CHAPTER 1

"I must admit, your kid is one doozy of a fighter!" exclaimed King Kai, clutching his hands in front of him, floating above Snake Way. Son Goku, his right arm resting upon King Kai's back, smiled proudly. He had given up his life and taken along King Kai, Bubbles and Gregory with him, to try and save the Earth from the terrible demon Cell, but Cell had survived, stronger than ever with having taken some of Goku's cells inside his genetic code as well, and, having used the Shunkanido he stole from Goku, was now locked in a Kamehameha battle with Goku's son, the latter usually shy and timid but this time flaring with rage and the unbridled, raw power of Super Saiyan 2. Goku had foreseen this, and was thus content with giving up his life and passing the mantle of Earth's protector, onto Son Gohan. Even so, he felt it best to keep watching on. He had faith in his son, but was worried as well. He knew Gohan was a gentle soul, not wishing to harm or hurt anyone, much less kill, be they however evil. Of course, things had changed upon his transformation, he'd become less restrained, but Goku wanted to be there for his son one last time, even in death. King Kai had obliged, and set up a hotline for Goku to talk to his son telepathically.

Goku watched as Gohan continued to struggle against Cell's monstrous might. Cell had unleashed all the power he'd had into one Kamehameha wave, and Gohan, having been robbed of the use of one arm whilst attempting to save Vegeta's life, could barely hold him off.

"What's the matter Gohan?! You already have all the power you need. Just bring it out!"

"I-I can't! I can't keep this up! I-I just can't hack it dad! It's too much for me to handle! I'm just a kid… I haven't changed… n-not at all…" replied his wounded and struggling son. Goku was taken aback. He knew he would have to push his son beyond, to save the Earth. He just wished he could be beside him.

"Will you stop attacking yourself?! I don't know where you got it in your head that there's something wrong with you, 'cause there's not! You've saved my life and our friends' lives so many times, and you're going to do it again, RIGHT NOW!"

"What on Earth are you mumbling about? Chanting a little prayer before you die?", mocked Cell with a menacing smile, his hands shooting out a Kamehameha that rivaled the height of mountains, pushing back Gohan's own Kamehameha until it was almost to the face of the young, valiant Super Saiyan.

"Let it out Gohan, do it NOW!" yelled Goku. Gohan, with the apparition of his father standing beside him, clad in his usual orange and blue Gi, in his Super Saiyan state, almost as if he was shooting a Kamehameha himself, faltered for half a millisecond. Then, with his one arm dangling limply beside him, and the other emitting a monstrous Kamehameha that rivaled Cell's in height and in might, grunted a little in exertion. Suddenly, as if in response to his grunt, his Ki flared once more and the Kamehameha almost doubled in size, pushing back Cell's Kamehameha and returning the meeting point of the two gigantic beams to dead center once more as Cell grunted in shock and from the force of Gohan's Kamehameha.

Meanwhile, Piccolo, Tenshinhan, Krillin and Yamcha watched from a distance. Krillin clutched the once alluring Android 18, unconscious after having been expelled from Cell by the incredible force of Gohan's kick slamming him in the gut. Vegeta, too, looked on silently, but filled internally with rage. His rival, Kakarot, had died a hero's death, having saved his planet, and now his son was engaged in a battle which surpassed limits Vegeta couldn't even fathom. His pride damaged, he was enraged.

"You fool! Don't you realize yet you're up against the perfect weapon?!" proclaimed the maniacal Cell, as he, without showing outwardly exertion, put even more power into his own Kamehameha, taking aback both father and son.

"No way!"

"Too strong!", mumbled a dejected Gohan as the meeting point of the clash was once more brought to his face.

"Now what?!", rationalized a terrified Goku. "I've already told him to give it all he's got!" Until it hit him. "Wait! What if he's still…", he realized, stricken. Turning his attention once more to his bleeding, struggling son, he communicated. "Gohan! If anywhere in your mind you're holding back in order to protect the planet, forget about it! All the damage you do to the Earth can be fixed with the Dragon Balls. So don't hold back! Got it?!"

"Y-yeah b-but I…"

"HA HA HA HA HA HA I CAN FEEL YOU SLIPPING", chanted the psychotic villain.

Gohan once more struggled to hold on, ready to give up, that is, until he heard a voice from above that made every hair on his body stand up on end.

"MASENKO-HA!"

