Chapter 1

(Monsters Chasing Ghosts)

The Arcosian stood upon a dead world. His blackened tail whipped about the air freely behind him as his three toed feet lay upon rubble and broken chunks of what had once been a sprawling city. Massive craters lined the vastness before him and as he glanced both left and right over his shoulders he saw much more of the same. A low hum escaped from him as his mind ran through several hidden thoughts known only to him. He crossed his charcoal black arms over his chest, their wrists covered in the white exoskeleton common of his people, his race.

The Lord rose up into the air effortlessly and he allowed his eyes to more clearly and freely look across what had once been a planet with life upon it. Now it was quiet, and unnaturally so, deathly so. A city, once lined with bulbous spires and domed homes lay in waste and its inhabitants lay dead across the rubble, beneath and above it. Some bodies twisted and torn, ripped, burned and mutilated by the energy used to decimate their homes and very civilization. The Arcosian lord floated freely in air and looked upon one of the dead from afar with his keen eyesight.

They were ugly little things, small in stature, pale green all of them. Little three fingered hands and three toed feet that looked like the claws of some feral bird. Their eyes were bulbous and all seemed blue in color, though they lacked any life within them now. Their clothes were simple robes of the same green color, and many of them now lay burned, torn and shredded upon decaying and rotting bodies. In fact, the Arcosian Lord could smell death permeating the air around him, and it caused a sneer to form across his features from the sweet rot crimson eyes passed over the destruction in silence. He turned freely in the air, arms crossed, silent and thoughtful as he took in everything that he saw. Before he sighed lowly, more a grumble than anything, and narrowed his eyes.

"I missed you again." He intoned lowly amongst the silence of the dying planet. The Arcosian Lord could still sense the faint, but fading energy that permeated the land along with the sweet rot of death and decay. The power was immense, and unlike anything he'd felt before. Greater than even the mightiest of his race who'd long since passed away, nearly forgotten save but for tales amongst his people of the mighty Lord Frieza, and his father Cold before him. He had seen the Galactic Emperor before, many time in fact. One such occasion came suddenly to his mind. He had managed to find himself on the Arcosian throne world. He sensed his power then as he had many times before, and could tell that there loomed immense wells within, that Frieza had not been keen on sharing to anyone. Yet, now he was gone. So too was his Empire and the power of the Arcosian people over the PTO. Gone away, rumors had sprung up quickly and moved swiftly through all levels of Arcosian society and the PTO, that Lord Frieza, 'mightiest in the universe,' had been defeated. Made low but some low class warrior, from all races, a Saiyan. Nobody saw him after that, only heard of his return and rebirth, only for him to take one ship, a small army and go into the wilds of the northern quadrant of space. Never to return, never to reclaim his honor, and that of the Arcosian race.

It brought this Lord's fists together harshly and full of anger as his chest felt full of wrath and burning prideful hatred. Everyone in the universe practically knew now that the mighty Lord Frieza had been killed by some measly monkey in the depths of space. It was a burning slight against he and his people's pride and the rightful power they held, and now they had little to nothing to show for it. The PTO was now held by fools, and cliques, broken apart into gangs of generals, and commanders with measly powers and little wit or imagination. The Arcosians peacefully remained assured of their survival and power in the heart of the PTO and seemed to have forsaken everything they once held in their hands to simply remain undisturbed upon their worlds. The worlds directly owned by Lord's Frieza and Cold having since been taken by force and little resistance if any at all. It was enough to make this Lord nauseous. Were they here now, he could only imagine the disdain they would feel not only for these usurpers, but their own people as well.

Thus, here he was, on this world marred by power unknown to him, greater than anything he'd felt before, even the mightiest among his people, and with nothing to show for it. His fury welled, but he kept it beneath the surface. The pale twin moonlight fell upon his black and white body. The millions of distant stars aided their illumination and brought light upon he and the uncountable dead below. Fourteen years, it had been just barely fourteen years since the passing of Frieza from relevance and leadership now into memory. Fourteen years of shame, of loss of power and prestige, and here he was, alone with a dead world, and a slew of others in his wake.

This power, it had torn through over twenty worlds already, all of them left dead and dying. Several only left a trail of asteroids where the planet had once been. All of them left a pulsating energy signature, something raw, and violent had come through and torn the planet to shreds. Even when the Lord arrived days after, sometimes weeks to take witness he'd still sense a trace of that power, and it troubled him. Deep down on a subconscious level he'd never openly admit to, it troubled him. Even now he could sense the power, and it was fading from the world as it had gone likely days prior.

"This slight will not go unpunished." His deep but cool and low voice declared only towards himself as he turned where he floated in the air and sped off and away from this debris pile. Flaring light wrapped around his form as he did and he took off at incredible speeds. His eyes were bereft of any emotion or any outward feeling as they stared forward from where he shot through the skies of the dead world. Only inside did he burn with anger and a deeply seeded need to avenge the honor of his people for this slight among many more.

Were these creatures loved by the Arcosians? No, were they even known to them, hardly. Did the PTO even control the world? Technically it fell within their limits, but no one would do anything! The PTO from incompetence and poor new leadership that often fell into little wars and squabbles for not much else than an insult. Without the basis of power, the Cold Family and dynasty his people, the Arcosians so they were at times known, seemed lacking in will and ambition. They sit upon great laurels and gave into hedonistic sloth. It made him truly and utterly sick!

It took only a few moments before he came to his ship, the circular bulbous thing was honestly ugly to his eyes, but they'd been in service for hundreds of years. So, who was he to complain on appearances alone? Nonetheless, the Lord landed upon both his feet atop the ship where an entryway remained open there upon the top of it. Alone he strode forwards and allowed himself to float down from the top and sealed it behind himself. He fell gracefully and found his way to the controls where he paused his fingers over the panels and many keys of assorted use and meaning. His face still down turned and red eyes looking to nothing in particular he reached himself outwards to feel for what he was looking for once more. As with every time before where a world was left barren and lifeless or gone altogether he let himself feel for that power as it continued to fade from where he now remained in its terrible wake.

