Fusion…HA

FusionHA! 2- The Dead Zone

Part 12 – Superman Turns Bad

It had only been a few minutes since Frieza had gone on his one-way trip to his second death, but to Vegeta it felt like ages.  He had contemplated many things in that time.  The super power that was Frieza had destroyed his family, his people, and his planet.  Vegeta had always dreamed of killing Frieza. It was to be his crowning achievement.  Instead the one who got the job done was his son.  Frieza was dead, but because Trunks didn't know anything about his heritage the crimes had not been avenged.  Vegeta had realized this after Frieza's departure.

"I let him go."  That was the only thing that he could manage to say.  Before he had cited the fact that Frieza wasn't himself.  He wasn't the omnipotent ruler whose death was the highest goal that Vegeta hoped to attain in his life.  Now Frieza was now just another fighter, one who could be killed at will.  Still that didn't excuse all he had done to the Saiyan race in general.  Vegeta had far too much pride to allow him to go… but yet he had.

After Kakarotto defeated Frieza we all thought that he was dead.  Even though at the time I was more than happy to take my place as the universe's most powerful fighter, I still felt a slight emptiness.  When Frieza arrived back on Earth I saw yet another chance to fulfill part of my destiny, the other part being the destruction of Kakarotto.  My blasted son saw to it that I never had a chance to try.  Just a few minutes ago I had my third chance and I let him go…

                Vegeta had gone over the situation a few times in his head, and the more he thought about it the more he hated it.  But then he began to smile.  Frieza was on his way to get killed, but no one said that Vegeta couldn't kill him first.  He could easily catch up with him and then bring him to a less volatile place to have the battle.  It wouldn't last long at SSJ level.  Frieza would know that.  That was exactly the kind of reaction that Vegeta would want.  One of fear and uncertainty.

                "Frieza.  Years ago you took from me my father, my people, and my home.  You have escaped my hands on more than one occasion.  My greatest rival and my own son have kept you from finally getting what you deserve.  Now that my greatest rival is on his way to battle and my son is already [ all ready ] in combat that leaves no one else to get in my way."  The fight, the thing that fueled his very existence, was beginning to build inside of him.  The anticipation was uncanny.  Vegeta now wanted nothing more than to get his hands on Frieza.

                "Hey, Spikey." That remark brought Vegeta out from his world and back to reality.  Reality was that he had been ignoring Garlic Jr. for the last 5 minutes.  That didn't sit well with Mr. Immortality.

                "I have no time to deal with you.  Go off and get shot.  I have business to attend to."  Vegeta built up his ki to its highest non-Super Saiyan point and went after Frieza.  He didn't want to give away too much about his newfound levels.  He was sure that Frieza didn't know too much about him now.  It was going to be much fun to finally "explain" how strong he really was.

                "Hey!" Garlic yelled after him, but it was too late.  Vegeta was long gone without a thought of coming back.  That bothered Garlic only because he was now alone and bored.  World, even universe, domination would have been a nice project at such a time of boredom, but with all the super powers around it wasn't likely that Garlic would get much of a chance to do anything.  He wasn't stupid.  If Boo could absorb him then something was wrong.  Garlic Jr. would have to find somewhere else to go and rule.  In the meantime he had to find something evil to do, so Garlic started walking in a random direction.  Maybe he would find some inhabited town to destroy.

**********

                Rae and Aspa were just a few miles away from the lab.  In a little under a minute Aspa would get a chance to obtain the thing that she said would stop Devil.  Unfortunately Rae was stuck with the job of keeping the good Doctor's creation busy for all of 20 seconds.  In the long run it didn't seem like such a long time.  20 seconds was only 1/3 of a minute.  Of course that wasn't considering that the power levels of Rae and Devil were a bit uneven.  Rae had grown stronger, but she still wasn't at Videl's level.  That would make it more than a chore to fight her.  Aspa was confident that whatever item or items she had in mind was going to be enough to break Doctor Boo's hold over Videl.

                "Okay, Rae.  This is it.  We are almost there.  I'm going to break away and try to get in a little faster.  That way you don't have to deal with her for too long.  Are you ready?"

                "…"

                Aspa didn't have to look back to know that Rae was nervous.  She gripped Rae's hand and took a quick second to look back at her.  "Have confidence in yourself."  With that Aspa separated from the group and went straight to Boo's laboratory.

