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Chapter 10
I stormed out the back door muttering several obscenities. The dogs met me after several steps but I continued on too frustrated to stop to pet them. I tossed out the hay, checked the water and headed back through the gate of the pasture. Laying my arms over the wooden fence I sighed and propped a foot on the bottom plank.
Honestly I had no idea why I had gotten so peeved over a small joke. It's not like Cell didn't have a sense of humor so he was bound to pull something on me eventually. I blamed it on bad timing; he obviously didn't realize just now nervous I got over each of these little hiccups he encountered and tried making light of it. But he pulled it just right and practically made me sick with guilt.
There it was; I was pissed that he got me to stumble. After days of feeling confident with my answers I fumbled like an idiot in front of him. I dropped my head into my hands and groaned, but I'd get over it eventually. Lati and Balla stopped by a few times to let me know they were there before bouncing off again with their tails flailing. A small breeze kicked up and I took a deep breath in, desperately trying to clear my head of my sudden sour mood.
'It's not his fault you didn't take the joke well, get over yourself,' I had to rationalize. Another thought started to nag in the back of my head now. I just called the most powerful weapon to ever exist…an ass. Not once, not twice… All thanks to a line from my favorite anime.
"I am such an idiot…" Using a reference on someone that didn't know it was probably the worst thing I could have done in that moment but I couldn't help it; that one was pretty much my knee-jerk reaction to being picked on. The very least I owed him was an apology.
The slam of the back door snapped me out of my brooding. My pulse immediately responded and roared loudly in my ears. I wasn't ready; my face got warm and I could feel my body twitch nervously. The grass rustled from each step and his presence suddenly felt very heavy on my back.
"Such a shame, really," he started, "I didn't take you as someone that couldn't handle a joke." I sighed and figured I needed to give in, so I turned around and leaned back on the boards.
"No, I can take and dish them with some of the best," I snorted, "but, seriously, that was ridiculous timing. That whole 'turned human' argument had crossed my mind before you pulled that on me…" I couldn't bring myself to look up. My eyes stayed on the grass off to my side. Something about making eye contact with him was frightening at the moment.
"Ah, so you had already made assumptions about my condition before I decided to taunt you…" His amused tone made me shudder. I swallowed hard and nodded.
"Yeah, and you know what they say when you assume…"
I heard a light sound from him and his steps coming closer, "Now that is a phrase I am aware of…" I barely stopped myself from face palming. Oh, the irony. He would know how that phrase went. As if I wasn't in enough trouble already. He settled in beside me and I noticed his arms draping over the top boards.
"I must admit though, of all the things I have been called that is definitely a new one…" I was too nervous to respond at the moment. Instead I just leaned a bit more into the fence and let out a long sigh. "Do you typically use references others wouldn't understand?" I shrugged as I turned my head to him.
"Not really, I call anyone that pulls something on me an ass…that just happens to be my favorite variation of it," I laughed. He raised one brow but didn't respond. I guess that was a good thing at the moment; he wasn't nearly as insulted as I feared he would be. Daring to take it one notch further I grinned, "Sorry I couldn't come up with something more creative…"
"It was more creative compared to other 'terms of endearment' I have had screamed at me. Especially when the same one gets repeated enough…" His tone wasn't giving away what was going on in his head. One side of me was saying this was a safe conversation and to engage, but the other half was still leery of my name-calling blunder.
I took the dive, "I guess one you weren't fond of?" He shrugged.
"Being impervious to shame makes it difficult to be offended by anything, especially mere words conjured by humans in their final dying moments…" he turned to me. The images flashed through my mind: his first form absorbing people, his second one blowing up the islands, and this form where leveling a mountain was just a display. It was scary to think about these events actually occurring, but it felt no less terrifying than Freiza's horrifying reign and destruction. In all honesty I judged Frieza to be the more feared villain with a more classical view of the universe. I wouldn't dare tell Cell this.
Not yet anyway.
"I'm surprised any of them lived long enough to say anything…" Not that I wanted him to go into detail about his killing sprees, but I wanted to test how much of this topic I could handle. If I couldn't do it now then his stay was just going to get that much harder as the days passed. Whether I wanted to accept it or not he was still responsible for the deaths of possibly hundreds of thousands of people. His gaze wavered at my response. He must not have been expecting it.
"Very few did, actually. My hunts were efficient, so few saw death coming let alone got a word in before," he turned away. It took a moment before I realized I could breathe again.
"Was it like that in your original timeline too?"
He quickly turned back, "You don't already know?"
"No, it's pretty much speculation. Your entire timeline is, actually. All we saw was you kill Trunks and take the time machine. We were told the cyborgs were destroyed, but that's it." I shrugged at his questioning gaze, "It's another topic that gets discussed a bit…" The sudden pique to my curiosity was almost unbearable. He was standing right here, right now, to answer all of the questions I ever had about his own timeline. To dispel the rumors and have to truth all to myself. I had to ask.
"What didn't we get to see? How did you find out what happened?" I stood with bated breath. This was yet another moment I couldn't prepare for. The next words out of his mouth were going to become the script of his timeline. He turned away and looked out past the fields.
"So this is what that moment feels like. To have knowledge that I could taunt you with." He stayed quiet for a moment, and then turned back to me with a grin, "Tell me why you helped me and I will gladly fill in the gaps." I felt my face fall flat.
"Adorable." He leaned in closer.
"Well? Think about it, what an easy predicament you have here. You have the answer to my question and I have all of the answers to yours." I practically felt steam coming from my ears but I couldn't help but ponder how simple that would have been. It was incredibly tempting.
"Well there's no bargain here since you already know that answer…" I brandished a wide grin, "What a shame, you'll have to come up with a new question." I watched his face fall immediately and he whipped his head back around. He must not have liked how cheeky that response was, but at least it kept him from pressing on more. But I also lost any hope of new information today. A heavy wave of doubt started clouding my head; this was definitely a few steps backward. Hopefully another opportunity would present itself someday and I'd get the answers I wanted. I could bide my time until then.
"It's been a bit since breakfast. Gonna get back to your training?"
He didn't look at me. "I thought it 'wasn't recommended'?" Well that sounded cold. Did I really just put him in a sour mood?
"Well, plenty of time has passed, I'm sure it's fine by now…" The rest of the conversation trailed off to nothing. I had no comeback, no good topics to bring up now. He pushed off the fence and took a few steps out before cracking his neck and knuckles.
