Disclaimer - I do not own the rights to any of the characters in this fanfic, nor do I claim them. The idea, however, is mine. Enjoy!
Whatever It Takes
Chapter 10: Savior, Part 2
Sailor Saturn hopped down the short distance of the cliff to the ground below, a small cloud of dust flying up into the air as she landed. She surveyed the surrounding area with a roaming eye, frowning with disapproval. She saw that Krillin knelt down next to 18, and Gohan still sat on the ground in a state of shock.
"It's that feeling of despair again," Saturn thought, tears stinging at her eyes. "Gohan…" As she thought his name, the young Saiya-jin looked up in her direction, his tears still running unchecked down his face. She tore her gaze away from his face as she heard Sailor Moon approach her.
"Sailor Saturn," she began questioningly.
"Let's go check on my… on Krillin and 18," Saturn suggested, already making her way towards them. Krillin looked up sharply as she approached, watching her with a wary eye as she knelt down next to them.
"Will she be alright," Saturn asked Krillin.
Krillin nodded his head, however remained silent. He watched this strange girl as she looked at 18 with something akin to love expressed on her face. And as a sense of familiarity washed over him, he coughed lightly, gaining her attention. "Do I, uh…"
"Yes," she prompted, as his sentence trailed off.
He coughed again. "Do I know you from somewhere," he asked. "You look familiar."
"Perhaps we knew each other at a different time," she replied, smiling sadly at him. She looked back down at 18, gently brushing aside a lock of the woman's damp hair. "You really care for her, don't you?"
The question caught Krillin off-guard, and he flushed in embarrassment. "I-I-I-"
"You shouldn't be ashamed," Saturn interrupted, making eye contact with him with eyes strangely familiar to him. She rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and they both looked down towards 18 as she moaned. Krillin gasped and backed away, while Saturn leaned forward, peering down at her.
As 18 opened her eyes, a dark-haired figure was the first thing she noticed. The face, however, was shrouded by shadow. "17," she asked, frowning in confusion. She narrowed her eyes in concentration as the shadow shifted, revealing the curves of a more feminine face. "No, you're not him," she murmured. "But you're familiar to me, somehow."
Not knowing why, 18 lifted her hand and caressed the girl's face. The girl leaned into the curve of her hand momentarily before she spoke. "You should try and get more rest. You're still very weak."
"Your eyes aren't the right color," 18 whispered, closing her eyes once again. "But this is how I'll remember you." As she fell back asleep, Saturn folded 18's hands together over her stomach and stood up.
"Sailor Moon," Saturn began, turning towards the girl, who had remained quiet through the entire exchange. "I want you to stay with Krillin and 18."
Sailor Moon gasped. "But…"
"Please don't argue," Saturn stated, frowning slightly. "I won't put you in more danger than necessary." She paused, looking over at Gohan briefly. She turned back to Sailor Moon, her expression softening. "Please, protect them for me."
"Okay, I promise," Sailor Moon replied. Sailor Saturn nodded, and began walking away from them.
Above them, Cell watched as the girl walked towards Gohan, his interest in her growing. "Who is this child," he wondered out lout, a slow smile spreading across his face. "She has an enormous amount of untapped energy." His smile turned into a cruel sneer. "I'll toy with her, before I destroy this pitiful planet." Crossing his arms, Cell made a slow descent towards the earth.
Sailor Saturn approached Gohan, his expression unreadable. He looked up at her as she stopped in front of him. "Gohan," she began softly.
"It's my fault. All my fault," he cried.
"Don't blame yourself, Gohan," Saturn coaxed. She stepped forward, and he glared at her, causing her to stop.
"Don't come near me," he said in a low, feral tone, his ki beginning to gather around him.
"G-Gohan," she exclaimed in surprise, shocked at the way he was acting. She had never seen him so angry before. She reached out towards him, and he yelled out in rage.
"Don't touch me," he screamed, turning super Saiya-jin. The ground underneath him flew up and burst outward in his fit of rage. Some of the gravel flew towards Saturn, and she grabbed her arm in pain as she got cut by a sharp shard of rock.
Gritting her teeth against the pain, she walked to Gohan after he completely finished transforming. Dropping down next to him, she wiped away some of the fresh tears that fell down his face. "Gohan, I do understand how you feel," she told him, cupping his face gently. She leaned forward, kissing the corner of his mouth clumsily, and then enveloped him in a hug. "I understand completely."
Gohan sat in her arms, shocked by her actions. Then slowly, he wrapped his arms around her, as well. "I killed my father." He was crying again. "I had the chance to kill Cell, and I didn't. And now, my father is gone!"
