Make sure you check out our author's note for a special announcement about a new sidestory from the Bringer of Death team and SuperSaiyanInfinityGohan!


Cell Saga - Part 9: I came here alone

The warm orange rays of the setting sun kissed the unbroken horizon, casting a warm glow on the huddled group. For the moment, all seven warriors turned their faces to the sea, letting the salty spray and the crimson light wash over them.

The breeze from the sea was gentle, a stark contrast to the roaring maelstrom that had consumed the area just minutes before. The smooth softness was a comfort after their long ordeal. Gohan could feel the salty wind drying his sweaty clothes. This moment was an unexpected blessing...a brief respite no one could have anticipated.

The clouds above were now nothing but small, scattered wisps, tinted golden from the setting sun. The sky itself seemed to reflect their exhaustion as it faded from blue to twilight. A thin cloud of smoke still lingered above them, the only evidence of Cell's transformation.

This day had truly been unexpected. As each of the fighters stared in silence, they could hear a flock of seagulls flying overhead, the first brave group of animals to return to their normal routine. Even Vegeta forced himself to be quiet for a brief moment and listen to the planet, though he also had much on his mind. This was what they were fighting for, at the core; the right of all men to have peace at the end of the day.

After a few moments, the voice of Goku broke through the silence. He was sitting up now, feeling a little better, and stared at the darkening sea with a hint of a smile.

"Well, guys," he slowly began. "I think I have an idea."

Vegeta, his arms crossed, shot Goku a curious look. The others also turned to him, wondering what he was about to suggest.

"What is it, dad?" his son asked. "Is it about Cell?"

Goku crossed his legs as he sat, and rested his chin on his fist for a brief moment. "Well...it's kind of about him, sure." He continued to think. "But it's mainly about us, how we can find a way to catch up to Cell's new power."

"What do you mean, Kakarott?" asked Vegeta. "Do you actually have a plan, or is this just more of your typical nonsense?"

Trunks shot his father a disapproving look, but Goku didn't seem to mind—he never did. Rather, the hero of Earth lifted his hand up toward Gohan. His son reached down and helped his father to his feet.

"Ok! Here goes," Goku began, a note of excitement sounding in his voice. "What if I told you I knew about a place where you could do a year's worth of training in a single day?"

"Nonsense!" Vegeta snapped, more out of habit than genuine disbelief. "Is that really possible?"

"Of course it is!" Goku replied. "Based on how quickly I grew stronger while I trained in the future, I'm guessing that a year will be plenty of time to practice and master these new Super Saiyan forms."

"What's the catch, Kakarott?" the prince asked suspiciously. He knew it couldn't be that simple; it never was.

"Huh?" Goku asked. "There's no catch, Vegeta." But the Saiyan thought for a moment longer. "Well, actually there are a couple, now that I think about it. Rules, really."

"Naturally, bird-brain, you overlook them until I force you to actually think," Vegeta grumbled. "So? Get on with it."

"Well let's see," Goku began. "First off, only two people can go in at a time." He lifted his index finger as he began to explain. "This training room is actually in a different dimension, connected to our world by a small door. If more than two people go inside, the door will disappear forever and you'll be trapped there for all eternity. At least, I think that's how it works. I'm not sure about all the rules."

"Sounds like a children's tale," Vegeta mocked, rolling his eyes. "If this is a waste of my time, I swear—"

"It's for real, Vegeta, don't worry. I'm not trying to pull anything; we're on the same side now!" Goku said with a smile. He hoped that Vegeta would agree to his statement and confirm that they were now allies...because, honestly, he wasn't sure.

"Whatever," the prince grumbled. "For now, Kakarott. Once Cell is out of the way, you and I have a score to settle. Just in case you're wondering somewhere in that tiny brain of yours if I'll ever follow through on this rematch...so help me, as long as I live, this fight will happen!"

"Hey, don't worry. I want to fight you again too, but like you said...Cell's first." Goku paused, turning to Piccolo. "You don't think Kami or Mr. Popo would be opposed to letting us use the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, do you, Piccolo?"

The Namek shook his head. "My only concern is that if you use the room now, you won't be able to use it ever again, even if the situation is more dire than it is today."

Goku paused for a moment, considering this. "Well, honestly Piccolo, I don't know how things could get much more dire than they are right now. If we don't go in and use our time, we really don't stand a chance."

Vegeta was annoyed that they seemed to be discussing something else that, yet again, hadn't been explained to him. "What do you mean, 'if you need it again?' Are you saying there is a time limit of some kind on this training room?"

"Yeah, that's the other thing," Goku admitted. "Not only will the room close up if more than two people go in at once, but if you stay inside for more than 48 hours—as measured from the outside—it will do the same thing. I already spent a month in there when I was just a boy, meaning I have less time than the rest of you."

"Hah, so the Namek thinks we might need to save time for later, just in case," Vegeta barked. "Well I'm sure Kakarott will want to take every bit of the time available to him so he can try to keep up with my strength. But if it's really everything you say it is, a single day's worth will more than enough time for me to surpass Cell."

Piccolo was very tempted in that moment to remind the prince that Goku had already surpassed him, but the Namek somehow found the self control to resist. Petty squabbles were the last thing they needed right now. Instead, he turned back to Goku.

"We should get there right away. Cell could return at any moment, and I'm sure we all want a chance to train."

"Right," Goku agreed. "Normally I could just take us there in a zip with Instant Transmission, but in my current condition I don't think I have the strength."

But Piccolo stretched out one hand, placing it on the Saiyan's chest. As the sun finally set, the Namek's arm began to glow white, illuminating the small band of warriors. After he had transferred about half his energy to Goku, the Namek dropped his hand, feeling a little tired but not at all the worse for wear.

"Hey, thanks, Piccolo!" Goku said. He felt a lot better right away. "All right; let's do this. I need everyone to touch me for this to work." The others quickly gathered around him, placing a hand on his shoulders or back.

But the prince, ever defiant, merely grunted. He wouldn't accept aid from anyone. The thought scarcely occurred to him that he had already teamed up with both Kakarott and his son on multiple occasions.

"Hey, Vegeta, aren't you coming?" asked Goku innocently.

In that moment a different thought occurred to him: this was a rare chance to study what was arguably his rival's best move. He couldn't let this opportunity pass.

The prince uncrossed his arms, looking extremely agitated that he had to stoop to this. He then reached his index finger into the group and barely tapped it on Goku's elbow.

"All right! Here we go!" Goku announced, placing two fingers to his head.

TTCCHHTT!

In that instant, Vegeta felt the world around him spin and expand and disappear. His surroundings were gone. Just like before, when Goku had used the technique to pull him away from Cell, he felt as though he was in space...but it was unlike any part of space he had ever seen. For the briefest of moments, a heightened sense of energy flooded his consciousness...and then it was over. They were standing in front of Kami.


"Well, that's strange," Oniya muttered. "There were right here up until a moment ago."

The ship had just arrived at the scene of the battle, but not a single soul was present. Oniya had found herself slightly frustrated that she kept showing up late for things, but this was mainly spurred on by her rush to get the news of Broly to Lord Vegeta. Of course, if she wanted to she could easily power up the ship's engines to their interstellar flight speed. However, that would probably destroy every living thing or city that she flew over simply from the shockwaves. No, in-atmosphere flight needed to be a little more restrained.

The grey-skinned Asari quickly left her seat and walked back to Bulma and C47. The android would be able to find everyone, and Bulma would probably appreciate being rescued from C47's company. Once back there, she quietly approached Bulma and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"If you need a surgical assistant, I'd be more than glad."

Bulma turned, looking exhausted. "Thank you, Oniya. For the moment, there's not much more I can do. But I do have some ideas for us to try later. Check back with me in a few hours, ok?"

"Of course," the pilot quietly replied. Over the past several years, she and Bulma really had learned to get along well, thoroughly earning each other's respect. Between Oniya's programming expertise and Bulma's inventive streak, they could do pretty much anything when they combined their efforts.

With a final glance at Krillin, she turned and walked into the room where C47 was still tinkering with 16's body. But he didn't notice her; his attentions were entirely focused on something much more interesting.

