Shade nodded, then dashed away and ran down the nearest hallway at full tilt. Goku, Gohan and Vegeta just relaxed and calmly watched the news as events unfolded. Each and every channel was offering complete round-the-clock coverage on the Jade Crescent Tournament, the actions of Jade Falcon and the actions of the general populace in the immediate area. People were fleeing from Japan in any way possible, leaving by the hundreds, by boat and plane and train and car and even on foot. Many were trying to leave the area, but few were making it very far. Jade Falcon was stopping most of them and making them turn back. She wanted them to stay in Japan and in the vicinity of her arena so that she would have at least some challengers for her upcoming competition. If they all left the immediate area, then she wouldn't be able to have any fun with them.
The bullet train to Osaka was running on time, despite the fact that it was carrying far too many passengers. Every empty space was taken up by desperate people trying to flee from Jade Falcon's wrath. The older people could remember doing the same thing when Cell had come. The children just didn't get it or didn't really care. They just found it fun. They couldn't understand the danger the world was faced with, or what was going on.
A little girl giggled and waved out the window. When her mother asked her who she was waving to, the little girl simply pointed to the black-winged gray hybrid creature who was flying less than a hundred meter away, easily pacing the train. As they both watched, the hybrid turned its head a little to look at the train. It seemed to see the little girl waving to it, for it suddenly smiled back at the little girl, only its smile was actually an evil smirk.
The mother then screamed, "It's Jade Falcon!" Someone pulled an emergency brake and the train then came to a screeching halt. Almost before the train was completely stopped, people were pouring out of the doors and windows in a panicked flood. They all paused when a gray blur streaked through the sky and landed right in the middle of the crowd. It kicked up a huge cloud of dust when it landed. After a few seconds, the dust cleared, revealing the same black-winged gray hybrid creature that had been flying alongside the train. Jade Falcon smirked and said, "And just where do all of you think you're going?"
Someone cried, "Scatter, everyone! She can't catch us all!" Soon people were running in all possible directions, picking just about any direction that was away from Jade Falcon. She just laughed at the sight of their stark terror and then said loudly, "Run where you will! There is nowhere you can go where I can't find you!" Her predatory gaze fell upon two children. One was a teenage girl and the other was a younger boy. As she slowly, inexorably marched in closer to her prey, savoring every moment of their fear, the boy tripped and fell face down in the dust. Soon she stood over the frightened young child.
There was a swift blur of brownish hair and the girl was standing right between her and the fallen boy. Quickly looking over her shoulder, the girl hissed out, "Run, Jim!" The boy just nodded to her and tore off. Jade Falcon made to step by her, but the teenage girl just fearlessly matched her sideways movement. "I won't let you hurt my little brother," she said in a low hissing voice. Jade Falcon just sneered and then prepared to blast her…
But she stopped. The girl looked up and saw the hybrid's evil sneer change into a look of surprised confusion. "…Little…brother…" Her armor then began to flicker between gray and green as Jadeite and Jade Falcon fought for dominance. Her hands pressed against her violently heaving chest and she collapsed. The girl was very confused. In the middle of a massive internal power struggle, the hybrid choked out; "My real name…is Jadeite… Jade Falcon…controlling me… All my friends… Washington D.C… The Pentagon… Contact them…tell them…" She convulsed uncontrollably. "Go! Jade Falcon…taking over… Can't keep control… Run! Can't hold her…much longer…" Her armor settled on gray as the battle ended with Jade Falcon in control and Jadeite once again suppressed. But the girl was already long gone. She found her brother and then they both went to contact the Pentagon. If the news she had heard from the hybrid's alter ego proved to indeed be true, then it could mean the ultimate downfall of Jade Falcon once and for all.
The phone rang in the Pentagon and Gohan answered it. His eyes widened as he heard the message. When the message was done, he said a quick goodbye, slammed the phone down and ran away. He ran to where Shade was preparing to enter into Cell's inert mind and shouted, "I just got a message…from Jadeite!" The Super Saiyan and the hybrid jerked as one. Shade swore, holding his head, then prepared to give Gohan the lecture of his life. But he was shocked to see that Cell was already talking to the young Saiyan. Shade whispered, "Jadeite is alive…" Then he ran off to tell Goku and Vegeta the news.
Given a ray of hope to cling to, Cell threw himself into his training with an insane fervor that put to shame even Vegeta's single-minded determination to be the best warrior ever. He always demanded that his opponents give him everything they had…and more. There were times when he was dealt injuries that would have made even Vegeta retreat in fear for his life, but he just kept right on fighting right until the bitter end. He insisted nonstop that he be the first one to face off against Jade Falcon. Goku couldn't help but notice how much Cell had changed from what he had originally been. He had also grown much stronger. There was no more Goku or any of the other Saiyans could do for him or for anyone else. It appeared that the entire battle against the evil Jade Falcon would be left solely up to Cell. Given the undeniable fact that the hybrid had proven his worth to all of them both in and out of battle on numerous occasions, everyone was more than inclined to trust in him and just let him do his thing. He would indeed face off against Jade Falcon first. In the midst of all of the frantic training, there was also some very good news. Snowfall was discovered to be two weeks pregnant and relatively recent psychic scans had determined and confirmed that the as yet unborn child was the reincarnation of Cooler. Snowfall exulted in that simple fact, but she still didn't stop her intense battle training. Pregnant or not, she would still do as much as the rest, both in and out of battle.
