Disclaimer: Dragonball (Z/Kai) is owned by Akira Toriyama
Thanks to everyone who has read/alerted/favorited and reviewed!
Warning: OOC-ness, Crap quality, Alternate Universe, Time Travel cliche, Post-Cell Games Cliche
Nada: I thought that perhaps we've waited much too long for the fighting to actually begin and thus, I merged the fight scene together with this chapter. With that being said, it still ends off on a cliff hanger.
Chapter Six: In which the ending still makes me go "What the Fuck"
Chapter Six
The insolent little brat had to be lying. There was no way he could have destroyed the laboratory without him knowing. If his larva state had been destroyed already then his very existence would have been compromised. Wasn't that how time travel worked?
When Cell couldn't detect Doctor Gero's energy to use for instant Transmission, he brushed it aside as nothing. Perhaps the doctor had already converted himself into an android much sooner than expected? When he found the city he knew resided the closest to the mountains, he went off to find the location of the lab. Even in his timeline the mountain had been destroyed - by what he was not sure - but the underground lab he had been created in remained unscathed. He was positive Gohan was bluffing to save his own skin.
What he found, however, infuriated him.
The mountain had been completely decimated. Instead of there being a mountain, there was nothing left but a large, wide crater. The lab had been completely destroyed without hope of revival. Anger suddenly burned through his veins like fire.
How had the boy done this without him noticing?
Worse yet, the little brat was right. Time hadn't changed for either of them. The death of his larva form should have affected him and his future. Yet he was still here, alive, powerful and completely unchanged. Killing the young Son Gohan of this time period would not destroy the monster that nearly killed him. This knowledge only pissed him off even more.
His mind suddenly began to wander. Perhaps there was still hope that the boy was bluffing. Doctor Gero's laboratory might have been obliterated, but there was still a piece of him living on the planet at this current time. He could still remember the location of the forest he had landed in during his first time travel. Surely that larva version of him was still alive? It could explain why he continued to exist. Did the child know of this second Cell? What were the chances?
Cell concentrated his senses in hopes of feeling out the unique mixture of ki he recognized as his own buried beneath the earth. He spread his senses far and wide but after minutes of searching, realization and rage began to set into his mind. He couldn't sense his ki anywhere. There was no explanation for this - nothing but the truth.
The brat had reached his second larva form and destroyed it when he had the chance.
His existence in this timeline was not compromised despite the death of both his larva. Son Gohan was right; killing anyone in this timeline changed nothing. It only wasted their time and energy.
Cell clenched his fists tightly. That boy would pay for making a fool out of him! If he couldn't beat the boy with his power alone then perhaps - Cell suddenly smirked, a devious plan unfolded in his mind. Oh yes, the little monster would pay for all that he's done. Cell would make sure of it.
-x-X-x-
Destroying Super Android Thirteen was surprisingly easy. It was probably one of the easiest fights Gohan had ever encountered in all his life. But there was no time to celebrate, he had more important matters to attend to. One of such involved him explaining the truth about himself to the Z Fighters. With Cell now fully aware of Gohan's attendance in the timeline and the rest of the Z Fighters fully aware of Cell's presence in the timeline, he was sure the questions would start coming.
They all gathered in Kami's Lookout shortly after the battle with the androids. And while most of the Z Fighters were feeling good about their so called "easy victory" (as many of them thought the dreaded android's the purple haired time traveler had warned them about were these three androids) only five people were particularly troubled with the turn of events.
Kami and Piccolo were not so easily convinced. The appearance of these androids didn't make sense to them. They were three years too early according to Trunk's predictions. They couldn't possibly be the same androids the young man had warned them about.
Vegeta was less troubled by the androids than the Namekians were. He was more irritated with the fact that Bei had transformed into a Super Saiyan right before his eyes. The Saiyan Prince had been patient enough with this mysterious child. He had his suspicions before about the boy starting with the day he sensed such enormous power in the middle of nowhere with no one but that child around for miles. Yet he had convinced himself it wasn't possible. No child could reach Super Saiyan, it was unfathomable. There were no tales of such a feat… until today. What disturbed him the most wasn't the fact that Bei could transform, it was the fact that he defeated Android Thirteen in only his Super Saiyan state when Goku could hardly withstand the android's attacks. How strong was this boy?