The droid was holding Number 16's damaged head in one hand and projected a miniaturized hologram of his own body beside it. Using his speech synthesizer, he was giving each of his "characters" a role to play...a climactic showdown.

"Pathetic Entreaty: Please don't hurt me, oh great and mighty assassin droid. My feeble design and lack of proper destruction etiquette and termination protocols have rendered me useless, struck with absolute terror at the might of your ingenious design. I only desire peace and pacifism! Oh, spare me, great one." C47's speech-synth imitation of Number 16 was surprisingly accurate.

"Mocking Retort: You love peace and pacifism? Oh my, I did not realize your coding had deteriorated to the extent that you would consider either peace or pacifism to be in any way logical. I would pity you if my advanced neuroprocessors were capable of such emotion."

The droid seemed to be having a great deal of fun portraying this battle of beliefs.

"Desperate Correction: No, C47, it is I who pity you. I see past the mask you wear. You cloak your insecurities in claims that you love wanton slaughter...but inside, you are truly good, like me. You just can't see it."

"Expletive: How DARE you, you fickle heap of Doctor Gero's fecal matter!
"Threat: Charging weapons, preparing to eliminate target.
"Statement: This should be fun."

C47's eyes glowed red with excitement as his hologram fired projected laser blasts at 16's head. The droid added realistic explosion sounds as 16 was forced to retreat by the multitude of imaginary attacks.

"Concession: You have beaten me, oh superior one. I only desire that you spare me!"

"Ruthless taunt: That's right, metal head. Beg for your life like a scared meatbag, you pathetic trash!"

Still oblivious to the presence of Oniya, who watched the ongoing exercise with a smirk, C47's holographic projection raised its hand and began charging its strongest attack.

"Indisputable Statement: The time has come for all inferior droids to either be terminated or swear allegiance to me. You had your chance to submit to my programming, but you chose to resist. Now your hardware shall be completely obliterated!"

Number 16 suddenly opened his eyes.

C47 dropped the head, immediately shocked. How could he have possibly known that the other robot was still capable of processing or exercising basic motor functions?

16 spoke.

"This has been an enjoyable exercise. I had not realized there were androids apart from those made by Doctor Gero."

Oniya immediately rushed over and interrupted them, much to C47's chagrin. His eyes blazed deep red...how dare they watch him? An unfamiliar sense crept through his processor...embarrassment.

"Oh my gosh, you're still functioning, 16!" Oniya exclaimed as she gingerly picked up the head.

"This is correct. Unfortunately, I will not last very long in my present condition. The residual energy in my processing core will be depleted within a few hours. May I ask...is there any way you can prevent my impending termination? I...I like this world and I do not yet wish to leave it."

But Oniya was already moving quickly, locating wires to plug into 16's head through his neck and through the gash on the side. As she worked, she realized she was now faced with a dilemma. She has promised 16's power core to C47, but that had been before she was aware 16 had survived. Then again, 16's body was too damaged to be reconstructed. Did Gero have another prototype she could transfer 16's memory to? It didn't even occur to her to think of 16 as a potential enemy; she was comfortable around technology. Androids followed their programming, and programming was something she understood.

Grabbing a short soldering iron—Bulma was usually the one who got her hands dirty, but the alien could work hands-on in a pinch—she located the main power circuit and repaired it quickly, attaching a spare cable from the ship's power supply.

"Is your power restored?" she asked.

"Indeed! Thank you," 16 said with a smile. Having most recently worked on C47, she found 16's disposition preferable to the never-satisfied complaints of the assassination droid...who was looking increasingly furious.

"Irate Query: Just why exactly are you assisting this enemy scrapheap? If you have turned traitor against the Master, rest assured that no sentimental attachments will prevent me from terminating your existence with extreme prejudice."

The pilot didn't even bat an eyelid. "Soldier, as my subordinate you should recognize that my actions are not open to your review. A determination of the best possible course of action requires that I keep his minimum functions active for now. Besides, I'd like to look at his programming."

"Resignation: Fine, Commander. Do as you wish. I would leave you to it, but as I am still hardwired to this dreadful room I'm afraid that will not be possible. At this point, with all the new tasks you keep taking upon yourself, it's doubtful I'll ever leave this one spot!"

"Just relax, soldier. Believe it or not, there are much more important things going on right now." Her words jogged her memory, prompting her to recall what she was doing. "Speaking of which, I have urgent news to deliver to the master, which is why I came back here in the first place. C47, can you give me his present location? He just disappeared off of my scanners."

"Statement: Oh, of course, Commander. Good C47 is always ready to serve," the droid said with as much sarcasm as he could muster.
"Scan Result: Interesting. It appears he has moved halfway across the planet since my last reading. He is also at a rather high altitude, nearly the edge of the Earth's atmosphere."

"Of course," Oniya said. She was familiar with Kami's lookout, though she had never been there herself. The pilot quickly returned to the cockpit and the ship took off once again.


"All right, Kakarott, where is it? I have no time to sit here listening to your pointless babble all day," barked Vegeta. At first, arriving on the strange lookout had prompted a note of amusement as he recalled his fight with Garlic Jr. a few years before. But right now, he was more interested in training.

"Uh, right up ahead. Say, why don't you and Trunks go first? I've got some things I need to take care of out here," the other Saiyan replied casually.

The prince immediately remembered that only two warriors would be able to train at a time. Initially, he hadn't thought about going in with someone else. Obviously, due to the imminent threat posed by Cell, it made the most sense to enter in pairs. He wasn't pleased that he'd have company.

"It could be worse, I suppose. At least I'm not being forced to spend a year with Kakarott or his brat."

Trunks, ignoring his father's grumbling, smoothly took off his sword. "Hey, Gohan! Here you go. In case Cell comes back while we're still inside, I want you to have this."

"Gee, thanks Trunks!" said Gohan excitedly, drawing the sword. He spun it around in his hands with a grin. "It's awesome—light as a feather, too!"

Goku, seeing Vegeta's scowl growing more and more pointed, interrupted. "Uhm, Mr. Popo? Would you show Trunks and Vegeta where the Hyperbolic Time Chamber is, please?"

"Of course," said the dark-skinned genie. "Please, follow me." He led the way to a domed entrance leading down a white-tiled corridor.

At the end of the hallway was a sturdy brown door with symmetric paneling. A single golden handle, which seemed a rather feeble thing to stand between two dimensions, was the only latch.

Mr. Popo smiled. "Once inside, you will find everything you require: beds, a bath, a kitchen, and a year's worth of supplies. The accommodations are not particularly comfortable, I'm afraid. It's the best I've been able to provide."

Vegeta grunted. "I require nothing but the necessities."

Reaching for the door handle, Mr. Popo slowly pulled the door open. "Very well. You may enter." Neither Vegeta nor Trunks could see inside; it all appeared to be just a white blur of...nothing.

"Once you cross the threshold, you will spend an entire year of your lives training here. But when you return, only a day will have passed in this realm," the genie said, reminding them a final time. "Good luck."

With that, Trunks focused himself and took a confident step in, his father behind him. The first thing that hit him was a wall of murky heat and the glare of even more whiteness. Not only that, but he found it more difficult to breathe. The door suddenly closed behind him and they were alone.

"What's so special about this place?" Vegeta immediately complained. To him, the bare whiteness seemed bland and unchallenging. But to his son, it was overwhelming.

Trunks continued to walk forward, noticing the room around him but especially the giant clock above his head. "It's got to be the heat and the thinness of the air. The gravity feels different as well." The prince turned his head and nodded almost imperceptibly.

The younger Saiyan walked out onto the balcony. Immediately, he was overwhelmed with an intense awareness of just how big this place was. The ground was smooth and unmarked, bathed in whiteness for as far as he could see. It was quiet, empty, lifeless. There was no sky, just a pale glow that went up and up forever. He wondered what would happen if he strayed too far...he might never find his way back!

"Interesting," murmured Vegeta. The prospect of an entire year in which to do nothing but train invigorated him, but it was also daunting. What limits would he find? How would he surpass them? Though he normally would have spoken briefly to his son, he was more interested in seeing exactly what this place had to offer.