Eventually the time came for the battle that everyone dreaded so much. Everyone flew to the great plateau where everything had all begun so very long ago, to go up against the evil Jade Falcon. Cell silently led the way in. Though he hid it from the others quite well, his determination was wavering. He didn't really know whether he could reach Jadeite or not. But, to him, it didn't really matter all that much whether he succeeded or failed. He had to protect the others. He just had to believe in himself and give the battle his all.
Everyone landed beside Jade Falcon's ring, but Cell didn't do like they did. He landed right inside the ring, facing Jade Falcon. She promptly struck up a fighting pose and prepared to take him on, but he didn't even seem to care about getting ready to fight against her. He just looked over at her with a sorrowful, despairing face and said softly, "Jade Falcon… Jadeite… It's me. Cell." Jade Falcon froze in place momentarily with a look of confusion written all over her pretty face. Then her face went completely blank and she slowly began to walk closer to him, stretching out both her slender hands to him.
For a short moment, it looked as if she would kiss him. The moment promptly froze in a pocket of crystal time and just hung there, suspended. Reality's return to normal saw Jade Falcon's hands wrapped around Cell's throat as she began to brutally strangle him. Her pretty, milk-white face twisted in an expression of animalistic rage as she snarled at him, "Was this your ultimate plan to deal with me, Cell? You are such a weak, pathetic fool. Did you really think you could get me to lose control just by talking to me? This body is mine. Its real owner is making quite a racket in here even as we speak," she said frankly as she tapped the side of her head with her fingertip, "But I don't plan to let her frantic weeping and wailing distract me from my goal. She's trying her very best to protect you from me, but she can't win." Desperately fighting for air, Cell struggled in vain to break free of her grip. This can't be happening… His frightened thoughts whirled frantically as everything began to go dark and cold. She wouldn't do this… Something that had lain hidden deep within his terrified mind stirred and, at last, awakened. A blinding flash of pure white light exploded from within Cell's body and threw the both of them apart. He landed flat on his rear and then skidded backward about ten feet, hitting his head hard on a nearby rock. Wobbling on his feet, he just barely managed to stand back up again. His eyes glittered with tears as yet unshed as he cried out, "Jadeite, please! Don't give up! You fought her once…you can do it again! The Saiyans can help you beat Jade Falcon!" Jade Falcon didn't even so much as flinch at that cry. She just sneered at Cell with a cold look on her pretty face and said nastily, "It's no use. You can't win." He paused, horrified. Why can't I get her back? His coral eyes glittered brighter and he just barely stifled a body-shaking sob. This was more than he could take without his heart breaking. I have to defeat Jade Falcon…but to do that I have to destroy her… He then remembered Shade's words about Jadeite's becoming Jade Falcon weeks ago. "…In acquiring your DNA, she also acquired the programming your creator originally gave you. Those attacks were signs of that programming trying to surface. Now it has taken control…" My love was recreated from the inside out… She's not the same person! He stared over at her and felt an unshakable sense of utter helplessness filling up his heart and soul. Do I have to fight her? Do I have to kill her? "No," he whispered softly, cringing and shivering very slightly. Then he put his hands up against his head, closed his eyes tightly and screamed at the top of his lungs, "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Jade Falcon wavered and nearly fell. Shade cried, "Both Jade Falcon and Jadeite are reacting to the confusion in Cell's heart!" Gohan quickly turned to him and said, "Cell's heart is influencing Jade Falcon's power?"
Cell slowly looked upward, pure despair written all across his milk-white face and locked eyes with Jade Falcon. The evil gray hybrid just looked at him coldly as she charged up another vicious attack. Then she blew all the others away from them with no more than a mere thought. Help me, someone… I'm not the one who can beat her… I can't do it… A familiar psychic voice echoed in his mind. It was the voice of Jadeite, whispering softly to his soul. (Be proud of the fact that you are a hybrid and this world's protector…) It was as if she were right beside him, listening in on his thoughts and trying her level best to help him out a little bit. Cell began to cry for real. He still felt totally lost and helpless, but a new determination burned deep within him. Is there no choice? Feeling self-assured in some small way, he took a few small steps forward, toward Jade Falcon. I can't stand to see her like this anymore… Goku reached out to him and then shouted his name in a questioning manner, but Cell wasn't listening to him anymore, or to anyone else for that matter. Is this the only way? His hand began to burn with laser energy as he prepared to attack Jade Falcon. He then charged at her. Is this the reason I came back from oblivion? He was totally silent as he did so. Shade called out to Goku; "I can't read his thoughts anymore! His mind's gone totally blank!" Mewtwo continued, (I can sense his emotions! Goku, he's gone suicidal on us!) Goku thought, Cell…is suicidal… Talk about weird.
Cell quickly swiped his burning hand through the air before Jade Falcon, but he didn't touch her. Such was his plan. That one simple action served to startle her into immobility, just long enough for him to get in just a bit closer to her. He could no longer hide his pain as a look of pure emotional devastation settled on his face. Then they were standing face to face. He was crying and she just looked confused. The moment froze as he lunged forward and stole a quick kiss from her. He closed his eyes in the middle of the kiss and silently prayed for forgiveness for what he was going to do. He grimaced against the great flood of tears, then brought his burning hand forward and quickly drove the energy right through the center of her chest. There was a big, swift burst of bright purplish blood from right between the two of them. Cell then quickly pulled his blazing hand backward.
