. Fucking. Food."

the end :P

Chapter Text

The hunger hadn't gone away. If anything, it had gotten worse, gnawing at me from the inside. It wasn't just in my stomach anymore, like my soul itself was screaming to devour. or something, doesn't matter really. I just needed it to go away.

"Food..." I muttered, clutching my stomach as I stumbled forward. Every step was shaky, but I forced my legs to move, driven more by instinct than reason.

Eventually, I found a hallway. At the end of it stood a door. It loomed at least twice my height, its surface thick and looking solid enough to stop a tank without leaving a scratch. The sight stirred something familiar in my mind.

The vault looked similar to the one from the android saga, the one that could stop most of the human fighters. My fingers brushed its cold, metallic surface. No keypad. No handle. No hinges in sight.

"How the hell am I supposed to get out of here?"

I swayed, barely staying upright. The hunger surged again, violent and overwhelming. My vision blurred.

Then everything went… fuzzy...?

It felt like I'd been shoved into the passenger seat of my own body, happened so fast I almost didn't notice.

My hand moved on its own, pulling back into a fist. Energy sparked around it - dark pink, shot through with flashes of light.

Wha-?

No time to think. My arm shot forward and drove straight into the centre of the vault door.

The explosion that followed was immediate. Light flared across the hallway, a burst of heat and smoke slamming into my face. Metal screeched like it was being torn in half. The blast forced me back a step, snapping me out of whatever autopilot I'd just been hijacked by. I coughed through the settling dust, blinking hard.

It wasn't enough. The damage was big, sure - a crater dented deep into the middle of the vault, with a chunk partially torn out - but it hadn't gone all the way through. That door was stupidly thick. And strong, considering I had to be atleast Buu saga levels of strong. But it might be me just being extremely new to ki or something.

I looked down at my hand. My wrist buzzed faintly, almost like it had been overcharged. I flexed it once, twice, and shook it a bit. It felt weird. Not painful, just... off.

"What the hell was that?"

The glow was gone. So was the heat. My hand was just a hand again.

My head felt clearer. Like I'd just woken up from a bad dream.

Still, something inside me growled. Hunger grew to claw at me again, but I resisted, more interested in what I had done.

"Well," I muttered, squinting at the half-destroyed vault. My stomach twisted, sharp and unforgiving. "At least I know I can use Ki. I should be able to replicate that again, right?"

I didn't know where the move had come from. Maybe muscle memory? The Cell's doing something on autopilot? Logical enough. But logic didn't fill the hole in my gut. I needed food. Now.

And to get it, I needed, out of this place.

I inhaled slowly and raised my hand toward the dented section. This time I did it with intention, thinking back to that sensation. That build-up. I pulled at it like I would a muscle, and almost instantly, I felt it again. something warm and dense collecting in my palm.

When I opened my eyes, it was there. A ball of energy.

Ki.

Black and pink swirled together, glowing like something lifted straight from the game. It gave off a soft heat, pulsing gently with power.

"Holy shit," I whispered, hunger completely forgotten.

I was holding a Ki blast.

I couldn't resist. I let it drift from hand to hand, watching how it shimmered and pulsed. Controlling it wasn't as impossible as I'd feared. A gentle push sent it hovering a little higher. A subtle twist changed its shape. It was like learning how to play a game on easy mode.

For a moment, I was caught up in the wonder of it. This power, this sensation, it was incredible. The frustration and hunger that had clawed at me moments ago seemed miles away.

But that joy didn't last.

A white-hot pang ripped through my stomach, more urgent than anything I'd ever felt. Every fibre of me screamed to be fed. I clenched my teeth and dropped the Ki orb. It winked out, leaving my hand cold and empty. I swallowed.

I had to get out, to find something to fill me up.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stand up straighter despite the twisting ache. I needed to get out of here. Find something, anything, to eat before this hunger tears me apart.

My gaze flicked back to the vault door.

I lifted my hand, steadying my breath, and let instinct guide me. Energy welled in my palm, coalescing into that same swirling mass of pink and black light. It roared out like a lance of fire, hitting the metal with an ear-splitting blast.

In an instant, the door was obliterated. Nothing left but mere molten scraps and shimmering dust.

I stood there in the quiet, shoulders rising and falling as the remnants of power faded from my fingertips. For a split second, I considered being impressed with myself.

Then my stomach twisted again, snapping me back to the present.

I took a step forward, noting the narrow staircase just beyond the destroyed vault. It spiralled upward tightly, hugging a wall of smooth concrete. But something was off; it ended in what looked like a solid wall.

A hidden wall? 

I didn't waste time. With another blast, I fired upward, expecting an easy breakthrough.

Nothing.

The wall held.

Same material as the vault door, I realised, lips curling into an annoyed grimace.

Fine.

I poured more energy into the next strike, focusing harder, letting my irritation sharpen the flow. The beam this time was tighter, a solid stream of destruction. It carved clean through the wall, and then kept going, slicing through layers of reinforced stone, even the rocky cave walls, until, at last, light spilt through the edges.

A perfect circle of sunlight burned at the end of the tunnel.

I ran.

The stone beneath my feet vibrated from the aftershocks of my blast, loose debris crumbling in my wake. As I approached the opening, fresh air hit me for the first time, a sudden rush of wind, crisp and pure compared to the stale laboratory air I'd been breathing for… who even knows how long?

But as I reached the exit, I realised something too late.

It was high.

Really high.

The lab (Dr. Gero's) had been built into the mountain. A hidden base buried deep into stone and reinforced beyond reason, and I had just punched a tunnel straight out of the side of a cliff. Then jumped off... said self-made cliff. 

"Ah, cra-"

Gravity grabbed me by the throat, ready to ground slam me.

I dropped like a rock, flailing awkwardly through the air before slamming into a steep incline of dirt and grass. The hill wasn't kind. I bounced. I tumbled. A bush smacked me in the face.

I hit the bottom in a heap of limbs, momentum finally dying out.

"...Ow," I muttered, blinking up at the sky.

Weirdly, I didn't hurt. At all. No bruises or broken bones, just some tangled hair and a slight wobble in my balance. 

I slowly sat up, brushing grass and dirt from my clothes, then glanced back at the slope I'd just barrel-rolled down like a ball.

The mountain loomed above, jagged and dark against the soft blue of the sky. My escape tunnel was a perfect, smouldering hole 2/3 up its face.

"Right," I muttered dryly, flicking a leaf from my bangs. "Gero's lab is inside a goddamn mountain. I'm an idiot."

I exhaled, leaning back on my hands. "Whatever. I'm pretty sure I literally can't die. Not from fall damage, anyway. And even if I somehow did, I could probably heal. Still… maybe I should avoid flinging myself off cliffs unless absolutely necessary."

I stood, stretching out the stiffness in my back, and turned my gaze to the world around me. It was quiet. A thick stretch of mountain range surrounded me, with trees sparsely dotting the landscape like scattered pawns on a chessboard. Wind whispered through pine needles. No cities. No sounds of life. Just wilderness.

I turned back to the mountain, eyes narrowing.

Should I… destroy it?

It's not like it really matters. The whole Android thing is basically over, Cell Max isn't even relevant until, what, at minimum 5 years? And that's only because Gero's grandson got involved. Even then, it wasn't really a threat cause he's a good guy and Gohan being Gohan. Still, just in case there's some hidden final backup… a last, last... last resort? If Cell was Gero's last card, then maybe I'm the last last resort to kill Goku. Anyway, if that's true, then maybe I should just-

I gasped, doubling over. My legs trembled, and I fell to one knee. It was worse than before. Like my organs were folding in on themselves. My vision blurred. I clutched my stomach with one hand, the other digging into the dirt for support.

Then, my body moved on its own. Mind foggy, like a player 2 had intruded, 

I staggered toward a nearby rock (more like a small boulder, really) about the size of a watermelon. I didn't think. I just grabbed it.

Pink lightning crackled across my fingertips.

Zap.

The rock shimmered, then pulsed, and in a blink, it changed. It wasn't a rock anymore.

It was a perfectly round, glossy ball of candy. Strawberry pink with little sparkles, wrapped in a bow made of crystallised sugar. It even smelled sweet.

I blinked, still crouched over, and without even questioning it, I shoved it into my mouth and bit down hard.

Instantly, like magic, the pain was gone. Eased. Erased. The raw ache that had been tearing through my gut just... vanished. Warmth surged through my chest like someone had poured molten light straight into my veins.

"MMmmm!" I let out an involuntary noise as the taste hit me, sickeningly sweet, but in the best possible way. I dropped onto my back without thinking, dazed, staring up at the clouds as the sugar settled into my system like a warm bath.

The candy was still in my hand, a deep bite missing from its side.

"...What the hell was that? Again…?"

I waited for confusion, for panic, for… something. But the sugar rush must've short-circuited my brain, because I just lay there and chewed slowly, blinking. Oddly, considering the whole possession a good thing. "You know what, I don't care, it's a good thing if it keeps doing stuff like this"

"You know what?" I mumbled around another bite, "I don't care. If my body wants to do freaky crap like this… go right ahead. it makes things all the easier for me."

With that, I shoved the rest of the candy into my mouth and devoured it, not bothering with any kind of grace.

.

.

.

The hunger came back. Not as sharp as before, but still there. The ache was quieter but still wanted to consume more.

Good thing everything around me was edible.

Chapter Text

The air was thin up on the mountainside, crisp and clean, far from any city noise. All that surrounded them was sky, stone, and the quiet hum of energy sparking through the wind.

Goku twisted in midair, blocking a punch with a wide grin. "You're holding back again, come on, you're never going to get stronger like this," he said, effortlessly parrying Gohan's strike.

"I'm trying to be nice," Gohan replied with a faint laugh, already moving into his next attack.

Goku didn't answer. He ducked low, slid behind him, and flicked him on the forehead, hard enough to send him spinning, but still light enough to be considered playful.

From below, another voice rang out.

"Dad! Me too! Watch this!"

Goten's energy flared bright, and the little half-Saiyan launched upward like a bullet. His tiny fists were raised, face full of determination. Goku caught him mid-flight with a grin, spun once, and dropped both of them into the grass with a dramatic tumble.

"Nice form!" Goku said with a laugh as Goten crashed into him, both of them tumbling into the grass. The boy landed on his chest, beaming with pride.

"I've been practising with Trunks!" Goten announced, his eyes sparkling.

"That's awesome!" Goku grinned, ruffling his son's spiky hair. "At this rate, you're gonna catch up to your brother soon, especially since someone has been slacking off lately."

He tilted his head toward Gohan with a teasing smirk.

"Hey!" Gohan called from above, arms crossed. "I'm not slacking! I'm training again, aren't I?"

Goku shrugged playfully. "You are. But you know how it is, if you're not training constantly, your power starts to slip. You've gotta keep that momentum going. Like after cell."

Gohan floated down and landed beside them, brushing some dust from his sleeve. "I get it, Dad. But I've also got a job now. I'm not a student anymore, and y'know... I am married."

He smiled softly. "I want to be there for Videl, too. I can't just vanish to go spar every day."

Goku blinked, then nodded with a chuckle. "Yeah... yeah, you're right. Balance is important. You're doing great, Gohan. Better than I ever did" (because you vanished for years on end.)

Gohan just gave him a look. a part didn’t need to be said. but was heard loud and clear.

For a moment, the world felt still. No words, no energy blasts, just three Saiyans in a clearing, sun overhead and wind through the trees.

Then Goten broke the calm like a thrown rock in a pond, puffing out his chest with a dramatic pose. "I’m gonna be stronger than both of you! Just watch!"

Goku laughed and sat up. "Oh yeah? Then we'd better keep training. I’m not gonna be shown up by my own kid!"

"Daaaad!" Goten whined, cheeks puffing out, before launching at him again with a grin.

Goku grinned widely and caught the strike with ease.

Goku caught the strike easily, grinning. "Bring it on, champ."

Goten leapt back, ready to fire a ki blast, but then suddenly froze. His eyes flicked toward the horizon, alert.

Gohan and Goku both turned, sensing it too, though Goten had noticed first.

They all could sense it, far across the planet, a twisted, malevolent ki; it wasn't just evil ki, it was a mix of many fighters they knew. It was not just powerful, but also wrong.

Gohan’s stomach clenched, and for a moment, his mind was dragged back years, back to the terror of Cell.

"Could it be...?" he whispered, his voice low but steady.

Goku shook his head, brow furrowed. "No way. Cell was destroyed, completely. We haven’t sensed anything like this since. And this energy... It’s different. More chaotic, atleast. Plus, even if he somehow survived, why would he stay hidden for so long?"

Gohan narrowed his eyes, thoughts racing. “But what else could it be? The energies are too similar not to be connected. It can’t be the Cell we destroyed, especially not the one from this timeline. The lab’s been wiped out. But maybe... another Cell? One from a different timeline?”

His gaze sharpened. “Or worse, what if Trunks lost, and Cell got his hands on the time machine? If that happened... well, that’s bad. Very bad.”

Goku crossed his arms, his usual grin absent. “Doesn’t matter who it is—we’re stronger now. No matter what, we can handle it. But we still need to be careful. We don’t want to walk into a trap.”

He glanced at Goten, who was watching them wide-eyed. “Goten, you stay here. Keep training and stay close to home. This might get serious.”

Goten frowned but nodded, trusting his father. Even if he really, really wanted to come... he's learned from Buu, and he promised his mom too.

Without hesitation, Goku pulled out his Instant Transmission technique, vanishing from the clearing in an instant, taking Gohan with.

An instant later, they reappeared. hovering a little closer to the source of that ominous ki, eyes scanning the horizon with a calm but vigilant focus.

Gohan followed, floating up beside him. "We’ll find out soon enough what’s causing this."

---

Goku and Gohan hovered just beyond the treeline, eyes narrowed, brows furrowed. They were close now, too close not to be sure, and unmistakably at the site of Dr. Gero’s old lab. But something was off. The mountain itself, the massive structure that had once housed the dreaded android research, was gone. Nothing remained but a flattened stretch of earth and scattered debris.

Gohan exchanged a puzzled glance with his father. "The mountain’s completely... gone."

"Yeah," Goku murmured, frowning deeper. "No way it just disappeared like that."

They both sharpened their senses, bracing themselves. That chaotic, overwhelming energy - twisted, mixed and strange, like Cell's - was still here. But this time, it wasn’t what they expected.

The source wasn’t a towering monster or a mechanical threat.

It was a woman.

She sat casually at a wooden table on a simple chair, legs crossed and posture relaxed. Long auburn hair tumbled over her shoulders, catching the sunlight. She wore a lab coat, but there was none of the cold mechanical menace they’d associate with a bio-android like Cell.

And yet, the energy rolling off her was sharp and unmistakably dangerous. definitely stronger than their base.

What caught them off guard even more was the scene itself. The table was covered in food, mostly sweets, cakes, pastries, colourful candies, all arranged in an almost playful manner.

Goku glanced at Gohan. "That energy that's coming from her... it definitely feels like Cell... but she doesn’t look like she’s about to destroy the world. or absorb anyone."

"Yeah," Gohan whispered back, lowering his voice. "We should keep low and watch. Could be another android... but if she’s like Cell... she’s not acting like it."