"It will be alright, you'll see," she murmured gently as he grabbed a fistful of the back of her fuku, returning her hug desperately. She winced slightly from his tight grasp, however continued to comfort him. A shadow fell over them, and Saturn narrowed her eyes. "You won't have to fight him again, Gohan," she continued quietly. "Not if you don't want to."
She pulled away from him, and it was then that Gohan noticed Cell's presence. "Cell," he exclaimed in alarm. As Saturn stood up, he could only stare up past her at the android, unable to move. "I can't do it," he thought frantically. "I can't fight anymore." As if sensing what he was thinking, Sailor Saturn smiled down at him.
Extending her arm out to the side, the Silence glaive appeared suddenly in her hand. Spinning around quickly, she lashed out with the weapon, cutting Cell across his abdomen. He stumbled back, clutching at his bleeding stomach. He looked down in shock, and looked at her with narrowed eyes.
"Unlike Son Goku and Son Gohan, I will not let you live, Cell," she warned, holding the glaive in a horizontal position in front of her. As his wound quickly healed, utilizing Piccolo's regenerative cells, Cell regarded her with his confident smile once again.
"That was a lucky shot," he boasted, raising his arm slowly. "One I will not allow again." He let a ki blast fly from his hand, and as it hit Saturn, Sailor Moon screamed.
"Hotaru-chan," she cried out, her outburst stirring even more familiarity in the back of Krillin's mind.
"Oh no," Krillin yelled. Above them, the others watched in shock and surprise, and Yamcha shook his head in disbelief.
"I…I told her," he exclaimed. "This is horrible. She didn't even stand a chance."
"No, look," Trunks exclaimed, pointing to the spot where Saturn had been blasted. The smoke around her began to clear, snaking around a protective shield that surrounded both her and Gohan.
Saturn was breathing heavily as she glared up at the android. "Die, Cell," she screamed, running towards him with her glaive poised to attack. As she swung wildly at him, Cell flew back, avoiding her attacks. Laughing at her weak attempts to hit him, Cell began shooting a series of weak ki blasts in her direction.
"Gohan, you have to help her," Krillin yelled out, watching as Saturn lost her footing while trying to dodge all of Cell's ki blasts. She fell to the ground, and Cell began to stalk towards her.
"I can't beat him," Gohan thought. "I've already lost to him!" He looked up as Saturn screamed out in pain, and watched as Cell slowly lowered his foot from her ribcage. "No," he screamed, causing Cell to look at him.
"Son Gohan," Cell taunted, picking Saturn up by her neck. "What will you do? Will you help her, or will you let her die, just like you let your father die!" She began to gasp for air, as he tightened his hand around her throat.
"D-don't interfere, Gohan," she sputtered, causing Cell to tighten his hold even more. Gohan stood up angrily, charging towards Cell as his ki flared around him.
"You heard her, Son Gohan," Cell exclaimed, shooting a powerful ki blast at the Saiya-jin. Gohan went flying back, and felt his back crash into a hard surface. However, instead of feeling pain, he felt a pair of arms wrap around him.
"You've done well, Gohan," a voice spoke to him, causing his eyes to widen in shock. The pair of arms released him, and he spun around towards the figure, tears clouding his vision.
"Dad," Gohan exclaimed, hugging his father who he thought had died by Cell's hand. "You're alive!"
"Thanks to Sailor Pluto," Goku replied, as the Senshi of Time stepped from behind him. "Now we have to defeat Cell, together."
"Ah, Son Goku," Cell stated, causing Goku to look in his direction. "I was hoping for another chance to fight you." Goku narrowed his eyes, noticing Sailor Saturn gasping for air in his hold.
"That girl is familiar," Goku thought, as a memory stirred in the recesses of his mind. He shook his head, stepping forward. "Let the girl go, Cell," he demanded.
"Gladly," Cell replied. He lifted Saturn higher in the air, and threw her with all his might towards the cliff.
Familiar words rang through Goku's head as he watched Sailor Saturn sail through the air. "Don't worry Dende… I won't let anything happen to Masumi!"
"Son Goku," Pluto exclaimed, setting the Saiya-jin warrior into action. He turned super Saiya-jin, and appeared in front of Saturn, catching her before she hit the cliff. Sighing in relief, Pluto turned towards Gohan. "Don't let doubt cloud your mind, Son Gohan. You are essential to defeating Cell. No one person can do that alone."
"Thank you, for saving my father," Gohan stated. He screamed as he turned super Saiya-jin two, and charged Cell. Taken completely by surprise, Cell was too late to block the kick Gohan landed on the side of his head, and he went skidding across the ground. Digging his nails into the ground, Cell pushed himself up into the air just as Gohan shot a ki blast in the spot he had been.