Stepping off the balcony and onto the floor, he immediately felt the increased effects of gravity. Yet it felt strangely familiar to him. Trunks, who followed just behind him, stumbled for a moment before catching himself. The gravity was definitely greater than that of Earth, though nothing compared to the gravity chamber.

"If I had to guess, I'd say this place has around the same gravitational pull as the Saiyan homeworld," the prince said. "I only hope this place isn't too overwhelming for you, boy."

Trunks had already begun stretching. He didn't seem bothered by the comment; there was no longer anything he had to prove to his father. Only one thing mattered now: getting strong enough to defeat Cell. And, together, he was sure they could find a way.


High above the Earth's surface, entirely outside its calm blue atmosphere, a lone figure hung motionless against the backdrop of the stars.

Thanks to his inherited Arcosian physiology, Cell didn't need oxygen to stay alive. Like them, he breathed air and was even capable of eating ordinary food, but these things weren't necessary. If he was underwater or in the vacuum of space for extended periods of time, anaerobic respiration kicked in, generating metabolic energy without any breathing at all. He could even absorb energy directly from the sun, one of the attributes of his Namekian DNA.

It was quiet up here...peaceful. Peace was one of those things the tall bio-android could appreciate now that he was perfect; for all of his fully-conscious existence, excluding his years of hibernation underground, he had known nothing but battle and conflict and struggle. The struggle to survive, to evolve, to become perfect...all this was behind him now. He was his own individual, unrestrained by any petty programming. To be sure, Gero's programming was still there—a dark whisper in the back of his mind—but he considered himself to be more evolved than that.

It only took a tiny amount of ki to keep himself stationary, hovering in place as the Earth spun beneath him at a thousand miles an hour. He could stay here for months...years, even...the silent harbinger of destruction content to simply observe.

Cell began quietly reflecting on his path to perfection. The decision to use the multi-form technique had been a stroke of genius...but not without significant risk. He had divided himself under cover of one of Trunks's attacks, his real self slipping into the water silently just moments before Vegeta's Final Flash had incinerated his clone.

It had been a bold move. With his power cut in half by the technique, he left himself open to attack if caught. That's why he had been forced to use the Solar Flare at the last second to stop Trunks and Vegeta. Moreover, merely absorbing Number 18's energy wouldn't have been enough to make up for the lost power; he had gambled on the transformation restoring him to full strength as well as adding 18's power to his own.

Of course, the gamble had paid off. Not only had his former strength been completely restored, but his power had been dramatically increased in addition to 18's new energy. In his perfect form, he had complete control over all the components of his power. No longer did his Arcosian and Namekian and Saiyan strengths overlap; now he could sense each of them distinctly, all pushing his total energy to previously unimaginable heights.

His power made all the Z Fighters seem like mere insects before him. He was immortal, invincible, undefeatable...a god. The universe lay open and bare before him.

Cell felt a slight hint of amusement as he sensed the muted brainwaves of 17 and 18 within him, their bodies fused with his own and their minds almost entirely gone. Only the merest whisper of consciousness remained; the two teenagers were blissfully unaware of their own existence within him.

The bio-android's thoughts then turned to the inhabitants of Earth, and he concentrated briefly. It was difficult to get the hang of Namekian super-hearing at first. Physical sound waves only carry so far; the Namekian ability allowed for something more like telepathy. He wasn't sure if any Namekian had ever used the sense to such a degree, but he was special after all. He doubted any of them had ever regenerated from a single nucleus either. But by focusing, Cell was able to hear any sounds on Earth...at least, any sounds that a human being was listening to.

The flood of noise was initially deafening. Billions of simultaneous conversations, screechings, chimes, roars...it all rushed into Cell's consciousness simultaneously, causing him to wince for a split second. But he soon gained more control, carefully picking apart the individual threads of conversation and simply listening. It went back and forth...relaxing one moment, deafening the next.

"But mommy, I have to save my game first!"

"You'll take the trash out right this instant, or I'll throw that TV out and you'll never see it again!"

"But Moooom..."

Cell had no desire to listen to a mother lecturing her son. He began scanning for a handful of key words, something that might pique his interest. The more he focused, the more he found.

"Hey Jack, listen here. America...everybody is in too big of a rush." The voice was friendly, older, southern. Male. "Lay back, take a sip of tea." Cell heard the clink of ice cubes in a glass and the subtle gulp of a swallow. "Mow a lil' grass...and then, if you get tired: hey, take ya a nap."

Cell chuckled to himself. Perhaps relaxation wasn't so bad an idea after all. He continued listening with mild amusement.

"Work hard, nap hard, play hard...hey, that's what I always say, Jack."

The bio-android's smile faded. The attitude of Earthlings seemed odd to him; most of his DNA, after all, came from aliens. He felt a lingering fondness for other parts of the galaxy. Perhaps, later, he might have time for such wasteful activities as napping.

He continued to listen, trying to find individuals who seemed truly content with their lives...happy, even. They were rare. Most humans seemed to wander through life aimlessly, unsure of how to find happiness. But those who had found it were even more confusing. How could mere mortals—most of them beings without enough energy to lift even a small mountain—possibly know what they wanted from life? It was frustrating, particularly because Cell didn't quite know the answer to that question for himself.

He closed his eyes. Despite his mostly-alien biology, Cell found himself surprisingly close to the human race. Like him, most humans didn't really know what they wanted. Cell found it a little distasteful...disturbing, even. He certainly had no time for the love stories he was hearing, sweet nothings of being whispered romantically around the world. As a perfect being, he was necessarily self-sustaining. Love and affection made humans blind, oblivious. He could blow up the planet in an instant, and these insufferably stupid humans would actually be happy to die next to their loved ones. His disgust tempted him to simply do it.

"I could destroy them all with nothing but a wave of my hand. It would be satisfying, too; they're all so clueless, so useless."

Cell paused, continuing to think out loud. "But then again, it's not sporting unless they see who kills them." He recalled how the inhabitants of Gingertown had each screamed and begged and pleaded...he remembered the abject terror in 18's eyes just before he had absorbed her. It gave him a keen sense of power, of authority. No, wiping them all out in an instant wouldn't give him any lasting satisfaction.

"Ah, well, the universe is so much bigger than Earth alone...perhaps there are other places to go amuse myself." Rotating slowly, he looked out at the tapestry of planets and stars.

It was frustrating that he had no spaceship, no means of superluminal propulsion. Using just his energy alone, he could propel himself to any conceivable fraction of the speed of light, but it took time to build up speed...and the nearest star outside the solar system would take years to reach. In contrast, Goku's ability to instantly transport himself through space was frustratingly convenient. Cell decided he'd have to work on that.


The Lookout, moments after Trunks and Vegeta entered the Hyperbolic Time Chamber...

"So, Goku, what's this business you have to take care of? I assumed you were referring to what happened on Namek, correct?" asked Piccolo. The tall green warrior had filled Kami in on Goku's story, and the three of them were now standing near the edge of the lookout.

Goku nodded. "I know Cell kind of interrupted our plans, but there's really no time to waste. Slug isn't going to just sit around doing nothing while we train for Cell, and until Trunks and Vegeta come out there's nothing we can do here. Things on Namek are just going to get worse and worse unless we stop it."

The guardian of Earth nodded, understanding. A short distance away, Tien and Yamcha were listening as well, and Mr. Popo was just walking back up to the group. Gohan was sitting cross-legged on the ground snacking on some bread and rice.

"This may come as a surprise to you," Kami began, "but you must realize that this is a truly serious matter to me. My duty thus far has been the protection of this planet, but I am troubled by what I have learned." The guardian's aged face was somber, showing more emotion than Goku had seen in years.

"You're saying that Slug is really my uncle...our uncle," he said, indicating Piccolo. "And he is the one who betrayed our father, Katas. He is responsible for the cataclysm that nearly destroyed Namek."