They stayed hidden, observing quietly as the woman finished off one plate. When she reached the bottom, she didn’t panic or get angry; she stood and walked over to a nearby tree, effortlessly uprooting it in one smooth motion.

"Eh?" Goku muttered, confused at what a tree would do to help.

Gohan leaned in as she carried the tree back to the table. With precise, almost casual movements, she sliced the trunk into neat sections in an instant.

And then it happened.

The chopped wood began to shimmer and pulse with a strange light, the pieces transforming before their eyes into a variety of foods, fresh fruits, meats, pastries, and more sugary treats. The table soon overflowed again.

"T-that’s... the candy beam!" Goku whispered, barely containing his surprise. After all, he would vividly remember it, considering he was once turned into candy... and his wife, and his friends, and I think you get the point.

Gohan nodded slowly, "And we couldn't sense ki either... meaning it was magic like Piccolo does... meaning she must have the cells of Majin Buu as well." That should have been alarming but considering her current actions. Maybe it doesn't have to be.

The woman sat back down and resumed eating, seemingly unfazed by their presence, or maybe just unaware, or perhaps she doesn't care. They couldn't tell.

Goku exchanged a look with Gohan. "This isn’t what I expected."

"Me too," Gohan admitted. "But whatever she is, she’s not behaving like a threat. Maybe she is a bio-android like Cell, but with fat Buu's cells instead."

Goku blinked, his head turning slowly back to the woman. "...That actually makes a lot of sense! The food obsession. The energy. And if she destroyed Gero’s lab, maybe she’s not on his side at all!"

Then, without warning, he began walking towards her with a prep in his step. "I’m gonna go talk to her!" 

Gohan’s eyes widened. "Wai- Dad, what if she’s dan-"

But he was already gone, floating casually across the field, like this was just another day and not an encounter with something that might wipe out a city.

Gohan stayed where he was, half-crouched in the trees. He sighed. Of course, his dad was doing this. his carefree confidence and endless optimism... It had worked on Piccolo. Even on Vegeta, eventually.

So he stayed back, letting Goku do what Goku did best.

Still.

"...Why do I have such a bad feeling about this?"

Chapter Text

The fork clinked softly against the plate as I popped another bite of frosted cake into my mouth, letting the sugar melt slowly on my tongue. Sweet and perfect. I closed my eyes halfway, savouring every sensation, blocking out everything else for a moment.

Of course, I'd known they were there the instant they showed up. Two guys trying to hide in a place with almost zero hiding spots. Yeah, that's gotta be a challenge. But the bigger giveaway was the two absolutely massive power signatures compared to the local wildlife. Like comparing Goku's to Vegeta's hairline. such a massive difference. 

They were crouched in the treeline like schoolboys caught doing something they shouldn't. Well, atleast Gohan was crouched. Goku… was sort of just there... being Goku. His hair alone was like a beacon. Seriously, I have to check out his hair someday. Does it have a goddamn gravitational pull?

I smirked to myself, chewing at a lazy pace. Goku and Gohan… The absurdity almost made me laugh out loud. The real-life Goku and Gohan, their grand entrances... or I suppose, grand introduction being… "hiding" behind trees like a pair of discount Loraxes.

Atleast Gohan made an effort. I know that Goku's intelligence took a hit in Super, but come on. Goku's spike-a-tron hairdo was poking out like he was auditioning for a "spot the protagonist" challenge.

Still, I decided to let them think they were being stealthy. It was kind of cute, in a way. Besides, I was curious, how long would it take for them to introduce themselves, or will they notice I know they're there? 

It didn't take long.

I felt the shift in the older one's ki before he even moved in. That's useful. 

His energy lightened, his steps easy and open, not a hint of hostility. The guy was practically whistling sunshine as he strolled toward me.

I kept eating. Didn't look up. Didn't acknowledge him. Not until he was close enough to smell the frosting.

Still didn't look up. Just wondered, between bites, if ignoring him would get me an interesting reaction. I mean, he's the Goku. 

"Hi! Nice to meet'cha!"

I didn't flinch, just slid the fork back into my slice and took another bite. Slow and deliberate.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught him leaning forward slightly, hands on his hips, smiling like we were already best friends.

well, I guess that does make sense. But the friendliness is crazy for a first meeting. 

"You've got a lot of food here," he said, tilting his head slightly as his eyes moved over the table. There was a hint of curiosity in his voice, maybe even a little admiration. "You throwin' a party or something?"

I kept eating, letting the question hang in the air for a moment. His grin got a little bigger, like he was ready to keep talking anyway. "Well, me and my son were just in the area and-"

"I know," I interrupted, my tone flat but amused.

That made him pause. "Huh?"

"You've been 'hiding' over there for a while." I nodded toward the treeline, making deliberate air quotes around the word hiding. "Although I'm not sure I'd even call it hiding. Even without sensing ki, I could still see your hair clear as day. At least your son actually tried to stay out of sight."

Goku's hand immediately went up to the top of his head, his expression shifting into one of genuine surprise, like he was only now realising the problem. "Oh… yeah, I guess it does stick out, huh?"

I pointed my fork at him. "Isn't that a good thing. The more you know." Setting it down, I stretched my fingers out, feeling the hunger creep back in the second I stopped eating. It was there, insistent, but for now, the situation was far more interesting than the food. even if I really wanted the food.

"But calling it "little" is being generous," I added with a smirk. "It's like a giant beacon. You could probably see that hair from space."

Instead of looking embarrassed, he broke into a big laugh, warm and loud. "Haha, yeah, you're probably right! Chi-Chi says the same thing sometimes." He grinned again, scratching the back of his head like he always does. "Guess I'm not much of a ninja, huh?"

I just looked at him for a moment, letting the quiet stretch between us. He didn't seem in any rush to fill it, just smiling like he had all the time in the world.

Finally, I raised an eyebrow. "So… are you gonna tell me your name, or should I just call you Spiky Hair, and your kid too. You know, basic introductions before you loiter around my lunch."

He blinked, then laughed again. "Oh, right! I'm Goku, and my son over there is Gohan!" He said with that same cheerful tone, like that should've been obvious from the start.

"Mm-hm," I said, stabbing another bite of cake. "You might wanna lead with that next time. Makes you seem more… approachable."

"Yeah, I guess so," he said, still smiling. Then, just like that, his face shifted, not exactly grim, but like he'd decided to cut right to the point. "So, uh… are you gonna destroy the planet?"

I froze mid-bite, then slowly raised an eyebrow. "Well, isn't that extremely forward. huh?"

"Well," he said without a drop of shame, "you kinda feel like a bunch of my friends. The really strong ones. Usually when somebody like that shows up, it's either to fight or to blow something up," he explained. You know, if I weren't an android, or a DNA lab baby made by Gero, it'd be very weird for this conversation to happen. 

I smirked and leaned back in my seat. "And here I thought we were just making small talk. That really makes me sad." I put on the droopiest, fakest frown I could manage before breaking into a laugh.

"Just kidding. Weeeell… I don't remember a ton, but I do know I'm extremely hungry, my name's Android 21, and I was made by that old man with the revenge complex." I twirled my fork in the air like it was a pointer. "Oh, and I'm not here to kill you or blow up the planet. Honestly, that just sounds like way too much effort."

I took another slow bite of cake, then added with a pointed look, "But if you try to eat my food, I will be forced to defend it, and that'd be bad for both of us."

Instead of being put off, his grin only grew wider. "Don't worry, I got my own food back home. Chi-Chi's the best cook. But wow, you really do eat a lot. You remind me of Majin Buu, except you don't look like you're gonna turn me into candy."

I took another bite, savouring it, then gave him a mock disappointed look. "Oh wow, aren't you rude? Comparing me to the guy who destroyed the planet. So not cool."

He immediately held up his hands, chuckling nervously. "Hey, hey, I didn't mean it like that! It's just you eat alo-"

I smirked and laughed. "I'm just messing with you. It's fine, compare me to whoever you want," I said, licking my fork. "But then it might just come true..." I teased, watching his eyes widen.

Before he could react, I burst out laughing again. "I'm just kidding!"

Goku wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, grinning like he'd just heard the best joke. "You've got a sharp tongue. I like that. Reminds me a bit of Launch when she's in that mood."

I raised an eyebrow. "Is that supposed to be a compliment or a warning?"

He chuckled warmly. "Definitely a compliment. She's tough when she needs to be, but deep down she's got a good heart."

I shrugged, taking another bite of cake. "Maybe. I'm not so sure about that, but hey, you do you."

Goku's eyes sparked with that familiar fire. "Well, if you're up for it, how about a sparring match? It's a great way to size each other up, and I could use the practice myself."

I hesitated for a moment. Fighting wasn't exactly my thing. Honestly, as much as I said I liked fighting, I couldn't; my past body was way too weak to do so. Plus, pain fucking sucks, so I'd rather not. I was about to refute before I remembered something.

Wait... I don't actually feel pain anymore. Thanks to Buu's regeneration, there's no reason I should. Plus, with Goku's genius cells and all the other mutant stuff that makes me up, maybe I could just pick it up as I go. If that's true, then I'll be having so much fun!

I set down my fork, a confident smirk curling at the corner of my mouth. "Alright. Let's see what you've got. Goku."

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.

.

From somewhere far behind us came a sharp groan.

"Goddamn it, Dad."

I glanced back and saw Gohan, arms crossed and eyes narrowed, looking like he was half exasperated and half amused.

"Seriously? You just met her, and you're already picking a fight?" Gohan muttered, shaking his head. "Can't you just talk to someone without throwing punches for once?"

I quickly turned back to Goku, knowing Goku. he didn't hear, or just didn't care.

Good. That meant the fight was starting now.

Without giving Goku a chance to react, I lunged forward and drove my fist straight at him. "En-garde!" I shouted out with a smile. Heh, always wanted to say that.

Chapter Text

Bursting forward, I poured ki into my fist, letting it coil tight against my skin. I felt the energy swirl and condense into an attack. 

The ground split under my feet as I launched, wind howling past. My fist connected squarely with Goku's chest in a sharp, concussive thoom, the physical blow alone sending a ripple through the air. Then, the second strike hit, erupting in a contained explosion right at the point of contact.

Goku's eyes widened in surprise just before the force tore him from his footing, hurling him across the field. He sailed backwards in a blur before slamming into the side of a mountain, the rock shattering on impact.

I straightened up, watching the dust plume rise from the crater I'd just made.

A slow smirk spread across my face. a feeling of accomplishment. That worked so much better than expected. Covering my fist with a ki blast gave the attack way more punch than I'd expected. 

I kept my gaze fixed on the mountain. The dust swirled lazily in the air, and for a second, nothing moved. did tha-

Then, a sudden flash of orange burst from the haze. Goku shot out like a cannonball, his aura flaring bright white for just a fraction of a second as he closed the distance in an instant. 

My eyes widened. crap! fast. I barely had time to shift my stance before his fist was already arcing toward me. I threw my arms up in a cross-block, catching the blow against my forearms.

The impact was brutal, a heavy crack echoing through the air as the shockwave blasted my hair and clothes back. My feet skidded across the ground, leaving shallow trenches in the dirt.

I held my ground, but my guard was sloppy, the angle was off, and my elbows were too wide. I felt the power of his strike pushing me back.

Then I noticed something strange. I dropped my guard slightly, half-expecting a throbbing ache in my forearms… but there was nothing. No pain. Just a brief, odd pressure where his strike landed, a faint discomfort that faded in seconds. not a single thing remaining to indicate damage.

What did remain, however, was that familiar itch, an insistent, gnawing hunger curling in my chest. The same one from before. I clenched my jaw and shoved it aside. I was having fun and was not about to let hunger ruin it.

Across from me, Goku lowered his fist, his brows lifting for just a second. He'd heard the crack, but seeing me unflinching, unfazed, and already straightening up, he seemed to decide it was nothing serious. His frown melted into an eager grin.

I rolled my shoulders once, feeling the last of that strange discomfort fade completely. Without another thought, I lunged forward again, ki flaring in sharp waves around me. Goku's eyes lit up at the sight, his stance tightening in anticipation.

I closed the distance in a blur, swinging a heavy right straight toward his face. At the last instant, he ducked low, my fist cutting through the air. Before I could recover, he drove forward, unleashing a rapid flurry of blows into my stomach, every strike landing with weight and precision.

I gritted my teeth and tanked the hits as best I could, twisting my body just enough to slam my elbow down toward the top of his head. The shot barely connected, forcing him to kick off the ground and push himself backwards, creating space.

I didn't let him get the chance. The second his feet touched the ground, I was already on him again. My foot swung in a heavy side kick aimed at his guard. The impact made a deep thud, his cross-arm block holding steady where mine would've crumbled earlier.

I flowed into a spinning roundhouse, but Goku tilted just enough to slip under the arc. His counter came instantly, a straight punch driving right for my chest. This time, I met it with a solid block. miles better than before. 

A faint grin tugged at my lips. I might not be skilled, but for some reason, learning is easier than ever. 

Before he could pull back, I snapped forward, catching his wrist with both hands. With a sharp twist of my hips, I used his own momentum against him, hauling him over my shoulder. The ground trembled with a wham as he hit the dirt, dust kicking up around us.

The instant his back hit the ground, Goku twisted, palms slapping against the dirt. He kicked his legs up, flipping backwards in a fluid recovery that flowed straight into a lunging strike. His fist shot forward, a move meant to catch an opponent off guard before they could capitalise on their own attack.

But I was careful and anticipated this. 

Even as he closed the gap, I was already pulling ki into my palm, the energy growing and staying close. The moment his fist came within reach, I thrust my hand forward and fired.

A bright sphere of energy erupted from my palm, colliding with Goku's punch in a sharp, deafening crack. The force of the blast sent a shockwave rippling through the air, whipping up dust and flattening the grass around us. His attack stalled, and I could see a flicker of surprise in his eyes as the impact pushed him back and left a faint mark on his fist. 

Without hesitation, I seized the moment, swinging my leg in a swift arc toward his side. The kick connected solidly, driving him sideways with a grunt.

Goku barely had time to recover before I was already closing the distance, gathering ki into my palm. I released a focused burst right into his stomach, sending him crashing into the ground.

He stayed down for only a moment before springing back to his feet, a wide grin cutting across his face. Wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth, he laughed under his breath. "Not bad," he said, eyes alight with excitement. "You learn quick… but let's see you handle this."

The air shifted as he planted his feet. His aura swelled, white energy flaring and crackling around him. The ground trembled under the sudden spike in power, pebbles and dust lifting into the air. He let out a sharp, focused shout, forcing every ounce of his strength into his base form.

Before the echo faded, he was already gone, vanishing in a blur of orange and blue. My eyes barely caught the flicker of movement before the rush of displaced air slammed into me. He was faster, much faster than before.

The first hit caught me square in the ribs, a sharp hook that drove the air from my lungs. I tried to turn into it, but the second strike was already there, a brutal shot to my side that sent me stumbling. A third clipped my jaw before I could regain my footing, my vision flashing white for a heartbeat.

I threw my arms up, catching the next blow on my forearms, but the force still drove me back. He came from every angle, fists and feet landing in rapid, punishing bursts. I could barely track him, only reacting at the last possible moment, each block a fraction too slow.