"Might as well since I won't be making progress with anything else today…" he stressed. I grit my teeth. Was he really trying to guilt trip me? Pushing away from the fence I started for the door, making sure I nearly brushed him as I passed by.
"Good, it'll keep you distracted…" I muttered. I never heard another word from him as I reached the door with both dogs waiting.
Afternoon came and dragged slowly as I bustled through the house. Using the day off I caught up the short list of chores without interruption and made a new pitcher of iced tea. It was going to start warming up since May was nearly gone. I took a bottle of water with me to the basement but closed the door behind me. I wanted some peace and while the dogs were great company they had a tendency to be too needy at times. Pulling the mat out and switching the system on I sat down and desperately tried to clear my head.
The following morning came too quickly for me. The alarm went off and my body still ached in places I didn't even know I had. Dressed and starting to stretch my arms out I went through the back door and immediately felt my pulse race as I approached.
We didn't speak after the exchange yesterday. When I finished my yoga session he was already back in the house and meditating in the main room. He asked nothing of me and I never got the nerve to ask anything of him. It stayed that way for the day.
So my mind was racing over today. It was almost too terrifying just to walk up to him now. I stopped in my usual spot and waited as he turned around. The light was just barely forming over the edge of the fields.
"M…morning," I barely choked out. There was no response, which didn't surprise me, but the tense silence was horrible. He took a few steps forward and stopped right in front of me. The light behind him cast a dark shadow over me as he loomed over. A chill ran down my spine; this didn't feel right.
"Today is simple; stay on your feet."
Just as I was going to ask what that meant he lunged forward, placed his palm flat on my upper chest and shoved me back so hard I scrambled several steps back before landing hard on my rear. Wincing from the sudden thunk I pulled my arms back and sat up, intending to get back on my feet. As I looked up, however, I froze at my seat. The look I saw wasn't that of a calculating mentor. No, the Cell I was looking at was dark and increasingly menacing with each step he took toward me.
"What's wrong? I thought I said on your feet…" I felt my breath hitch and I scrambled back up.
That tonewas frightening. It was both mocking and had sadistic sarcasm dripping from it. As he took another step I shuffled back many more. The tiniest hint of a dark smirk flashed across his lips.
"Now that's more like it."
As I mustered some balance back he lunged again. I brought my arms up hoping to keep whatever strike he was going to take at bay, but he grabbed my right wrist and pushed my arm into my chest instead. Again I was flung back, hitting the ground again but managed to soften the landing this time and rolled out of it. My breath was shuddering as I got up and tried to scramble away, but he was much quicker. Not only did he catch up with me but he sidled in beside me, braced down on my shoulder and threw me sideways. I shrieked as I hit the dirt hard, a slew of profanities being tossed out as soon as I could breathe again. It was getting harder and harder to catch my breath and I felt the dizziness start catching up with me.
'What the hell?! Is this a punishment?'
He stepped in front of me and I started to pull myself up but so many different pains shot through me that I ended up crying out instead, feeling helpless as he knelt down before me.
"Guess you're not as tough as you thought you were." There was that cold tone again. He walked away as I lay there, breathing life back into my battered body. After a few moments I was able to sit up on my knees, glaring daggers at the back of the one I started to consider the worst teacher I could have ever asked for. What was the point of today's lesson, if it could even be called that? The more I sat and thought, the more it felt like this was a punishment for not speaking to him yesterday. Guess I was right after all; he is an ass.
And apparently a sore loser too. I could almost play this entire day out in my head. He would keep knocking me down, belittle my attempts and wait me out until I'd apologize and give him his answers to make him stop. He was putting up this asshole act until he won. I clenched my fists and felt my teeth clench on their own as my anger spread.
'He just declared war on the most stubborn woman he will ever meet.'
I took a sharp breath in, stood up, yanked my jacket off and tossed it aside. For a moment the aches shot through me but I refused to acknowledge them and marched across the grass. Angry was an understatement. I was livid. He turned to me before I made it across.
"Trying again already?" That bored tone he used just made me boil that much more. I bared my teeth slightly.
"I might not be tough, but I am damn stubborn." I planted my feet and balled my hands to fists, "Just stay on my feet?" He looked me up and down suspiciously.
"That's it."
"Then let's go."
Once again he moved too fast for me to stay out of his reach but I was ready when he shoved again, knocking me back several feet but I kept myself up, shuffling my feet to keep my balance. I brought my arms up when he closed in again, swiping at his arm when he went for another strike. It really didn't do anything but it definitely surprised him, and that was all I was going for. He tried again and I went for another swipe but his hands maneuvered so quickly around my arms I never saw how I got thrown to the ground this time. Growling loudly I ground my palms to the grass and pushed myself back up.
The pattern continued and time after time I got up, progressively slower as the pains started to hinder my stamina. But the more they burned the angrier and more determined I was. I couldn't tell if this was what Cell was really aiming for, but if it wasn't he didn't seem to mind. There were no more snarky remarks, no more taunting to make me angry. Just another shove to the ground; sometimes using my arm for leverage to do so. My breaths were short, desperate and visible against the cool morning air. The condensation was fitting for my mood as the puffs curled around my face like angry smoke. I put my fist down, finding one last surge of energy to get on my feet again and stood up. A pain shot straight up my spine and I buckled a bit, biting back the cry that wanted to come up. I only caught a glimpse of my assailant and I didn't even get a chance to brace for this one. My breath was knocked from me and I hit the ground one last time. My heart pounded, my head swam, and my energy had all but dissipated. I caught my breath back in gasps with occasional coughs in between. My eyelids fluttered and I caught the image hovering over me. His arms were crossed over in boredom.
"You're done today. Same thing tomorrow." With that he turned away and left my field of vision. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back into the grass, one arm tossed lazily over my forehead to keep the light from burning my eyes. Minutes ticked by and my body continued to ache everywhere. Tomorrow was going to hurt.
Those were the only words he spoke for the day. The only other evidence of him even existing on the property was the occasional empty glass on the counter when he gave in for water. At least I didn't have to worry about that obstacle anymore. Hopefully if he was hungry he would be direct enough to just ask rather than wait until he was nearly passing out again. But I pushed that thought aside for now. I was more focused on the bruises that had formed everywhere. My hips had nasty splotches along the sides and my arms had smaller marks where he had grabbed them to toss me around. I sneered in the mirror and slipped into my pajamas. Did he really have to leave bruises?