His face shot up and eyes narrowed and a growl threatened to escape from his throat as he found it, further north into the wilds of the universe. Close to where his Lord and father before him had disappeared into. A tightening in his chest came upon him a deeply seeded hidden fear of the unknown and what lay in that region of space. His honor, his pride overpowered it, however, his eyes hardened and his nostrils flared as he slammed his dark fingers into the keys of the ship. It gave a rumble and rose up into the air, leaving this rock to float lifeless and devoid of any worth or meaning. The Arcosian then allowed his ship to explode off into the vastness of space. Himself standing alone, watching out the massive forward viewing station, he crossed his arms once more, closed his eyes and then bowed his head again. His mind playing over every scenario, his heart wanting so badly to find this creature and put it down for shaming his people and their power, that which they once held and would so again if he had his way. His senses reached out and latched onto this distant thing of monstrous power, and faintly, he could feel that fear well up and threaten to expose itself outwardly once more. Fear of this power, and what else he may find in the north of space.

All he knew, was that he'd kill something soon enough. Be it man, monkey, or monster.

Earth – Gingertown

An explosion ripped through the city and those within it all turned to the thundering sound and source of the rippling shock wave. Most stared in dumb shock mixed with awe as the billowing black smoke rose into the sky and orange flames tinged in white or yellow light followed and died faster after. It finally dawned on some of them what that sound was and what it meant and no one knew who did it first, but someone screamed, and then the chorus of others doing so followed after.

More explosions suddenly followed the first then, ripping through the city and moved closer to the outlying suburbs as they did so. They came closer and closer and people scattered, dropping stray bags of groceries, goods, all manner of other small daily items taken with them from home or bought in one of the few shops left running these days. Many people were falling over themselves, and hordes more running over them in sheer panic to escape what they knew was coming. The distance was bereft of movement even as yellow flashes of light exploded out in straight lines and tossed up one explosion after the other on either side of the main street leading into and down the suburbs. Until, at last, coming up the street came into view two dark blotches. They showed human figures and were identical in almost every way. Size, height, hair, even eye color were the same clear light blue shade. Really, the only difference was the color of their hair. One was ebony dark, and the other a dulled but noticeable blonde hue.

One was a man though he appeared young by normal human standards. He was the one with dark hair. His attire consisted of a black shirt on top of a mostly unseen white undershirt. Strangely he had a belt around his waist that also contained a gun holster, but it was hardly, if ever, used by the man. He also wore uninteresting blue jeans that seemed tactically ripped above his left knee. They went down to oddly green socks that went toward unassuming blue sneakers. With the only other noteworthy feature of this man being the orange bandanna he wore around his neck atop his shirts. The other, a woman, wore a blue denim vest and matching skirt. Along with blue tights, brown boots that stood out from the rest of her outfit, along with an equally unassuming black undershirt with black and white striped sleeves.

As they walked, and appeared as though they were strolling down the road, their hands lazily were cast one way or another. The boy had his left hand pointing right, his index finger outstretched and yellow blasts erupted from it, slamming into buildings and sporadically, into people. Each explosion sent waves percussing through the streets and the screaming and running of the people never lessened through all of it. The woman, held her right hand up much as her companion did his left. She fired blasts from her fingers to her left and also sent buildings erupting upwards in both fire and thick dark smoke.

Twisted thin smiles were present across both of their faces as they continued randomly destroying everything they walked by. People ran ahead of them, and they didn't seem to take notice of them at all. They walked on, without tiring, without making a sound beyond firing blasts of energy. Those that were killed by them didn't understand how such a thing was possible. But neither did most living still understand how they accomplished the feat. The twocarried this on for over a mile down the same main road until finally coming to a sudden stop. Both of them standing in the middle of the road as they did. Both looked as a massive crowd had gathered before them down the road. The horde of civilians that ran had jumbled into one disorderly mess of fearful shoving, pushing and hysterical running to escape these mass murderers many of them knew too well.

"I think I'll take this one." The boy said raising his left hand up, palm outstretched and aimed clear down towards the crowd. The woman scoffed and folded her arms over her chest.

"Have at it, if you want." She retorted with what sounded like disinterest even as she watched on with her smirk never wavering.

"Don't mind if I do, sis." He coolly responded and before his hand a yellow sphere materialized. It warbled in the air, and grew from a small marble into the size of a basketball. His thin smirk turned into a twisted upturned full grin along his otherwise serene features. His hand jerked ever so slightly and the ball flew outwards down the road with a whine in the air. Until it zoomed upwards over the back of the crowd and went further a few more feet before colliding hard back towards the street. A tremendous explosion rocked out and a dazzling light followed by immense raging fires and smoke followed after as the power ball made its mark. Embers flew out across the suburb and street as did burnt clothing and a sickening smell that didn't register much at all with the two killers.

"I'd say that was overkill."

"Really? Because I'd call that a big boost to my score." The boy responded with an almost child like grin of victory. His sister merely scoffed again.

"Please, you maybe got a hundred? Hundred fifty tops! I still have the lead 17!" She retorted gloatingly and almost in good nature with her brother who chuckled in kind.

"Maybe, but not for long sis." 17 smirked and fired another full blast of yellow tinged ki to his right and slammed into a small domed building. Likely a home, several screams could be heard before the blast caused another roaring explosion to occur.

"That makes three more!"

"Yeah, good luck getting ahead of me at that rate." 18 returned with an eye roll.

"You two won't be gathering anymore kills for your twisted games." A resolute and familiar voice said from above. 18 sighed where she stood and turned her head upwards. Her brother did the same, though without his smile wavering any.

"Oh hey, it's blondie!" 17 began with a small chuckle in his tone of voice.

"What took you so long? What, are there other androids out there taking up all your time?" 17 asked with his voice laced in sarcasm.

"That would certainly make us feel less important." 18 added dully though she now too sported a thin smirk as her eyes glared up at the new figure. The sun beat down upon them, and shrouded the figure, only his silhouette visible to normal eyes. Though these two could see him clearly. Under his right arm was a young woman, dirty by debris and the smokey remains of the home 17 had blown apart. Over his left shoulder was another figure, a small boy who was silent in fear by being in the sky, as he could look down on the burning remains of his home. His body was shrouded in an aura of golden hue, his eyes a piercing unnatural greenish-blue, and hair upturned and golden. He glared down on the two androids with such hate and anger that it could bring a lesser man, or anything else otherwise, to its knees.