Then something inside me shifted. Each hit, each attack, each part that regenerated only fed into the heat building inside me. Frustration boiled up, tangled with a gnawing, insistent need. I wanted to eat. I wanted to consume. Power started bubbling through my veins, and with every strike he landed, I felt myself grow stronger. The beatdown wasn't wearing me down, it let me grow. 

My breathing steadied. My eyes locked on his movements with a clarity I didn't remember ever having.

The next strike came in high. I caught it clean, twisting my wrist to redirect the force harmlessly past my shoulder.The one after grazed my cheek instead of my jaw.Then another, aimed low, met my knee instead of my stomach with a solid crack.

It was still rough, but I was getting faster. My guard was tightening. My footing grew steadier. His hits no longer tossed me around like before.

A deep hunger curled tighter in my chest, burning hotter with each exchange. My instincts screamed to push harder, to close in, to take. to satiate the hunger, to consume. To let my instincts fight through the hunger. And the more I listened, the better I fought. My blocks turned into deflections. My deflections into dodges. My dodges into counterattacks, each one hitting harder than the last.

But somewhere in the rush, my thoughts began to blur. I wasn't thinking about technique anymore. I wasn't thinking about learning. I was thinking about the way his energy felt when it brushed against mine. I was thinking about the strength behind every strike, every attack.

I was thinking about how good it would take taste.

H̶o̶w̶ ̶f̶i̶l̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶w̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶c̶o̶n̶s̶u̶m̶e̶ ̶h̶i̶m̶

My eyes widened. What was I thinking? I shook my head hard, forcing the thought back, but the hunger still lingered anyway.

Goku lunged in, fist aiming for my head. I slipped under it, twisting with the momentum, and drove my palm straight into his stomach. The blow folded him forward with a grunt, his breath leaving in a sharp gasp. Before he could recover, I caught his leg mid-step, muscles straining as I hauled him over my shoulder and hurled him toward the mountain.

The rock face cracked and cratered as he slammed into it, dust and rubble cascading down. I didn't give him a second to breathe. A quick flick of my wrist sent a small ki blast screaming toward him, detonating against the debris in a sharp flash.

The shockwave faded, and I floated upward, both hands cupping together at my side."Ka… me…" I began, dark ki gathering in my palms, swirling into a blackish-purple sphere of ki.

Below, Goku stepped free of the rubble, his own hands cupping to his side, a grin marking his face, "Kaaa… me…" His familiar blue-white light flared to life. "Haaa... me..."

Our voices overlapped.
"Haa!""Haa!"

We fired at the same instant. My beam tore forward, a spiralling lance of black and violet, clashing with his brilliant wave of blue. The air shook under the collision, the ground tearing open beneath us as the beams pushed and ground against each other. The shockwaves rolled out in concentric waves, flattening the grass and splitting boulders apart.

For a moment, the struggle seemed even. I pushed harder, pouring more energy into the attack, my hands aching from the force. But Goku's beam surged, burning brighter, roaring louder. The wave swallowed mine piece by piece until the blue light consumed the black.

The blast hit me dead on, the force ripping me from the air like a ragdoll. Heat seared across my skin as the world blurred into streaks of light and noise. I slammed into the ground hard, skidding across the dirt until I finally came to a stop. A thick cloud of dust billowed up around me, the scent of scorched earth filling my lungs.

Blinking against the haze, I forced my hands under me, pushing against the trembling ground. My legs straightened, knees wobbling as I tried to rise, only for my strength to falter. I dropped back to the dirt with a sharp grunt, my body refusing to listen.

.

.

.

Goku hovered down a few feet away, staring at me with a flicker of concern. He tilted his head slightly. "Huh… guess I might've overdone it."

From the sidelines, Gohan's voice rang out, sharp with irritation. "Dad! What the heck? It was supposed to be a spar! You didn't need to hit her with that much power!"

Goku rubbed the back of his neck, giving a sheepish grin. "Heh… yeah, maybe I went a little hard. But I could tell she could take it. She's tough. Like buu." His eyes glanced back at me. "I mean, look at her, she's still conscious," he reasoned.

"I don't think she is," Gohan shot back, frowning. "You really need to think before-"

A sudden surge of energy ripped through the air, cutting him off mid-sentence.

The ground beneath me cracked, massive amounts of ki flaring outward in wild, uncontrolled bursts. The air turned heavy, almost suffocating, as the sky above flickered with pink and black light.

Both Goku and Gohan spun toward me, eyes narrowing at the sight of a writhing mass of black and pink ki enveloping my body. The pressure built higher, higher, until-

A blinding flash of white exploded outward.

When the light faded, the ground around me was scorched and smoking. My body lay motionless in the centre of a shallow crater.

Gohan's expression softened with relief. "She's fi-"

He stopped. Slowly, his eyes lifted.

Floating above the crater was… me. But not me. My skin was a smooth pink, my hair a bright, flowing white, and my eyes dark with a sharp black sclera. Power radiated off me in waves, each one pulsing with a sickly-sweet hunger.

Goku's brow furrowed. "That… doesn't feel like her ki from before."

The transformed me drifted down, stopping just above my other self. My lips curled into a slow, predatory smile, all teeth and intent. A faint pink glow swirled in my palm, twisting with an unnatural pulse.

In an instant, the body at my feet warped and shrank, compressed into a small, flawless sphere of chocolate. It rolled into my hand, warm from the energy still trapped inside.

Goku and Gohan froze, the realisation slamming into them like a freight train. This scene was familiar. This has already happened before.

I turned the chocolate over once between my fingers, then popped it into my mouth. A soft, satisfied hum slipped past my lips as I chewed.

And they let it happen again.

The earth shook.

A crushing wave of pressure erupted outward, blasting across the landscape. Her aura exploded into existence, a raging pillar of pink shot through with a sick, twisting black. The ground cracked and split beneath her feet, the sky darkening at the edges of the horizon.

And then, just as suddenly, the storm condensed back into her.

She lifted her gaze to Goku and smiled, bright and almost friendly. "Perfect. I feel so much better now." Her tongue slid across her lips, the look in her eyes sharpening like a blade. "Now…"

"Kaioken!"

Her aura doubled in size, a violent red ripping through the black and pink. The ground burst apart under the pressure. In the blink of an eye, she was gone.

She reappeared in front of Gohan before he could react, her fist burying itself in his gut with a sound like a cannon going off. His body folded, and the shockwave blasted the dust clear for miles.

An instant later, he was airborne, no, not just airborne, but sent flying through mountain after mountain, each one exploding into rubble in his path. By the time his body finally skidded to a stop far in the distance, the silence left in her wake was deafening.

"One down."

.

.

.

Chapter Text

Goku's head snapped toward the distant plume of dust where Gohan had disappeared. His voice tore from his throat, "GOHAN!" a shout raw with panic.

The echo rolled across the broken landscape, but there was no answer, only the settling rumble of collapsed mountains. His fists clenched, knuckles whitening as his jaw tightened.

"Damn it…" he muttered under his breath, the edge in his tone unlike his usual calm. His eyes narrowed on Android 21, the easygoing light in them gone, replaced by something cold and sharp.

Her smile only widened under his glare. "Worried? Don't be, I can't be having my snacks dying on me. wouldn't want that to happen, do we~" her voice linting with cruel amusement "you're welcome by the way~" she teased.

Goku didn't reply. His stance shifted, feet bracing, his aura beginning to crackle with raw, golden energy. Lightning snapped into life around him as the ground trembled. In a single heartbeat, his power spiked, his hair flaring into gold, eyes blazing teal. The air shook with the force of his ki.

"Super Saiyan Two…" he said quietly, almost to himself, before fixing her with a steady glare. "If you think I'm letting you do that again… you're wrong."

Android 21 tilted her head, watching the golden arcs dance around him. She let out a small, mocking chuckle. "Super Saiyan Two? Oh, how amusing, Goku…" She gave a slow, deliberate shake of her head. "Cute. But it won't be enough."

Her own aura flared in response, the pink-and-black storm roaring back into existence, matching his pressure and then pushing beyond it. The air between them distorted, the grass beneath their feet burning away to ash.

Neither moved for a beat.

Then-

Bang!

The space between them vanished in an instant, their fists colliding with a thunderclap that sent shockwaves rolling out for miles. The ground caved in beneath their feet, fragments of stone whipping through the air.

Goku twisted, driving a knee toward her side, but she caught it on her forearm and countered with a backhand that sent him skidding across the battlefield. He flipped midair, landing on one knee, only to blur forward again, his speed doubled, fists flying in a relentless flurry.

Android 21 weaved through his strikes with unnerving ease, her own counters landing just hard enough to sting, her smirk never fading. "Faster. Harder. You'll have to try much more than that," she was playing with him, still enjoying the fight, toying with him.

Goku gritted his teeth, the arcs of lightning around him flaring brighter."Oh, I'm just getting started."

They vanished again, colliding midair in a storm of blows, each impact shaking the sky, each clash throwing light across the shattered horizon.

Their fists met again and again, each blow ringing out like steel on steel. Shockwaves tore through the air with every trade, the ground beneath them splintering into jagged craters. Goku's strikes were relentless, jabs, hooks, maybe even a spinning backfist, but 21 met them all with equal force, her smirk never faltering.

"Not bad," she said between impacts, her voice playful even as the air shook around them.

Then, just as their punches met in another deafening collision, she suddenly dropped low, her knees brushing the cracked earth. Goku's next strike cut through empty air.

She tilted her head up at him, giving a sly, knowing grin. "Oops. Missed me. try again!"

Before he could move, she brought two fingers to her forehead, her smirk deepening. "Or not, see ya in a second." And in the blink of an eye, she was gone.

"Instant transmission..." Goku muttered before letting his eyes dart across the battlefield, straining his senses so as not to get sneak-attacked. But sadly, the efforts were for nought, as a pressure tugged at his leg. He glanced down just in time to see a pink and smooth tail coiled tightly around his ankle.

"Wha-?!" 

"What a catch!" he heard her say before she wrenched him upside down and swung him through the air like a ragdoll. Once. Twice. A dizzying blur of rotations before she suddenly hurled him skyward with enough force to rattle the clouds.

"And ready for take off!"

wrenched him upside down and swung him through the air like a ragdoll. Once. Twice. A dizzying blur of rotations before she suddenly hurled him skyward with enough force to rattle the clouds.

"Alright… aaaand, alley-oop!" she called, and with a playful underhand toss, she launched the blazing sphere straight into the sky after him.

The ball of energy soared upward, a streak of pink-white light cutting across the heavens.

For a brief, breathless moment, everything went silent.

Then the world lit up.

A blinding flash swallowed the sky, followed by a rumbling roar that rolled across the land. The shockwave hit seconds later, slamming into the earth and flattening what little remained of the nearby forest. The ground quaked under the sheer force, dust and debris scattering like leaves in a storm.

When the glare finally bled from the sky, only a single column of smoke remained, twisting into the upper atmosphere like a scar.

Her eyes traced the fading trail, spotting the faint, flickering silhouette of Goku still moving far above.

"Hm…" she tapped her chin, feigning thought. "Pretty sure that wasn't the right basketball move…" Her lips curled into a slow, satisfied smirk. "But it's fine," her tail swayed lazily behind her, "I've got all the time in the world to play with my food." A finger raised to her forehead, and a second later, she vanished.

---

Piccolo sat cross-legged in the shade of a jagged rock formation, the desert wind whistling softly across the barren land. His eyes were closed, his breathing steady, mind sinking deeper into meditation. 

He had followed Gohan and Goku earlier when they went to check on the strange new android, curious enough to observe from a distance. But after hearing Goku inevitably turn the meeting into a sparring match, Piccolo had decided there was no point sticking around. 

So he'd returned to his "home" in the desert close enough to Kami's Lookout that he could keep tabs on things, far enough that no one would come bothering him.

But then… it hit him.

A pressure so heavy it nearly stole his breath slammed into his senses, a ki signature unlike anything he'd felt in years. Massive. Dense. And wrong. It burned with pure malice, like a black fire searing at the edges of his mind. It dwarfed Majin Buu's power, coiling and twisting in a way that made his skin crawl.

Before he could fully process it, the power spiked again. Another explosion of energy, sharper and more dangerous, eclipsing even Super Buu's terrifying strength.

Piccolo's eyes snapped open just in time to feel another disturbance, Gohan's ki vanishing in an instant. Not fading. Not weakening. Just… gone. so low that he couldn't track it.

The sudden emptiness in his senses was like a punch to the gut.

His head whipped toward the source, and there, high in the sky. he saw a small, tumbling figure hurtling toward the desert. His student.

Gohan.

Piccolo didn't waste a single heartbeat. He launched into the air, vanishing from his meditation spot in a blur. In moments, he was standing on the worn wooden platform of Korin Tower, snatching half the remaining senzu beans (6) from the pot before Korin could even ask what was going on.

In the next instant, he was kneeling beside Gohan's crumpled form in the sand, the young half-Saiyan's body battered and still. Piccolo pressed the bean into his hand, his voice low but firm.

"Eat it. Now."

---

Gohan sat up slowly, the last traces of the Senzu Bean's magic mending the bruises and aches in his body. His breathing steadied, and the pallor in his face gave way to healthier colour. Piccolo remained crouched beside him, arms folded, his sharp gaze scanning Gohan's expression for any lingering weakness.

When Gohan finally met his eyes, Piccolo's voice was calm, but there was a weight in it that made it clear he was already bracing for bad news."What happened?"

Gohan exhaled, his shoulders sagging slightly. "It… it started normal. Dad met her, the android, and she didn't seem dangerous at all. She was calm, smiling, not a trace of anything evil. But of course, Dad asked her to fight."

Piccolo gave a small grunt. "Of course he did."

"They went at it for a while, and she was strong. Really strong. But Dad managed to push her back… I thought that was it. I was even a little worried about her." Gohan's eyes darkened. "But then… she split in two."

Piccolo's head tilted slightly. "Split?"

"Yeah. One half, the good one, I guess, didn't even fight back. The other half… she was different. Her energy felt wrong, twisted. She turned the good half into… into some kind of candy, just like Buu used to."

Piccolo's frown deepened, his eyes narrowing. "She ate her. I see. Exactly like how Super Buu was created."

Gohan nodded grimly. "Yeah. Exactly like that. But it was worse. The moment she did it, her power spiked way past what she had before. It was like… every shred of restraint just vanished."

Piccolo's voice dropped lower, his tone hard. "And that's when she went after you."

"Yeah," Gohan said, his voice heavy. "Before Dad or I could react, her aura turned blood-red and exploded outward. In the next instant, she was right in front of me. No warning. No time to block. I didn't even see her strike, I just felt the impact, and then… I was here."

Piccolo crossed his arms, his gaze drifting toward the distant horizon. "If she's truly like Buu, she'll be looking to absorb or turn us into candy. We need to get to Goku now. He will not be able to hand-"

A deafening boom split the air.

A blinding light erupted across the sky, followed by a violent shockwave that tore across the desert. Sand exploded upward in swirling clouds, the ground trembling beneath them.

Both warriors shot into the air instantly.

"Damn it," Piccolo barked, scanning the source of the light. "That does not look good. Come on!"

Without another word, they streaked toward the growing chaos in the distance.