Goku and Gohan weren't troubled about the androids like Kami and Piccolo, nor were they bothered by the fact that their mysterious guest was also a Super Saiyan. No, they were more worried about the strange green creature that tried to attack the young fighter. The level of power Goku had sensed, the way the creature's ki felt like a foul mix of so many other energy signals, troubled the Saiyan's mind. The creature felt like a mix of Frieza, King Cold, Vegeta, Piccolo and-the icing on the cake-himself. It disturbed him greatly such a creature could exist.
"Enough of this," Vegeta barked when the festive celebration between Krillin and Yamcha had grown too loud. "I demand we get answers now! Who are you and how can you be a Super Saiyan at your age?!"
Krillin suddenly snorted. "Gee Vegeta, out of everything that's happened, that's the only thing you want answered? The kid is obviously half-Saiyan."
All eyes turned to Krillin as though he had just said something unbelievable. The former monk repressed the urge to smack his forehead at the blatant confusion on some of the Fighter's faces. He crossed his burly arms against his chest and said, "Think about it you guys, according to Vegeta only Saiyans can become Super Saiyans, right? If that's true then that means their kids can too. If you catch my drift." He smiled proudly to his friends; a part of him hoped they were smart enough to catch his subtle hint.
He wasn't exactly sure when he came to his conclusion, but he was certain without a doubt that the boy they called "Bei" was none other than Gohan from the future! And if he was right, he wondered exactly who the parents of the purple haired boy were. He had his guesses, but he doubted it would be possible. It almost made him laugh. As if Vegeta would ever pick a human woman for a wife!
To Krillin's relief, it didn't take them long to catch his subtle remark.
"No way! You're Gohan from the future?" Yamcha gawked.
"By the looks of it, you're not too far in the future. I'm impressed." Tien smirked.
Chiaotzu smiled in agreement.
"Wow," Goku said in amazement. "How'd you figure that out Krillin? I would never have guessed it that way."
Krillin's moment of pride suddenly deflated. Goku, Piccolo and Chibi Gohan didn't look at all surprised like the others. Not even Vegeta! Then again, Vegeta wasn't one to admit he had failed to notice something as obvious as Bei's true identity.
"You… you already know…?" He had expected Piccolo to know. Piccolo was, well, a part of Kami and Kami must have known something already. But Goku? Really? The guy was pretty dense about everything that didn't have anything to do with fighting and food!
"Well he is my son," Goku tilted his head sideways in a curious manner. "I think I would recognize my own son."
Krillin couldn't help but be speechless.
"That was a very perceptive observation, Krillin." the younger child smiled, obviously impressed. "That was my reasoning too."
"You too, huh?" the bald monk sighed in defeat. He really wished they would have said something sooner. It would have saved him the trouble of worrying whether or not the child was friend or foe.
"Alright, we get it," Vegeta cut in at last. "There's more to the story than what's being said, so spill it boy!"
"I have to agree," said Piccolo, "It's time for you to tell us the truth, Gohan, starting with why you came back in this time."
He had no choice anymore. He knew this was coming the moment he had asked his past father to bring the Z Fighters to the look out after the battle. This was the moment he had mentally prepared himself for, but it still didn't make him feel comfortable. The story was too close to the truth, too close to the incident he hoped to keep from having to explain.
He didn't have any time to waste. Once Cell found out the truth of time travel, there would be no more room for explaining. He had to do everything now. He took a deep breath.
"The androids that appeared today aren't the same androids we're preparing for."-Yamcha, Tien, Chiaotzu and Krillin took harshly to the news, but the young time traveler continued on-"They must have been activated when I-" He stopped himself. No, that wasn't important. If he was going to get away with any secrets today, he hoped the destruction of Doctor Gero's lab was one of them.