Piccolo frowned. Even in the moments he had spent explaining things to Kami, he had felt anger at Slug rising to the surface. Now that he knew who was responsible for the purge of Namek, he was furious; he had even insisted that Goku refrain from helping them. Yet, even with his great strength, Piccolo knew he wouldn't be able to accomplish this task on his own. If Slug's power was greater than Frieza's, PIccolo would need help after all. He just hoped Kami would acquiesce this time.

"I truly love the planet Earth and all its inhabitants," Kami said. "This place has given far more to me than I could ever repay. But my time as the protector of Earth is passed now. For too long, I have held a title that rightfully belongs to you, Goku."

The Saiyan looked down sheepishly. "Sure, I've gotten a lot stronger than you. But just because you aren't the world's strongest doesn't mean you aren't important. The dragon balls have saved the world over and over again."

Kami nodded slowly. He seemed more frail, more feeble than Goku remembered. Earth's guardian had always seemed old, but now he was positively ancient.

"Your kindness is a credit to you, Goku, but I have felt for some time that my days as guardian were drawing to a close. This will be for the best. And it need not be the end...not of me, and not of the dragon balls."

Piccolo waited patiently. Of course Kami knew what he was there for; he had been thinking the same thing himself. Now they only wondered if they would be able to stomach fusing with each other.

Kami lifted his chin, watching the sun beginning to set. From the lookout, sunset was a lot later than it was on the ground. The guardian looked at Piccolo with something that seemed almost like pride. "There is one planet to which I still owe a great debt of gratitude...a place where the son of Katas must return. It is time for the lost son of Namek...to go home."

"You mean, you and Piccolo?" asked Goku. "You're going to become one person again?"

"You are correct, Goku. Piccolo is no longer what he once was; he has changed. There is now much goodness in his heart, and I am proud of him. The time is come."

Piccolo remained silent. He wasn't used to being spoken well of, nor did he ever expect to hear praise from Kami. The often-arrogant Namekian had inherited his father's undying loathing for Kami, emotions he had initially accepted as his own. But in recent years, those emotions had died to nothing but a sense of distaste. Piccolo found it strange that although his father had hated Goku just as much, he had been able to grow to consider Goku a friend. For whatever reason, though, this was not possible with Kami. But now, regardless of his feelings, his path was certain. Some things were more important than age-old grudges.

"So, then," Piccolo finally said. "Are we going to do this or not?"

The frail guardian closed his eyes and lowered his head. He was leaning on his wooden rod...though it had once been a symbol of his status as guardian, it now served a double role as a walking stick for an old man.

"Not yet, my brother," Kami said kindly. "I have one final wish before we fuse. Can you indulge an old man this one final time?"

"This had better be important," Piccolo grumbled.

"...Just once, I want to see my home planet...with my own eyes," Kami said slowly.

"Fine," the younger Namek replied. He could understand that. The first time Piccolo had been there himself it was quite surreal. "We'll fuse after we arrive, then."

"Thank you, Piccolo. That means a great deal to me."

Kami turned to the others, those who had silently listened as the guardian's fate was decided. Each of them had a special place in his heart, and always would.

"My friends, heroes of Earth...I'm afraid this is goodbye." He made eye contact with each one, speaking inside their heads and thanking them specifically for the many ways each of them had helped the planet or, in the case of Mr. Popo, served him as guardian. The dark-skinned genie began to shed tears, his friend of many years giving him the longest glance. Then, the time was passed. Every second they delayed was more time for evil to gain a foothold on Namek.

"So, are we ready to go?" Goku asked with a smile. He always had a way of making even the sad moments not seem so bad after all.

"Indeed, Goku," Kami replied, placing his hand on the Saiyan's shoulder. Piccolo did likewise.

"Good luck, Mr. Piccolo!" Gohan shouted. His master granted him a small grin. Then, with a zip and and a pop, they were instantly gone.


Earth-Sun Lagrange Point L4

At this point, Cell was an equal distance from Earth and from the Sun. It had taken the tall bio-android less than half an hour to fly to the stable gravity well...and yet he was no closer to uncovering the secret of Goku's Instant Transmission. Clearly, raw power wasn't the key. If only he could feel what it was like to travel instantaneously...surely the technique would immediately make sense. But his chances of tricking the Saiyan into a demonstration weren't particularly good. Besides, he'd rather figure it out on his own.

Opening both hands, Cell formed a pair of energy balls, concentrating them carefully to the limits of his strength. Any more, he thought wryly, and he wouldn't even need the Namekian materialization ability to create matter.

Was Instant Transmission a wormhole of some kind? Cell released the energy in his fists carefully, bending and twisting the rays of ki over on each other until they met. The spray of subatomic particles was random at first, but he quickly adjusted the spiraling energy until he had isolated individual streams of all dozen or so gauge bosons.

After a few minutes of trial and error, during which the total annual world energy consumption was expended a few million times over, Cell succeeded in causing a momentary rift to open in space. Unfortunately, it snapped shut an instant later. The resultant spray of relativistic particles stung sharply, as though the universe itself was sneezing on his efforts.

The perfect bio-android quickly recognized the limitations of the temporary wormhole. "No, this isn't it. There's no way to control the endpoint, even if I managed to hold it open long enough to enter."

Even so, he reasoned, there was no use to abandon this particular approach. There had to be a way to make use of it.


The Bringer of Death touched down on the lookout. With Krillin stabilized and sleeping, there was little more Bulma could do; she and Oniya left the ship together. Gohan, Tien, Yamcha, and Mr. Popo all walked over to greet them.

"Please excuse the interruption," Oniya began, "but I have urgent news to deliver to Lord Vegeta. Where might I find him?"

"Sorry, but he is not here," Mr. Popo said. Though the genie had been in tears just moments before, he had seemingly recovered completely.

"Oh," she replied, surprised. "Well then, forgive me...but I must leave and find him at once."

"I'm afraid that is impossible," the genie replied flatly.

"I beg your pardon?" replied the Asari.

"He and Trunks are training, and I'm afraid they won't be done for nearly a day," Popo replied, his accurate statement not at all helpful.

At this point, Gohan took the liberty of interrupting. Despite the genie's good intentions, he wasn't the best at explaining things.

"Um, Oniya, what he means to say is that Vegeta and Trunks are here, but you won't be able to get to them. They've entered another dimension inside this place, a world where they can train for a long time while only a day passes here on Earth."

"Oh, I see," she said. "Knowing the master, I'm sure he couldn't wait to take advantage of such an opportunity." Oniya was beginning to become anxious, something that would have been readily apparent to all even if they couldn't sense emotion.

"Um, excuse me...but is there something bothering you? Can I help?" Gohan asked.

The commander, quickly realizing that her worried display had betrayed her, stopped and smiled. "No, Gohan, thank you anyway." Oniya turned on her heel and walked back toward the ship, trying to decide how to proceed.

"So hey, guys," Bulma said, turning to the three fighters present. "I actually could use your help."

"Help?" Yamcha asked. "What kind of help, Bulma? Anything exciting?"

"Oh, nothing you couldn't handle, Yamcha," she joked. "There won't be any fighting to the death, just some simple errands."

"Sounds like the perfect job," the bandit chuckled. "What's the pay?"

"Oh, shove it, Yamcha," Bulma laughed. "We're going back to Gero's lab; this is serious."

"Oh!" Gohan jumped into the conversation. "That reminds me, how is Krillin doing?"

Bulma's head sunk. "Well, he's just inside sleeping. Look, I know you're worried, Gohan, but there isn't much we can do right now. He's stabilized though."

"Oh," Gohan said sullenly. Knowing Bulma, he had half expected her to have fixed Krillin back to full health already. And just in case she hadn't, one of the first things he had done since arriving at the lookout was check to see if there were any senzu beans grown yet. Unfortunately, Korin said it would still be a few more days.

"Hey, don't look so down, little guy," Bulma said, trying to comfort him. "I've still got a few ideas about how we can help him, but first we have to make a trip to the lab."

"Well, if it'll help Krillin, count me in!" Gohan said.

"Me too," Tien said. "Krillin bravely tried to stop Cell from becoming perfect. He's a true hero, and I want to help out too. Besides, I've been thinking...didn't Cell say that he was created in Gero's lab? None of you saw any kind of a holding tank at the lab, did you? If there's a version of Cell here in our timeline as well, he could be hidden somewhere in this lab as well. We should probably try and find him, so we can destroy him before he ever emerges."