Chapter Text

The battlefield was a wasteland. Craters stretched as far as the eye could see, smoke rising from blackened earth. At the centre of it all, Goku stood hunched, his breath ragged, his gi torn and blood-stained. His body trembled with each breath, every muscle screaming from the punishment he'd taken. His hair was back to normal, no longer golden. too damaged to use it.

Android 21 stood opposite him, her pink aura blazing like wildfire, tail flicking lazily from side to side. Her golden eyes glinted with amusement as she tilted her head, studying her prey.

She smirked. "Still up? How very durable of you."

In a flash, she lunged forward, her heel slamming into Goku's ribs with enough force to send him spiralling skyward. Before he could recover, she raised two fingers to her lips and fired a thin, gleaming beam that zigged and zagged across the air.

"Candy beam."

The crimson-pink light zagged through the air towards Goku, but a blinding white aura intercepted in the blink of an eye.

Ultimate Gohan's ki-coated fist tore through the beam, dispersing it in an instant. Without hesitation, he thrust his palm forward, unleashing a golden wave of energy that slammed into 21's guard and forced her back a step.

In the same motion, Gohan darted upward, catching Goku mid-fall. He set him down gently on a patch of ground just outside the main blast zone, already pulling a Senzu Bean from his belt.

"Eat it, Dad," he said firmly, pressing it into Goku's palm.

Goku didn't waste a second. The instant the Senzu Bean hit his tongue, its magic flooded through him like a tidal wave. Torn muscle stitched back together, bruises faded, and his energy roared to life. His eyes snapped open, his jaw tightening into a grim frown.

Across the battlefield, 21 casually brushed a bit of dust from her shoulder, her lips curling into an amused grin. "It seems the little teacher finally stepped in to save his pupil," she said lightly, her gaze flicking toward Piccolo in the distance. "How wonderful…" her gaze drifted back to the orange-wearing pair, "now I get twice the entertainment. Let's see just how much play a father-son duo can handle."

"We're not here to play," Gohan said coldly, his voice cutting through the tense air as he stepped forward, eyes locked on 21 with unshakable focus.

Beside him, Goku's expression shifted - no longer relaxed, but tight with exertion. His golden aura stirred at first like a faint breeze, then deepened into a fierce burn. His fists clenched, the ground trembling beneath his feet as the pressure in the air thickened. The transformation began

His teeth ground together, muscles tightening like coiled steel. Cracks spiderwebbed outward from his stance as golden light surged upward, spiraling around him in a storm of energy. His hair began to grow, each strand lengthening as it shifted between molten gold and black. Lightning tore through the aura in blinding arcs, the sound sharp enough to rattle stone.

With a roar that split the sky, the transformation reached its peak. The storm of energy settled just enough to reveal him.

Super Saiyan 3

His mane of golden hair flowed behind him, browless eyes heavied and sharp as they locked onto the majin's figure. 

She smiled, "Now that's better."

Before the words had even left her lips, Goku was already in motion. He closed the distance in an instant, his first punch meeting her guard with a shockwave that sent dust and debris surging outward. Gohan joined the fray a heartbeat later, diving in from the side with a fierce kick aimed at her ribs.

21 blocked with her forearm, twisting to drive an elbow toward Goku's head, only for him to duck low and counter with a rising uppercut. She spun away, her tail lashing out toward Gohan like a whip, but he caught it mid-swing and yanked her forward.

Goku was there waiting, slamming a double-fisted blow into her midsection that forced her back several meters through the air.

She skidded to a stop, grinning wider, and before they could press the advantage, she blurred forward, fists flying in a flurry of strikes that forced both father and son to defend at full speed.

Goku was there waiting, slamming a double-fisted blow into her midsection that forced her back several meters through the air.

She skidded to a stop, grin stretching wider across her face, eyes glittering with challenge. Before either of them could press in, her aura flared crimson "Kaioken!"

The sudden surge of speed was jarring, as one instant she was still, the next she had slammed shoulder-first into Gohan, sending him spinning through the air. The red aura soon dissipates right after.

Goku intercepted her before she could chase, the two exchanging rapid-fire blows that cracked the air with every impact. She parried a punch, pivoted, and vanished completely.

Goku intercepted her before she could chase, the two exchanging rapid-fire blows that cracked the air with every impact. She parried a punch, pivoted, and vanished completely.

"Where-" Goku's head turned, but before he could finish, her voice purred behind him, teasing. "Too slow, monkey boy." 

Her foot crashed into his back, launching him forward, but he caught himself mid-flight, spinning around with a fierce kick of his own. She blocked, laughing, and vanished again.

This time, she reappeared right in Gohan's blind spot. He barely caught the glimmer of crimson light before she crashed into him with a Kaioken-boosted strike to the gut, folding him over. She was gone again before he hit the ground, materialising a meter behind Goku with a smug, "Miss me?"

He didn't answer with words; his elbow shot backwards, but she ducked low, tail snaking around his ankle. With a yank, she pulled him off balance, darted around, and aimed a rising knee toward his chin. Goku caught her knee, but her free hand fired a point-blank ki blast into his chest, sending him sliding back across the air.

She gave them a mock bow, crimson aura still burning. "Come on, you two… I thought Saiyans loved a good fight. But this is disappointing."

Gohan's eyes narrowed. "You talk too much." He shot forward, aura flaring bright, forcing her to clash with him in a rapid exchange of punches and kicks. Goku recovered and joined in, and for a moment, the three blurred across the battlefield in a storm of movement, none giving an inch.

But every time they thought they had her cornered, she would smirk, touch two fingers to her forehead, and vanish again, always reappearing where it hurt most. And with each flash of crimson, her strikes hit harder than ever, forcing them to work in perfect sync just to keep from being overwhelmed.

The fight escalated into a blur of movement and light. Goku, now fully locked in, used Instant Transmission not just to close gaps, but to avoid her blistering strikes. One moment her fist would be centimetres from his jaw, and the next, he'd vanish in a flicker, reappearing behind her with a kick or a palm strike.

"Not bad, old man!" 21 laughed, ducking under one of Goku's counters with a playful smirk. "Glad to see you still remember to use all your techniques. Makes this so much less boring."

Her taunt earned a sharp glare before Goku dropped low, cupping his hands to his side. "Kame… hame…"

His aura surged, golden light intensifying until the ground below warped from the sheer pressure. "HAAAA!"

A massive wave of blue ki erupted forward, tearing across the battlefield in a roaring torrent. Just before it struck, Goku vanished in an instant, reappearing above her with the beam closing in from behind.

21 spun at the last second, firing a precise ki blast into the wave to knock herself off its direct path. The manoeuvre saved her from the worst of it, but the edge still grazed her—vaporising her arm in a burst of steam and pink sparks.

She didn't even glance at the damage. Instead, she ducked under Goku's descending axe kick and drove her fist into his gut with a sharp thud, folding him over. Flipping back, she landed lightly, her grin widening.

"Ohoho… That one actually hurt me! Well played," she said mockingly. "Great job… for a fossil. But still, you're too slow." Her arm regenerated in a blink, muscle, bone, and skin knitting back together until it was as if the injury had never happened.

She planted her foot, voice rising in a snarl. "KAIOKEN!" Her aura exploded into a blazing red inferno. "Times three!"

The air rippled around her as she blurred forward, darting on a sharp diagonal past Goku so quickly he lost track of her. In the next instant, she appeared behind him, unleashing a massive, fire-like blast reminiscent of Vegeta's attacks. It swelled larger and larger before detonating, engulfing Goku and hurling him across the sky, battered and smoking.

"Bye-bye, Goku~" she waved mockingly, her grin never fading. Her gaze snapped to Gohan.

He barely had time to register what happened before she vanished and appeared at his back. A brutal fist slammed into his spine, but before his body could fly away, her tail coiled around his ankle, yanking him back. She spun, flinging him high into the air.

"Batter's up!" she sang.

As he fell, her boot smashed into his face, sending him rocketing straight into his father.

"Aww… looks like they're both down," she said sweetly. "Guess that means the green man will have to step in… or—" She cupped her hands to her side, her grin twisting into something feral. "They'll be turned to ash. Kaaaaaaa…"

Piccolo arrived in a blur, kneeling beside Goku and Gohan, frantically pressing a Senzu Bean into Goku's mouth. 21 wasn't concerned in the slightest. Her eyes stayed locked on them as the pink-and-black energy between her hands swelled.

"Meeeeee…"

Her voice dripped with satisfaction.

"Haaaaaa…"

The attack reached full charge, the air trembling.

"Meeee-"

But before she could finish, a sharp, familiar voice cut through the chaos.

"Not today!"

A point-blank Galick Gun erupted from above, slamming directly into her head. The blast lit the battlefield, tearing up the ground in a massive shockwave.

When the dust finally settled, the charred edges of her head were already knitting back together. She didn't move. Pink eyes narrowed, locking onto the newcomer like a predator spotting fresh prey.

Vegeta floated above, hair blazing gold, lightning snapping across his aura, thin trails of smoke curling from his outstretched hands.

Her lips curved into a slow, amused smile. "Oh… the oh-so-mighty prince of pride decides to grace me with his presence. What's the matter? Too busy sulking about being a weakling? Tell me, what can you do?" Her voice dripped with mockery, every word meant to sting.

Vegeta's eyes stayed locked on hers, cold and sharp, his fists tightening until the air around them quivered. A faint smirk tugged at his mouth, his voice like a blade drawn from its sheath.

"Well, look at you. Pink fluff with an attitude. How original." His gaze swept over her, full of disdain. "What are you supposed to be? A Majin Buu knockoff with better hair?" He folded his arms, unimpressed.

Her smile only widened. "Oh? The little prince still has ego and spine left? Adorable. Even knowing you're nothing compared to the rest, you still cling to that pride. Don't worry… I'll fix it."

She was gone before the last word left her lips.

Her fist slammed into his gut with bone-rattling force, folding him over before he could react. A backhand followed, sending him spinning through the air. She appeared behind him mid-flight, driving her knee into his ribs, then hammering him into the ground hard enough to leave a crater.

Vegeta staggered to his feet only to take a ki blast to the chest, the explosion tossing him across the battlefield like a ragdoll. She chased him lazily, her strikes precise but casual, like a cat toying with a mouse. Then, with a final spinning kick, she launched him across the valley.

Vegeta's battered body crashed down in front of Goku, Gohan, and Piccolo.

---

The three of them tensed instantly as Vegita's body crashed.

Piccolo spoke, "She's toying with us. If we don't find a way to stop her, she's going to pick us off one at a time."

Goku frowned. "Yeah... she's way faster than I thought. And stronger. And with her able to use our techniques like Cell..." His voice trailed off, grim. His gaze lifted toward the sky, where 21 hovered high above with a crooked grin and a lazy wave. Her tail swayed through the air in slow arcs, almost taunting him, before his eyes drifted back to his son.

Gohan's expression was tight. "If she's anything like Buu, we can't let her drag this out. She can regenerate, and she's got way too much energy. She'll never get tired like we can."

That was exactly why she had tossed Vegeta their way, partly to have fun, partly to stall. maybe.

Without warning, her form shimmered into existence in front of them, eyes bright with amusement. "Well, well, well... it seems you're all plotting against me." She tilted her head, her grin widening. "How about this." Her tone dropped, playful yet with an undertone of sharpness "I'll give you a minute, one whole minute. Try to figure something out. But when time's up..." Her gaze cut toward Vegeta, her smile turning razor-sharp. "I'm making sure the princess learns his place."

Her palm rose, a sudden ki blast exploding into the ground at their feet, kicking up a choking cloud of dirt and dust. Vision vanished in an instant.

When the dust began to settle, a single voice cut through the air, sing-song and mocking.

"Tick... tock." 

She was gone.

Off in the distance, far across the forest, they could just make out her figure casually strolling among the trees, turning them into sweets with a flick of her hand.

They looked back at each other, their expressions grim.

They had no plan. No opening. No way to beat her, and fusion was "out", because no potara. Even with this time gained with her arrogance, they had no mode of attack. 

Which left one clear conclusion.

"...We're screwed," Goku muttered.

"Damn it," Gohan growled.

Chapter Text

21 sat at a (perfectly crafted) small table, legs crossed, a porcelain teacup resting delicately in one hand. With the other, she plucked up tiny confections from a silver dish - chocolate spheres, hard candies (yes, she is chomping down on mini jawbreakers), bite-sized pastries, savouring each delicacy as if the world around her wasn't on the verge of being torn apart.

Far off in the distance, the group huddled together, their voices urgent. She chuckled at their words of sorrow and defeat but decided that she shouldn't bother listening. 

They could talk. They could plot. They could scream and shout and throw ideas around like desperate little children. None of it would matter.

In her opinion, the conclusion was simple: they couldn't beat her. not now, and she'd make sure not ever.

The thought almost bored her. In fact, that was the only reason she hadn't already turned them all into candy and ended the game, because then it would be over. No more chase. No more anticipation. They were the only ones who could ever give her a challenge. 

Her tail swayed lazily as she set the teacup down, savouring one last sip before glancing at an unseen clock in her head. The minute was nearly gone.

They weren't strong enough. And even if they were… the Kaioken was a very useful tool, one that became much greater in my hands. She thought idly. She never even needed to go beyond the base kaioken to beat them. let alone x2 or x3. 

She rose without hurry, extending her palm behind her. A sharp flick of ki later, the table, chair, and cup erupted in a perfectly controlled explosion, the shrapnel vaporised before it even touched the ground.

She stretched her arms above her head, her expression casual.

"Alright…" she murmured, a smile curling at her lips. "...let's see how long you last."

And with that, she blurred from sight, the dust struggling to catch up seconds later.

---

The group stood in a tight circle, voices low but heated. A discussion about the cell knock off with the Buu DLC slapped in.

"There's no way I'd-" Vegeta's voice was cut short by the sharp crack of impact as a light kick sent him rocketing upward, the force so clean and precise that he shot straight through the atmosphere like a bullet.

She appeared where he had been standing a heartbeat earlier, tail swaying behind her. "Time's up," she said sweetly, eyes glinting. "The princess needs his bedtime now. I keep promises after all."

Before anyone could respond, she tilted her head, almost as if savouring the moment, then vanished in a ripple of air, her trail of ki arcing high into the sky after Vegeta.

The ground seemed quieter without her presence, though only for a second.

Gohan let out the breath he didn't realise he'd been holding. "She's… playing with us," he said quietly, almost like admitting it made it worse.

Goku's eyes stayed fixed upward, tracking the faint trace of her energy. His voice was calm, but that calm had a steel core. "Yeah… but that means we've got one shot while she's distracted holding back."

Piccolo's gaze flicked between them.

Goku finally looked at him. "Alright, Piccolo. We've got the plan. You can count on us not to mess it up."

Piccolo didn't so much as blink. He gave a single, firm nod. "Make sure it counts." 

The air around him warped as his aura flared, emerald light surging outward in a violent ripple. In the next instant, he launched himself skyward, cutting through the clouds in a sharp, unwavering line toward the fight above. (Man, he's so cool.) (neeeeerd!) (D:)

Goku and Gohan, however... stayed rooted in place. They weren't following. Not because Vegeta didn't need the help - because lord knows how many broken bones and shattered egos he'll have at the end of this - but because... they had a plan. that has a 99.99999% working.

