Dragonball Z (Canon or AU)

Eyes shoot open and he is awake.. Gods only knew what time they finally fell asleep.. He turned and he knew she wasnt there.. Always with an early start.. especially with their boy.. Little Trunks..He was typically up with an early start each and everyday.Being about a year old now, Vegeta could see it.. Something he had never felt before.His legacy before his eyes.The boy, he was extremely perceptive.. Watching Vegeta the Third often like a bird of prey..

It was one of the reasons their argument last night was so strained.. He didnt want to awaken Baby Trunks over such a simple matter. And truly, this was absurd. What place did she have upon the battlefield.It was not a place for a thinker.. a scientist.. and certainly not for their boy! But Bulma insisted! Madness! It unnerved him to the point that he was nearly shouting with his whispers!

"DAMN YOU, WOMAN! DO YOU TRULY BELIEVE THERE WILL BE A PEACEFUL PLACE FOR YOU TO CHANGE THE CHILD WHILE WE ARE COMBATTING THESE.. MACHINES!? YOU HEARD THE WARNING OF THAT SAIYAN.. THEY PRACTICALLY DOMINATE THE WORLD HE COMES FROM AND YOU THINK IT IS SAFE FOR THE BABY OR YOURSELF TO BE THEIR? YOUVE NEVER HAD SUCH AN INCREDIBLY STUPID IDEA PERHAPS UNLESS IT IS IN BELIEVING THAT WEAKLING YAMCHA TO REMAIN FAITHFUL TO YOU!" That had started their little spat. Yes, he had crossed a line while making that point.. and somehow.. he wasnt sure if he had gotten through to her at all. This enigma, this blunette, his voluptuous and ravishing companion had a certain way of setting him off. She practically toyed with him at times..

This morning.. he had to reiterate that point.. to make himself clear. She mustnt go there to Amenbo Island..She would be more useful here in her laboratory where she seemed to be any other day. Working on a new invention and minding the boy..For what blasted reason did she truly have to want a front row seat to the carnage? Maybe she liked the violence.. He had reminded her of the tension they felt upon Namek.. He reminded her that she nearly died on Namek and that he actually had died facing off against that Tyrant Arcosian Warlord..If she died, who was going to upgrade and patch the Dragon Radar should it get broken or act buggy.. who was going to soothe the boy when he needed comforting.. Vegeta was no good at these parts.. He tried.. yes, he tried.. but he didnt have the heart for it.. No..

Changing Trunks Diaper was practically an operation in itself.. And burping him, nervewracking.. He had to demonstrate a kind of control that was uncanny to be so gentle with the boy.. He could be rougher with Bulma.. and still.. at times.. it was futile.

He stood, stretched and got dressed in a pair of shorts.Before he could finish his last day of training he would need to find her and make sure they were clear on that. She would stay here in West City.. far from the danger.. and when he came back, they would do something nice.. eat a delicious meal..Hold eachother close and perhaps even watch one of their Movie Films.. perhaps he would dance with her.. he could do these things with her.. yes, he had learned to be patient with her slowly.. and he was willing to try these things.. He had admitted it last night in a bit of dismay; Vegeta, as much as he had been through, as much pain he had endured; he couldnt stand the thought of losing her.. and the boy?!

Madness...

He pulled on a Black T-shirt and a pair of tennis shoes after he put on socks, walking out of the bedroom and to the front door of their home which lead directly to the busy hallways of Capsule Corp.His arms casually crossed over his chest.He listened, waited to hear the sound of her voice.. Although he had a feeling he knew where she was.

Elsewhere the Great Doctor sat in silence.. Maki could still feel human emotion though his body was 90% cybernetic.The hard part was over.. He had successfully implanted his brain into this superior body and had since implemented 4 different blueprints.Weapons, each with the same intention.He didnt expect praises and yet, strangely.. despite his track record and former exploits, he didnt want a pat on the back for what he had done.He currently couldnt decide which of his models was most ingenius... Should he activate Protocol 13? No.. perhaps this was too much raw power to dole out.. After all, he was merely wrapping up the final drafts and binaries to Project Cell.That was simply in case things went awry..He hadnt even considered Protocol Beta..