Quickly weakening from trauma and blood loss, Jade Falcon slowly began to crumple to the ground, a look of pain, shock and surprise plastered on her contorted face. Jadeite… Cell fairly screamed in despair. You are my first love… His whole life flashed before his watching eyes, dominated by a huge image of the beauty that was Jadeite smiling over at him lovingly. …My only love… He couldn't bear to live his life without her and he also didn't really want to try to manage it. Even if we're reborn in another life… The pain of loss took over his sorrowful, traumatized mind, and yet he also felt a strange sense of hope. …We'll find each other… There could still be a slim chance left for him. …And then… Wasting no time in ending his sorrows, Cell quickly reversed the bright blade of laser light and then drove it through his own chest. …We'll fall in love again… The others watched him end his own life in pure horror, either screaming out loud or stifling a scream. …Jadeite… Pain filled his mortally wounded body, but to him it was a sweet, welcomed pain that washed away all his sorrows and the pain that filled his sorrowing soul. …We'll transcend time… Everything was slowly fading away and growing darker as his body shut down. It was getting harder and harder for him to breathe. The pain was leaving him. He spoke the name of his love for the last time, smiling feebly. …To live again… The pain died away completely and soon he felt nothing at all. The sorrow was gone. …Perhaps this time… He could barely feel his limp, dying body falling to the ground to land beside the dead Jade Falcon as the whole world slowly went dark and cold. …We'll find happiness… The world ever so slowly fell away into a soft, silent darkness. His final thought was of his love. …Jadeite… Cell almost smiled as he gave his last breath and felt nothing more. The pain was all gone, and so was everything else.
Shade's eyes went wide and he screamed out in wild, tortured shock, "No! Cell! Jadeite! This…" He suddenly choked on the next series of screamed words as he burst into frantic tears at the sight of what had just happened to his older sister. "This can't be what was supposed to happen to you guys! This can't be how it's all supposed to end for us!" Collapsing to his knees, he tilted his head back and howled, "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
The sight of a soft, pale white light arising from the place where the two dead hybrids lay stopped his frantic cries of grief in favor of watching in pure awe. Two smallish spheres of pale white light slowly arose from the two dead hybrids' unmoving chests and then merged together to form one single brightly burning mass. The ball of light grew brighter and then lit up the whole entire area from behind, leaving all that would soon transpire visible only via a very starkly delineated silhouette. Everyone could barely see anything. A big, strange, brightly shining mass ever so slowly rose upward from somewhere under the blood-drenched ground all around the two dead hybrids, slowly encapsulating the both of them in its blazing depths. Upon engulfing them, it then began to take on a very strange, almost crystalline appearance as it gradually sealed the two of them away from the world at large. The light ever so slowly died away into nothingness, revealing a high, towering formation made up of what appeared to be shimmery silvery-white crystal.
Curious and somewhat amazed by the sight, Shade slowly walked up to the high tower of silvery crystal and then looked in on the ones who were held firmly within its walls. Jade Falcon's armor had changed to a deep green; showing him that Jadeite was now firmly in control and that she would probably stay that way. In killing her and then dying by his own hand, Cell had actually managed to win his fight. Death had defeated the evil of Jade Falcon once and for all, but Jadeite appeared to have won it all in the end. She lay flat on her stomach, her arms outstretched, looking like she was merely sleeping. Cell's head rested against her slender shoulder, his arm limply draped over her back and her wings. Their wounds… As Shade watched in utter awe, their injuries were slowly closing up. He then said softly, "They're healing…" An incredulous look settled on his furry face. Then he turned to face all the others and yelled loudly, "Hey, everyone! They're healing!" The air rang as the Saiyans and hybrids gave a simultaneous cheer at that very happy news.
A short, sharp squeal of pain came from behind him. Shade turned to see that Snowfall had collapsed, her paws crossed over her stomach. She looked up to her husband and said simply, "It's time." King Cold turned to Shade and said, "She's having the baby now." Vegeta snapped, "Already? But it's only been two weeks!" Shade replied, "Our kind has a gestation time of just one month. Basically, we Saiyans breed like rabbits." Snowfall had dropped to a low crouch. The rest of the Winter Force gathered all around her to help her. Gohan had to hold the squalling Freezer back, seeing as the little kitten would only get in the way. It didn't take all that long to complete itself. The kitten was born in mere minutes. The newborn child didn't cry or mew, just lying quietly in his mother's arms.
Gohan released Freezer, who ran to his mother's side to look at the baby. The child was a deep indigo color, and his ears were swept backward in a graceful natural curve. Two small tufts of wiry fur ran backward along his jawline, mirroring his tiny ears to form a delicate little four-pronged crest. Freezer lisped, "Hi, little brother! We switched places!" The kitten smiled at Freezer, then curled up in Snowfall's arms and promptly sacked out. Freezer took the cue his brother gave him and just quietly laid down on his mother's lap.