What's that 0.00001% remaining chance, you ask? Well, if Gohan has or hasn't learned to DODGE 

---

High above the forest, Vegeta's boots ground to a halt in midair, the sheer force of his stop cracking the air around him. He spun in time to see her materialise just a few feet away, floating effortlessly, tail curling like a cat that had already cornered the mouse.

"Well, Vegeta, was the ride rough?" she purred, voice dripping with mock sympathy. "You've certainly… travelled far. Would you mind rating the trip? Perhaps if you were better, you would've arrived at your first win."

"Tch! Don't you dare underestimate me!" he snarled, aura roaring to life in a violent golden blaze. His power spiked sharply, the sky darkening for an instant as his energy pushed outward. "I'm not some weakling you can-guh!"

She moved before he could finish, a pink blur flickering across his vision. The next thing he knew, a sharp jab landed squarely in his gut. Not a devastating blow, but enough to knock a little wind out. 

"Sorry, were you saying something?" she asked sweetly, "I promise to strike before you can speak."

Vegeta grit his teeth and swung, a flurry of precise, vicious blows, each one carrying enough force to level a mountain. She dodged without breaking a sweat, weaving through his offence like a touhou player who had memorised his every attack pattern.

"Predictable." weave "Predictable." weave "Oh! That one was slightly less predictable," she continued to mock as she tilted backwards to let his fist pass harmlessly by her cheek, "but still not a passing grade~ how disappointing."

With a flick of her wrist, she smacked the side of his head, sending him spinning end-over-end through the air. Before he could recover, she appeared above him, heel slamming into his chest and driving him down several hundred meters. The air boomed from the impact, shockwaves rippling through the clouds.

He caught himself mid-fall, teeth bared, hair bristling with rage. "You think this is a game?!"

"Obviously," she said, spoken like the truth. "Anything's just a game when the prince of L's is involved."

His aura flared hotter, golden flames whipping violently around him, but her smirk didn't fade. If anything, it sharpened. "Ooooo~ it seems the little pwincess is angy. Awe… does someone need their nap time?"

He let out an enraged scream before actually expressing his words through the English lexicon. "HOW DARE YOU MOCK ME!!" he roared, the sound shaking the air.

His aura flared hotter, crackling violently, the gold deepening as rage flooded his veins. his ki spiked in a sudden burst, and with a flash, he launched himself at her, cutting through the sky like a blazing spear.

Far ahead, 21 didn't move to dodge. She simply hovered there, arms spread wide as if welcoming him, daring him to strike her. The smirk on her lips made it clear she wasn't bracing for impact; she was inviting it, mocking him without a word.

The gap between them vanished in a blink, Vegeta's fist screaming toward her face with enough force to rattle the mountains below. For a split second, it looked like the hit landed, his knuckles lined up perfectly with her smirking face.

But reality was cruel to the arrogant. (aka vegita and vegita alone.)

His punch was frozen in place, trembling, stopped dead just millimetres from her skin. A faint pink glow shimmered between them, the air humming with energy now revealed. The ki barrier, thin as paper, rippled with hexagonal patterns, covering the entire front half of her body.

Her eyes slid from his clenched fist up to his furious face. "Aw, so close. Is something wrong? Are you enraged? Angered? Don't be. A weakling has no use for rage."

The barrier contracted in a flash, then detonated outward like a controlled explosion. The blast smashed into Vegeta point-blank, hurling him backwards through the air. His fist, once ready for violence, now well done in hue as slight burns covered his knuckles. 

Far above, 21 tilted her head slightly, as though evaluating a mildly interesting lab experiment. "Maybe I won't have to do anything, you'd just defeat yourself,"

Vegeta's boots ground against the air as he killed his backwards momentum, teeth clenched, eyes burning. In his uninjured hand, a ball of searing gold began to form, sparks snapping and spitting like an unstable star.

"Let's see you block THIS!" he snarled, the sphere swelling until it roared with power. 

21 didn't flinch, didn't react. She floated there, head slightly tilted, watching him like someone indulging a child trying to lift a weight twice their size.

He thrust his palm forward, the blast screaming toward her with enough force to detonate the planet if it landed. 

The light washed over her, swallowing her silhouette

Only for the glare to fade and reveal her still floating in place, the attack caught in her outstretched hand. Fingers curled lazily around the churning sphere, its destructive force compressing like a balloon being squeezed.

"Mm. How Warm," she said flatly. And then she squeezed harder. The orb imploded with a sound like shattering glass, the resulting shockwave snapping the clouds into ribbons. The backlash slammed into Vegeta, spinning him head over heels once again.

She sighed, shaking her head. "If this is all you've got, bedtime's coming sooner than I thoug-" She was about to finish her taunt when a sudden crackle split the air. Her head snapped to the side just in time to catch a gleaming, focused beam hurtling straight for her.

Piccolo hovered there, arms extended, energy coiling around his fingers like a living whip. "Special Beam Cannon!" he bellowed, the ki spike piercing the clouds with deadly precision.

21's eyes widened. With a twist of her body, she let the beam graze only half her face, the rest barely missing her. Sparks danced along her skin where the energy seared past, smoke curling upward. Her smirk faltered for a moment, just enough to let Vegeta catch it. Then, brushing off the heat, she tilted her head. "Well, if it isn't the resident Namekian. How… delightful of you to finally get involved." Her tone was sugary, but her words cut sharper than any blade. "Congratulations, you've managed to do more damage than Vegeta has all fight." She flicked her head back, eyes glinting. "Goes to show just how useless he really is."

She hovered there, lazily waiting, as if daring the next move. Vegeta gritted his teeth, chest heaving, while Piccolo's eyes narrowed, watching at the calm before the storm.

"Now," she said softly, almost lazily, "who wants to try next?" Her smirk widened. Vegeta didn't answer. His fists clenched, aura flickering as he fought to steady himself, searching for an opening that wasn't there. The battlefield felt smaller, the air heavier, as if it were bending around her. She waited, patient, letting him stew in his frustration.

Her patience lasted barely ten seconds. "I see," she said, voice dripping with mock sympathy, "how sad. Already giving up. How very sad." She let the words hang in the air, each one a needle in Vegeta's pride.

Vegeta's aura flared again, a faint golden shimmer pulsing with rage, but it wasn't enough. He gritted his teeth, trying to force himself forward, searching for a way past the invisible wall that held him in place.

She tilted her head, tail flicking idly. "Honestly… I expected more." She let out a soft, almost musical sigh. "You'd think the prince of coping would atleast try to keep his delusions intact. But alas, it is a disappointment"

Then, in the blink of an eye, she was on him. Her hands shot out, gripping his thick, unruly hair. Vegeta's eyes widened, shock and fury colliding as she spun him around effortlessly. "Mmm… thick. Very thick," she commented, almost absentmindedly, her smirk widening as she felt the strength in his scalp. "But quite the easy target." 

With a sharp flick, she sent him hurtling across the landscape. Mountains crumbled in the distance as he rocketed away, tumbling through the air for hundreds of kilometres.

She straightened, brushing imaginary dust from her shoulders, then turned her gaze to Piccolo. Her brow arched in curiosity. "And you… just standing there? Waiting for what exactly?"

Piccolo's eyes narrowed, voice low but steady, a quick glance to the earth far below going unnoticed. "I'm not just standing… I'm waiting for the right moment."

She tilted her head, her smirk softening into a playful grin. "Oh? How quaint. Waiting for the 'perfect' moment… I do like a little patience in a fight." She let the words hang in the air as she waited. sensing Vegita's involuntary flight, waiting. 

Then, just as he was about to smash into a jagged plateau, she vanished. In an instant, she reappeared directly in front of him, perfectly timed, her leg arcing in a flawless spinning kick. The impact caught him squarely, and his body slammed into the barren wasteland with a deafening roar, sending dust and debris flying

She hovered a few metres above the cracked earth, arms crossed, tail swaying lazily. "Sometimes patience really does pay off," she murmured, sensing Piccolo's ki stretching across the planet toward her. Her eyes flicked back to the dazed prince. "I wonder… how much damage a Super Saiyan can take."

Before he could react, she vanished again, reappearing beside Vegeta in a blur of motion. "One~," she sang softly, slamming her foot down into his hand with surgical precision. Bones crunched beneath the impact, and he screamed, the sound echoing across the wasteland. She smiled, delighted, a sadistic grin spreading across her face. "Two~."

CRRRRCK

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!"

"Hey! Let's pay tribute to Android 18, shall we? Threeeee~" she sang, her fist smashing into his left arm with brutal force, shattering it completely. "AAAGH!!"

Strike after strike followed, each hit more precise and punishing than the last, until Vegeta lay twisted and broken on the cracked earth, barely able to lift a hand.

It was only after the ninth attack that Piccolo finally arrived, ki blazing as he charged. "Enough!" he shouted, launching himself at her.

She yawned lazily, her body barely shifting as Piccolo lunged at her with a flurry of precise, furious strikes. Each punch, each kick, was met with near-effortless evasion. "Cute," she murmured, voice soft, almost bored. "I like you, really… but you're far too weak for me. so how about you just... sit down."

Piccolo's eyes narrowed, ki flaring as he tried to anticipate her movements, but every attack he threw was met with uncanny timing and fluid counterattacks. She weaved around his energy blasts, letting some graze her as though testing him, only to respond with blows that sent him skidding across the barren wasteland, staggering but unwilling to yield.

Her counters were precise and devastating, each strike landing in rapid succession, a spinning elbow here, a knee to the ribs there, a sweeping kick paired with a Ki blast punch that sent him crashing to the ground. Piccolo scrambled to regain his footing, launching a volley of ki at her, but she danced through it, leaving the blasts to explode harmlessly behind her, laughing softly at the display. "Perhaps a hellzone grenade would've hit! Hah," she teased

Finally, in one blur of motion, she closed the distance. Piccolo's eyes widened just as her fist collided with him midair, spinning him like a rag doll. He slammed down directly onto Vegeta's mangled body, both warriors groaning in pain as the ground cracked beneath them.

She hovered over them, arms crossed, hair drifting in the faint breeze, eyes cold yet filled with amusement.

Then, with a casual flick of her hands, she seized both Vegeta and Piccolo, lifting them effortlessly. Their screams were lost in the wind as she launched them far above the clouds, bodies spinning violently as the stormy air tore around them. She landed lightly on the cracked earth below, barely making a dent, and smirked, arms crossing as she watched them struggle midair.

A single hand rose slowly, fingers curling as ki began to coalesce, crackling with raw, unnatural power. "I've had fun," she murmured, "but I think it's about time for them to go."

A small sphere of pure darkness formed above her palm, utterly void of light, save for a faint pink outline that shimmered like a fragile scar. It was blacker than the night sky, seemingly swallowing all light around it, a concentrated void, compact and dense, like a miniature black hole. She tilted her wrist, letting it spin, and with each rotation the sphere grew slightly, the thin pink outline warping and stretching as though the energy within was straining against its own containment.

The ripples extended outward, distorting the air, bending the faint light around it. She lifted the sphere behind her, and the space itself seemed to ripple, warping subtly in the void's presence. With a graceful flick, she launched the ball skyward, shouting as she released it:

"Cataclysmic Rupture!"

The sphere ascended slowly, almost lazily, but its presence was anything but gentle. As it moved through the sky, the air itself seemed to twist and tear around it. Clouds buckled and fragmented, light bending unnaturally, creating fractured patterns in the atmosphere. The sheer weight of its energy distorted space, leaving ripples that spread out in every direction, like a stone tossed into a pond made of reality itself.

Even at a deliberate, almost casual pace, its impact was undeniable. Birds scattered in every direction, and distant mountain ranges began to crack at its mere presence. The thin pink outline flickered and pulsed with each rotation, warping like liquid light as it devoured the surrounding air. growing the darkness.

The Cataclysmic Rupture rose higher and higher, the black void at its core expanding as the pink outline twisted and stretched unnaturally. Below, 21's eyes followed it with mild interest, her posture relaxed as she watched the ripples of warped air stretch toward the horizon. Far above, Vegeta and Piccolo tumbled helplessly, battered and bruised, their eyes widening at the sheer scale of the approaching sphere.

Just as the darkness threatened to swallow the clouds themselves, a golden flash split the sky. Electric sparks crackled violently around a figure hurtling downward at impossible speed. Orange and blue gi blurred against the sky, golden hair whipping around like lightning caught in a storm. The energy radiating off them was immense, merging raw power and sheer presence into one. (heh.)

In an instant, the figure reached out with a single hand. Blue ki flared explosively, colliding with the Cataclysmic Rupture. The black sphere shuddered, struggling against the sudden onslaught. Pink light splintered as the force pressed back against it, yet it didn't dissipate immediately.

With a roar, the being pushed, his ki screaming in all directions as he forced the sphere off course, sending it careening harmlessly into the upper atmosphere. The air quaked around them, turbulent from the collision of energies. Clouds ripped apart in the aftermath, but the Cataclysmic Rupture's core still glowed faintly, hinting it wasn't entirely defeated.

21 blinked, caught off guard for the first time in the fight. Her smirk returned almost immediately, eyes narrowing as she tilted her head, curiosity sparking in her gaze. "Ah… so this is the one interfering," she murmured softly, voice calm but laced with amusement. "I suppose they were just stalling… I'd forgotten about that method. Heh." Her attention sharpened on the golden figure hovering between her and her battered opponents. "You'll be so much more fun than the rest."

Without warning, she vanished, teleporting closer with predatory grace, her presence suddenly pressing in. "Let's have a little pre-game chat," she said, voice low and teasing, as if the fight itself was a casual amusement. "What do you call yourself?" she asked.

.

.

.

Far above, the battered battlefield left in her wake, Vegeta groaned weakly, barely conscious, pain and exhaustion etched on his face. Piccolo grabbed him firmly, guiding the fallen prince to a safer distance. With one hand, he handed over the last senzu bean, urgency flashing across his features as they regrouped, knowing full well the real storm was about to hit.

Chapter Text

The air was still trembling from the remnants of the Cataclysmic Rupture, warped currents of ki rippling through the atmosphere. Android 21 hovered in the sky, her smirk as sharp as ever, not fearing this new foe one bit, after all, this was still a game to her. 

Her eyes locked onto the golden figure across from her, the one who had just undone her little attack. 

The figure stood in the open sky, arms crossed, his aura a storm of lightning and flame-like gold. The very space around him hummed with his power, bending faintly under the pressure of his ki. He regarded her with a cool confidence, and then a small smirk tugged at his lips.

When he spoke, his voice resonated strangely, two tones layered perfectly atop one another, the calm cocky steadiness of ##### wrapped within the brash confidence of ####.

"You ask what I am? fine then. Im the fusion of father and son, combining our efforts to defeat you…" He? they? declared, tilting his chin upward slightly. "You can call me… Gokhan."

21's smirk widened. She let out a low, almost purring laugh. "Ohh… how precious. It seems it's family time right now. Her eyes glimmered dangerously. "Tell me, are you really stronger together? Or is Gohan's disappointing ass going to, weigh. you. down."

