SailorStar9: This Chapter 11 of the Cell Games Saga. Read and review.

Disclaimers: Only the plot is mine.

Chapter Summary: Goku just ended the fight between him and Cell. Cell asks why he did it, and he says that he cannot win, but there is someone who can. Everyone wants to know who it is. Goku tells Gohan to come and fight Cell. Gohan does not want to fight. He thinks that Goku is stronger than him, and strong enough to beat Cell. Goku reminds his son about Gohan's hidden power. Gohan agrees to fight, but is still worried. Everyone watching thinks that Goku is crazy. They did not think about Gohan's hidden power, even Piccolo, who worked on releasing it ever since the fight with Raditz. Gohan began to fight Cell, and lost badly.

Chapter 11: Faith in a Boy


"Surrender?" Trunks echoed in shock.

"Unbelievable." Yamcha gaped.

"Surrender?" Cell frowned. "Son Goku, are you thinking of ending this fight?"

"That's right." Goku confirmed. "I lose."

"Son Goku, do you realize what those words mean?" Cell barked.

"Yeah." Goku nodded.

"If there is no one left to fight in these Cell Games, then the 'Earth Princess' is forfeit and every last human on Earth will be wiped out by my hand."

"Cell, don't get me wrong." Goku stated. "It's not as though there ain't anyone left to fight, right?"

"It's the same difference." Cell remarked. "Vegeta, Piccolo and Trunks all have to be inferior to you, no matter how much they've raised their powers. They are no match for me."

"Well, would it be okay if I called on the next person to fight?" Goku requested.

"You really intend to give up?" Cell realized Goku was serious.

What does he think he's doing? Vegeta growled. There's no one else who can beat Cell here.

"The Cell Games will probably end after the next person fights." Goku predicted. "If he loses, then there ain't anyone else left who can beat you. But I'm now absolutely convinced that he will defeat you."

"What?" Cell hissed.

"That's why I've surrendered and left everything to him." Goku added.

"Which means he's stronger than you are, not to mention myself?" Cell inquired.

"Yep." Goku nodded.

"Ridiculous!" Cell laughed. "There is no one stronger than me in the whole world."

"Yes, there is." Goku corrected.

"Well then, let's hear the name of this person who couldn't possibly exist." Cell demanded.

'It's your turn, Gohan." Goku informed his son.

"What?" Vegeta retorted.

That idiot! Piccolo growled. Is he trying to get his own son killed right before his eyes?

"You can do it, Gohan." Goku assured, flying back to the group.

"Me and Cell?" Gohan echoed.

"He's jerking me around." Cell hissed. "Of all the people he could have named, he went with Son Gohan?"

"Don't be crazy, Son!" Piccolo barked. "There's no way he can fight. It's true, Gohan's strength have risen to the point where I hardly recognize him, but he'd be facing Cell, an opponent not even you could stand up against."

"Piccolo, Gohan has an unbelievable power, even greater than you or I thought." Goku replied. "Think about it. Ain't it true that from the time he was a little kid, he's been fighting just like the rest of us? When I was a kid his age, I wasn't anything special."

"But still, even though he may be a Super Saiyan, this is a little sudden, right?" Krillin reasoned.

"Inside the 'Hyperbolic Time Chamber', there was a dominant power, sealed deep down within him that started to be released." Goku said. "How about it, Gohan?" he asked his son. "After watching the fight between your Dad and Cell just now, did you think it was too incredible for you to keep up with?"

"No, I didn't think so." Gohan admitted. "But then, Father, neither you nor Cell were fighting all-out, right?"

"I don't know about Cell, but your Dad was fighting all-out." Goku confessed. "In other words, to you, it felt like I must have been holding back, right?"

"Is that true, Gohan?" Piccolo pressed.

"Yes." Gohan nodded.

What? Vegeta gaped. That fight? Impossible! A kid like him?

"What nonsense." Cell snorted.

"Okay, let him have it, Gohan." Goku encouraged. "Bring peace back to the world. You wanted to be a scholar, right?"

"Understood." Gohan replied. "I'll give it a try."

"Gohan…" Krillin muttered as Gohan landed into the demolished arena to engage Cell.

"How absurd." Cell remarked.

"Krillin, you've got the Senzu Beans, right?" Goku inquired. "Could you give me one?"

"Yeah." Krillin handed a Senzu Bean to Goku.

"Ah, thank you." Goku took the bean. "Cell!" he called, tossed the bean to the Android. "That there's a Senzu. Eat it."