                "Confidence…" Rae's momentum began to fade.  Devil's didn't.  The gap between them, which was closing gradually, was now practically nothing.  "Uh oh!" Rae had to twist her upper torso to the side to avoid the sweeping punch that Videl had intended to hit her with. 

                "Ha!" The bio-android was facing her foe again, this time with her hands above her head.  Rae recognized the attack and used her own ki as a shield.  "Masenko!"  The blue beam split into six as it bled over the shield.  Rae breathed a sigh of serious relief.

                I didn't think I could block an attack like that.  Maybe-

                All the chatting to herself had taken Rae's eye off of her target.  Devil had pounced in with a shoulder block.  It threw Rae off of her game.  She was unable to get control of her flight.  Devil came in again.  This time it was a kick to the face that caused the damage.  Rae's hands went up to block it instinctively but it was long after the initial contact.  In fact they missed her face because it had jerked back so far.  As it began to settle back down on the neck normally another flying fist came into view.  This time Rae made sure to block it with two hands.  It took both to hold it back.

                "Videl!" Rae pleaded.  At this point she knew it wouldn't work, but she couldn't help but try.  Anything to stop the fight.

                Instead Devil used her free hand to send a power shot into Rae's gut.  Devil slipped under Rae's curling body and faced her back to it.  She took a hold of one of Rae's flailing arms.  Videl then did 360 degree before releasing her grip on Rae's hand.  The force of the flip had Rae heading for Dr. Boo's lab like a rocket.  She crashed though a wall.  Devil floated in mid-air for a second.  She took a slight breath and brushed her hair aside.

                "Must eliminate targets." She blinked once.  The mission was simple.  In a flash Devil was closing in on the building and Rae again.  Then, from an opening that was not apparent in the building from Devil's vantage point, Aspa appeared again.  In her hands was the item that she had previously mentioned.  It was also on her shoulder.  As Rae pulled herself out of the wreckage that she had made in the wall (or that Devil had made her make) she finally saw 'the item'.

                Rae was slightly more than surprised.  "YOU'RE GOING TO BLAST HER WITH A BAZOOKA?!" 

Devil froze in her tracks, petrified.

                Aspa lined her up in the sights of the targeting mechanism.  "Oh yeah."  The long barrel, easily over 7 feet, was pointing directly at the head of one Videl.  "We needed firepower… now this is fire power.  Dr. Boo specially made this one to deal with fighters Videl's caliber.  Rae's jaw dropped as Aspa launched the rocket.  It spiraled around but never lost its course.  Devil finally decided that she should get out of the way and began to fire up her own afterburners.

                Rae watched intently, wondering if it would ever catch its target.  The rocket wasn't gaining any ground, but it wasn't losing any ground either.  At this rate it was an endurance contest.  Whichever of them gave out first was going to lose.  That was what she thought until she saw Aspa moving toward the both of them.  Devil saw her and changed courses.  Aspa halted and waited.

                "Aspa," cried Rae from the building below.  "What are you doing?"

                Aspa gestured to her to calm down.  "I have everything under control."

                "She's going to try to make the…" Aspa held up a single hand that stopped Rae cold.  Something was going on that the teen didn't understand just yet, but she did have confidence in the Saiyan, so she stopped talking and resided to being a spectator.

                "She won't know what hit her."

                WHAM!

                Devil was walloped by a massive shoulder from Aspa right in the chest and almost instantaneously plowed through the rocket.  It promptly exploded and engulfed her in a pink goop.  Before she had a chance to wonder what it was Devil collapsed.  Aspa was right on top of things and caught her.

                "You got her," Rae shouted in a mix of surprise and excitement.  They could try to un-program her now.

                "When you ram someone into a missile at the speed I just did it isn't hard.  The substance that has encased her reacts to her constant struggle.  I can hold her without problems because it's sapping her strength.  The more she tries to get free the more it will keep her still.  Shall we go inside?"

... Aspa motioned to the lab.

Rae nodded. "Do you think that you can free her from Dr. Boo's power?"

Aspa floated down to the ground and ran with Devil into the lab without replying.

"Aspa?" called Rae from the sky.  She dropped down in behind Aspa.

                "Rae."  Aspa faced her newfound friend with a look of extreme confidence, bordering on cockiness.  "You have to remember that I was the brain of the computer he used for a very long time.  If I tap into his other computers I can basically download all of his data."

 

"Download? Where?"

The Saiyan tapped her head to indicate where she intended to store the data. "I have an enhanced brain. I have photographic memory that I can access like a computer file. If I see something once that's all it takes."