I slid under the covers and the dogs jumped in the bed. The alarm was set but I was too scared to fall asleep. If I hurt this badly now what was tomorrow going to be like? And I couldn't figure out what I was supposed to do. The faster I got back on my feet the quicker and harder he threw me to the ground. I guess the only thing I could do was just keep him from getting ahold of me long enough to throw me down.
I rolled to my side, gripped a pillow and curled my body around it. The minutes passed, which turned into an hour… I tossed and turned all night. Repeatedly kept checking the time to see how much longer until morning.
It felt like I had just fallen asleep when the alarm blared. Stiff and sore I rolled out of the bed and got dressed. I moved quicker down the hall when I realized the sun was threatening to crest. Today would have been a terrible day to be late. Exhausted and shaking I went out the door and headed across the yard. I couldn't even mutter a greeting as he turned again. All I could think about was keeping my distance.
He didn't need to say anything as he stepped forward again. My hands quivered and I shuffled in anticipation. His expression was the same one as yesterday. Cold, empty, and devoid of the attitude I was starting to miss. His eyes were just as empty.
I wasn't balanced, wasn't focused, and definitely not prepared for him when his arm went across my stomach and put me to the ground once again. My mind went blank as I was laid out flat on the grass. 'Shit, this is gonna be over quick.'
Rolling to my side as quickly as I could I got to my knees and trembled when my arms barely held myself up. I couldn't even be angry anymore; my spirit was pretty much doused and not keeping me motivated. I brought my head up when I noticed he was back in front of me again, waiting for me to get back to my feet.
"Just tell me what you want…" I pleaded quietly, my eyes nearly brimming with misty tears. He didn't respond but I watched his jaw clench tighter. I waited, not ready to get back up yet just to be knocked down.
"Get up." My heart sank. That was all he wanted me to do. Get up and get knocked down. I swallowed hard and went for it, pushing everything into my heels and standing back up. He moved again but all I could do was flinch as he took his shoulder and got down low, practically under me, and got me airborne for a moment. The landing sucked for my ankles but at least it was different than just getting thrown. Catching a second wind I got up quicker this time and brought my arms up to maintain the little balance I was getting back. He lunged a bit slower with one arm extended and I shifted away from it, but he turned quickly and grabbed my arm. I tried to pull away but it only made him tighten his grip, yank me forward and let go only to shove me down from my back. I landed hard on my arms and the sudden jolt made me grunt loudly.
For a moment I was slightly upset that the grass wasn't much of a soft landing, but I was jerked out of it as I was yanked back up from my arm again. I tensed up, ready to pull back from his grip but he ducked under me and I was suddenly rolled over his shoulder, flipped over and dropped hard on my back.
I literally could not breathe for a solid five seconds. I had felt the wind knocked from me plenty of times before but this one left me flat-out stunned. It was only when I tried to sit up that the pain finally hit. A loud groan followed after I started breathing again.
"Get up." I heard the command but I was never going to react fast enough. He was suddenly over me, taking my jacket collar in his hands and yanked me upward. My hands immediately gripped his wrists to keep him from hauling me up from my neck, but as soon as my feet touched the ground he shoved me backwards. My feet were flying to try and catch myself but my balance failed once more and down I went, catching myself with my elbows. I grit my teeth as my body screamed from another hard landing.
My eyes squeezed shut for a moment and as they opened I saw Cell quickly dropping down over me with his arm pulled back. I just reacted; my arms came up and my knees snapped up.
I was pretty sure I screamed from the loud thud landing next to my head and my knee colliding with him for a moment, but the loud and angry cry I got in return snapped me out of my daze. Looking out from under my arms I saw his body hovering over me, shaking and heaving from his heavy breaths. His hand was tight against his mouth and my knees were pinned between his. Oh shit. Moving carefully I used my arms to shuffle out from under him, stunned at the outcome. I backed away and ignored my own pains as I sat and waited. My heart was pounding but I could feel the guilt forming as I realized that, while he was the most powerful weapon to exist, he was also still male.
And he was learning a very painful lesson right now.
It was hard not to try to comfort him as he strained to breathe. His other hand was clenched tightly on the ground next to his head, slightly dug into the dirt. So apparently he planned to drive the punch to the ground. His other hand left his mouth and came down to the ground for support.
"Ngh…fucking…HELL…!" This was bad if he was swearing. For years I have seen men get hit and just shake it off after a minute, but this almost seemed traumatizing to him.
"The pain does pass…give it a minute." I spoke softly, unsure of what kind of reaction I was going to get. Another moment went by as his heavy breaths rocked his body once more before he finally looked up to me with a vicious look. I shuffled back quickly. That look was beyond furious and I did not want to be within an arm's reach of him. He pushed down on the earth and managed to get up on one foot, but he was shaking as he struggled to get up on both legs. I met his stance quickly, fearing some sort of retaliation. The ache shot up my spine, making my legs buckle and I grimaced but stayed upright.
"Dammit," he growled, "what the HELL was that!?" He shakily stepped forward and I braced myself.
"Hey now, don't get angry! That was not on purpose!"
"I didn't even know I had a weak point! How did you know!?" he snarled. My gut quivered but I felt my defensive side flying up at the outburst.
"Every guy does! But I have to REALLY fear for my life to use it!" He snarled again but looked away, wincing a bit as he did so. He was still pissed, and rightfully so, but hopefully the accident opened his eyes a bit more. He was not invincible here.
But I realized something too. That may not have been what I was aiming for, but I suddenly felt a bit of relief knowing I had a chance, slim as it may be, of bringing him to his knees if I really had to.
He turned away and started back towards the house, "We're done today."
Wow. He was mad enough to call off the rest of the day. I wasn't about to argue: I hurt so damn much that a hot bath was a priority now. When he was a few more yards away I brushed myself off and followed him back in.
I soaked in the tub for almost an hour. The bruises were still there but not in obvious places that I couldn't cover easily. I took my time drying my hair and getting dressed. It was cooler in the house than normal so my heavy sweats and a zipped hoodie were required before venturing back to the kitchen. I switched on the Keurig for a hot tea and started bustling around the cupboards for a mug and a plate for lunch.