"I came back into the past because of a creature named Cell. He's a bio-android Doctor Gero tried to create, but his completion took too long. He's from a different timeline than mine, and like me, he traveled back into the past originally to reach perfection. Now that he has, he came here looking for revenge." the boy finished with a grimace. It wasn't entirely accurate and he could feel the unanswered questions growing inside the others, but the less they knew the better.
"Wow Goku, you sure have a lot of enemies," said Yamcha.
"No kidding,"
"He's not here for Dad."
All eyes turned to the young boy who had spoken. The seven-year-old stood tall and proud beside his father; he was a little battle worn and emotionally exhausted from the day's events, but he was a tenacious child who was too damn smart to be fooled by his future self's subtle avoidance of the bigger picture.
"If he was after Dad, he would have attacked him the same time those androids did, but he didn't. He attacked us." the little boy's eyes grew serious as realization dawned on the others.
Piccolo and Goku made the connection before the others could. The only question that popped into their minds was-
"Why would Cell go after Gohan?"
It was Krillin who had asked the mutual question, but it wasn't Gohan who answered.
"For the very same reason I was created for-"
All eyes turned to the source of the voice. There, floating high above them was the green monstrous creature that would very much haunt Gohan's nightmares. His arms were crossed over his chest and his eyes seemed to gleam in a way that showed his amusement.
"-revenge." He finished, pink eyes narrowed sharply. "Of course, certain circumstances did not go according to plan." At this, those malicious eyes fell onto Gohan's.
Fear stirred within the boy's chest, but he ignored it and kept his eyes focused on Cell. Gohan had been waiting for this moment since his arrival on the timeline. Whether he was prepared for it or not, he planned on giving the creature everything he had. He vowed not to make the same mistake twice. He could never forgive himself otherwise.
"Tell me something boy, did you really think anything would be different if you told me the truth about time travel? I could still kill your family and everyone else on this pathetic little planet."
Gohan clenched his fists angrily; the energy within him suddenly began to swell. He lowered his head slightly, leaving his bangs to brush along his eyes delicately. Cell watched him carefully. He could feel the boy's power begin to raise, a sign of his unrivaled rage beginning to fester. It would be foolish for him to taunt the boy's fury. He had to quell this fire before it grew out of control.
"However, I won't."
Shock ran through the fighters on the lookout. Each one of them stunned silent as they watched the android with wide eyes. But Cell kept his attention focused on the pre-teen, who gawked at him with a mixture of disbelief, fear and anger.
"I'll make you a deal. I will spare this planet and its inhabitants from destruction if…" he trailed off purposely.
"If?" Gohan persisted, unsure of how to make of this sudden predicament.
Cell sneered at him, his eyes flashing.
"If… you merge with me."
A collective gasp spread across the Look Out as Cell's words fell on their ears like a bomb. It was a deal from the Devil, that much was obvious, and despite the fact that most of the Z Fighters already knew Gohan's answer, they couldn't help but feel troubled by the request. Gohan merge with Cell? Was the Bio-Android insane? Scratch that—he definitely was.
"You're a lot stupider than we thought," Piccolo growled, grabbing the android's attention. "What makes you think Gohan would even accept that kind of offer?"
"Are you deaf? I can very easily destroy this planet just with a flick of my wrist. If you value this planet, boy, which I assume you do," He gave the boy a knowing smirk, "then I suggest you take up my proposition. Otherwise, face the consequence."
Gohan's heart hammered against his chest. It made his torso throb faintly in pain and his body tremble from the mixture of shock, fear and rage. He couldn't accept Cell's deal. The chances of the android absorbing his powers and going against his word were much too high. And if he chose to decline, well then, the consequences of that were much more obvious. It didn't matter which way he looked at it, this was a lose-lose situation. He needed a plan, an alternative, some sort of magical Plan C that would have a different outcome than Plan A and B. Yet, he couldn't think of any.
The boy heaved a heavy sigh, his whole body sagging as though gravity were pulling him harshly toward the Earth. Cell watched him closely with anticipation gleaming in his eyes. An air of anxiety began to engulf the humans on the Look Out.
