Humanity (Trunks x OC)

Part 5

Today was a bad day. Trunks didn't go near 21 and she kept her distance from him, giving him his space. The wound was just too raw for them to come near each other, for him to look at her, an android. Why? Because today his best friend and teacher died at the hands of 17 and 18.

It used to be a sunny day, on which Gohan and Trunks took a break from their training. It appeared peaceful, but it quickly turned South when android 17 and 18 decided to attack the city that lay at their feet, killing many innocent people.

Gohan decided to act immediately, wanting to give the survivors a chance to flee and Trunks had his mind set on going with him. However, Gohan was skeptical since the last time, feeling he couldn't fully concentrate on the fight with someone to look out for.

Trunks' arguing seemed to have persuaded Gohan into joining him after all, however, it was only to distract Trunks as Gohan chopped the teen in the back of his neck, hard enough to knock him out.

"You know their only intention is to lure you out of hiding right?" 21 questioned him as he prepared to leave.

"I know and it's working. I can't leave those people to die." he explained, looking over his shoulder at her.

"Trunks seems to think highly of you. He has begun to change my mind about you as well. But if you really wish to distance yourself from what they are doing, you stay here and look after him." he told her, referring to the grounded teen.

21 glanced down at Trunks, thoughtful. "He'll be upset." she muttered.

Gohan's shoulders sagged for a moment. "I know. But it's better this way." he nodded to himself. "Please take care of him." he requested before blasting off, leaving her alone with Trunks. She couldn't help but get a bad feeling. She hoped Gohan could hold his own. Sadly that didn't prove to be the case.

When it was over, the sky had turned dark and the rain that fell down in waves just a minute earlier was letting up, though the sun was not coming out anymore that day.

21 stood next to the still unconscious Trunks, staring at the area where the fight had happened. The city was in ruins. She couldn't help but feel something had changed when Gohan's ki faded away. Not just for the rest of the world and Trunks, but for her as well. It felt liberating as she finally made up her mind on where she stood in this world.

Her eyes rose as two figures dashed towards her, coming to a stop just a few yards away. She looked between 17 and 18, quiet and stern.

"What did you think 21? Are you feeling bad you didn't join in yet?" 18 questioned. "It was fun." she added, when she received no reply.

17 raised a brow as he saw the teen lying on his stomach next to her. "It looks like she's keeping him for herself." He said approaching them. "I feel thrilled after killing off Gohan. I could go for more." he hummed.

"Stay away from him." came 21's surprising sneer, stopping 17 in his tracks.

"What?" he nearly gasped, narrowing his eyes. After 21 stepped between them and Trunks, dropping into a fighting stance, their mood really turned sour.

"Do you care for this boy 21?" 17 asked, aghast.

"When did that happen?" 18 wondered.

"How even? You're an android 21, or did you forget?" 17 snapped at her.

"I did not." she answered. "However, being one does not have to equal being a mindless murderer. I have a choice and I choose not to be one." she told them, vexing them in the process.

"Do you hear that? She's calling us mindless murderers. Ha!" 18 chuckles, though she seemed hardly amused. "You're pathetic! Defending this weakling! What are you thinking?!" she yelled angrily all of a sudden. "It makes you just as weak! Now step aside, I'm going to kill him! And you'll be next, you traitor!!"

Everything happened so quickly after that. She fought, and fought hard to keep herself and Trunks alive while he still laid in ignorant bliss. At some point, she managed to lure them away from him and with them in pursuit; she fled as far away as she could go.

When she returned after managing to lose 17 and 18, she found Trunks hunched over the body of his once best friend. They were engulfed in a heavy downpour. He was different. He looked similar to Gohan now when he fought, with the golden hair and the teal eyes.

She watched him mourn until he took notice of her disheveled form. Her clothes were torn, her hair stood at angles and overall looked like she took a serious beating. Even through that, she managed to look sad, not for herself, but for him.

They stared at each other for the longest time. She could see that a battle was raging behind his eyes. Finally he managed to speak. "I don't need your pity." He managed to say through gritted teeth before turning away from her and taking the body of Gohan away with him.

................

Several days later, 21 finds herself in a familiar room, the place where she was created. She is there to look for something. She's not even sure what, but something...anything that helps.

She digs through the paperwork and the many layers of dust, stacking whatever looks to be of interest. She can't stay here too long. It's making her feel ill for some reason. Memories long forgotten, or maybe suppressed threaten to surface.

She tries to start up every computer, but they're all busted much to her dismay. She's sure that some valuable information went lost with them.

Taking her papers, she quickly ditches the place after completely destroying it, not wanting 17 or 18 to find her by chance or anything about her for that matter.

After a long flight, she settled into an abandoned house, dumping the paperwork onto the table and gets to work on sorting through it all and figuring it out.

....................

"Here." she states, holding out the papers. They are brittle, about to fall apart from exposure. Cerulean eyes watch the outstretched hand carefully before looking up into her eyes with a mixture of curiosity and lingering hurt.

"What are these?" Trunks asks, finally unable to withstand his burning curiosity and taking them. He looks at the seemingly random numbers and letters.

"I think they are part of a program or a design...for an android." 21 explains, making Trunks look back up at her in surprise. "It's from my design, to be exact." she adds.

"Why are you giving me this?" he wonders, confused.

"Because, it might help you find a weakness in them, since we're the same. I couldn't quite figure it out, but I gathered data on your family and your mother seems to be a smart woman. Perhaps she can figure it out. Then perhaps you'll find a way to destroy them." she tells him.

Speechless, Trunks looks down at the bundle of papers for a moment. Perhaps the key of the destruction of 17 and 18 lies in his hands. But...it could also be the key to destroy 21. She handed over something that could show him her weaknesses so willingly?

"Are you...Are you sure we can have these? I mean...they're yours." he stammers, still in disbelief.

21 nods once. "Put them to good use." she request before turning around to leave.

"Wait! 21!" he calls out, making her halt. "You've been running from them, haven't you? They've been after you as well." he starts, before pausing, thinking deeply. 21 looks at him curiously, wondering where his train of thoughts is leading him.

"Maybe you can stay with us? I mean...I don't know about my mom, but I could ask if you can stay. Then at least..." he stammers, but stops when he sees her shaking her head. "Why not?"

"I don't want to put you and your mother at danger by me staying with you. They could discover your home." she reasons sternly, but then smiles. "Thank you for your offer though. Somehow you manage to treat me like a human being despite of me being what I so clearly am. You're sweet Trunks." she muses, bending over and kissing his forehead, making him grow red like a tomato.

"See you around." she waves before darting off towards one of her many hiding places.