Humanity (Trunks x OC)

Part 7

"Alright. Let's take a look here." Bulma hums, pulling the lamp closer over her patient. 21 is starting to have doubts.

"Are you certain you know what you are doing?" she questions the middle-aged woman who huffs in response.

"Of course I know! I think..." she whispers the last part to which 21 frowns. Her back is to the woman as she lies on her side on a table.

Glancing over at the 15 year old on her other side, she sees Trunks looking down on her with interest. He has his head propped up on the back of a swivel chair as he sits on it backwards. "Don't worry. My mom will be careful." he assures her, making her sigh in defeat.

21 stays silent as Bulma works on her. She just listens to the sounds of the instruments she handles and the insignificant mutterings coming out of the woman's mouth. At some point in time, Trunks is starting to nod off, signaling that this 'treatment' is taking a long time.

Suddenly, 21 grips onto the table harshly, crushing it partly. Her eyes are wide like they are almost ready to pop out of their sockets, her breathing quickens. "What are you doing?!?!" she shouts in alarm.

The noise makes Trunks nearly fall from his seat as he scrambles to his feet, looking around in alarm, fearing that they are being attacked. However, all seems normal if he doesn't count the obvious discomfort 21 is in.

"I seem to have fixed your emotion cortex back to a human level." Bulma mutters, unconcerned, but it only irks 21.

"Why?!" she shouts, flinching as she does. "I don't think I like this." she manages through gritted teeth as she grips the table harder, splintering the wood. This is too much. She can't handle it.

"Mom..." Trunks starts, looking worried as he sees the pain in 21's eyes.

"Please..." 21 begs. "I feel highly unstable.... These emotions...do not comply with the strength of my body." she tries to explain, trying to look over her shoulder at Bulma, who looks surprised at the harsh reaction.

21 jumps a little when a hand is put on her shoulder and automatically she takes a hold of whatever is touching her, gripping it tightly. She can't help herself.

"Oh Trunks!" Bulma gasps, seeing her son winch at the tight grip on his arm. It's starting to crush his bones.

"21." he gasps, pain rattling his body.

Acting quickly, Bulma tweaks around in the back of the neck where she gained entry on the android's systems and tissues until just as sudden 21's grip weakens, her hand dropping, clanging onto the table.

Sighing in relief, Trunks looks down at 21 to find her motionless. "Mom, what did you do?" he asks, worried.

Bulma wipes the sweat off of her brow before holding a hand to her racing heart. That really got her adrenaline pumping. "I had to shut down her motor skills." she tells him, making him look at her in surprise before turning to look down at 21 in realization. She's like a soul trapped in a shell now. How awful!

"Fix it mom! She shouldn't be a prisoner in her own body!" he scolds his mother, ignoring the bruises that are starting to form, and laying his hand back on the droid.

"I know! But I need to do this delicately. I need to find a stable balance for her to cope with if we don't want a repeat of what happened." Bulma explains to him, sighing. "This is not easy Trunks." she reminds him. 'Not physically or emotionally.' she seems to say to him, making Trunks look down at the floor, frowning.

"Why don't you go make some dinner honey. I promise I won't harm your friend." she tells him as he looks unsure.

"Sure." he sighs before quietly leaving the basement.