Risk
Chapter 24
The room was quiet despite the sound of heavy breathing courtesy of the Earth-raised Saiya-jin. Chi-chi felt guilty for causing her husband and mate trouble when he was still recovering from the heart virus. Had the vial not break, he would be in better shape right now to fight the creature who's name he had uttered moments ago.
"Cell?" Chi-chi repeated. "Who is he?"
"A threat from the future from what I've heard before you awakened me from your nightmare." Kakarrot replied. "Trust me. What you feel is like me, but it's not me at the same time…"
"How is any of this possible?"
"Apparently, Dr. Gero considers him a project that he valued more than the androids that are after my life right now. If he's permitted to absorb 17 and 18, then he's going to be hell to take down in my condition…" Kakarrot replied. "I have an idea, but I'll need Trunks, Vegeta and Goten here."
"What is it?" Chi-chi questioned before Kakarrot grinned.
"You'll see."
"Damn you Cell!" Piccolo cursed after the android had easily blinded the warriors in order to escape.
"We have to stop him from absorbing the androids!" Yamcha growled.
"How? We can't even sense him now!" Tien hissed.
"We'll find him and when we do, we'll keep him from becoming perfect!" Piccolo growled.
"Man! I'm really am starting to hate this android mess we're in!" Krillin complained.
"Mom!" Goten's voice called out. Chi-chi looked had just arrived with Goku from the lookout via instant transmission.
"Goten, are you alright?" Chi-chi looked her son from the future over.
"I'm fine. How's dad doing?" Goten questioned.
"I'm perfectly fine," Goku smiled. "Thanks for buying us time."
"Yeah, but Trunks and I have tried to talk to Vegeta. He keeps pushing us away since we followed him here."
"Hey, don't worry; I know something that will get his attention." Goku flew up behind Vegeta and without much effort; he allowed Kakarrot to take control.
"My prince, are you eager to try something that I suggest?" Kakarrot questioned while kneeling behind him rather loyally.
"What the hell are you talking about Kakarrot?" Vegeta snarled while turning; assuming that the stance that Kakarrot had slid into was some sort of façade to lure him off-guard. "If this is an excuse to bring me back to…"
"Bring you back to what? I never said anything that would suggest you join forces and defend this planet." Kakarrot casually replied in a teasing tone of voice that tested Vegeta's patience. "I'm sure you're searching for that key in order to ascend above my power, the power beyond that of a Super Saiya-jin."
Those words attracted Vegeta's attention while Kakarrot held out a hand in a convincing way. The annoying smirk was still played on Kakarrot's face and it reminded Vegeta of Goku's smile despite the fact that the darker persona was in control.
"This better not be some stupid joke or I swear you'll wish you have died to that miserable virus!" Vegeta growled warningly at Kakarrot; knowing that he could easily carry out that threat if needed.
"Let's discuss this further once we get up to Kami's Lookout shall we?"
"Fine, but I want answers; even if it's from that miserable side you consider weak."
"You mean Goku? He's anything but that."Kakarrot walked off the insult that his prince had thrown at him. It's true he had not gotten any stronger since he had been sick and now that there were worse things on the horizon than the three androids after his life, he had to make up for the lost time. "Now enough lagging behind and follow me."
"I feel Goku's energy," 16 muttered.
"Well where is it?" 17 asked.
"It's coming from the next town."
"Great. Let's kill him." 18 grinned darkly.
"There are others with him. We should be careful."
"Whatever. More fun for us." 17 shrugged his shoulders; knowing the android wasn't going to assist them in the hunt.
"You mean there's a room where we could train for a year within a single day?" Trunks gawked at the words that Goku had spoken while they followed Mr. Popo. Gohan, who had awakened not long ago, was also following the group.
"Two people can go in at a time," Mr. Popo warned. "Which two of you shall enter first?"
"Let Vegeta and Trunks go," Goku suggested.
"Very well, please enter here," Mr. Popo opened the door for the Saiya-jin Prince and his son.