                "Cool!"

                The two women ran down a few hallways until they made it back to the partially destroyed main laboratory room.  Aspa laid Devil on the floor, taking care to let her down lightly.  Devil hadn't done much struggling since hearing the story of how the goop worked.  It didn't make any sense to get out if she wasn't going to be able to… yet.  She hadn't given up; she was just biding her time.

                Aspa pressed a button on the left side of the room that opened the room to where the operation had been performed originally.

                "Rae…bring the patient."

**********

                "This is bad." Piccolo couldn't be more right.  The being known as Boo could have been defeated.  Piccolo himself had had a good chance at it.  Even with his power up the fact was that Boo hadn't improved as much as the Z warriors.  They had exceeded him in every aspect of the game.  Speed.  Endurance.  Power.  He was nothing compared to them.  Sure he could beat up on Krillan, but he wasn't intent on killing him as much as someone else.

                "I think you are right."  That was the understatement of the day from Nenks.  Boo had been strong before, despite his not being able to beat the fusions.  If the thought ever occurred to him to destroy the planet it could have been done.  Oddly enough, Boo was on a twisted sort of honor system.  That meant he had to kill his enemy before doing anything else to jeopardize the planet.  Gogeta had to die in a fight and by his hands… then he could commit genocide.

                "You're wrong," grunted Boo.  "It's worse than that."  Boo knew that the situation had changed.  Not too long ago he had fought both Gogeta and Piccolo.  After having a chance to kill both in battle he found out something that he never thought that he would have to; that it was impossible to beat either Gogeta or Piccolo.  The fusion part of it wasn't completely out of the question.  It was made of two people.  However, it bothered him immensely that Piccolo was also ahead of him.  The Namek's power wasn't anywhere near the fusion's, but it was still enough to beat Boo.  That was why he did what he did.  His brother probably had sensed it coming as well.  The merger was almost predestined.  This time the good guys would have to deal with a fusion.

                "I think I need to split." Nenks closed his eyes and let his head rest backwards.  In blur of motion he split back into Hunter and Trunks.  Piccolo looked at them like they had just smoked crack and offered him some of it.

                "Why did you do that?" he demanded.  The Namek knew that his own power wasn't enough to beat a Super Boo.  The fusion would be a great asset.  If they were split then they weren't fused, hence less power.  Less power bad.

                Hunter cracked his neck, more because of nervousness than anything.  Super Boo was indeed an imposing figure.  Big and buff seemed to be the way to go.

                Trunks stepped forward.  "The fusion didn't have much time left, Piccolo.  The battle wouldn't be started before we defused.  In the middle of the fight that wouldn't be very helpful.  We can try to recharge our time now and hope for the best."

                "You assume that I will fuse again."  Hunter spat on the ground.  His face was turned up in displeasure.  "I think you've forgotten that I still will kill you and dance on your grave.  I did it last time out of necessity.  This time you'll have to find another fool."

                Super Boo clapped from across the way.  "I commend you, Hunter.  You aren't all soft after all.  Trunks, what will you do now?  Maybe you can fuse with the Namek."

                A bead of sweat slipped down Piccolo's face.  There was nothing he could do.  Super Boo could snap him in half in a second.  There was nothing that he could hope to do for the moment.

                "Don't worry, Trunks," laughed Super Boo.  "I think the cavalry has arrived."  Everyone looked into the distant sky where two figures very close to each other were skimming the clouds.  Piccolo checked the ki of each to identify them.

                "...It's Dr. Boo."

                That sparked surprise on the face of Super Boo.  It made no sense to him that there would be someone else with his name.  Then again everyone was going to die anyway so soon there wouldn't be. 

                "And it's Gohan!" Trunks cried in exhilaration.  The two figures closed in quickly and hit the ground with emphasis at a spot apart from the good guys, the bad guy, and the guy with the good guys who was really probably a bad guy.  Gohan, who was holding Dr. Boo in his arms, set the man down and stood at attention.

                "I wouldn't get too happy, boy," remarked Dr. Boo with an evil smirk.  "You see Gohan is under my control.  He will do what I say, which includes killing you.  Just a reminder."

                "…"

                Dr. Boo then looked at Boo.  He examined him with a keen interest.  The new Super Boo was the most well built fighter the Doctor had ever seen.  "I suppose you aren't just Boo.  If you were I'd say that you had made a mistake by bulking up the way you did.  Instead I'm sure that you are a fusion of sorts.  You are able to make up for the bulky exterior with impressive speed.  In light of that fact that you are indeed a perfect specimen.  I would like to propose a challenge."

