METAL HEARTS
(prologe)

Android 18 looked about at the group that was currently standing around the boy from the future, Trunks. He was preparing to leave.
These people, she thought, these people she was designed to destroy now nearly excepted her as one of their own. Especialy him.
18 glanced down at the bald muscular man standing next to her. He didn't seem like wishing anyone farwell.
He had just lost his best friend, she told herself, you know what that's like. 18 felt a pang in her gut as she remembered how her cyborg brother, 17, was unwillingly absorbed by Cell. There was nothing she could do at the time. Cell was so much stronger than she was, even if she gave her all she couldn't have stopped him. Maybe that's how Krillen felt when Goku gave his life for the others.
Krillen stared as Trunks got into his time capsule to save his timeline. Most of the other z senshi had already said good-bye and wished him luck, but he hung back with Umigame (Master Roshis sea turtle) and 18 in case she felt out of place. Why would she? Trunls was only going off to kill her and her brother in the future. Also it was obvious to Krillen that Trunks didn't like the idea of leaving 18 here alive.
Trunks passed a look at 18 how was standing very close to Krillen. I hope that she just doesn't hurt him, Trunks thought. And with that he jumped into the capsule and disappeared.


18 saw the look that Trunks tossed her before he left. He doesn't trust me. Maybe I don't even trust me. She gazed around her as everyone departed either to go train like Piccolo or head home. Home. She didn't have anyplace. Both Krillen and Trunk had destroyed the lab in search for this times Cell.
18 turned away from Krillen and stared at the mountains to the north. Maybe she should go to the lab anyway. The eternal dragon, Shenlong, brought everyone back to life except Goku. So if 17 was out there he'd head on to the labratory. But the question is, she asked herself, is that the life I really want?
"Um,18?"
"Hmmm?" she asked turning to face Krillen.
"Well, um . . .", he stammered. Man, why was this so hard? he thought. Just think of her as someone who needs some help. Not the beautiful goddess he was currently head over heels for.
He took a deep breath and said in a rush of words, "Would you like to come to Kame House with me? You know, to stay just untill you get on your feet?"
"What?" she exclaimed. That was not what she expected.
"Seeing as how you don't have a place to stay and all," he said blushing and scratching his head. "and where Kame House may seem small but . . . .um, you're welcome to stay."
18 turned partly away from his gentel face. Why is he always so nice to me? First destroying the controller when he could have shut me down, then fighting Cell even when it was pointless and now . . . .this.
"I'm not sure." she answered.
"Come on 18," a deep voice said. Both 18 and Krillen turned towards Umigame. He was smiling a honest grin as he said, "It's a wonderful place. Palm trees, wide blue ocean and plenty of nice sea grass to eat."
"Yeah," Krillen said, joining in. "you can have your own room and lots of privacy! And if you don't like sea grass I can make a mean grilled steak!" He grinned and winked.
18 stared at the spotted headed turtle and spotted headed man. She knew that she couldn't say no.
"Alright. But just untill I get on my feet." she said finaly.
Krillen felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. Then it came crashing donw again as another thought hit him. How was he going to get Oolong and Master Roshi to behave themselves??


CHAPTER ONE: WELCOME TO KAME HOUSE!


Krillen and 18 were flying over the ocean towards Kame House. Krillen could hardly wait to get home and lay down on a nice soft bed.
He flipped over onto his back to fly and looked back at 18. She had her arms crossed over her cheast as she flew. She appeared very uptight, almost like Piccolo. Krillens eyes roamed over her pale skin and curvy figure. Man, she sure doesn't look like Piccolo though, he thought.
He shook his head. Come on Krillen, he told himself, she may look beautiful but you need to be careful. You've been burned by women before.
"Hey 18," he yelled back to her. "the island is just up ahead!"
"About time." she mumbled.
Krillen flew on ahead and landed on the sandy beach. Oolong, Master Roshi and Umigame were waiting for him. "Say," Roshi said "where is the cybornetic babe?" Okey so not nessicaraly for him.
"You guys," Krillen scolded. "I want you to treat her with respect while she's here so no trying to sneek a peek!"
"Gee, I didn't know you cared." a monotoned voice said behind him.
Krillen spun around and saw 18 standing there. He felt his cheeks go red.
"Well it's not like you can't take care of yourself heh-heh," he said nerviously.
18 mearly walked past him into the front door of the house. "Um, I'll show you to your room!" Krillen said hurrying after her.
Once they were inside Oolong chuckled, "Wow. He's got it bad."