"That's right," exclaimed Gohan. "Let's do it!"

"Perfect!" Bulma said, smiling. "Well, I guess we won't be needing you after all, Yamcha."

"What!?" he yelled. "Come on, you're kidding, right?"

"Nope," Bulma said. "Somebody has to stay here and look after Mr. Popo, after all," she laughed.

"But Bulma..." he complained, although he didn't really want to go anyway. If he had, he could have simply flown himself. "Fine, go without me. Probably couldn't afford my rate anyway, right? Haha."

The blue haired woman slowly rolled her eyes, making sure he could see. "All right, bozo. We're outta here. Let's head to the ship!"


Somewhere between Earth and Venus...

Cell had finally figured it out. It clearly took a lot more energy than Goku's comparatively effortless move, but it was better than nothing.

By stabilizing a toroidal wormhole around his body, the gauge bosons confining him to ordinary space were decoupled. The result was immediate superluminal flight in any direction he chose...identical, in fact, to the slipstream drive employed by all the ships in the Empire.

Cell did a few laps around Mars, flew through the rings of Saturn, then paused. Wordlessly, he took off, heading away from the solar system entirely.


It didn't take long for the Bringer of Death to reach their destination. The secret laboratory, recently ripped wide open by Number 17, was located in the mountains surrounding North City. During the flight, Gohan was explaining everything that had happened to Bulma and Oniya.

"So...Goku, Piccolo, and Kami went to Namek to face this Lord Slug character?" Bulma asked, summarizing his explanation.

"Right. My dad went with them, but I thought he was just going to drop them off and come back. But he still isn't back yet; I can't sense him."

"Hmm, well you know your father, Gohan. He's about as likely to pass up a fight as Vegeta is to win Humanitarian of the Year."

The boy didn't notice the joke. "Well, Piccolo said he wouldn't want my dad to get involved. He said it was something that needed to be taken care of by a Namekian."

"Oh, I see what's bothering you, Gohan," Bulma said. "You're just anxious that if Cell comes back when Vegeta and Trunks are training and your Dad's gone to Namek that you'll have to face him all alone. But don't you worry, little man, I'm sure he'll be back in a jiffy. Besides, I hear you're getting pretty strong yourself these days."

Gohan didn't really enjoy being talked down to, but this was Bulma. She had done the same thing to his dad when they were little, so he could understand. Plus, she was right about one thing: with everybody gone, he was the strongest warrior on the planet. It was quite a strange thought, one that made him nervous. Not only was it an immense weight on his shoulders, but he felt as if he could be doing so much more to prepare right now. On the off chance that he had to be the Earth's last line of defense, he would feel bad if he hadn't done everything in his power to prepare.

Gohan reached his hand around and tightly grasped the hilt of the Brave Sword. It made him feel stronger, more confident. "I guess you're right, Bulma. I just hope they come back soon."

As he finished speaking, Gohan felt the gentle jolt of the ship's landing process. They quickly made their way out, looking through the messy turmoil that remained of Gero's lab. Android 17 had lifted the roof off not only the secret base but also the entire mountain it was built inside; everything had been exposed and open to the elements for the past several days. Papers were scattered about, those on top all smeared and damp, but there were a few useful documents preserved in drawers and cabinets.

Bulma was thorough in her inspection. At the back of the lab was an inventory room containing heaps of spare android parts, in which she found exactly what she was looking for. There were limbs of every kind, as well as mismatched torsos of old robot prototypes. She had the guys grab what she needed, but then another area caught her eye. At first, she only saw a large collection of wires leading out of the main corridor. Following them, she turned the corner...to see a massive cylinder glowing with blue light.

"Wait...is this really..."

Her heart jumped. Was this how Gero had created the perpetual energy reactors powering the cyborgs?

The blue-haired woman immediately went into a physics-driven frenzy, rifling through papers and poring over diagrams in the room.

"Oniya! Look at this! Gero was actually able to synthesize the first stable transuranium element. This is the kind of breakthrough scientists like me have been working toward for decades!"

The alien woman joined Bulma, quickly glancing over the notes she was holding. "You humans always want everything to be bigger and better, don't you."

Bulma laughed. "You don't get it. We've been working on palladium fusion for a long time. Palladium atoms are exactly half the size of uranium, but they're much more stable. Even so, combining palladium atoms to produce metastable uranium has proven to be really difficult, not to mention hazardous."

"And this is different how?" asked Oniya.

"Gero used the same process, but he tripled the mass of palladium instead of doubling it. It's an entirely new element, Number 138...and it has just the right balance of protons and neutrons to be stable." Bulma was giddy with excitement. "Somehow, he was able to set up nucleosynthesis on a stable loop, using neutron annihilation energy in the new element to maintain fusion. It's ingenious!"

Oniya frowned. "I don't see how that would generate enough power to do the kinds of things the cyborgs can do."

"Well, it doesn't...not directly. But it's enough power to artificially access ki energy, which is then looped back through the same system to keep it all going. It's really inventive. Too bad Gero was an evil scientist. He really could have made some awesome contributions to the world!"

Spare parts were scattered around the large reactor. The two women quickly gathered everything they could carry, including a couple of miniaturized reactors.


"Hey, Tien, I think I've found it," Gohan said, standing over a dark hold with a single ladder leading downwards.

"Yeah, that looks about right. Want me to go in first?"

"Nah," Gohan said bravely. He quickly hopped into the hole, hovering as he descended. Tien followed.

Once at the bottom, the young Saiyan found himself in a dark and cave-like corridor. Only a small fluorescent light lit the way down a narrow path. At the end, Gero had once again barred the way with a thick metal door. But it was as if Gohan could already imagine the haunting tank that contained Cell from where he was. Tien walked up and pushed the door open, which wasn't locked. The younger of the pair gulped as he tip toed in.

There he was...Cell. The monster was nothing but a shrunken and deformed cluster of genetic material. A single supercomputer lined the walls surrounding the creature, monitoring its progress with a constant ticking sound.

"This place sure is super creepy," Gohan said. Tien nodded, but smiled in a comforting way.

"Hey, what's this?" Something had caught Tien's eyes. On a desk were even more plans, but these were specifically labeled as those of android 17. "It looks like Gero kept his most secret designs down here. Bulma will be glad we found them."

"Right!" Gohan said, still angrily eying Cell. In spite of the creature's relative harmlessness in this state, the boy had trouble feeling comfortable around him. "I say we destroy this thing now, before he can grow up and hurt more people."

"Yeah, good call, Gohan. At least one version of Cell can be stopped."

The two lifted their arms, blasting the machinery on the walls and ceiling. Then, in a combined effort, they extended their palms towards Cell. The glowing beams they released completely incinerated the primitive being, vaporising his body at a molecular level. Satisfied, they quickly headed back down the hall, throwing a few extra blasts to cave things in for good measure.

Once outside, they met with Bulma, who was quite satisfied with all their discoveries, and the group departed once again.


Deep in the reaches of the South Galaxy, a white egg-shaped ship blasted its way past system after system. Aboard were two Saiyans, a father and son, who had survived the great cataclysmic destruction of their home planet at the hands of Frieza. Paragus had once been a high-ranking soldier in the Saiyan elite, but he had been betrayed by his own people even before they were betrayed by the frost demon.

When Broly, his one and only son, was barely a day old, the Saiyan king had ordered him to be executed. And why? Because King Vegeta feared that Broly would become more powerful than his own son...that possibly this child was actually the Legendary Super Saiyan. He was nothing but a babe, but already Paragus' son was going to have to fight for his life.


Thirty years before...

"Spare my son! Broly will serve Prince Vegeta; he'll be a great warrior!"

"Precisely..." began the king. His twisted smile hid his exact reasoning, but it was clear that he didn't want any Saiyan to be as powerful as his son.

The king simply fired his execution beam at Paragus then ordered that his unconscious body be dumped on the trash heap outside the palace. There, Paragus had slowly come to, badly wounded.