                Boo raised an eyebrow, nothing more.

                "I give you Son Gohan.  He is capable of immense power.  He is able to tap into just about all of it as a result of his training with a god, but since then he has grown in power.  Now he has lost touch with his supreme strength, but I have given that back to him.  He can't hold back unless I tell him to, so he can now fight at the potential he was meant to."

                "You are wasting my time.  I should kill you right now." At those words Gohan zanzokened in front of Dr. Boo and became a human shield.  Super Boo did not move, but was impressed by the Doctor's control over such a strong fighter.

                "As you can see he is ready to fight… are you?"  Gohan's was one of determination.  All he knew was that Super Boo was the enemy and that Dr. Boo had to give the order before he could attack.  The fact that two very good friends of his were nearby meant nothing to him.  Only to fight Super Boo and winning.

                Super Boo, though, was less enthusiastic.  He actually began to yawn.  "If you must then send him out to die.  I don't mind sacrificing anybody."

                "NO!"  Piccolo interjected himself in between every one of them.  He had listened to enough.  As soon as Gohan had arrived Piccolo had breathed a sigh of relief.  Gohan was alive and well, even if he was under the Doctor's control.  Now the slimy man planned to sacrifice the half Saiyan.  For what reason?  It didn't matter.  Piccolo was going to put a stop to this.

                "And just what do you think you are doing?" asked Dr. Boo, as if he didn't know.

                "If you try and order Gohan to fight then I'm going to have to tear your lungs open.  You will not use Gohan as a puppet!" Piccolo balled up his fists, shaking viciously.  The anger flowing through him was insane.  It was taking over and much like a Saiyan he didn't have a say in it.  By nature Piccolo was able to control himself more, but this time was different.

                "How are you going to stop him?  Fight him?  He'll fight you to the very end, you know." Dr. Boo rubbed his chin.  "There isn't a thing you can do.  If you try to attack me Gohan will kill you plain and simple.  Do you want to risk that?  Can you fight Gohan without killing him if he is trying to kill you?  I don't think you can."

        Super Boo sighed and rolled his eyes.  Then he fell backward to the ground like a falling tree.  With a thud he hit, but that wasn't the only sound.

                "He's…" Piccolo couldn't get the other word out.  To do so would be to admit to himself and everyone else around at that point what he didn't want to; that Super Boo was just that strong.

                "Unreal!" was the only thing that Trunks could say.  He too was flabbergasted by Super Boo's complete disregard for them all.

                "Tell me he's joking."  Hunter stepped forward and "joined" Piccolo.  He was tired of the seemingly endless talking.  Someone was going start fighting or he was going to start the fight.  "That's it.  I don't care how strong he is.  I'm going to let out some frustrations on someone."

                "Hunter!"  This voice came from a little ways off.  It caught Hunter's attention and interest enough to make him look to see whom the source was.  It was, in fact, b-chan who had called out.  She too looked ready for battle.  Krillan was right next to her, but was less brave.

                "Yes, ma'am?"

                "This isn't the time to fight.  This is the time to think things through.  You have to get out of here with Trunks.  There is no way you can beat Boo now."  Her face was stern but she spoke with feeling.  She knew the situation was hopeless.  Before it was a slight chance that Hunter could have stood a fight with Boo.  He might not have lasted long, but he would be able to fight him nonetheless.  Now that was an impossible dream.  Hunter knew it; he just didn't want to let on that he did.  It sickened him that every time she said something to him it was basically true.  Hunter was stuck now.  His pride as a loner and his common sense clashed like titans.

                "Trunks… Hunter."  Started Piccolo.  His voice was low as if he were silently grieving to himself.  "Get out of here.  Let me deal with Super Boo.  I know how to beat him."  That statement took everyone by surprise.  It also managed to stir Super Boo who had previously been sleeping the whole time.  As he sat up he looked as if he was on the verge of busting out in hysterical laughter.  Piccolo, a Namek, thinking he could beat Super Boo on his own?