He looked up to see his mentor, his best friend, the man he idolized and the man who had been a second father to him, shooting a beam at his foe. It was shrugged off without any effort, as Cell just grinned maniacally and Piccolo staring incredulously. Cell had shrugged off one of the best moves in his arsenal with just his Ki. Suddenly, without moving even an inch from where he stood, Cell's Ki flared up even more, and concentrated itself much like a Ki blast, towards Piccolo. Piccolo tried to bring his arms up in defense, but it was in vain and he was blasted away like an afterthought, his body crackling with electricity, as Son Gohan watched horrified, gritting his teeth in anger.

It was not long after Piccolo was planted into the earth face first, that the other Z warriors, save for the mortally wounded Trunks and the prideful Vegeta, joined in the foray. Piccolo managed to stand on his own two feet, and emitted out his Makankosappo. Tenshinhan fired up his first Kikouhou of the day, and Yamcha and Krillin fired out Kamehamehas, although, breaking from tradition, they were yellow instead of the characteristic blue and were not accompanied by the Kamehameha chant.

"P-please guys! N-not too close! B-be careful!" yelled a worried Gohan whilst feeling the strain of his Kamehameha and his various injuries weighing him down. He was a gentle, loving soul who detested fighting, and to be dragged into something like this was something he hated with all his heart.

"Gohan. They can take care of themselves. Focus your energy, son!", reassured an onlooking Goku.

"I-I'm trying!"

"Would you stop interfering?!", screamed the irritated Cell. He was fending off the brave Super Saiyan's one handed but surely not weak Kamehameha with his own, and using his Ki to keep the attacks of the Z Warriors at bay. "You're all so anxious to die, aren't you?! Well, all you had to do was ASK!", he exclaimed, flaring up his unfathomable Ki which sent the Z Warriors flying.

"H-he hurt them! HE HURT THEM!", thought Gohan, his brows furrowed with immense anger. "HYAAAAAAAAAA!", he screamed as his own Ki flared up once more and his Kamehameha began pushing Cell's back. This was reciprocated in kind, with Cell emitting his own battle cry and putting more power into his Kamehameha, until it was dead center once more. The Z Warriors would proceed to get up again and again, and be shot down again and again by Cell's Ki, until the point where they were all drained of their Ki and didn't even have enough to stand up.

"Gohan! Raise it higher! You can win this one!" communicated Goku to his son through King Kai.

"Oh no! The Earth is gonna blow!" yelled King Kai hysterically. Goku's anxiety was starting to get the better of him but he maintained as calm an exterior as the situation had allowed the seasoned fighter. Indeed, back on Earth, rubble was rising to the air and the surface was quaking, as if bowing out as an ode to the tremendous power of the two fighters clashing.

"Release it Gohan! Release everything! Remember all the pain he's caused! The people he's hurt! Now make that your power!" cried out a desperate Goku, his apparition beside Gohan becoming even clearer, almost as if he were there himself, aiding his brave son in that amazing Kamehameha struggle.

"SAY GOODBYE!" cackled the mighty Cell, laughing maniacally the whole while, his Kamehameha having once more pushed Gohan's back to where the young Super Saiyan stood. Suddenly, a beam came up from the heavens, and hit Cell square in his backside. Bowing from the innate pressure of this attack, Cell was knocked out of focus. Standing above them, panting, was none other than the Prince of All Saiyans.

"VEGETA?!" said the distracted Cell.

"NOW'S YOUR CHANCE!" yelled the apparition of Goku, almost coming to life in that instant.

"HYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Gohan's Kamehameha was almost like a tunnel surrounding the young man himself. He had put every last bit of energy he had into this one maneuver, and if it failed, Gohan would fall and he knew it.

Cell turned back around at the last possible instant to see the error in looking away from the battlefield for that brief second. His mouth gaped open upon seeing the massive and terrifying Kamehameha speeding towards him, as he stood there helpless to stop it. The wretched child who had beaten the perfect being was strutting towards him, broken and beat down. Still, in better shape than Cell foresaw himself in the next couple of milliseconds.

"N-N-N-N-N-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I AM PERFECTTTTTT…..", cried out Cell vainly as Gohan's massive Kamehameha disintegrated him into nothingness. And then, there was one. The young Super Saiyan panted and huffed, before losing the golden aura and plummeting to the ground on his back, eyes shut, mouth gaping open, bleeding from everywhere, completely exhausted. He had finally won. He had finally made his father proud. He had finally rid the world of the terrible Cell.