Chapter 37: Innocence Falls

Cell hissed angrily, writhing in frustration as he struggled to escape the shining energy field Bulma's machine projected. "This...cannot be! I am meant to do battle with great warriors...not fall prey to some mechanical trick!"

Bulma winked, wagging a finger. "Now now, fair's fair. Science and technology created you, after all, so it's really just my genius against Dr. Gero's." She sighed as she twisted a dial on her device. "And really, that's no contest, now is it?" I didn't honestly think it'd be fixed this quickly...sometimes, I even impress myself!

Cell twisted, pounding on the barrier, but it held. "C-Curse you! I wasn't ready for this..."

"Uh-huh." Bulma tapped a series of buttons. "Aaaaand...capture." A shudder ran down the cable connecting the tubelike hand-held portion of her machine to the large metal box that was now bolted to the ground for stability. The vibration reached Cell, and the immobilising light grew brighter. Cell's form began to stretch, elongating and compressing as he was sucked inside the tube. It shook violently, and the shaking began to pass back down the cable, into the box. Lights flashed wildly all over the machine, blinking on and off like traffic lights gone mad. Come on... Bulma wrestled with the device, holding it steady. Keep it up... She jammed the palm of her hand down on a lever, wrenching it across to the 'on' position. "And...disintegrate!"

There was a final shake from the box, and then it fell silent. The lights darkened as the entire machine powered down. Bulma grinned nervously. "I...I think it worked!"

"I wouldn't be too sure..." Raditz glanced around warily. "He's been decapitated and blasted into pieces, but he's always come back...don't let your guard down!"

Bulma shrugged. "I don't think so. He can regenerate from one cell, but this wouldn't have even left that much." She lifted up her goggles, propping them on her forehead and shaking off her gloves as she set the device down. "You know what they say, third time's the charm! He's gone for good this time, guys."

"Nope." Bulma froze. She knew. She knew it was Cell standing behind her, having pulled off yet another death-defying escape. In that moment, she felt despair. Cell realised this, and decided it was the perfect emotional note for her life to end on.

Cell raised his hand with superhuman speed, Bulma, a normal human, appearing frozen into place to his eyes, and the other fighters, desperately trying to intercept him, looked like they were moving in slow motion. Even Break seemed sluggish and lethargic, and Cell grinned maliciously, just long enough for them to see it. Then he released a tiny energy beam from his fingertip.

It shot in a perfectly straight line at the back of Bulma's head, drilling a neat hole in her skull, instantly cauterising the wound, leaving no blood at all. It burrowed inside her head, piercing through into her brain. Cell, programmed with an intimate knowledge of human anatomy, expertly directed the beam, boring through her mental pathways, searing and burning out all the vital areas, completely destroying her brain.

With almost no visual damage, Bulma dropped to the ground. It would almost seem redundant now to state that she was dead.

Zarbon, seeing the body of the woman he loved hit the floor, flew into a murderous rage. With a wordless scream, he rocketed at Cell, his eyes blazing gold, but the creature's hand plucked him out of the air, neatly pinching his neck between two fingers. "Now, now," Cell said with a smirk, "don't be hasty. You'll get your turn."
He threw Zarbon away, turning his attention to Break, who was barrelling towards him with thundering footfalls. If Gohan had been like a father to her, Bulma was everyone's mother. Even this younger version of her was a loss that struck deep. "Ah, ready for another round?" Cell leapt off into the air, and he and Break disappeared as their battle rejoined, their violent clashes shaking the landscape once again.

Their reaction, however, their pain, their loss, was nothing to Goku's. He was crouched on the ground, cradling Bulma in his arms. Tears streamed down his face. "Bulma...get up..." he sounded like a child again. She was his oldest friend; aside from his adoptive grandfather, the first human being he'd ever met. "Don't leave me alone...I can't do it, I'm sorry...I'm not strong enough..." The assembled fighters began to despair. Goku never lost hope like this. He was always trying, fighting harder. But he had nothing left. If even Goku had given up, there was truly no hope. He hung his head, shoulders shaking as he wept.

"Huh? A human? Really?"

"Yes, silly! I'm just like you! Take a look!"

"You're kinda like me, but there's something...different..."