He lowered to the ground and placed both people down. The woman, scared, shaking and frozen in fear as she looked at the androids was snapped back into reality by Gohan handing her the small boy with a small smile on his scared features.

"Take him, and get out of here. Go now, as fast as you can!" He ordered more than asked, and she barely mumbled a thank you before she turned and ran with the boy in her arms, her heavy breathing only being heard as she moved away from the three.

"Darn it, I guess that makes me lose two points." 17 chuckled as he eyed the escaping woman and child. He glanced back to the burning home where he just caught a dead body inside the blown open top of the building.

"Guess I killed dad, oh well, mom and son will join him soon. Or, whatever they were to him I don't really care. Nor do I discriminate." He chuckled.

"Why wait?" 18 asked in monotone, and lifted her right arm. A pink orb appeared and she fired a ki blast towards the running woman who kept an even running pace. Gohan's eyes went wide, and a snarl graced his features before he broke right and swung his right arm back left and caught the blast in his palm. It swung out and up before exploding midair. The child had watched everything and began screaming as his mother continued running as fast as she could. Gohan was left with a sneer on his face and teeth barred in anger.

"You both are as twisted as ever! When will your sick games be over?! How many have to die before you stop?!" He seethed, asking questions he'd asked both himself, and them dozens of times before. His fists balled together close to him on either side and his aura grew as he powered up in his rage.

"When? Well when we get bored with it. Why stop the party when it's still good?" 17 retorted with a sick smirk on his face as he matched Gohan's glare with a dull staring look of his own.

"I don't know 17, killing the weak ones isn't as fun as it used to be."

"You're right." 17 suddenly agreed. "We should kill one that can fight back. At least better than most anyways."

"Kill him? That sounds like fun, though maybe you should actually hit him this time." 18 laughed lowly.

"Me, what about when-" He was cut off. Suddenly a leg slammed into his left cheek and the android went flying backwards through several charred and smoking buildings.

"17!" 18 called and turned with a growl towards Gohan who glared at her. He quickly landed on his feet and threw a hard right hook against her face, and she joined her brother by flying backwards in another direction than him. Gohan jumped into the air levitating and slowly pushing back and upwards. Just then both androids burst from where they'd been thrown and were gliding fast over the ground kicking up dust and debris behind them towards Gohan.

Both of his hands came up in an X over his chest and both hands opened up to reveal two golden ki balls. He howled out and thrust both arms outwards pointed at either android. Two beams extended from him and slammed against both of them and carried back several dozen feet, ending in a hard dual crash. Gohan's breathing became heavier, but only slightly, and his eyes widened in shock as both figures zoomed up through the new smoke layers in the air having taken, what looked to be, no damage at all. On his right 17 charged and made to punch with his right fist. On his left, 18 did much the same.

Gohan ducked under 17 and swung his left fist back right and careened into his gut. The android became paused in mid air with a pained winced look on his face. Gohan would have smirked but then his head exploded in pain as he fell down to the ground with a rumble. 18 had delivered an overhead double fist blow to Gohan's head that now pounded in pain as he pushed himself off the ground with a series of seething intakes and releases of breath.

"You're...gonna pay for...that one!" 17 announced in pain and charged up a brilliant blue ki blast over his head with both hands. He now held a feral sneer on his face and threw both arms down, freeing the ball down towards Gohan. He bolted left in kind across the ground and narrowly escaped the blast as it slammed into where he had been and sent up a massive dome of fire exploding around in all directions.

Gohan came to a stop and swung to look at the bigger than expected destruction radius. Then he barely registered a noise that caused him to swing back right. Before he could he felt a fist connect with his left cheek and then a kick beat into his right and he cried out in pain. Another light erupted and a hum sounded as a ki blast tore into Gohan's back and threw him back from where he had come from. He came to a stop and fell to his knees. He felt his back burning and his gi singed without even needing to see it.

Gohan swung left with his right hand under his left arm with palm outstretched and a massive golden blast erupted out and consumed both androids as they were, as expected, rushing towards him. They escaped from his sight, but Gohan knew better, and flipped himself backwards onto his hands, again onto his feet and then to his hands again, twice more before he landed on his feet and placed both hands to his right hip and pulled his ki into his hands. His eyes remained glaring to where the androids had been as he began to call out loudly.

"Ka...me..." He charged loudly as a blue ball formed, spinning between his hands cascading light around him and the debris around and a distinct warble could be heard. The smoke settled and the two androids stood, looking bored as ever where Gohan's blast had overtook them.

"Ha...me.." He continued even louder and the ball grew larger.

"I've got this one." 18 smirked and charged forwards leaving 17 who simply shrugged and crossed his arms in reply.

"Ha!" His voice boomed with an echo across the scattered remains of the suburb. He threw both hands out with his wrists touching and a brilliant, and a massive blue beam exploded outwards and consumed the rushing android in a stunning light show. It flew back for a quite the distance, and forced 17 to fly upwards fast away from the beam. Though if it would have actually hurt him, Gohan didn't know. His breathing was heavy from the exertion and release of energy. His eyes remained staring forwards as smoke filled the air and it, mingled with debris and lingering smoke fell. In a few seconds Gohan's eyes narrowed and he growled like a rabid beast as the smoke cleared further and revealed the android standing still now. Her vest was torn and ripped and her shirt was split along her right waist revealing more of her pale skin.

"Wow sis, guess you'll be needing another outfit!" 17 laughed and caused her face to contort into a grimace as she numbly pushed her hair behind her left ear and glared at Gohan.

"That one, will cost you." She muttered lowly and charged him again. Her right elbow was thrust left at Gohan's face. He pushed himself back and missed. In kind, he threw his left fist up to catch her stomach, but she spun in the air, too fast for him and her right arm swung around and connected with his right cheek and threw him several feet through the air into a broken out old home. In an instant he burst up through the air and brought his hands up over his head in a familiar formation.

"Oh come on, not this old move again!" 17 called from where he floated. Gohan ignored him and zeroed in on 18 who was flying up towards him with a smirk all her own on her face.