"After this, there won't be any point in you going in when I'm planning to destroy them all Kakarrot," Vegeta grinned darkly before walking in.
"Trunks, good luck!" Goten called out. Trunks held up a thumb while he faded in the white light. The door closed with a single, simple click.
"Well, guess we'll have to wait now," Goku sat down.
"What about the androids father?" Goten questioned.
"They're not the main threat anymore. Cell is," Chi-chi replied.
"Cell?" Goten was confused. Gohan was equally lost in this.
"I guess I should explain…" Goku sighed. Goten and Gohan looked at one another and nodded before sitting down to listen to what their father had to say. "You see, it's like this…"
"We need to stop him!" Piccolo roared as Krillin, Yamcha and Tien chased after the android that attempted to elude them. It was then they saw three figures at the edge of the very road before them. "Shit! It's the other androids!"
Cell, who was currently hiding, heard this proclamation.
'Good, with those two here and still alive, I can absorb them and become perfect…' Cell thought evilly. 'Then, I will become the strongest being in the universe!'
"Stop him!" Piccolo yelled as the warriors lunged into battle, not bothering to fight solo against this creature that threatens to destroy not only the world's last line of defense, but the whole universe along with it. Before they could dare get close, Cell's tail smacked all of the warriors like a giant whip and knocked them into the ruins of the city.
"Either stay back or I will absorb you all!" Cell threatened before flying off. Piccolo, growling at the android's threat, removed his weighted clothing and lunged at the android despite fear of being absorbed. Cell, turning upon sensing Piccolo's approach began to fight with the suicidal Namekian warrior.
"You won't get your hands on the androids!" Piccolo growled.
"You won't be able to stop me! I shall become complete!" Cell vowed before his tail lunged at Piccolo. Breaking away, Piccolo did a series of flips to avoid the tail that he had seen first hand absorb innocent lives without any regrets. The other warriors, recovering aided Piccolo in trying to take down this nightmare that threatened the lives of the planet. It was in futile when Krillin suddenly felt the tail's pointed end connect with his back.
"Krillin!" Piccolo yelled.
"I think I'll absorb this one's life force…" Cell cackled. The tail began to suck the nutrients out of Krillin's body as he screamed in agony.
"NO! Krillin!" Goku yelled as he teleported. Before Chi-chi, Goten or Gohan could stop him, the Saiya-jin teleported and cut off Cell's tail. Cell hissed in agony as Goku removed the remaining portion of the tail from Krillin's back. He looked like he was suffering even worse without being absorbed.
"G-Goku… it's too late…" Krillin muttered weakly.
"No, you can't die like this…" Goku growled; his chi skyrocketing.
"Ah, Goku, it's a pleasure we finally meet," Cell boasted.
"Cell, you'll pay for this," Goku vowed; his piercing gaze directed straight at him. He carried Krillin to Yamcha. "Take him and get him out of here." Not wishing to face the irritation that Goku had directed on Cell or to even face the darker persona, Yamcha grabs Krillin and flies off.
"I doubt he'll be saved after taking 10 percent of his cells and adding them to my being," Cell spoke in such a convincing way that it made Goku even angrier. "Tell me; are you even strong enough to me on?"
"We'll see Cell!" Goku growled before transforming into a Super Saiya-jin and lunging at Cell. A fist collided straight into Cell's face as he went flying backwards from such a blow. Piccolo and Tien gawked as Goku continued his attack; not once wavering like he did before when he had been attacking #19 with abandon.
"He's doing perfectly fine out there!" Tien grinned.
"Yes, but Cell shouldn't be taken lightly; especially with the other androids still around." Piccolo warned.
On the other side of the battlefield, the androids were watching the battle that had taken place so far. Upon learning that Dr. Gero had created Cell to absorb them, 18 had begun to fear for her life.
"I think we should temporarily join forces with Goku and take down this creature called Cell," 16 spoke; startling the other two.
"I'd rather not," 17 growled. "Our mission's to destroy Goku, not Cell."
"Even so, would you prefer that he absorb you?" 18 argued.