As the Saiyans watched the birth unfold before their very eyes, the crystalline tower went totally unnoticed. While the Winter Force exulted in the rebirth of Cooler as one of their own, something very strange was happening behind them. Where am I? Within the heart of the great crystal tower, Jadeite slowly opened her eyes and looked at the silvery crystalline walls that were all around her. It's so cold and shimmery… It took her a few minutes before she really saw where she was. Am I alive? Is this a dream? Slightly confused, she eyed the cocoon that held both her and Cell. Silver crystal… The crystal tower shrank down and returned to nothingness as she closed her eyes and used her powers. There was a huge bright white light and a sound like that of great rushing winds. Turning around and shielding their eyes, the Saiyans looked to where the two hybrids had fallen. When they could see again, they all saw that the crystal tower was completely gone. In its place, they could see Jadeite sitting up and leaning over the limp body of Cell, who appeared to be dead. She looked down at him with an expression of sheer agony. Cell… Cringing in pain, she then laid a hand on her sore chest. He…stabbed me? Looking down, she noticed that her armor was different from how it had been before. My armor… She looked at it a little bit closer. It's grown to cover my chest completely… Her tentative touch revealed more than what her eyes had shown her. It's been smashed… Suddenly, she knew what had to have happened. It took the blow for me? She looked down at Cell. It's not a dream… He wasn't breathing and his body was very cold and completely lifeless. I came back to life alone? Jadeite's bright coral-hued eyes filled up with tears. How could this happen? She reached out and touched his hand. Something was going to happen. She could feel it. Your hand… Just then, she noticed that something strange was going on. …It's getting warmer and warmer… Her heart raced wildly as a feeling of pure elation overwhelmed her soul. Just then, she felt it as Cell's heart began to beat again. She whispered softly, hardly daring to believe what was happening, "Cell…" Slowly opening his eyes, he smiled up at her and whispered her name in return. Crying, she fairly yelped, "Cell!" She lunged into his arms and held him tight. It's a miracle! Reassuring her with his presence, he held her hand as she laid her head against his chest.
His eyes opened wide and she gave a momentary jerk as something deep within the both of them stirred, and then awakened. Their powers moved of their own accord, gathering around both of their hands. A bright reddish-orange light flared into abrupt existence, elongating unnaturally. A scepter of fire… The flames slowly died away to reveal a rod of bright burnished copper. A fist-sized ruby was set in the heart of a circle marked with rays that made it look like a stylized sun. It's my weapon… She'd seen something that was a lot like this in a movie once, and so the name that she gave to it had effectively created itself. The Staff of Ra… It had cooled down to a normal temperature, but it was still just a little bit warm to her touch. Our two powers created this… She looked toward Cell for some needed encouragement. He looked just as confused by the matter as she did, but pure curiosity overshadowed it. I know what to call out… Knowledge filled her soul to the brim for no apparent reason, newly awakened within her body and mind by the staff's recent creation. I have my very own attacks now… Had the two of them created the staff, or had it just created itself using the two of them as its vehicle for creation? She honestly didn't know the answer to that simple question. I can manipulate the elements themselves in battle… But she knew that she had gained some more power.
A short flash of pure dread overwhelmed her heart, but it only lasted for just a moment. Always… Why did she feel as though something very bad was coming for them all? When I think I'm happy… How much more trials and tribulations would she have to go through before she could just settle down and live a normal life? The next instant… Was her ominous feeling a premonition of trying times yet to come at some point in the near future? I'm suddenly unsure. Her gut instincts had never failed her before, so she doubted that her heart was playing a trick on her with the feeling of fear and dread. It had to be real. I somehow feel this happiness won't last. She felt a moment of pure regret, then gave a soft sigh and drowned her sorrows in the soothing balm of the purest resignation.
Oh, well… A faint look of faraway sadness drifted across her pretty face, but it was quickly replaced by a look of pure determination. That's my destiny. She looked up to the clear blue sky and felt a new resolve fill her, fueled by the love she felt for her home. Whatever happens, I'll succeed. Sensing her uncertainty, Cell turned toward her and asked softly, "Jadeite, what's wrong?" Turning to face him, he gave him a sad little smile and said in a very soft voice, "We have peace…for now. But I wonder…will the time to use the Staff of Ra come soon?" Cell laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, gave her a small, comforting smile and replied, "The future will come soon. No force on Earth can stop it from coming. For better or for worse, it will come in time… It may be good or it may be bad. It may just be weird. It could be anything. I don't know what it'll bring, none of us know that, but I do know that we will all face it…together." Side by side, they turned to face the others. The gathered Saiyans and hybrids patiently awaited her next command.
Knowing exactly what to do next, she stepped forward and said loudly, "We will all spend the night here, on this here plateau, right around this arena. In the early morning, we will fly to America via a nonstop flight over the Pacific Ocean. We'll be going via the overland route after that's done, so we'll do most of our flying at night. For now, it's been a really long day, so let's just hang out or hit the sack." The Saiyans and the hybrids promptly kicked back and relaxed. They talked and laughed together for hours on end. Shade and Mewtwo stayed right beside Jadeite the whole time. Night came with relative rapidity, and everyone quickly settled down. Freezer had already sacked out, being the youngest except for little Cooler, who was also asleep. Jadeite herself also fell asleep early on, having had a very long, hard day. Cell refused to leave her side for any reason, seeing as he was still recovering from the pure trauma of her having been Jade Falcon.
The morning came quickly and everyone got ready for the upcoming journey with great rapidity, really wanting to get back home to America and Washington D.C in particular. Jadeite led them as always; charging forward, leaping into the air and then flying off with the great speed that was typical of her. Cell, as always, was right behind her. The others quickly followed her into the air in rapid succession. Soon a huge cloud of Saiyans and hybrids soared over the land. It didn't take them too long to reach the shore of the ocean.