Salad and mug in hand I rounded the corner to the main room and set them down on the end table. The laptop was on the couch so after pushing it over a bit I settled in with my food. Cell was cross-legged in front of the fireplace again. Slightly paranoid I watched the dogs closely to make sure they didn't graze him, fearing his unpredictable mood could get them hurt.
Setting the empty plate aside I reached for the laptop. I sipped at my tea as I balanced the laptop on my legs. There wasn't anything particularly interesting today but it kept me distracted for the moment. I checked the weather for the week, looked over some Ebay auctions I was watching, ran through a few social sites I was part of, and whatever else I could possibly do to keep myself from bothering the android with questions he wasn't going to answer.
But I couldn't settle the millions of thoughts buzzing in my head, taunting me with more ideas to get information.
How hard would it be to ask questions without directly asking him? The idea was devious but it could be worth a shot. If he was nasty about it I wouldn't try it again. I sipped from my tea again to wet my tongue.
"It doesn't make sense. You already have the ability to basically clone yourself, so you don't need another way to reproduce. All I see is a glaring weakness." I didn't look up from the laptop as I paused, "Looks like Gero must have blanked on that one." It stayed quiet. I grabbed my tea and sipped it again; he probably completely ignored that entire rant. Several moments passed by and it started to look that way until I heard him sigh.
"There was no weakness until my armor was gone…" There was that drop in his tone again with another reminder of his limitations. I slightly regretted bringing it up.
The day passed on to night and I headed to bed with the dogs leading the way. I crawled into bed with a peaceful reassurance that tomorrow was my off day and passed out.
I woke with the sun rising through my back window and stretched in the bed. There was pain but nothing to be distressed over. Kneading my sore feet and arms I took my time rolling from the bed and reached for my phone. It was 7:30. Musing over how easy it was to wake so early I stepped in the bathroom and prepared for the day.
I almost jumped when I passed by the back door and heard it open behind me. The cool breeze made goosebumps run along my arms before he turned and closed it. My tank top was definitely not enough for this weather just yet. I could tell from the grass stuck to the bottom of the pants that he was already done and I had missed him practicing again. Oh well. Starting my hot tea I turned to him as he walked through the kitchen.
"Mornin'," I chirped as he brushed by, but then he stopped. Not sure of his intentions I turned again. "Wanna try something today…?" I started but slowed as he wasn't looking at my eyes. He quickly raised his hand and I flinched but only from his thumb going over the small bruise he was staring at on my upper arm. His eyes trailed down as he scanned over each bruise on my arm, right down to the small ones on my wrist. I wasn't sure how to respond so I just watched his expression change slightly with each mark he found. His arm fell to his side and I couldn't help myself.
"Ha, those are nothing; you should see the ones on my hips!" I laughed. His expression only made me laugh harder.
"You're...not outraged?" So that was why he looked so bewildered. I dismissed the look with a small waive.
"Not really." The brewer poured the hot water and I dipped the tea in the mug. "They'll heal. Bruises are nothing new around horses. Hell, I've even got a chipped tooth from being knocked in the head." I dropped an ice cube in the mug and reached for the honey. Stirring it in I looked up to him again, "Seriously, don't worry about it."
His eyes were different today. After the past few days of cold emptiness it was refreshing to see a genuine reaction from him. The best way I could describe it was a mix of confused curiosity. He leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms as he looked me over once more.
"After the past two days how are you not angry? I did not go easy on you." I stared back at him cradling my mug in my hands. Now he had me confused.
"I mean…I was definitely frustrated, but I don't stay that way. Just wish I knew what you wanted me to do…" I took a sip and relished the heat warming my face. Then I gave him an odd look, "How are you not angry after yesterday? You have way more right than I do…"
"Much like you, I, too, can move on…" he offered a faint grin, "Looks like we are both learning." With a giggle and bright smile I turned around and we headed for the main room.
When early afteroon came around I made my way to the kitchen for lunch. The dogs were let out to play so I started dragging out what I needed for my stir fry. Cell turned down the offer so I only cooked a portion for myself and made my way to the main room. He was already on the couch so I took the other end and dug into my bowl. It took a minute to adjust to him being on the furniture but apparently he had taken a liking to it. I could never tell when he was meditating or just being reclusive, but his eyes were normally closed so it could be meditation, just a more comfortable one…
I set the empty bowl aside and let the dogs back in. It got quiet. Way too quiet with the dogs sleeping on the floor instead of their usual antics. Cell had been quiet too since our first chat this morning. I kept my eyes away from him and looked down to the laptop. I pondered pulling it up but I wasn't in the mood to read anything. The silence was boring but not uncomfortable since neither of us was holding grudges.
"Have you figured out what it was you did?" The question came out of nowhere so suddenly I nearly fell off of the couch. Wide-eyed I stared back, slightly unprepared with a decent answer.
"Uh…I got thrown around a lot…" I offered a sheepish smile. "But I'm not lying, the accident wasn't intentional." With a frown he shook his head.
"Hmph, well, accident or not, you did succeed. Not asking anything of you was intentional. I know you can take instruction and follow them well, but you need to be able to act without as well."
"Oh, so it wasn't payback?" He raised a brow.
"Payback?"
"From the other day, when I wouldn't trade answers…I just figured you were getting back at me the past couple days…" His rumbling chuckle nearly had me blushing as his eyes met mine.
"It wasn't meant to be a punishment, but I would be lying if I said it wasn't inspiration…" he grinned. "I had meant for the next two more days to start showing you to find opportunities to take advantage of, however this world seems to make rules in your favor." I held my tongue for a moment as I didn't want to tread on a sore topic, "Consider this a one-time victory as I won't be so careless next time."
I sighed, "Even if you were being ruthless intentionally I wouldn't go for that…" With a solid tone I added, "It won't happen again. It's a last-ditch effort."
His eyes narrowed, "No need to concern yourself; I won't let it happen." He turned away slightly, "No need to endure that twice."
A few tense moments passed.
"Do you still want to know of my own timeline?"
I held steady for a moment, remembering how that conversation last went, "Preferably without strings attached…" He grinned.
"There is no catch, I can assure you. You have earned this, so, if you are still interested, I can share."
I wet my lips, my eyes wide with excitement. "That's a timeline we never got to see or read about, it's practically the Dark Ages for us…" I could hear his breath as he turned his body and faced me, which I mirrored and crossed my legs on the couch.