"Masenko!" Gohan seethed out in a heavy call and a yellow burst of light exploded from his hands as it had many times before. It flew into 18, but the android smirked viciously and spun left and threw her hand against the beam causing it to fly freely outwards, and towards 17. His eyes widened and he dove away as the beam slammed into a distant already burnt out suburb area.

"What's the deal?!" 17 called, but 18 ignored him, merely chuckling lowly as she threw herself forwards and slammed her hard head against Gohan's own exposed forehead. He cried out in pain and winced as his head was again rattled by the same android. She didn't allow him time to recover. Her cold hands grasped either side of his head, grasping and clawing into his golden hair and she yanked it towards her as she lifted her right knee and connected it with his head once more. The pain tripled and his hands instinctively grasped at his face, especially as his nose began to bleed from the most recent impact. But, again 18 didn't give him time to recover as she slammed another double fist punch to his back this time. Though he was riddled with pain, he was grateful it wasn't his head...again.

Still, Gohan flew down with a whistle through the air and collided with some old tower further from the suburbs they had been fighting in. It cracked and crumbled from the sudden explosion Gohan's body had caused by impact of 18's forceful attack. 18 and 17 came together in the air, she had her hands on her hips and he still had his arms crossed as they loomed over the tower menacingly.

"Think he's dead?"

"I don't know, why don't you go and check?" 17 retorted with little emotion as ever.

"Why don't you? I've had my fill of fun."

"Oh? Sure you don't want to fling another blast my way?" 17 asked, his tone only dipping slightly.

"Oh come on, you and I both know it wouldn't have hurt you. Besides it wasn't intentional. Well, mostly unintentional." She chuckled and 17 scoffed.

"Yeah well, let's just finish this alre-" 17 stopped as the ground began to rumble and both android siblings looked to the broken spire.

"What is-" An explosion erupted from the cement ground below, but to the back of both androids. The golden aura flew up and a hard high flung kick slammed into 17 and sent him tumbling through the air. Gohan, riddled in cuts and blood, with every inch of him in pain, then spun around and collided the back of his fist against 18's face who had turned to engage him again. She cried in pain and was flung downwards and crashed along a suburb road where she was carried for several dozen feet tossing up dirt and debris as she went. Gohan raced down after her and slammed the full weight of himself down into her and thrust his boot into her gut.

She heaved in pain and lurched where she lay on the ground. Her face was vacant of much expression as the pain rattled her senses. Gohan felt his heart race as he allowed himself to think he had a chance, one chance to end just one of them! That's all he needed, that's all it would take. He sneered and pulled on more ki and flew back into the air and placed both hands over is head once more, one slammed against the back of the other, and he charged another massive yellow ball of raw energy. Within seconds and with an echoing howl where he gathered the energy to himself he fired the blast.

"Masenk-" He as cut off as a sudden ripping pain ran through his right hip and he went careening through the air as his blast flew up into the sky before abruptly ending as it went upwards without direction. The half-Saiyan flew dozens of feet away and slammed back first into another taller building, shorter than a true spire, but greater than the many homes that dotted the city. It cracked beneath his forceful impact and it bent in on itself where Gohan had landed. He shakily turned his head up and strained to open his eyes as he felt his body shake in pain as it stung across seemingly every inch of him. He could make out the small silhouette of android 17 hanging in air staring him down with a vacant glare but obvious smirk plastered on his face. In another moment, as the building began collapsing with Gohan mingled with the debris, he saw 18 rise back up and join alongside 17 in the air.

Gohan fell hard upon the debris laden ground, beneath his back laying massive pieces of the spire he'd crashed against, with metal reinforcements and jagged pieces jutting up through the cracks and open spaces. Glass cascaded down around him and the sunlight fell onto his beaten body from an open hole above even as the building collapsed and formed around his body. Almost as if it intentionally missed him, but Gohan knew it was just dumb luck. He winced and coughed where he lay and suddenly his golden aura vanished around him, his hair fell back and turned ebony black and his eyes much the same lost their glow. His body was beaten, and so was he, yet again. The anger rushed through him, but so too did the sense of helplessness.

"Well, I'd say he's done for." 17 chimed in as the two floated closer to the toppled building and loomed over it looking down into the rubble to see the beaten man as he shook and shuttered in quiet pain. The two androids merely watched on, both with their utterly nauseating thin smirks plastered back onto their faces.

"Now, about what I was saying before." 17 went on. "I say we finish this now, and get rid of all the irritation now and for good."

"Couldn't agree more, 17." 18 added in agreement. Both androids brought their arms to their sides, and clenched their fists and colorless auras burst around them. Both opened their hands and both hands on both androids created two yellow orbs of ki. Both then simply placed their hands over the top of the two orbs in their hands and readied to unleash them down onto Gohan. The ki blasts grew bigger beneath their hands as tense seconds passed where Gohan watched on glaringly.

"Gohan!" A familiar voice cried out and Gohan felt all anger fade in an instant. His heart froze and mind went temporarily blank. He jerked his head left to right looking through the open air he had vision to and saw nothing, but he could sense him close, and he was horrified.

"Trunks, no!" Gohan cried, though more a whimper as his body still shuttered with intense pain all over. The androids both paused and turned to their collective right just in time to see a barrage of yellow ki blasts fly through the sky and collide with them head on. The explosions rocked the air and sent percussion's rippling through the area around the toppled building and Gohan's fallen form. Gohan watched from below, his eyes still straining to remain open and body shaking as their forms remained hidden by smoke and fire that erupted with every shot and hit of the ki blasts. The rubble around him shuttered and shook, pieces of glass and free metal shards fell around him or atop him as the blasts went on.

In the air Trunks flew forwards, the young teen boys hand ahead of him firing blast after blast out against the murdering monsters. His eyes burned in anger and his chest was tight with rage as he had witnessed how they attacked Gohan. The boy hated them, and wanted nothing more then to see them dead, and destroyed. He used that anger, just as Gohan taught to call on more and more ki. Every blast was a slight release of that rage against them. Every shot made him feel an inkling better, every blast made his rage dissipate just a little, but the thought of them, their faces, their killings only made that same rage return and boil!