"Well, duh, brainiac! I'm a girl!"

"G-girl? You mean female?"

"Hello! Surely you've seen a girl before!"

"I never saw another human before! My dead grampa always told me...'if you ever meet a girl, treat her nice'."

"So what is that monster anyway? How'd you catch it?"

"That 'monster' happens to be my car. People make them."

"So this is a car...woah, wait...are you from 'civilisation'?"

"Well...I guess I hafta let you in on my little secret...they're called 'dragon balls'."

"You're collectin' them?"

"The next closest is...to the west! About 1,200 kilometers! By the way, what's your name?

"I'm Goku. Son Goku! How 'bout you?"

"I'm...Bulma..."

"Isn't that a word for underwear? Hah!"

"SHUT UP! I didn't PICK it!"

"Which capsule is the bike...oh yeah...number 9!"

"Eeee-yaaahh! I knew it! You ARE a witch!"

"Get over it, ape-boy! Everybody in the city's got capsules!"

The memories flashed through his mind, passing in an instant. He just couldn't deal with it. Cell had taken the Dragon Balls, there was no bringing anybody back. And he had the heart medicine too...a world without Bulma or Gohan. It just didn't fit into Goku's mind. It couldn't happen. But it was happening before his eyes. Confronted by a situation he just couldn't cope with, Goku's mind was stretched to breaking point. Then, there was a flickering at the edge of his mind. Gohan's energy was fading.

And staring into Bulma's lifeless eyes, his tears falling on to her face-realising his son, too, was dying-he broke.

"How did you do it?" Break hissed, as Cell blocked her fist. "You were trapped in that machine!"

"Easy. Instant Transmission. It was actually more of a defensive reflex than anything-I wasn't even aware that I was capable of the technique." Cell delivered a sweeping kick, knocking Break to the ground again. "Nice try...but I think you knew how that was going to go." Suddenly, his head jerked back and his body convulsed as a huge wave of power rippled through him. What...? Trembling as he sensed something almost beyond comprehension, Cell turned.

There was a blur of motion, and Bulma's body lay next to Zarbon. Another movement, and Goku stood in front of Cell. His hair was slightly more pointed, angling upwards more, and sparks of blue electricity crackled around his body, arcing up and down through his aura. With a shock, Cell realised it was exactly like his own aura since coming back from near-death, only somehow Goku's seemed far more potent.

Goku's ki was also massive, intimidating even Cell, but the thing that really terrified him was the saiyan's face. It was harsh, seething with anger, but not boiling over like Break. Goku seemed cold, almost calm. His eyes were hard, and yet he was still crying. "Cell." It was one quiet word, but it brought complete silence to the battlefield. Then without warning, Goku flared up his aura, his golden power roaring angrily. "I will make you suffer."

"What are you?" Cell whispered in fear.

"I am what Goku was afraid he might become," the saiyan replied, tensing up as he prepared to attack. "I'm his saiyan warrior's heart...you can call me Kakarot."

Bojack's head swung left and right, searching for his elusive opponent. There was no doubt in his mind that he'd be victorious; he always was. He'd seen his enemy's power, and impressive though it was, it paled before his own.

There was a sharp crack over to his left, and Bujin's body tumbled out of the window of a nearby ruined building, landing with a wet thump. Bojack growled in irritation-these minions were difficult to replace. "Zangya!" he called.

"Lord." She appeared behind him, answering his call.

"Heed your comrade's example. Don't let your guard down for an instant; this foe will seize any advantage you give him." Zangya nodded at his words, and leapt off to continue the search. Bojack's gaze again swept back and forth as he strolled through the ruins of this once peaceful civilisation. "Come on, Super Saiyan!" he shouted. "Come out and fight us. This skulking does not become you. You are royalty, are you not? Face me!"

"Not while the witch lives!" came the reply. "I won't fall for the same trick twice!" Bojack spun, firing a blast that levelled the remains of a suburb, but Vegeta had already moved on, creeping from shadow to shadow, keeping his energy output as low as possible, an impressive feat while still in the Super Saiyan form. Bojack snorted. I'm getting bored of this. "Zangya! To me!" he shouted. His last remaining servant settled to the ground in front of him.

"My lord?" she asked.