"You know the cyborgs were just as destructive as the ones from Trunk's own timeline…and I was just as ruthless in my own path." He was derailing the conversation, giving me a chance to back out. The only guess I had was that he didn't want me to lose sleep over it. I had to put that fear to rest.
"Look," I started, "I have a world of my own I fret over every day. Wars our country will not end, accidents that happen just in town and even in the family… I have to separate your world from mine completely. I can't even feel empathy for the humans that have been killed there. I know there is no happy ending for that world." I didn't know how my voice sounded to him, but it felt shaky to me. I hoped it was convincing enough. Our eyes were set on each other for the moment.
"Very well. I gave you fair warning."
My breaths steadied. Something that never came to the light of our screens or the page of a manga was going to be revealed from someone that shouldn't have been alive to tell of it. I didn't know what to expect or how he would tell the tale, so I kept an open mind.
"As you probably already know, my program is to be completed 24 years after the current timeline. I emerged into a world that your kind would certainly describe as 'apocalyptic'. The cyborgs were ruthless in their quest to conquer the planet, in their own way, of course. The Dr. had never predicted that much destruction from the siblings…" I kept quiet. Yes I knew this much already, but this was a once in a lifetime moment. "I began my hunt for the bio-extract I needed to become strong enough to hunt down the cyborgs to become complete in that world. But humans were scarce…the population of the entire planet was cut by eighty percent. I was lucky to find small groups of humans in my initial travels, but days would pass between finding enough to bother chasing down."
He paused for a short moment.
"I had started hearing rumors from radios laying in the wreckage that the cyborgs had vanished…assuming that they were bored of killing I continued on but without an energy signature from them I could not sense them, only follow the trails of destruction I found. Weeks went by with only a few humans to give me small bouts of energy, but never enough to put me on par with the pair." His tone stayed low and dark, almost like he didn't want to tell the story but was doing it anyway.
"I followed an energy source to a city that several humans had begun to rebuild. I caught enough conversations to realize that they hadn't vanished; they were completely destroyed. Denying it initially I rampaged and absorbed all of the humans there, finally obtaining enough bio-extract to overpower the cyborgs, but…" he slowed, "the realization of Dr. Gero's dream had vanished with the pair. That no matter how many humans I absorbed I could never become complete and have the power I was designed to obtain." He clenched his jaw, "I felt something I had never experienced before; something I never thought I could feel. It was worse than pain. Their destruction meant my goal was gone, my perfection unobtainable… In desperation I even thought of the dragon balls, but with Piccolo gone so were they…"
I was at a loss for words. My heart even ached a bit. But his sharp breath and gnashing of teeth quickly dashed that atmosphere.
"That moment yesterday…that feeling of nauseating weakness, to feel completely powerless; I never thought I would ever feel it again. But there it was; it brought me to my knees and reminded me of what this world had done to me." He took a deep breath, "Despite the power I obtained I despised knowing that it would be nothing compared to having my complete power, so I blindly continued on. Motivated by what, I still can't say, but something drove me to keep looking for hints, clues, anything to get them back. I followed more human settlements and the energy I could sense in the area around me, until I came across a particular time machine. From there you probably know the rest."
I nodded, "Yeah, you pretty much took a gamble. Trunks was about to head back into the past, but even you didn't know how far back or if you'd be able to find the cyborgs then either."
"After losing everything that timeline had to offer it was hardly a gamble. I could have cared less if I was the strongest or not, my completion was a primal instinct programmed in me." He mused to himself for a moment, "Ironic that the phrase 'hope' written on the machine was meant for Trunks' success while I saw it as my last chance at changing my future."
"Well, glad you went for it! We got the best story and the most amazing fights from that choice," I giggled. A few new questions started to bubble up and he must have recognized that blank look on my face from last time.
"More questions?" his one brow arched up. The temptation for more answers was more than I could keep to myself.
"Yeah, but more like 'what if'. Would it be a bother?" He shook his head.
"Not at all. I seem to be in a mood for such an engagement today." Nodding in response I sat up straighter.
"Okay, let's say the time machine had never been built. Like, a major component was never discovered or someone didn't survive to build it. Did you have a plan once you realized the cyborgs were gone for good?"
He seemed to dwell on the question for a moment. But he shook his head once more. "I couldn't have. My purpose was to become complete, so I could not look beyond that. Without that goal I would have no other direction to follow."
That one thought bothered me. How could so much have been hanging by that one chance to travel through time? I had to keep poking for information. "Dr. Gero always seemed to be one step ahead of himself though. Did he really count on you being able to find the cyborgs over 20 years later? Perhaps he knew about time travel but couldn't discover it on his own and counted on you to figure it out?"
I never thought he was capable of a complete blank stare. But there it was, perfectly coupled with a few slow blinks. "I wasn't provided with any new knowledge or theories on time travel. My only experience was using the machine the Briefs had built which basically removed the theories that existed."
Well this started to sound awfully ridiculous. "So Gero took the gamble then. He banked on a 20+ year program to not be discovered AND be able to find the last two components, which were alive and moving of their own desires, without some sort of backup plan? That's freaking insane!" He started to chuckle from my outburst.
"You make it sound as though the twins weren't predictable. Rebellious, yes, but not capable of thinking much beyond what the good Dr. had given them. The great power they were given tends to create an immature mindset, more focused on instant gratification and emotionally-based decisions. Teenage humans have created their own stereotype based on these particular traits and the twins were no different, if not worse. I would say it was a fairly safe bet to keep the two alive and easy to track down as they had no knowledge of the purpose they needed to serve. The odds of them being destroyed before my completion was very slim possibly zero when time travel couldn't have been a known factor."
Now I felt foolish for even questioning it. Of course Dr. Gero wouldn't be concerned for his projects when he created them knowing that they had faults and traits that he could prepare for. And Cell was definitely right on the destructive twins from his original timeline and the one Future Trunks came from. It may not have been quite as accurate in the current timeline, but the story was completely changed from the two traveling to the same timeline anyway. I had to concede.
"Well I can't argue with that logic. Keeping them strong but clueless makes them controllable without them realizing it…"
He nodded with a small grin, "Now you get the concept." One last thought crossed my mind.
"If Gero was still alive now…anything you would want to say to him?"
"I would thank him for my successful creation."
"That's it?"