                "Piccolo."  Krillan wasn't much of a whiner.  He could be a coward, but a whiner he was not.  He knew that Piccolo at his peak couldn't beat Super Boo.  It wasn't possible in the least.  That meant that Piccolo had a plan.  It didn't take long to figure it out.  Krillan had known the Namek long enough to understand totally.  He turned to b-chan and whispered something.  She nodded back and began to put distance between herself and everyone else.  Krillan approached the group and headed right over to Trunks.  They both locked eyes together, transferring messages without words.  Trunks then flew after b-chan and they held off at about 1 mile away from the group.  Dr. Boo watched all of this transpire with a slight interest.

                As I thought.  They know that they cannot win this battle, so they are pulling out.  They only person here with a chance to defeat Super Boo is Son Gohan.  They will leave him to battle and then will try to release him from my control.  The fools don't understand that it is useless to try.  They can't begin to understand what kind of a hold I have on Son Gohan.  The chip in his brain is practically indestructible.  Son Gohan himself couldn't break it.

                Now everyone but Krillan, Piccolo, and Hunter remained of the "good guys".  Krillan didn't have long to stay, but he did feel a necessity to try to get Hunter to leave the scene.

                "Hunter.  I'm only going to say this once-"

                "Save your breath.  I know what's going on." Hunter gritted his teeth and fired up his ki.  "Don't think this is the last you have seen of me, Boo!"  Hunter zoomed off in the direction of b-chan, Krillan blinking the whole time.  Finally he left as well, leaving the Doctor, Gohan, Piccolo, and Super Boo alone.

                "Seems we finally are down to the final four." Super Boo rubbed his chin.  "Unless you plan on fighting, Dr., I suggest that you find another place to be right now.  Before you get any ideas the only reason I'm sparing your life is the fact that you seem to have taken control of my opponent.  We wouldn't want him to suddenly stop fighting if I killed you, would we?"

                "Enough of this!"  Piccolo was staring a hole right through Super Boo, but at the same time he was making sure to gather his ki to the highest point that it would go.  This was going to take all of his power to pull off.  He had never tried it before simply because it would be far too dangerous to do on the earth.  Now that wasn't a concern; Super Boo would most certainly destroy the planet if he weren't stopped before hand.

                "Just what do you think you are doing?" demanded Dr. Boo.  Piccolo ignored him and continued on.  Dr. Boo motioned to Gohan to take him away from the area.  They were off in a flash.  Piccolo sighed slightly.  If Dr. Boo was paranoid then Piccolo might get the attack off before Gohan was in range to feel any of the effect.

                "I believe I have the same question as the Doctor?" said Super Boo.  He wasn't worried, but Piccolo seemed ready to bet everything on one shot and that always interested him.  Every race had done it at one point and Boo had always seen it as amusing.

                "You'll see soon enough."  Piccolo widened his stance on the ground.  As he did the floor began to buckle under the intense weight of his ki and power.  The black energy was striking the floor with alarming consistency, ripping it apart.  Piccolo stood, relaxed almost, with his fists resting at his thighs.  He looked almost completely complacent.  He hadn't a care in the world.  That wasn't true, but he gave that impression.

                "I can hardly wait."

                Piccolo intensified his energy output and really began to remodel the landscape.  Entire chunks were beginning to float up into the air.  There they were vaporized by all of the ki in the atmosphere.  Piccolo actually sank into the ground, the weight of his ki too much for the earth to handle.

                "I have seen what you can do, Boo.  Right now you are strong, but you are not unbeatable."  The Namek's head rose until he and Boo were face to face.  "I don't care how much stronger you have gotten.  There is always someone capable of beating you.  In this case it may not be me, but you won't make it away from the battlefield this time."

                Super Boo managed a good laugh as a result of that last comment.  "I think you are deluding yourself, Piccolo.  What make you think that I would run away from you?  You can't begin to compare to me now.  I am your superior, plain and simple."

                Piccolo's power up intensified.  Still he kept dialogue with Boo, showing his intensive training in concentration.  "I might not be able to beat you now, but I will die trying if I have to.  Remember that an opponent willing to sacrifice his life is the most dangerous of all.  They have nothing else to lose because they are all ready sacrificing it all.  Even if I just make a small little dent in your armor I'll die happy."

                "Don't count on that happening."

                The Namek slowly raised his right hand up to his forehead and rested his middle and index fingers on it.  "I wouldn't be so sure.  I created this technique to kill Goku.  It was meant to drill a hole through his heart.  I doubt that will work on you."  A power flare from Piccolo's energy surged up and awakened Super Boo a bit.

                "Guilty as charged."