He fired one after the other over and over, sending dust, smoke and fire exploding around the killers. Every shot carried a heave and scream from his mouth and his eyes remained fixed, narrowed and unmoving. Until at last trunks came to a sudden stop and the last percussion rippled through the skies. He threw both arms back behind his head and pulled even greater ki to them. His voice howled a great scream of wrath as a massive yellow ki ball appeared behind him. A final heave and scream escaped the teen as he threw both arms back forwards ahead of himself, and the blast flew with a warble in the air and penetrated the smokey layer hiding the two androids. The smoke swirled around and flew from the blast and revealed them both still staring at Trunks just as the blast slammed into 17 who was nearer to him. A new even more massive explosion rumbled around them all and shook the city for miles.

Trunks remained in the air, heaving heavy breaths, his body shook from adrenaline and anticipation as the smoke settled from the fireball that erupted from the impact with the androids. His eyes remained fixed on the spot where they had both been and as the smoke fully cleared and he saw nothing Trunks felt a sense of elation override any real thought he may have otherwise had. A smile became plastered on his face and he raised both fists joyously and began to stutter a disbelieving laugh.

"Alright, Gohan, Gohan did you see?! I got them!" Trunks called loudly towards his unseen mentor.

"Wow, a bit younger than I had first thought." Trunks felt his blood run cold and heart nearly skip a beat as his eyes widened with total sudden fear rushing through his body. He shook, and all semblances of a smile, or happiness were drained from his body, and all color from his face. He slowly turned his head upwards to see both androids floating above him. Both with arms crossed, both with dulled numb glares and no emotion otherwise. 17 smirked, as he had been the one to break the silence and he lowered down to Trunks' eye level.

"Tell me kid, what did you expect to do that blondie couldn't? I mean he does that whole 'golden thing' as a power up right? What are you? Just human? You've got guts, maybe, but not much else than that." 17 went on and left Trunks shaking, both in fear and anger as he bared his teeth and placed his two arms up in defensive posture.

"I gotta say, if this is what counts for backup, then I'd say he's all out of options. Going for a kid after all seems, more than desperate. It seems-"

"Pathetic sis?" 17 added in.

"Pathetic, yeah I'd go for that one. It looks, and is pathetic." 18 remarked coldly as she lowered in behind Trunks. The boy swung to look at her, and then back to 17. His anger rose, but he knew he was no match for them.

"Okay, so here's how this is going to work," 17 began again, and caught Trunks' attention who eyed him like a wild animal backed into a corner.

"We kill the kid and make blondie watch. He gets all angry, gives it another shot at killing us, and we beat him until broken, and eventually dead. Sound good, sis?" 17 went on and 18 chuckled approvingly.

"Sounds good to me, but let's hurry up, I'm starting to get bored." 17 nodded and Trunks seethed as he glared daggers his way.

"I won't...die that easily...you monsters!" Trunk howled and charged the android and threw a fist at his face. It connected with 17's left cheek and he only subtly jerked to his right from the impact. His expression turned to a grimace and then a sneer. Trunks felt his eyes widen and pulled back. He charged up his ki in desperation and charged 17 yet again and threw another fist at him.

He threw a right hook, and 17 caught it with his right hand. Trunks threw a left and 17 caught it with his left and latched onto both hands of the boy.

"Let go of me!" Trunks demanded, and 17 chuckled once more.

"If you say so." He let go of Trunks and threw him back as he did. Trunks then felt his back slam against the other android. He glanced over his shoulder at her to see her eyes narrow but a smirk became larger across her features as her hand pressed against his back and the familiar warble of a ki blast sounded and a radiating pink light came from behind the young half-Saiyan.

Trunks screamed and swung left with his right fist ready to connect with her face, but 18 unleashed her ki wave and it consumed Trunks who was thrown back with a scream of agony as the blast tore away at his clothing and sent pain radiating over every inch of his body. He flew through the air with a whine and crashed back first into a home that had escaped the android's initial attack and he slammed into the ground, skipping back up and plummeting down into another home missing half of its main body already. The crash sent mounds of new debris flying upwards in all manner of directions.

Trunks laid there wincing, and unable to move from the pain. Only his coughs and moans of pain could be heard as he lay beneath a collapsed wall face from the second home.

"Pretty sure that was overkill 18." 17 intoned in his casual bored manner and tone of voice as both of the androids loomed closer towards where the boy fell. They stopped in between him and their previously beaten enemy and remained floating effortlessly in the air.

"Well I was getting bored. Blasting the twerp into some rubble really relieved some stress you know? Besides I'm sure his friend down there got a good look that makes him all good and angry." 18 retorted and cast a sadistic but still thin smirk towards where Gohan lay within his tomb of rubble.

"Hmm," 17 hummed eying Trunks. "Then let's grab the kid and finish this shall we?" 18 nodded and intoned a low hum of approval.

Gohan could hear them, they were being loud enough to hear and he felt his blood boil. His body shook in fear for Trunks, the boy was way too far out of his depth! But, he'd come to help him, to try and save him, and for that Gohan would have felt gratitude if he didn't know what they planned on doing to him just to hurt himself! His hate for the androids doubled and tripled within him and he felt his fists clench tightly, painfully at his sides and the more he thought about them the angrier he got.

He lifted his head, grit his teeth and pushed himself up slowly and painfully. The ground beneath him shook and the walls of rubble cracked and trembled as Gohan began lowly growling and calling on all the energy he had left in his battered body. His eyes narrowed as he looked up to a clear sky and his hair flashed a brilliant gold and his eyes that familiar greenish-blue. Until at last Gohan loosed a heaving roar from his body and his Super Saiyan form once more burst to life within him and exploded outwardly. The debris and collapsed ruins of the spire around him burst in all directions as golden rays of light penetrated high into the sky and across the worn cityscape of Gingertown.

Both androids turned towards the display to see Gohan standing, shakily still, but standing. His glare was harder than ever before and his nostrils flared in rage. As they watched him in a moment of silence a single bolt of brilliant whitish-blue lightning traced up around his body. Then he screamed once more and from his form exploded an unseen bubble of raw power that sent even more debris flying in all directions as Gohan tapped into what power he had, from wherever he could to save Trunks from these monsters.

"My, my, he's pretty pissed isn't he?" 17 chuckled.

"Yeah, guess he didn't like our plans 17."