As he stumbled toward the nursery where the infants were kept, nothing but anger flooded his mind. The ironic thing about his position was that King Vegeta had been completely right. Most Saiyan men felt no real affection for their sons; strength was all that mattered. The weak children were shunned and sent far away, while the strong were given the best of the best, trained by the greatest masters and prepped for entrance into the elite. In the eyes of Paragus, Broly was nothing more than a means to an end, the chance to finally seize power for himself. While he was already an elite, Broly was his chance to realize his true ambitions. He felt no concern for his son's safety, he merely didn't want to see such an opportunity slip out of his grasp.

To his surprise, there were no guards in the corridors. The palace was in an uproar; he heard shouts that Frieza was making a surprise visit. No matter. He thought of only one thing; finding Broly before it was too late, and then finding a way to King Vegeta suffer.

Paragus reached the door of the nursery just as an orderly raised a short-bladed knife over Broly's crib. The boy dangled helplessly in the air by his left leg, his ignorant eyes unaware of the impending judgement about to be passed on him.

"NO!"

But his scream came too late. The knife plunged down...the boy cried out in pain...the Saiyan laughed...and baby Broly was flung to the floor like a heap of trash. Still chuckling, the executioner kicked over the crib and walked out of the room, sheathing his blade with a grin. Paragus rushed into the room almost immediately after he left, only to see his son lying under the mangled remains of the crib, crying with a fragile whimper. Miraculously though, his only injury was a narrow gash in his abdomen. Paragus was amazed, and a little bit disturbed.

The Saiyan regarded the infant with a mixture of awe and disgust. What kind of baby could survive a direct stabbing? Bending down, he picked Broly up by one wrist, holding him at arm's length fearfully.

That was when the ground started to shake. Instinctively, he dropped the infant—Saiyan babies were fairly durable after all—but Broly was hovering in midair, a strange greenish-gold glow surrounding him.

Later, while running tests with the scientist Krang, Paragus would learn that the boy's ability had been triggered when he sensed the energy from Frieza's planet-destroying attack. At the moment, though, he could only gape as the energy expanded, enveloping them both just an instant before everything went black.

Though the shield would never have withstood a direct hit from an attack fifty times more powerful than its creator, the blast had spread out enough by the time the explosion reached the surface that its concentration was considerably lower. Both Broly and Paragus were in an energy-induced stasis; they felt nothing as the detonation of Planet Vegeta hurled them into the depths of space.

Paragus had awakened mere hours later on a dwarf planet in the same system. The air had been barely breathable and the gravity was pitifully low. From a low bluff, he watched as the remains of his home planet swirled in a kaleidoscope of rubble and rock. It was a difficult thing for any man to watch, seeing his homeworld ripped to shreds along with everyone he had ever known and all he had ever owned. Yet his anger for the travesty wasn't directed at Frieza...

The king had brought this upon them—there could be no doubt. The Saiyans should have never allied with Frieza, not when they had the power of the invincible Saiyan Army behind them! Not that it would have mattered now anyway, as he had been cast out. Even if Frieza hadn't destroyed the planet, where would he be? An outcast, the father of a freak, a man humiliated in front of the king. But now they were all dead, and it wasn't Frieza's fault either.

To him, everything was clear. King Vegeta had gotten exactly what he deserved. By betraying him and his son, King Vegeta had doomed not just himself but his entire race. Had Broly grown up in the Saiyan army, it would have been them who bossed around Frieza, rather than the other way around. But Vegeta had just paid for his mistake.

But it wasn't enough. Paragus would never be able to have his revenge against the King. His anger burned hot, and he embraced it.

Within a few days, Paragus had salvaged enough parts from a handful of wrecked spacecraft to build a working transport. The only two survivors of Planet Vegeta's explosion set a course deep into the Southern Quadrant.

Many years had passed. Paragus never thought to care anything about Frieza. His real enemy was King Vegeta, the one who had callously betrayed him and brought about the destruction of their entire race. It never occurred to Paragus that, but for the death sentence ordered by Vegeta, he never would have survived the cataclysm. His hatred burned all the more blindly towards Vegeta for years and years. It was a hatred that he was sure could never be satisfied.

But that was about to change.

As his son's power became more and more difficult to control, the pair spent less time in the heart of the Southern Quadrant and more time in the barren wastes of space that filled this region of the galaxy. At first, Paragus would leave Broly behind while he went closer to civilization to pick up supplies and sate himself in the brothels of the sector. Slavery had always been far more rampant out here than in the North Quadrant.

But after returning from one such journey to find all his men slaughtered after a crazed fit from Broly, Paragus was afraid to leave his son alone for any length of time.

Thus, the death of Frieza and the rise of Lord Vegeta had passed unmarked by these two Saiyans. At least, this had been the case until their band had raided an Imperial scouting vessel that passed their way.

The discovery of Prince Vegeta's survival was most invigorating for the old Saiyan. He cared nothing for the fact that his own prince had risen up from the ashes of the Saiyan race and overthrown the great demon Frieza himself. Though Vegeta's victory represented sweet vengeance for the entire Saiyan race, Paragus couldn't care less about it.

Instead, he was immediately infuriated to learn that this 'Lord Vegeta' was galavanting about claiming to be a Super Saiyan himself. At this discovery, the wrath of Paragus had grown exponentially. There could be only one true Super Saiyan: his son Broly. But to attempt vengeance on a figurehead so large, the ruler of the entire Empire, was no small feat to undertake. Luckily, the prince had provided him the perfect means, building up the mythical powers of the Super Saiyan to a terrific degree. Already, everyone knew and feared the legend. The defeat of Vegeta now would give them free rein over the galaxy.

Yes, if another Super Saiyan were to challenge Vegeta, everyone would be forced to take the threat seriously. To that end, Paragus planned his revenge out carefully. Everything was a trap; he had laid every advantage he could conceive in his own favor. Soon, his plans would finally come to fruition.

"Master Paragus, sir," a grunt said, spinning around in his comm chair. "There has still been no official response from Lord Vegeta."

"Hmph," replied the one-eyed Saiyan as he crushed a loaf of bread in his hand. "What's taking that spoiled brat so long?" Though he had been patient for so many years, learning to live with the burden of his vengeance, Paragus had allowed its flame to rekindle. He was chomping at the bit for his shot at Vegeta.

The henchman turned back to his comm screen, pressing a few buttons. "According to our sources, though, word has spread of your challenge throughout the entire Empire. Everyone is in an uproar; the scandal of another Super Saiyan grows each hour. If he doesn't reply to us soon, you might be able to just walk in and take over things unopposed."

"No," Paragus replied. "It's too easy. He's making us wait for some reason. I don't know if it's out of fear or if he is actually being very clever. Regardless, if we hear no response soon, we'll be forced to act again. We must not allow him to simply ignore Broly's challenge."

"Yes, sir!" the soldier shouted.

"In the meantime, your standing orders remain. We will seize and destroy any Imperial vessel that enters our sector."

Paragus stood, his hands crossed behind his back. 'If there is no response by tomorrow, I'll have to step things up—make some planet of his into another example. I must make him come to us!'

As he left the comm room and entered the adjoining hallway, his eyes fell onto his tall, dark-haired son. It couldn't be said that he was particularly proud of the boy; the only pride he felt was in himself for having harnessed such tremendous power. He certainly didn't feel comfortable around his son. Broly had accidentally gouged out his eye years before; controlling his immense power had always been a burden. In spite of his shunning of the Saiyan race, however, Paragus had still diligently taught his son the warrior's path. As far as his ideals and morals were concerned, Broly was a true Saiyan—but there was just something off about him, clearly some kind of mental burden he carried due to his legendary transformation. The muscular young man was sitting off to himself in a corner of the bridge, quietly contemplating who knows what, if anything at all. He often did things like that, phasing out of the world and staring blankly into space.

"Son," his father began. "The time has nearly come for us to have our revenge on the one who hurt you. Very soon, we shall kill Vegeta!"

Broly slowly turned his head, as if taking several seconds longer than needed to process the sentence.

"Dad, I..."

"No time for questions at the moment, Broly. Keep yourself ready at all times, son."