Without warning, Bojack fired a pulsing green energy bolt into her stomach, blasting her away from him, her form disappearing in a violent explosion. "There!" he called out to the ruins. "She's dealt with. Will you face me now?"

In answer, Vegeta leapt up behind him, landing a two-footed kick to the back of his head, bowling him over. "You're wide open!" the prince said triumphantly.

Bojack quickly recovered, raising his guard in time for Vegeta's second assault. The saiyan and the Hera-jin traded rapid blows, Bojack allowing himself to be pushed back by the onslaught, the pirate's expression permanantly one of mild amusement. "You're better than I expected!" he congratulated Vegeta, who answered with a high punch, but Bojack's lightning reflexes saved him as he ducked to the right.

Breaking off from the close-ranged combat, Bojack jumped up and backwards, unleashing a hail of energy bullets. Vegeta found the high-speed projectiles difficult to dodge, dashing back and forth to avoid them one at a time. He skidded to a halt as the last one exploded next to him, and at that moment Bojack appeared behind him, kicking him to the ground. "Hah! Now who's wide open?"

Vegeta allowed himself to roll along the grit and rubble, letting the natural momentum of his movement spin him to face Bojack as he raised one hand. "BIG BANG ATTACK!"

Concern registered on Bojack's face as the off-white energy sphere shot at him, but he dived to the side just in time, avoiding the devastating blast. "Where did that come from all of a sudden?" He frowned. "Your energy control is admirable..."

Vegeta stood up shakily, trying to recover from the power drain of charging such a powerful attack so quickly. "And there's more where that came from...this fight's just getting started."

"Oh, is that so?" Bojack smiled. "From where I'm standing, it was over before it even begun. Let me show you..." Without warning, his ki skyrocketed, and he underwent the same transformation Kogu had, his muscles bulging out as his skin colour became a light green and his hair turned from orange to dark red. His jacket, not designed for such a huge creature, ripped away entirely, and his bandana fluttered free, drifting to the ground next to him. "Ah, that feels much better."

"Hah!" Vegeta's disdain was clear. "You think I'm intimidated by that? I've transformed, too! Come at me with all you've-" Bojack's attack swept him off his feet, the space pirate blurring as he moved, slamming his forearm into Vegeta's chin. The Super Saiyan caught himself, pushing off the ground and landing on his feet, but Bojack was already behind him, one gnarled, meaty hand grabbing around Vegeta's neck. He threw a ki blast straight into Bojack's face in desperation, but it had no effect, and Bojack just swung Vegeta face-first into the ground, letting go and stamping his foot down on the saiyan's back.

"Aaaahhhkk!" Vegeta coughed up blood, feeling the sharp, broken rock digging into his skin as Bojack drove him into the ground. No! I won't lose! He shot out a burst of ki upwards, shoving himself further down and hiding him underground. Bojack stood up, looking warily around. "Where are-" The ground collapsed beneath him, Vegeta jumping into the air and simultaneously kicking Bojack down into the hole he'd created, flying higher as he charged energy between his hands. Bojack was struggling to dig himself out, and Vegeta took the opportunity to fire. "FINAL..." A colossal golden beam shot down from between his hand, crashing into the ground with explosive force. "...FLASH!"

Vegeta hung in the air, breathing heavily as smoke billowed up from the hole. Luckily, Bojack seemed to have taken most of the force of the attack, or the entire planet would have been seriously damaged, perhaps even destroyed. Careless! Vegeta reprimanded himself. If he'd dodged at the last second, we'd both be dead! I've got to focus...I won't throw my life away for some amateur mistake like that. Just as he was about to power down, there was a flicker in the air and Bojack, appearing only lightly singed, appeared in the air in front of him, grabbing Vegeta's head between both hands and ramming his knee into the prince's face. Vegeta fell away, stunned, and failed to stop his fall, landing awkwardly and grunting at the impact. He pulled himself up as Bojack landed a few feet away.

"Is that really all you've got?" Bojack asked, disappointed. "I know I'm strong, but come on, you're just making this easy for me!"