"Gohan, don't do this," Krillin began, his voice shaky. "He'll never keep his word!"
Cell crossed his arms in waiting. He looked almost amused by the boy's growing dilemma. He knew they all understood, whether or not he had the boy's consent, Cell would absorb his powers and destroy the pathetic little planet just like he planned. And with Gohan's powers as his own, who knew how ferociously stronger he would become? Would there be anyone in the universe that could defeat him? Oh how he doubted it.
"Alright Cell, I'll merge with you."
"WHAT?!" Some of the fighters cried (namely Krillin and Yamcha)
A triumphant smirk stretched across Cell's white face. "I knew you'd see it my way-"
"But I have a condition of my own," the boy interrupted. His eyes flashed teal. "You have to beat me first!" Without a seconds delay, the boy erupted in a flash of yellow and charged into the sky toward Cell.
His fist collided into the android's face, sending the creature careening into the clouds below like a falling torpedo. Gohan was right after his heels, leaving nothing left of their presence but a faint residue of yellow light from his Super Saiyan aura. Those left on the Look Out peered over the ledge, hoping to catch sight of the battle transpiring below them, but the clouds masked the Earth.
"Damn it, what does he think he's doing? He'll get killed!" Krillin gaped as he watched the slow moving clouds below in a vain attempt to glimpse either Cell or Gohan.
Tien concentrated his senses toward the ground, catching mere traces of two growing energies fighting just below visual sight. "Does he really think he'll be able to beat that guy?" He murmured.
"He's the only one who can," Piccolo replied gruffly. Though, there was a hint of worry behind his tone. He didn't want to doubt the boy's abilities, because he knew what the half-breed was capable of, but he wasn't sure if Gohan from the future had changed any more than the young boy standing beside his father now. The seven-year-old hated to fight; did the slightly older version hate it too?
As the Z-Fighters stayed safely above the clouds in Kami's Look Out, the Time Traveler was doing everything within his power to keep Cell away from them and the ground beneath them. He threw attack after attack at Cell, who managed to dodge and counterattack most of his physical attacks. Their fists connected in one moment, knuckle against knuckle that forced the clouds around them to spread away through mere force of air. They flew away from each other, both slightly breathless from the speed of their attacks, but neither one of them really tired.
"Stop holding back," Gohan said once he was breathing normally again. "You won't be able to beat me like that!"
"Funny. Shouldn't I be telling you that?"
Electricity sparked around the young Saiyan; a ghost of a smirk gracing the boy's face. Something about his condescending smirk irritated the android, but Cell had to keep his cool. Losing it now would be like handing the damn brat the win.
"Don't tell me you're afraid," the child suddenly sneered in a very uncharacteristic way.
Cell's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't flatter yourself boy. I have nothing to fear, least of all you."
"Oh, but you see Cell, that's where you're wrong. You are afraid of me, because you know what I'm capable of. You wanted to see my true power and when you saw it, you realized something: I'm the only one who can kill you. Why else escape through time?" The young Saiyan half-breed fell into fighting stance, the snakes of electricity zigzagging around him. "I won't hold back this time. We end this, right here and now!"
"You really think you can defeat me?" The android growled, his blood boiling with rage. He hated that arrogant smirk on the boy's face. He hated how condescending those teal eyes looked at him. He hated the way it seemed like those electric bolts were mocking him. Oh, the boy would pay! Whether it was through death or merge, Cell vowed Son Gohan would not live to see another day!
"I don't think, I know I can."
"Why you arrogant little-!"
Cell rushed at the child in blinding speed. He threw kick after kick and punch after punch, but the boy dodged and blocked everything the android threw at him. Their fists met more than once, their shins, a dozen times more. Cell's moves grew erratic as his fury continued to fester in his blood like a volcano ready to burst. He threw out punches without rhythm, without style, and left himself wide open.
