"Hey Yamcha, buddy, snap out of it!" yelled Krillin in a panic, shaking Yamcha back and forth violently.
"Wha—?" mumbled Yamcha, breaking out of his trance-like state, "Hey Krillin, stop shaking me, I'm perfectly fine! Wait a minute—"
Yamcha hastily clasped his right hand over the area that he had received his wound, but it wasn't there anymore.
"Huh—It's not—I'm alive!" Yamcha screamed up into the sky, smiling from ear to ear.
"Yeah, sensu beans sure do come in handy!" added Gohan, chuckling to himself.
"Gohan, is that you? Wow! I haven't really gotten to talk to you in awhile, ever since the acci—" began Yamcha, trailing off.
"Uh—Yeah, I understand completely," mumbled Gohan, staring at his feet in shame. He still felt embarrassed about what had happened to his father.
"That reminds me, where's Goku, and the others?" asked Bulma, curiously.
"They're out of town, somewhere over the ocean, probably on an island or something," answered Krillin, sensing his friends ki levels.
"Oh no!" yelled Yamcha, startling everyone, "Goku and the others didn't go after those murderers did they? Wait, there's no way Goku would pull away from a good fight, she's… she's"
Gohan winced as he heard Yamcha refer to his dad as a she, but that action was unseen by the others, or just ignored. After all, the limelight was all centered on Yamcha for the time being, for he had just started to give what was probably really bad news.
"What, Goku's what?" asked Krillin, and Bulma, simultaneously.
"She's in trouble. I'm sure she will be the one fighting those people. Krillin, those people aren't normal. An old man suffocated me! He also had some red shiny circular object in the palm of his hand that seemed to suck the life energy out of me!" shouted Yamcha in distress.
"What?" all three around him yelled in unison.
"Yep, that's right! We have to get there, and quick! We have to warn her, and the others! They're in grave danger!" said Yamcha worriedly.
Yamcha and Krillin took off immediatly. Krillin stopped in mid-air, pausing to look back at Gohan.
"You coming?" Krillin asked.
Dad really hurt Mom's feelings and mine also. He left me! Plus, I can't bare to see him… er… her like this. It's just wrong, but he… she is still my dad, and I don't want her to get hurt! thought Gohan.
"Well Gohan, are you coming or not? We don't have all day. We have to assist the others and quick!" pointed out an impatient Yamcha.
Gohan shook his head, as if to clear his thoughts. He clenched his fists, and brought on a, 'let's do this!' expression.
"You bet I'm coming! I wouldn't miss this for the world! You guys can't have all of the fun! I had to try really hard to sneak away from my mom to be here," began Gohan, realizing too late that the others had already taken off to the skies, "Hey, you guys, wait up for me!" he yelled out in surprise, blasting off into the air after them.
𖦹𖦹𖦹
Android 19's form faded out, then reappeared in front of Goku. She had no time to dodge, and was thrown into a rock. Before she could get back up, android 19 threw tens of hundreds of punches point-blank at Goku's face.
Why can't I keep up with 19 anymore? Before it was nearly a breeze to be fighting him, but now he's overpowering me. How can this be happening? thought Goku in a panic, as she was pounded harder and harder into the rock formation she had been lodged into.
She managed to kick android 19 off of her, and get back on the offensive. I won't let this android beat me that easily!' she thought defensively, I'm going to put my all into this!
"Ka-me-ha—" began Goku, already situated in her familiar stance for the attack.
Piccolo stood for a moment with a blank stare on his face. He was musing to himself. He could tell the something was very wrong here. How did android 19 gain so much power, and the upper hand over Goku so quickly. Then, suddenly, it clicked in his head. Android 19 had been absorbing Goku's energy blasts. That had to be the answer! It was the only explanation that made sense!
"Don't throw a ki blast at it, Goku! It will absorb your blast. You'll only be fueling up the enemy!" yelled Piccolo.
Goku didn't heed Piccolo's warnings, There's no way this android can suck up my energy if I give it my all! The blast will be too much for it to handle. It will probably blow-up if it attempts it! she thought with determination, smiling to herself.
"Me-Ha!" she finished with a bang.
A gigantic iridescent blue energy blast streamed out of her two opened palms, causing bright light to illuminate over the small island's landscape. Goku crossed her arms, and panted in exhaustion.
"Let's see if 19 can take that!" she mumbled to herself, her smile broadening, triumph already plastered across her face.
Her facial expression contorted in horror as she watched her ki blast get absorbed yet again.
"But I was sure he couldn't, how?" she murmurred to herself in pure terror, her arms falling to her sides in defeat.
"You fool!" hissed android 20, "Every blast you throw will get absorbed, no-matter what the mass! Mine and 19's energy capacity is nearly infinite! Every single bit of that energy you contribute to 19 will be added to android 19's strength! You have a zero percent chance at succeeding now!" he taunted, chuckling sinisterly afterward.
