Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi and Viz video. I don't
own Dragonball Z either! If any of the situations described below mirror
those of actual events then you're living in a fantasy world.
A Chance Love Productions
Is proud to present
A Human Saiyajin
By Michael Fetter
And Kazblah
Chapter Two
Yamcha's hands shook beneath the running faucet. After finding the girl in Tokyo and watching her fight, he had trouble getting the horrid images out of his head. He ducked his down to the spout and drank in some water to roll around in his mouth and expel the foul taste. Looking back up at the mirror he saw the green shade fading from his face, but his stomach was still jumping with rabid butterflies.
Things were looking bad for the redhead. It was obvious she'd lost a few friends with the empty piles of clothing lying about. Her anger had been monumental, almost as terrible as her despair. Even Piccolo had felt a slight chill when they reached the area bathed with the girl's anguished heavy ki.
Just when it looked like they would have to intervene something had happened to the girl and she'd found new reserves of energy. Yamcha hadn't been sure, but the girl looked to have changed subtly. It was in her eyes mostly. The depression had been pushed aside to allow pure hate and anger to burn in her soul. In an instant, Yamcha was more frightened and entranced by the redhead than any other was. She was deadly beyond compare and beautiful to the same degree.
As he watched the girl rip a piece out of Cell's neck and spit out a chunk of flesh, the green blood running down her feral grin, Yamcha's stomach had turned and he couldn't help but vomit over the rooftop. Kuillin and Tien continued to watch the fight, fixated by what was happening.
With the killing blow, they each followed Piccolo to the ground and waited a few steps behind him. Piccolo was the strongest of them after fusing with Kami so they were more for back up. The redhead was knocked backward by her own blast and slid into Piccolo's feet.
Not taking his eyes off of the regenerating Cell, Piccolo spoke to Kuillin. "Get her out of the way."
The monk nodded and tried to grab the girl where she was not bleeding or broken. Yamcha watched the small man carry the redhead off and snapped his eyes away just as quickly when he noticed the state of her clothing. The green blood was still dripping down her jaw to mix with the red blood soaking into her Chinese shirt.
"Oh, Piccolo." Cell grinned, looking over the group of Z fighters casually. "I didn't see you there. That little girl kept me much more entertained than you and your pitiful friends could."
Piccolo growled and dropped into a fighting stance. "Prepare to die Cell."
Yamcha and Tien fell into their own fighting stance, unsure of what exactly they could do, but they would try nonetheless.
Holding his hands down, Cell poured some ki into the open palms. "Not today I'm afraid." The energy blasts shot out of his hands, trailing a cloud of dust in their wake. Piccolo easily swatted the blasts out of the air, but it kicked up a cloud of dust.
Yamcha coughed and started to feel around the area for Cell while he couldn't see him. He was startled to note that the energy signature had disappeared.
Piccolo's growl vibrated through his bones as he searched for Cell. The monster wasn't going to run from him again! "Tien! Yamcha! Split up and start searching. He couldn't have gotten far!"
Nodding, Yamcha headed to the right, flying swiftly over the empty city for any indication of their enemy. He found Kuillin sitting over the redhead's unconscious form and tending to the wounds as best he could. There was grimace as he set a bone back beneath the skin of her arm. Yamcha could see the pain riding through the girl's face, but she remained knocked out.
The city below looked like a post-Capsule Corps creation. The buildings were made of regular wood and concrete materials in the old fashioned square design. Yamcha actually liked these building more compared to the advanced ones because they showed more character even if they weren't as efficient or weather resistant.
A blast of tight orange energy ripped across the area and took with it a few residential houses. Yamcha altered his course to find out what had happened. Perhaps Piccolo or Tien had found Cell and needed his help to deal with the green monster. Yamcha was weaker than the rest, but right now every little bit of energy helped especially against a powerful creature like Cell.
When he landed in the area, Piccolo was rubbing his shoulder and scowling. Cell was gone. "What happened?"
"Cell sapped some of my energy." Piccolo said.
Tien landed and looked about. "Did he get away again?"
Scowling, Piccolo headed back to where they had left Kuillin. Yamcha and Tien looked around the area again then followed quietly. If Cell was able to sap some of Piccolo's energy then their enemy had just become significantly more dangerous. They landed behind Piccolo who was looking over the redhead Kuillin had been tending to.
"We have to do something or she's going to die." Kuillin stated, his hands already over the pouch containing the senzu beans. Piccolo nodded.
"Give her one."
Kuillin nodded and then blushed as he looked at the girl then the bean in his hand. "She's not even conscious. She won't be able to eat the senzu."
"Force it down then."
Yamcha's eyes widened. This did not sound like a good idea considering . . .
"Ow!" Kuillin pulled back his hand and waved it about, throbbing red. "She bit me!"
Piccolo smirked and watched the girl's body recover. Bone and skin were knitting back together better than before. Some of the scars that had been riding across the girl's skin began to fade and her features softened from the pained grimace to a more relaxed sleep. "Pick her up. She's coming with us."
Kuillin blushed further and looked between the girl and Piccolo. "Uh, are you sure that's a good idea?"
Piccolo only looked at him.
"I'll do it." Yamcha declared and stepped forward. Kuillin blinked but got out of the way. It was when Yamcha had an unblemished view that his face burned with heat and he whipped back in the other direction. "On second thought . ." He couldn't think of a good way to complete the sentence and jumped into the air flying for Roshi's Island.
Kuillin and Tien blinked then looked down at the girl. Shrugging, Kuillin picked the redhead up on his back and jumped into the air. Soon they were all heading off for Roshi's. There was nothing more they could do unless Cell powered up, and the monster had been careful about that so far.
Splashing his face, Yamcha returned to the present and turned the off the cold water faucet and wiped his face with a towel. He couldn't believe this was happening. "It's like I'm a teenager all over again." He grimaced when he heard more laughter coming from the living room and wondered if there was a hole deep enough to sink into.
~
Upstairs, in a room momentarily unattended by Chichi, the drapes were drawn to let a young girl sleep comfortably.
"Eeeeehehehe!" Roshi, an old master of the Art, crept up to the sleeping mat. His black sunglasses could not hide the sparkle in his eyes as they roamed the curvy body of the redhead with lecherous delight.
Beside him, a pig wearing clothes also grinned and stalked closer. Oolong was barely holding back his delight upon discovering this new person in the master's house. "Now this is what I call bringing home the bacon."
Roshi nodded vigorously and reached out with a trembling hand for the light covers that were draped over the girl's body. What forbidden fruits were they about to uncover? Such wonderful delights this girl must cover with bothersome clothing. It was a sin to have her covered so! It was his duty to liberate the healthy redhead of the suffocating material! Yes, it was for her own good! Oh, his friend Happousai would be so jealous of him right now! This time Roshi was getting to the girl!!!
As if sensing his motive, Ranma-chan's eyes snapped open and zeroed in on the lecherous duo. Flames burning in her eyes, she grabbed the old pervert's wrist and flung him through the air, knocking a pig through the wall seconds before the old man followed. "PERVERTS!!!"
"AAAAAA-" The water exploded with their impact and doused a portion of the small island.
Ranma continued to glare at the body shaped holes in the wall. What the hell did they think they were doing?! She didn't know either of the individuals, but she'd felt the perverted aura plenty of times before in Happousai. Why are all old men so disgusting?!
Ranma-chan growled and waved her fist at the holes, slowly coming down from the adrenaline rush. "Jerks. What the hell were they doin in my room anyway. That's all we need. More old perverts runnin through the house. Better warn Akane before-"
Blinking, Ranma looked at his fist and watched it drop lifelessly onto her lap. Akane . . She'd nearly forgotten. They were all gone now. Her body should hurt all over after the fight with Cell, but when she felt nothing Ranma had almost thought everything else had been just a terrible dream.
Her pillow woofed as she hit it with her head and stared up at the ceiling. "Akane." Ranma's eyes were starting to moisten the more he thought about her deceased fiancée. They were all gone: Kasumi, pops, mom, Nabiki, Shampoo, Mousse, Cologne. Hell, she was already missing Nabiki, Happousai, and even the Kunos. Ranma would suffer Ryouga's sudden attacks for the rest of his life if that would bring them all back again. Well, except for the Kunos and Happousai, anyway.
Grabbing a fistful of the sheets, Ranma rolled onto her side and buried half of her face into her pillow. Tears were running down her cheeks and her shoulder's shook with anguish. "Akane . ."
"It sounded like it came from up here."
"Isn't that where we put the girl?"
"You're right. You go in first."
"No way! Why should I go in first?!"
"C'mon, she isn't going to attack a monk."
"How do you kn-!" A short bald man was shoved into the room stumbling for a second until he could stop himself. Kuillin swallowed and opened his eyes cautiously. They'd seen the girl's fight with Cell and considered she may not be entirely stable.