Gohan saw the opening and took advantage. He pressed his hand flat against the creature's abdomen and launched a ki blast so powerful it sent the android hurtling toward the base of Korin's Tower. Cell crashed against the tower, the force of impact cracking walls around him enough to have the android embedded uncomfortably into the base.
Korin's house shook on impact. Some of the pottery inside tipped over the shelves and shattered against the floor, alarming the feline and Yajirobe, who had just been lounging around, sleeping peacefully. The others on the Lookout felt the floor beneath them vibrate softly. Krillin gulped, feeling both chaotic balls of energy beneath him grow to unimaginable heights, even Vegeta seemed to glare angrily beneath the clouds, as though mentally cursing them for going beyond lengths he had not (yet) dreamt of.
Gohan cupped his hands together against his waist. He concentrated his energy into his palms. He felt the familiar warmth travel through his blood stream from deep within his core. It poured into the center of his hand, pooling more and more until it materialized right before his eyes as a hot blue-white energy. He had to be careful with this attack—too much energy meant destroying a large portion of the ground. Too little energy meant Cell would remain alive. He had already made that mistake once, repeating it was not in his best interest.
"Ka-me…" he began, quickening the flow of energy into his hands so that the rotating ball of light grew bigger. "Ha-me…" Cell still hadn't moved from his spot, but Gohan wasn't fooled. The android's energy was still boiling. Cell was still very much alive. He pulled in the energy he needed and unleashed it all in a final, uproarious yell.
The attack tore through the sky like a laser. It hurtled straight toward the green android, pushing away clouds through force alone. It smashed into the tower, sending cracks up and down the base and shattering the walls into thousands of pieces as the blue-white energy burned destruction through the building as though it were made of butter.
Kami's Lookout shook from the impact once more, this time more violent and hazardous than before. Krillin and Chibi Gohan staggered to keep their balance. Kami held onto his old staff while Mr. Popo simply fell onto his bottom. Vegeta and Piccolo merely flew upward, Yamcha, Tien and Chiaotzu mirrored them, and Goku placed his index and middle finger against his forehead and vanished. He returned seconds later with Korin and Yajirobe by his side, both of whom were panicking in confusion.
The tower below the Lookout collapsed to the ground. It's once majestic beauty nothing more than a giant pile of debris and bellowing smoke. Gohan panted heavily. The amount of energy he used into that attack was a bit much. He winced when the attack made its final blow against the Earth, hopefully on a barren wasteland and not a bustling city. He didn't know what he would do if he accidentally destroyed civilization. He wiped the beads of sweat off his brow and tried to even out his breathing, his teal eyes fixated on the area he last saw Cell. He couldn't sense him anywhere—he hoped that was a good sign.
On the Lookout, the others were speechless.
"Did he…? Is it…?" Yamcha stammered, but his voice continued to fail him as he tried to peer over the edge in hopes of sensing out Gohan's and Cell's energy.
Neither of them could feel a trace of Cell's fowl signature floating in the skies. It made Krillin and the seven-year-old want to celebrate, but neither one of them dared it. They had already seen what happens when you celebrate too soon. Vegeta, Piccolo, Kami and Goku kept their senses on alert; even Korin seemed to grow serious as if he understood what the situation was when technically he really had no idea.
"I don't want to ask in case I'm wrong," Krillin murmured to anyone who'd listen (which was namely Chibi Gohan, who had wandered to his side during the fight.) "But in the off chance I'm right…"
"Is it over?" the child whispered, almost too scared to say it out loud.
His older counterpart appeared over the edge of the Lookout, looking tired and battle worn, but otherwise peaceful. For him, this victory felt more gratifying than any of the victories he had ever witnessed. Cell's death marked the end of an era. It was the end of fear, the end of always having to look over your shoulder for the next attack; it was the end of fighting, in both this time period and in his own. He was ready for the well-deserved peace everyone so desperately wanted.
Gohan's heart, which had been so elated and relieved just a mere few seconds ago, suddenly sank so low with dread he almost dropped out of the sky from shock. A grotesque amount of energy swelled from just below Kami's Lookout. It was so familiar and so vile to them all, it vaporized the small growing amount of hope that had begun to surge in their hearts. Cell's energy vanished without a trace again, but before any of them could react, the android reappeared behind the pre-teen and sent him careening into the Lookout.