"Yes. I have no desire to take orders or be given any other goals that may or may not matter to me. I created the tournament for the sole purpose of defeating Goku in front of a worldwide audience. I would not want that choice questioned for any reason. In fact had the Dr. attempted to intervene I may have taken the same route the cyborgs resorted to and eliminated him myself." My eyes were wide from that bit, but I took it as it was and didn't probe any further. I hummed a satisfied sound and turned away, content with the answers.
"You have no other questions?" I shook my head in dismay.
"Sorry, that's it for now. I'm sure there's more but nothing overly thought-out yet." I glanced back over my shoulder. "If I catch you in another good mood maybe we can do this again," I winked with a smile. He crossed his arms and leaned back into the couch again, a small grin across his features. I leaned forward with my chin in my hands but felt an ache in my back, reminding me of the past two days, and started wondering about tomorrow. In theory tomorrow shouldn't be like the last couple days, but with the pain I had now I couldn't handle not knowing what was going to be expected of me. I kept my eyes away as I steadied myself. Why was it so difficult for me to ask about the lessons he was giving me? And it had nothing to do with him; it was all in my own mind holding me back. He has been proving the entire time he has been here that he's open for conversation, and yet here I was, still holding back despite all of it.
That was it. I had to start facing that fear. I took a breath and glanced ever so slightly, "What's tomorrow going to be like? Will the lesson be different?" My pulse was flying. That fear of offending him or questioning his methods was at siren-blaring levels now. He shifted to face me, paired with an odd look on his face.
"Did the last lesson scare you? Do you think knowing what is expected of you will somehow prepare you for the next one?" I suddenly felt the size of an ant. What I would have given to just disappear from the room right now and pretend I never even asked. I swallowed hard as my mind screamed 'yes the last days were horrible!' but I kept it inside.
"I was just curious…I don't know if it would help…" I was stuttering like a fool, not sure where to go with that thought. But I definitely had his attention now as he turned on the couch, not leaning into it anymore. The look he was giving me was clear; he expected me to talk.
"Speak truthfully; did the last lesson scare you?"
I shook my head furiously, "No, not really…"
He glared daggers at me, "You're lying."
My hands were flying up as I got expressive, "No, I'm not! The lesson wasn't the issue at all!"
"Then what was the issue?" I didn't want to answer fearing he would drop the lessons altogether and I stiffened up. But he didn't tolerate the silence. "Answer me."
"…it's just…it was…you."
"Explain."
I took a deep breath, not ready to explain this one at all. "The lesson was rough…but…that's fine! I can handle that…but if you're mentally not there, no attitude, no personality…you may as well have been a robot." He kept that stare without even batting an eye, "Learning to fight is awesome but if it's not with you then there's no point. You could be trying to teach me quantum physics, it's still the idea that I'm learning from you! I want you throwing me to the ground, making me get up again and do it all over again, not a shell of you, not something I can't read…" I stopped, realizing I was rambling just utter nonsense, but I hoped I got some sort of message across.
He was in some sort of contemplating state, not looking at me but not ignoring me either. Then he looked up, "You are afraid of me when you cannot predict me? Am I understanding this correctly?" I gave a half-nod, trying to keep from outright admitting to fear. "Either you're afraid or you're not, there is no in-between." The words I needed finally came to me.
"I want to look forward to each morning. I was terrified to walk outside the past two days because I didn't know if I should be afraid or not. That's why I can't say I am scared…I don't know if I ever should be. And you giving me the silent treatment makes the uncertainty worse…" The oddest look crossed his face.
"You're scared to be scared?" I couldn't help myself and I started laughing.
"Oh my God, yes! That's sounds absolutely ridiculous, but yes!"
His stunned reaction was the greatest scene to grace the planet. "This makes absolutely no sense! You don't know if you're supposed to be scared, so your reaction is to be scared?"
"But not of you. That's what is so funny about it…"
"Now hold on." Somehow this conversation had completely turned and my focus was spot-on. The shakes in my gut were gone and I couldn't wait for the next line. "How can you say with 100% certainty that you're not afraid of me?"
"This wouldn't be happening if I was!" my hands gestured between us. "I could never confidently converse with someone I was terrified of!" I could feel it; the adrenaline rush I was getting just from this little bit was invigorating. It was nothing like the shakes I had when I was talking with the authorities or people who had less-then honest motives. This was fun. This was the part of him I could enjoy having in the house.
But he was clearly confused. "I'm not sure I can follow this. Your logic is contradictory and, for lack of a better word, weird." I turned my palms up in surrender.
"Well, I'm female, get used to it."
"I do not see where gender plays a role here." My jaw nearly hit the floor! If he didn't think that would matter he clearly had no idea what stereotypes there were for women in every household.
"Women are a disaster to work with! We have crazy hormones, moods that fluctuate wildly with those hormones, and one little thing can take a normal day and make it the worst day of our lives. Trying to handle me will be the greatest challenge you've ever taken!" A very evil grin suddenly stretched across his face.
"Please, Vegeta has more violent mood swings than you could ever pretend to conjure," he chuckled. But as luck would have it, I had my counter ready.
"His moods don't swing! Vegeta's default emotion is anger," we laughed. Yeah, I knew he would never get the reference, but it was a true enough statement either way.
"Fair enough. I'll give you that one." Suddenly I saw exactly what he saw on me every time I had a question bothering me. That questioning curiosity was clear as day on his face. "Can I ask you some specific questions?" I held off for a moment as he liked to push a particular question quite a bit but he sensed that hesitation right away. "Not that question, something different. Ones that will help both of us."
I breathed a sigh of relief. "K, sure. What's up?"
"When you were in your studies, did you learn from a lecture or from reading a book?"
"I learned more from lecture."
"Were you able to work alone or did you learn more in groups?" I was torn on this one.
"Depended on the group, but if it was taken seriously, I like discussing with others."
"Should I assume that visual representations are more effective than written ones?" I had to roll that sentence around a few times in my head.
"If you mean visual learning, then yeah, I suck with descriptions in a book," I laughed, starting to see what he was getting at. With a grin he nodded.
"Alright, get some much needed rest tonight. I can see now I've been approaching this from the wrong angle. We are trying something different tomorrow."
"Really?" He nodded.
"Not gonna tell me?" He shook his head.
"Awwwwww…"
"I have made it a point to not tell you anything. I want to see your learning curve untainted by that computer you like to use so much." I looked down to the laptop.