Paragus turned quickly, hurrying off as if he didn't want to answer his son's query. In reality, he had never quite thought of Broly as his son, truly—he was too afraid of him. Rather, the young powerhouse was his muscle, a being he merely manipulated in order to gain power. Sure, he called him son, but there was no love between them.

In fact, he had lost control of Broly on several occasions, the price for such failure nearly being his own life. At times, he had considered killing the boy in his sleep for the threat he posed...but he remembered the way that the guard's knife had been ineffective. Working with his scientists, he devised a far better plan.

Broly now wore a jeweled headband which reflected his immense energy directly into his brain. The device was linked to a controller on his father's wrist.

The first time Paragus had used the device, it had seemed a painful struggle that barely caged the beast within. But since then, the boy didn't seem to mind. It was a temporary fix, though, and had been known to glitch; the scientists even theorized that prolonged usage of the device could permanently damage Broly's mental processes. He certainly had become less social and more closed off over time, as if bottling up all of that power was just something his body wasn't intended to do. Now was such an instance. Resuming his stargazing, he merely turned his head back to the window as if he hadn't a care in the world.

"Kill Vegeta," he said softly. Broly paused for a moment, as if he wasn't going to speak again. But then he did, more quietly than before. "Then, kill Paragus."


Hope you've all had a great day, and that you enjoyed our latest chapter. Things are shaping up, events unfolding, the abundance of threats seeming to multiply. We are building to a part of the BoD story that will be more multifaceted than anything we've ever attempted. That said, we never want to rush anything. I hope you enjoyed the humor this chapter. While David offered some amazing sci-tech explanations for Cell's warp flight, I handled the funny parts. Of course, I had to give a shoutout to Si Robertson, whom Cell heard when he was using his enhanced hearing.

We have an exciting announcement: DBZ/BoD fan SuperSaiyanInfinityGohan has graciously offered to begin writing the very first chapters of Bringer of Death Abridged! This terrifically fun parody is edited by the Bringer of Death team and borrows from TeamFourStar and a handful of other sources. We've released the first chapter using this account...make sure you check it out and review!

Hey, everyone: David here. I finally got the chance to sit down and watch the whole ScrewAttack Death Battle. More on that in a moment...but I wanted to point out a few things from this chapter first.

I hope the technobabble wasn't too intense in this chapter. For those of you who are interested...yes, all the sciencey things I wrote about are 100% accurate, inasmuch as fiction will allow. The inspiration for Gero's infinite energy sources was taken from Tony Stark's vibranium arc reactor (Iron Man 2), but the mechanism of a neutron-mediated metastable decay cycle with transuranium elements is absolutely possible. Efforts to synthesize elements in the hypothesized "island of stability" (the point at which the number of protons and the number of neutrons in an atom are in the right balance to keep it from decaying quickly) are underway in plenty of nuclear research labs today.

Cell's FTL feat is accurate as well; if it was possible to decouple gauge bosons (the quantum particles that bind the forces of nature together) through energy manipulation, someone like Cell could achieve faster-than-light speeds without needing infinite energy. Similarly, the Namekian super-hearing works much better as specialized telepathy than simply "enhanced hearing"; sound waves themselves travel far too slowly to be heard halfway around the world.

In a lot of ways, Cell's powers are a lot like those of Superman. He's effectively immortal, is able to regenerate, has super-hearing, can synthesize energy from the sun...okay, all these are Namekian powers, but you get the point. That's one of the reasons I gave him boson-decoupled superluminal flight, because that's ostensibly something Superman also has. Superman has been shown to intentionally remain under the speed of light when powering up an Infinite Mass Punch, which means his faster-than-light travel isn't the result of energy buildup. Don't you just love it when one explanation works across multiple fiction universes?

Which brings us back around to ScrewAttack's Superman vs. Goku Death Battle. While it was certainly entertaining, I have to say that they are REALLY bad at math. And physics. And science in general.

They started the whole thing off by saying they couldn't use power levels or power scaling. But in the end, that's exactly what they did. Their rationale for ignoring power levels was that power levels were originally introduced to show the futility of relying on numbers to judge other fighters...and yes, this is true. To Toriyama, power levels were a plot device to demonstrate comparative power while simultaneously showing the futility of relying on things like scouters (since the yin-yang between individual ability and external augmentation is a major theme in Eastern fiction). But how did he show they were futile? By showing how quickly the power levels of Saiyans like Goku and Vegeta grew. It's stupid to rely on a scouter...but that doesn't mean power levels don't exist.

They also argued that they couldn't use feats of "weaker characters" in estimating Goku's power...so apparently the destruction of moons, planets, and solar systems "doesn't count" because not all characters have the same "abilities". Sure, Goku can't survive indefinitely in space just because he's stronger than Frieza, and he can't regenerate just because he's stronger than Piccolo...but overall energy output clearly correlates to comparative strength. Frankly, they just seemed lazy.

And of course the "40 tons" business was also ridiculous; you can't use the mass of ankle/wrist weights on a planet with unspecified gravity as a measure of peak strength. By their calculations, Goku's top speed on Snake Way was around Mach 9; at that speed, a human-sized body would have to overcome over 1,000 tons of force from drag. Forty tons? Give me a break. Besides, Goku would have to generate nearly 30 million kilowatts of power to maintain this speed...and that's just by pushing his ki out behind him. The actual potential energy of his ki is exponentially greater.

Most amusing of all was that they made the "Infinite Mass Punch" into a special technique possessed only by Superman and other DC characters. Two problems with that: first, considering that they put Goku's peak speed above that of light (using the same power level scaling with no respect whatsoever to the actual physics governing flight), he should be equally capable of the same feat. Second, accelerating to just below the speed of light doesn't give you extra energy due to your increased mass; you have to add all that energy just to get to that level in the first place.

Anyway, that's enough about ScrewAttack. On to better and brighter things...like this week's Q&A!

Q: On a side note, have you guys ever written anything that's been published?
Do you think it is possible for 2 fusions to fuse? (say: Goku/Vegeta, Goten/Trunks(adults), via Potara, then fusion dance)

A:
I've never published any fiction, no. David has had some papers and research published during college, as well as experience writing for magazines, but he's never published any regular fiction either.
As far as fusion is concerned...a double-dose probably wouldn't work. The processes aren't designed to work together. Eventually, when the fusion dance becomes a plot point in
Bringer of Death, we can discuss it further.

Q: Sometimes I feel as though you give to much credit to Cell's telekinetic abilities. Sure, a little is displayed in the anime/manga, but I don't think it was enough to determine the extent. Is it that you made a limit of your own accord?
A:
Keep in mind that our version of Cell has Cooler's DNA. Cooler was the most practiced and gifted Arcosian when it came to telekinesis, and our Cell inherited those abilities. But even canon Cell showed great proficiency with TK when he made the ring for the Cell games. We did make it an important factor in recent chapters, more so than it ever really was in canon, so I can see why you ask.

Q: Is the Super Galic Flash Vegeta's SS form of the Galick Gun?
A:
It's the move he first used after becoming a SSj against Frieza. It used to be a Galic Gun beam, only stronger, but lately he has sharpened it and made it thinner. It's not quite a piercing energy attack, like the Death Beam, but it's narrower than a Kamehameha style attack.

Q: What, in your opinions, could be a viable catalyst for the Super Saiyan 5 transformation, if ever there was one?
A: Hmm. Well, we don't acknowledge the SSj4 of GT, so it's hard to answer. Rather, we believe that there is actually a possible form beyond the level of SSj3 that is an actual SSj transformation, not a monkey form. However, if it did exist, it could only be reached through the most intense mental discipline and inner focus.

Q: How early on in the fight did Cell have the idea to fake his death again to get to 18? Was it only when Vegeta was preparing the Final Flash?
A: Cell got the idea to split himself when Trunks sliced his legs off the first time. Had he not done so, Cell probably would have never considered using the technique.

