Krillin and 18: One Stupid Kiss

Part 8: Ride on the Magic School Bus- Er Time Machine

18 sat atop the roof of the cabin as the cool breeze caressed her arms and bare midriff. The evening she spent with Krillin replayed in her mind over and over. He bared his regrets and sorrows to her, made himself vulnerable. She never expected him to do that given their history and rather brief reconciliation. Even more strangely, the cyborg found herself wanting to comfort him, so much at one point she had to stop herself from enclosing her hand around his. Perhaps this was why she ended up inadvertently spilling her life story out to him. Though 18 would probably never admit it, he now had that effect on her, making her feel comfortable and secure. Almost as if she were still fully human. She smiled to herself and decided she wouldn't really mind that today. The android prepared for takeoff, assuming the bartender was at his apartment since he did not have an early shift.

She found she was right about his shift schedule but not quite his whereabouts. Krillin was almost a speck since he was so high above her and a good distance from her cabin. 18 would've went to meet him, only she noticed another figure beside him that she made out to be Gohan.

They're probably gonna spar again, she thought, and settled for observing their session in a clandestine manner.

•••
The cyborg wondered if the duo was purposely searching for a tact island to demolish, for she had been following them for quite some time. Every once in awhile Krillin looked down and fiddled with something obscure to her. Finally, once they reached a rocky, barren terrain, their altitude lowered, and after weaving through numerous mountains, they landed. 18 observed from a protruding ledge the alien blast a hole in a shallow crevice. The human appeared to scold him while Gohan sheepishly rubbed his neck. Krillin reached deep into the opening and pulled out a strange orange orb. Then he pumped his fist and performed a victory dance, if it could even be called a dance. Afterward, she tailed them when they ascended once more.

•••
This time, the two landed in front of a white building shaped like half of a sphere. Since it had "Capsule Corp" written in obnoxious letters, 18 easily concluded that this was Bulma's laboratory.

But why were they here?

The scientist looked quite pleased when she answered the door, and the cyborg slipped through it before it closed. Though 18 could regulate her body temperature, she felt cold. It was likely due the various machinery triggering unwelcome flashbacks. Nonetheless, she had to use one to remain hidden, and at least now she could get in earshot.

"Alright," Bulma informed them, "it looks like it's done processing the dragon balls' magic." 18 poked her head out and spotted the mechanism emitting an uneasy glow that the scientist must have been referring to. Krillin shakily rubbed his hands together.

"Alright, Gohan," Krillin announced. "Ready to save Goku and 18?"

Goku and who, the android almost wondered aloud. The teenager nodded eagerly and they both entered the strange machine from an opening in the top. The scientist saluted them as it began to whir like a faulty helicopter. This time the glow was almost blinding, and 18 sped toward it and latched on at the last second, whizzing by a very confused Bulma.

***
The regretful cyborg screamed as the machine flailed around like Boswer in Super Paper Mario. It whooshed forward at an unimaginable speed as colors from every spectrum exploded around her. The sight would have been breathtaking in an immobile situation. Once the death trap reached a black circle, her vision turned white.

•••
18 relaxed her grip and slid down the mechanical menace when she felt it stop moving, and was grateful for the soft grass her rear end met. She panted as she gazed up, only able to view the machine; the sky was obscured by a multitude of trees. There were indents where she grasped it, but she doubted the boys would notice as they flipped open the lid.