The girl was rolled over in the bed, her sheets having rolled with her were not covering her naked back nearly down to her firm little . . Kuillin turned around with a blush over his cheeks. "Uh, are, uh, you okay?"
"Go away."
Kuillin blinked and looked over his shoulder. She still had her back to him and her shoulders had relaxed a bit. "We found you fighting Cell and brought you here to take care of your injuries."
The redhead moved her head slightly than rested it back down on her pillow. "Thanks."
Kuillin waited a few moments longer, but when nothing more was forthcoming he decided he pushed his luck far enough and tiptoed for the door. With his hand nearly on the handle, it suddenly swung open and Chichi stormed into the room, finding the short monk crushed between the door and the wall. "What do you think you're doing in here?!"
Kuillin shrank before the angry Chichi and tried to stutter a response. But the angry woman gripped him by the ear and dragged him towards the door where others were watching silently. They might have snickered at Kuillin being pulled around by Chichi, but they didn't want it to be done to them either.
Chichi tossed the bald man out into the hallway. "Don't you have any consideration for a woman's privacy?!"
Ranma-chan blinked and rolled over to look at the woman who'd come to her 'rescue'. She sounded a lot like an angry Akane, but she looked more like Ranma's mother, without the katana. The woman was about to slam the door in the face of three powerful looking fighters when a green hand caught it. Ranma's eyes snapped open and she jumped onto her feet. "YOU AGAIN?!"
Everyone was caught by surprise as they saw Ranma-chan standing in a fighting stance completely naked. Piccolo's green skin found a rosy hue with everyone else. The red hair of the Japanese girl was apparently natural.
Ranma-chan was heedless of her lack of clothing as she found herself face to face with another green monster. Cell and this one were different looking, but she was too angry to notice. "YOU BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU!"
Piccolo blinked and looked to the others who had grasped their noses and tried to unsuccessfully look away. The idea became easier as energy began to emanate from the girl. Piccolo turned back just in time to receive a fist to his cheek and crash down the stairs.
Chichi watched the girl with wide eyes as she powered up and flew across the room to deliver that blow. She had barely seen the redhead move when she noticed Piccolo was hurtling down the stairs then crashing into the downstairs coffee table and shattering it. "Oh my."
Growling, Ranma-chan continued down the stairs, bypassing the motionless fighters, noting only the one with short black hair as he ran screaming fearfully down the hall and through the wall. The green monster was rolling back onto his feet as she arrived downstairs and began to fight with all that she had. Three battles with Cell, she was developing better tactics to use against the murderer.
Piccolo blinked and drew himself back up as he landed on the table. His cheek stung, but it wasn't a terribly powerful blow. He'd taken worse from Gohan when he'd first started training the boy. The fight was brought to him in the form of a naked redhead bathed in an unhealthy green light. Her hands began to flash and land solid blows against his body. Not too strong, but they were gaining in strength as she continued. Piccolo tried to block, but her technique was amazing. He hadn't been wrong when he thought she was an incredibly skilled martial artist. The control she had over her little amount of ki was impressive to say the least.
"We are not your enemies, girl." Piccolo growled as he tried to take the offensive. Her body twisted and turned out of the way and shot past his defenses to land more blows.
"Shut up and die!"
Taking another hit to his stomach, Piccolo swept his arm out in a hooking punch. She skipped out of the way of his fist, but Piccolo's arm launched her out the door and onto the beach. Oolong and Master Roshi fell back into the water and stared, drooling uncontrollably, at the nude girl bouncing, and bouncing, around the sand. Yamcha, who had been hiding outside, suddenly bolted into the sea, running across the water for a moment until gravity, and a lack of flight, dropped him beneath the surface.
The rest followed Piccolo and waited on the porch as the fight continued. Kuillin eventually shook himself out of his stupor to realize Piccolo and the girl looked like they were trying to kill each other. The redhead was hampered slightly by the sand while Piccolo levitated over it.
"Get down here, you coward!" Ranma cursed and launched a few Shi Shi Hokodans without calling out the name. The green monster continued to float out of the way or knock her ki blasts away. Despair and depression were filling her soul as she continued to attack futilely. The green aura about her body increased in size and her head and shoulders sagged.
Kuillin and Tien felt the increasing power level and rushed outside, stepping in between Piccolo and the girl. "Calm down, miss." Kuillin pleaded. "Piccolo isn't the bad guy. He's on our side."
Tien nodded. "That's right. Piccolo probably saved you from being killed by Cell!"
Ranma-chan didn't hear them and pulled the energy into her hands. She'd get that bastard down on the ground where he belonged! "PERFECT SHI SHI HOKODAN!"
Three pairs of eyes blinked then looked up. "Uh-oh."
The resulting blast pushed back the sea for a moment, uncovering the cowering Yamcha, and ripping one of the few palm trees on the island out of the ground. When it was over, Ranma-chan stood in the center of the blast area with the three men lying on the ground. Without being powered up they were slightly battered.
Kuillin coughed, his red uniform looking a little burnt, and started to stand up. "This isn't good."
"Hey! What's going on out here?"
Ranma-chan blinked as a stuffed cat looking creature floated outside and hovered over the men then made eye contact with her. "C-C-C-C-C-C-C-!"
"You should put on some clothes while on Roshi's island." Puar stated, her blue tail swishing about.
Ranma's face drained of color and her arms began to shake. "CAAAAATTTT!!!!"
Tien removed his arms from over his head and looked up in time to see the naked girl rush back towards the house and hide behind Chichi fearfully. Kuillin was also looking back up. "She's not afraid of Cell, but a cat will send her screaming?"
Tien shrugged and decided to keep Puar close by.
~
Without much trouble, Chichi coaxed Ranma back upstairs to find some clothing after a quick bath. Ranma hadn't taken much time in the hot water for some reason. Chichi didn't ask, but Ranma seemed to be more upset over something when she finished. With a towel wrapped around her body, Ranma was set down in front of a mirror while Chichi began to go through her hair with a comb. Ranma-chan wasn't exactly head over heels about the idea, but with the adrenaline gone and rationale in control once again, the life seemed to ebb out of her pores and she was just a marionette to be guided by others.
Saddened by the look of loss in the girl's eyes, Chichi sought to improve her spirits the only way she knew how. The comb went through the red hair, catching the occasional knot. "You're a very good fighter."
Ranma's head bobbed as her hair was pulled and released. She was too lost in thought to respond with her usual arrogance. What was the point? What was being the best martial artist if you couldn't save your friends and family?
Chichi pulled some of the hair back behind the girl's ears and continued to brush. She had the most beautiful blue eyes and lightly tanned skin. Chichi had never seen such a thing among the Japanese. Her smile must be beautiful, Chichi thought.
"What's your name?" Chichi realized she hadn't even learned that. With all the excitement they'd all forgotten to ask. Goku's friends were interested in this girl for some reason and after seeing her fight Chichi understood why, but still no one had asked such a basic question. "My name is Chichi Son."
Ranma blinked. Her name? Did she even have a name? After the bath she knew there really was no longer Ranma Saotome. Ranma Saotome was gone, killed by Cell, along with his friends and family. Who was she now? She couldn't be Ranma because Ranma Saotome never loses, and she had lost everything. "Ranko," she finally answered, "call me Ranko."
"Nice to meet you, Ranko-chan." Chichi smiled at the girl. It seemed like a perfect name, Wild Child, that was certainly what Chichi had thought of her. Chichi sobered after a moment considering the circumstances of their meeting. "I'm sorry about what happened to your family, Ranko-chan. Kuillin told me something about your fight with Cell, but you can't lose hope."
Ranko's lip quivered and she stared down at her hands. "Two years I relied on hope and I still lost her."
Setting the comb down, Chichi grabbed the length of red hair and started to braid it. The pigtail seemed a sin on such a beautiful girl. "You'll see her again. I promise."
Ranko looked into the mirror and saw the woman smile at her. To see Akane again? Maybe. After she found her revenge with Cell she could see Akane again. Ranko would go and meet her and everyone else up in Heaven and tell them Cell was dead. She couldn't go see them with anything less.
Finishing, Chichi patted the girl's shoulder and looked at the clothes laid out on the bedroll. This being Roshi's Island there was very little in the way of woman's clothing except for undergarments. Ranko's clothing had been in ruins and she'd tossed them away as lost. They were too large for the small girl anyway. Chichi guessed that Ranko had lost some clothing in fights before and that was why she'd been wearing boxers and no bra. Underwear was something Roshi did seem to have. Chichi wisely decided not to inquire and picked out a few less lacy pieces that might fit Ranko. The rest were spare uniforms of Kuillin's. He was the closest to Ranko's size and had a few extra changes of clothing in the house.
"Why don't you get dressed and then meet everyone downstairs?" Chichi suggested as she headed for the door. The girl seemed very shy about the bath even though she'd been naked during that first fight with Piccolo. There was still some blood on the hallway floor from a few nosebleeds. "I'll get some lunch ready. You must be hungry by now."