Though he was a madman of sorts, the Great Doctor;Maki Gero had a heart,not physiologically of course but in the way that he felt emotion still. And it pained him to see 16.. He was a perfect copy of his son, a direct match physically although enhanced..The programming was nothing like his boy and his Goddess.. she would certainly not approve if she were alive today.He was a true android; 16, and yet.. his friends, Lapis and Lazuli..they were merely cyborgs.. Beta's he had incorporated into his ultimate creation; Project Cell..Beta's he had struggled with controlling.. It seems they had a bit of their memories intact despite the hours of somatic conditioning meant to wipe those memories away.. It was for this reason for this fatal flaw in Protocol Beta that Maki Gero decided he would implement Protocol 19 for his scourge against Son Goku..

Made exclusively from syntheic materials, 19 was a reminder of the force Maki had been as a man.A reminder of how he had forced his enemies to kneel and a reminder of how he would return to such glories.. After all, Android 19 was compliant and his aid in moving Maki's brain unto this cybernetic body was proof of his efficiency.So, at lightning speed; he finished the coding and programming of Project Cell.Any moment now he would be finished and by the hour that information would be downloaded.. He would see the process begin in the Artificial gestation start before the Great Doctor made his quest..

Meanwhile, on the Southern Reaches of the Globe, Roshi slept soundly.. that was until he felt it.. Christ.Gods and Kami aligned, was it that day already?! Were the androids here?! He nearly jumped out of bed, the Lewd Magazine falling from his face as he looked up from the Sofa to see the small bald headed monk there on the beach.. Turtle just 6 meters or so behind him.. Muten Roshi felt that power travel further and further before blending with the sea.. The old man adjusted his glasses.. It must have been 3 years ago he scolded Krillin.. warning the monk that this direction.. directly by the window was the only direction safe for him to do his blast training in.. It was true there were islands scattered all about.. but before Roshi's window.. there were no lands for miles..just infinite sea..

He walked outside and he could practically feel, Krillin moping.. He had nearly given up on himself since things with that Maron fell through and yet.. here he was.. 3 years later and he had grown."I guess thats about it, Master Roshi.. I mean.. That kid, he said those androids are going to show any day now.. and they are going to probably wipe the floor with me.. But at least I'll go down swinging!"Krillin said and Roshi felt that presence again.. This was something he felt years ago that was even more prominent.

"Krillin, My boy.. I should have told you years ago.. I have lived for so damned long now.. but the fact remains the same.. You and Goku are my best students.." He started,"Though Goku may have the power of a wild beast.. you have the integrity of that same animal.. its these guts that keep pushing you along.. past your natural limits.. I dont think you'll ever surpass Goku.. but youve already got the will to do just about anything in this world that you want.."Roshi said."Come inside.. I still got some onigiri and soup.. we ought to enjoy a meal and rest before this whole thing gets started.. dont you think?"

"Mmn.."Turtle seemed to agree.But Krillin turned and Roshi could see it in his eyes.The Turtle hermit was old but he still had quick eyes."Damnit, Boy.. stop thinking about that damned woman and just accept the damned compliment!"Roshi ripped into him and Krillin shuddered."Uhhh.."The monk fidgets."Yes.. Master!"Krillin swallowed.

Elswhere.. Gohan finished the last of his equations before closing his Math Book. This had become his routine.He was getting up, 3 hours earlier than his mother just to finish his studies early and have enough time to train with his father.In the morning, he had chores and he often aided Chichi anyways.. He knew how to sew, cook, as well as write complex mathematic formulas.. All because his father liked to sleep in till about Noon and didnt start training until after Lunch just about everyday.

The pre-teen looked to the calendar.. Just three more days until those Androids were supposed to attack. Gohan felt a certain anxiety about this.. He had so many curiosities.. Would they be right on time? Or would there be some sort of variation on this? He sighed and suddenly wished he had brushed up on his Quantum Mechanics a bit more over the past three years.He walked with his homework in hand and went to find Chichi, spotting her in the kitchen he spoke up."Ive finished with todays lesson, Mom.. do you want me to help you with Lunch so we can look it over together?" He asked politely. the young student had to be on his best behavior..He often felt like he was tiptoeing for the privIlege to train with his father.. though, neither Goku nor Gohan had the guts to really tell Chichi that what they were doing on their trips to the city was training to prevent another apocalypse..

Goku remained in bed.. sleeping only in his boxers, he snored loud and viciously..practically drooling on himself as he lie there on his back..