                "Keep joking.  You won't be laughing so much after I'm done.  This technique in its normal form would simply poke an easily healed hole in your body.  I plan on doing more damage than that.  This Kamikaze attack will be the end of you."

                A slight yawn escaped from Super Boo's lips.  He was getting bored again, although the still surging a growing power display before him caused him a very small bit of concern.  "Believe me, Green Boy, I've heard this all before.  Everyone thinks that they are going to be the one to destroy me, but no one does.  You will be no different.  My body is indestructible now."

                "Maybe now, but was it before?"

                That struck a cord with Super Boo.  He didn't like to made to look weak.

                "You know very well that the last time we fought you had no chance of winning.  You had to steal the energy from your brother to get to the point where you are now.  I have achieved all of my strength through my own training.  Even I didn't know I could get as strong as I am right now.  However, I never even considered going down the path that you have.  Regardless of the outcome of this particular battle, you can consider yourself beaten… by the green man."

                "You never beat me!  Prove that now, Namek!"

                "Too late.  This is a completely new battle.  It's 1-0, my favor."

                "NO!" Super Boo tore at the top of his head with his hands, digging his fingers down.  He didn't want to hear those words because he knew they were true.  Admitting defeat wasn't something that he took lightly.  There was only one thing to do about it.  "I'm going to rip you to shreds, Piccolo!  I'll destroy you so completely that you will never again question my superiority!"  Super Boo's power now began to surge.

                "…"

                "What's wrong?  No comebacks, Piccolo?"  Boo's eyes were glowing a bright, blood red.  His mouth was curled up in the most sinister smile that Piccolo had ever seen.  "Let's hear one of those comebacks now.  I dare you."

                "Loser."

                What followed after that simple word from Piccolo was almost ungodly.  Super Boo let loose a howl of horrific magnitude.  Behind it was the force of 20 hurricanes.  It was a sound wave with the force of a planet-destroying beat behind it.  Piccolo was almost tossed from his spot and thrown around in the wind like a rag doll.  Only his determination to finish his plan kept him rooted where he was and it wasn't doing a great job.  It didn't really matter in the end.  Super Boo was on the verge of doing exactly what Piccolo wanted.

                "How dare… ARRRRRRRRGHHHHHHH!"  Super Boo actually sounded like he was in pain.  He could try to kill Piccolo, but that wouldn't change a thing about what had already happened.  That wasn't going to stop him.  Letting every bit of anger overtake him Super Boo pounced like a hungry tiger hoping to get his hands around the head and neck of the one who dared claim a victory over the most powerful man in existence.

                Piccolo chuckled silently to himself.  The plan had worked and Super Boo was now using his least amount of power possible.  Piccolo had a chance to put a dent in him.  If nothing else it would bruise his ego when he finally realized what had happened.  That much Piccolo would take.  Something as simple as a bruised ego could prove fatal for someone like Super Boo.  As the demon lunged at him Piccolo gathered all his energy at his fingertips.  With the amount that he had stored there it was amazing that it was possible.

                I've reached the final level that a Namekian fighter can hope to reach.  Still, even after I did so after years of training, it didn't seem to make a difference.  I have already lost most reasons to continue training.  Goku is no longer my blood rival.  Son Gohan no longer needs my help in his own training.  Despite breaking through my final wall in my own training I have lost all reasons for doing so.  I haven't just decided to do this because I might be able to take Boo down.  That I would have done anyway regardless of my situation.  I need to do this because there is no other way to use the power that I have finally gained.  This is my final warrior's test.  I've already evened the playing field a bit.  No one can be at full power while as upset as he is… hopefully.  The rest is up to this one technique.  Gohan.  I hope you will understand when you become yourself again.  I have nothing else more to prove and nothing else to lose.

                Piccolo smirked ever so briefly.  It vanished just as soon as it appeared, replaced by a look of complete concentration.  With the grace of an eagle he swiftly moved his two fingers from his forehead to his left shoulder, and then from there to a point in front of himself where they were pointing straight at their target.  Immediately they began to spark with the life of the energy stored within them.  The full potential of it was apparent in seconds.

                "What?"  It was entirely too late when Super Boo finally realized what Piccolo had duped him into doing.  He was only moments away and even with his enhanced everything he could raise his power in time.

                There was a calm air around Piccolo.  It was almost silent.  Piccolo himself was complacent.  He simply stared at his foe with unwavering eyes.  The moment of truth was now.