Not even bothering to pause and regroup, they just continued on. They saw a few puffy white clouds on the horizon, but everything else was just water and sky. It didn't take long before land was in sight. But then something terrible happened. Thunderclouds rolled in from out of nowhere and enshrouded them all. The sky went white. Jadeite looked around with increasing franticness, a look of horror growing on her face. She whispered, "No, it can't be, it just can't be, say it isn't…" She whipped around to face the others and squealed in a voice full of terror, "It's a white squall! Fly for your lives!"
Not quite understanding the danger that they were all in, Cell came up right beside her and repeated questioningly, "White squall?" She turned to face toward him, stark terror written all over her face, and then said quickly, "It's even deadlier than a hurricane. Folks call it The Perfect Storm. Anything in the water goes straight to the bottom and may God have mercy on your soul if you're up in the air. The downdrafts can smash a reinforced titanium airplane into little bits. Nothing can hope to survive it. For your life, Cell, fly!"
But it was already far too late. They had wasted way too much time on talking. The very same downdraft that she had spoken of smashed them both from above with the force of a thousand atomic bombs. Jadeite's psychic powers saved her from falling, but Cell wasn't so lucky. He was totally helpless as he plummeted toward the madly churning ocean like a screaming green comet. She could see him trying to spread his wings and at least glide, but the downdraft forced his wings to fold against his will and he could do nothing save continue his death plunge. All his frantic efforts did was make him go into a tight spiral. She saw him hit the water with the force of a thousand oversized freight trains. He didn't surface and she wasn't at all surprised by the fact that he wasn't coming back up. That was typical of a white squall. Jadeite would have searched for him, but she knew that nothing could possibly survive the downdraft. She had to get herself to safety. Cell would have wanted it that way. Stifling the urge to weep, she turned away and flew toward land.
Deep underwater, being violently tossed across the rocky bottom by the madly churning currents, Cell desperately struggled to reach the surface. He really regretted having tried to glide out of the downdraft, since both of his wings were now completely useless to him. They hurt like heck and, for a single split second, he wondered if they were both broken. But he had more important matters to think of, like getting to the surface to breathe. His chest was beginning to ache and burn from lack of air. If he was to even try to survive being caught in the storm, he needed to breathe and quickly. Kicking and clawing at the water, he frantically fought to swim up to the surface. Need…air… He was almost there, he could even see the rain falling in white sheets, and soon he would be able to breathe… So close… Then a viciously powerful riptide sucked him back down to the bottom, sending him spinning like a whirligig. No… He realized, with a sickening dizzy lurch, that he no longer knew which way was up. No… Where was the surface? No… He began to panic, thrashing and clawing blindly. No, this can't be happening! Then rational thought took over. No, no, stay calm. He had to think about what he would have to do next. Have to find the surface… He looked around to try to see where he had to go, then, having failed at doing that, he arbitrarily picked a direction and started to swim. I'll try…this way. Time seemed to slow down and, for a moment, he began to think that he had chosen the wrong direction. But he realized that the current was still trying to drag him downward. Surely it wouldn't try to push me down if this wasn't up. He was beginning to lose consciousness and he was almost too weak to move, but he put all of his meager remaining strength into a final explosive charge toward the surface. Have to…give it all I've got… Just when he thought that it was all over for him, he finally reached the surface. Air! The wildly churning waves only let him take a single quick breath before dragging him back underwater again. Not again… This time he was thrown clear to the bottom. This is just great. A semi-sharp rock smashed him in the abdomen and a cloud of bubbles erupted from his mouth and nose as the air was abruptly forced from his lungs. Oh my God, no! His instinctive reaction was to take a deep breath, and his lungs were filled with water before he knew it. No! No! He couldn't stop himself as he instinctively breathed in copious amounts of water. NOOOOOOOOOOOO! His lungs were completely full of water, its presence causing an unbearable burning sensation in his chest. No… Cell went into violent convulsions, clawing at his chest and throat. Consciousness fled quickly as his body used its last-ditch defense against sure death, his metabolism slowing down to barely above zero. But even then, he didn't have much time.
Samuel Reed lived on the coast of the state of Washington, and he loved to begin his mornings with a walk along the beach. He'd heard the storm lashing and tearing at the skies the previous day, but that didn't keep him from his daily walk. His white cane swept the ground before him, its red tip probing side to side with each step he took. His Saint Bernard, Beethoven, trotted alongside him. Even though he was totally blind, he still loved to walk on the beach. The waves rushed and rolled mere inches away. This was a perfect day. Then his cane struck something on the ground. Beethoven started barking in the same manner he always did when he found a stranger. Sam knelt down and reached out to touch what he had run into. His groping hand came up against something hard. A bit more searching revealed that he was touching someone's arm. He gave a little gasp. Evidently someone was lying in the surf, as if they had washed in with the tide. His next actions came naturally. He felt for the person's neck and felt a fatally slow heartbeat. The body was as cold as the ground and the person wasn't breathing. He touched the person's face and found a stream of salty fluid flowing from an open mouth. Sam knew what the problem was. The person's lungs were full of water. Acting on that knowledge quickly, he applied pressure to the person's chest and abdomen. Nothing happened. Then he fairly jumped on the person's chest. He heard a splattering sound and a choked gurgling cry as the water left the person's lungs. He also felt weak, spastic movement as the person violently convulsed. Then he heard a series of wet, body-shaking coughs and rough gasps for air as the person cleared the rest of the water out of their lungs and began to breathe on their own. The breaths slowed and deepened as the person lost consciousness again. The person was injured badly after having been near death, and needed Sam's help. Wasting no time, he wrapped his arms under the person's shoulders and lifted with all his strength. Then he began to drag the person back to his house. Beethoven helped him out.