Goku watched the two warriors fight, a smile on his face. "That's it, Gohan," he encouraged him silently. He looked down as Sailor Saturn groaned, and he smiled down at her. "Hey, you're still awake," he exclaimed, genuinely surprised. "You're pretty tough!"
"I can stand on my own, Son Goku," Saturn replied, wincing as Goku set her down on her own feet. She grabbed onto his shoulder as her vision blurred in a dizzy spell. Once she regained her senses, she began walking towards where Cell and Gohan were fighting.
"Hey," Goku exclaimed. "Where do you think you're going?"
"To finish what I came here for," she replied. She stumbled, and Goku was at her side in an instant.
"You can't fight like this," he insisted. He looked up as he heard Gohan scream in pain, his jaw clenching in anger. "I have to help Gohan. Stay here."
"Son Goku," Saturn called out as he started to leave. He stopped, turning back towards her. "No matter what happens, I don't want you to wish me back. Promise me this." He looked at her with a confused expression, however nodded and flew to help Gohan. Saturn watched his retreating figure, and turned as she heard Sailor Moon call out to her.
"Sailor Saturn, are you okay," she exclaimed, helping her as she stumbled once again.
"Princess," Saturn replied. "Find a safe place to hide for yourself and 18."
"It's time, isn't it?" It was more of a statement. Sailor Saturn nodded her head grimly, and then, leaning heavily against her glaive, she slowly made her way towards the fight. Sailor Moon watched as she walked away, and then sighed as she went to 18's side.
"Psst," a voice called out, gaining her attention. She looked to her left, and saw a man hiding behind a rock. Two other men, one with a microphone and the other with a TV news camera, hid with him. "Hey, you can hide over here. But you have to leave her right there," he exclaimed, motioning towards the android.
"Hey, I recognize him," Sailor Moon thought, recalling a certain doll she had seen in a window display. "Hey, aren't you Mr. Satan," she asked, sweatdropping.
"Yeah, you recognize me," he said with pride. "Now come and hide over here, before Cell finds my hiding place!" Shrugging, Sailor Moon grabbed 18 underneath her arms and began to pull her along. "No, no! Leave her behind," Mr. Satan said in alarm, his voice rising.
"I'm not going to leave her out in the open," Sailor Moon yelled back. Mumbling under his breath, Mr. Satan risked running out in the open, and helped her pull 18 to safety.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Goku charged at Cell once again to give Gohan a chance to recover from his injuries, however he was only knocked back; again. He had never really stood a chance against Cell, but he knew he had to fight his best, for the sake of his beloved planet. He screamed as Cell assaulted his already bruised ribcage with a series of sharp, quick kicks.
"Have you had enough, Son Goku," Cell taunted. "You've disappointed me. Your son is a greater challenge, and he has a broken arm."
"I was always weaker than you, Cell," Goku said, wiping the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, "but you still insisted on fighting me, like the coward you are." Cell frowned and kicked Goku in the mouth. He stood over the fallen Saiya-jin, making tsking noises.
"I should have done this long ago, instead of getting your hopes up of ever defeating me," Cell stated, raising his arm. He smiled cruelly as Gohan screamed his protests. As energy gathered in his hand to form a blast that would kill Goku, his eyes bulged and he gasped for air. He looked down and stared in horror at the familiar blade that protruded through his chest. Pain exploded through his being as he turned slightly to see Sailor Saturn standing behind him, her glaive in hand.
"This is what death feels like, Cell," she wheezed out. "Revel in my silence." Dark energy began to form around her, and as Cell fell down to his knees in pain, she planted the end of the glaive into the ground. With her hands still firmly on the staff, she looked in Goku's direction. "Thank you, for everything; even if you don't know what I'm talking about," she stated, tears forming in her eyes. She looked up as Sailor Pluto approached, with the other Z-Senshi behind her, except for Vegeta, who was still unconscious.
"Her power alone will not destroy Cell," Pluto stated. "You must all attack him at the same time that Sailor Saturn uses her attack."
"But what about Sailor Saturn," Gohan asked, concerned.
"Don't worry about me," Saturn stated. "I'll be fine." With shaky hands, she gripped the glaive tightly, turning her attention on Cell once again as her birthright shone brightly on her forehead. "Death … Rebirth …" She trailed, looking at Sailor Pluto.
"Hit Cell now with your best attack," she instructed, readying the time staff. Goku, Gohan, and Krillin all used kamehameha while the other Z-Senshi used their most powerful attacks. As the attacks were about to strike Cell, Pluto used Dark Dome Close. Inside the closed dome, Saturn fell down to her knees and whispered one word: Revolution.