"I'd rather be absorbed than join forces with Goku and his friends," 17 flew off towards the battlefield.
"17! Wait!" 18 cried out and nearly went after her brother before a strong hand wrapped around her wrist. She turned back and noticed 16 shaking his head.
"That's just what Cell would want you to do. Now please stay back." 16 gently released 18's wrist before smiling softly. "I will aid them in your place."
"16, not you too!" 18 growled in annoyance.
"It's my mission to protect all life, even yours…" 16 calmly spoke before flying off to join the others.
The fight between Goku and Cell continued. The Earth-raised Saiya-jin felt the darker persona practically aiding him during the fight; avoiding the tail when it could absorb him at any given moment. During their assault, Goku was momentarily distracted when he saw the androids approach. That gave Cell enough time to counter and grab the Earth-raised Saiya-jin by his tail before throwing him into a nearby building that collapsed within a given moment.
"Seems it's time to eat," Cell boasted before he flew at 17. Just as he reached the android, Piccolo fired a blast from behind the deranged android that pierced his back. "You again?"
"Don't you go one step closer or next time, I'll ensure your death," Piccolo vowed. Tien had his attack prepared as well and it seemed that the warriors were at a stalemate. That was before Piccolo felt the wind knocked out of him by 17's punch. Tien stared wide-eyed at the raven-haired android.
"I apologize, but my intentions were to aid Cell in order to kill Goku," 17 smirked before walking up to the android.
"So you wish to join me? Very well," Cell's tail suddenly grabbed the android and within moments, 17 had been digested by the evil tail, body and all before Cell began to transform. 18, who had seen this, was horrified by this monster's transformation and the loss of her brother.
"No! 17 why?" 18 yelled in utter sadness and fear. The pile of rubble that the Earth-raised Saiya-jin had crashed into suddenly exploded and Kakarrot had clamored out of the destruction with hardly a scratch; half of his upper and lower shirt completely ripped off. He was panting breathlessly and in irritation that he had failed to stop Cell from absorbing one of the androids.
"Get out of here!" Kakarrot yelled at 18; his temper flaring. "Do you want to be absorbed by this monster too?"
"…" 18 could not and would not move. The Earth-raised Saiya-jin, irritated at the idea of her giving into utter despair grabbed her and 16 before teleporting towards the fallen Earth warriors. He touched Tien and Piccolo before teleporting once more; leaving behind an enraged and now utterly pissed off Cell.
Chi-chi was startled when Kakarrot appeared with the two androids that promised them death and backed away slowly. Goten and Gohan slid into fighting stances while Kakarrot held up a hand. The still transformed warrior wasn't ready to fight both of his sons in order to protect the androids, but he would if it meant keeping Cell from finding their location at the moment.
"Enough, they will not hurt us as long as we don't alienate them," Kakarrot barked at his boys.
"She wanted to murder you father! You can't just expect us to forgive them that easily!" Goten growled; remembering how her future counterpart and her brother killed Gohan.
"That isn't your call to make," Kakarrot reprimanded his future son. "Right now, she's a victim just like the rest of Earth. If we don't do anything to protect her, then Cell's going to become the strongest warrior in existence and more people will suffer because of it."
"He's right Goten," Piccolo muttered; waking from the sucker punch 17 had delivered earlier. He slipped one of the Senzu he received from Yajirobe into his mouth and chewed on it to regain his strength. "Kakarrot, we need to defend the Earth and keep Cell from finding 18. If we don't, then the whole world's at stake."
"Goten, you come with Piccolo, Tien and me. Chi-chi, keep Gohan here. I don't want him getting caught in the crossfire right now."
"Be careful," Chi-chi walked up to her husband. He hugged her gently and kissed her softly on the lips; a passionate moment between the two warriors quickly gone as he pulls away and walked over to the warriors. A soft, comforting smile appeared on Kakarrot's face.
"I will…" Moments later, the smile faded and Kakarrot vanished with the warriors. Their mission: to stop Cell.
To Be Continued…