Gokhan uncrossed his arms slowly, the smirk not leaving his face. His aura flared, arcs of electricity snapping through the sky. As all his strength from SSJ 2 ruptured out. "Why don't we find out?"

In the blink of an eye, he vanished. 21's eyes narrowed until the sudden impact cracked against her guard. Gokhan reappeared with his fist already buried into her midsection, his movements clean and efficient, no wasted motion.

The shockwave tore the clouds apart for miles.

Before she could counter, his other hand was already at her jaw a sharp palm strike that snapped her head sideways, followed immediately by a heel kick that knocked her higher into the sky. He didn't let her fly too far. Golden light wrapped around his hand, condensing into a spiralling sphere of ki.

"Masenko… Kamehameha!"

The hybrid blast exploded forward, a twisting beam of blue and gold that caught 21 full-on, driving her through the atmosphere in a streak of destruction. The sky trembled in its wake, a glowing scar carved across the horizon.

Gokhan lowered his hands, golden aura crackling, watching her vanish into the distance. For a moment, his smirk lingered, but then his eyes narrowed, the expression sharpening into something quieter, more measured. A flicker of intent, gone as quickly as it appeared.

He didn't chase. He didn't celebrate.

Instead, he floated there, calm and collected, letting the silence stretch.

When he finally spoke, it was almost to himself, his layered voice carrying quietly through the air. "That should divert her expectations..."

Then, in a streak of golden light, he blurred forward, cutting through the sky to close the distance.

---

Far above the clouds, twice as high as even the storm-torn skies stretched, 21 drifted back into view. Her body still smoked faintly from the blast, faint cracks in her skin glowing before knitting together seamlessly. The damage was gone in seconds, her form pristine, flawless, as if nothing had touched her at all.

She stretched lazily, brushing dust from her shoulder with the back of her hand. A small smirk tugged at her lips as her gaze tilted downward, finding Gokhan far below, his golden aura blazing like a beacon against the ruined horizon.

"Heh… not bad," she muttered to herself, tilting her head. "Well done," she clapped ", you really are strong. Much stronger than me right now."

Her words were genuine, but her smirk never faltered. "But…"

Her aura ignited, scarlet energy bursting outward in a violent surge. The earth below cracked from the sudden weight of her ki, the crimson blaze wrapping her body like living fire. Her voice rose above the roar, calm and self-assured."…I'm not worried."

The inferno around her raged, wild and consuming, then, slowly, it shrank. The once-chaotic aura folded in on itself until it clung to her form like a second skin, refined, contained, almost serene. No violent flickering, no strain. all controlled inwards.

Her lips curled into a confident grin, eyes gleaming with predatory delight. "You see… because of what I am... because of all the DNA that is built into me, that birthed me. My growth never stops. Every moment I fight, I evolve with no side effects included… nothing can, or will keep me from climbing higher." She laughed, "I thank you for this opportunity!"

With that, her form blurred into crimson streaks. She shot forward, a living comet, her speed multiplied several times over. Her leg came up in a rounded arc, a kick that aimed to crack bones, but before the strike could connect, she blinked from sight.

Gokhan's eyes narrowed, his enhanced instincts already shifting his body. He turned just as she reappeared behind him, heel slicing through the air with merciless precision.

The kick connected. Thunder cracked across the heavens, shockwaves blasting through the clouds as his head snapped to the side from the impact.

But Gokhan didn't move otherwise. No grunt, no recoil beyond the forced turn. His golden aura barely even flickered.

She hung there for a heartbeat, the aftermath of her strike still trembling in the sky, only to realise his eyes had already locked onto hers, sharp and unreadable. His smirk returned, faint but deliberate.

"Not bad," he said, his dual-toned voice carrying calm amusement. "But…"

Before she could react, his hand snapped up. A burst of energy exploded point-blank, launching her backwards through the clouds like a meteor.

She caught herself mid-flight, skidding across the air with her aura flaring. The faintest trace of smoke curled from her body where his ki blast had landed — but it was clear. She wasn't hurt. Not really.

Her grin only widened. "hehahHAH! Good! That's what I want!"

She rocketed back toward him, unleashing a furious storm of punches and kicks, each strike cracking the air, detonating shockwaves across the sky. Her movements were blinding, refined by the Kaioken, but Gokhan was still faster... way faster

Every strike of her's landed. Fists slamming into his chest, knees digging into his ribs, elbows flashing against his guard. But each impact was like a pebble striking steel. They moved him, shifted his stance, but never broke it. He let her barrage come, expression calm, his arms barely shifting to block when necessary, his aura flaring just enough to absorb the worst of it.

When she finally spun into a roundhouse meant to tear his head clean off, Gokhan tilted slightly, letting it graze past his jaw. His smirk sharpened, voice low. "You'll need far more than that."

In the next instant, he vanished.

A golden flash split the sky, and suddenly his knee was buried in her stomach. The impact stole her breath, a shockwave tearing downward to the earth below, flattening mountains in its wake.

Her body folded over his strike, but before she could even react, his elbow slammed down across her back, driving her toward the ground like a falling star.

*weeeeeeeeeeee*

Her body plummeted, a red streak cutting through the air. Mountains below trembled, the shockwave of her descent splitting peaks like glass.

But just before she could smash into the earth, her momentum halted, stopping mid-air. Her aura exploded outward, red fire swallowing her entire form.

"Kaioken… TIMES FIFTY!"

The sky ruptured with her scream. Her ki ballooned outward violently, tearing at the terrain below. Entire mountain ranges buckled and shattered, the landscape cratering as if a meteor had struck. Valleys collapsed, oceans of dust rising into the air as the earth itself trembled beneath the force of her eruption.

The crimson blaze surged wildly, firestorms ripping apart the heavens. Yet, just as quickly, the chaos shrank. The roaring inferno compressed inward, compacting around her body until the scarlet ki clung to her like a living armour. It wasn't perfect, but it was much better than nothing as a dense, suffocating pressure surrounded her. 

Her breathing steadied. Her eyes narrowed, sharp with exhilaration. Her grin widened, teeth flashing as the air warped around her."Now… let's see how you handle THIS!"

She shot upward, breaking past the ruins of the storm clouds in a single motion. Energy coiled violently around her arm, spinning, compressing, spiralling into a drill of condensed ki. Crimson and black streams wrapped tightly, twisting faster and faster until the air itself warped around the attack.

"Hypertwister!"

She thrust her arm forward, and the spiralling beam erupted from her hand. Twin streams of energy shot outward, entwining and twisting around one another like drilling serpents. The attack ripped through the sky, howling as it churned through the air toward Gokhan.

The twin spirals collided with the atmosphere, tearing open shockwaves as they spun faster and faster, the vortex of energy threatening to rip apart everything in its path.

As the spiralling Hypertwister roared toward him, Gokhan's eyes narrowed. His body blurred, golden aura flaring as he moved to dodge 

But 21 was already gone.

Her voice whispered behind him, amused and cutting. "Still too slow."

Her wrist slammed against the side of his neck, the force and timing perfect. The shock snapped his body off balance, just enough to break his rhythm. His eyes widened as he was attacked. 

Before he could recover, her fist came crashing down in a hammer strike. It smashed into his chest, driving him downward with crushing momentum, slamming him straight into the oncoming Hypertwister.

The spiralling beam swallowed him whole, detonating in a maelstrom of twisting crimson energy that ripped the clouds apart. The sky howled under the strain, shockwaves blasting across the battlefield.

But she didn't let up.

Her palm thrust forward, the ki compressed so tightly it trembled violently, fighting to escape. A sphere burned into existence, its glow white-hot at the core, ringed by streaks of crimson. The sheer pressure in the air cracked the sky like glass.

"Collapsing Star!"

The orb detonated, not in a straight beam, but in a violent, funnel-shaped eruption. Energy burst outward in every direction, expanding like the light of a newborn sun, scattering in waves that clawed at everything in range. Bending the atmosphere into a cone of annihilation.

Mountains far below crumbled under the shockwave, entire ridges erased in an instant as the scattered flares consumed them. Even Piccolo and Vegeta, miles away, were forced to shield themselves against the torrent of light and pressure, their bodies straining from the attack. 

Mountains far below crumbled under the shockwave, entire ridges erased in an instant as the scattered flares consumed them. Even Piccolo and Vegeta, miles away, were forced to shield themselves against the torrent of light and pressure, their bodies straining from the attack.

At its heart, Gokhan was swallowed whole, spirals twisting with blinding rays, a storm that shook the heavens themselves.

High above, 21 floated, chest heaving, her body slick with sweat, strands of hair plastered to her face. Her red aura raged uncontrollably, sparks crackling off her frame, as her body began to falter under the aftereffects of high kaioken use. She panted, lips pulling into a crooked grin as she forced herself upright.

"Haah… ha… that should do it," she muttered, her voice dripping with smug satisfaction.

But as her breathing steadied, the crimson blaze around her began to fold inward. The violent inferno compressed, dimmed, and then stabilised into a much calmer, refined glow. From x50 down to a steady Kaioken x5, the pressure on her body eased, her smirk returning in full force.

She tilted her head down, eyes narrowing through the haze of dust and broken light below. At first, her grin held, but then… her expression faltered...

Confusion tugged at her features. Then disbelief. Then horror.

From deep within the explosion, a presence stirred. A massive surge of ki erupted outward, so heavy and overwhelming that it made her knees lock. It wasn't wild or chaotic like her own; it was controlled. Calm. Yet still crushing in its weight.

The smoke didn't linger; it was blown apart instantly as a brilliant white aura tore through the battlefield, pure and blinding, shaking the heavens themselves. The energy was unlike anything she'd ever felt, dwarfing even the golden might of Gokhan's Super Saiyan 2 from before.

And there he was.

Gokhan walked calmly from the fading storm, aura shimmering like liquid light, each step deliberate, composed, untouchable. His hair, no longer golden, had returned to black, but still spiked sharply upward, like all transformations that defy gravity. His eyes burned with calm intensity, his power suffocating yet precise.

From the attack were no marks were left, as he was only relatively unharmed.

He tilted his head up at her, a smirk tugging at his lips, his voice resonating with that double-toned layering. 

"My turn."

Before she could even register the words, he was gone.

Her eyes widened, then her body jerked violently as an invisible force smashed into her, "GUH! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!!"

Team Rocket's blasting off aga- wait, Wrong show. again. fiddle fudge

Chapter Text

The instant 21 managed to stabilise herself, Gokhan was already there. His white aura flared like a star against the endless sky, calm and unshaking, and before she could even register his movement, his fist buried itself into her stomach again.

Her eyes barely flickered wide before the strike landed.

His fist buried itself deep into her stomach, not just punching flesh, but compressing everything inside her body at once. The shockwave rang through her ribs, her spine, her skull. Her jaw dropped soundlessly, the air ripped from her lungs in a wheezing choke. The sky itself shuddered from the impact, clouds vaporising in a ripple above them.

She lurched forward over his arm, spittle and blood flying from her mouth. Every nerve screamed. Her fingers twitched, her aura flared instinctively, as she tried to do something, anything!

only for his knee to rise and hammer into her gut, slamming her body against his fist still embedded in her stomach. The collision rattled the atmosphere like a strike of thunder.

"Gkhh-!" she coughed violently, body folding over itself.

Gokhan's expression didn't change; a calm aura wrapped around him, his expression composed and serene. He pulled his fist free, pivoted on a heel, and spun, his boot catching her across the face. The kick cracked like thunder, sending her hurtling sideways. She barely even felt herself move one second; she was upright, the next, she was ripping through the air, her head snapping back from the blow. (almost clean off too.)

Her hand desperately reached up, her fingers moving toward her forehead, desperate to force an escape. Gokhan's eyes narrowed. His grip on her throat tightened, and in the same instant, his other palm lit up with a blinding glow.

"Not this time."

The beam erupted point-blank, engulfing her arm. The explosion tore through her hand in a flash, scattering smoking fragments of ki and flesh into the air. Her scream tore out ragged and high-pitched, cut short as Gokhan swung her downward with brutal force.

He whipped her like dead weight, dragging her through the sky and slamming her into the earth below. The ground split on impact, a crater tearing open where her body hit. Before the dust even rose, Gokhan yanked her up by the collar and flung her skyward again.

The moment her body arced in the air, he was already above her. His heel dropped like a hammer into her spine, sending her plummeting back down, smashing her through a ridge of rock that crumbled like paper.

She wheezed, limbs twitching, trying to gather ki into her remaining hand. A faint spark flickered to life, but Gokhan was on her again. A sharp backhand across her wrist scattered the energy harmlessly, followed by a brutal uppercut that launched her higher, her body limp against the force.

She spun helplessly through the air, her body twitching as Gokhan followed up relentlessly. His strikes were precise and punishing; each hit made her regeneration race and falter, the cracks in her skin knitting together almost instantly, but the effort made her stagger, her ki flickering as she tried to recover.

Another punch slammed into her chest, sending her tumbling backwards with enough force to carve gashes into distant mountains. She tried to flare her energy, sending a ripple of red ki outwards to create some breathing room, but Gokhan was already on her again. A spinning kick caught her mid-twist.

Bang!

Her body streaked across the sky from the attack, wind tearing past her as she rocketed over oceans and mountain ranges, the sheer velocity carving trails in the clouds. The earth far below seemed to blur as she was flung from one hemisphere to the other. 

Finally, she slammed into the air with a thunderous crash, suspended hundreds of meters above the shattered landscape. Her limbs twitched, energy flickering weakly, and crimson ki bled from her aura in uneven pulses. She grit her teeth, glaring down at the planet below, and screamed, her voice carrying across the sky.

"Enough!" Her aura flared violently, flames of ki spiralling outward in a blinding storm. In a flash, she thrust her hands forward, energy ripping outwards, before pointing down toward the planet. A concentrated beam shot from her palm, tearing through the clouds and scorching the earth below. "Fuck you! and your planet!" she screamed.

But...

Before it could strike dirt, a silver flash split the sky. Gokhan appeared, calm and precise, one hand rising in a single, deliberate motion. With a sharp, almost casual strike of his open palm, he sent her energy veering off course. The beam dissipated harmlessly into the atmosphere. In the blink of an eye, he vanished.

21's eyes widened, her heart skipped a beat, as fear took her in. She spun around, sensing him just behind her, and tried to flee, but he was already there. His grip shot out, clutching her wrist like a silver clamp. "I'm sorry, but this is a mistake I must rectify, Twenty-one..." his one free arm remained raised high, palm pointing to the cosmos above as a rainbow-coloured orb formed above his open hand.

Her eyes went wide. She recognised it instantly, 

"Soul Punisher!" he uttered, and before she could react further, his hand slammed into her waist. The force was overwhelming, the energy rippling through her body like a tidal wave. Gokhan let go immediately, leaving her suspended, stunned, and struggling to regain control.

The Soul Punisher struck with relentless force, waves of destructive energy radiating from the epicentre. 21's body froze, locked in place by the unbearable pain; her teeth gritted as every nerve burned. She could feel the attack tearing through her from the waist up, her soul tearing apart, as it targeted every evil inside of her.

Desperate, she thrust her arm against herself, unleashing a concentrated burst of ki. The blast tore through her neck, obliterating almost her entire head in a violent, explosive arc. A small fragment, of blobby pink, barely holding form, was flung through the air like a comet, streaking over forests and mountains before crashing onto the grass below.

