Disclaimer, in case it wasn't obvious. I don't own Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, or really any other property. Thank you.
The Cataylst
Act VI
Chapter 108: Power Play
Cell:
The others had been too concerned with their own self-importance to understand when the moment to strike came. All of them had their own plan, and their alliance was short-lived. What was fascinating was discovering things which they had not. When he'd been so cocky as to ambush at the wrong moment against the Long-Haired Saiyan prior, he'd not anticipated the right moment to strike. Now, when he knew his other selves weren't close enough to here to get here in time, without revealing their power. All of them believed themselves to be the superior of each other, but he knew he was the one learning from his experiences the most.
And he had learned a series of very important things. Make sure the moment was right…
And make sure to adapt to what others were doing. The others believed that they could adjust by simply adjusting to what others were doing, but that was not true adaptation. In his first encounter with Piccolo, he came to understand exactly how to overcome his adversary. It wasn't of course just to let him tire himself out, as he'd been so helpful so far doing, it was to understand the source of his opposition's power, and use it for his own gains.
The Namekian, one of his primary genetic donors, turned to him as he spoke. It was fortunate that he had already tired himself out as well, it would allow his victory to be all the sweeter. A smile formed with his malleable beak, twisting upwards as he felt his leathery skin begin to slide up the side of his face from the motion. A low growl hissed from his mouth before he stepped forward, his foot making the familiar, satisfying sound of armoured plates clicking together.
"It appears that you've been doing an excellent job, Piccolo. Everywhere you go, you're trying to hold things together. But fear not, my brother, I will take things from here."
Swishing dangerously behind him, his tail glided through the air with deadly grace before pointing sharply ahead, pointing its hungry stinger at the Namek, who was already on a back foot, bracing himself. He was trying to hide his nervousness, but Cell already knew what weaknesses his opposition now faced. Fatigue was a major component behind the usage of the Kaioken technique, and it was one reason why Dr. Gero had opted to not program him to utilize it. Given his necessity for consistent new nutrients to be brought into his system, and his already limited ability to permanently hold onto his power, until he of course, devoured his lovely siblings, Cell could burn through is fuel far too quickly with such a technique.
Piccolo had pushed his body to its fullest capacity to defeat 16, and it was quite a gift his mechanical counterpart had given him. As now, he knew, Piccolo could not hope to marshal the same forces he had only moments prior.
"Such a shame that you won't be around to see what the ultimate being looks like. Most creatures would pay any price to be given a chance to see a being achieve… Perfection."
"You're nuts," Piccolo snarled back at him, his teeth barring at him, revealing his more primitive nature. "Even like this, if you think I'm going to let you just get past me to the others, then you've got another thing coming."
All of these creatures were so fascinating. Their backwards, selective view of the world allowed them all to be little more than playthings to a being such as himself. Of course, Piccolo hadn't been shown the fullest extent of his power yet.
His grin didn't vanish from his features as he looked at the downed Android, momentarily, before looking back at Piccolo, another satisfied, low growl emerged from his throat before he started to chuckle. It was beyond amusing that the Namek didn't realize he would have never shown his face unless this was working to his objectives and goals. Whatever chance of victory Piccolo thought he had, would vanish in a heartbeat once he put his true strength on display.
Powers flickered violently in the distance as he felt the familiar energies beyond, both of them rising to try and finish the Androids. He knew already he had limited time to work with, but certainly more time than Piccolo was going to deprive him of. In fact, Piccolo was only going to stall him for seconds, perhaps a few short minutes at most, and then he'd be upon his true prey.
Turning his attention away from the powers beyond, he stared back at his opponent with a malicious glee. Even at his full power, and not having spent so much energy, Cell would have overcome the Namekian in this state. There would be no glorious defense, or rise to the challenge. He would be crushed and discarded like the inferior specimen that he was. Already a swirl of golden energy started to seep from his carapace. The body of his recently deceased counterpart, Android 16, started to rumble as the land itself did, before rips in the ground split open. Trees were torn loose and cast into the wind like sand being brushed off a dune by a dry wind. The destruction, he reveled in it momentarily as he heard himself started to cackle, his body flexing inwards as he braced himself and took position for his full strength to emerge.
Light filled the air in the final seconds, before the ground gave way around them. A cascade of energy rippled out as he sensed a pause in the fighting beyond. But it was of little concern.
The symphony of destruction filled his ears. The rumble of debris raining down as if it were a hailstorm delighted him. The choir slowly died as the smoke settled, the last of the rumble vanishing, leaving a silence only interrupted by the stunned noises, barely restrained, coming from his Namekian counterpart.
"Well now, let's get started, shall we?"
Cell took his first step forward, mechanically marching towards the stunned Piccolo, before the Namekian hardened his gaze on him.
"All of those people," he seethed. "How many lives did you steal for that power?!"
A snide smile emerged as Cell stopped his march, eyeing one of his genetic-donors. It was perfect, really. Those useless creatures, the humans, simply fed him to provide him with the power needed to achieve the greatness that Dr. Gero had always envisioned. Their lives couldn't be stolen, as they already belonged to him.
"Stole? How small minded of you," Cell chuckled. "Their lives have a meaning now; I've given them a purpose. They are playing their part in becoming apart of greatness."
Piccolo's features shifted to one of resolve in response, just as he'd expected. The most powerful being on the planet, would of course continue to stand his ground, even as tired as he was. It was all apart of his plan anyway.
"I'll make sure you pay for each one of them," Piccolo ground back at him, the familiar green glow ebbing at the edge of his form.
Now was the perfect test, wasn't it?
Lunging forward, Cell struck out, firing off his right hand like a missile, trying to land on Piccolo. In a flash of movement his hand was caught in the air. The struggle was brief, both of them pushing back against one another. Throwing his other hand out, Cell's other fist was caught as he started to push back against the Namek, chuckling for a moment before he felt… his wrists… beginning to bend backwards. He could sense it. Even now, even at this point of exhaustion, the Namek was pushing himself. The intensity of the green aura flickered with his own before Cell felt his knee starting to push back.