Vegeta glared at his approaching opponent, who was grinning smugly as he contemplated his victory. Well, this is what I wanted, isn't it? Vegeta thought. I searched the universe for a challenging opponent...I can't give up now that I've found one! I'll just rise to the challenge, like I always have! It's how I became a Super Saiyan...that driving desire to be the best! The greatest warrior the universe has ever seen! Whenever I found a limit to my power, I just plowed through it-the muscled form was easy, once Frieza's metal forms showed me a power greater than my own was possible! And this...the mastered state...I discovered it almost by accident, staying transformed for greater and greater periods of time as endurance training...I've surpassed every barrier, risen to the ranks of legend...I can do it again! He raised his guard, reassuring himself. If this pirate can attain such ridiculous power, so can I!

Vegeta roared, flaring up his aura as Bojack approached. Vegeta swung a fist, but Bojack took the punch with barely a flinch, then swung his own arm around in a lazy arc, twisting the prince's head around. Vegeta had to push with all of his ki to stop his neck snapping completely in two, stumbling back with an angry cry. How...how is this possible? I am the mightiest-the most elite of the greatest warrior race this universe has ever known...I've transcended even the power of a Super Saiyan...and this freak is slapping me around like I'm a joke! He prepared to attack again, when he felt...something.

Like ripples through a pond, something was spreading out through the universe. He felt a kinship with the strange force, and tried to focus on it, receiving a brief flash of a vision. A burning golden figure, a Super Saiyan. No...this warrior was beyond a Super Saiyan. They were something more. Something great and terrible. The vision passed, but he could still feel the presence in his mind. It was too distant to tell for sure, but had it been...Kakarot? Or his child? It had felt something like their energy, but comparing what he'd felt to their power when he'd last met them was like comparing a seed to a hundred-year-old oak. No... "NO!" He roared, straightening up to face Bojack. "You...you will not surpass me...I will not be left behind again!" I will rise...and claim this power...I will be the greatest once again! And I won't let this freak of nature stand in my way! "Prepare yourself, Bojack!" he growled. The space pirate leapt forwards, battering through Vegeta's defences and punching him in the gut.

"Prepare myself?" he laughed. "For what? Who do you think you are?"

Vegeta gritted his teeth, tasting blood but remaining standing, feeling his energy build around him as he drew back his fist. "I am...the prince of all saiyans...you worm...I am DEATH!"

There had been no more speeches, no posturing. One second had passed, and with calm, brutal efficiency, Goku-or Kakarot?-had beaten Cell half to death. He stumbled away, gasping for air, as the transformed saiyan stood calmly. Even in the brief moments that had passed, it was clear Cell was gravely outmatched.

"Uh...Goku?" Raditz ventured. "Kakarot? What-"

"Call me Goku if it's familiar," his brother said quietly. "It makes no difference to me. What matters is what I am...what the Goku you knew could never be. I'm the part of him that lay dormant after he suffered a head injury as a child...a true, ruthless saiyan warrior. And you..." his attention turned back to Cell. "...you, monster, are my prey." He lowered his stance, bringing both hands around to his side. "I'm not going to play with you, Cell. Prepare to die."

"This can't be happening!" Cell howled in frustration. "Every time...every time I rise to a new level of power...I attain my perfect form, I surpass it...and these warriors keep emerging to challenge me! How do these saiyans get so strong so quickly?"

"KA...ME..." A shining blue glow of energy flashed into life between Kakarot's hands. "...HA..."

"WAIT!" The saiyan's eyes widened as he saw Krillin, standing between him and Cell. His eyes were tightly shut, and he was trembling-obviously fearing for his life. But he flung his arms out to either side of his body, standing firm. "Don't do it, Goku!"

"Krillin..." the Super Saiyan hissed. "Get out of my way..."

"I can't!" Krillin wailed. "Those androids-Seventeen and Eighteen-they're still inside him! We might be able to save them...I can't let you kill them! I talked to Eighteen-she's a living, thinking person! You can't kill her! And if she's anything to go by, then Seventeen, too..."

"Not 'her', Krillin," Kakarot said, "'it'. They're machines, just like Cell! Remember what they did to Break's future? I'm not showing any mercy this time! My oldest friend-my son-they're dead because of this thing!"

"I'm telling you, they deserve a chance!" Krillin shouted. "They were human, once-Dr. Gero made them out of normal people! Please, don't kill them!"

