Goten Chapter 9

Goten Chapter 9

"Damn it, I can’t see!" Android 17 cursed, covering his face.

Goten wasted no time.

Spreading his arms wide, he gathered the floating ki blasts he had fired earlier, all still hovering in the air. With a sharp motion, he clapped his hands together.

"Hellzone Grenade!"

The ki blasts locked onto the blinded androids and shot toward them like a relentless storm.

A massive series of explosions detonated across the battlefield, shaking the very ground.

Smoke and fire engulfed the area.

Not hesitating for a second, Goten shot forward, grabbing both Gohan and Videl. Gritting his teeth, he took off at max speed, pushing himself beyond his limits.

‘I just need to get us out of here…’ he thought.

But then pain. A searing blast ripped through the air. Android 18, even blinded, had fired her charged ki blast.

The attack barely grazed Goten, but it was enough to burn through his back.

"WAAH!" he screamed, his muscles screaming in agony. Despite the searing pain in his back, despite his body screaming at him to stop, Goten refused to falter.

With everything he had left, he clutched Gohan and Videl tighter, gritting his teeth. "I have to get them out of here..." He flew as fast as possible.

….

Goten flew as fast as he could over the vast ocean, the wind howling past him. His arms ached, weighed down by the unconscious Gohan and the injured Videl. His vision blurred, his eyelids heavy, but he forced himself to stay awake.

Just a little further…

He had no idea how far he had flown or even which direction he was heading. His mind was hazy, his body screaming in exhaustion. The only thing guiding him was the faint ki signature he sensed in the distance—the closest strong energy he could find.

…

Parsley City lay in ruins. Skyscrapers had collapsed, their steel and concrete skeletons exposed. Fires burned uncontrollably, sending thick plumes of smoke into the sky. Streets were nothing but shattered pavement and rubble. What was once a thriving metropolis had been reduced to nothing more than a graveyard.

The silence was broken by shifting debris. With a grunt, Android 17 shoved a massive slab of concrete aside and climbed out of the wreckage. He dusted himself off, his face impassive. "Well… I wasn’t expecting that."

Behind him, an explosion erupted. The ground shook as Android 18 stomped forward, emerging from the destruction, her clothes torn and tattered. Her fists trembled with fury.

"ARGHHH! Where is that twerp?!" she shrieked, her voice echoing through the ruins. Rage radiated off her in waves.

"He’s long gone, if I had to guess," 17 said, stretching his arms casually. He let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. "Looks like he outsmarted both of us, huh?"

18 growled, her fingers curling into tight fists. "Next time I see that brat, I’m going to kill him!"

17 brushed the dust off his clothes, his expression thoughtful. "We really underestimated him," he admitted. "That kid had been planning that move the whole time."

Her frustration boiling over, 18 turned and fired a ki blast, completely annihilating the remains of a nearby building. The structure crumbled, sending debris flying as dust clouds filled the air.

17 sighed. "Come on, 18. We’re just wasting our time here. They’re long gone. We’ll get them next time." His arms folded across his chest as he began to float upward.

18 scowled, glaring at the sky as if she could see where Goten had fled. "Fine," she muttered, her voice laced with venom. "But next time, we’re not playing around."

As she ascended to join him, 17 smirked slightly. "That’s fine by me… but before we go—" He turned to the shattered city below, tilting his head. "Want to blow up the place?"

18 let out an exasperated sigh. "Let’s just get this over with." as she floated next to him

Without hesitation, the two raised their hands, ki energy surging in their palms.

Then they fired.

The blasts struck the city, detonating on impact. A massive explosion engulfed what remained of Parsley City. Flames erupted into the sky, and the force of the blast tore through the ground, sending a shockwave that could be felt miles away.

When the smoke and fire finally cleared, all that remained was a massive, gaping crater.

17 smirked, nodding in satisfaction. "Well, that takes care of that," he said before turning and flying off.

18 followed, arms still folded, her rage barely contained.

….

West City was in ruins. Some parts of the city had been completely destroyed, but life still clung on. People roamed the streets cautiously, trying to rebuild what they could. Small shops remained open, selling whatever supplies they had left. Despite the devastation, the city was still standing.

The Capsule Corp building, however, had not been spared. Its once-pristine dome now had half its roof destroyed, a grim reminder of the androids’ relentless attacks.

Deep in the basement of Capsule Corp, Bulma finished cooking as she dumped a fresh batch of stir-fried meat onto a plate. She wore a plain white t-shirt and red pants, her blue hair tied back to keep it out of her face.

Behind her, Trunks, now eight years old, sat at the dining table, staring at the radio. Next to him, a small girl with long black hair, Mai, listened closely. A dog in a purple jumpsuit, Shu, fidgeted with his chopsticks, while a small blue-skinned boy wearing yellow, Pilaf, sat nervously, his eyes darting toward the static-filled radio. The room was quiet except for the crackling of the signal, which had been nothing but static for a while.

Pilaf frowned and asked, "What’s going on? It’s been static for a while now."

Mai adjusted her position and said, "Maybe the equipment got damaged or something."

Just then, the signal reconnected. A grim voice came through the speakers.

"We are sad to report that Parsley City is no more. It’s a tragedy. The androids have completely wiped it off the map. There is nothing left. Only a massive crater where the city once stood."

The table fell silent.

Pilaf’s face paled as he whispered, "They destroyed an entire city…?"

Trunks clenched his fists, his face darkening. "How could they…?"

Bulma walked over and placed a large bowl of stir-fried meat onto the table. She let out a deep sigh, her expression troubled. "Those androids are getting out of hand…" she muttered.

She handed everyone a bowl of rice. "Eat up, everyone," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

Mai, Shu, and Pilaf quickly muttered, "Thank you for the meal," before digging in.