Dropping to a prone position, his one armoured kneecap cracking into the already scorched and ravaged earth beneath them, cracks formed around them in this test of strength. A low growl of disdain and displeasure escaped him as he eyed his adversary with a reluctant, new-found respect.
"I must admit, Namek, you are more formidable than I had imagined. Truly," he growled. "Which is why… I must thank you."
The test of strength had yet to end as Piccolo's featured seemed confused by the last word he'd said, the Namek eying his tail warily, but in truth that was not his method of extraditing himself from the situation. Rather, Cell was going to do what he knew his other selves had not yet. He'd learned how to achieve his victory.
In an instant, his power doubled, mimicking the technique Piccolo himself had utilized. Though he'd nowhere near the master of one such as Son Goku, or Piccolo for that matter… he had sensed it, and felt it while they'd been fighting. The basics of the memories and thought-processes of how to manage such a technique had always existed within him, dormant, even if it hadn't been designed in place by Dr. Gero specifically. The Namek's eyes flashed with shock and fear as Cell's smile returned, shoving the Namek back with easy, almost breaking him backwards as he overtook him in this test.
The Namek gave way his feet from the ground, already sensing the futility of continuing before stabbing him in the chest with both feet, drop kicking him back. Cell felt his hands release, half from the manoeuvre, and half from necessity to allow Piccolo distance… to destroy him.
By the time Piccolo landed on his feet, he was already doubling back, trying to increase his power, but it wasn't enough. A trickling of energy, even with a multiplication, was all it was in comparison. Blurring forward, he knew Piccolo could sense his overwhelming disturbance in the air, but also knew he could do nothing about it. The alien tried to raise his guard to block, only for Cell to delivery a colossal blow to his side, almost seemingly ripping the Namek in two once again. Piccolo gagged as his feet jolted to the side, he could hear bones shifting from the strength of the blow before. When the Namekian struck back, his fist shooting towards him, Cell had already ducked beneath it, sweeping his tail around first, cracking the Namek in the other side, causing him to spin, before Cell lashed out with his fist next, landing a solid connection on the Namekian's face, before planting the bottom of his armoured foot into his chest.
Piccolo's body blasted towards where he knew the others were, and Cell laughed as he took off after his prey. Rocketing in after him, he blasted down from above, trying aiming for the death-blow needed to put an end to all of this, and in the same short order he'd predicted. In a single swooshing motion, he drove himself towards the victim, almost thinking to use his tail's deadly sting, but instead opting for a lethal punch. Focusing his ki into the hard point at the end of it, he tore straight through the after image. His body crashed into the ground where Piccolo's form had been above only seconds earlier. His feet clicked and crashed into the forest floor like a small asteroid strike.
Does he really believe that will make a difference?
Sensing Piccolo's power once again, Cell twisted his head to look to the side where he was. The Namekian had taken a stance upon himself, breathing heavily as he did. Hoisting his two hands together, Cell could already sense the energy being gathered into a central point.
"An energy wave, Piccolo?" Cell chuckled, mixing his words with a predatory growl. "A desperate move if I've ever seen one. That attack will not overwhelm me, surely you must know this."
The only response at first was just the Namekian beginning to cry out as power flooded the distance between them. The clouds in the sky seemed to almost start pulling forward. Whatever he had left was clearly being put into this attack. A futile effort, truly. He had no time to indulge the Namek's fantasy's of victory however.
Only there was a small pause for him as he felt the energy concentration, and he felt the Namek's power rising. As it concentrated, the more focused it became, the more powerful he could sense the bolt forming in Piccolo's hands becoming. Slit eyes expanded as Cell began to realize just how strong this attack would become.
Impossible. This much energy shouldn't be possible after his battle with 16-!
As the green-skinned alien locked eyes with his own, Cell felt his own hearts skip their beats.
"Let's find out," he announced through grit teeth before throwing his hands forward.
The golden orb at the tip of the hands launched outwards, stabbing through the air like a spear being thrust into its target. The only problem for Cell was, he was the target. Power filled his body as he hoisted his defenses before the bolt hit.
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Android 18:
Seventeen!
Thoughts were left in a complete mess as her minds rushed, trying to determine what just happened as her brother vanished in a wave of purple-blue light. The half-formed scream he'd form of surprise and agony had rung through her audio receptors before he'd just left. Her optics were darting along the path of destruction, looking for any signs of her sibling. It didn't seem possible. They… they killed him. These two things had appeared and had completely overwhelmed and killed her brother. The reality of that seemed increasingly likely as she came to only one logical conclusion based on the feed of data she was receiving.
"You know…"
"… For super dangerous killing machines…"
"… You sure are gullible."
The two voices emerged from her side as 2 sets of feet touched down on the ground just past her. Twisting her head violently towards them, she could see the amused looks on their faces before they shifted to a more serious change.
"Did you really think we were fighting? You and that brother of yours saw what we wanted you to see. It's called a trap, by the way," they said together, revealing the ploy they'd used to kill her brother. "So, we guess it was a nice try for a couple of losers, don't you think?"
There was a pause that seemed to last an eternity, even if it was only a few seconds. There were some bruises, but the pair of them were fine outside of that. Had it all been a trap? Something they'd cleverly come together and planned to isolate and then destroy 17? Inside of her mind, the interactions between her chip and processor started to almost overheat as she saw a scene very familiar to her.
Seventeen. Lapis, was staring at her, his eyes lifeless, distant, and she could almost feel him in her arms as he slowly… vanished. Something warm was on her face but she wasn't sure… blood? Unconsciously she reached up and brushed some of it away onto her bare arm. There it was. The second death, the final death. She could recall it now as it was before, the day that he'd died. Now it was here again, and… it was the same, wasn't it? Lured into a trap and killed. Just as she'd been before as well. Her own eyes scanned the pair looking back at her. Just like there had been a pair before, Dr. Gero and Dr. Rosa.
