Warning: multiple character deaths, gore, blood, and sad moments.
Gohan and Cell was locked in the biggest power struggle ever with anyone being the victor hanging on a thread.
Young Gohan strained with all his might to push more energy at the green villain.
You can do it Gohan. I believe in you!
The voice was the Sayian childs father; dead.
After fighting the same creature he was now battling his dad gave up his life and it was a death that became meaningless.
There really wasn't anyone left for Gohan. The only person was Chi-Chi but she didn't understand his need to fight, to protect the earth. What good was being a scholar if the planet became slaves to Cell's might? As the sweat poured down the boy's face he knew he wasn't strong enough to continue.
He wasn't brave enough to fulfill his father's shoe steps as a great warrior.
And he didn't want that honor. No, he wanted his dad to hold on to the title because he was everything Gohan wasn't.
"Tiring out boy?" yelled Cell over the sound of their Ki.
Gohan made his decision then. Yes he was tired and since he couldn't keep up with people like Vegeta, Piccolo and Goku he didn't find the point in doing anymore.
Off to the side Vegeta laid on the ground astounded by Gohan and Cell's power levels rising to scary altitudes each second. He held on to his sore wounded arm and tried to stand once more. He knew Gohan needed help so if he couldn't defeat Cell single-handily then he'd at least help in the finishing blow.
It was then Vegeta caught a look in Gohan's eyes, the determined rage had changed to one of hopelessness.
Gohan smiled at his companions and said. "I'm sorry, I've failed you. Dad please forgive me."
With that; His power level faded until he no longer was a super Sayian and he fell to the ground in dispair.
"Haha this is checkmate! I win!" Cell let out a mighty shout and his energy beam swallowed Gohan until nothing remained but shredded pieces of cloth.
"NO GOHAAN!"
Krillin, Piccolo, Tien, Yamcha, and Vegeta shared a look of disbelief while Cell laughed manically. "Bratty boys deserve punishment and that's a lesson he'll never forget. Haha!"
As Cell continued to laugh something snapped in Vegeta. Every emotion he's kept bottled finally reached the surface and exploded. In that one second we realized every mistake he's made and things he suddenly wish he could take back. The first thing being not saving Bulma and his infant son himself. Now this might be the last time he'll see any of them.
"No, that kid was our last chance. I have to -" Vegeta stood as much as he could and attempted a super sayian transformation. "No, no, no Vegeta,"
A strong fist entered Vegeta's body from behind and exited out his chest. Warm blood poured from the hole and dribbled out his mouth. "you just stay put." as the blood soaked hand retraced back to its owner so did Vegeta's heart.
The lifeless Prince fell face first into the ground, his blood pooling around him.
"Oh my Kami!" Krillin shouted, "we have to get out of here now!"
"Not until this monster is destroyed." Yamcha powered up the largest Spirit Ball he could muster and throw it to Cell's back. Right when it looked like it would hit Cell slapped it back to Yamcha who barely managed to dodge it but the power ball hit Tien perfectly on his third eye melting it.
Tien screamed furiously clutching his burning head as more of his skin deteriorated like acid down his face. Yamcha and Krillin backed away frightened by the sight of their friend's face falling into puddles on the ground. Piccolo on the other hand didn't notice this as his thoughts were still stuck on Gohan's demise.
Cell enjoyed the show a little while more than decided to move on .
"Don't worry I'll end your suffering." He placed to fingers to his forehead and charged a Special Beam Cannon. He fired it perfectly and blasted Tien's head clean off. Cell flew into the air then came down at great speed landing on Tien's body, with an audible snap it cracked in two and blood from the severed neck spurted out on to Krillin horrified face.
"No..."
Making quick work of the other, Cell reached out and strangled Yamcha so hard that both eyeball threaten to pop out their socket. Yamcha died as he was falling to the ground, face blue and neck horrible twisted.