"You idiot, Goku!" Krillin snapped. "What are you trying to do?"

"It's alright, isn't it?" Goku argued. "He has used up his strength. It ain't fair to let Gohan beat him up like this."

"What are you talking about?" Yamcha gaped. "Since when has there any of this 'fair' crap in this situation?"

"You miserable fool." Cell chuckled. "You're playing it up too much. You don't seem to understand that such indulgence will cost you your life. I will not hesitate to accept this Senzu. Son Goku, you will come to utterly regret this very soon." And ate the bean.

"Damn!" Yamcha cursed as Cell flared up, his energy rejuvenated.

"I see." Cell grinned. "Those are nice, aren't they?"

"Whatever happens now, it's not on me." Krillin stated.

"Son, no matter how you look at it, what you just did was reckless." Piccolo chided.

With a roar, Gohan powered up.


On King Kai's planet…

"Is that… Gohan's Ki?" King Kai gasped. "It just might be possible that Gohan has surpassed Goku."


Back in the fight…

"Gohan!" even Piccolo was stunned. "That's Gohan? Our gentle little Gohan?"

"That kid." Vegeta was shocked. "How did he get that much battle power?"

"It appears that Son Goku was not entirely bluffing in what he said." Cell grinned. "However, that part about you being able to beat me would appear to be an overstatement." And landed behind the boy. "You imprudent brat. You really mean to go at it, do you? But then, this might turn out fortunate for you. You'll be dead before you ever experience true terror, after all." And he launched his attack, Gohan blocking each and every of his blows. Cell resumed the attack and the two took the fight to the skies.

"Attaboy, Gohan!" Goku cheered after Gohan dodged another assault.

"Gohan!" Krillin gasped.

"Gohan!" Trunks exclaimed.

"You're a nimble little runt." Cell remarked after Gohan dodge another rout of his attacks. "Now then, let me increase my speed like I really mean it." And stepped up on his attack grabbing the boy by his gi, before using him as a punching bag.

"Sure enough, this was reckless." Piccolo concluded.

"Goku!" Krillin urged.

With a last punch, Cell dropped the boy and sent him to the ground with a kick.

"Goku!" Trunks pressed.

"Hey, Goku!" Krillin stated. "Goku!"

With a smug smile, Gohan rose from the rubble and readied to restart the fight again.


Omake

Naruto's Been Exposed

Naruto was startled by a knock at the door.

What the-?

He never had visitors.

Not the good kind, anyway.

He padded over to the front window, and discreetly peeked through the curtain.

("I'm a ninja, not freaking Superman, okay?").

Damn. Still batting 1.000.

It was that crazy examiner lady, Anko.


"So even though your 'tenant' should protect you from any potential problems, Shizune says that I still have to inform anyone who may have been exposed - in your case, through… um, oral-to-blood contact."

Naruto, sitting across from her on the ratty old couch, was in a state of shock.

"Here's a few brochures -this 'I'm HIV-Positive!' one is pretty good, actually- and Shizune wants you to come in for some blood work tomorrow. You'll need to have that done every three months now, I guess."

Naruto had not moved a single inch.

"I'm really sorry for all the trouble. But I don't think you have anything to worry about! I take good care of my teeth and gums, and they say that saliva alone doesn't pose a risk of infection. You probably weren't even exposed! But you know… just to be sure…"

Naruto was as still as a statue.

"So… okay. Well, I'll just leave that stuff with you. You should really call Shizune, though; she can explain all of this a lot better than I can. The medical details and junk, I mean. And make sure you go in for that blood test tomorrow! See you around, okay? Bye." And with that, she quickly stepped out the door.

Only to pop her head right back in again.

"Oh, sorry - one more thing," she explained, rushing her words together in a breathless, monotone jumble - not saving the worst for last, obviously; yet aware nonetheless of the impact her words would have. "You won't be able to compete in the third exam until you are medically cleared. Risk of exposure, blood-borne contaminants, blah, blah, blah. Okay, laters!"

Naruto remained where he was sitting, motionless.

Eventually, the apartment grew dark.


SailorStar9: A lot of people really go wild with Anko having a blood fetish, rather than simply taking the Forest of Death scene as yet another of the theatrical, over-the-top techniques the examiners use to intimidate the genin during the Chuunin Exam. Did she even mention it again in the manga? (If so, was it in a context other than teasing Naruto?)

It is hardly the most interesting aspect of her character, in any case.

Stay tuned for Chapter 12: Gohan's Plea.