Rage.
It was all she was feeling right now, just a pure kind of anger. She barely could tell, but her hands were shaking as she looked between the two of them. There confidence didn't wane for a moment before they both gestured their hand out, gesturing for her to continue their fight.
"We'll give you a chance to try and make a mark, but this fight is already over. Give up now, and you might even get to live."
Live? It felt surreal, even in her anger. Surrounded by memories that were not fully her own. She'd never died, as she'd never been Lazuli. But it also felt like she'd never been alive. What she was, how she processed, what 17 was… it was all… an echo. Data came up for her as she assessed her chance of winning. Based on prior involvement and 17's defeat, she could see it being next to nothing.
Briefly, she saw herself standing at the edge of a dark forest, looking back towards a facility. It was one where she knew 17 was laying, already dead. Journeying back into it would be sealing her own fate as well, perhaps. Conflicting algorithms clashed, self-preservation, the need to kill Son Goku, and myriad others all danced around her as she felt the urge to simply walk towards her own death, if for no other reason than what had just befallen her sibling. But there was a quiet voice in the back of her mind, one she'd never heard while she was alive.
Would he really want you to charge into your own death?
Seventeen… Lapis even, was so full of life. Would he have wanted her own to end just because his had? Would he have wanted that… before… even? What would 16 even want her to do? Where was 16? There was a sensation of being very, very alone that followed her suddenly as well. A sensation that didn't emerge from her chip, but from seemingly her gut. Briefly, her eyes darted in the direction Piccolo and 16 had gone to, before switching back to the pair in front of her. She was standing in two places at once, here, and the past that wasn't hers.
Raising her hand up in front of her to assume a defensive stance, 18 braced herself. Whatever all of this reflection was, whatever dreams and nightmares it was born from, it wasn't her place to run away, not now. When 16 got back, she'd be able to end this. For now, it was about surviving until then.
"So, that's how it's going to be?" they asked, clearly seeing her intent to defend herself. "It's so much easier to pick apart someone throwing themselves at us. C'mon, don't be boring."
Her eyes only narrowed briefly before she gave her cold response.
"Boring? What's more boring than what you two are doing, in your matching outfits and unified voices? Don't answer that, I don't want to hear about your grass collections."
The two briefly exchanged a look before looking back at her, both starting to make their march towards her, each of their steps synchronized with the other, their arms even swaying at the same point. It was unnerving, even for her to see, as they were the same, seemingly. Two bodies and one mind in the most serious way.
"Let us show you our favourite piece of grass," they said together before blurring forward.
Time slowed for her processor as it ramped up in a fraction of a second, she could see them both shooting towards her, both moving to her flank to overwhelm her as quickly as possible. What was worse, was she knew they'd know her first move to defend herself. A thousand calculations ran through her mind in complex form, trying to determine the best approach to defense, with its prior knowledge, and errors mostly came back, being unable to determine the best defense as the incoming attack seemed to change with every second that she prepared herself for the defense, moving with her as her chip came to the right conclusion.
Indecision was inaction. Fumbling at the last moment, despite her fluid motion, she snapped her arm up to intercept Turles, if only because she found him more insufferable between the two. Her fist batted aside his leg, and she twisted, trying to stop the incoming strike from Son Goku, only to feel his knuckles connect with her face. Her head snapped violently to the right before she felt Turles's fist hit her from the other side, the momentum of the speed and force her head was already moving at, enhancing the force of the incoming blow. Stars exploded across her vision as her overlay of information skipped for a microsecond, making her heart race even faster as she felt a brief moment of naked panic. Instinct, rather than programming, came into play before she felt herself almost fall to her knees from the violence of the two strikes, managing to shoot a backhand towards Son Goku, which was pushed aside before both their knees connected with her stomach. Her eyes bulged before she felt herself launch backwards, hitting the ground with a roll, streaking past the carved, charred earth which was the scar left behind by 17's demise.
Coughing as she started to pull herself up, before she even had a chance to lock back onto target, she saw the first of the Saiyans already on her, his fist pulled back into a vicious strike, confidence and aggression displayed clearly on his features before the blow landed, causing her to crumple backwards into the home she'd previously made in the damaged hellscape. Colours blurred together as she realized she was concussed. The familiar taste of copper was all she could hold onto as she blinked several times, trying to recalibrate her systems before anymore damage could be done. Time almost stopped as her eyes reneged, focusing in on the first thing she saw.
Green, vibrant, too vibrant and high in contrast to be under normal visual conditions, came into view, before making a solid object in front of her, a wave of it, rolling along as far as her eyes could see, leading into the forest. Half-consciously, she chuckled, only to be cut off by a violent cough, her central body still damaged from the double-knee strike. She was looking at a field of grass, the irony wasn't last on her. Turning her head towards the two, one with his arms crossed the other still assuming a fighting stance, she spat the blood out of her mother as she glared coolly back at them.
Option: Retreat?
Conclusion: Son Goku Present, retreat option not recommended.
Several contrasting thoughts and programs clashed with one another as she tried to pull herself up, only seeing a gesture from the pair for her to stop.
"You can't win," the pair said in unison. "And it's gotten a less fun since we killed the other one of you. So, tell you what, one of us is impatient and the other is bored. That's not a great look for you, understand? Give up, you're running out of warnings."
Energy crackled at her fingertips before 18's features twisted into a scowl. They were treating her like she was finished, and she knew, despite them being twice her number, they were still weaker than her full potential. It was only the fact they were able to land clear, heavy shots on her, repeatedly, that was slowing her down at all. She just needed to hold on until 16 got back.
