Chapter IX: Impatience... topped off with mental stasis
Disclaimer: 'Dragon Ball' is a property that has been created and is owned by Akira Toriyama-sensei, Shueisha, Toei Animation and Fuji Tv respectively.
AN: I'm extremely grateful for all of the positivity that has been sent my way via reviews (by some gr8 people no less!) and I hope that all of my future updates manage to live up to the previous standards set.
I understand that chapter 9 wasn't as well thought out as it could've been but hopefully this one will prove to be more 'content-filled' in nature. (ie; Lots more 'Broly-ness' to go around!)
Here we go!
By a desolate wasteland, far away from any type of populace –
An eerie silence had overtaken this place ever since a certain creature had paid a visit to the former... bringing with it a message that promised pure carnage and despair should the right time arrive.
...
Both arms crossed, gaze hardened and mind feeling utterly stressed out… the living abomination, Cell, was feeling out of sorts yet again. The culprit, for his present state of mind, being the same as before… unsurprisingly enough.
Darn. How am I supposed to get rid of this strange feeling of unease?
Brows furrowed, the tall bio-android promptly glared towards his left and at a pile of large rocks… mind not as calm as it usually was.
Hmph.
*Ping!*
BLAAAAM!
…
Much better. It was proving to be quite an eyesore anyway.
Lowering his outstretched finger, Cell muddled over his prior thoughts once more.
Even if this new fighter proves to be a good match, why does my mind keep worrying over that minuscule fact? It's not like anything that exists upon this godforsaken rock can ever threaten the likes of me.
Staring at the naked ground beneath his feet, the ultimate cybernetic creation quirked an eyebrow in mild doubt… as if doing so for the very first time in the entirety of his existence.
"No matter. At least I can expect a great show from the 'all-powerful' Son Goku in the meantime." I'll worry about this mysterious stranger when the time comes. No point in letting my mind get cluttered with unnecessary concerns.
A sinister smirk grew across the evil being's lips as he glanced at the arena that he, himself, had created, several days back... confidence returning in full flow as he did so.
And that too a mere day before the real fun and games begin. Hmhmhm.
Looking once more towards his left at the scattered debris that littered the area that he had previously extinguished, Cell soon frowned as another thought took form within his sharp brain.
It was an acute observation that he had, somehow, managed to completely overlook.
I can't help but wonder though… just who is this new fighter? Apart from Goku and those hapless idiots, there simply didn't seem to be any creature worthy of my time upon this mud-ball of a planet up until now.
Patience starting to wear thin and innate instincts for battle growing increasingly anxious to face the new challenge (courtesy of his inherent saiyan genes), the monstrously powerful being clenched a single fist before proceeding to spar for a while… with a swiftly created clone.
...
Where did this one even come from though? Surely Goku knows… or perhaps Piccolo. Either way I'll have to force the answer out from the both of them when the time comes.
A sweeping kick across the torso of his mirror image and Cell had already managed to land the first blow upon his self-created opponent.
Now then, back to work.
...
Having enjoyed the short burst of exertion, not that it would have even made him break a sweat, Dr. Gero's dream then dispelled it's clone before observing the recent inflow of astute progress.
There's certainly no need for me to even train at this point. Hmhm, the past couple of days have fine-tuned my senses to far sharper levels than those belonging to even the most trained martial artist!
Recalling the names and abilities of all of his upcoming opponents via a highly advanced (in-built) data bank, the utterly invincible warrior felt a grin slowly grow across his lips, It's a shame really. The many years of their training shall be put to complete waste once I begin to unleash my superiority over their pitiful skills.
"..."
Correcting his prior statement, Cell let loose a even more devious smirk.
Well, aside from the saiyans that is. I'm quite sure that they'll have some new strategy up their sleeves… if they wish to avoid certain defeat that is.
Basking in the aura of his superior power over the defenders of the Earth, Cell soon recalled a certain factor that he had only just noticed in recent times.
"But then, this stranger's ki alone seems to be more potent than Trunks and Vegeta's put together. Hmm…" Maybe, a change of plans is in order...