"Too bad, he can't stop us." 17 stated plainly. "All the bravado in the world can't save you or him, blondie!" The android kept antagonizing, but Gohan ignored them.

The Super Saiyan threw his right arm back and angled his right half back as well in a familiar posture. Both androids forced themselves not to roll their eyes at the display.

"Not this again, this never works!" 17 continued on prodding him, but Gohan smirked almost as sadistically as they did, though he doubted they could see it. He glanced to where Trunks lay and knew he had one shot, and if that meant using one technique he'd been saving until he had it perfected, then so be it. With one arm, his right, to his side he began.

"Ka...me...ha...me..." But he didn't finish. He strained under building and preserving the ki ball in his one right hand, but he could held his ground as the orb spun and illuminated his body and the city ruins around him. Unseen to him, both androids glared in confusion at his move. Neither of them even heard him as Gohan had nearly mumbled the usual chant of the infamous attack.

"What the heck is he doing?

"Did you break his other arm?" 18 asked 17 who shrugged.

"Don't know, but if so that means he's doubly screwed." He chuckled lowly.

Gohan brought his left hand out, and stretched his fingers before curling all but two back into a fist, and he placed both his index and middle finger to his forehead. A grim, and sad smile graced his lips as he began charging another attack while the kamehameha remained waiting in his right hand.

"This one's for you Piccolo." Gohan intoned lowly as his face returned to a strained and pained expression and he pulled tremendous ki from himself out. His hand began to spark and the ground around him shook. He began crying out as he gathered more and more energy until bits of rubble and glass flew around him and up into the air. Only then did both androids share a glance of confusion, and both of them pushed themselves back through the air without even realizing it. This was something new, and it was powerful. It both excited them, and on an unseen and unrecognized level scared them.

Gohan felt his body tremble, and mix with both pain and excitement as he channeled what power he could yet muster into his left hand. The two fingers to his forehead sparked brilliantly and powerfully, they cracked and singed the very air around them. Until at last, Gohan spoke in a hoarse voice full of wrath.

"This is not my end, and it's not his! It will never be the end until you two lay beaten and broken!" Gohan howled, and 17 crossed his arms once more across his chest in annoyance in mimicry of his sister.

"What's he on about now?" He asked, but there came only one answer.

"Special beam...HA!" Suddenly Gohan thrust his left sparking hand forwards towards 17 with a tremendous roar, while the android hung in the air ahead of him like a sitting target. In an instant his right hand flew up and the brilliant blue ball of power hung right ahead of his two extended left fingers, and his right hand lay atop the left. An earth shattering explosion percussed out and tore debris and rubble away from Gohan in all directions as the blue mighty blast from the kamehameha wave was unleashed. Only this time a dazzling sparkling swirl of energy was enclosed around it and traveled up with the kamehameha towards 17, while in the heart of the blast lay a piercing second beam from the special beam cannon itself. Tendrils of wild and barely controlled lightning charged by Gohan's ki ran along the ground and tore up streets and downed or burning buildings as the wave careened towards the androids who were stunned in true horror for an instant.

"17!" 18 cried just as the blast slammed against her brother who cried out in strain mingled with unusual pain as the wave of energy crashed against him at full power. He had thrown his arms up in an X formation to block the power, and the blast sprayed out and formed a dazzling ring of spinning smaller beams from where they were sent away from his defending arms, but the added penetrating strength of the special beam cannon forced the male android backwards through the air. The android's teeth were grit and bared as he visibly and audibly strained himself to keep back the onslaught of power.

"What is this?!" He cried as his body was pushed several feet more back and 18 rushed around towards his side, unsure what to do, and confusion once more etched onto her otherwise steely and cool features.

On the ground Gohan's legs almost gave out beneath him as his vision blackened from exhaustion and strain, but he only had one chance to keep going, one chance to save Trunks, and thus the future. So, he took in a massive breath and then unleashed another howl that crept up from his very core, and following after the audible display of wrath and power came a sudden massive burst of energy up the careening beam shaft of the kamehameha still wrapped and engulfing the special beam cannon.

"18!" 17 cried as it slammed against him, and his arms were thrown unceremoniously up towards his head and his body was shot hundreds of feet away into the far off distance away from Gingertown. Massive twin tendrils of lightning sparked out uncontrollably and singed the ground as Gohan lost control of his ki from his weariness, and 18 looked in horror at her brother;'s quickly disappearing figure encased in the brilliant blue light of Gohan's twin attack.

"Damn you!" She howled and swung back towards Gohan, she heaved both arms over her head and there appeared a massive pink ki ball, and with one heave she threw it down towards Gohan who simply drooped his hands and sped to his right at breakneck speeds as the blast slammed into the spot he had been standing and ripped the ground open with sheer brutal force. She didn't even wait to see if it hit him, 18 charged after 17 in the far distance leaving Gohan's attack to dissipate and leave nothing but clear skies where it had once been, and a massive crater lay where Gohan had been standing.

Skidding across the torn and ruined ground Gohan came to an uneasy stop and fell to his left knee. He caught himself with his right arm, and he noticed it tremble from his weight leaning on it alone. He allowed himself to look up just in time to catch the tail end of 18's white aura vanishing from sight as she did so as well. He bared his teeth knowing full well, that despite that attack 17 was also unharmed, if shaken a little. Though that gave him a moment to pause with the slightest of smirks on his face.

However, the pain overrode all his other senses, save for the urgency he felt as he picked himself up and tore over the ground towards Trunks. Laying face up the boy's eyes were shut and clenched from the pain he was no doubt still feeling from the android's attack. Gohan dipped down and grasped his right shoulder and left arm.

"G...Gohan?"

"It's alright Trunks, I'm here. But, we gotta go now. They've been distracted but only for a minute." Gohan explained as he hauled the teen onto his right shoulder, with his face over his back.

"I knew...you'd...beat em.'" Trunks mumbled as Gohan lifted off the ground, and with what little strength he had left he carried the boy across the city through the air. A small, and sad smile graced his lips at Trunks' words, but Gohan knew he had achieved nothing, and in fact, as he moved away from Gingertown, he cast it a wary and heavy look. As he dreaded what might happen to it, and anyone left inside of it, by two very angry androids.