Throwing both her hands forward, she could see the two of them already moving away as her energy blast tore through the area in front of her, rocketing into the remnants of the town before exploding at its core, washing away what little remained of any evidence of human habitation that was there. The blast was intense enough that she'd already gotten back to her feet, turning to follow the blurred movement her sensors now detected, closing in with it, she shot her hand out, trying to use the light from the explosion to blind her adversary enough for her to get in the attack she needed to do lasting damage, but, as per usual, it was useless. Her hand never reached Son Goku, because her foot was caught in mid air, dragging her to a halt. When her eyes shot down towards the other annoyance, her other leg preparing to kick down at him, she saw in the corner of her eye, her original target shooting towards her. Before she could respond, her leg jerked down before her face was grabbed by the other attacker. A snarled, muffled noise left her as her frustration finally peaked. Trying to kick out with her leg, and punch with her arms, she only flailed before her before was power-slammed into the hard ground again. The smashing of the ground caved into the shape of a reverse-dome as the energy from her impact was spread out around her. Her head felt light again from the impact as she finally felt herself having more than just computer-timed seconds trying to recalibrate.
They were killing her, and she wasn't even making a dent. Only days ago, she'd have killed Turles, she almost did, and now him and his brother were making sport of her and 17.
When the hand left her face, she felt her leg heave up, as the Saiyan holding it shoved his knee into the back of it and started to twist. Even her human responses were faintly restricted as she felt herself in a haze for the beginning of it.
Huh?
Panic set in as she realized too late what was happening. Her leg twisted and began to be forced, against its will, into a pose it couldn't sustain. Just as she reached out to stop it, pointing an energy wave at her attacker's head, the other sibling shot in, driving the heel of his foot into her compromised knee. It, and the shin beneath it, cracked. Bone didn't puncture the skin, but she felt it snap, even with the augmented, infused muscle and bone that was there. Programs on board had never been programmed as to how to handle this kind of unexpected injury. But there was a preprogrammed response which came from her organic components. It took her a micro-second to realize what the new noise was surrounding her as nerves went wild, sending oddly familiar sensory data to her primary receptors. She was screaming, and in pain. A pain only comparable to being cut open, prior to her… death.
She reached out with her hands, trembling as the Saiyan released her leg and stepped back. Trying to touch it, as if to hold the limb to somehow sooth it. Every attempt to even reach for it felt unbearable, and she flinched back in pain, trying to stop herself from rolling around on the ground.
"Well, that's our good deed for the day," she heard, but she wasn't really listening. "Now we get to decide, to kill, or not to kill. Which one do you think? Oh man, it's such a tough decision…"
Trying to even move her leg was too much. Her primary system couldn't even deactivate the receptors it was so severe. She managed only to gain enough control to realize how heavily she was breathing before she looked up at the pair, both their hands pointing down at her, neither with the cocky expression on their face.
"Sorry robot-lady, but you've gotta go. It's nothing personal."
This really was… it… 16 hadn't returned yet… 17 was dead. It was the end. Only the pair paused, looking at one another and seemed annoyed before looking past her.
"Well, aren't you the big-damn-hero."
Managing to turn her head, trying to pull herself back to get distance from her attackers as her leg fumbled behind her uselessly, 18 saw who they were referring to. Her lips parted as her eyes widened, feeling a mixture of relief and worry.
Standing there, his jeans torn, his shirts ruined, his bandana long gone and his body covered with several cuts, bruises, and light burns, was the very much alive, and hardened looking 17.
"Round one wasn't a great look, you can't really be asking for round 2, can you?"
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Android 17:
It'd taken everything he had to form the shield around himself in the midst of the light. Even in doing so, his systems had gone down. Reactivation had brought him clarity. Clarity through the pain he was now in, and clarity through the anger he was now experiencing. Being overwhelmed by it would have not allowed him to think, but he realized there was a way towards evening the odds against his twin opponents.
Seeing 18 as she was, not able to stand and at the edge of her own death, instilled a further determination in him. There was a part of him that quietly told him, even now, that he needed to make up for what had happened. It was strange, feeling responsible for what had happened to the shells of these bodies, but he'd come to accept it. He saw her as his sister, and she was. He knew she'd died before because of him… or because of who this body had been. Even now, she nearly died for him again he was certain.
Not this time.
"I don't know, are you guys really asking for round 2?" he responded back, keeping his eyes on them. "Are you sure you can even keep up with me?"
What he needed to do was lure them into something that couldn't be avoided, and he'd already mapped out what that was. He knew their precognition couldn't go past a few seconds, at least functionally. Twenty seconds at most.
"We just left you in the dirt, kid," they said in response. Do you really think you're going to last? Why bother putting up a fight? Your big friend is going to be on the losing end of things too. This is ending here, and there is nothing you can do about it."
They'd see about that, wouldn't they?
Shifting his weight on his bare feet as he lined up his attack, he knew he'd take damage coming in, and he was more than aware of how this would play out at first. The two fighters seemed to grow cockier as they took up defensive positions, already knowing his vector of attack, in fact, lining up with it perfectly as he planned it out.
Which also told him their precognition, was in fact, 17 seconds, having been mathed out by his primary computing core, taking all factors into consideration. He was now smiling right back at them.
Jetting forward, bursting past where 18 sat, only seeing her eyes following him in a kind of almost fight-or-flight response, he launched himself into the pair, striking out with two kicks and a punch, knowing each strike wouldn't find their home, and being fine with it. One of the two shot back, cutting towards his legs with a kick as the other came in high, trying to catch him with a lariat, lunging back towards him. Allowing his legs to be swept out as the bigger fighter shot past him, 18 raised his shield.
Hopping to his feet and dodging an incoming strike from the single warrior now in the cage with him, 17's smile only grew as the pair looked at him, still smug and self-confident.
"Even in here, you're not going to be able to touch us," they said in unison, as 17 knowingly threw futile attacks towards his opponent.
He needed to eat up time. Each strike, even if not blocked and easily predicted by his opponent, let the rope run out. In fact, his opponent, who he now identified as being the real Son Goku. A hard blow landed back on him, crashing into his ribs before he took a shot to the head, and that was fine by him. Staggering back, blood trickling from his lip, he saw the other warrior halt himself, his eyes widening as he realized what he'd walked into.