"You're next bald man." Cell slowly approached Krillin, relishing the sweet sound of Krillin's scared whimpers. Suddenly Cell was slammed to the side by another green man out for revenge. He fired multiple Ki blast and a his own Special beam Cannon but Cell managed to restore his torn flesh and fly through the spirals of the beam; headbutting Piccolo down to the earth where is smashed into large jagged rocks one of the boulders managed to pin Piccolo's arm down. "you monster!" Piccolo screamed. "I refuse to lose to the likes of you!"
"Oh really?" Cell chuckled even the almighty Goku could beat me so what makes you think you can. But without you, there wouldn't be any Dragon Balls on earth right?" Piccolo didn't respond.
"I see well I'm just going to have to keep you alive."
Piccolo shouted as he was thrown into a mountain side and four yellow rings bound him there. "Now you be a good little Namek and stay there but remember as long as you move the move those restraints will tighten.
Piccolo scoffed at him, stopping his struggle. "I thought you wanted me alive."
"Only so to save me the trip of traveling to Namek. I don't care about your life either way."
Krillin kept his redden eyes away from the remains of his friends as he slowly tried to make a getaway.
How did this happen? He asked himself. Everything seemed to be going their way but just like that all was lost. If only...
if only what?
He was outclassed by every Z fighter in the group so if they couldn't kill Cell then he didn't have a prayer of winning.
Krillin was inches away from the safety of the mountains when he bumped into something solid and definitely not made of rock.
With an evil grin, Cell beat Krillin to a bloody pulp then grabbed his broken leg and flew at top speed out into space where he launch Krillin into the unforgiving atmosphere. The short monk vomited dark red blood before crumbling in on his self and instantly died.
Not much but two hours have gone by and all of west city was in dismay. Buildings were destroyed, Bodies laid on the ground and whatever wasn't on fire was too dangerous to enter or touch.
The Capsule Corp. was not excluded from the harsh treatment. Cell knew this was were Vegeta's Family lived and took pleasure killing the doctor and his dumb wife then childishly painting his name on the wall with their blood and smashed flesh.
The heiress to the Corporation was hiding in Vegeta's gravity room with her baby boy Trunks. The baby cried too loudly for Bulma to handle that she was forced to shake and threaten her child to be quieter before Cell found them. She heard more glass breaking and object being thrown around. He was getting closer to them.
Bulma greatly wished she could make a time machine in the second to go back to when Vegeta and her spent lonely nights lost in one another. Back to when he actually looked at Trunks and a small sliver of happiness showed through his black eyes. She wanted her family back and she knew exactly what she'd do to see them.
Trunks let out another wail and Bulma placed a hand over his mouth...her thumb pushed his nose down. "it's okay Trunks. Mama's here. Mama won't let anyone hurt her little boy." tears fell freely down her face, every motherly instinct telling her this was wrong but it was inevitable that they were going to die anyways. "you'll go to sleep and when you wake up you'll see daddy and grandma and grandpa!" Bulma tried to hold on a little longer when she felt Trunks stop moving and his chest slowly gave out one last breath.
Bulma didn't think anymore; simply acted. She grabbed a blanket from one of the storage units and cuddled with her son until she finally slashed her throat with a shard of glass.
A same fate had occurred at the Son house. Chi-chi had watched Goku and Gohan die on TV which made her stress and depression rule her judement. At first she thought if she napped she'd awaken and it would have been a bad dream but the first mushroom cloud from a large explosion indicated that she was not dreaming.
Chi-Chi's body now hangs by a rope attached to a ceiling fan. Blood trickled from her mouth, eyes and womb where the embryo she didn't know she was carrying died along side her.
Cell was victorious.
In mere hours he killed his foes and brought every city to their knees begging for their lives to be spared. With Piccolo's help Cell found the Dragon Balls and wished for immortality and for his tail back so he can continue to absorb others while in Perfect Form.
Nobody could have stopped him
but they tried their best...