Ranko was ready to deny it. She hadn't been thinking about food since this all began. Her stomach, however, decided to remind her of this and grumbled anxiously. "Anou," Ranko put a hand over her stomach and blushed, "I am kinda hungry."
Nodding, Chichi closed the door and headed downstairs. While she was at it she might as well make lunch for the rest. If Ranko was anything like her then she would only be needing a sandwich, but the men would probably consume a horse given the chance.
Looking to the clothing then the mirror, Ranko hardened her features. "Hi, Ranko. I'm depending on you now." To the reflection she nodded and picked up her new clothes.
~
When Chichi wanted to cook, she could cook. Having lived with Goku for so long she'd become accustomed to creating great feasts as though they were normal meals. For someone like Goku this was particularly true, but for the rest it would take a dozen men to finish one of Goku's meals. They thought they would never see someone with an appetite so large anywhere else.
A plate of food was suddenly cleaned spotless.
Kuillin had known Goku the longest, from their training with Master Roshi when they were kids. He'd seen his friend accomplish amazing things, one of which was his ability to clear whole banquets of their contents and still be hungry.
Another plate rattled in place as it was suddenly empty.
Piccolo never feared Goku, but was on occasion in awe of the man. Once his rival, Piccolo had found an ally in Goku. Together they had fought terrible creatures and evil. Not once failing to rise to the occasion.
A bowl of soup was drained in a matter of moments and tossed onto one of the empty plates.
Yamcha once remembered young Goku telling him he saw everything as a challenge or a chance to train. His friend loved fighting and had become a force to be reckoned with. Goku was strong and fast.
"You gonna eat that?"
Tien huddled over his food more closely and nodded his head even as he watched the redhead pointing her chopsticks at his plate. It had taken them a few moments to realize that she'd been eating off of their plates even as she cleared the table. Whoever had taught the girl to eat with such blinding speed was either a fast, fat oaf or a skinny fool.
"How can you eat like that?!" Kuillin boggled. Only minutes ago Chichi had set down a dozen plates of dishes and now they were empty.
Ranko stared Kuillin in the eyes. "Lots of training." She'd taken her words in the mirror very seriously. Cell was going to die and she was going to see to it. But she had to be better than she was now.
"Can you teach us?" Piccolo asked. Others looked at Piccolo shocked. They'd never thought to hear him ask someone to train him.
Ranko glared at the green man. They had explained to her he was a Namekian, something unlike Cell, but she still didn't like him. His aura was powerful, but it was also bordering on something evil. She grudgingly accepted his presence since he had scared Cell off and practically saved her. So she wouldn't try to kill him, but she didn't have to like him. "Doubt it. There ain't enough hours in the day."
Piccolo growled.
"We could take her back to the Chamber of Time and Space, Piccolo." Kuillin said. He'd never been in it himself, but he was told that a year on the inside was only a day in the real world. Vegita and Trunks were inside it right now, training to fight Cell and the androids.
"But only two people can go in at a time." Tien reminded the monk. A slight blush rose over their faces as they considered spending an entire year with just Ranko and martial arts. It sounded like bliss.
"Hey!" Ranko slammed her palm onto the table and glared at the other fighters. "I don't need any of you. I'm gonna beat that bastard Cell myself!"
Piccolo snorted and met her glare. "You are nothing compared to the rest of us. How could you beat Cell? You wouldn't even be able to defeat the androids."
Red ki flared about her body as she made a fist. "You want another beatin, green-boy?!" All but Ranko and Piccolo took a giant step back. The air became still with tension. After a moment Ranko relaxed and sat back down. "What do you know about these androids and Cell?"
Kuillin coughed to clear his throat and slowly sat down as well. "Well, we were warned by a guy named Trunks from the future. He's fighting with us now to destroy the androids because they destroyed the world in his reality. They were all created by a group called the Red Ribbon Army, who have been recording a fighter named Goku for his fighting data. Cell is sort of a combination of the strongest fighters in the world and he needs to absorb the androids in order to evolve into his most powerful state."
Ranko sat for long moments taking in everything she'd been told. The others were rather surprised at how easily she'd taken the explanation. "That can't be right," Ranko finally muttered.
"What?"
She looked at Kuillin with a distasteful frown. "Strongest fighters. No one ever came to me to make this Cell."
The group crashed to the floor shaking the house's foundation.
Laughing nervously, Kuillin got back onto his seat, scratching the back of his head. "Hehe, I'm sure they just thought you were too young or something."
Ranko snorted. "So where do we find these androids? This whole evolvin thing sounds bad."
"Well," Kuillin looked to the TV, which was still blank of media coverage, "we don't know."
"You don't know?" Ranko deadpanned.
Kuillin laughed nervously and nodded. "They aren't human exactly so we can't sense their kis. And Cell suppresses his to stay hidden. We've kinda been using the TV to help us find him."
Frowning further, Ranko looked around the room then spotted something in the back. "And who are they?"
Everyone whipped around and found three individuals waiting on the beach. Two looked like brother and sister, about the same size and look. The boy had long black hair, black shirt and blue jeans, and a red bandana wrapped around his neck. The girl, who was leaning non-challantly against the doorframe, had blonde hair, cut like her brothers, and a cowboy blouse and leather skirt getup. The last was a big man, nearly six feet tall, with a huge amount of muscle covered by a black jumpsuit and bulky yellow armor with red ribbon printed on the breast plate.
"Hi." The boy nodded to Ranko. "We're looking for Goku. Can you give us some directions?"
~
Capsule Corps was responsible for much of the world's advancement in the last decade. It used to be a research group dedicated to better living. After the first inventions, capsule objects, money began to roll into the company and soon they were funding their own factories. Most of their products were still expensive or experimental, but the new homes, car designs, and other basic had been improved upon to create better usage of energy.
Its headquarters sat in northern Japan, close to the sea. A small city that had grown from Capsule Corps influence.
Hunched over her workstation, one of the lead scientific minds in robotics and technology; was hard at work putting on the final touches to her specially designed remote. A few touches on her keyboard and the program ran a final diagnostic check. With a ping, the computer was finished and the scientist hastily closed the remote software link and jumped to her feet with the remote in her hands.
"And the world is saved by the beautiful and brilliant Bulma!" she cheered.
Bulma's father blinked with her newborn son. They were beside baby Trunks' crib, playing another childish game. "Finished what dear?" her father asked.
"The remote for the androids of course," she presented the metal box and antenna, a large red button on one side. Rather simple looking for something that took her so long to build. Dr. Gero had been very careful with the androids' functions, making it impossible to trip the self- destruct sequence by accident.
"Well," her father adjusted his glasses and set baby-Trunks back in his crib. "You should get that to one of your friends who can get close enough to the androids."
"You're right." Bulma skipped over to the phone and dialed a number. Baby- Trunks made a few pitiful sounds as he watched her dial the phone. "This'll be all over before you know it!"
~
"Hi." The boy nodded to Ranko. "We're looking for Goku. Can you give us some directions?"
So this is what they meant, Ranko thought as she narrowed her eyes at the androids, I can't feel any of their kis, but I know they gotta be strong. She was also learning why people got sick over her cocky smirks, Ranko had the over-whelming desire to wipe the smug look off 17's face.
Most of the Z-fighters had fallen into fighting stances except for Piccolo, standing closest to the door with his arms crossed over his chest. The Namekian seemed unshakable, and he looked upon the androids with a condescending glare.
Though he hid it well, Ranko could see Piccolo tensing and warming up his ki. If it was true that Piccolo was the strongest of the group then she should take the androids very seriously. Ranko had no beef with the Androids and usually preferred to not fight if it was possible. Her chair scrapped over the floor as she stood up and sauntered silkily over to the Androids. The blonde girl watched her carefully, but otherwise made no movement as Ranko walked up to the boy, who had kept his eyes on her.
With a smirk Ranko took his arm and walked him into the house. The Z- fighters gawked; Piccolo dropped his hands and too stared in shock. Did Ranko have some sort of death wish?
"Have a seat," Ranko smiled, pushing the unresisting boy onto the couch in the living room. "I'm sure he'll be back soon."
A slight red hue crested 17's face as he watched the beautiful redhead standing before him. He almost wished he were not an android because something was lost in his sense of touch, but he could still smell the clean skin and shampooed hair. He gave an almost imperceptible nod to Ranko's request, "So, he'll be here then?"
"Who," Ranko asked, bending over slightly, the red gi showing off a good amount of cleavage.
"17," the boy responded, watching her with rapt attention, just not at her face.
"Men," the girl snorted in disgust. She strutted into the house and pointed her palm at the group of Z-fighters, a ball of white ki forming there as she faced Piccolo. "Tell us where Goku is or they're all dead."
