He stumbled, it had been a few hours and he was becoming tired, his stomach clenching and twisting painfully. Gohan hissed at his own predicament, if he didn't move now it would only get worse. He had to move, move dammit! Sure, running into his father's enemies and his own would be a hell of a situation, but it would be worse on an empty stomach. Inhaling deeply, the preteen finally stood up and made haste in his movements, silently following different ogres and watching from different ledges and cubby holes inside of cliff edges and mountain sides. He saw a certain red and blue ogre go into one of the crevices and followed by climbing the top of the ridge, and on the other side was a tiny kitchen and table setting. Gohan stopped himself from drooling and crying in happiness, he had only been this hungry when he had survival training with Mister Piccolo.
After a few minutes the odd-german sounding ogres left with tiny snacks. Looking around Gohan checked the area, jumping down joyously when he saw it was clear, and happily he went to the fridge and opened it. He found a couple sandwiches, and even though it would be mean to take them, he had to eat something, so he grabbed the two which were wrapped in a foil, and closed the fridge, heading to the cupboards to find a cup which he did and he took instantly, going over to what looked like a beaker. He heard voices as he was pouring water, but luckily it filled up before the voices got any closer. Looking up he saw an opening so he flew up and sat on the flat rocky surface that looked over a lot of the main area of hell. He quickly began eating, not caring about how fast it all went away. It wasn't even a minute before he finished the two sandwiches and then drank the glass of water that he carefully sneaked back into the kitchen sink once he saw it was empty and the path was clear, along with throwing away the foil that housed the sandwiches, before hopping back out. Gohan smiled, exhaling in relief that he had something in his stomach. He couldn't steal too much at once, that'd be suspicious, and he really doesn't want any attention unless it's him getting out of here successfully.
Standing up, the preteen stretched. He needed to find someone to help, but the ogres were terrifying to all hell- haha funny- and those clubs all of them have doesn't make it any easier. Staying in one place though won't help him, so time to act like a fellow hell-goer... although the lack of a halo is a problem. If he raised the scarf around his face just a tad bit more he could be even more disguised, but his voice would be a problem, as not many people have a voice like him, and it obviously sounds like a kid. What would even be his role? A desert bandit? Someone who just observes? Maybe that would work... standing around being silent could make him seem intimidating, but no doubt being someone who looks new would attract too much attention. "Gaaah! This is so difficult!" Gohan groaned, grabbing at his hair from under the scarf and scratching his head in annoyance. Too many bad things could happen here, and if he died no telling what would even happen to his body or his soul. Readjusting his scarf and making sure it's secure, Gohan jumped down from the flat ledge, and began acting casual as he walked around, looking into different cubbys and caves to see other hell residents and souls conversing, giving him no mind.
One plan he could do is find an ogre that looked somewhat kind and ask them where the big leader of the place was and talk to him or her about how to get home, or at the very least protection, or directions to wherever his dad is so he isn't alone.
Keeping his head down and avoiding any eye contact with the residents, he glanced at the ogres that were sparsely around. Each one had a hard glare, almost hateful toward the hell-goers, which made him even more nervous to ask one for directions or any help at all. He gulped his anxiety, or as much as he could before continuing downhill the dirt path along what seemed to be the main hang out for the residents.
When he had gotten to what looked to be the plaza area, where in the middle of it was a marble fountain of blood, he had heard loud boisterous laughter and turned to where he heard it, and he stopped in his tracks. Cell's back was turned to the rest of the world, while Frieza and Cooler sat besides him, all seemed to be playing a game. Around them were Cooler's men and the Ginyu Force, and he wasn't going to stick around to see what they were laughing about. Quickly he ran away from the scene, keeping his ki low and controlling his anxiety. As he ran to an empty building to gather his thoughts, he didn't notice a certain long spiky and raven haired man track him with his eyes with curiosity.
Raditz wasn't one to hang out with most of his kind anymore, even Nappa. Don't even get him started with the Ginyu's and the frost demon family. The beginning of being here wasn't just lonely, it was downright boring, then stronger beings kept showing up and that's when it just became plain obvious he wasn't close to being a top dog anywhere. He didn't feel bloodlust like a decade ago, he had calmed down a ton since. Guess hell can make you slow down and really appreciate what you could have had when you were alive.
As Raditz looked out of his cave, he noticed a bandit-dressed being run across the empty plaza into one of the abandoned houses. He raised a brow, never having seen him before, it also seemed like he didn't have a halo... odd, was he a worker? New? Curiosity killed the saibamen, the man remembered, but he'll keep it in mind in case he gets asked something, after all the being looked awfully small to be a worker in hell. He turned and retreated further into his cave, not worrying about it, paying no mind to the backburner familiarity he felt. He ignored the loud and annoying laughter of all the groups around the area as he hopped onto his horrid bed and tried to get some sleep.
Even though this was a whole other existence, hell still had day and night cycles, just in a very different way than Earth or many other similar planets. When it became night, the place would become covered in a crimson red fog, and the sky become a maroon ocean filled with black clouds, fog would pick up and make the whole plane extremely ominous. Gohan looked through the window of the decrepit stone house, his face morphing into worry as he noticed this change and realized it had been almost twenty-four hours since he had been home. Did his mom notice how long he's been gone yet? How would his friends help if she went to them? Would they think he was dead? Gohan clasped his gloved hands together tightly, his exposed knuckles and finger tips turning white under the pressure of his hold. He could feel silent tears run down his face, the scarf catching them, which only made him sob more. He was in hell, he couldn't fight here... he didn't even know how he got here. What did he do to deserve this?! Was it because he killed his father because he was too wrapped up in his own surfacing saiyan pride?! Was it punishment for toying with the very creature that tried to kill them all?! He tried to keep himself from making a noise as he sobbed, not realizing his flickering ki, matching his emotions.