Precognition this.
Instead of moving straight for it, 17 knew to keep his target engaged, striking with punches and kicks which the Saiyan now struggled to dodge, his mind too focused on escape than avoidance. When he placed 2 fingers to his forehead, 17 caught him, hard with a punch to the face, slamming the Saiyan against the shield.
Outside the shield, he could see the other Saiyan looking on, furious at what he was seeing. Seventeen simply gave him a look, as if to say "don't worry, you're next" before he shoved his hands into the sides of the shield, and released all the energy he could. The orb glowed around him brightly as Son Goku looked back at him for the brief second that he had, in complete shock, before 17 attempted to finish the mission he'd been created to do.
Energy filled the entire shield, scorching 17's body, before the blast took place. Being at the heart of it, even with his own energy, was intense. The power condensed briefly, blasting off of the surface of itself as the pressure built up too its final peak. Green energy mixed with blue power before bursting in an explosion he'd focused into being as vertical as possible. The pillar of energy burst through the atmosphere and into the ground, before rocketing into the void of space above.
When the light faded, 17 found himself laying on his back outside of an immense, deep wound in the Earth. Energy still crackled above it, having only a dark void to show beneath it. His optics scanned the destruction before peering towards his sibling, seeing her leaning against a fallen tree, her eyes wide with shock at what she'd witnessed.
"Did… did you finish him?" she asked.
The aftermath of his attack had transformed the landscape, but he knew all too well not to count on a victory out of nowhere, not this time.
When his eyes locked onto the primary remaining target, he could see the pair of Saiyans. One with his hair still composed of Gold, the other with black hair, clearly savaged, and being held up by the other. The smile he'd had before, returned to his features as 17 felt his confidence returning. They'd hobbled 18, and they'd badly damaged him, but they'd not finished him. Even now, his body further scorched and beaten from his fight with the now depleted Son Goku, he was more than ready to finish what they'd started. One fresh Saiyan left, that's all he had to get through.
"Close enough," he reassured her before finishing putting himself back together, stretching briefly as his muscles and body protested.
I need a vacation after this shit.
"Looks like your friend is having a bad day," Seventeen called over. "Are you sure you two don't wanna call it quits?"
"Nice trick," was the only response Turles had, looking at the barely alive double he had propped up next to him. "Let's see you pull it off again."
That might have been the problem. Infinite energy or not, 17's body had been pulverized by the energy wave he'd endured, and now had been further damaged by his own blast. Withstanding an assault from Turles, who also was going to very probably not just walk into the same trap, was going to potentially be a problem. It was nice to know however, that at least 18 was more useful as an ally than Goku was, if he was still alive.
Subtly breathing, yea, he's still kicking. That sucks, I can't cross that objective off Gero's bucket list and get past that programming, it looks like.
Turles dropped Goku a second later, seemingly preparing something before he froze in place, his eyes looking to the forest 16 and Piccolo had plunged into. When the blast emerged in the distance, he felt it. Not how these warriors would feel ki, but he felt the seismic energy rolling off the ground.
That wasn't 16's energy, it must have been Piccolo's. And even with his comparatively primitive ability to sense ki, 17 knew what that attack meant. Whatever Piccolo had been fighting, namely 16, was very much dead.
The only thing was, when he looked back towards Turles, he didn't see someone who was confident, or smirking at the return of his ally. Turles looked afraid.
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Turles:
He couldn't find words, or even thoughts to process what he was sense. It'd all happened so fast, it took less than a minute. The energy spikes were rapid, and the energy exerted was intense. The fact that one of them was clearly not Android 16 was the main concern. Especially since, for a brief second, it eclipsed Piccolo's energy.
What the HELL kind of situation was he in now? Kakarot was a half-burnt piece of spoiled meat, he still had reserves to draw on, but he still had an Android and a half across from him, and he had no idea what the Hell was happening over there. Even with his powers, which were now temporarily taking a break it seemed, given the quick nature of the break he had with his sibling before he got trapped by 17's little plan, he had no idea if he could pull this off, and that was before taking into account that he needed the Namek to keep his shit together now.
Even as the dust settled from yet another big blast attack, the 3rd to appear so far in the last few minutes, Turles knew he was going to be in for trouble. Still, it was smart not to let up, even now as the attack in the distance faded-
Both powers seemed to almost vanish with the attack. It'd better stay that way. Though he could already see flashes of what was to come. It was bone-chilling, given he could sense through the fabric of time woven around him that destiny was upon him.
It was embarrassing that he wished Kakarot was still up. The unified consciousness they'd formed together had been about as pleasant as forming his mind into a piece of fruit to be tossed in a blender. They'd not shared memories, or experiences, but they'd become one mind. It made his skin crawl. There wasn't a vacancy he now felt that needed to be filled. What he knew however, no matter how disgusting it was, was that he'd have needed Kakarot to survive what was now coming his way.
Looking back towards the lone Android, the last 'threat' standing outside of himself, he knew that ironically, that was his last viable ally. Turning his head back towards Kakarot, he looked for some sign of consciousness from the battered body. Nothing, that was just great.
Viewing the next few seconds of an outcome, he knew, instinctively, that he needed to get Kakarot out of harm's way. Without a second thought he kicked his sibling in the side, knocking him into te fissure which had been created by 17's attack. The body swept from his view a second later, plunging into the darkness, which he knew had a bottom at least. The concern he was displaying wasn't born of some love of his brother. The truth of the matter was, he needed Kakarot, especially if he intended to win the game now set out in front of him.
"What the Hell are you doing?" Seventeen called out to him.
"Another player is about to enter our little game," Turles called back, turning his attention towards the forest as a single menacing foot stepped out from the darkness.
K-tch.