Piccolo knew he couldn't protect everyone in the house, Chichi and a few others would surely die in the blast. Only he was strong enough to really fight the androids. "Why don't we take this to a bigger island so we can 'talk'."
18 looked between Piccolo and the other people inside the house. It really didn't matter if any of them tried to run. She was stronger and they would all die eventually. Besides, a fight would help pass the time. With a cold grin, she nodded and headed back outside. "This should be amusing. Let's go 17."
The boy Ranko had been standing in front of stood up guiltily and walked out of the house.
Seeing the redhead about to head out after them, Kuillin grabbed her by the wrist, eyes still startled by what she had done. "Are you crazy? Those are the androids. They could have killed you!"
Twisting her arm angrily, Ranko tossed Kuillin to the ground. "I could've kept them here where we could watch them if you morons had half a brain," she hissed. Ranma wasn't the brightest person, but when it came to strategy he had been one of the best. "Now I have to follow them to find Cell."
The group watched her storm out of the house. Tien blinked all three of his eyes and poked Yamcha in the side, "She is nuts". Yamcha nodded, but eventually followed everyone else out of the house.
16 and 18 were already in the air and heading off for one of the distant islands. Shaking his head of the fuzz, 17 lifted off as well.
"17-kun," Ranko called sweetly from the porch. The android stopped and turned around to regard her waving arm and bouncy form. "How about a ride?"
He blinked. "I think it would be safer for you to wait here." What was he doing?
Ranko put on her best 'give-me-what-I-want-because-I'm-a-cute-girl' pout, "But I don't want to miss the fight. Couldn't you carry me in your big strong arms?"
17 started to blush again, but he wordlessly descended from the sky to scoop the girl up. He felt cavities coming on because of the sweet looking girl in his arms. She was very . . curvy.
17 took off at a fast pace, forcing himself to not look at Ranko.
The Z-fighters began to brood as the three androids, Piccolo, and Ranko disappeared from sight. They would have liked to have gone too in case Piccolo needed their help, but against the Androids they would've been more of a liability than of help. Cell was stronger now, maybe stronger than the Androids, but at least there was only one of him.
The phone rang in the background as Kuillin, Yamcha, and Tien just stood on the beach.
"You don't think she enjoyed being carried by that monster, do you?" Yamcha asked nervously.
Tien considered the redhead and hoped she wouldn't get in Piccolo's way.
"Kuillin!" Master Roshi hobbled out of his house with the phone in his hand. "It's Bulma. She wants to talk to you."
"To me?" Kuillin accepted the phone and listened to the woman on the other side. After a moment his eyes went wide and he cheered. "A remote detonator! That's great Bulma! Haha! I knew you could figure it out!"
The others turned to watch the bald monk jump up and down, listening intently to the phone.
"I'm on my way to pick it up now!" The phone was passed back and Kuillin jumped into the air. "Bulma finished a remote detonator. I'm gonna go pick it up. I'll be right back!"
Tien nodded, "Hurry, Kuillin. We may not have much time."
The monk nodded and shot off into the sky at his fastest pace. After days of watching Cell and the Androids kill millions it looked like things were finally going their way. Just a press of the button and only Cell will be left.
~
It's hard being the only rational mind among the androids, 18 thought. As they passed over islands and seas, she gave 16 a glance and saw him staring absently to the ocean, following the movements of dolphins and whales. He seemed sensitive to the world and yet empty-minded at the same time. He was more like a dog than the killing machine he was designed to be.
18 frowned and turned to 17. He still held the redhead in his arms, and if she hadn't known better, 18 would say her counterpart was blushing. He was either one of the cruelest men in the world or he was actually interested in the little tramp. The girl cooed in his ear again and 18 watched 17 begin to lag behind farther.
"This is far enough," 18 spat and descended to a nearby island. She touched down the same time 16 and Piccolo did and began to tap her foot as 17 continued to take his time.
He stopped and hovered about a foot off the ground, his arms still cupping Ranko beneath the legs and back. She giggled at something and whispered in his ear. For some reason 18 felt her anger rising after seeing this.
On the other side of the field, Piccolo stretched out his neck and arms, watching Ranko and the androids carefully. He wasn't going to stop fighting because of her, or worry if she was hurt. It had been Ranko's choice to come along and she would suffer the consequences associated with that decision. "Well?"
18 gave 17 another disgusted look. He'd finally placed the girl, far too gently, on the ground, but she held his arm. The starry gaze she was making for 17 was obviously put-on, but 17 was dense enough to fall for it. This really is pathetic, 18 thought, our plans to takeover this weak little world are being ruined because 17 doesn't know which head to think with.
18 flicked her blonde hair behind her ear and pressed her mouth into a line of agitation. "All right, Piccolo. This shouldn't take too long."
Waves rolled up against the island and brought a spray of water up the side. The falling water shimmered with the sunlight and disappeared back into the sea. There was a little wind that rustled the grass and trees on the island, a good two miles wide. They had landed in the valley on the far side of the island, surrounded on all sides by sheer cliffs.
Ranko made eye contact with Piccolo and tightened her hold on the android, which he mistook for some trepidation for the fight. Piccolo nodded only slightly. She would hold off the other androids as best she could if they decided to join the fight early. Ranko didn't like the Namekian, but she'd give him a chance to change her mind. If he believed he could take on these androids and destroy them, she would hold the others off with her life if need be. Just one destroyed android could mean the difference for Cell's invulnerability.
"AAAARRRRHHHH!" Piccolo crouched into a deep fighting stance, the muscles along his arms and back tensing up as a bright corona of white power enveloped his body. The ground shook beneath his feet and dirt was caught up into orbits about his body until he resembled a chemistry drawing of an atom. Beneath his feet, a depression began to form then spread as his power jumped higher. In a sudden flash Piccolo was floating two feet off the ground in the middle of a fifteen-foot circle formed by the pressure of his ki.
"Piccolo has become more powerful than he was before," 16 announced. There was no emotion in his voice, just a statement of fact.
Ranko watched the big man as she leaned against 17. Besides the one sentence, he seemed uninterested in the fight. 16 stared out into the sea and raised his hand for a bird to land on. A sparrow twittered on his finger, chirping pleasantly for the android. At the moment, 16 looked like no threat at all to Piccolo. Ranko still glanced his way to check if anything had changed, but throughout the fight the large android hadn't moved an inch.
"So, how did you get caught up with that bunch of losers," 17 asked, following the fast-paced fight with his eyes. Once things had begun between Piccolo and 18 did he begin to forget she was even there.
Ranko looked to the sky, only seeing the fight because of her experience with the Chestnut Fist and its speed. At times it was too fast for her to follow, but the constant breaks in the sound barrier and blasts striking the earth helped point out there new positions. Another blast struck the ground not far from where she'd been standing with 17, and a rush of wind carried some dust past their feet.
Grabbing his arm with both hands, Ranko leaned against the android more firmly. "And who says they caught me?"
The boy blushed and remained silent.
High over the ground, traveling at speeds that left after-images, 18 had her hands full with fighting Piccolo. He was not the pathetic pushover he had been before. She couldn't figure out how the Namekian could have boosted his power so fast, but it had surpassed the strength of the Super Saiyajins she'd faced so far. Vegita had been a toy compared to Piccolo now. Still, while he was stronger, Piccolo did not have the unlimited supply of power as the androids did.
18 lashed out with a fist, passing through Piccolo's face. The image vanished as the last two had and she felt the fighter strike her over the back with a double hammer fist. The wind screamed past as she plummeted to the ground. With the finesse one could pull from such a speedy descent, 18 flipped and touched down feet first, her body digging into the earth like it were made of crackers.
"He has gotten stronger," she drawled, wiping the back of her hand over her mouth and removing a smudge of dirt. "This may be a much more interesting fight than I'd first thought."
Piccolo snorted as he dropped to the ground again, unharmed and barely sweating. "This is where I bury you androids," he said.
"You're sweating, Piccolo," she smiled, "and I'm still as fresh as ever."
"Fresh fish," Ranko muttered. 17 heard it and chuckled, quieting again when he saw 18 glare in his direction.
18 turned back to Piccolo with her nostrils flaring with her heavy breaths. How dare that little hussy call me a fish! She won't be making jokes when I start using her as shark bait once I'm done with Piccolo! "C'mon, Piccolo! Let's get this over with!"
Despite himself, Piccolo grinned. Ranko's comment had been perfect for throwing off 18's confident mood. The android came swinging at him more wildly than before and made it easier to dodge. Ducking one crescent arm, Piccolo lifted the blonde off the ground with a solid uppercut to the chin. He caught up with her quickly at about twenty feet and sent her back down to the pot-holed island with an over-the-head ax kick.
18 pounded her fists against the ground in her impact crater. Her vest was ripped, her hair was mussed, and there was another layer of dirt on her cheeks. "DAMMIT!"