                Goodbye Gohan.  You were the first friend I had ever had.  I owe you everything.  You made me what I am today.  I can't begin to express my gratitude.   Son Goku, you are easily the light of the world.  I also have you to thank for what I have become.  Your attitude towards life and your complete understanding of the battle.  It was you who believe that Gohan could defeat Cell when the rest of us did not.  You are truly amazing.   Trunks, you are only a teen now.  Your future self was much like Goku in that he could not stand to see injustice done.  You are a brave boy, taking on the Majin Buu's of the world and even Hunter.  You are brave to the end.   Tenshinhan, the strongest human alive.  You train to become stronger than Goku.  You know you can't do it, but you go on anyway.  You interject yourself when needed most even though you are outmatched every time.  The sign of a true hero.  Krillan.  You are the biggest coward I have ever seen, but you fight anyway.  Your dedication to the protection of earth and your friends is uncanny.  You are truly a good person.   Even you, Vegeta.  The most arrogant and self-serving Prince I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.  You always were trying to be one step ahead of everyone.  You fought along side and against us, all the while claiming that you didn't care.  So what did you do?  You sacrificed yourself to save the rest of us.  Even though it didn't work, I didn't thank you personally.  This is how I plan to do that.  Goodbye everyone.  I pray to Dende that you all survive.

                All of Piccolo's ki swirled around his two fingers for a moment.  It was like an intense light/electrical show.  It then was sucked back into his fingers for a brief moment.

                Piccolo blinked his eyes once and then spoke.  "Genocide."

**********

                Goten was fed up with all of his problems.  He had come back to Dr. Boo's laboratory in order to free his brother from whatever control Dr. Boo had over him.  He thought he might have found the main computer that was indeed controlling Gohan.  He never had a chance to find out because almost as soon as he entered the room he was attacked by a bunch of crazed, toy ninjas.  As if that wasn't enough for anyone to be pushed over the edge the ensuing 'attack' was perpetrated by a couple of delusional monkeys.    Goten managed to get away from all of them, but that didn't help much.  The next opponent turned out to be a massive mobile suit.  The only saving grace was that it was piloted by the still crazed ninjas.  They didn't last long.  Now Goten had exited the other side of the room and was making his way out of the place.  A new plan was about to be put into action.

                "This stinks.  I still haven't found the main computer that is controlling Gohan.  What am I going to do now?"

                "You could start by following me, Goten."  Rae placed her hand on Goten's shoulder after he turned around to see her.  His face lit up with glee and he embraced her, shaking her around in mid-air in a bear hug of love.

                "Rae!  I'm so happy to see you!  What are you doing here?"

                "Aspa and I are trying to help Videl back to herself.  Aspa's upstairs right now working on her.  It should only be a few minutes.  Aspa said she knows exactly what to do to bring Videl back."

                "That's great!  Can she do the same for Gohan?"

                Rae nodded her head, but it wasn't as positive a reaction as Goten hoped it would be.  That meant there was a catch somehow.

                "In theory it would work…" Rae paused in between words, not wanting to convey the bad news, "But in order to do it Aspa would have to have Gohan upstairs in the lab.  He would have to be brought here… and I don't think anyone can do that except maybe your father."

                Goten now understood Rae's lack of celebration over the good news.  Goku wouldn't be easy to get a hold of at a time like this.  That meant Gohan was out of luck for a while.  Goten could try to bring him back himself… but that wasn't going to happen.  Goten loved his brother, but he knew he didn't stand a chance at the time being.

                Goten wiped his forehead of sweat.  "Okay.  I'll follow you upstairs to the lab.  After Aspa is finished with Videl then we'll talk about what to do about Gohan.  We have to do whatever it takes to stop him from doing anything he'll regret."

                Rae agreed.  Gohan was a potentially dangerous weapon.  Dr. Boo knew that.  That was why he chose Gohan as his pet.  They would need all the help they could muster, so waiting for Aspa to finish was ideal.  They both silently ran back upstairs, Rae leading the way through the corridors, to join the Saiyan and the Human Android in the lab above.

**********

                18 woke up with a very large arm around her throat.  Not the good morning call that she would have chosen.  Cell had teleported himself and 18 back to Dende's lookout.   17 had already come to.  He didn't dare try to do anything just yet, though.  This was Cell he was dealing with.  Old memories die hard.

                Cell grunted when 18 opened her eyes.  "You've finally woken up.  I was beginning to think that you were going to sleep this one out.  That wouldn't make it any fun."