"Krillin!" Nail called from the sidelines. "If they were human, they can be resurrected once Cell is gone and we get the Dragon Balls back! Just step aside...you don't want to get in Goku's way right now, trust me."

Krillin nodded. "All right..." Just as he was about to stand aside, Cell raised his hand, two fingers extended. "SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!" He said triumphantly, letting loose a spiralling, piercing beam. Kakarot leapt forwards to intercept, appearing between Krillin and Cell and catching it between his hands. He snarled as the attack detonated, scorching his palms. "Don't even think about it, Cell!" But Cell was already moving, firing a barrage of special beam cannon blasts at Break, Raditz, Nail and Kuriza.

"Just stopping that one looks like it hurt," Cell chuckled. "Can you save them all, I wonder?"

"Damn it!" Kakarot rocketed backwards, chasing the four beams. Break, though still slower than either of the combatants, had enough speed, and enough of a warning to dodge on her own, but that left three, and Cell had a head-start. Kakarot shoved Raditz to the ground, pushing him out of the way, and moved to intercept the attack aimed at Nail, kicking it up into the air. His leg aching from the effort, he kept moving as the final beam inched its way towards Kuriza. I didn't save him just to let him die here, damn it! He only made it just in time, throwing his body between the oncoming beam and his unlikely friend. The Special Beam Cannon crashed into Kakarot's midsection, throwing him away, trailing smoke.

He landed on his hands and knees, coughing. Was that a cracked rib he felt? He couldn't tell. His vision blurred. There hadn't been time to defend himself, but luckily Cell hadn't had time to charge the attack fully, or he'd be dead.

"KIENZAN!"

"Wha-" Kakarot heard Cell's shout and forced himself to move. He turned to see where the attack was coming from, but saw only brilliant light, and staggered away, blinded. It's that Solar Kienzan technique he used on Break! I should have known not to trust anything that comes out of that bastard's mouth! He threw himself to the left, but felt the disc scoring a deep gash on his forearm, one of his wristbands being neatly sliced open and falling away. Blood followed it, and the sharp pain caused Kakarot to fumble his landing and fall to the ground in an untidy heap. He forced himself to sit up, squinting and seeing a bright flash at the corner of his eye. He pushed himself up with his good arm, using a burst of ki to launch himself into the air and hearing the ominous hum as the Solar Kienzan passed just underneath him. Cell, thinking him still blinded, appeared above him to knock him back down towards the disc, but Kakarot reached up and grabbed Cell by the shoulder, swinging him down into the path of his own attack. Cell hurriedly extinguished it, dissipating the Kienzan before it cut him in half. Then, curiously, he smiled. "You think you've got me, don't you? I'm out of tricks, is that it?"

"Something like that." Kakarot reached up to snap Cell's neck, but the 'perfect' android vanished. "Wha-" Instant Transmission! he realised, too late. Cell appeared behind him, and slowed from his injuries, Kakarot couldn't react in time. Cell brought both hands up and neatly broke Kakarot's good arm. Terror and pain overwhelmed him, and Goku was back. The mysterious power remained, but the cruel ruthlesness was gone. He screamed as Cell fired tiny blasts into his knees, detonating them under the skin and shattering bones in his legs.

Goku dropped to the ground, beaten.

Cell remained floating in the air, looking down at Earth's crushed resistance as one admiring a great work of art. "Ah, exquisite. So you see, Goku, it's not always strength that decides the battle-it's intelligence! Not just that, either...you see, you were claiming to be this 'true saiyan warrior', but I don't buy it. You can be angry, yes, but I don't believe you ever had the potential to be a heartless killer, blow to the head or not...you proved that by wasting all that energy saving your friends..."

"Wasted?!" Raditz growled. "You callous...piece of..."

"Ah ah ah," Cell warned. "Watch your temper, Raditz. Your turn will come, but if you want to speed up your demise, just keep talking like that." Raditz fell silent, glowering at Cell. "As I was saying, Goku...it's this compassion, which you so foolishly insist on keeping even in the heat of battle, that makes you weak! And this weakness has doomed your planet! Now...how to finish you off..." He nodded. "Yes, that's it. I believe you and your friends managed to repel this attack once...I think it would be quite fitting if it ended up killing you after all..."

