Lazuli's Child

Five months later. West City Capsule Corporation Hospital, outside the delivery room. Kashu sat on a bench in the hallway, hands clasped, his expression calm. But Android 18 knew he was nervous—his fingers were trembling slightly, and he was breathing twice as fast as usual. "Are you okay?" Bulma came over and handed him a cup of coffee.

"I'm fine." Kashu took the coffee but didn't drink it. "Lazuli will be all right," Bulma said. "She's a Super Android. Giving birth will be as easy for her as sneezing." Just then, a loud wail came from the delivery room. Kashu jumped to his feet, spilling coffee all over the floor. The door opened, and a nurse emerged carrying a baby wrapped in a white towel. "Congratulations, Mr. Kashu. It's a boy." Kashu took the baby and looked at his wrinkled little face. The baby's eyes were closed, his tiny hands balled into fists, and his mouth opened and closed as he let out a faint cry. Kashu's eyes grew moist. He had never cried—not because he hadn't wanted to, but because God Form had taken away his ability to cry. Yet now, his eyes were genuinely wet. It wasn't sadness, but an indescribable emotion.

Life. A new life. His and Lazuli's child. "He's so ugly," Android 18 said as she came out of the delivery room, looking a little pale but otherwise well. She went over to Kashu and looked at the baby. "All newborns look like that," Bulma said. "In a few days, he'll be adorable." "Are you sure?" Android 18 looked at the baby. "He looks like a little old man." The baby seemed to understand her and began crying louder. Kashu gently rocked him, soothing him with his divine power. The baby's cries gradually quieted, until they were just soft whimpers. "What's his name?" Bulma asked. Kashu and Android 18 exchanged a look. "Karrot," Kashu said. "Karrot Kashu."

"A Saiyan name?" Bulma raised an eyebrow. "Yes," Kashu said. "To honor the Saiyans' homeworld." Android 18 didn't object. She gazed at the baby, a tender smile curling her lips. "Karrot, welcome to the world." During Karrot's first week, Kashu barely slept. Not because he didn't want to, but because Karrot cried every two hours. He cried when he was hungry, when he needed changing, when he was hot or cold, and sometimes for no reason at all. Although Android 18 was a Super Android, she still needed to rest after giving birth. Kashu volunteered to take the night shift caring for the baby. He learned to change diapers, prepare formula, rock Karrot to sleep, and burp him. Kashu's divine power was useless when it came to parenting. All he could rely on was the most basic method: patience. "You're more capable than I expected," Android 18 said one morning after waking to find Kashu pacing around the living room with Karrot in his arms. The baby was already asleep, but Kashu didn't dare put him down in case he woke up. "It's not as hard as I expected, either," Kashu said, though his dark circles gave him away.

"Go get some sleep," Android 18 said, taking the baby. "I'll handle this." Kashu shook his head. "I'm not tired." "Your dark circles are big enough to pass for a panda's." "God Form means I don't get tired." "Then sit with me for a while." They sat on the sofa, Karrot fast asleep in Android 18's arms. "Kashu," Android 18 said suddenly, "I want Android 17 to be Karrot's godfather."

Kashu nodded. "Sure. Android 16 could be his godfather, too. Or Gohan, Piccolo, Krillin..." "Are you planning to assemble a whole godfather squad?" Android 18 laughed. "Our child needs plenty of protection." Kashu took her hand. "He'll be safe." Outside, the sun rose, and a new day began.

Karrot grew quickly. At three months, he could roll over. At five months, he could crawl. At eight months, he stood up. At one year old, he took his first steps. Every milestone filled Kashu and Android 18 with joy and pride. Karrot inherited his parents' features: black hair, like Kashu's, blue eyes, like Android 18's, fair skin, and a radiant smile. His personality was more like Android 18's: quiet, independent, and a little aloof, but he would show a rare smile around people he knew well. His fighting power also grew rapidly. At one year old, it had already reached the level of an average adult. At two, he could move freely in ten times Earth's gravity. At three, he transformed into a Super Saiyan for the first time. That day, Karrot was chasing a butterfly in the garden. It flew too fast for him to catch, and he stamped his foot in frustration. Then his hair turned golden, his eyes turned blue-green, and an aura burst out of him, blowing every flower in the garden away.

Android 18 rushed out of the house. When she saw her son transformed into a Super Saiyan, she froze. "He can transform at three?" she said in disbelief. "Even earlier than Goten and Trunks."

Kashu stood in the doorway, looking at his son, complicated emotions flashing through his eyes. "His potential is greater than mine," he said. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Both." Karrot returned to normal and stared at the garden he'd destroyed, tears welling in his eyes. "Mom, the flowers... The flowers are gone..."

Android 18 sighed, crouched down, and stroked his head. "It's all right. We'll plant more." Karrot's tears turned to laughter, and he threw himself into his mother's arms.

Kashu watched mother and son, an unfamiliar feeling welling up inside him. Happiness. True, pure happiness, without a trace of anything else.

He had once believed that strength was the source of happiness, and that becoming the strongest would let him have everything. But now he understood: happiness wasn't about how strong you were, but about having the people you loved by your side. He looked at Lazuli and Karrot, a smile on his face. This was the happiest moment of his life. On Karrot's third birthday, something unusual happened. Android 16 suddenly detected an anomalous energy fluctuation through the global monitoring system. It came from deep in space, tens of thousands of light-years from Earth, but its intensity was astonishing. "What is this?" Kashu stared at the data on the holographic display, frowning. "I can't identify it," Android 16 said. "Its energy signature doesn't match any known life-form. It isn't Saiyan, Namekian, or from the Frieza Clan, nor does it belong to any recorded alien race." "Could it be the Supreme Kai?" Bulma asked. "I doubt it," Kashu said. "The Supreme Kai's divine energy is golden, while this energy is purple. And its power... It's far greater than the Supreme Kai's."

He closed his eyes and sensed the source of the energy with his divine power. His awareness traveled through interstellar space, crossing tens of thousands of light-years, until it finally touched the energy's source. Then he snapped his eyes open, his face pale. "Kashu, what's wrong?" Android 18 asked anxiously. Kashu took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Something has awakened," he said. "A very ancient, very powerful being. It's been asleep all this time, and now it's awake." "What is it?" "I don't know its name, but its energy reminds me of what I've read in ancient texts. At the beginning of the universe, there were ancient gods who didn't create life. They were... gods of destruction." "Gods of Destruction?" Gohan frowned. "Yes," Kashu said. "The universe needs two forces to stay in balance: creation and destruction. The Supreme Kai is responsible for creation and preservation, while the God of Destruction is responsible for... destruction. Not evil destruction, but necessary destruction—eliminating the outdated, the corrupt, and whatever stands in the way of the universe's evolution." "Like pruning branches," Piccolo said. "Cut off the dead ones to make room for new growth." "Exactly," Kashu said. "But this God of Destruction... His power far surpasses that of any Supreme Kai. If he comes to Earth, we may not be able to stop him." Everyone fell silent. Three-year-old Karrot sat in a corner, playing with blocks, completely unaware of what the adults were discussing. He stacked them into a tall tower, then knocked it down and clapped happily. To him, destruction was just a game.