Piccolo jumped back as the ground was rent open further and 18 came floating out of the cracked earth. While she could not display an aura, the way her face was screwed up in a scowl did its own work to repel people. "Maybe next time I should give you a bath," he suggested, nodding to the sea.
Still hanging onto 17, Ranko smirked. The Namekian was starting to taunt the androids on his own. He learned fast for a green monster. She watched the two combatants exchange energy blasts, an interesting one being Piccolo's spiral blast. They were tearing down whole cliff sides without much effort, a far greater amount of energy being tossed about than what even Saffron or Herb had used. Compared to these fighters, Herb and Saffron were bush league losers.
She checked on 16 and blinked. The armored android was still sitting peacefully with a few more birds sitting on his shoulders, all oblivious to the explosive battle being waged only a few meters away. Ranko had to shake her head at that. Besides having a little temper, and a desire to kill this Goku character, the androids seemed like nice enough people. Hell, she'd gotten more attitude from Akane, the tomboy.
No, I didn't mean it, Akane, Ranko shut her eyes and prayed. I never meant any of those things I said to you. I didn't mean to make you angry or cry.
"Something wrong," 17 asked, noticing how Ranko had closed her eyes and began whispering something he couldn't hear.
Ranko looked up and shook her head, a new smile on her face, "No, I was just feeling the energy from those . ."
"What?" 17 watched the redhead fade off and stare past his shoulder. Her smile faded and turned into an angry scowl that brought energy to her eyes. 17 glanced in the same direction, "what is it?"
There was only one thing that caused so much hate and anger to well up within Ranko. Cell stood on the other side of the valley floor, a cocky smirk on his face as he watched 18 and Piccolo continue to battle, unaware of his presence. Energy swirled about Ranko's form and she bared her teeth with a growl, "Cell".
16 stopped what he was doing and followed Ranko's line of sight to the green monster flicking his tail one way and then the other, like a snake preparing to strike.
Maybe Ranko couldn't take on the androids very well, but she'd beaten Cell once before. She'd just have to do it again, and this time she would do it right. "DIE!"
Cell blinked and ducked down to the ground as a pair of vacuum blades cut through where he'd been standing. "Oh, it's you again."
"That's right!" Ranko started building up two blasts in her hands as she caught up with Cell. "You're going to pay for the hell you've put me through, Cell! DOUBLE MOUKO TAKABISHA!"
Cell slapped the blasts out of the air and laughed, "I think not, little girl." His tail curled around his leg to slap Ranko across the side.
She avoided the tail with a quick flip, landing on her hands and pushing off again to dodge the follow-up that would be coming. He was faster now. Ranko had felt the tail skim her feet as she barely avoided it.
"Get lost, pest," Cell held out one hand and watched a ball of condensed energy gather there. He released it with a laugh; the ground Ranko had been standing in was a cloud of dust in less than a second was. "Too bad. She was very amusing."
"You obviously don't know how to treat a lady," 17 sneered. He hovered overhead with Ranko in his arms. She gasped, having never been saved like that before. 17 quickly distanced himself with Cell and set Ranko down out of the way. "Maybe I'll teach you a lesson while 18 deals with Piccolo."
"So, you're one of the androids," said Cell. He hissed like a snake, grinning a little as 17 approached and dropped into a fighting stance. "You should just join me. Together we will become a perfect being and our power will be unrivaled."
17 snorted, "What's so great about becoming an overgrown toad?"
"You're about to find out!"
The sudden build-up of power caught the attention of 18 and Piccolo where they had been trading another series of energy attacks. 18 broke off first and glanced over her shoulder to see what was going on. The energy signature was familiar, but mottled, like it had been patched together with pieces of a million different people.
Piccolo called off his energy blast as he found 17 and Cell beginning to fight one another. "NO!" Piccolo launched past 18 and began firing energy blasts like mad at Cell to hold him off from 17.
Cell had to jump back from his fight with 17 before the blast hit. "That was rude, Piccolo," Cell said.
"You must not fight Cell," Piccolo shouted at 17. "If he absorbs you he'll become strong enough to destroy the planet."
"Absorb me?" 17 quirked a smile, "No one is going to absorb me. I'm the best fighter on this miserable little planet."
"You talk big, but can you back it up?" Cell hissed again. "Maybe you'd like to hide behind the girl some more," he chuckled and pointed at Ranko, who stood on the edge of the fight, growling in frustration.
17 glanced in her direction then set himself against Cell. "I don't need some girl to protect me. You're nothing compared to me."
"17, don't. He is more powerful," 16 informed them again. "He would defeat you."
"Oh, lizard man is going to beat one of us? You should get your power meter checked, 16," 18 had a wry smile on her lips as she watched 17 finally forget about the redhead and focus on the fight. "Make this quick, 17. We still need to find Goku."
17 nodded.
Piccolo cursed again and dropped into a fighting stance. If he couldn't stop the androids from fighting Cell, then he would have to help them and make sure Cell didn't absorb them. Before 17 could move, Piccolo was flying straight into Cell with his right hand cocked back.
Cell dropped to the ground and caught Piccolo with a flick of his tail, "Too slow, Piccolo!"
17 was only a fraction of a second behind and cleared Cell's tail, launching a number of punches that were blocked or dodged by the green monster. "Stand still!"
Cell laughed and sidekick 17 in the chest. He dodged out of the way of Piccolo's ki attacks and rushed the Namekian while he listened to 17 crash into the side of the cliff.
Without a distraction Piccolo was having trouble dealing with Cell. The monster's iron fists were sneaking past his guard and beating against his chest. His forearm was beginning to hurt as they blocked punches and kicks. Energy began to build up again in Piccolo's body as he was feeling his second wind.
"RAAAARGH!" Piccolo forced his way past Cell's arms and landed a hard punch to the creature's stomach.
Cell coughed and staggered backwards for a moment, just in time to have 17 come back, barreling into him.
"Perfect," Cell grinned and positioned the spine of his tail over 17's body.
"I don't think so," 17 growled and grabbed at the tail. With a malicious glee, 17 began to swing the creature in a wide arc before releasing Cell in the direction of the mountain. "HA!" a blast of soft blue energy streaked over the ground and impacted where Cell had landed against the dirt.
18 laughed, "He wasn't much of a challenge, was he?"
"Cell is not dead," 16 responded while reviewing energy statistics.
18 turned back to the cloud of dust at the base of the mountain. It only took a moment for the coastal wind to brush away the dust and leave Cell, still ready to fight.
"I haven't come this far to be beaten by some walking calculators," Cell growled and charged his body with more energy for the fight. "Your mine, android!"
~
"Daddy?"
Goku sat on the edge of Kami's island feeling for the battle Piccolo was fighting against Cell. "Don't worry, son. Piccolo can handle himself."
In truth, Goku was worried about the Namekian. It was a big risk to let Piccolo fight with Cell and the androids. He had definitely become stronger after fusing with Kami, but it may not be enough to really deal with these monsters. What was worse, if Piccolo were to be killed in this fight then they would lose the power of the Dragonballs and all the people who had already died could be lost for good.
Near the steps of Kami's home, Gohan shifted back and forth, eyeing a large double door made of bronze. "How much longer?"
Goku looked over his shoulder at his son. Gohan still wore the outfit he'd gotten from Piccolo. It still looked new since Gohan had had to carry Goku off of the battlefield when the heart disease hit him. It had taken Goku more than a day to recover from that, but he'd still been able to feel Vegita's fights with the androids and new he needed more training before he had a hope of defeating them. Hopefully, a year in the Chamber of Space and Time he and Gohan could become strong enough to fight the androids, or possibly Cell if it came down to it.
Looking away, Goku stared back down to the earth miles below. "Not long now, Gohan."
Clouds drifted by without feeling for what was happening nearer the ground. Goku saw these as mocking their plight. They should be dark and storming with the monster his friends were facing.
"Will Piccolo last that long?"
"Have faith, son," Goku asked emphatically. If Gohan started to lose focus he may do something stupid. Right now the earth needed all the fighters it could get and Gohan was one of the best they had. "Piccolo will be just fine."
Gohan's eyes remained concerned, but he tried to look strong like his father, "All right, dad."
They both became silent again and felt the battle auras of the people below them contesting their enemies. By the way Cell's energy suddenly sky rocketed, they could guess one of the androids had been absorbed. Nothing could be said for Piccolo, which, for as much as they could tell, had fallen off the map.
Goku heard his son sob once and try to maintain his cool, but it was hard. Piccolo had meant a great deal to his son, as mentor and friend. Two others joined the fight against Cell. Goku could tell one of them was Tien, but the other was small. He didn't recognize it.
"Piccolo," Gohan was on the verge of tears as he strained to feel for the Namekian's power.
Goku too tried to find the aura of his once rival. He didn't need to look back to know Gohan was ready to jump off the island and fight Cell himself, but his son simply wasn't ready for it yet. First he had to get his son into a Super Saiyajin level. "Gohan," Goku stood up and placed two fingers against his forehead. "Wait here."