Narrowing his eyes on it, his eyes widened as he saw something even Turles hadn't expected. In the creature's right hand, it… had Piccolo's head. A blaring alarm in his head went off as he realized this thing had killed the Namekian, and in quick order. He wasn't even staring at its strange carapace, or horrendous eyes. This freak's appearance wasn't the issue. It was the fact it'd killed the Namekian… with ease.
"What the Hell is that thing?"
"Death," Turles responded back quietly, not even sure the Android could hear him.
"Well, this is surprising," the creature, Cell, rumbled as it looked over them even from a distance.
A small curl came up its beak as it gave a sligh smile, its sickening flesh pulling like leather at the edges of its face. He'd seen more disgusting aliens before, but never one so menacing.
"That thing is disgusting," Eighteen spat from aside.
The creature just continued to grin, seemingly amused more and more with every passing second. Taking in the sight of what it needed to achieve whatever twisted form it was going to take on. A flash of golden power swept past them as Turles in person, felt the chilling core of what this thing could produce. He could hear the screams inside of its ki, his psychic powers sensing every slow, burning moment of terror they'd felt in the last moment of their lives. He could see them rising up out of the creature like an army of the unwilling. It hardly pulled on his heartstrings. If anything, the core of his own power had been born of the same kind of misery.
K-tch. K-tch. K-tech
Perhaps in some way, they were kindred spirits.
Its stride continued, moving to the base of the crater.
"Whatever the Hell you are, get lost," Seventeen warned. "This one and I are in the middle of…"
Seventeen seemed to trail off, and Turles knew why, as Cell raised Piccolo's lifeless head in front of him, before casually dropping it into the hole in front of them. The skull bounced off the side of the chipped, rocky, muddy walls before disappearing into the depths below. Turles couldn't help but watch as the head vanished into the depths, feeling his own stomach twist, knowing just how much stronger Piccolo was than himself. He had been stronger than all of them.
"I am sorry, 17, you were saying something?" Cell growled.
"…" the Android just seemed confused for a moment before casting his own hardened stare back at the monster they now had at their doorstep. "You're the creature that has been killing all of those people."
"Very good, 17, I am glad to see you noticed some of my handiwork," it chuckled. "However, that was just a prelude to this moment. REJOICE, my brother and sister, for your time of completion is upon you."
Even 17 wasn't so bold and foolish, Turles already knew, having seen him starting to back-peddle before he even started to slowly back up, trying to put himself between Cell and the wounded 18. If he'd seen a few minutes ahead, instead of dozens of seconds, he'd have not broken her leg along with Kakarot. Picking apart their opponent shouldn't have been at the height of the agenda, killing should have been. And now this situation was extraordinarily difficult. He was going to need to play his cards right.
"Completion? So, I guess Piccolo was right about that… You're here to kill us then?"
The female Android hobbling to one side, scowling openly at the monster as she did, trying to not present a weak-spot for him to take advantage of. Starting the fight now seemed insane. Several flashes of what was to come streamed past his eyes as his mind started to adjust to its normal state of being. He could sense the movements taking place before they started, but in the here and now, he could see the hunger-consumed creature's features remain locked in place, its leathery smile continuing.
"Ah, so you are aware of your role then? Allow me to be more formal to our engagement. I am Cell, and I am an Android created by Dr. Gero, much like yourselves. You were designed… created with my body in mind. You are not any simple Android, neither is our sister 18. Together, we are one being, a perfect being."
"Yea, I'll pass on that."
The creature chuckled before making another step, its armoured plating making another clicking sound before it disappeared with pure speed, appearing only a few metres from 17 over the hardened ground, the golden aura around it intensifying as it did. Dangerously, behind it, its tail began to swish back and forth.
"How fortunate for you, that I have decided to make the decision for you. You will become one with my being."
"Go to Hell," 17 spat back.
Briefly, Turles saw his own death. He saw the gigantic orb of destruction, the Supernova, that Frieza threw into him, sending him into low orbit around Planet Namek. The imagery seemed to be recalled for a reason. Injecting himself here and now might be asking for a repeat of such an event. That would be a Game Over for him without the Dragon Balls here. Of course, they'd also already been used to resurrect him before, meaning that it would simply be a death-sentence no matter what. Dying wasn't high on his priorities right now.
But leaving here, would also mean my death.
It was walking on the razer's edge. The creature wouldn't waste time, not now. Its other counterparts would be rushing to this site as well to not lose out on their harvest. Which meant he needed to hold out until they arrived. Ironically, this situation might be resolved by allowing these things to deal with one another while a backdoor was created.
"I can feel your fear, 17. Do not worry, integration into my body will be an uncomfortable experience at first, but you will come to realize all that you were designed to be once you are one with me."
With that, the monster lunged.
What followed was severe. Seventeen's defense meant nothing, the monster simply brushed past it, driving its arm into his abdomen before sweeping to the side and landing a decisive kick into the Android's side. Without even letting him get carried ahead, the larger creature teleported with pure speed seemingly before driving its other foot down into 17's back, crashing him into the ground before leering at 18, chuckling as it did.
"We are not equal components, my friend," its familiar, low, amused tone cut through.
Two blue energy bolts emerged a second later, streaking past the goliath as Turles started to reposition himself, already seeing the next few moments emerge. The organic android cast aside the bolts with a firm gesture before sending a pulsewave of ki towards 18, throwing her back into a roll.
"Hey, are you there?"
Blinking, he almost jumped out of his brain when he thought it was Bardock, only to realize exactly who it was. He almost spat as he heard Kakarot in his head.
You're alive down there, congratulations. Maybe if you'd been a bit more ruthless and a bit less cocky, I'd not be cleaning up this mess right now.
"Geeze, you're definitely on the nice-guy side. Look, we don't have time for this. I can barely move right now. I can't help. But you've got to trust me when I say this, you've got to help them escape that thing."
Escape? I'm going to kill the woman while she's defenseless and the other 2 are distracted. I'd have to be drain-damaged to do otherwise. That thing killed the Namek and is on the verge of crushing this Android in under a minute. I don't have the power to keep up with that.