"How would that change anything?" He leered at the piece of technology.
"If you were aware of any particular methods I was going to experiment with your curiosity tends to lead you astray, looking up videos or anything that could reference what you think you 'need' to do rather than what you will naturally do. It is much more effective for me to change my teaching methods rather than try to read what reactions are natural for you and which ones you read about and are trying to replicate."
"I guarantee all of my reactions are going to be genuine, you move too fast for me to think out what I should do! Unless you decide you're going to slow down and explain what you're going to do, I can't plan anything, just flail about until I accidently find the answer…" He shrugged lightly.
"I prefer not taking the chance at all. So every day will be a mystery for you. Which works out for me if I decide to change something on an impulse." Well that pretty much closed the case for that conversation. I couldn't argue though; the mystery sounded like a lot more fun. But one final thought crossed my mind.
"Do I really have to worry? Is there any lesson that I should be afraid of?" There was that sexy grin again.
"Don't be late." Oh, right. I didn't even think over this one.
"Deal." We shared the laugh.
The next morning I woke with a fresh mind. Fear nothing and trust his word. I bounded out the back door dressed in fresh clothes and beat the sunrise with time to spare. And when he turned to face me the greeting was back to normal, his expressions and personality back in full swing. Our exchanges fed off of each other and there was no hesitation from either of us. He put forth a challenge, I met it. He raised the bar; I either took it head-on or failed flat on my face. Either way, he kept posing different challenges and I kept going for it, not ever wanting to back down ever again. The entire morning was exhausting fun.
And I counted on it to stay that way.
I grabbed my shower afterwards and munched on breakfast. Early afternoon came around and I finished up the chores scattered around the house and decided to lounge in the main room for a bit. Stepping around the corner I scanned the room again to see he had already beaten me to the couch.
But there was one small, cute difference.
Lati was standing right in front of him with her pom-pom of a tail failing impatiently. I stood and stared, almost ready to step in and take her away to keep from bothering him, but something stopped me. I couldn't say what exactly, but the way she was starting to dance around with her tail still flailing was definitely her way of trying to get someone to play, which was odd. Cell had made it very clear to both girls in their first meetings that they were not welcome as entertainment or companions so they had stopped their efforts fairly quickly. He wasn't mean about it; he just made the boundaries clear. He tolerated their existence and that was it.
So the fact that she kept dancing around him was starting to make me wonder. Balla stayed at my side as she took Cell's warnings a bit more seriously than Lati did and followed me as I took a few steps closer, trying to see what was going on before sitting down on the couch. Normally just showing up would get her attention enough to forget what she was focusing on, but whatever Cell was doing had her complete attention.
My curiosity got the best of me, "Alright, what are you doing? She's practically losing her mind…" I giggled. His eyes opened but his arms stayed crossed. He glanced from me back to Lati; she bounced on her front paws impatiently as soon as he acknowledged her. I couldn't figure it out for the life of me as he kept his stone gaze on her overly excited one.
Suddenly he pulled his arm out and revealed what had my poor puppy so distraught: a pink hollow ball was in his hand that he had intentionally kept out of sight. But not just any ball.
Her favorite ball.
She panted noisily and bounced on her paws again waiting impatiently for him to throw it. I smiled and relaxed knowing what was going on now. But he clearly had no idea what he had just done to himself. I giggled aloud.
"Ooooh boy, you're doomed now," I smirked as his head turned slightly to me. "Once that ball hits the ground it counts as playing fetch. You'll be her best friend," I laughed again. He turned his focus back and stared at her as she kept frantically dancing around and flailing her tail. Moments passed as both Lati and I waited to see what would happen.
He suddenly grinned and lightly tossed the ball to the air and she happily leapt up to snag it in her teeth. Stepping back up to him she dropped it and let it roll to bump into his leg, tail wagging wildly. He picked it back up and she started prancing around again. He tossed it farther this time and she bolted to grab it before it got to the wall of the room. Balla suddenly joined in on the fun and chased after the next toss. I watched the comical scene play out without a word as they kept bringing the ball back and he kept tossing it, occasionally doing a fake toss just to see if they'd run for it. Balla never fell for those tricks but Lati did several times before catching on.
The game went on for a few minutes before Balla grabbed the ball and goaded Lati into a tug-of-war match. He sank back into the couch and I flashed a huge grin as I sat down and joined him.
"Never in a million years would I expect that from you…"
"At first I had planned to simply hide it until she left, but she realized I had it fairly quickly. She is a very persistent creature." He crossed his arms again and a sigh passed through his lips, "While still very primitive, the energy they display is almost addicting. I can understand why humans cannot resist the need to reciprocate."
"Well they are considered 'man's best friend' for a reason. I actually prefer my horses and cats to dogs but my husband was a dog person through and through. So when the opportunities came up he didn't hesitate and we got Balla. Lati came a little over a year later when Karen had her first litter…" I grinned at the memories, "It was fun. I turned into a dog-person easier than I thought I would." He chuckled suddenly and I felt that spark fly up my spine again. I always hoped he never noticed how much I enjoyed that sound.
"I am not surprised in the very least. You take pride in every creature under your care, that much is very clear. Even the spiders that cross your path aren't killed; you've taken the time to catch each of them and set them outside. I cannot say the same for humans that cross your path, especially the digital encounters." I smiled at the sudden topic switch.
"I'm not necessarily anti-social, but my job was in retail. It teaches you two things: to lose faith in humanity but to be able to put on a smile and keep doing your job. When you spend hours dealing with so many customers with so many different situations you almost want to spend your days off away from everyone…" My eyes darkened a bit as I recalled the encounters with people after the funeral too. If anything else made me lose faith in humanity more than retail, it was definitely after a lawsuit.
A knock at the door nearly made me jump from the couch. I looked through the window and saw a car I didn't recognize. Casting a leery glance to Cell I stood and went for the door, telling the dogs to stay where they were. Pulling the door open a middle-aged woman, whom I didn't recognize, stood smiling brightly back at me.
"Good afternoon!" she started, "Fantastic weather we are having today! Has your day been good so far?" I held it in but inside I was laughing; this was a pretty good attempt at a sales pitch. Definitely a good approach with a positive attitude; I had to give her that much credit. Foolishly I fed into it a bit.
"Yes, great weather and a pretty good day too." I held off after that. I had to see what her spiel was.