Gohan watched his father vanish from Kami's island.
~
Cell roared in anger and charged through Piccolo, who was blocking his path to 17. The two exchanged some blows, but Cell was focused and powered by his need to finally evolve.
"Out of my way, pest!" Cell ran his fist into Piccolo's jaw and knocked the Namekian beneath the waves a hundred feet away.
Ranko and the androids gasped as they watched the powerful Namekian disappear into the sea. She'd seen the fight and knew the risk of becoming involved, but she couldn't stand on the sidelines any longer and allow Cell to become any more powerful. "CE-!"
"NO!"
Ranko spun back around at 18's distress. Cell's spine had inflated into a cone being pressed down over 17 from above. She was shocked and she was too late. They all were.
18 had barely taken one step in Cell's direction when 17 had disappeared into the tail. His body made a bulge in the narrow tube, but they could all see it slowly being pulled further into Cell's body until, at last, it disappeared. The whole process had taken less than half a minute.
Gasping, Ranko turned back around and started running for the other two androids. She could feel the result of Cell absorbing 17's body and it shook her nerves like a strained guitar wire. "Get out of here," Ranko yelled, "run!"
18 barely registered the redhead, still gaping at the monster Cell had become. She'd never thought there would be any real danger to herself or 17. They were the strongest, most powerful androids ever built. Not even Trunks and Vegita could stand up to them, and here this creature had so easily swallowed one of them whole.
"We should do as she says," 16 grabbed a hold of 18's shirt and began dragging her away from Cell.
"Going somewhere?"
All eyes snapped around to find Cell standing in front of them. He'd moved faster than they'd ever seen before. Cell's body had changed with 17's absorption. He was bigger, muscles bulged everywhere on his body and his face became more defined. A green crown grew on his forehead and his lips had taken shape from his chin. Cell's voice was deeper now, like a bullfrog and thunder rumbling in the clouds.
Gritting her teeth, Ranko stood before the two androids, her little frame barely blocking the two larger people. "Get her out of here. I'll hold him off."
"You do have spirit, I'll give you that," Cell laughed. "But none of you will be going anywhere."
"We must run," 16 urged the blonde android again.
Cell scoffed, "I have no need of you." A yellow lance of energy shot across the field and penetrated 16's head. The large android fell over backward, electricity shooting from the broken head plating.
"16!" 18 cried and dove beside the fallen androids side. "Get up, we have to run!"
"Didn't I say that before," Ranko muttered.
"HA!"
An explosion rattled the ground where Cell had been standing. High above the ground, Tien had come to a stop with his hands pressed together until he was looking down through the diamond arch. "Ranko, find Piccolo. I'll hold off Cell."
Ranko turned back to the androids. "Get out of here, ya stupid bitch! If you get absorbed by that monster we're all done for."
18 was pissed at her, but knew better than to argue with the redhead this time. She grabbed 16 and put his arm over her shoulder.
"Leave me."
"You're coming with me," 18 growled and took off into the air. She was moving slower with the extra weight, but they should be able to make some good distance before Tien tired of his attacks against Cell.
Ranko ran to the edge of the island where she had seen Piccolo fall. Hopefully the fighter had held his breath, if he was still alive that was. She took a deep breath and jumped in, the cold water didn't quite reach her body as she was surrounded by her own aura, which refused to die down while her adrenaline was so high. It wasn't just the anger that made her this way; it was fear. Ranko had never thought she would face anything more terrifying than Cell, but this evolved version had made her chest clench painfully.
Above the water she could hear Tien send off another one of his blasts. The water currents wavered for a moment while they absorbed some of the impact. Ranko kicked herself deeper, keeping her eyes and senses open for Piccolo's body.
She found him slowly floating upwards on his back. His shirt purple uniform was torn, revealing his green chest and one of his legs. Ranko grabbed a hold of one of Piccolo's arms and started dragging him to the surface. She needed to get back up to the surface for air, not just for her own sake. He was heavy and it slowed her down a little, but she climbed higher.
"C'mon, Ranko," Tien murmured as he held his hands in front of him, aimed straight down to the pit he was carving into the island in order to keep Cell pinned. He wasn't going to be able to last much longer. Each blast took a great deal of energy to even hold Cell back for a moment. "HA!"
Ranko's hand reached over the edge of the island and she began hauling herself and Piccolo back up. She grunted with the effort until she had a knee to the ground. "You better not be dead after what I just did for ya."
Tien sighed in relief as he watched Ranko rush Piccolo behind a few boulders to check on his condition. Only a little longer then he could run for it.
Ranko brought her ear to his mouth and waited to feel his breath, nothing. She placed two fingers against Piccolo's neck. There was no pulse. "Dammit. I didn't take CPR for this." With his nose pinched and head tilted back, Ranko pressed her lips against Piccolo's and breathed in some air once before pressing against his chest five times. "You are so goin ta owe me for this."
She repeated the process a few more times, very aware of how Tien's ki blasts were weakening slowly. It wouldn't be long before Cell would be on them and then after the androids. They needed to get out of here quick. Ranko expelled another breath into Piccolo's mouth and then pulled back as he suddenly coughed up some water. She sighed with her work done. Piccolo was still unconscious, but he would live.
Tucking the Namekian's body up against the wall, Ranko ran back around the boulder and closer to the fight. She'd have to wait there until someone came to fly Piccolo away. Until then, she would cover for Tien in case he ran out of energy and was too exhausted to fight Cell any other way.
Tien's body was beginning to feel numb from all of the ki blasts he was sending off. Veins were sticking out all over his arms and he noticed himself drooping lower in the air. A small energy signature told him Piccolo was safe now. Ranko must have resuscitated him; that ought to be a good one to tease the Namekian about later. If there was going to be a later.
The crater he'd made was the size of a large pool now. Cell kept trying to push against his blasts and was beginning to make some headway. Tien was about to fall out of the sky when he was suddenly grabbed from behind. "Goku?"
"You did great, Tien," Goku nodded. They disappeared from the air and stood upon the island then next instant. Goku set his friend down carefully and looked around. Piccolo wasn't in the sea any longer. A quick scan, Goku found his other friend resting behind a couple of boulders.
Cell screamed as he finally flew out of the crater. His eyes blazed with a green unholy light. Turning about quickly, Cell spotted Goku and Tien a little ways off. "So, you've finally come, Goku."
"Cell," Goku responded.
Smirking, the green monster rushed forward, eager to fight the man he'd heard so much about. This was why he was created; to destroy Son Goku utterly. His grin slipped as his foot sailed through Goku's head. The after image faded a second later. "What?!"
Goku and Tien reappeared behind the boulders. He picked up Piccolo and soon they were all off for Kami's island again.
"I will kill you, Goku!" Cell roared to the empty sky. That had been no simple illusion Goku had performed. They were all gone, just gone. Well, they had to return sometime to face him.
"MOUKO TAKABISHA!"
Cell's head rocked forward as the ki blast hit. Scowling further, he turned around to see who had dared . . "Little girl, you just don't know when to quit. I like that in a victim."
Stepping out from underneath the few trees left on the island, Ranko smirked in return. From her hiding spot she'd seen the man called Goku appear and take off with Tien and Piccolo. She'd been left behind. That didn't matter though. She wanted Cell for herself. Ranko's knuckles popped as she ground her fists together. "Guess I'm just another stupid girl then."
Cell smiled, he settled onto the ground and adopted his own fighting stance. He could take this girl without a problem, just a blast of energy and she would be dead, but he just liked her cocky attitude too much to make her death that quick or painless.
Ranko flared her ki in expectation as she faced off against Cell.
Suddenly the space behind Ranko grew heavy and a man appeared. Goku dropped his hand onto Ranko's shoulder and put the other against his forehead. "Almost forgot about you," he laughed and they disappeared together.
End Chapter Two
* * *
I know, you're upset that the fighting scenes aren't as complete as in the first chapter, but if we went into that kind of detail for every fight that would happen in a DBZ crossover the story would never be finished.
Just a few notes, neither Kaz nor I were certain how old the characters were so we guessed and/or manipulated the data. Goku and his crew are in their thirties (mid to late). Gohan is a little older than maybe he should be, fourteen. And Ranko was born a fully developed eighteen-year-old girl.
Send C&C to Michael at: jehtek@hotmail.com
Or Kazblah at: kazblah945@aol.com
Or visit the Temple of the Creative: www.geocities.com/jehtek
Ja ne.
A Chance Love Productions
Is proud to present
A Human Saiyajin
By Michael Fetter
And Kazblah
Chapter Two
Yamcha's hands shook beneath the running faucet. After finding the girl in Tokyo and watching her fight, he had trouble getting the horrid images out of his head. He ducked his down to the spout and drank in some water to roll around in his mouth and expel the foul taste. Looking back up at the mirror he saw the green shade fading from his face, but his stomach was still jumping with rabid butterflies.