                Needless to say 18 began to struggle with all of her might.  Cell had problems holding on to her, but he succeeded in keeping his grip.  17 could feel his blood boiling inside of his veins, rage going off the page.

                "Let her go Cell, and I might not hurt you too badly." 17 knew it was a lie, and he knew that Cell knew that it was a lie.  It didn't matter; it seemed to carry more weight that way.

                "No.  I don't think so, 17" Cell tightened his grip instead, making 18 struggle more than before.  Now she was trying to keep oxygen in her body as well.  "Instead I think I'll just absorb you and your sister again."

                Everyone's reaction was the same.  Speechlessness.  Cell's was laughter.

                "Didn't think I could do that anymore, did you?  Well I can, and I plan on doing just that."  His face turned up and he squinted his eyes.  From the 'nub' it had become Cell's tail began to quiver.  Suddenly it burst out amidst a surge of green fluids.  It waved around behind him for a moment before curling itself over his shoulder.  He rested the tip on 18's head.

                "Get that disgusting thing off of me!"18 wrenched her entire body to the side and was finally able to squirm free of Cell's grip.  She continued twisting until she was belly-to-belly with him.  At that point 18 had a look on her face that was just plain scary.  Cell was scared.

                KA-POW!

                18 reared back and smacked Cell with a head butt to his shoulder.  He lurched back in an awkward position, holding that point on his body.  18 joined her brother, who was relieved that she had broken free from Cell's hold.

                "It seems you've lost, Cell."  17 placed his hands on his hips.  This was the first time he had ever had the advantage over Cell in any capacity.  "You can't handle one of us on your own.  You don't stand a chance against the both of us.  We show no mercy, especially to the likes of you."

                "And don't think we're going to let you go." 18 moved a strand of hair from her face to behind her ear.  "I've got a lot of frustrations I need to take out on you.  You've made my life a living hell before.  I think we should return the favor."

                Cell folded his arms, smirking the whole time.  "Ladies and Gentlemen.  I believe you are challenging me to a match.  Not only that, but you want to it end with in my death.  If you want a death match you shall receive it, but don't think that just because you were able to get away from me that you will be able to kill me."  He shook his finger at them.  "That just won't happen."

                "Like Hell it won't!"  17 hopped into the air.  For just a split second he floated there, poised in a runner's position but not moving anywhere.  The next second he was on a collision course with Cell.  Just before impact Cell launched a punch at him, but 17 slammed on the brakes and went in reverse.

                "HAAAAA!"  18, who had snuck around the backside, rammed the tip of her elbow into the back of Cell's neck.  It was a blow that Cell felt all the way down to the bottom of his feet.  It threw his equilibrium off and he skidded across the floor, fumbling around the entire time.  18 dove into the ground and resurfaced right under Cell.  She punched him high into the air.

                17 stationed himself in the path of the shooting star soaring into the air.  "Batter up!"  Spinning around one time for momentum 17 whacked Cell on the back with the second devastating blow already.  Cell than began to resemble a bullet shot at the lookout.

                18 cupped her arms like she was going to catch him.  She waited until the last minute until he was right on top of her to move.  He crashed all the way through the ground and came out the other time.  This time he was headed toward earth itself.

                "Oops.  Butterfingers."  18 walked over to the side of the ground to look over.  17 landed next to her.

                "I don't think you have a future in baseball, sis."

                "Probably not, but that won't stop me from batting him around for a little longer.  I think we should finish him now."

                17 closed his eyes and breathed in deeply.  "You are right.  We don't want to give him the chance to get ready for us.  We'll kill him now and be done with it."

                "Alright. Let's do it."18 dived down through the air, this time her target being a living being instead of the ground.  17 took an extra second on the tower.  He had so little time lately to get into the battles.  Everyone was screwing with his mind and manipulating him.  Finally he was back in control and with a chance to defeat his arch nemesis.  What more could a boy ask for?

                "Alright, Cell.  I've earned this fight.  I want to see what you are made of… literally."

**********

               

Author's Note:  I'm sorry about not posting any new chapters in such a long time.  My computer went down for about a month and then life got in the way after it was restored.  Now that I've got things under control I should be able to get the chapters out in some sort of timely fashion.  I really am sorry if I upset anyone by not updating or if anyone was kept waiting too long.  Just know that not all the circumstances were under my control.  If you have any questions, concerns, or if you just want to send me hate mail you can mail me at saiyanhunter@hotmail.com

Once again sorry and please enjoy the rest of the story