Her remaining body collapsed, shattered and wiped from existence, leaving only a faint distortion in the air where she had stood.

Gokhan hovered silently, his eyes fixed on the empty space where she had stood. The wind stirred around him, carrying away the last traces of the dust that had once made her.

"If only we had been quick enough…" he murmured, his voice low, almost a whisper, tinged with regret. His gaze darkened as his thoughts drifted back to the moment when "Evil" 21 had devoured "good" 21, erasing any chance they had to stop her sooner. The memory left a shadow across his features.

He clenched his fists, letting the silence stretch for a moment longer, before turning his attention to the battered battlefield below. "Hopefully the dragon balls ca-!" 

His head snapped up, eyes narrowing as a familiar ki signature cut through the distance. It was a mix of energies he knew all too well, but more importantly, it was the one he had just fought... but slightly different? But that thought was discarded for a better one.

"She… survived?" he muttered under his breath, a frown crossing his face. Without another word, he vanished in a streak of silver light, leaving only a trail of energy as he propelled himself toward the source, determined to finish the job...

I… really didn't think that the whole "evil Buu absorption thing" would happen to me. 

That was my first thought after being ripped straight out of my own body, left floating in some void, watching like a helpless spectator while… my what? "evil side"? Dark half? Whatever it was, it took the wheel and started fucking things up. quite rude if I do say so myself.

It wasn't like I blacked out. No, I saw everything. Every evil or arrogant smirk. Every sincere or cutting word. Every attack. Every choice. And worse than that, I felt it. My body moved without my will, my ki burned without my command, my voice taunted and laughed, yes... i would have acted like that... if I didn't care for anything else, such as consequences. I was trapped in my own skin and puppeteered throughout it.

But the worst part for me.

She was better at it. much better.

I had to watch her dominate. Toying with Goku and Gohan like they were Sims characters, then the... maybe perhaps uncalled for, ruthless beat down on the prince. and then finally going toe-to-toe with Gokhan. Matching him, adapting, pushing further and further with every exchange. She burned through Kaioken like it was candy, twisted techniques I'd never even thought to use, and smiled while doing it. That wasn't me. And yet… it was. A version of me stripped of restraint. A version who wasn't afraid to break everything in her way. a better... me.

And when the end came, when Gokhan used a move I thought was Gogeta-specific? the soul punisher. Even with other me's well thought out attempt at stopping it, it weakened her will and damaged her soul enough that I was able to gain control again. I forced myself back into me and... Fused with her. Or maybe… absorbed her. It wasn't like her trick of splitting off and eating me, or anything like the fusion techniques. This was... Permanent. More like a Namekian fusion... makes the most sense.

And suddenly, I wasn't "me" anymore.

I was whole again, but I was also her.

I woke as a pulsing blob of flesh on the grass, slowly knitting myself back into shape, and with it came a flood of memories that weren't mine. A scientist's hand buried in notebooks. A wife's laughter, a mother's tears, a partner's disgust. Years of research, of longing, of rage, of technological prowess put form, and of last moments. And now I had to clutch at what was left of my own mind just to keep from being drowned by it all. 

I didn't want to lose myself. But every second, I felt the line blur. Her thoughts bleeding into mine. My memories stitched against hers. Who was I? was a question I had to ask.

By the time my form stabilised barely a head, I was shaking. My head throbbed, my body churned, and my whole being felt wrong. Off balance. Sick. Confused. different... but I had atleast kept myself me.... hopefully.

And that was when I felt it.

A shadow overhead, a ripple of pressure in the air that pressed against my blobby form, before I even looked up.

It was Gokhan.

He floated there, aura faintly lining his outer body, his eyes locked on me. For a moment, he didn't move, only staring, the weight of his presence bearing down harder than gravity itself. Then, without a word, his hand rose. Ki flared around his palm, pure... final. He was going to erase me.

I froze, still sluggish, my body barely knitting itself back into something resembling a shape. For a second, all I could do was stare back, his silhouette framed by the sky, his expression unreadable. It wasn't anger exactly, but not pity either... guilt? No no no.

But something in me snapped, cutting through my haziness as my blobby form grew a mouth and a voice tore out edge with fear, but reigned in with firmness so it wasn't a desperate plea. "Wait!"

And against all odds, he hesitated.

His aura flickered as his eyes widened in confusion, the energy in his hand pulsing but not firing. He looked almost taken aback. "...Huh?"

It wasn't much. Just a sound, half shock, half suspicion. But it was enough. He didn't strike. He waited, staring at me harder now, as if trying to decide what I was planning.

"Don't kill me!" I shouted, the words tumbling out faster than my thoughts. My body lurched, with ki snapping through me in a jagged rush, and in a flash of elasticity, I reformed. In the span of a second, I was whole again.

Gokhan's eyes sharpened immediately, his aura flaring as he shifted into a guarded stance, ready for me to try something. But then he hesitated again, confusion slipping onto his face as he really looked at me.

I wasn't the same anymore. My skin was still pink, my body unchanged in its majin form, but my hair had shifted, no longer pure white; it now flowed in a soft gradient of pink and white. My eyes, too, were different; the sclera had returned to normal, and my irises glowed with a vivid blue unlike before.

I caught the flicker of surprise in his stare and seized it before he could decide otherwise. "Wait-wait, look! I know what you're thinking! I know what I-she, I did! Yes, technically i did kinda sorta beat up your friends and maybe sorta tried to explode the planet" I winced at how that isn't just kinda bad but just bad. "B-but! But! That wasn't really me. Well, it was me, but not me-me. The me you are talking to now, you know, but now it is that m,e since I kinda did absorb her, it's confusing, but! When you used that soul-punishing move, you damaged her enough to free me so I could take my body back from my evil side? And I kinda accidentally just absorbed her, and I'm currently very confused and very sorry and uh. Sorry?" My voice cracked at the end, and I gave him the most awkward, lopsided smile of my life. Because that was a really bad explanation, but COME ON! It's the fusion of Goku and Gohan, currently hundreds of times stronger than me, that is excuding a really fucking scary aura right now! But... maybe it worked?

The silence that followed was unbearable. His aura still burned around him, calm but still very lethal, and his eyes drilled into me like he was peeling away every excuse I'd just spit out. He didn't move, didn't blink, didn't say anything. Just stared. And that staring was making me very uncomfortable. Considering the most social interaction I had began and ended in the same room in the same bed, in the same hospital. And again, big, muscle man who can erase me.

I swallowed hard, trying to fight down the wave of nerves that crawled up my spine. My arms fidgeted against my sides like they wanted to throw themselves up in surrender again.

"Y-you're kind staring and I don't know how to take that," I finally blurted, voice cracking. "Please say something? anything? Preferably something that doesn't involve vaporising me, but if you do, I wouldn't hold it against you... maybe... "

His head tilted just slightly, his expression unreadable. "...So you're saying," he said slowly, his tone calm but heavy, "that the one who fought us… Wasn't you. But the evil side of you that took control of you through eating you, and now, instead of her having absorbed you, you reversed it and absorbed her? meaning she is you now, and that you are... sorry?

"Yes! Exactly! Nailed it in one! Glad we're on the same page," I said, my words tumbling over each other as I nodded way too fast. "So maybe we could uh, not fight now... if you want, I could just also leave you guys all alone and do my own thing and not bother you... uh... yeah...?"

The silence stretched on forever. His aura still flared bright, ready, like he could snuff me out with a flick of his wrist if he wanted.

Then finally, he exhaled, a small sigh that seemed to take some of the pressure out of the air. The edge in his stare softened, just a fraction, and for the first time since he'd appeared, he didn't look like he was one second away from obliterating me.

"…I believe you," he said at last. The calm certainty in his voice almost knocked me flat. His expression shifted, less Gohan's sharp caution and more… Goku's easy trust. "You should calm down. If you mean it… the fight's over. Right here. Right now. If you want it to be."

For a second, I just stared at him, mouth hanging open, brain refusing to catch up. And quickly, I asked, "Seriously?" 

He gave a single nod. "Yeah. Seriously."

I let out a breath I didn't even know I'd been holding, knees almost giving out from the sheer weight lifting off my chest.

The silence crept back in between us, heavy but no longer suffocating. Slowly, the white blaze of his aura pulled back, fading until it was gone completely. His form shrank back down, hair no longer standing but still very spiky. He ran a hand through his hair, as if shaking loose the last of the tension.

For a long moment, he studied me. Not with hate, not even with suspicion anymore, but with something that felt… careful. Cautious. Measuring. Finally, he broke the quiet.

"…I'll give you a chance," he said with a firm voice. "But don't mess it up. Not once. You'd be better off staying far away from everyone. From us, since the others wouldn't take kindly to you being around so recently."

I nodded quickly. "Yeah. I… I get it. I don't blame you. Honestly, I need time to myself anyway." I hesitated, then tilted my head back to the sky, the endless black dotted with stars just above the atmosphere. A thought crossed my mind, I don't need to breathe, do I?. I don't need to be here. With all the planets around, and with my new knowledge on magic...

The decision came all at once. "I'll leave Earth. Leave you all alone. For a while, at least. just to... think for a bit. Think my life through..."

He didn't answer right away, but his eyes narrowed slightly, almost like he was trying to see if I was lying. Before nodding and turning away, an eye kept on me still. 

With the confirmation given, and before he could second-guess it, I looked at him one last time, then pushed off the ground. A rush of wind followed as I rocketed upward, through clouds, past the atmosphere, into the black void above. Within seconds, Earth was already shrinking behind me.

And once again... like always in my life. I was completely and utterly alone. This time... out of my own volition...

At least the view is pretty.

Chapter Text

Space stretched endlessly around me, a canvas of black scattered with glittering stars. No sound. No pull. Just floating... suspended in silence. It reminded me of those times when I could lie in a pool of water and just float there.

My eyes drifted across the view: the Earth, a little blue marble, with patches of white clouds floating above the surface. Just a flick, and I could erase it from existence. 

My gaze shifted to the moon, pale and scarred, its face turned toward its partner as always. Farther out, Jupiter swirled like a storm given form, its great red eye glaring as if daring anyone to challenge it. Saturn gleamed past it, rings catching the sunlight, shining like a crown on the edge of the dark.

And then the sun. How massive, I thought as I drifted to its surface. 

Up close, it wasn't just bright. It was alive. A vast, furious storm of fire, plasma curling like waves crashing against a shore. Flares whipped into the void, bigger than planets, arcs of raw destruction and creation all in one. Before, if I were this close, I would've blinked and turned to ashes. Now, I could take a step in and wander inside as if I were swimming through humid air. 

I hovered just outside the surface, watching waves of fire churn like an endless ocean, every ripple strong enough to erase worlds. The light pressed against my vision, but my eyes didn't sting. My skin didn't burn. The old me would've turned to ash before a blink could ever begin. 

But now… 

I drifted forward, and the star swallowed me whole. Unbearable heat now relaxing warmth, soul-crushing pressures, now non-noticable. Walking through plasma curled around my body, tendrils of fire brushed against my skin before breaking apart into sparks that vanished against my skin. I moved deeper, and soon the weight of it all became soothing.

It was beautiful. For the me that was beyond strength, that is what it was. A normal person would find it fear-inducing. But that's no longer me, is it?

I stretched my arms out, letting streams of golden fire whip past me, curl around me, drag at my form like the tug of a current. It wasn't suffocating. It wasn't crushing. If anything, it was… comforting. For the first time since regaining myself, I wasn't thinking about what I'd done or what part of me still lingered. I want to say all. But I might've been influenced in ways I don't realise. 

But still, in here, in this nuclear fusion facility known as the sun, in this impossible sea of flame, I was just… existing.

And for right now, that was enough. "What should I do? What can I do?"

When I left the sun, I didn't really have a plan. Just… picked a direction and flew. That was it. Didn't really have a direction in mind, because... I didn't really know what to do. Just confused. So one push of ki later, and I was off, tearing through the endless dark like a comet.

Worlds blurred past me. Some were pale, cratered rocks that spun in silence. Others were giants striped with storms, clouds swirling in colours I'd never seen before. One planet was nothing but ice, glowing faint blue from sunlight scattering across its frozen crust. Another was a sphere of fire, cracks in its surface glowing as if it had been split open from the inside. 

I passed fields of asteroids drifting in loose formation, scattered remains of worlds that never formed. They floated in silence, perhaps colliding slowly over centuries as they drifted through the actionless space. 

Farther still, I cut through a trail of comets, each one leaving behind a long, glittering veil that stretched for millions of miles. From a distance, they looked ethereal. 

Everywhere I looked, there was something. A nebula sprawled across my path, a vast cloud of gas that shimmered purple, green, and gold like spilt paint on water.

newborn stars glowing faintly as they began to grow. I slowed to float through it, letting the colours roll past me, sparks of starlight catching in the ki haze around my body. I watched, I stared... before I pushed on again.

I passed close to a red giant, it's survived curled with instability, as flares leapt out with enough force to swallow gas giants whole. Compared to the sun, it felt older, more tired. I don't know why... but that's what I could feel. so... strange... I described the feeling. My senses drifted outwards to a contrast afar. A small glance led me to a small white star, bright and sharp, blazing with heat far higher than the star that I lay beside.

Its distance was close, but not nearly enough that it could force matter transfer. A dying red dward, and the end result of its death. So dense, it could rip the other in a heartbeat if given its chance.

If close enough, the giant's outer layers would bleed away, spiralling toward the dwarf like a slow-motion whirlpool. funnelling in a brilliant stream of light, forming a glowing disk that wrapped the smaller star like a crown. The dwarf would gorge itself, fattening on its elder until either the giant was stripped bare or the dwarf takes too much, and causes a Type La Supernova. It's gluttony for energy, causing its downfall.

What other me tried to do, in a sense. But I am thankful for that. Considering it let me gain control again.

I hovered in place a moment longer, watching the red giant's restless flares ripple outward. My head tilted, just a little, gaze glancing back to the white ball in the distance.

Could I do it? If shoved close, would that cause the process to begin? 

The idea made me gain a small smile at the imagery. It would be pretty... I thought before letting a small laugh slip, giving a short head shake. "Heh, probably not... I'd probably just collapse the star on my own. Maybe in the future I could..."

With that, I let the thought go, turned my back on the pair, and drifted forward into the dark.

The stars slid past me as I flew, each one glittering like a pinprick in an endless sea. At first, I kept my pace steady, scanning what passed by, following trails of thought that didn't really lead anywhere. A spiral galaxy turned lazily in the distance in perfect arcs of light, and further still, I spotted the faint haze of nebulae, faint swaths of colour like paint strokes brushed against the black canvas. Further onwards, I saw a distortion of light, an empty void that multiple celestial objects orbited around. 

Light didn't flow straight anymore. It bent, curved, like it was being sucked toward nothing. The closer I got, the more wrong it all felt. Stars stretched thin into arcs, like their glow was getting dragged around an invisible drain. Planets and debris circled, pulled into orbits that made no sense unless you knew what was hiding in the centre. A gravity many magnitudes more intense than Earth or even stars. So much more powerful even at this distance, my ki flared on instinct, holding me steady so I wouldn't slide in. 