Things were looking bad for the redhead. It was obvious she'd lost a few friends with the empty piles of clothing lying about. Her anger had been monumental, almost as terrible as her despair. Even Piccolo had felt a slight chill when they reached the area bathed with the girl's anguished heavy ki.
Just when it looked like they would have to intervene something had happened to the girl and she'd found new reserves of energy. Yamcha hadn't been sure, but the girl looked to have changed subtly. It was in her eyes mostly. The depression had been pushed aside to allow pure hate and anger to burn in her soul. In an instant, Yamcha was more frightened and entranced by the redhead than any other was. She was deadly beyond compare and beautiful to the same degree.
As he watched the girl rip a piece out of Cell's neck and spit out a chunk of flesh, the green blood running down her feral grin, Yamcha's stomach had turned and he couldn't help but vomit over the rooftop. Kuillin and Tien continued to watch the fight, fixated by what was happening.
With the killing blow, they each followed Piccolo to the ground and waited a few steps behind him. Piccolo was the strongest of them after fusing with Kami so they were more for back up. The redhead was knocked backward by her own blast and slid into Piccolo's feet.
Not taking his eyes off of the regenerating Cell, Piccolo spoke to Kuillin. "Get her out of the way."
The monk nodded and tried to grab the girl where she was not bleeding or broken. Yamcha watched the small man carry the redhead off and snapped his eyes away just as quickly when he noticed the state of her clothing. The green blood was still dripping down her jaw to mix with the red blood soaking into her Chinese shirt.
"Oh, Piccolo." Cell grinned, looking over the group of Z fighters casually. "I didn't see you there. That little girl kept me much more entertained than you and your pitiful friends could."
Piccolo growled and dropped into a fighting stance. "Prepare to die Cell."
Yamcha and Tien fell into their own fighting stance, unsure of what exactly they could do, but they would try nonetheless.
Holding his hands down, Cell poured some ki into the open palms. "Not today I'm afraid." The energy blasts shot out of his hands, trailing a cloud of dust in their wake. Piccolo easily swatted the blasts out of the air, but it kicked up a cloud of dust.
Yamcha coughed and started to feel around the area for Cell while he couldn't see him. He was startled to note that the energy signature had disappeared.
Piccolo's growl vibrated through his bones as he searched for Cell. The monster wasn't going to run from him again! "Tien! Yamcha! Split up and start searching. He couldn't have gotten far!"
Nodding, Yamcha headed to the right, flying swiftly over the empty city for any indication of their enemy. He found Kuillin sitting over the redhead's unconscious form and tending to the wounds as best he could. There was grimace as he set a bone back beneath the skin of her arm. Yamcha could see the pain riding through the girl's face, but she remained knocked out.
The city below looked like a post-Capsule Corps creation. The buildings were made of regular wood and concrete materials in the old fashioned square design. Yamcha actually liked these building more compared to the advanced ones because they showed more character even if they weren't as efficient or weather resistant.
A blast of tight orange energy ripped across the area and took with it a few residential houses. Yamcha altered his course to find out what had happened. Perhaps Piccolo or Tien had found Cell and needed his help to deal with the green monster. Yamcha was weaker than the rest, but right now every little bit of energy helped especially against a powerful creature like Cell.
When he landed in the area, Piccolo was rubbing his shoulder and scowling. Cell was gone. "What happened?"
"Cell sapped some of my energy." Piccolo said.
Tien landed and looked about. "Did he get away again?"
Scowling, Piccolo headed back to where they had left Kuillin. Yamcha and Tien looked around the area again then followed quietly. If Cell was able to sap some of Piccolo's energy then their enemy had just become significantly more dangerous. They landed behind Piccolo who was looking over the redhead Kuillin had been tending to.
"We have to do something or she's going to die." Kuillin stated, his hands already over the pouch containing the senzu beans. Piccolo nodded.
"Give her one."
Kuillin nodded and then blushed as he looked at the girl then the bean in his hand. "She's not even conscious. She won't be able to eat the senzu."
"Force it down then."
Yamcha's eyes widened. This did not sound like a good idea considering . . .
"Ow!" Kuillin pulled back his hand and waved it about, throbbing red. "She bit me!"
Piccolo smirked and watched the girl's body recover. Bone and skin were knitting back together better than before. Some of the scars that had been riding across the girl's skin began to fade and her features softened from the pained grimace to a more relaxed sleep. "Pick her up. She's coming with us."
Kuillin blushed further and looked between the girl and Piccolo. "Uh, are you sure that's a good idea?"
Piccolo only looked at him.
"I'll do it." Yamcha declared and stepped forward. Kuillin blinked but got out of the way. It was when Yamcha had an unblemished view that his face burned with heat and he whipped back in the other direction. "On second thought . ." He couldn't think of a good way to complete the sentence and jumped into the air flying for Roshi's Island.
Kuillin and Tien blinked then looked down at the girl. Shrugging, Kuillin picked the redhead up on his back and jumped into the air. Soon they were all heading off for Roshi's. There was nothing more they could do unless Cell powered up, and the monster had been careful about that so far.
Splashing his face, Yamcha returned to the present and turned the off the cold water faucet and wiped his face with a towel. He couldn't believe this was happening. "It's like I'm a teenager all over again." He grimaced when he heard more laughter coming from the living room and wondered if there was a hole deep enough to sink into.
~
Upstairs, in a room momentarily unattended by Chichi, the drapes were drawn to let a young girl sleep comfortably.
"Eeeeehehehe!" Roshi, an old master of the Art, crept up to the sleeping mat. His black sunglasses could not hide the sparkle in his eyes as they roamed the curvy body of the redhead with lecherous delight.
Beside him, a pig wearing clothes also grinned and stalked closer. Oolong was barely holding back his delight upon discovering this new person in the master's house. "Now this is what I call bringing home the bacon."
Roshi nodded vigorously and reached out with a trembling hand for the light covers that were draped over the girl's body. What forbidden fruits were they about to uncover? Such wonderful delights this girl must cover with bothersome clothing. It was a sin to have her covered so! It was his duty to liberate the healthy redhead of the suffocating material! Yes, it was for her own good! Oh, his friend Happousai would be so jealous of him right now! This time Roshi was getting to the girl!!!
As if sensing his motive, Ranma-chan's eyes snapped open and zeroed in on the lecherous duo. Flames burning in her eyes, she grabbed the old pervert's wrist and flung him through the air, knocking a pig through the wall seconds before the old man followed. "PERVERTS!!!"
"AAAAAA-" The water exploded with their impact and doused a portion of the small island.
Ranma continued to glare at the body shaped holes in the wall. What the hell did they think they were doing?! She didn't know either of the individuals, but she'd felt the perverted aura plenty of times before in Happousai. Why are all old men so disgusting?!
Ranma-chan growled and waved her fist at the holes, slowly coming down from the adrenaline rush. "Jerks. What the hell were they doin in my room anyway. That's all we need. More old perverts runnin through the house. Better warn Akane before-"
Blinking, Ranma looked at his fist and watched it drop lifelessly onto her lap. Akane . . She'd nearly forgotten. They were all gone now. Her body should hurt all over after the fight with Cell, but when she felt nothing Ranma had almost thought everything else had been just a terrible dream.
Her pillow woofed as she hit it with her head and stared up at the ceiling. "Akane." Ranma's eyes were starting to moisten the more he thought about her deceased fiancée. They were all gone: Kasumi, pops, mom, Nabiki, Shampoo, Mousse, Cologne. Hell, she was already missing Nabiki, Happousai, and even the Kunos. Ranma would suffer Ryouga's sudden attacks for the rest of his life if that would bring them all back again. Well, except for the Kunos and Happousai, anyway.
Grabbing a fistful of the sheets, Ranma rolled onto her side and buried half of her face into her pillow. Tears were running down her cheeks and her shoulder's shook with anguish. "Akane . ."
"It sounded like it came from up here."
"Isn't that where we put the girl?"
"You're right. You go in first."
"No way! Why should I go in first?!"
"C'mon, she isn't going to attack a monk."
"How do you kn-!" A short bald man was shoved into the room stumbling for a second until he could stop himself. Kuillin swallowed and opened his eyes cautiously. They'd seen the girl's fight with Cell and considered she may not be entirely stable.
The girl was rolled over in the bed, her sheets having rolled with her were not covering her naked back nearly down to her firm little . . Kuillin turned around with a blush over his cheeks. "Uh, are, uh, you okay?"
"Go away."
Kuillin blinked and looked over his shoulder. She still had her back to him and her shoulders had relaxed a bit. "We found you fighting Cell and brought you here to take care of your injuries."
The redhead moved her head slightly than rested it back down on her pillow. "Thanks."