The eleven-year-old smashed into Yamcha and Tien, sending the two humans flying back alongside him until the trio crashed harshly through the walls of Kami's Temple.
"Tien!" Chiaotzu cried. He ran toward the temple, Krillin right by his side.
Cell vanished from air again. His disappearance quickly caught everyone's attention, but just like before, they were too slow to react when Cell reappeared again. This time, behind the seven-year-old.
"Gohan!" both father and mentor cried, but neither of them were able to do a thing. Cell grabbed the child by the hair, relishing the screams of pain it brought to him and flew above them all once more. He pointed his palm beside the child's head; his long, pale fingers spread, and energy surging beneath his flesh. He could obliterate the boy if he wanted to, they all knew that.
The Time Traveler crawled from out of the rubble, Tien and Yamcha still out cold inside. His body ached from the extensive physical hardship it went through and his senses dulled from the lack of energy. He wasn't completely out of the fight yet, but he doubted he could withstand a high power energy attack should it come his way.
"He knows the same move you do," Vegeta suddenly said; his dark eyes narrowed angrily at the green android. "He knows Instant Transmission!"
"Oh yes, quite a handy move if I should say so myself." Cell laughed. He kept a firm hold on the squirming child in his hands, his pink eyes still focused on the older version just below. "Care to hear how I learned it? It's a great story. I'm sure your son would love to tell it."
"Forget about that!" Gohan yelled. He launched back into the air, the static electricity that accompanied his second level of transformation now long gone.
Cell brushed the boy's remark aside and smirked nastily.
"I'm sure your younger self wouldn't mind hearing the tale too. It's a life changing experience."
"It doesn't matter to them! It has nothing to do with them!"
It felt as though the tables had suddenly turned. Instead of Gohan instigating Cell into a rage, he felt as though the android were goading him into one. The only difference between them was Gohan's significant emotional advantage. If Cell were any smarter, he would have stopped himself when he had the chance. And if he didn't think Gohan would get angry for this secret then he thought wrong.
"But that's where you're wrong." He turned his eyes away from the boy for the first time since he reappeared and stared at the rest of the fighters on the Lookout. "Instant Transmission certainly is handy. I have to thank Goku for that. Or perhaps, I should thank Gohan for allowing me to kill his father so easily."
The young child in the android's hands stilled his movements, his eyes wide with horror. Goku visibly tensed where he stood, but narrowed his eyes at the villain. He doubted Cell's words. It just didn't make sense.
"So, it got me thinking, perhaps I should return the favor?"
Cell's movements were too quick for their eyes to catch, or perhaps the shock of the revelation had turned them to stone, because the next thing either of them knew, a large wave of energy filled the air as well as a high pitched, painful scream of a young child. Smoke enveloped Cell's entire frame. Goku and Piccolo watched, horror struck, their hearts hammering in anxiety, as the smoke cleared painfully slow.
The eleven-year-old floated in the sky, his body no longer overheated from excess ki energy—it was now cold as ice—and his mind no longer worried about the truth being told. It was all blank, like an empty canvas, like barren, frozen canvas.
As the smoke cleared away, Cell's frame became more apparent. He had his fist held out, empty of a child, and as the wind swept away the smoke, he turned over his fist and opened his palm. Strands of black hair slipped into the wind like nothing.
Nada: So, I'm not used to writing physical fight scenes. The problem with DBZ is, not only is their a lot of fighting, but their fighting is actually very repetitive and on a writer's stand point, detailing every bit of their movements would be much too boring to read. I hope I found a happy medium between giving enough details to know what's going on but keeping it light so that readers don't get lost halfway in.
Cell is also a tough character to write for, in my opinion. He gave me a lot of trouble.
On another note, there's only two chapters left until the story is over.
Reviews are appreciated!
Favorites and Alerts are highly welcomed.
Thank you for reading!