Quite close to a waterfall, at the very edge of Mount Paozu –
"…" Heh, this is harder than I thought.
Having meditated with all of his mental might, whilst searching the innermost depths of his subconscious for the humongous source of his power, the raven-haired saiyan frowned and then smirked as the task alone proved to be well beyond his current level.
C'mon... C'mon! I don't have time to idle around!
A low growl escaped his control as he thought the above; discovery that he had made the day prior still fresh as a daisy within his mind.
Like I could even forget that little detail.
It had been oddly unsettling for him to discover that his upcoming opponent had been busy with training of his own. Whatever this feeling is, I definitely don't like it.
...
Having remained in a disciplined (and rock-steady) position for several minutes, Broly once again began to grow impatient… mind feeling as if being squeezed from all sides as the sheer amount of focus put upon it began to prove, in short, 'hazardous' in nature.
"…!" Found it!
He had done it at last.
Days of forced patience had finally paid off for the man. His excruciating journey having finally born fruit.
"..." This... this is...
Truly, the sheer experience of knowing where all of your power originated from. Of knowing just how your ki grew and expanded over time… in a place deep within your physical body, was simply an altogether different feeling in itself.
All of this energy. This… This huge power. Is it… Is it all mine? Mine alone?
Left thoroughly perplexed (and impressed) by what he could feel and experience, Broly soon felt his mind begin to ease… as a foreign serenity began to envelope him from all sides.
...
Forcing his disheveled breathing to relax, the saiyan decided to keep his mind clear... before his innate nature took over the reins once more.
Heh, who would've thought. So much to drink… and that too from such a huge well of power.
Soaking in all that he could see, feel and touch (albeit through his mind alone), the meditating male uncrossed his arms and placed both of his hands upon each corresponding knee in tandem.
Alright then... time to see if I can figure out a way around that form.
Inside the mind of the mighty 'master of mayhem' -
"…"
An unearthly feeling had begun to touch at his overtly sensitive skin from all around his stationary frame. It wasn't trying to choke him or cause any sort of discomfort however.
Not at all.
Instead, Broly was finding himself in a blank state of sorts.
A state in which he could see, hear, feel and experience only what all occurred within the new (and hauntingly silent) space.
In short, his new-found meditative state had ensured that he was successfully cut off from all that was happening in the outside world.
...
A few short steps forward and his throat had begun to dry up.
("Is my mind... really this empty?")
There was, literally, nothing going on in the serene quietness that was Broly's inner mind.
Not being familiar with what normal mortals would refer to as 'fond memories', the man was beginning to grow terribly impatient (as well as bored) with his immediate surroundings.
("Dammit! Why is this place so quiet?! Where's that huge well of power gone to? It should be around here somewhere.")
"!"
Grabbing at his head with both hands, the mighty saiyan soon let loose a pained howl… into the silent abyss that was his own dark psyche.
A few brief moments of pain and his head felt lighter as compared to before. Almost as if 'relieved' of a great burden.
("GAH! What the hell was that supposed to be?")
"...!"
Eyes widening as a distant memory appeared in front of his vision, the confused male could only watch as a painful event replayed itself (shamelessly) all over again.
("This… no! How could this-?")
Flashback 1 –
"WAAAA! UWAAAA!"
The chamber containing all of the newborn saiyan infants would have been a calm domain of peaceful silence…
... were it not for the owner of the above mentioned wails.
"Geeh... (sob!) ehe.. gnhh."
Kakarot's neighbor, a far-more-quietly weeping Broly, was the unfortunate audience to the incessant noise being caused by the former.
It was, to be frank, nothing but torture for the poor youngling.
...
Distant footsteps, into the room, were the only source of relief that was available to the tiny being at that point.
For he had then, due to the former, innately hoped (and prayed), with his undeveloped mind, that this stranger would make the noisy occupant, lying in the crib next to his, ultimately settle down… even if for just a short while.
"!"
Little did the innocent infant know however... this so-called 'savior' would actually prove to be the primary cause of his innate fear. One that would continue to haunt him well into his later years.
The fear of being held in the palm of another's hand… as a mere pawn that could be disposed of, as and when required, by the former.