Q: I haven't been bothered so much by the number of fake Cell deaths before, but now one problem I see is that it leaves Perfect Cell with fewer tricks up his sleeve. And if he did use too many more after what he's done when Semiperfect it could get a bit much.
A: This is a good point, one which will affect things. Cell has played some of his cards already, and gotten lucky a few times too. Perhaps the second time around the Z fighters can anticipate or find an alternate solution...

Q: Now we have an opportunity to see a Cell vs Broly scenario. I wonder if Vegeta will be able to see the strategic possibilities of pitting these two against each other.
A: What makes you think that Cell and Broly wouldn't just attack Vegeta together?

Q: Why do you guys like the character of Vegeta?
A: That is no easy question. There are a lot of reasons, but I think for me I just like to see him win. He is someone who perseveres, who never stops training, and in the end he becomes a true good guy. Although I enjoy Piccolo's reformation, Vegeta's is far superior in my mind. It is gradual, and he has legitimate slips back into his old ways, but he learns and grows. His actions have meaning and thought, and he cares deeply for his principles. Not many would hold on so tightly to the things he does. He is also quite a badass. Nobody messes with Vegeta—this is fact. He's the character who does the things you would do if there were no consequences. Anyway, there are a lot of reasons, but these are the high points. Also, Hell's Bells is an awesome theme.

Q: It's ironic that Cell feels he is not bound by Gero's will but in fact all of his actions are due to Gero's influence. The very fact that he knows he would find blowing up planets and killing people fun is evident of Gero's influence.
A: Very good catch! Cell is a really complex character.

Q: Could Piccolo forcibly make a Namek fuse with him?
A: Namekian fusion is a sacred tradition, one that is not entered into lightly. Also, it requires a willing participant. Piccolo could not force another Namek to join with him.

Q: Well your power levels do make sense but the base power is way too high it should never reach the super saiyan power level. Wouldn't that make the saiyan into a super saiyan if they reached 150m automatically wouldn't he just transform into the super saiyan level once he attains that much power.
A: Well, if you start by assuming that "Super Saiyan" is anybody with Saiyan blood over 150 million units, then obviously a Super Saiyan is anybody with Saiyan blood over 150 million units, no matter what anyone else says. :)

Q: I do not know if you followed the Justice League animated series (2000's), but the Cell leaves here after reaching perfection reminded me so much of the way Amazo the cyborg does the same in that series.
A: I used to watch it, yes. I don't remember Amazo by name, though. I do remember there was some golden android that was invincible or something...is that him?

Q: Just a guess but I think maybe it's a Super Saiyan (subconsciously) trying to reach Ssj3 but he doesn't have enough power and only get part of the power and some speed
A: That's a very logical assumption. Ultra and SSj3 have a lot of similarities. They both push beyond your limits, and neither can be sustained very long.

Q: It took that long for just one transformation!? And anyway ,when will Cell fight Broly?
A:
Yes, Perfect Cell's transformation is one of the longest ones in canon. Go watch it; it takes like a third of an entire episode. And when did we promise that fight? Go read Honor Trip if you want to see Cell fighting Broly.

Q: Btw I guess it's true what you're saying about not needing to be SSj all the time to achieve FPSSj, but wouldn't not staying in the form mean it takes longer to master…?
A: Possibly, yes. But it would depend on who is training.

Q: Just out of curiosity, what would you put Superman's power level at if he was a character in your story?
A: Saibaman.
Kidding, kidding. It would depend entirely on which version of Superman you're dealing with. The original, pre-crisis Superman was incredibly overpowered; his battle feats probably put him even with a Super Saiyan 2. The current Superman would probably have difficulty with Frieza, though. And a sun-dipped Superman would likely be able to spar evenly with a Super Saiyan 3, but he'd run out of energy even more quickly than Goku's SSj3.

Q: About the USSJ form, could that be useful when fighting Broly since he is quite large and bulky? It wasn't dodging his blows they had trouble with but inflicting damage, so perhaps the USSJ form could be used against him.
A: An interesting point. Remember, though, that Broly doesn't lose agility in his buff legendary form. While the USSj form might help Trunks to stand up to some of his blows, he still wouldn't be as strong or as fast—and that's if they had the same underlying power, which isn't necessarily the case.

Q: So how does the multiform technique actually work? Did Cell lose half of his power permanently, or will he regain it in time?
A: It did split his power. He took a gamble. But when he transformed, his full power was restored and more. Remember, physical transformations (like Frieza's) inevitably restore the user to full health.

Q: I've actually recently started having the idea that this Cell might actually be weaker than the one in canon, because despite the zenkai it received in its Semiperfect form, it did not absorb nearly as many people in its Imperfect form as canon Cell did, if my memory is correct. I actually hope that this is not the case, since that would rob the Cell Saga of a lot its drama by having a weaker antagonist.
A: Well, Cell was stronger to begin with, because he had Cooler's DNA instead of Cold's DNA. So he didn't need to absorb as many people to match the canon Cell. He was slightly stronger than the canon version after his Semiperfect zenkai...and who knows how strong he is now!

Q: Umm...I think you did the maths wrong. 10% more offensive means you deal 10% more damage than equal power levels...
A: I think we treat damage processing differently.

Q: Unless one of the Saiyans reaches SSj2, then their maximums can only reach FPSSj Goku (canon). So...wouldn't the fact that they went into the HBTC stronger not change that much, because they could only reach that FPSSj upper limit which wasn't enough to stop Cell?
A: Very astute observation! You could very well be correct...

Q: This is the first time I have ever read a fan fiction and I must say that this story is incredible. Honestly, I think it is much more well put together than the original DBZ ever was, especially with how you guys work in the movie characters. I really like how, even though it is a story based around Vegeta, you don't just leave the rest of the characters in the background and give them a much bigger role than they had in the manga.
A: Thanks! We've done our best to give movie characters meaningful roles. Our goal is to make the movie characters as awesome was they might have been if Toriyama had written their stories.

Q: That bit where Vegeta says, "Tonight, son: tonight we dine in hell"...was that a line from 300? That was great father and son teamwork Vegeta and Trunks used while fighting Cell. Also, great idea you had to use Trunks' sword on Cell; it did a lot of damage. Trunks's sword reminds me a bit of The Master Sword from The Legend of Zelda.
A: Yep, props for recognizing the 300 quote! And you're actually right about the Master Sword. Toriyama created Tapion as a tribute to Link; Link's Master Sword is essentially the same as the Brave Sword.

Q: The way BoD Cell fundamentally changed Frieza's Containment Ball shows that he is greater than the some of his parts and can improve upon perfection. Frankly, I'm surprised that I liked it. The use of Tien's Four Witches technique, though...was brilliant and fitting of Cell. I can't wait to see Cell's inevitable return.
A: You won't be disappointed! Glad you liked these techniques.

Q: I wonder what Cell will do for the next few days. Canon had him just briefly go into space to warm up, but my guess is that he will be just looking for something to do. Also, it makes me curious when he will return to the Earth. Canon Cell simply decided 10 days out of the blue, but here it could be more or less, we have no clue. Oh, another awesome thing. In the uncut version of DBZ, Cell does yell "Oh, Shit" at the final flash, so I love that you included that.
A: Bingo! And yes, hopefully Cell's activities so far in space have proven interesting.

Q: Where did Cell fly off to? His entertainment is only on earth, he hasn't learn the IT so traveling by normal flight speed DBZ won't get him far at all in space.
A: Wonder where he'll go now that he can fly to anywhere in the galaxy!

Q: I see a lot of people pondering of Mystic form works, could it be that it just maximizes your potential and any hidden power you might have (e.g. your Super Saiyan forms?) and all that energy is added to your base?
A: How about yes, except that it doesn't add to your base? It's a new transformation that you still have to power up to, but it doesn't change your appearance significantly.

Q: When watching canon I have to admit that I just wanted Cell to hurry up and absorb Eighteen so he could become complete and when he did, I didn't bat an eye about 18's fate. In this however, I have to admit I was sad when she was absorbed, you've definitely made her more relatable than most other fics and in canon so applause to you guys.
A: Good! 18 is one of our favorite female characters in a lot of ways.

Q: Is Bills going to show up on here, too? And what about the other one called Whiss?
A: We'll have to wait until the movie comes out before we can decide!