I slowed, hovering on the edge of it, and the pull hit me. a black hole... strange that even with this strength, with all this ki and still, gravity at this level is still this effective. I thought, wondering how weird that was, that even with the power to destroy galaxies with a flick of a finger, they still struggle in high-level gravity. But still, I know im way too weak to face an actual black hole, and considering how small this one is. I'm not touching it.

Even with something like Kaioken times 100, the singularity would win. There's a reason why physics starts to shut down around it. hmm... I should find out how to learn magic, considering that my current knowledge is quite rudimentary. 

I circled around the hole in space before turning away and launching off.

leaving it, shrinking behind me.

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I kept flying, the stars sliding by like glitter on black paper. At first, I tried to keep count, pick out constellations, anything to keep my head busy. But after a while, it all started to blur together, stars, more stars, the same empty dark between them. My body didn't tire, it wasn't physically possible for that interaction to ever happen in my body now with the Majin's cells in me.

But... little ol me was not apart of that packaged deal.

My pace slowed without me noticing, like I was just drifting on autopilot. The glow of passing suns became background noise. As I started to muffle reality and thought. 

My eyelids felt heavier with every blink. I'll just.. close my eyes for a bit. I muttered internally, 

I closed them, mmmmmmmmm

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(3 Minutes Later)

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"Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"

And just like that, she was knocked out. Drifting through space at extreme speeds. 

Chapter Text

A thunderous crash shook the ground, crushing the dirt and rock under, creating a large crater underneath the creature that landed. Who was this creature?

My eyes shot open, and I jolted upright, dirt and dust rolling off my shoulders. My head whipped left and right, and up and down, and "what the hell??? were? what? who? huh? where am I?"

I was standing. My body reacted faster than my mind, putting my feet upright in an instant. 

.

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"?????" 

Slowly, my eyes dragged upward. The sky above stretched wide, and it wasn't black. It wasn't speckled with stars. It was an actual sky, a world filled with air, painted orange, burning faintly under the warm glow of a star I didn't recognise.

I blinked once. Twice. "Ooooooh! right..." I looked down at the crater around me. "So I must've… fallen asleep. And crash-landed on this planet. Huh. Well, isn't that lucky?"

I put my hands on my hips and took a deep breath; even without the need to breathe, it still felt nice to do so. 

I let my gaze wander outward.

The first thing I noticed was the grass. It stretched across the land, but the colour… it wasn't right. Faded, like someone had drained the green out with a sponge. The trees were worse, tall shapes hunched over themselves, bark cracked, leaves brittle and pale. Wilting.

I squatted down, pinched a blade of that weak grass between my fingers, and turned it over. "Huh. That's neat."

I straightened, dusting my hands off, and shrugged. "Guess plant life acts differently here. That's pretty cool." I gave the grass a flick and let it drift out of my fingers, fluttering back down like the weightless piece of foliage it was. A little breeze stirred the faded field, brushing past me in a way that felt almost too normal after everything else.

I stretched my arms overhead until my joints popped, and as I glanced down at my hands, I paused. My skin wasn't pink. It was just… normal. I blinked, tilting my head. "Oh. cool. I detransformed. That's good to know." I observed before going back to stretching, rolling my shoulders with satisfying results.

Then I clapped my hands together. "Welp!" I said, grinning to myself, "No point waiting, let's get exploring!" I excitedly exclaimed, as this was going to be my first planet exploration. Hope I find some cool life here! 

With that, I hopped up out of the crater in a single bound, landing on the cracked earth outside. My boots crunched softly against the strange soil as I picked a direction at random. I set off into the wilted landscape at a casual jog.

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The room smelled faintly of smoke and ozone, every wall cracked with the scars of battle. Makeshift tables had been dragged in, covered with maps, half-burnt notes, and weapons stripped down for cleaning. At the far side of the room, a cat woman stood, pacing with her tail lashing like a whip behind her. Her voice rose with every word, frustration boiling under her growl.

"The distress signal was sent days ago! Days!" she snapped, hands slamming flat against the table hard enough to rattle the rifles stacked there. Her ears flicked back, her golden eyes sharp with frustration. "And still, still no one has come. No ships, no reinforcements, no response! nothing! And the invaders, gods. The invaders, those freaks, just sit there. Doing nothing! After massacring us all, they stay passive! Doesn't that bother you?"

Across from her, seated on a battered chair that groaned under her weight, the dog woman let out an annoyed wuff. She was broad-shouldered, fur mottled black, brown, and white, her gaze steady even as her companion paced like a caged animal. "Of course it bothers me," she said flatly, one ear twitching. "But what would you have us do? Run headlong into them again? We already know how that ends. Our only choice is to find some way—any way—to fight back."

The cat woman froze mid-step, whirling on her. "Fight back? With what?" she barked, eyes wide. "We don't even know what they want! We don't know how many there are, how strong they are, except-" her voice cracked with bitter anger, "-except that they can walk through our firepower like it's nothing! You call that a chance? Even with him and his family involving himself with weapon developments. We have not a single clue on them! What are they doing!? We don't know! All we know is that all the planet's biological life is suddenly dying now! We don't know where they are! We don't know how strong they are! And we have no chance at beating them! Fight back!? That's just suicide!"

For a moment, silence fell. The weight of her words hung in the air like a stone around both their necks. These weren't just officers anymore; before they were enemies, military leaders of the 2 dominant races. Now, they were the last authority their people had, pressed into command after their rulers were wiped out in the first assault. And neither of them had answers.

The heavy door banged open with a clang, and a younger dog soldier stumbled in, fur bristling and eyes wide. "Commander! Captain!" he shouted, breathless. "Our detectors just picked up something, no, someone! A massive power signature, opposite of where the invaders set up camp!"

Both women shot to their feet, their eyes meeting with the same stunned expression. Shock. Disbelief. And, just faintly, the smallest flicker of hope. 

The young soldier's chest still heaved as he caught his breath, eyes darting between the two commanders.

"Do we know anything about them?" the cat woman asked sharply, arms folding tight across her chest, tail flicking behind her. "Do they look like they've responded to our distress calls?"

The soldier shook his head. "No responses, ma'am. Nothing came back from the signals. Whoever this is… they're not answering."

For a heartbeat, the room was silent again. Then the dog woman's muzzle pulled into a grin, sharp and sudden. She leaned forward, teeth flashing as she rumbled a short laugh. "Well, look at that. Seems like help finally did arrive, whether they answered or not."

The cat's ears pinned back. She snapped her gaze to her counterpart, eyes blazing. "Or," she bit out, "it's not help. What if it's more reinforcements for them? What if it's another raiding party? Or worse, some third force we've never seen before? You really think someone that strong just happened to show up right now, but not because of the distress call?"

(yes)

Her words landed heavily, her voice rising with every possibility. "We don't know what they want. We don't know if they're friend or foe. If we assume wrong, it could be the end for what's left of us."

The dog woman's grin faltered but didn't vanish entirely. She leaned back in her chair, arms crossing, her ears twitching as if she didn't want to admit the logic but couldn't argue it either. So she simply let out a growl.

Before either of them could speak again, the door burst open a second time. A smaller figure stumbled in, another soldier, but this time a young cat girl, her fur was standing on end with her tail puffed out in panic. "Commander!" she gasped, almost tripping over her own words. "The energy! It's moving! It's heading straight for our location!! And it has been for the past 5 solar times!"

Every eye in the room went wide. The two commanders froze, their gazes locking in unspoken realisation.

"...They're coming here?" the dog woman muttered, stunned.

The cat captain's claws flexed at her sides, her tone sharpened with urgency. "We can't wait to see what happens. We need to move! Now!"

The dog commander gave a curt nod, already grabbing her rifle from where it leaned against the wall. "Rally the soldiers, both sides. Doesn't matter if they're cat or dog. We meet this power head-on, together."

And for once, neither of them argued.

Within minutes, the commanders pushed out into the ruined streets, their boots crunching over cracked stone and scorched dirt. Soldiers from both races, cat and dog alike, fell in step behind them, their eyes wary but determined. Guns clicked, blades were drawn, and tension bristled through the air as the unlikely force gathered under the smoke-streaked, dull-hued sky.

They didn't know what they were facing, but they were all worried.

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---

"Oh wow! Look at that spider!" I shouted in glee, crouched low in a bush as my eyes locked on a massive, hairy thing with too many legs, just sitting there nibbling on some poor bug.

"Soo coooool!" I whispered, leaning in like I was watching some rare treasure, trying my best not to scare it off.

I grinned widely, chin in my hands, legs kicking behind me like a kid seeing fireworks for the first time. giggling. This was the best idea ever! Good job, me!

The forest wasn't much, but it was something. Thin, scraggly trees twisted upward, their leaves pale and drooping like they were carrying too much weight. The ground was covered in that washed-out grass I'd seen earlier, crunchy under my boots, brittle as if the life had already been wrung out of it. Even so, it was quiet here, and quiet wasn't bad.

Out of habit, I went to shove my hands into my pockets, except my hands slipped past nothing but fabric. I blinked, glanced down, and frowned. "…Oh. Right. Majin 21's outfit doesn't have pockets." I muttered, tugging at the cloth a bit. what? Cut me some slack, I was literally born a good 6 hours ago... or maybe longer, depending on how long I slept. I had more important problems than thinking about clothes... such as possession. 

I sighed and shrugged. "Well, now that I think about it... I have no problems anymore. I've got all the time in the world, don't I?"

Actually, shouldn't I be able to use Piccolo's clothes beam? I mean, turning things or people into food should be harder than clothes, right?

"I should be able to do that, too, right?" I said, pointing lazily at myself.

No build-up or struggle needed. The moment I thought about it, a pink beam not unlike a candy beam shot out and fabric shimmered into being around me. It was effortless, like it had always been there waiting. Shorts stretched down to my knees, sturdy but flexible, paired with a top fitted enough not to get in the way, covered my whole chest and abdomen, but left my arms free. Comfortable and practical. 

I looked myself over and gave a sharp nod. "Perfect... I'm such a genius. Now, let's a go!" Shoving my hands into my new pockets, I started walking.

The forest around me wasn't exactly thriving, but it wasn't empty either. Pale leaves rustled overhead, hanging limp on thin branches. The undergrowth was sparse, just scraggly grass that snapped and crunched underfoot. Still, the place had life. A fat beetle the size of my fist crawled across a tree trunk, its shell patterned with dull stripes. I leaned in, watching as it gnawed at the bark, only to pause and slump like even chewing was too much effort.

Another insect buzzed past, wings beating hard to stay airborne. It landed on a flower, drained of nearly all its colour, and probed at it with its long, penetrating mouth. I crouched down, fascinated, following its slow, tired movements. "Is it just me, or do they all feel lethargic? Is that normal?"

A little further along, a beetle the size of my hand crawled clumsily across the grass. Its shell was dull and cracked, and it had a long, pointed snout instead of regular mandibles. It scuttled a few steps before wobbling, tipping over onto its back, and just... stopping.

I reached down and scooped it up. "Hello, Mr. Beetle-thingy! Are you alive?" I asked in the sing-song voice of a child pretending with a toy, finding joy in my role-play.

The beetle twitched, legs flailing weakly as it tried to escape my grasp. I grinned and let it drop back to the ground. It scrambled frantically, making it halfway into a bush before its legs gave out. It slumped sideways, defeated by gravity.

I scratched my cheek, frowning. "Huh... so it didn't die but... just stopped... hmmm... maybe life's just extremely weird here? Biology evolved to... screw it over?" I tried to reason with logic that didn't make sense before moving along.

I shrugged, shoved my hands back into my pockets, and kept walking.

The trees thinned, giving way to rock and open ground. The hill ahead wasn't tall, but it gave a clear view over the land below, so I made for the top. Crunchy grass broke under my boots as I climbed.

At the crest, I stopped and looked out. A sprawling forest stretched below, patchy and uneven. Some areas still clung to life, while others sagged and wilted, colours drained away as if something had taken a sip.

But my eyes weren't on the forest for long. Far off, tiny shapes moved together. A group. People. Life.

I smiled with joys, "Oooh! Life! I'm gonna go watch 'em." Without hesitation, I hopped down the slope, landing with a soft thud. Then I slipped into the trees again, weaving through the trunks, with stealth in mind, heading straight toward the strangers. 

---

The group trudged through the withering forest, their boots crunching over brittle leaves and pale grass. Most of them carried futuristic rifles slung across their backs, while others kept blades with strangely thick bases at their sides. Their movements were tense, cautious, like they expected an ambush at any moment.

Whispers drifted up and down the line.

"Commander said the base sensors picked up some energy," one soldier muttered under his breath. "It was a hard spike, falling low and keeping stationary, before moving this way."

Another hissed back, voice shaky. "Forget the readings. You saw what they did. They tore through half a battalion like it was nothing."

"They weren't even using guns, or anything..." a third whispered, eyes darting to the trees. "Just… energy, raw energy, raw power. nothing else."

Some faces in the group hardened with grim resolve. "Maybe whatever fell this time isn't with them. Maybe it's something different. Maybe it's… help?" Others shook their heads, lips pressed tight. Hope and fear tangled their every step.

Toward the rear, a pair of soldiers wasn't whispering at all. A dog soldier sneered, glaring at the cat beside him. "Figures we'd get dragged into this mess. Gotta clean up after you flea bags."

The cat soldier's tail lashed, her ears flat, hissed out, "Funny, I was about to say the same thing about your slobbering pack of mutts."

"Say that again, you-"

"Enough." The cat captain's voice cut sharply through the tension, her gaze snapping back with a glare cold enough to silence both. "Keep your mouths shut. Morons who waste their breath bickering are the first to fall."

The two soldiers stiffened, muttering something under their breath, but they didn't push it further. The line kept moving.

From the bushes a short distance away, I lay down as I peered through the leaves. My grin widened. "Ooooh… and here we have them in their natural habitat," I whispered in my best serious-narrator tone. "Look at them. Nervous. Twitchy. Whispering about monsters in the dark." 

I shifted my weight, lowering my voice dramatically. "Some cling to hope. Others are ready to break apart at the seams. And a few in the back fall into their natural routes of racism... hehe..." my lips curled "2 truly fascinating species..." but then my smile faded, "...what am I doing? Why am I stalking a cat and dog alien species, in the bushes as they go to war?"

I paused, "Actually... maybe I should talk to them... considering what they said..." I thought back, "You saw what they did. They tore through half a battalion like it was nothing." 

Who were they? They probably are Ki users, considering what they said, I have a feeling like these 2 races were recently put together, to fight a common enemy, so... did another race start a war with them? Or maybe a lone separated group that wanted revenge? That makes sense... hmmmm...

I look over to them now moving along, now further away, I wonder if I help them, I could get some new food... 

I quietly hopped out of the bush when they went out of sight. "Alright! I got an idea!" 

Chapter Text

This is a small chapter that I added, because my god, my life has been getting fucked lately. But it's fine. Sorry that I haven't posted in a while.

But this is here, because I lost quite a bit of motivation, so im going to be skipping some parts to make things easier for me. 

I apologise, but I have no clue what this was so hard. 

Maybe in the future, this chapter will be replaced with the actual content.

i won't be abandoning this, but it might take a while for the next chapter.

sorry again.