Inside Krillen lead 18 up to the spare bedroom. "You can keep all your things in here." he said. 18 humphed and replied, "Not that I have anything to keep."
"Oh,yeah." Krillen then noticed that the only things that she had were the clothes on her back.
"Hey I've got an idea!" he said suddenly. "What about tomorrow we head to the mall and buy you some new clothes?"
18 stared at him a little wide eyed. "Huh?" she said. "You accually wasnt to go shopping?" She remembered how 17 had always complained about going shopping. Calling it a waste of time and too 'human'.
"Just because my roommates are a pig, a turtle and an old man doesn't mean that I don't have any sence of style." Krillen joked. "Besides, I've got money to spend from all of the turnaments I was in."
18 sat down on the stiff matress of the bde and looked around the room. The only other piece of furnature in the room was a table stand with the knob missing off of one of it's drawers. The room itself was fairly clean if one over looked the faint smell of mildew.
18 felt her lip curl. "What I don't understand is why you'd want to live here if you had so much money."
Krillen placed his hands on his hips and glanced around. He smiled and said, "Well, it's cozy, out of the way, secluded so I can get my training done, amd it's not like I have a girl to spend money on."
"You do now." 18 said femininely.
His head jolted up so fast he almost gave himself whiplash.
18 nearly laughed out loud at the sight. His eyes were huge(huger) and his jaw hung open as red stained his cheeks. "Uh . . . . . . . . . ." Krillens jaw moved silently as he tried to form more then one syllable.
She hopped off the bed and slauntered over him, making sure she added an extra swing in her hips. 18 placed her hand on the door jam, leaning over him a bit.
"Now if you'll please leave, I have to go take a shower." she said and slowly closed the door on him. She turned to go to the bathroom, giggling.
On the other side of the door Krillen stood stiffly in the middle of the hallway. "Sh-she was just kidding," he told himself numbly. "J-j-just kidding."


Later that night . . .


18 didn't know what it was that woke her up, but it DID wake her up. She sat up in bed. Someone was going to pay!
She grabed in the dark for the t-shirt Roshi had given her to sleep in. It had been too itchy. She finaly found it and slipped it over her head. She was releived to notice that it came all the way down to her knees.
18 wandered over to the window and threw it open.
Down below, unaware of his audience, Krillen stood ankle deep in sea water taking a fighting stance. Slowly he brought his hands together at his side to form a cup.
"KA-ME-. . . "Water began to ripple around him.
"HA- . . . " Streams of the liquid shot up around him in a circle, almost creating a cage surrounding his riseing ki.
"ME- . . ." A blue ball formed in his hands.
"HA!!" Krillen shot the beam forward with all his strength.
18 watched as the orbic mass rapidly approached a near by island. But right before it hit, Krillen pushed the ball upwards by making a motion with his hands. Quickly making another movement with his arms he forced it to the side and then suddenly down! The blast crashed into an island twenty yards away from the one the ball was originaly destined for. The island quaked at the attack and chunks of rock fell into the ocean, leaving dust in its wake.

"Nice."

Krillen jumped around, and swallowed thickly when he saw what 18 was wearing. What was she trying to do? Kill him? Krillen began to wonder if he was dead. That he was killed in Cell Games. Either it was that or he was dreaming.
Because before him stood an angelic beauty whos hair reflected the moons beams and eyes held the oceans deep waves.
"Train out here often?" 18 asked, a smile tugging at here lips.
"Huh? Oh yeah," Krillen said remembering. He came out here training to releive some stress. Try to forget about his problems. About how Gokus death. Yet for some reason the only problem he could recall at the moment was how he was going to deal with this girl who had been haunting his every waking thought, and even in his dreams as he slept.
Krillen watched as the blonde 18 walked up to the waters edge. "Your power level is alot higher then my programing says it should be." she said breaking the silence.
"Well, uh," Krillen started, his voice coming back to him. "For the past three years I have been training extensively preparing for-" His words stopped off short.
"Us." 18 said finishing what he wouldn't.
An akward silence fell between them.
"Yeah you see," he said looking away. "all we knew was that a pair of androids were heading our way with the intent to wipe us out. We knew we had to use everything in our power to stop this threat to mankind."
After a minute 18s' soft voice asked, "Krillen. . . why did you destroy the controller? I mean, you had a chance to stop me and keep Cell from becoming perfect, but you gave me a chance to escape. Why?"
Krillen turned away and faced the ocean where some dust was still settling. "I couldn't do that to you 18." he answered. "You may have been created to destroy, but I thought it might just be your programing.
"All my life I was taught through example to give living things second chances. Weather namek or sayjin," he paused. "Or android. Icouldn't stand the thought of you being gone forever when there was a chance of-" Krillen cut off short.
"A chance of what?" 18 asked taking a sted into the water. She felt her heart begin to beat faster in her cheast. Why am I so nervious? she thought.
Krillen stopped for a moment trying to think of what to say.
"A chance of . . . . . . you starting over and leading a normal life." Nice save, he thought.
"Oh." 18 said. Was that disappointment she heard in her own voice?
"Well," he said finaly turning to face her. "we really should try to get some rest. We've got a big day tomorrow."
18 didn't reply, she mearly turned around and walked back to the house.
"Um, if you get cold there are some extra blankets in the closet!" he added quickly.
18 didn't even stop walking as she replied quietly, "Androids don't get cold."





Authers notes: Chapter 2&3 up tomorrow. A DAY AT THE MALL is next!!