From one of the caves further away from the plaza, almost completely secluded from every other resident, a certain android picked up on the familiar ki again, and this time he was going to find who it was. Cell immediately hopped off his rock seat and took off toward the plaza, where it seemed to be wavering from. As he got closer he stopped midair, looking down at the place. Glancing around his eyes landed on one of the marble houses, and slowly floated down until he landed just a few feet in front of it. The moment he started walking toward the open and broken door he heard shuffling and the ki flickered back to nothing. 'Not this time...' Cell thought angrily before taking the recently moved door and ripping it off its hinges, extra- yes-, but necessary to get his point across that he wasn't messing around. He knew that power, he knew it so well it was on the tip of his tongue, searing it painfully in disdain for the feeling. That's when he heard hiccups that failed to quiet themselves coming from the far back corner of the small home. As softly as he could, Cell stepped gently against the rugged floor boards toward the corner, which was covered by a dresser and old partition that had definitely seen better days. The moment he reached the end of the partition, he lit up a ki ball and quickly turned to the other side of the partition, and his eyes widened in confusion at the sight. The only thing really visible from the smaller being was his eyes. nose, and fingers, and what confused Cell the most- was lack of a halo.
"Who the hell are you?" When the being kept staring wide eyed at him without answering, Cell asked again, extremely annoyed. "I won't ask again, who the hell are you?" The being still didn't answer, but after a few seconds of silence and staring, the other bolted through the paper wall of the partition, flying for the entrance. After getting over initial confusion Cell immediately gave chase, flying out of the house and tracking the familiar ki. He found the other was flying toward the blood sea and followed him, catching up rather quickly.
Gohan meanwhile, is freaking out to heaven and back. Cell found him, of course it was Cell, it couldn't have been Recoome?! He would even take Frieza again, not Cell! Lord Slug even! Looking behind him Gohan's eyes widened in fear as he saw his mortal enemy, the killer of his father, gaining up on him, and fast. Cell obviously noticed he isn't dead, not like them, he was alive, and now he was chasing him. Gohan, having looked back at his rival for a good amount of time, didn't see the jagged mountain he was about to run into until the last second, gasping as snapped his head forward, accidentally crashing right through it, the thickness of it stopping him halfway into the mountain. He groaned, getting dizzy as the lack of food and water had just finally started hitting him, and slamming into the stupid rock head first didn't help, and now he felt upside down shoved into this small ass crack in the mountain he made with his own body and force because he was scared of a big bad bug. Gohan's eyes widened as much as they could as he winced, wow he really wasn't doing great in the head right now wasn't he? Insulting himself, at a time like this? Not ideal, what was more less ideal was the fact that Cell stopped and floated a good couple yards away from the fresh cavern created, his arms crossed and eyes furrowed with annoyance, bordering anger.
"Alright, enough with the running. Are you a worker here? I'd assume not with this kind of behaviour, but you have no halo meaning you are something along those lines." Cell shouted, venom lacing his tongue. The being didn't move, nor speak, not even an upset hiccup like he had heard earlier before coming up on him. "Tch, hope he killed himself from that. Annoying pest." Cell said under his breath, and flew away, not wanting to do anything, especially if it was a worker.
Gohan sighed in relief as he felt Cell's energy get further away, but he knew he wasn't safe. He needed to get out, now. Cell knew his disguise, not great, and if he thought he was a worker there is a chance he is going to tell the ogres and that is going to not be fun to try and explain to any potential angry employees. Quickly trying to crawl out of the hole, he reached the surface and coughed out all of the pebbles and dust that had gotten into his mouth, but his scarf caught on all of the rocks and was shredded, which was further proved after the scarf simply fell off of him like it was water, tattered past repair. Gohan cursed under his breath, not enjoying how it felt like it took him an hour to get out, but now he was past tired, exhausted beyond belief, the Cell Games being almost tied with this, although it didn't help his mind was all over the place unlike then. The hole was thankfully big enough for him to just lean out without falling to catch his breath in the surprisingly chilly air.
"Now isn't that a surprise." Gohan's eyes widened as he looked to the side of him. Cell sat there on a flat yet high enough rock to look at the side of the impact where the demisaiyan was hanging from. He sat leaning forward, his right ankle planted above his left knee as his right elbow used the leg sitting up knee as a support for his hand holding up his head. The bug was smirking amusingly. "I had come back with my ki lowered to that of a rat and jumped up here. I didn't know for sure if you weren't a worker and I didn't want to get in trouble for not killing you, so wanted to stay and see if you'd ever get out. What a surprise to find out I wasn't going crazy, it is you..." He wished it was a dream so bad. He wanted this to be a nightmare like when he was a kid, when he saw Frieza kill his dad. Please for the love of god be a nightmare. In his shock, Gohan failed to notice Cell flying slowly toward him till the bio android was right in his face with a smirk, pleased at Gohan's shock. "My, my, Gohan, how you ended up in hell will stump me, but nonetheless, is perfect- for me." Cell reeled his fist back, then launched it forward toward the boy's face, and Gohan's vision went black, his fading hearing letting him listen to the muffled and drawing out laughter of his enemy.