Nonetheless, he turned and he carried Trunks off away from Gingertown towards a vast forest that would lead away and back west. His own need to keep the boy alive and safe overriding all the pain and exhaustion he had felt and still felt.

18 hung in the air, her eyes darting from left to right across the ground as her body shook now in her own anger, and the unspoken concern for her brother. She scanned along open grass and along a patch of trees looking for 17.

"Come on, where are you?" She said aloud, but lowly to herself. Only to finally catch sight of him only a moment later. A sigh escaped her andshe shook her head allowing herself a calming moment before she lowered herself down towards him. He lay on a patch of grass, his hands sprawled out around himself. His eyes staring blankly up would make any other who came across him think the android dead, but 18 knew better.

A small trail of crimson blood fell down from his mouth and his clothes were more torn now than before. His bandanna was torn nearly in half, his black shirt was ripped in two separate spots and one side hung from his left shoulder. While his jeans remained mostly intact, save for his right pant leg being torn entirely around the leg except for a sliver of fabric towards the back of his knee.

"That little punk...he hit me. Harder than usual too." 17 intoned darkly and wiped the blood from his mouth using the collar of his white undershirt along the left sleeve. He stared at the blood and 18 watched his hand ball into an intense fist as a look of rage overcame his features and his lips curled into a hateful sneer. Before 18 could speak he snapped back up into a full stand. He looked angrily towards Gingertown which even from where they stood, miles upon miles away they could see smoke rising into the air.

"Yeah, I'd say he's gotten a few more tricks up his sleeve than we thought. Nothing that can help him of course, but at least now we know. Also, you may wanna get a new outfit." She added in sarcastically with a thin smile returning to her face. 17 numbly looked down at himself before cocking his head back up with a renewed frown.

"That alone gets him a beating. That and the little stunt, plus the kid, earns him a dead city!" 17 howled and before 18 could react his aura burst around him and he propelled himself up into the air arching back towards Gingertown. She merely sighed, and continued to smile at her temperamental younger brother, and gave chase sooner thereafter.

She easily found 17 looming high over the city. It was already in shambles, at least on the outer suburbs. The main city centers had been left mostly alone, by coincidence or by design of blondie, neither of them knew, nor really cared. Thick plumes of smoke still rose up into the air from the sites of their battle, and from where they made their grand entrance into the city. 17 glared down at the city with barely slits for eyes, and with his hands curled hard into fists. His torn clothing whipped in the high winds and his nostrils flared silently as his anger simmered.

"Sure you wanna remove the whole thing? Could be wasting a lot of potential fun for later." 18 asked as she matched her brother's elevation once more. 17 gave a cruel and sadistic smirk, and raised both hands before himself with palms outstretched down towards Gingertown.

"I think it'll be cathartic for me. You know, I really shouldn't be so stressed out, sis." 18 chuckled and raised her right hand alone mimicking her brother. Two blue tinged ki balls appeared before his hands, while one massive pink one appeared before 18's and shrunk down into a more compact size.

"Cathartic...hmm, yeah that works." The two androids returned to silence as their ki blasts warbled in the air and waited release. It took only a moment longer and 17 fired the first blast. It slammed into the city center and expanded outwards destroying several blocks, while 18 loosed her own blast and watched it tear through more blocks of the city down into another residential area.

17 readied his next blast when he heard a whine in the air and glanced to his left just as something slammed into his face and exploded. On the ground several dozen tanks and other assorted military units were sat all firing up now at the androids in desperation. Having only then gotten there to face them, and being nothing but an irritant in the same manner a flea was to the two of them, 17 smirked through the smokey fog that covered his face and that of his sister's and turned his second blast towards them.

As he let it go and watched it slam into and detonate around one of the pathetic tanks on the ground he mused that today could turn out to be a great day after all. He and 18 laughed the day away as Gingertown was destroyed block by block, and man by man.

…...

A lone ship traveled through the empty vastness of space. Its destination unknown to those aboard it, for none had ever been to the world. In fact none had ever really gone this far into the northern reaches of space. Some of them had been part of the PTO, had served in Frieza's Galactic Army, and some of them felt jitters about being this far north. As if some great boogeyman loomed out in the cold of interplanetary space. The very same kind of boogeyman their Lord Frieza had once been before he abandoned the known universe for some northern hole, where he never returned. All to the horror of some and the relief of many but confusion and questioning of all, as to what really happened. Though, to be honest most were content with asking rather than knowing the answer to such a question.

The ship was a massive and ugly thing. Shaped much like an egg with four constantly protruding stumps on the bottom acting as legs for it to land on most surfaces. It raced through the cold blackness of space towards that same destination, and upon it stood two figures. One, an older man, the leader of those on his ship. His darker toned flesh was concealed by an old green set of Saiyan power armor. Mostly just the chest piece, it was lined with gold and had adorned a red plate along his chest that wrapped around his body. His exposed left shoulder had a simple pad protecting it while his right shoulder and the majority of his right body remained concealed behind a thick white cloak that wrapped around his neck and fell loftily down his elder form which almost entirely hid a tail that wrapped around his waist. He wore a set of matching purple boots and gloves upon his hands, where his left was again seen, and his right remained concealed almost at all times.

Atop his head was a short trim of pointed black hair that mostly stood upright but did point backwards to a degree. His face had a matching black mustache lining over his upper lip. With the only other noticeable marker of the man being his left eye. It bore a scar running vertical of his face and carved up though his eyebrow down onto his left cheek. His left eye remained endlessly shut, always unseen to all as it had no use anymore, or some even thought it gone altogether. Only the man himself knew. It had been lost to him many years ago in a tale only he and the one who took it knew of, but the man doubted the other even remembered now. His right eye only showed a simple dark brown orb as it looked through a small opening, a simple port window leading out into the coldness of space.

Behind him stood the other main figure on the ship besides the horde of unimportant footmen in the lower sections of the ship serving their needs for now. He was much taller than the older man and lighter toned in flesh. He bore no shirt exposing an incredibly toned set of muscles. Thick black hair fell down from his head in a similar spikiness to the older man but it fell past this one's shoulders towards his back and hung down across the top of his forehead as well. Around his waist was tied a thick crimson sash that covered a simple set of white pants.

