The Darkness Within

This is the story of the past of Android 17 and 18 and how love saved them from the darkness within. K18, NSFW, TRIGGER WARNING
Disclaimer: I do not own DB/DBZ/DBS or any of its characters. Please take the trigger warning seriously!

Prologue

Lapis scurried down the street quickly with a smile on his face. His short black locks blew in the wind as he ran down the stone ground of the village his bare feet making plop sounds on the cold hard ground. His icy blue eyes were crunched up slightly as the smile reached them and he waved around a small pack in the air.

"Lazuli!" He cried running into the small shack on the outskirts of town.

"Shh!" Lazuli hissed throwing a pillow at him, "he's asleep."

Lazuli gently caressed the head of the small child on a dirty mattress on the ground who was deep asleep and very sweaty. "He has a fever again."

Lapis handed her the pack. "I got the medicine."

Lazuli shot up off the ground in shock. The movement caused a strand of her silky blonde hair to loosen from it's tight braid and fall on her temple near her blue eyes that were identical to her black-haired twins.' "H-how did you get it?"

"I met with this dealer name Ramuto," Lapis said. "I said I needed this medicine and he said he could give it to me if I helped him pull off a bank robbery. He needed someone small to crawl through the vents and open the door from the inside.

Lazuli gulped. "Lapis we promised when father died that we wouldn't resort to crime to survive."

Lapis nodded. "I know, it was only once Lazuli I promise. I couldn't just let Lamel die."

Lazuli sighed deeply and sat down beside the small boy. She caressed his sweat-matted black hair and said, "if father were alive this wouldn't have happened."

Lapis sat beside her and handed her the pack. "Or mother."

Lazuli nodded grimly as she prepared the injection and gently stabbed it into Lamel's arm. "Do you think this will work?"

Lapis nodded. "The TV at the video store said this is the most effective cure for the scarlet fever outbreak that's been happening this year."

"Thank Kami we got vaccinated young," Lazuli said. "Lamel didn't even have the chance."

"We had everything huh?" Lapis said leaning back against the other mattress. They often remembered their past lives whenever things were difficult or scary at home. It gave them peace and reassurance.

"Yes," Lazuli agreed sitting back with him. "A big house in the city with a fountain in the front and a pool in the back."

"Yes and Pluto our dog."

"I loved that dog," Lazuli said. "And remember our nanny? Pilani?"

"The old coot!" Lapis said laughing. "We did so many things to piss her off."

"She did take care of us though," Lazuli added. "She cooked great food and she took care of mom when her pregnancy with Lamel got bad."

Lapis nodded grimly. "Yeah and she stayed and taught you to care for Lamel after mom died even though dad couldn't afford to pay her anymore."

"If it weren't for her we wouldn't have survived," Lazuli said. "Even five years later when father died in that accident she helped us escape so that social services wouldn't take us to the orphanage and separate us."

"Now I feel bad for all those pranks we played on her," Lapis said sadly.

"I don't think she took them seriously," Lazuli said. "One day when we're adults we're gonna have to find her and thank her for what she did for us."

"Agreed."

Lazuli shot up off the ground making Lapis jump. "Oh I almost forgot!"

She ran into their makeshift kitchen which was really a pile of wood surrounded by stones and a large cabinet they had found in the dumpster. She opened the cabinet and took out a small half eaten cake then returned to him.

"Happy birthday."

Lapis grinned at her and said, "wow I actually forgot. Happy birthday to you too sis."

She handed him a fork and they started eating.

"This is great!" Lapis said cheerfully. "Where did you get it?"

"The family I babysit for was having a birthday party and gave me the left over cake they were gonna throw away," Lazuli said.

Lapis grinned. "How old are we now huh?"

"What you don't remember?"

Lapis looked grim. "After mother died we never celebrated birthdays like we used to. I kinda stopped keeping track."

"15," Lazuli responded putting aside the empty plate. "We are 15 now. Maybe we should start celebrating birthdays again."

Lapis smiled at her and pulled her into a hug. "I would like that."

XXXXXXX

Lazuli entered the shack carrying three bags of food for them. Thanksgiving was always a good time for them. The three siblings would go to several food banks and collect as much food as possible so it could last for several weeks. She managed to get three bags but it wasn't easy. One of the food banks was overcrowded and many people were rioting for free food. The upcoming winter would be the coldest yet and every street dweller knew it would be difficult to find food in those times.

She started stowing away the food in the cabinet and in the small fridge Lapis traded at a pawn shop for his last pair of fancy shoes. They powered it by tapping into one of the underground power lines that Lapis figured out how to do. He had always been very smart.

Her three bags would last them a week at best, it wasn't enough. She sighed in exhaustion and sat down on the mattress. The door opened a few moments later and Lapis entered holding seven bags.

"I hit the jackpot!" Lapis cried. "I traveled all the way to Satan City, there was a huge food bank at a company called Capsule Corp. they were very generous."

Lazuli laughed and helped him with the bags. "Good job Lapis! This should last us a good while!"

Lazuli and Lapis has just finished putting away all the food when the door opened again and Lamel walked in smiling. He was only five years old going on six but he had more street smarts then both of them combined.

"I found the solution to all our problems," Lamel said opening the door wider and letting in an old man.

He looked frail but something about his eyes exuded a darkness that made Lazuli shudder. He had a long white beard and wore a weird orange outfit.

Lapis was on the defensive immediately. "Who are you?"

"No need to fear," he said calmly but his gravelly voice still made Lazuli's skin crawl. "Your brother here came to my food bank and he told me about your situation. I came to help you."

"Help us?" Lapis said fiercely. "In exchange for what?"

"Nothing," the old man said with a smile that almost looked feral. "I had children just like you and they all died. They were perfect. And then they all died."

Lapis' face softened slightly but Lazuli remained tense. "H-how?" He asked.

The old man sighed. "They were killed by a wild little boy. He slaughtered them all. I've been devastated ever since."

"I'm sorry," Lapis said.

"When your brother came to me he reminded me of my children and I wanted to help you," the man said. "I am a millionaire. I have several houses, unlimited food, the best tutors, and a big hole in my heart needing to be filled."

"W-what are you saying?" Lapis said.

"I'm saying I want to adopt you," the old man said. "All three of you. I'll give you everything. Food, shelter, clothing, education..."

"Why?" Lazuli said snapping. "Nobody is kind like this for no reason."

"Well I am," he said. "I've been lonely since the loss of my children. You can make me happy again and I can give you the life you deserve."

"This can be our salvation sis," Lapis said so only she could hear.

"He's a stranger and I don't trust him," she said.

"Think about Lamel," Lapis said. "This can be everything he needs. We can't give him the life he deserves."

"He gives me the creeps," Lazuli responded.

"Nothing will happen as long as we're together," Lapis said waving his hand dismissively. "Let's do this for Lamel."

"We should think about this..."

"We should not lose this opportunity," Lapis said. He turned back to the old man who was watching them patiently.

Lamel hopped excitedly and said, "so are we gonna live in a real house now?"

Lapis glanced at Lazuli who still looked unconvinced but sighed and nodded her approval. Lapis grinned at him and said, "we accept."

The old man grinned almost evilly and said, "you won't regret it. I will give you the perfect life. I'll pick you up tomorrow to take you to your new home. Oh, and my name is Dr. Gero."