DB Multiverse

Gohan tried to repel the fog that clouded his thoughts. The cyborg's last attack had been painfully efficient and it felt like the world was going round and round around him, thus preventing him from getting up and be steady.

All of a sudden, he opened his eyes wide, the eyes he had kept close to fight back the dizziness, and it seemed Earth's gravity had been cancelled. He rose into the air and found himself back on his feet without having done any thing about it! Vegeta had caught him by the back of his fighting suit, harshly putting him back to his feet.

“Stand! You don't stay laying on the ground in front of your opponent!”

Still a bit groggy, Gohan staggered, then did his best to dispel the sudden weakness that was dazing him. Vegeta was right, he was too vulnerable like this. The young fighter rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand in an attempt to clear his blurred sight and what he eventually saw had the same effect of an electric shock: the two cyborgs! They were together! Right there, in front of them!

This observation was the wind that blew the fog on his thoughts away. Now he was more or less lucid, he scanned the numerous bumps in the rubble surrounding them. His heart beat even faster when he saw his friend whose orange suit betrayed his prudent progression.

About fifteen yards away, Krilin, whose teeth were gritted because of both dread and determination, finally extended his two arms, a move that strain had made incredibly difficult and painful. He used the tense fingers of his left hand to make the protective bind of the case slide as a flow of cold sweat froze his temples and his nape. His eyes were focused on the double target. Goku's friend struggled against fear that was squeezing his heart, against his own mind that was commanding his body to run away far from here, he struggled to put a shaking finger on the precious and cathartic button. He looked one last time at his double aim and then pressed the small round plastic button.

That was at this very moment that his eyes met the clear gaze of a girl with an angelic face. For a few seconds, it felt as if the world had stopped turning, and with it, the move of his finger that was ready to go on with the execution.

Those few seconds that Vegeta noticed, as he was paying close attention to his opponents' movements. He followed 18's stare and noticed Krilin's presence, Krilin ready to push the button of the small remote control. As everybody's attention was focused on the bald fighter, 17 turned around inevitably.

Son Gohan was the first to react.

“Now Krilin!” he shouted.

The cyborg was almost as swift as him. With a smirk of hatred distorting his face, in one moment he had raised his hand and shot a direct blast on the holder of what he supposed if a remote control.

Before they had the time to see her move, 18 had moved to be in front of Krilin in order to divert her brother's attack that exploded a bit farther and made the rubble shake.

Krilin had had the reflex to throw himself backwards, letting the Maserfuse fall. It fell between two blocks of cement in the middle of a clutter of debris of all kind. The small fighter's heart furiously beat, rushing blood into his temples, as his eyes travelled from the cute blondhead that just saved his life to the small black case of which only a corner was visible. 18 and her brother were glaring at each other.

“Move!” one of them growled.

“No way!” retorted the other one.

“He has a remote control!”

The young girl slightly turned around to look at the small man laying on the ground and who was starring at her, eyes wide. His hands are empty. She then turned again to face her twin brother.

“You know as well as I go that it's impossible. There was only one.”

“He had one, I saw it!” insisted 17.

His sister went near Krilin whose heart stopped beating.

“Show me what you had in your hands.”

He was trapped! Fear paralysed Krilin and prevented him from doing anything. 18 leant on him, her almond shaped eyes gazing down at her victim's wide open ones. At that moment, she seemed to be aware of her power over him, she even softly brushed his cheek with a finger.

“Come on, give it to me... I won't hurt you, I promise.”

A roar made the cyborg stand up straight, and she hardly had time to straighten her torso that she was thrown away by a golden tornado. Vegeta, literally furious, had kicked her hard.

“A remote control! You bastards!”