...
It was this innate feeling of being controlled by someone other than himself that would (soon) make him hostile to any and all that existed around him.
Needless to say, it was an undesirable situation where his ultimate destiny and overall fate would not be under his own control... in any way whatsoever.
SSICHH!
"UIYAAAAH!"
The piercing yell of a newborn being stabbed of whatever life was present within it was, truly, one that would require some effort to be able to forget.
...
Oddly enough, once the almost lifeless baby had been swiftly disposed of; akin to some sort of worthless trash, Kakarot had put an immediate halt to his rampant bawling.
End flashback –
"Urgh! Why did I have to go through all of that again?"
Clutching at his head once more; both knees threatening to buckle due to the sheer emotional strain that his body was feeling, Broly promptly dug his heels into the invisible ground beneath him…
... hoping to restore some sort of balance to his staggering form.
The traumatic memory, that he had somehow managed to push back into the deepest recesses of his heart and mind, had proven successful in nearly bringing one as powerful as him to his very knees.
The mere thought of that happening, to be hurtfully honest, scared him... to this day.
"Why did I have to see something like that again?" solitary palm raised ahead of him, the furious saiyan promptly fired off a crackling green ball of ki into the deep unknown, far and off into the distance that could never be measured, "Dammit!"
KABOOM!
"..."
("Even the fucking explosions are imaginary.")
Having vented most of his immediate frustrations with the brief outburst, the man sucked in a big breath to settle his agitated nerves, eyes drooping close as an unfamiliar calm enveloped his psyche… yet again.
("It's strange how I feel like this in here. Was my mind actually capable of remaining this calm all along?")
...
The answer to his genuine query would have to wait…
"Not again…!"
One more vision, this one being a tad bit more recent, flashed across the landscape… making the hapless male sweat due to his undisguised desperation.
("Shit.")
Flashback 2 –
BOOOOM!
The devastating attack had left only destruction, emptiness and scattered debris in its wake. The funny (and to be put frankly, 'twisted') thing though, was that it had been fired off by a grinning young boy.
"Broly! Stop it! Stop it my son! You'll destroy the planet that's been our home for the past-!"
Glaring from over his shoulder at his panicking parent, a 10 year old Broly sneered in disinterest… being far too occupied with his current task.
"Shut it father! Can't you see that I'm busy?"
"..."
Frozen into solid attention, Paragus merely nodded with a face that clearly reflected his submission to his offspring. It, in Broly's blunt opinion, quite suited the man.
He was simply a helpless father who had failed to keep his son's destructive urges in due check; latter's sadistic need, to kill and dominate all that existed around him, proving to be far too much for him to handle.
"That's better. Keep that big mouth of yours shut for a while! Hehe."
End flashback –
"..."
Shaking his head at the fact that he had once nearly succeeded in destroying his own home, ("I guess that was the one time that I really couldn't stop myself.") a mentally exhausted Broly then decided to walk for a bit.
("Pff... this shitty place makes even that New Planet Vegeta look like a haven.")
...
Arms crossed and eyes barely registering the darkness that was present all around him, the tall male sighed softly as his search failed to yield any effective results… mind still soaking in all of the pain, all of the distasteful memories.
One by one.
VOOOOM!
("I really love doing this. It makes me actually feel as if I'm finally free.")
Going 'super' within one's mind had its benefits it would seem. There was obviously no one around you to even notice the visible change.
"..." ("This is pointless. That clown told me that all I've got to do is stay transformed for as long as possible…")
Raising both of his fists, sharp gaze scrutinizing every little detail, Broly frowned deeply; emerald orbs flashing dangerously, ("… but what can I even do in this state? It's not like I'll grow stronger by simply sitting around like this all day.")
Freeing his mind of the nagging thoughts, the saiyan thought back onto how Goku's devised method of training had ensured that all of the problems related to the former's transformation would be kept in check.
"Hmph." ("Atleast my body has learned how to handle the huge strain now. It always felt like I would burst under the pressure before.")
