Number 20's Defiant Smile... The Secret of Dr. Gero

Vegeta smiles and watches the Artificial Human coming at him. Number 19 punches him, but Vegeta doesn't even step back as the hit connects. Nineteen lands in front of Vegeta and barrages him with punches. Vegeta takes each punch and only on the very last one does he even fall back a little. Number 19 laughs gleefully for some reason. Vegeta laughs at him. "That's it? That's all you're able to show me?" Nineteen remains silent. "I forgot to tell you. When we become Super Saiya-jin, we get a little wild and crazy. You, as an Artificial Human, can't feel pain, can you? You're lucky." Artificial Human 19 takes a single step back. Vegeta suddenly attacks, and his hit actually pushes back through 19 in such a way that the imprint of Vegeta's foot is sticking out through 19's back, although the kick doesn't actually pierce through 19. For something that can't feel pain, 19 seems to be in a lot of it from the look on his face. Vegeta elbows him in the face, smashing the jinzouningen off his leg. He hits 19 again, and 19 slides across the ground. The Z Senshi watch, incredulous. Ten, "What...power...!" Number 20 isn't quite so confident anymore. Vegeta walks up to the downed Artificial Human. "What's wrong, robot? Are you confused about something?" Nineteen suddenly jumps up and attacks, but Vegeta dodges it and kicks the Artificial Human in the stomach. Number 19 is thrown into the air and Vegeta follows him, then when 19 catches and stops himself in mid-air, Vegeta arrives right next to him. Artificial Human 19 stares at Vegeta, quivering in fear. He starts attacking Vegeta, but Vegeta easily and effortlessly dodges everything. Vegeta punches him again in the side of the face, drawing...something out of the Artificial Human. Vegeta, "You're doing pretty well. What's that? Is that your blood, or some kind of oil?" Vegeta jumps above him and an overhead smash throws the Artificial Human back down to Earth. The Z Senshi scatter, since 19 is headed straight for them. Number 19 hits the ground and the Z Senshi watch on in amazement. Between the Z Senshi and Artificial Human 20 sits a huge crater, and at the bottom is Jinzouningen Number 19. Vegeta lands next to him. The Artificial Human sits silent for a moment, then quickly jumps up to steal Vegeta's ki, grabbing him by the wrists. "Until I have taken all of your power, I will not let you go." Artificial Human 20 does the little evil "we won" laugh and the Z Senshi are horrified. "Whatever you do, I will never let you go." Vegeta smiles. "You said never, right?" Vegeta jumps up and sticks his feet on 19's face. He pushes at 19 with his legs. "'Never' let me go?" And he keeps pushing.

Yamucha carries an unconscious Son Goku over his shoulder. "Goku, it'll be okay. We'll get them for you and we'll change the future." They fly off in the direction of Son's house at Mt. Paozu.

Vegeta continues to push at 19. Number 19 mumbles and groans, but Vegeta's feet are on his face in such a way that no coherent sound can be made by the Artificial Human. "I see. You're using your hands to channel the energy from my body and add it to your own energy supply." Nineteen manages to get out, "I...will never...let you escape..." Vegeta, "'Never' let me go? Never?!" He powers up and pushes 19 away, tearing the arms right off of the beaten Artificial Human. Number 19 stumbles back, frightened, and runs into the back wall of the crater. He looks down at his stumps. Number 20 doesn't respond well to this. Vegeta examines the hand. "I guess it was from these red spots on your palm that you were able to steal my energy and transfer it to yourself." Vegeta drops the hands. "Hmph. You did a really good job. But I figured you wouldn't be able to steal my power if you didn't have any hands." He walks up to 19, who's too frightened to even speak, and instead he just mumbles things. "What? Are you afraid? Even as an Artificial Human, I guess Artificial Humans can get frightened sometimes, as well." Nineteen jumps out of the crater and tries to run away. Vegeta jumps into the air above the crater and watches 19, laughing. Artificial Human 20, "You bastard!" Vegeta, "No need to rush me for a fight! You'll be going next after I'm done with him."

Vegeta's aura flares up a little from a slight powerup and he extends his right arm straight out, palm open. The Z Senshi watch to see what he's planning, eyes wide, mouths agape at how easily he's taken on this Artificial Human. Kuririn, "What... what's that?" Vegeta, "Take this! This one's called Super Vegeta's Big Bang Attack!" Vegeta's golden aura fills the sky and a ball of ki is formed at the end of his outstretched arm. He throws it at the escapee, and of course, everyone gasps at its power. The blast hits 19 dead in the back, and true to its name, there's a big bang. The blast engulfs quite a large area, and a small mushroom cloud rises over it. Vegeta chuckles at his work. Nineteen's head finally falls to the ground and rolls away. Vegeta grins, satisfied.