What's he going to do? Goku wondered. He didn't have to wait long to find out.

Cell raised his hands next to his head, a deep purple energy building up around them. "GALICK GUN..."

Goku closed his eyes, waiting for the impact. I've got...nothing left! This might be it...

"...FIRE!" Cell unleashed the roaring, raging energy wave, sending it straight down towards Goku. "This is the end, Goku! For you-and for humanity!"

And another one in the bag. I cut it really close with this one-on Sunday morning, it was only half-written. Anyway, that's it for now, so, um, question time.

Q: Seems like this time around Hercule won't be believed, maybe because this time he was completely owned onscreen.

Somehow I doubt that Bulma's machine will be enough to stop Cell, it usually takes more than a sneak attack/super technology to take down a main villain. Then again, you do like to make your twists and turns.
I don't know why, but somehow I get the feeling that the heroes won't be fast enough to kill Cell, get the medication, and get back to save Gohan, thereby causing him to die from the heart virus. Plus seeing as Cell has reached his 'Super Perfect' state and realized that he can still gain strength and his potential to do so is the source of his 'perfection' I doubt he'll pull another self-destruction card, so Raditz won't pull a Instant Transmission sacrifice. Then again you hinted that Raditz will die when he stated that he doesn't want to be wished back. But if it does go with my Gohan's death theory then Gohan would take a place similar/equivalent to Goku's in the Buu saga as the one who discovers SSJ 3, learns the fusion dance, etc.
Thoughts?

A: In order: Maybe, well done, we'll see, maybe.

Q: I wonder if Dende would be able to heal the heart virus with his Namekian Healing Magic. We never find out since Dende isn't around in canon at that time and doesn't really show up until after Goku has recovered from his heart virus.

A: I'm thinking no. They said senzu beans couldn't work, and I'm inclined to think that as magic healing, Dende's version would work pretty similar.

Q: As for King Cold's power level. A simple solution is this:
King Cold simply had a larger percentage of his overall power in his 2nd form, around 65%. This meant he didn't have the same transformation proportions as Frieza. Putting him at around 16's level would make sense. BoD did an excellent job on that.

A: Well, Bujin admitted that they could be wrong, and I myself admitted that I had no idea.

Q: I hope Bulma's device succeeds. It would be a fresh and innovative way to kill a Dragon Ball villain. Plus Bulma's awesomeness doesn't get enough credit. Her genius is the main reason he's even there, so it would be fitting if it also played a role in killing him.

A: Sorry, it didn't work. But she did partially cause Goku transform to SSJ2, so...she helped that way.

Q: If Break stays in this timeline (not entirely necessary since there is still Cell's time machine unless you take into account that since that time machine comes from further in the future it would either take to Cell's timeline after his departure or create another timeline if she arrives before that), would that mean that there would be two transformation chains for ss (one with ss2/ss3 other with lss/unknown)?

A: I don't know. Maybe.

Q: I think the obvious weakness of the SOLAR KIENZAN wouldn't be it's weak center but the fact that the user could look in the direction of the blinding light those disk give while looking what are they doing.

A: They'd have to be pretty dumb to do that.

Q: I would say that Bulma's device won't work if only because they could then use something similar against Buu. Then again, Buu did kill everyone in less than three days so they wouldn't have time to build another. You are going to have to explain from where did the idea of the device come from.

A: Yeah, I'll explain where it came from at some point.

Q: Very nice! You did set us up for Break to take the stage. I also am confused, Super Kaioken was used in otherworld tournament without harmful effects. I'm assuming that's both a lack of training in the art of Kaioken as well as the fact that it's a bit fillerish ( otherworld tournament I mean) so fair game.

A: The whole Otherworld Tournament arc is full of complete power level nonsense. According to that SSJ Goku=Unweighted Pikkon Weighted Pikkon Super Perfect Cell Perfect Cell SSJ Goku. Wait.

So I just came up with my own version of Super Kaioken (because also, why didn't Goku use it against Cell in canon, if he could do it?).

Q: This story is still really good but Vegeta missing is really bugging me he is one of my fav characters. I mean are you waiting for the Buu saga? And like when Vegeta died in the Buu saga it was laking him

A: Here's some Vegeta for you, how's this?