DB Multiverse

Just the time for a crackle to be heard and Gohan was facing Vegeta, standing in front of Krilin, still on the ground. Vegeta didn't like this patent opposition.

“You do better get out of my way!” threatened the Saiyan through his gritted teeth.

But the young boy wasn't impressed by the condensed anger that was ready to explode in front of him.

“No way. He doesn't have any remote control.” Gohan calmly answered.

Now the centre of everybody's attention, poor Krilin still couldn't move, pinned on the ground, paralysed by fear. He couldn't help but look at what he could see of the Maserfuse, located right between the feet of the two fighters that were facing each other. And he dreadfully realised that it was the only item that wasn't covered by an opaque layer of dust.

He had to divert Vegeta's attention from this proof. But fear had made his muscles so tense that he didn't manage to move. Utterly panicked, he started looking frantically all around him, looking for a magic bullet and suddenly... he saw it! Between him and the crushed remain of a car, there was a cell phone! Broken...

“None is going to take the pleasure of sending those two dogs to Hell, to their master, piece by piece, from me! And specially not a vain kid and a shitty wreck!”

“We never had had any master!” intervened 17; cut to the quick, which increased the tension in the air. He then growled. “You'll be able to speak about it with that damned Gero when we have decided we don't want to play with you anymore!”

Krilin had gathered his courage during the loud exchange and had rose a few inches from the ground. Taking a great care to remain sitting in the same position, he had then furtively moved to his goal and then came back to the place he had left. Right when Vegeta, wild with rage, lighted up his aura, clearly intending to attack the agitator. But the student of the Turtle school jumped on his feet.

“Every body, calm down! I found it!” he exclaimed.

Every heads instantly turned towards him and Krilin almost felt as if his heart had exploded under the pressure of all these eyes in which he could easily read the thirst for fighting.

He forced himself to swallow his saliva in order to remove the lump in his throat. He didn't want to take part in this battle, the image of Yamcha's death still haunted him. His eyes quickly went to the small corner of the Maserfuse that was twinkling in the sun. He had to push that damned button to put an end to this nightmare before Vegeta start another fight that could definitely bring the psychopaths apart from one another.

He went near Son Gohan and Vegeta, his boldness surprising even himself.

“I have it...” he said, holding out the broken cellphone he had picked up, but his hand shook too much in spite of his efforts. “But I have broken it when I fell.” he lowered his head before going on. “Bulma won't be able to tell you herself, Vegeta...”

Krilin's heart beat faster whereas dread increased the size of the lump in his throat: a call from Bulma to Vegeta! And in the middle of a fight! That was rubbish! And he would be really lucky if the others believed it!

Before anyone had time to make a single move, a thin ray went through the cellphone that exploded with the impact. Krilin couldn't help but cry and immediately hold his bleeding hand. It too had been stabbed by the condensed energy ray. Vegeta raised his hand, his finger still stretched.

“You really think I'm completely stupid!”

Krilin didn't feel the excruciating pain in his palm. His brain was one again paralysed by panic as he saw with terror the Saiyan's eyes scanning the rubble around him. It wouldn't be too long before he find the Maserfuse... There was no doubt about it. He hadn't the time to try and look at Son Gohan, that a light above the three fighter made them look up.

Neither of them had been careful enough to see 17's move and they were taken unaware as he cast a gigantic energy ball that was now going down at incredible speed, and towards them.

The explosion was terrible. It shook the entire region in a dull rumble. When the echo of the explosion eventually stopped and when the cloud of dust it had raised was blown away, they could see that a protective energy bubble that the two Saiyans had generated was covering a wide area around them, protecting Krilin as well.

“I WANT that remote control.” growled Vegeta, catching Gohan by the scruff of his neck. “And you better not use it!”

The next moment, he took off in a deluge of junk to go against the insolent author of the attack that just fell on them.

Gohan looked at Krilin who was pointedly casting sidelong glances at the Maserfuse's location, but just long enough for the young boy to follow this look that 18 stood between the two human beings.

The dull sounds of a series of detonations resonated above them. Vegeta had decided not to let his opponent get anywhere near this area and push him back with a succession of shot as energetic as they were efficient. The cyborg didn't take long to counter them with rage.