Across his forehead as a simple golden band that dipped towards his nose and bore a single blue jewel at the center. Similarly a more simple gold choker was around his neck and across his chest hung another golden jewelry piece similar in appearance to the one atop his head only hung to him by a single piece of simplistic tying material that went around the back of his neck and held the gold band to his chest which also carried a centered blue jewel. Both ears were pierced with simple looped golden earrings, and simple gold bands wrapped around both his biceps almost painfully as his muscles bulged back against them. His wrists bore more of the same golden bands that fell back across the upper part of his wrist towards his lower arms and elbows. They bore a single blue jewel as well. While just below his sash was another band similar to both the crown and the necklace and tipped downward also bearing a single centered blue jewel, yet this one fit more tightly about them man than the necklace. Finally, he bore golden boots that rose up beyond his ankles up forward along the forward of his legs with his leggings tucked into both. Both boots also bore blue jewels facing forward on either of them.

The younger man stood with a blank stare forwards much as the older man was. Only his eyes seemed duller and in a way deader if one were to look into them. His face showed no real expression and he seemed totally motionless where he stood. Only the subtle rising and falling of his chest showed any sign of life in the young man. He stood behind the older man who was intent on something, something far beyond any of their current sight, and something that had driven him for years.

"We'll be there soon. Yes I can feel it." The man spoke at last, but caused no stir in the younger man behind him. His voice was old and scratchy, but held an air of some wisdom about himself. More so though, it sounded full of old anger and age.

"The last report we received stated he was seen on some rock in the northern galaxy. Earth is its name given by those on the planet." He seemed to ramble to nothing and no one in particular.

"It was here Frieza met his end. It doesn't matter though. It's there he will meet his. Our beloved prince Vegeta. We can see to that can't we, my son?" The man asked glancing over his shoulder to the young man who dipped his head in agreement.

"Yes...father." His voice low and lacking any real emotion replied, and the older man smirked in response before turning back to peer out the port again.

"I hear the planet is beautiful, lush with life and vegetation. Could make a wonderful new home and base for ourselves. A new home to branch out, and to build our own kingdom, our own empire to eclipse even the PTO. How does that sound Broly?"

Paragus asked again turning to look over his shoulder at his son. Broly simply nodded again.

"Wonderful...father." His tall and emotionless amiable son responded. All traces of that old sudden rage and sudden violence still making no appearance whatsoever. Paragus smirked, and nodded turning back to his port.

"Yes, it sounds wonderful. Very wonderful in fact. I only hope the prince hasn't gotten too comfortable with his new home. It wont be his for much longer. Yes, only a little while longer, my son." Paragus intoned lowly and more to himself as he mused upon the future that could be, that was to be, and all he'd done to get here. His son's crown a testament to that history, and a constant reminder to himself as well.

"My Lord, Paragus." He turned to see one of the henchmen kneeling behind himself and Broly clothed in the common armor of his underlings. It was blue full body suit covered with a purple armored chest piece, matching purple gloves and boots with a helmet upon his head covering his head with a crimson T shaped visor to the front that seemed more like jagged and foreboding then any of the men truly were.

"What is it?" Paragus asked with a hint of impatience or irritation in his tone. A tone he remembered the old King always having whenever anyone dared to even speak to him. That memory alone caused his only good eye to twitch.

"We will be arriving in the next few hours."

"Excellent." Paragus answered immediately and swung back towards the port. The kneeling man dipped his head, his unseen green features curling in fear as he didn't leave their presence. He dared to clear his throat and speak again.

"That...and we've detected that ship still tailing us. It is far but it could reach us within a week or so...sire." The soldier stated, and caused Paragus to grumble without turning.

"I'm really getting tired of this. Whoever this is has some nerve following us even after sensing my s-" Paragus stopped himself from saying what he was about to say.

"After sensing our power." He corrected with a low seething intone.

"Shall I deal with it now, father?" Broly spoke up showing just a hint of free will and even a hint of a will to fight. To this, Paragus clenched his right fist and released a heavy nasally sigh.

"No, my son. We will deal with it when it comes. Whoever it may be it doesn't matter. When they come, if they come, however they may come, we will destroy them all the same. For now, we will keep our eyes set forwards, not backwards. When we've dealt with the prince we will deal with any fool who dares come our way." Paragus stated with finality and self assurance in his tone.

"You can leave now. We keep course, let the ship follow if it wills." Paragus stated with a renewed irritation in his voice. The soldier got up and turned on a heel leaving the two Saiyans alone in their room once again. Leaving Broly to stand emotionless and seemingly thoughtless, and Paragus to think on far too much and feel far too much. All as Earth loomed ever nearer to them, and whatever fool was daring to follow in after them. All going towards a planet already ravaged and worn by years of endless torment.

With possibly more to come.

Authors Note: So this is my first DBZ fic. I have been a DBZ fan since I was a young kid, maybe like 6 or 7 and up. I am not one of those people who loves Japan so much and think you can and should only ever watch a show in Japanese to 'get it.' I have always been a dub guy and I have been fine with it since the very first DBZ funi dub. In fact that one is my favorite especially for Faulconer Team Music (Props to Scott Morgan FYI!). ;p

So there will be some points that need to be stated now. First I will be taking liberties with some character traits as believed by fans but not official with some of the characters that will and are involved. No the Arcosian involved is not Cooler just saying it now, because there will be questions. He's an OC like him or hate him I decided against involving Cooler mostly because this fic was inspired by another Fanfic writer who did a Cooler story much better than I could hope to try and I didn't want to copy him or not do Cooler justice. The updating may take a while as I do have RL stuff like anyone else going on and I have other stories to update. If you like it then great, leave a review and fav the story! :D

Also, I have no beta reader, all I got are my eyes and my spellchecker. I miss some things, some things are embarrassing and some things are just annoying that I miss. If and when any of you guys spot something that annoys you or breaks your reading then feel free to message me and I will gladly correct it. If you hate the story well tell me why and I will say fair enough you don't have to read it, but please just leave the flaming for someone who will not only care but who will deal with it. Otherwise thanks for reading and please leave a review or whatever else, and hopefully I will update in decent time. :)

Edited 6/25/2017