Chibi Trunks sleeps in Yajirobe's arms while Bulma pilots the aircar toward the battle with the Artificial Humans. Bulma, "What... what's that smoke? I think they're fighting with the Artificial Humans on that island. She starts to descend toward the island. Yajirobe, "You're not heading over to that island, are you?" Bulma, "Of course I am." Yajirobe, "You fool, that's the wrong button!" Bulma, "What are you doing?!" Yajirobe, "Stop it!" Bulma, "What?" Trunks starts crying. Bulma, "He's crying because you yelled at him. You should be careful. He has a habit of peeing when he gets upset." Yajirobe, "You should have told me that in the first place!" They stop arguing and the only sound is Trunks' crying and the aircar's engines. They fly off toward the huge mushroom cloud in the distance.

Number 19's head sits on its side on the ground, smoking. Vegeta lands behind 20. Artificial Human 20, "Well, I seem to have made an error in my calculations here. But you will never be strong enough to destroy me as you have number 19." Vegeta fades out of Super Saiya-jin. "I feel like I've lost almost all my energy from fighting the other Artificial Human. This is your big chance to finish me off before I regain my energy. Come on." Number 20 thinks it over. "What? Is he hiding some kind of special attack?" Vegeta, "And when you say 'never,' is it any different from the 'never' your partner was talking about? I really don't think so, especially with how easy it was dealing with number 19." Number 20 laughs. "You cannot win against the Artificial Humans, even if your power levels were able to take out this pathetic reject." Vegeta, "What an unfeeling bastard." Number 20 jumps up into the air. Kuririn, "He's running away! He's trying to hide in Stone Mountain." Number 20 flies away. Vegeta, "Hey, Kuririn! Give me a senzu seed!" Kuririn pulls out the bag. "But..." Vegeta, "Come on, hurry! What, you want him to get away?" Piccolo, "Give it to him, Kuririn." Kuririn throws him a senzu and Vegeta thinks about how he wants them to move faster. Vegeta eats it and turns Super Saiya-jin again. "Don't get in my way. Why don't you go home to a warm glass of milk?" Kuririn, "Damn... Why is he telling us to go get milk?" That said, Vegeta flies off.

Piccolo, "He wanted to make sure that way the Artificial Humans stole our power would be from their hands. That's why he was letting them take his power on purpose. Of course, he'd lose if he had to fight number 20 without eating a senzu. I think he's planning something big. He's really an expert at fighting. I bet he's become even stronger than Goku." That comment attracts some attention from the other three. Ten, "I want to see the destruction of the Artificial Human with my own eyes, so I'm going to watch." Kuririn and Gohan agree. Gohan, "If I don't, all of this will mean nothing as far as my training goes." Piccolo, "I understand. Stop yelling. Number 20 isn't that easy for you guys to handle. He's hiding in Stone Mountain right now. Because he's a robot, you can't sense where he is. If you find him, contact me or Vegeta." They all agree and Piccolo tells them to be careful, to which they also agree. Piccolo, "Let's go!" And all four of them fly off after Vegeta and Jinzouningen Number 20.

Vegeta flies around inside the rocky area, looking for the escaped Artificial Human. He lands on a high ledge and looks around from there. "Where the hell are you?! Come on out and fight me!" Number 20 stands, down on the ground, back pressed against a wall. He watches Vegeta and stays absolutely silent. "Damn! He's still hiding in Stone Mountain. I'm going to get rid of him once and for all." Vegeta flies up off his ledge and into the sky. Kuririn walks around down below, searching for 20. Vegeta, "I'm going to disintegrate the entire mountain." He starts to power up a huge blast. Kuririn, "Oh no, stop it! We're all here, as well!"

Vegeta apparently doesn't hear him and throws the blast anyway. Number 20 jumps out of his little hiding place to go absorb the ki. Kuririn watches from his spot as 20 takes Vegeta's ki. He finally has the whole blast and laughs. "I've taken some of your energy for my own." Vegeta, "Something's wrong..."

Vegeta flies in to attack, but 20 jumps out of the way by the time Vegeta gets there. He darts around the area, looking for 20. "He's faster than I thought." Artificial Human 20 watches from high above, standing on the underside of an outcropping. He laughs. "Have you forgotten that I am a machine? You'll never be able to find me." He jumps down. "But I never figured that Vegeta would be this strong. What am I supposed to do? Should I return to the laboratory? No, I will not go back there." He sees Gohan standing on top of a low ledge, looking around for him. "That kid is here, too." Something in his head alerts him to another presence and he turns to see Tenshinhan looking for him down below. And then another alert, this time to Piccolo, hovering in the sky nearby, also searching. And once more, to Kuririn, who's looking around below him. "I can steal the energy from each and every one of these fleshbags." Gohan, Tenshinhan, Piccolo, and Kuririn all flash up on screen for a few seconds each. "If I can steal all their energy and add it to my own, then Vegeta will be helpless against my power and be mine." He raises his hand and opens the palm, revealing his little red ball.