Truly, his most hated enemy's advice had worked wonders for the powerful warrior in recent times. Ki output, already being a dangerous and somewhat risky craft, was of the extreme nature when it came to one such as him.
It was of utmost importance that Broly learnt how to control his huge power.
("Like I actually plan on going 'all-out' anytime soon.")
A smug grin and his instinctual nature had kicked in once again, ("Not against that bug or anyone else atleast. Hehehe.")
To be absolutely honest, he had definitely tried to harness his unique traits in the past few days to the best of his mental 'abilities'. However, like all things new to him, it hadn't been a cakewalk.
From any angle.
"Kakarot, you and your brat may have become so-called 'perfect' super saiyans but I'm the only one who'll turn up as the strongest when the time comes."
Flaring his aura outwards, Broly let loose a roar of effort as his power level fluctuated and rose further… threatening to shatter the very boundaries of his inner mind and escape out into the open.
"ALRIGHT KAKAROT! WHERE IS THE TRUE SOURCE OF MY POWER? DON'T YOU DARE TRICK ME AGAIN!"
The brief memory of his humiliating defeat at the hands of the happy-go-lucky saiyan helped to further fuel his passionate search for that ever-elusive well of raw energy that he had been informed about.
"GGHHH! I… I see it!"
Indeed, Broly, with both of his eyes shut tight, could make out a faint speck of greenish-gold that seemingly floated just out of his reach.
"..."
Reaching out towards it, mental skills far too poor and underdeveloped to cope with the humongous strain, the man panted softly as sweat escaped the pores of his skin in tiny streams of perspiration.
"Rraah!" ("I've almost got it!")
A final lurch, and the determined saiyan had at last managed to become the master of his own fate.
The wholesome feeling was strangely similar to the one he had felt when breaking free of his father's control.
With his right fist enclosed around the ball of light, fingers feeling tingly as they soaked in the raw power that lay within him… from his fingertips till his wrist and then all along his arm, the surprised male felt... pretty much the same.
Only… in a slightly different way.
("I… I can't believe how right he was.")
...
Goku, it would seem, had been well aware of the fact that a 'well of power' existed within himself as well as his son.
Through prior experiences related to Gohan's erratic outbursts of fury, the surprisingly observant father had mentally noted down the reasons for the strange behavior… knowing that someday, in the future, a time would arise when said ki source, that had given his young son such great power, would prove to be the difference between victory and defeat against a truly lethal foe.
Handing over this precious information to someone as temperamental as Broly was merely a part of his plan to ensure that he and the Earth were well-prepared to face-off against one such as Cell.
It was also quite clear that he, himself, had little to no time to attempt the tricky feat.
Hence, that had made him think and subsequently offer up the golden chance to his dangerous fellow saiyan... in the hopes that he would find success whilst performing it.
...
Son Goku, without doubt, would have been pleased to see, firsthand, the ultimate result of his master-plan in action.
...
Calming himself down a notch, yet keeping his transformed state intact; aura no longer present, Broly sucked in a much-needed gulp of imaginary air before bidding goodbye to his inner psyche.
"Good riddance." ("Here's hoping that I never get to come back here again.")
Outside –
"…"
Slowly allowing the bright sunlight to penetrate his vision, the male groaned softly before taking care of a bothersome crick in his neck.
Aah… that'll help make me think straight.
Blinking twice and getting up from his perch, roaring waterfall behind his frame being largely ignored by the former, Broly thought back onto his recent attempts at 'thorough mastery' over the SSJ state.
Something that he certainly wouldn't have tried… save for a certain ( and annoyingly cheerful) host.
"I guess, it was worth it to some extent. That bastard turned out to be far smarter than what I gave him credit for."
A tiny smirk of appreciation crawled out of the confines of his unassuming scowl, making the tall man look a tad bit 'different' once more.
Benefits or not, that guy sure knows his training... I'll give him that.
Certainly, the sheer benefits and plus points of possessing complete mastery over the basic super saiyan state had managed to impress Broly… at least to some degree.
He felt far less tense as well as light-headed as compared to before.
Things were being processed far more clearly in his head when they were once all about being driven by blind rage and unfocused irritation.