Cell awakened ever so slowly, reality returning to him in gradual stages. He was lying on something very soft, and he was nice and warm. Where am I? What happened to me? He slowly opened his eyes and looked up. There was a whitewashed tile ceiling directly above him, and the walls that he saw were made up of panels of some form of dark wood. Lights of red, orange and yellow danced along the walls and ceiling. Slowly turning his head, he saw a largish fireplace made up of big gray stones, complete with a roaring fire. Then he found out where he was. He was lying stretched out on a couch, a warm woolen blanket draped over him. But how in the heck had he gotten there? All sorts of aches and pains crashed in on him when he tried to sit up. It…hurts… The world spun crazily around him and he thought for sure that he would pass out again. I'm losing it… Overwhelmed and disoriented, he had no choice but to fall back on the couch with a low moan of confused pain. I feel so weak… "So you've finally decided to come around and return to the land of the living, have you?" The voice startled him. He looked to the side and saw an old man sitting in a big leather chair across from him. His next few words came naturally as he asked, "What happened? Where am I?" The man smiled at him in a fatherly fashion and said, "You took quite a beating out there, son. I found you lying on the beach this morning and you've been out cold for the whole day. Judging from your proximity to the waves, you must have washed in with the tide. You were hurt rather badly, so I brought you here to my house to recover. Did you get caught in yesterday's storm?" An expression of confused uncertainty settled in on Cell's face as he replied hesitantly, "I was…out flying with my family. Over the ocean… We could see the land. A storm came up from out of nowhere… My wife called it a white squall. A downdraft… I was hit from above and then I…fell. No time to stop myself, to even try to react. I could hear someone screaming…was it really me I heard? The water… I could see it below me. I hit hard… There was a loud sound…an explosion of pain… And… I don't remember too much after that…" The man said, "It seems to me like you're very lucky to still be alive right now, son. I swept the whole beach after bringing you over here and I couldn't find any sign of your aircraft no matter how hard or far I searched. It must have been completely destroyed by the storm…and yet you survived." That statement completely confused Cell. What does he mean by my aircraft? Doesn't he know that I am Cell? I need no aircraft in order to fly! He narrowed his eyes cautiously and then asked the man, "Wait just a minute here… My appearance doesn't scare you?" The man shook his head and replied, "It can't scare me. You see…I'm blind." Narrowing his eyes warily, Cell asked, "Who are you, anyway?" The man replied, "My name is Sam. And who are you?" Suddenly frightened at the prospect of revealing his true identity to the strange man, Cell finagled, "Just call me Ross." Sam replied, "Okay. Ross it is, then." Feeling just a little bit stronger, Cell tried to sit up once again. This time, he managed to do it, but the effort tired him out. Relaxing against the sofa, he just sat back and breathed deeply. He was lost in thought until he felt a presence by his side. Sam stood beside him and held out a cup and saucer to him. "Here," he said, "Drink this. You'll feel much better." Cell hesitantly accepted what he offered, taking the cup and saucer from Sam. Unsure, he slowly took a sip. The liquid flowed down his throat, creating a warm glow inside him. He turned and said softly, "Sam, it's…it's good." Sam replied, "I'm glad you like it." Suddenly, Cell found himself caught in a huge yawn that he couldn't suppress no matter how hard he tried to do so. "So…tired…" Sam smiled at him and said, "Sleep now, son. Just sleep."
Cell awakened the very next day, feeling strong enough to try walking. He slowly stood, fighting off a sudden feeling of dizziness, making sure of his balance by laying a hand on the back of the couch that had served as his bed. Taking it slowly, he took a small step forward. Still too weak to stand up on his own, he leaned against various objects as he walked. Worn out by even that slight effort, he put his shoulder to the wall and lowered his head, resting a bit. He thought about his current situation and grimaced. I, who once came close to destroying the world, have been reduced to hobbling about like an invalid. He wryly smiled to himself. Whoever would have thought? He looked up and saw that the wall he leaned up against was adorned with an old photograph. A happy man stood in an orchard, a laughing woman and a young child at his side. Feeling a presence, he turned and saw Sam standing there. Curious, he asked, "Who are the people in this photograph?"