Goku gasped, and shook her head in disbelief, "No… no no no!" she shouted, shaking her head, trying to drown-out 20's menacing words from her mind, "I should have listened to Piccolo…"
"Ugh" she screamed out in anguish, as android 19 rammed its knee into her stomach.
She floated backward in surprise. She hadn't seen that coming at all. She fell earth-ward once more as the android's elbow jammed into her temple. She hit the ground hard with a resounding thump that echoed throughout the island's cliffy serene landscape. She lifted herself out of a crater she had just formed on impact, but was unmercifully plowed back into the ground by android 19's right foot.
The android laughed its squeaky laughter mockingly as its limb pushed harder and harder into her torso. She screamed out in pain. The screams rang in Tien and Piccolo's ears, causing their eyes to reflect pity they felt inside for her. The two made a move to assist her.
"No, don't try to help me. I can handle this. It is my fight! Believe in me, please," Goku begged, making them stop in their tracks.
"No Dad!" screamed Gohan upon flying into the scene, only moments later.
He flew toward his dad as fast as he could, trying his hardest to intervene the onslaught.
Goku turned her head weakly, and whispered, "Gohan…" grunting in pain, from another jab of 19's foot.
Goku wanted to demand her son to get away, but she was so exhausted, she couldn't seem to find her voice. She lifted her hand to him, her eyes glazed over in pain.
Thankfully for her, Gohan was stopped by android 20, "Go back, child, or I'll be forced to kill you!" it warned.
Gohan balled his fists angrilly, but was pulled back by Krillin.
"Krillin let me help her, please!" begged Gohan.
"No Gohan, you can't," answered Krillin.
"Goku, watch out for its hand! It's going to drain you of all of your ki!" screamed Yamcha in warning.
It was too late, 19 had already grasped Goku's forehead in its hand, and had begun to suck away at Goku's life force.
She screamed even more loudly and shrilly, but the screams soon died down to weak moans. She eventually fell out of her Super Saiyan state.
Android 19 stepped away when he was finished, smiling maliciously at what he had done to her.
Dad, you look so weak and helpless, thought Gohan, staring at his father's broken down female form. This isn't fair…
"We have to do something!" Gohan screamed, tears welling up in his eyes, "I can't let that monster kill my dad!"
"No Gohan, we can't do anything. Goku told us to leave her be, we need to respect her wishes as a fellow warrior," explained Piccolo sympathetically, resting a reassuring hand on Gohan's shoulder.
"Now, time for you to die!" android 19 squealed, producing a blast of its own in its palm.
Goku stared straight at the red blast in defiance. She was unable to move a muscle, and she could just barely feel her legs, but she would face death without fear. She was determined to die honorably!
Just as the blast was about to hit her, a figure appeared before her eyes, and knocked the blast away with ease. As the light faded, it displayed Vegeta in its wake.
She smiled gratefully and thought, Vegeta, you saved me! I can't believe my own eyes! Her eyes shimmering with joy, forgetting completely about what she had told the others about leaving her be.
"Vegeta, thank you," she managed to mumble.
"Shut-up and get out of my way, Kakarrot! Let me show you the power of a true Saiyan warrior!" snapped Vegeta.
Yamcha growled and shouted, "Can't you see she can't move, or are you blind?"
Vegeta scowled at him, then walked up to Goku, "You're pathetic, Kakarrot!" he hissed spitting on Goku in disgust.
He then tossed her hard and hatefully towards the Z-fighters. She resurfaced on the ground with a loud and shameful thump. Goku's eyes began to fill up with tears subconsciously. She thought he had actually cared about her! But he didn't care. He never had, and never would!
I'm not going to let him get to me, not after how he treated me! I'm stronger than this! I don't care about what he thinks of me! thought Goku determinedly.
Still, her face turned a soft shade of rosy red from the shame, and her heart ached for Vegeta's condolence. She wanted for him to understand what pain she was going through mentally, and physically. She ached for him to accept the fact that both he and she weren't perfect and never could be!
Why do I want his sympathy? No! I don't want it. I don't need it! I don't want him to care about me! Who cares what he thinks of me! So what if he isn't proud of what I accomplish! How he thinks of me is none of my business, and I have to stop caring for him! Even if it hurts me, no, kills me. This is wrong! I have to forget about him! she thought somberly.
"Now that the useless third class woman is out of our way. It's due time that you witness the power of a true Super Saiyan!" yelled Vegeta.
Immediately, everyone surrounding him other than the androids, thought, Vegeta, a Super Saiyan, no way!
Vegeta powered up immediately, the familiar golden aura encasing his body, his cold black irides transforming into a magnificent teal color. His hair jolting into bright golden spikes, and gravel lifting up all around his body.
He clenched both of his fists and yelled venomously, "You're dead you repulsive piece of lard!"
I'll teach you to never touch something that belongs to me ever again! thought Vegeta malevolently.