"Well let's see if we can make your day great too. Come, please, I have several works in the car for you to see." Works? A few products started to form in my head, like art, carvings, or homemade trinkets. Curious, I went through the screen door but left the main door open. Stepping down the path I waited as she opened the car door and pulled out a few pamphlets. My heart sank as I realized what I had fallen for.
"Tell me, what is your greatest wish? What desire would you like to see for the world?" I raised a brow, but figured a few beat-around-the-bush answers would get me by.
"I have many things I'd like to see done. Get our government to stop spending billions on wars all over the world, make it easier to visit other countries, lower taxes so we keep more of what we earn…ya know, things that should be givens in this world." I was on the border of full-lecture mode on politics and economics, but I held my tongue. If I had to give her a lecture to make her leave, I'd pull it out when it was necessary. She pulled out one of the papers.
"And in the next Kingdom, God has all of those for you. He who provides for those who have faith and have accepted Him into our hearts as to grant us passage through His son, Christ the Lord. Have you accepted him into your heart and prepared for your place in His Kingdom? It is never too late to begin a path and be forgiven." I held back all of the horrid things I normally would like to say and took the higher path.
"I'm not interested in what happens after, I'm more interested in fixing what's wrong in this world and my life right now…" I bit my lip after I thought about how much truth there was in that line. Oh well, she wouldn't know what I meant. I took a step towards the house ready to end the mess I got into.
"Please, Ms. Seily, there is no reason to hide from the past. We at the Lord of New Life would happily accept you with open arms and open hearts. Your late husband would be proud to see you prepare yourself for when you meet with him again…"
My heart immediately started to burn and my eyes misted over. Her tone was not as cheery anymore and had turned solemn. This was an honest attempt at guilt-tripping me into joining a church. I turned with the little control I had left and faced her.
"Not interested, but thanks for the offer." Damn it, I needed to get a backbone with this, but she had me outside so I couldn't just close the door on her. I took another step.
"Greed is a terrible sin. Think of all the good you can do with the generous donations you could share! The children fed, the elderly having somewhere to turn to in their own times of need…your loss is the greatest gift you can give back to the world! You were awarded several millions for the loss of your husband; wouldn't that be a start to the better world you want?" I was angry but didn't want to make excuses. I needed to use facts, not angrily lashing out.
"If you had any understanding of the world then you would know that is not how things get fixed. The world is so worried about take, take, take and not about earning! And the church offers nothing of value to me." Again I took a step but she suddenly ran up to me. I was nearly on the edge of bolting to the door; I have never had anyone this persistent.
"Please, you have more than enough to keep yourself fed and housed while hundreds just in this county alone starve and sleep in the streets! Do you not have the room in your heart to help them? Do you not want Him to see your deeds and make sure you are set on the path to Heaven?" This was getting ridiculous. I heard the door open behind me but didn't get a chance to turn towards it. She took my hands into hers and held tight even as I tried to pull back.
"The others said you wouldn't agree but I told them I could prove them wrong! That I could show you that you just need guidance! Do you want others to think that of you? That you're no longer able to be saved? So many knew of your husband and his family and they know you are a better person…!" I finally pulled my hands from her.
"Look, I do not want to be mean, but you need to take my 'no' and go. I am not giving away anything and I don't share what I don't have! Now, please, find someone else that 'needs saving'…" I trailed off as I saw Cell walking past us and up to the side of her car. She didn't pay attention as she continued to rattle off things that I hardly heard anymore. My eyes shifted from Cell back to her; she hadn't noticed him standing by her car.
"At least consider the children who would benefit from a few dollars a week! You could fund their colleges, their less-fortunate families they come from, how can you sit back with millions when they have none!?" Again I rattled off I had no millions to share but noticed Cell suddenly reach under the car and tilted it up so the one sides' tires were off the ground. She continued her prattling as I saw him grab hold of something sturdy, and with a lot less effort than I expected, lifted it straight off the ground. My jaw fell at the sight and my eyes refused to blink. I looked back down to the woman.
"Are you listening, this is a very dangerous world we live in, why wouldn't you want the safety of Heaven's Kingdom waiting for you?" At this point I just shrugged and waited. It was just a matter of time before she looked over her shoulder. I glanced over and watched as he literally carried the car to the end of the driveway. My hand came up to my mouth and I covered the small smile that was forming. He was nearly there.
"Excuse me, Miss! Which way were you heading!?" he called back to us and I looked at her as she suddenly turned around. She dropped the papers to the ground and the absolute shock on her face was priceless. My giggles started to slip through but I kept my hand steady to keep them stifled. She was dead silent, staring at the android currently holding her car over his head, waiting for her answer. "While this is not a bother, I do require an answer. I would rather not inconvenience your departure." I could see the grin on his face from here. Again she started sputtering absolute nonsense and made several gestures over her head and chest with the rosary beads she had. I leaned in close.
"Might want to give him an answer before he just drops the car in the ditch," I jeered. She looked at me and back to him quickly.
"You're both going to Hell! You both are of the Devil himself! He will be vanquished! You are plagued with sin itself!" She started down the driveway, looking back to Cell and back to me, "We will pray for you! We will vanquish the evil!" She moved quicker, getting to the end of the driveway and I watched as she pointed in a direction. He set the car down gently, much to my surprise, in the direction she pointed. I half-expected him to throw the car as easily as he hoisted it. She shouted several similar phrases to him as she started it up and floored it, leaving Cell in a cloud of dust as he sent her off with his traditional two-finger waive. I was halfway down the driveway by now, still stunned by the hysterical display of power and complete control of the situation. The dust settled and the proud android stood there, arms crossed, clearly satisfied with the reactions he got.
I settled in next to him, looked down the road to see the car flying to the corner and squealing the tires as she turned and floored it. As it buzzed out of sight I shook my head and looked up at him. His eyes met mine and I couldn't hold it in any longer. Doubling over I let out the best laugh I'd had in years. The tears formed in the corners of my eyes and I could hear his light chuckle. As soon as it was out of my system I looked back up at him.
"Aren't you glad you didn't have to deal with nuts like that in your world?" I smiled brightly. That sexy smirk spread across his face.
"Now what would you have done if I had not scared her off? You need to be more assertive in your demands." With another giggle I brought my hands up.
"Why would I? I've got you!" With a genuinely happy smile I turned and headed back up to the house.
This was a very fun chapter to write. Hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did!