Tears sprang to Sam's sightless eyes and he said, "They are-were my family. They died two years ago… We were on vacation in Ginger Town. I went to the beach that day… My wife and son stayed behind. When I returned…" He choked up. "When I returned, the city was completely empty. There were just clothes lying around. I could hear people screaming in the distance…and the sounds of people shooting. Only one thought crossed my mind at that point. My wife and son… I had to find them! I searched all over and found them hiding together in a dark alley, behind an abandoned garbage truck. Then it came, seemingly from out of nowhere. It was…some sort of a thing. It looked like it was a big green bug with a beak and a long needle-tipped tail. It spoke of…absorbing us… Somehow I knew that this had been the fate of the others whose clothes I had seen earlier. I leapt in front of it, telling my wife and son to run for their lives. They did as I said, but it…got past me. My wife shielded my son with her own body, giving her life to protect him…and it…took her… I watched her fade…she faded into nothing! My son ran as fast as he could…but he wasn't nearly fast enough. It got him too… I don't know why it chose me, but it left me alive. It wanted me to tell the others…" He turned away. "I alone survived that day. I was taken to a hospital for a precautionary quarantine. There I saw the news broadcast that changed everything for me. I learned the name of the hateful thing that had killed my family, the name of the one I swore to hate forever. Cell…" Cell shivered at the pure hatred in Sam's voice. "I would have hunted him down right then and there, but then I got that disease. I can't remember its name, but I was sick for weeks and it took my sight with it when it left. Even after I lost my sight, I kept a vivid memory of Cell's face, so that I could identify him by touch if not by sight…and kill him. But by the time I finally recovered, I heard that Cell was already dead." Cell shivered silently. The multitudinous horrors of his distant, almost forgotten past were now staring him in the face. It was all he could do to choke out, "I… I'm so sorry…" Sam snapped back out of his memory-trance and turned to face him. He said, "Well, Ross, that reminds me. I don't know what you look like. Would you be terribly offended if I touched your face?" Hearing those words, Cell almost felt as though the icy hand of death was reaching out to grab him. He'll recognize me for sure if he does that! I'm doomed if he does that! Panicking in a major way, he stepped back and squealed, "No!" Startled by his sudden outburst, Sam stepped back, smiled reassuringly and said, "Okay. I won't do that, then."
A couple more days passed. Cell had gained enough strength to walk around, but he still needed to stop and rest every so often. Feeling the need to protect himself from unseen prying eyes, he took a large sheet and made a hooded cloak out of it. With it wound around him and the hood up, no one would recognize his inhuman form for what it was. No one would know his true identity. While he wore that cloak, he would simply be Ross the mysterious wanderer. He felt that he owed Sam a huge favor for helping him out in his time of need and saving his life, but he didn't know what to do. And even though he could walk around to some extent, he was still far too weak to even try to fly. So he just wandered around the area like a silent ghost, walking along the beach and sitting and gazing up at the starry sky at nighttime. He spent most of the time thinking of Jadeite. Was she all right? Did she think him to be dead now? Had she even survived the storm?
One dark night, he returned to Sam's house with a feeling of pure dread. Something just wasn't right. He silently entered the house and walked down the hallway like a ghost. Then he heard voices. "Hand over all your money on the double or you will surely face the consequences of disobedience, old man." "Do what he says or I swear I'll shoot you." The next voice he heard was Sam's. "You'll get nothing from me, you creeps!" Cell ran down the hallway as fast as he could possibly manage to go, which was pretty darn fast, his cloak billowing around his glossy black wings. A masked man regarded Sam, who stood tall and proud. A second masked man held a gun pointed at him. The second man said, "Then I guess you'll just have to die, old man!" With a rush of billowing fabric, Cell charged between Sam and the man with the gun as he fired, and took the bullet that was meant to kill Sam. Sam started at the sound of motion and also heard the man squealing; "Now you just keep away from me, man! You're not human! You're not human!" The other man pulled out a gun and, before Cell could react, he had just shot Sam in the side. Cell gave a shocked, outraged, fearful cry as Sam slowly fell. Moving with his customary unnatural speed, he caught Sam and gently eased him down to the ground. He said urgently, "Sam, I can help you. I have the power to heal." He got right down to work.
The burglars watched as the injured man's body began to burn a bright yet pale blue. When the glow finally died away, Sam sat up with a short little gasp, a look of pure shock on his face. He then turned to face toward the two burglars and had the most monumental revelation of his entire life. "I can see," he whispered incredulously, "I can see!" Under his cloak, Cell smiled. This occurrence was completely unforeseen, but it looked as if he had paid back his debt to Sam. Getting back down to business, he stepped forward and called out abruptly, "Sam, I'm going to grab that guy's gun and throw it to you. You keep them both covered while I take care of business." Then he darted forward, amazing Sam with his superhuman speed, and attacked the two burglars. A short moment later, Sam reached out and caught the pistol Cell had tossed his way. He brought it to bear on the now unarmed burglar as the one who was still armed opened fire on Cell. Sam cried out in horror, "Ross!" Unaffected in the least and also undaunted, Cell just slowly walked up closer to his target. The burglar with the gun cried out, "No way, man! He's not human! He's not human!" Then Cell grabbed him, abruptly disarmed him and then threw him across the room to join his partner. After finishing doing that, Cell swatted them both over the head, knocking them both out cold. He turned to face Sam, saying, "I'm glad that's done. Are you all right?" The only response he received was a gasp of shock.