Power-wise, the man definitely felt as if there was far more lying underneath the surface then what was visible to the naked eye. Yes, he had much more to give as a fighter than before as well.
In short, Broly was now fully able to keep his instinctual urge to transform into his real self, in order to prove himself and his capabilities to his adversaries, well under control.
That feeling alone, gave him a bout of confidence that would rightfully 'scare' most hard-headed men. It was quite refreshing for him to be able to know that he actually wouldn't need to transform into that rampaging behemoth during battle.
"Damn, who would've thought. This feeling… it makes everything else seem inferior for some reason. It's like I've actually found…"
Elsewhere –
Having trained himself silly in order to hone his already matchless skills even further, the evil bringer of destruction, Cell, smirked as punch after punch cut out clean niches within the formless air and dust that surrounded him.
Primary reason for the above being that even though he considered himself as one who did not need to improve, there was always that ever-bothersome 'risk' as far as Goku was concerned.
That despicable element of luck that had helped him survive past encounters that he should've easily lost.
Yes, Cell knew about it all… courtesy of his devious creator's painstaking research and unparalleled genius in the matter.
To be absolutely sure, the all-powerful being that decided to prevent any such errors from his end. No foolish mistakes were to be made when he was to engage the defender of the planet earth in raw, unbridled combat.
"…" Just you wait Son Goku, I'll be sure to treat your inevitable death as a sign that signals the end of this pathetic world.
A few well-timed kicks... followed up by an afterimage and subsequent chop from behind, and his clone had been disposed of with effortless ease; method of sparring being one that he had picked up from the dangerously intelligent Piccolo.
A cheeky smirk and Cell had put the poetic cherry atop his mini-achievement.
You, and all of your foolish friends, should feel honored to face death at the hands of true…
Broly –
"… perfection."
Cell -
... perfection.
…
Indeed, both of the powerful beings had found what they had been looking for in the short time before their respective goals could be reached.
Perfection or not, one thing had definitely been made clear by this point…
"Heh, you'd better watch yourself Kakarot… because I've already managed to far exceed my limitations!"
A confident grin would only serve as the rightful icing on the cake for the man after his bold declaration. His body and mind were now fully ready for the major event that was looming over the horizon.
The definitive 'Cell Games' could now begin in full flow.
[Countdown: 1 day to go]
AN: Well, looks like the last chappie garnered some decent queries after all!
On a different note, I would like to sincerely apologize before-hand for the unforeseen delay in proceedings (a cousin's wedding preparations can be an amazingly exhausting process you see!)
Onto the questions then:
- Scion 141:
1) When Broly flared his Ki, he said "it used to hurt to do this before.". What does he mean?
A: I hope this chapter answered your question ;)
2) Some time back, you said that Broly was going to train as well. When is he going to start his training?
A: Well, he initially planned upon doing so… but circumstances ensured that he ended up undertaking a bit of 'meditation' and soul-searching instead!
3) Cell's training? Now, why would he do that?
A: Kindly refer to answer no. 1 XD
- XYZ:
1) Why was Vegeta under that much strain when he was SSJ Third Stage. I doubt it would put such a strain on him that he would be tired within a few minutes. Heck, Trunks used the form to fight Cell. He de-transformed after the fight and didn't look very tired. Vegeta was in the gravity chamber, but at that level of power, the amount of gravity he experienced wouldn't affect him at Third Stage level. So, what the hell...?
A: Gravity doesn't work that way my friend. Seeing as SSJ Grade 3 requires a great deal of energy to simply 'maintain', I figured that even someone as experienced as Vegeta wouldn't be able to handle the physical strain for an extended period of time… under pressurized gravity no less!
- Wavern:
1) What did Broly mean when he said that it used to hurt to flare (?) his Ki?
A: I've tried to present a satisfactory answer to your query in this chapter. Btw, 'flaring' one's ki means that the energy required to power up (eg: an attack or any ki-based maneuver) is being exerted outwards (like an aura of sorts)
Phew! I hope all of my replies were good enough! Hope that you guys keep reviewing and continue to share your interesting thoughts with yours truly!
Adios amigos!