The warriors watched in awe as the inside of the dome became tinted with dark energy, making it impossible to see inside. Pluto stood with the time staff in her hand, visibly struggling to keep the dome intact as Saturn's attack raged within. A void was created and it exploded outward, causing the warriors to shield their eyes from the sudden, bright flash of light. Once the light dimmed down, Sailor Pluto fell to her knees, breathing heavily.
"It is done," she spoke weakly. They all gazed at the gaping hole that was left in the aftermath, watching as electricity danced across the ground.
"Sailor Pluto," Sailor Moon exclaimed, running towards her. She helped the weary Senshi stand, and looked at the hole, gasping as she came to a revelation. "S-Setsuna-san," she stammered. "Where's Hotaru? She was supposed to be reborn! Where is she?"
Sailor Pluto pushed away from Sailor Moon, and stumbled towards the edge of the crater. There was no sign of anyone.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
"Eternal Dragon," Dende spoke in his native tongue. "Our first wish is to bring back everyone who was killed by the android, Cell." The warriors had gone up to Kami's Palace after collecting the dragon balls, so that they could make a wish to undo all the damage Cell had done.
"A simple matter," the dragon spoke, as his eyes flashed red. Dende smiled as he felt the thousands of innocents were returned to life. "Make your second wish quickly, I grow impatient," his voice boomed.
"What about the one known as Hotaru, Sailor Saturn," Sailor Moon asked. She and Sailor Pluto had gone along with the Z-Senshi, in hopes that they would find out what had happened to the missing girl. "Has she been brought back, as well?"
"That is impossible," the dragon growled. "The one you speak of did not die by Cell's hand." His eyes flashed, before he spoke again. "She is alive, however, and waiting for the right time to be found. Make your second wish, so that I may return to my slumber."
"Well, I want to bring her here," Sailor Moon exclaimed, turning to Dende. "Can you ask him to bring her here?" As Dende turned to the Eternal Dragon, to make the wish, Goku stepped forward.
"Wait, you can't do that," he protested. "I know you miss her, but before I left her side, she asked me not to wish for her back. We have to respect her wishes!" Sailor Moon lowered her head, as tears clouded her eyes.
"I … I understand," she spoke softly, looking at the others. "Make a different wish, then."
After a lot of debating, and after revising the exact nature of their final wish, the warriors - mostly from persuasion on Krillin's part - finally decided to wish for Androids 17 and 18 to be more human. With that final wish granted, the dragon balls scattered to the corners of the Earth, and it was time for Sailor Moon and Pluto to depart.
"I don't think we'll be able to thank you enough for helping us," Goku stated, as the two Sailor Senshi stood together. "I owe my life to you." Vegeta, who was now awake, scowled and went to stand at the edge of the Lookout.
"There's no need to thank us," Sailor Moon replied. "You have all helped the Sailor Senshi come to an understanding about each other. We are in your debt, Son Goku."
"We must go, Sailor Moon," Pluto stated. "There are several things that must be discussed once we return."
"I'm sorry about your friend," Gohan said, feeling a tinge of guilt.
"Don't feel bad, Son Gohan," Pluto commented mysteriously. "The flow of time is different here, than from where we come from. Push these events to the back of your mind, and look towards the future. Sailor Saturn will show up when the time is right." The two Senshi turned to leave, and Goku called out to them.
"Usagi," he exclaimed, causing the girl to turn around with wide eyes. He smiled at her, and nodded his head. "Good luck! I hope Hotaru shows up soon."
Sailor Moon returned his smile. "I hope so too, Son Goku," she replied. "Take care." As the two Senshi walked away, slowly disappearing, Sailor Moon could be heard asking how in the world Goku remembered her name, when she had never even mentioned it to him.
"The art of time travel if very tricky and unpredictable," Sailor Pluto's voice was heard, causing Son Goku to smile. He didn't know, himself, how he remembered that name, but he knew he'd never forget.
The Z-Senshi stayed at Kami's Lookout for just a little longer, and they said their good byes to Dende, and decided to leave. Goku looked out across the sky, heaving a sigh as he watched his closest friends fly their separate ways. He turned towards his son, as Gohan joined his side.
"Let's go get Mom, and go home, Dad," he stated quietly. Wrapping an arm around Gohan's shoulders, Goku placed two fingers against his forehead, and disappeared.
To Be Concluded . . .
I hope you enjoyed your read! Keep an eye out for the epilogue, which will be coming out soon. I've written most of it already. ^_^ Please leave a review!