But Trunks didn’t touch his food. He kept staring at the radio, his mind racing.

Bulma noticed immediately. "Trunks, baby, aren’t you going to eat?" she asked gently.

Trunks finally looked up at her, his blue eyes filled with worry. "Mom… do you think Gohan made it out?"

His hands balled into fists. "He was fighting the androids…"

Shu, Mai, and Pilaf stopped eating, all turning to look at Trunks and Bulma.

Bulma sighed and placed her bowl down on the table. She reached out and gently patted Trunks’ head.

"I know you're worried, but Gohan is strong," she said softly. "He’s been fighting those androids for years. If anyone can survive, it’s him. We have to believe in him."

Trunks didn’t look convinced. "But… it’s the androids," he muttered, his voice filled with doubt.

Bulma reached over and gently patted his head. "We have to believe in him, Trunks," she said softly.

Trunks nodded slowly. The tension in his shoulders eased slightly, and a small smile formed on his face. Without another word, he picked up his bowl and started eating.

As soon as Trunks began shoveling food into his mouth, Pilaf and Shu quickly followed suit, trying to keep up.

After finishing their meals, Pilaf, Mai, and Shu let out satisfied sighs and leaned back in their chairs, patting their full bellies.

Bulma chuckled at the sight. "There’s more if you want," she offered.

Trunks, still hungry, nodded and held out his bowl. "I’ll have some more, Mom."

Bulma smiled and stood up. "Alright, let me get you some."

Just as Trunks handed her his bowl, he suddenly froze. His body stiffened, and his eyes widened in alarm.

Bulma immediately noticed and frowned. "Trunks? What is it?" she asked, her voice turning serious.

Pilaf, Mai, and Shu exchanged nervous glances, sensing the sudden shift in the atmosphere.

Trunks swallowed hard and said, "I can sense three ki signatures… they’re heading straight for us. They’re weak, but they’re coming fast."

Bulma's face paled. Without hesitation, she turned and ran towards the monitoring room.

Trunks, Mai, Pilaf, and Shu quickly followed after her.

...

Goten was barely holding on to his consciousness as he flew closer to the large ki signature he had sensed. His arms ached, his body felt numb, and he could hardly support the weight of the two people he was carrying.

His vision blurred as he blinked, trying to stay awake. In the distance, a large, semi-circular building came into view. The structure was yellow, though it had clearly seen better days—part of the roof was missing, and the exterior was damaged.

Even in his exhausted state, Goten recognized it immediately. T-That’s... Capsule Corp...

"Almost... there..." he thought, but his vision was fading again. His arms felt like they were going to give out. He gritted his teeth, trying to fight off unconsciousness. "No... I can’t... pass out..." he muttered under his breath.

With one final push, he made it to the building, but his body could take no more. His grip failed, and he dropped Gohan. At the last second, he twisted himself mid-air, ensuring his back hit the ground first to cushion Videl’s landing.

They crashed down hard, Goten sprawled across the ground as darkness finally overtook him.

Videl groaned in pain, gasping as she slowly sat up. Every inch of her body ached, and her broken arm throbbed. Looking over, she saw the two brothers lying still.

With great effort, she pushed herself up and limped toward them, clutching her injured arm. She checked on Goten first, placing her fingers near his nose and feeling the soft breath of air. "Still breathing..." she whispered in relief.

She then moved to Gohan, checking his pulse. "He’s alive, but..." she bit her lip, her expression tightening. "They need medical attention—fast."

Her eyes darted to the massive building in front of her. It looked like it was still in use. There might be people inside who can help.

Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to move, limping toward the entrance while clutching her arm.

…

Bulma sat in her chair, eyes fixed on the live CCTV footage displayed on the screen in front of her.

Her fingers tightened on the edge of the console when she spotted three figures lying outside the building.

She quickly zoomed in.

Trunks, standing beside her, furrowed his brows. "Who are they, Mom?" he asked.

Bulma adjusted the screen, focusing on a girl kneeling over two injured figures. Her breath hitched when she realized who they were.

"That’s Gohan... and..." she trailed off, recognizing the second boy immediately.

Without wasting another second, she stood up. "Come on, you guys—I need your help!" she said urgently.

Hearing that it was Gohan, Trunks immediately ran after her without hesitation.

…

Videl finally reached the entrance of the building. Spotting a security camera, she called out, "Is anyone in there?! Please, we need help!"

For a moment, there was only silence.

Then, with a loud metallic clank, the door slid open.

Bulma rushed out, followed closely by Trunks, Mai, Shu, and Pilaf.

Videl’s legs almost gave out in relief when she saw them. Her gaze quickly landed on Bulma, and she staggered forward. "Please, ma’am! They need help—both of them are seriously injured!" she pleaded, motioning to the two brothers sprawled on the ground.

Bulma gasped as she ran to them, immediately kneeling beside Goten. She placed her hands on his face, checking his breathing, then quickly moved to Gohan. "Oh, Gohan... what did you get yourself into this time?" she whispered, her heart clenching at the sight of him.

Trunks stood over Gohan, his voice tense. "Are they okay, Mom?" he asked, then turned his gaze toward Goten, noticing how much he looked like his father.

Bulma let out a sigh, shaking her head. "They’re in bad shape... We need to get them inside, now." She looked up at her son. "Trunks, you carry Gohan. I’ll take Goten."

Videl took a step forward, about to help Trunks lift Gohan, but to her surprise, Trunks bent down and effortlessly hoisted Gohan onto his back.

Bulma, now carrying Goten, turned to Videl. "Come on!" she urged.

With urgency, they all made their way inside.

Bulma led them straight to the medical room, quickly instructing Trunks to place Gohan on the operating table.