"Hey, look, I'm not trying to lean on you but you've gotta trust me on this. We can do this and stop that thing from doing what it wants. Those machines, we fought them, but they aren't just robots. I can see it now for myself, they are people, and I think they deserve another chance. You know it yourself, you fought along side them not even a full day ago."
You live in a fantasy world, Kakarot. I'm playing to win.
"Use that power of yours and see what your prize will be. Trust me, you know I'm right."
It took Turles only a brief second to scowl as he foresaw a dozen outcomes, including where he'd killed 18, only to see Cell slaughter him for his efforts. In one case he was drank, horrifically, through that tail. In another he was annihilated by an energy wave for his trouble. In one scenario he didn't even manage to finish killing her before he died.
"Fuck," Turles seethed as he looked back at the situation, seeing Cell beating 17 mercilessly, pinning him to the ground and feeding punches straight into him.
Radically different visions splintered in front of him like shattered glass, each one filling his mind with a different outcome as the future fragmented so much he couldn't even read it anymore. What choice did he make? What was the right play? How could he win? He didn't know, and not knowing was a spear puncturing him, bleeding away his own confidence. He'd come to lean on this power so much in the past days that he'd forgotten what it was to decide for himself what to do. At least before he had Bardock's moderating presence. Now he was hearing Kakarot of all people, and it just made him all the more disgusted.
"Turles, you're running out of time if you're going to do something!"
SHUT UP!
The creature's tail opened, its end extending into a terrible sucking thing, clearly intend on taking all of 17's body up in one gulp. The blood covered Android was barely able to keep his arms up to defend himself any further as Turles felt his own hand tighten.
This was his game. They were his rules. He would decide how it was played.
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Cell:
Every strike was another step on his road to perfection. Every blow felt good at the end of his hand. The resistance of his target dwindled more and more with every passing moment. Sweeping into him with a tail strike, before driving him back into the ground with a huge punch, the last of what he deemed significant resistance, vanished. Landing over-top of him once more, eyeing his sister with glee, Cell chuckled to himself once more, his tail looming overhead as the end expanded into its fullest form.
Yes, this is what I have craved for so long. Every moment this miserable planet has incubated me, both now and in the future, every morsel of energy I have consumed, all of it has led to this point. I will achieve… perfection.
The exhilaration made his outer chiton quiver with excitement as a self-gratifying noise escaped his beak. He could tasteit. Even the blood on his hands seemed to absorb in the strength of his opponent, even if not literally. It was a part of him, and it was all being brought to the only home it would ever need. All of creation had existed to bring the sum total of his being into existence.
"Your resistance has been admirable, if ineffective, 17," he said, his frame towering over the crumpled form of the defeated Android.
He hadn't even needed to call upon his excess power. The wounded 18 would easily be collected after this, of course. And even now, he briefly eyed the other Saiyan… the one named Turles… and saw the look of uncertainty on his features. He would not be so bold as to intervene. He saw the look on his face at the fallen Piccolo's remains. Ripping the head from that body had been more than satisfying. He only wished Son Goku had survived long enough to see it.
Sadly, one of his objectives had been achieved by his lesser component, though he would somehow get over it.
The response 17 to his words only a second later, wasn't words, but a mixture of blood and spittle hitting his cheek.
Ah, that can only be answered one way.
Stamping on the other Android's head with a vicious strike, he felt the body beneath him almost cease operating.
"Now then, we have that problem solved. Welcome home 17," he laughed, letting go with his foot, dragging the other Android up, and preparing to engulf him with the expanded appendage.
The light around them seemed to dim before something violent, and violet overtook the air around them. The nature of the attack came on him too quickly as his tail had been hoisted up, preparing to take on 17. Instead, the condensed energy bolt, an attack of unknown type, had been shot at him on an angle, sucking into the maw of his appendage. It burned.
It burned like nothing Cell had ever experienced. No paint he'd suffered at the hand of Piccolo in either of their prior encounters, no growing pain he'd ever experienced agonized him as this did. Liquid fire had been sucked into his organic being, bursting through his tail as it expanded from the attack, ripping open bit by bit before in a gruesome display, fragmented bits of meat and leathery skin exploded outwards, scattering over his body as he was drenched in his own fluids and gore. His shell-like wings on his back fragmented and shattered with the blast as well. He lurched forward, his body twisting as the force of the explosion lifted him into the air as his hands released 17, who too fell back with the force of the explosion.
Before he could even respond, before his mind could even fully trace what happened, he felt something grab the top of his head crest before two feet crashed into his lower back, driving him forward with his head tilted back but his body launching forward. A gag of surprise, and a final acknowledgement of the suffering he'd just been through as edges of his flesh burned, and destroyed nerves screamed in agony still, came forward from him just before his body ploughed into the ground, driving forward almost 10 metres before he felt the weight of the feet on his back still.
He was being surf-boarded with the momentum, his head being used to steer him as a tide of raw earth was parted by his face, dirt and rocks founding their way into his eyes and beak. Just before he could regain control, just as his arms were reaching out to grab the ground and buck his latest contender, another bolt emerged in his back, shoved into the back of his neck before the feet kicked off, the hand releasing his headcrest before the new wave of energy send him rolling forward, as soon as his hands grabbed the ground on their own, the blast exploded around him.
Chips of armour gave way, and his flesh burned, but it did little but provide a distraction. The world had been purple, twice in a matter of seconds, but now Cell could only see red. Brick by brick the cells in his body were prepared to be reconstituted. Even before the dust cleared around him, Cell felt a new tail slither from his back, emerging from where it'd been so violently destroyed. The phantom pain of what had been vanishing as new nerve-endings were created to replace what was lost. The sound of hardened shell being restored clicked together a second later as Cell peered through the dissolving wall of debris around him, only to see Turles standing between him and the Androids. The Saiyan had a familiar look on his face, as it was a familiar face as a whole. The face of Son Goku peered back at him, if twisted through a lens of a deeper kind of hatred than Cell could have ever contributed to his gene-father.