Sam's eyes went wide and he gasped in shock and fear. Looking down at himself, Cell saw that the front of his cloak was smoldering. Part of it was torn away, revealing some of his armor. Scared clean out of his mind, Sam quickly turned the gun on him. He said, "You're not really Ross, are you. Well, whoever or whatever you are, take off that cloak so that I can see you!" Looking down in sorrowful shame, he obliged. Sam gasped as familiar details that he hadn't seen for two years were slowly revealed to him. Milk-white hands. A high double crest. Coral eyes. A pale ivory face adorned with twin streaks of deepest indigo. A tall, strong body clad in mottled dark green armor. Big glossy black wings like those of some sort of a bug. Yellow feet. Hatred flooded through him as he growled in a low, harsh voice, "Cell… My family died because of you…" Almost seeming to have read his mind, the newly revealed hybrid looked down at him sadly and then quietly knelt before him. Sam abruptly stepped forward and held the gun to Cell's head. "I should kill you for what you did to all those people," he snarled. Turning ever so slightly, Cell looked up at him for a long moment, a look of pure devastation written all over his pale face. "I meant what I said," Cell whispered softly, "I'm sorry…" Sam could see tears glistening in his great coral eyes as he spoke his apology. Then he turned away and just slowly bowed his head with a soft sigh of resignation. Sam was quite shocked at the sight of that. He had just threatened to murder Cell right on the spot…and he wasn't even fighting back? The hybrid was just going to let Sam kill him? Cell just cringed, closing his eyes and clenching his fists. He felt the cold metal of the gun's barrel pressing up against his temple and he shivered slightly at the feeling, his face twisted in a grimace combining anguish and stark terror with the expectation of severe pain and swift death. The air rang out with a harsh metallic click as Sam primed the gun to fire. Cell flinched with a frightened little gasp, then took a series of deep breaths. Sam just barely heard him whisper, "Jadeite…" That got his mind moving double time and he recalled all of the significant things he'd heard Cell say while the hybrid was still in the disguise of Ross. My family… My wife… Sam, it's…it's good… I'm so sorry… Sam, I can help you… He drove those thoughts from his mind, replacing them with memories of happy times with his wife and son. His finger tightened on the trigger. But then his image of himself standing with his wife and son changed to an image of Cell holding a small hybrid child in his arms and standing beside a beautiful female hybrid. He is…as I was… Sam felt the presence of the gun in his hand as though he was touching a maggot instead of a weapon. Am I going to become…as he was? The thought filled him with extreme disgust. But he had to see it through to the very end. Breathing a soft little prayer, he pulled the trigger.
Cell had been certain that he was going to die shortly, so he gave a frightened scream when he heard the gun go off. Finding that he was still alive, even unhurt, he looked up at Sam with an expression of pure confusion. Sam smiled down at him and dropped the gun without so much as a word of explanation. Reaching out, he grabbed Cell's hand and helped him to stand up. Taken aback by the sudden act of kindness and the fact that his life had been spared, Cell stammered, "You…you let me live… Why?" Sam replied, "Two years ago, a man lost his family. I will not permit it to happen again." He turned away and then said, "Come along now, son. Let's get you home." As Cell began to follow him, he saw that Sam had fired the gun at the opposite wall instead of at him. He…he called me 'son'…even though he knows who I truly am. As they walked together, Sam said, "Now I know why I didn't find signs of an aircraft when I first found you. Aircraft was what naturally sprang to mind when you said that you'd been out flying."
The two of them walked outside. Sam turned to face Cell and asked, "Do you feel strong enough to fly yet, son?" Cell said uncertainly, "I'll try." He leapt upward and spread his glossy black wings. Catching the wind and rising higher, he headed for the high clouds. He faltered in the air and nearly fell out of the sky, making Sam feel sick with worry, but he only wavered for a moment. Rapidly gaining back his confidence at flying, he soon soared in great circles high above the ground. Sam shared in Cell's wild exhilaration as the hybrid streaked through the clouds like a green comet. After a few minutes of that, he landed beside Sam and crowed happily, "Yes! My strength has finally returned!" Quickly becoming serious, he said, "Time for me to test my powers…and go home." Turning to face Sam, he said, "Thank you for everything…and for letting me live. I hope that, in restoring your sight and in saving your life, I have atoned for my sins." Sam laid a gentle hand on Cell's shoulder and replied, "All debts have been paid between us. You owe me nothing. Your family is waiting for you, son. Go. Go now." Cell turned around, brought a hand to his brow and concentrated. Then he vanished with a short rush of glittery light.
Even before he entered the Pentagon, Cell received numerous double takes from Saiyans and fellow hybrids alike. He just ignored them, seeking Jadeite. As he searched, he began to wonder where everyone else was. He hadn't seen Shade or Mewtwo yet. Just then, a feminine voice cried his name and he was practically tackled to the floor. Squirming in the grasp of his unidentified assailant, Cell found himself looking into the face of Jadeite. She screamed at him, "God, where've you been? I went all over the West Coast looking for you! Are you okay? Are you okay, Cell?" He reassured her, "I'm just fine, Jadeite." Giving in to his emotions, he embraced her and said, "I have…missed you, my love." They both recovered their composure and stood up. Jadeite said, "I learned something new while you were gone. Watch this. I can change into any of my previous forms." Her body glowed for a moment. When the glow died, a short, thin human woman stood in Jadeite's place. "I can become Laura, who I was born as…" The glow came back again, and this time a lithe white-furred Super Saiyan stood there. "…Mewthree, who Mewtwo fell in love with…" The glow came a third time, and a red-eyed gray-furred monstrosity stood there. "…Ultra Mewthree, who initially arose to save your life…" The glow came one last time, and Jadeite was once again standing before Cell. "…I can just be me…" Her armor darkened to become a deep gray and Jade Falcon stood there. "…Or I can even be Jade Falcon if I so desire." Cell remarked, "You've gotten a heck of a lot stronger since I saw you last, Jadeite. And I'd like to say one more thing. Do you still possess the Staff of Ra?" She smiled and replied, "You had better believe I still have it!"
They had no idea whatsoever that they were all about to become part of a major cosmic event. The stars of the galaxy had just aligned perfectly, enabling great energies to be channeled across the depths of the cosmos. The energies focused on the Earth and opened wide the gates of time for those who were something more than human. Everyone within the walls of the Pentagon, the Saiyans, Mews, hybrids and all the rest, were tossed into the past. All they knew was a flash of light, a clap of unnatural thunder and that was all.