"A worthy effort, much like 17's however, you are not able to stop the inevitable," he said bluntly. "Your interference here has only cemented your fate, Saiyan."
"I am my fate," he responded back. "And I'm your fate too."
Cryptic and delusional. He had no time to entertain this simple creature. Blurring forward in a charge, Cell snarled as he moved to extract his revenge and dispose of this Saiyan as easily as he had Piccolo prior, still not engaging his full potential however. That power was reserved for worthy adversaries, after all. Even the Androids didn't approach the necessity for him to use such a thing.
However, much to his own surprise, the Saiyan ducked under his attack, his arm sweeping past where he'd intended to take the Super Saiyan's head off, rolling behind him. In a blur of violent motion, his freshly spawned tail shot towards the Saiyan, stabbing into the ground repeatedly, trying to make contact with the Saiyan. The Saiyan was moving painfully slowly compared to himself, but seemed to alter the course of his movement to dodge his attack before it was even thought out.
A frustrated noise escaped him before he shifted his full focus back towards him, before feeling a punch crack across his beak. It did very little, shooting his head to one side as the Saiyan took a quick step back after the strike landed, his arms up in a defensive stance as he seemed to beg for him to continue his assault. Cell was very angry, he noted, at the overt disrespect of the blow. It was delivered to be disrespectful, not to be effective.
Energy crackled across his hide as Cell took a step forward, the k-tch sound he was so familiar with following him, the ground cracking beneath his footstep.
"You insect," he snarled. "What do you think you're doing!?"
"Winning the game, what are you doing, other than failing?"
That was enough for Cell. Even now he could sense the opportunity to catch his true-prey vanishing. It'd only taken this to remind him why he need not play with his food. Red energy burst around his frame in a split second as the Saiyan's eyes flashed open with concern. Diving in for the killing blow, Cell's fist aimed to rip through the Saiyan's chest and pull his heart out, only to find he'd grazed the body of his adversary as the Saiyan had twisted just prior to the attack. A wince of pain was visible to Cell before he drove the hammer down, rounding him with his other fist and landing a flush connection on the Saiyan's face. The force of the blow was tremendous, and he half expected it to immediately kill his target.
Instead, the Saiyan flipped backwards, managing to absorb some of the energy correctly before his back crashed against the ground and a long moan escaped him.
The red aura faded, replaced once more with a golden one before Cell strode towards his fallen victim with purpose, he was breathing in angrily as he grabbed the Saiyan by his shirt, hoisting him towards him violently before planting another punch square on him. Blood splattered out of the Saiyan's eye, mouth, and nose from the hit's strength. Even if he was going to finish him soon, he wanted to make him suffer, if only for a minute. The blow was strong enough that it'd complete shredded his shirt before the body smacked helplessly against the ground, a boom exploding around them from the sheer force of the hit on his face, and of his head and body hitting the ground.
Another stomp followed, forcing the Saiyan to sit up as he gagged, holding his midsection from the hit before Cell swept around, snapping out his leg and kicking the Saiyan straight in the face. More blood followed as the monkey was sent sliding back across the ground, before skipping several times and sliding to the edge of the crater which had been formed in the previous battle. Even his hair went from gold to black, showing just how broken his adversary truly was. The last obstacle had been removed… now it was simply time to devour him and move on.
The two Androids were looking on in horror as he eyed them, clearly letting the two mauled machines know that their fate would be similar.
"Don't expect to escape," he mentioned to them. "My speed is much greater than your own. Take pleasure in being able to watch as I dispatch this…"
Something was wrong.
Was that… laughter?
It was weak, mixed with fluid, and sounded exhausted. Lording over all there, Cell felt himself feel a brief moment of nervousness at it. The abnormal nature of the brief engagement he'd just been through had created some caution in the Android. Suspicious eyes narrowed in on the Saiyan as the laughter intensified. Continuing his stride however, Cell smirked himself, feeling his face twist upwards as a long, slow chuckle escaped him as well.
"Have you been driven to madness by your fear, Saiyan? I wouldn't have expected you to laugh after your own death," Cell snarled, his tail looming behind him as he saw the Saiyan barely managing to find his hands and feet enough to start pulling himself up.
Standing to meet your end, how deliciously primitive. These Saiyans are more predictable than I-
"I'm not laughing at my death," the Saiyan said through red stained teeth, more and more amused by the second seemingly. "I'm laughing at yours."
Something was wrong. Deeply wrong. But there were no energy sources nearby. His slit eyes scanned the area as he searched out new energies… but there were none… only the faint energy of a weak target in the distance rushing towards him.
Before he could even mock the Saiyan, there was displacement. It was immense. There was no ki around it but every barrier around him seemed to shatter before his eyes caught the source of the movement, only too late. A pair of boots collided with his face on a downward approach, the force of the strike being enough to send him tumbling through the hole his body was now making as he was sent burrowing through the Earth's crust. The dot of light where he came from had a single figure standing behind it as he was sent rolling back.
It was a woman?... An Android.
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Author's Notes:
Wow, that took a lot longer than usual. I'm sorry guys. I had to rebuild my office and do a bunch of other things, my time was just strapped. Add in some writer's block and just not knowing how to approach certain scenes, followed up by wrists bugging me? Yea, lead to a delay. Still, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! In the end, I just wrote it out and let things just kinda land where they may. I'd not been happy with certain parts and rewrote those, and then wasn't happy with those parts either, lol. At a certain point, you just gotta go to war with the army you have, lol.
I normally would answer everyone's reviews below and would do so just before I did the update, in this case I'll be answering people's reviews who have accounts by this weekend, though I unfortunately won't be doing the Guest Reviews this chapter. Guest Reviews for Chapter 108 will be answered in Chapter 109. I just don't want to delay this any more than it's already been.
109 and 110 are expected to be very, very important chapters. I'm nervous to get to them, honestly. So let's see how this works out.