Kuillin waited a few moments longer, but when nothing more was forthcoming he decided he pushed his luck far enough and tiptoed for the door. With his hand nearly on the handle, it suddenly swung open and Chichi stormed into the room, finding the short monk crushed between the door and the wall. "What do you think you're doing in here?!"
Kuillin shrank before the angry Chichi and tried to stutter a response. But the angry woman gripped him by the ear and dragged him towards the door where others were watching silently. They might have snickered at Kuillin being pulled around by Chichi, but they didn't want it to be done to them either.
Chichi tossed the bald man out into the hallway. "Don't you have any consideration for a woman's privacy?!"
Ranma-chan blinked and rolled over to look at the woman who'd come to her 'rescue'. She sounded a lot like an angry Akane, but she looked more like Ranma's mother, without the katana. The woman was about to slam the door in the face of three powerful looking fighters when a green hand caught it. Ranma's eyes snapped open and she jumped onto her feet. "YOU AGAIN?!"
Everyone was caught by surprise as they saw Ranma-chan standing in a fighting stance completely naked. Piccolo's green skin found a rosy hue with everyone else. The red hair of the Japanese girl was apparently natural.
Ranma-chan was heedless of her lack of clothing as she found herself face to face with another green monster. Cell and this one were different looking, but she was too angry to notice. "YOU BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU!"
Piccolo blinked and looked to the others who had grasped their noses and tried to unsuccessfully look away. The idea became easier as energy began to emanate from the girl. Piccolo turned back just in time to receive a fist to his cheek and crash down the stairs.
Chichi watched the girl with wide eyes as she powered up and flew across the room to deliver that blow. She had barely seen the redhead move when she noticed Piccolo was hurtling down the stairs then crashing into the downstairs coffee table and shattering it. "Oh my."
Growling, Ranma-chan continued down the stairs, bypassing the motionless fighters, noting only the one with short black hair as he ran screaming fearfully down the hall and through the wall. The green monster was rolling back onto his feet as she arrived downstairs and began to fight with all that she had. Three battles with Cell, she was developing better tactics to use against the murderer.
Piccolo blinked and drew himself back up as he landed on the table. His cheek stung, but it wasn't a terribly powerful blow. He'd taken worse from Gohan when he'd first started training the boy. The fight was brought to him in the form of a naked redhead bathed in an unhealthy green light. Her hands began to flash and land solid blows against his body. Not too strong, but they were gaining in strength as she continued. Piccolo tried to block, but her technique was amazing. He hadn't been wrong when he thought she was an incredibly skilled martial artist. The control she had over her little amount of ki was impressive to say the least.
"We are not your enemies, girl." Piccolo growled as he tried to take the offensive. Her body twisted and turned out of the way and shot past his defenses to land more blows.
"Shut up and die!"
Taking another hit to his stomach, Piccolo swept his arm out in a hooking punch. She skipped out of the way of his fist, but Piccolo's arm launched her out the door and onto the beach. Oolong and Master Roshi fell back into the water and stared, drooling uncontrollably, at the nude girl bouncing, and bouncing, around the sand. Yamcha, who had been hiding outside, suddenly bolted into the sea, running across the water for a moment until gravity, and a lack of flight, dropped him beneath the surface.
The rest followed Piccolo and waited on the porch as the fight continued. Kuillin eventually shook himself out of his stupor to realize Piccolo and the girl looked like they were trying to kill each other. The redhead was hampered slightly by the sand while Piccolo levitated over it.
"Get down here, you coward!" Ranma cursed and launched a few Shi Shi Hokodans without calling out the name. The green monster continued to float out of the way or knock her ki blasts away. Despair and depression were filling her soul as she continued to attack futilely. The green aura about her body increased in size and her head and shoulders sagged.
Kuillin and Tien felt the increasing power level and rushed outside, stepping in between Piccolo and the girl. "Calm down, miss." Kuillin pleaded. "Piccolo isn't the bad guy. He's on our side."
Tien nodded. "That's right. Piccolo probably saved you from being killed by Cell!"
Ranma-chan didn't hear them and pulled the energy into her hands. She'd get that bastard down on the ground where he belonged! "PERFECT SHI SHI HOKODAN!"
Three pairs of eyes blinked then looked up. "Uh-oh."
The resulting blast pushed back the sea for a moment, uncovering the cowering Yamcha, and ripping one of the few palm trees on the island out of the ground. When it was over, Ranma-chan stood in the center of the blast area with the three men lying on the ground. Without being powered up they were slightly battered.
Kuillin coughed, his red uniform looking a little burnt, and started to stand up. "This isn't good."
"Hey! What's going on out here?"
Ranma-chan blinked as a stuffed cat looking creature floated outside and hovered over the men then made eye contact with her. "C-C-C-C-C-C-C-!"
"You should put on some clothes while on Roshi's island." Puar stated, her blue tail swishing about.
Ranma's face drained of color and her arms began to shake. "CAAAAATTTT!!!!"
Tien removed his arms from over his head and looked up in time to see the naked girl rush back towards the house and hide behind Chichi fearfully. Kuillin was also looking back up. "She's not afraid of Cell, but a cat will send her screaming?"
Tien shrugged and decided to keep Puar close by.
~
Without much trouble, Chichi coaxed Ranma back upstairs to find some clothing after a quick bath. Ranma hadn't taken much time in the hot water for some reason. Chichi didn't ask, but Ranma seemed to be more upset over something when she finished. With a towel wrapped around her body, Ranma was set down in front of a mirror while Chichi began to go through her hair with a comb. Ranma-chan wasn't exactly head over heels about the idea, but with the adrenaline gone and rationale in control once again, the life seemed to ebb out of her pores and she was just a marionette to be guided by others.
Saddened by the look of loss in the girl's eyes, Chichi sought to improve her spirits the only way she knew how. The comb went through the red hair, catching the occasional knot. "You're a very good fighter."
Ranma's head bobbed as her hair was pulled and released. She was too lost in thought to respond with her usual arrogance. What was the point? What was being the best martial artist if you couldn't save your friends and family?
Chichi pulled some of the hair back behind the girl's ears and continued to brush. She had the most beautiful blue eyes and lightly tanned skin. Chichi had never seen such a thing among the Japanese. Her smile must be beautiful, Chichi thought.
"What's your name?" Chichi realized she hadn't even learned that. With all the excitement they'd all forgotten to ask. Goku's friends were interested in this girl for some reason and after seeing her fight Chichi understood why, but still no one had asked such a basic question. "My name is Chichi Son."
Ranma blinked. Her name? Did she even have a name? After the bath she knew there really was no longer Ranma Saotome. Ranma Saotome was gone, killed by Cell, along with his friends and family. Who was she now? She couldn't be Ranma because Ranma Saotome never loses, and she had lost everything. "Ranko," she finally answered, "call me Ranko."
"Nice to meet you, Ranko-chan." Chichi smiled at the girl. It seemed like a perfect name, Wild Child, that was certainly what Chichi had thought of her. Chichi sobered after a moment considering the circumstances of their meeting. "I'm sorry about what happened to your family, Ranko-chan. Kuillin told me something about your fight with Cell, but you can't lose hope."
Ranko's lip quivered and she stared down at her hands. "Two years I relied on hope and I still lost her."
Setting the comb down, Chichi grabbed the length of red hair and started to braid it. The pigtail seemed a sin on such a beautiful girl. "You'll see her again. I promise."
Ranko looked into the mirror and saw the woman smile at her. To see Akane again? Maybe. After she found her revenge with Cell she could see Akane again. Ranko would go and meet her and everyone else up in Heaven and tell them Cell was dead. She couldn't go see them with anything less.
Finishing, Chichi patted the girl's shoulder and looked at the clothes laid out on the bedroll. This being Roshi's Island there was very little in the way of woman's clothing except for undergarments. Ranko's clothing had been in ruins and she'd tossed them away as lost. They were too large for the small girl anyway. Chichi guessed that Ranko had lost some clothing in fights before and that was why she'd been wearing boxers and no bra. Underwear was something Roshi did seem to have. Chichi wisely decided not to inquire and picked out a few less lacy pieces that might fit Ranko. The rest were spare uniforms of Kuillin's. He was the closest to Ranko's size and had a few extra changes of clothing in the house.
"Why don't you get dressed and then meet everyone downstairs?" Chichi suggested as she headed for the door. The girl seemed very shy about the bath even though she'd been naked during that first fight with Piccolo. There was still some blood on the hallway floor from a few nosebleeds. "I'll get some lunch ready. You must be hungry by now."
Ranko was ready to deny it. She hadn't been thinking about food since this all began. Her stomach, however, decided to remind her of this and grumbled anxiously. "Anou," Ranko put a hand over her stomach and blushed, "I am kinda hungry."
Nodding, Chichi closed the door and headed downstairs. While she was at it she might as well make lunch for the rest. If Ranko was anything like her then she would only be needing a sandwich, but the men would probably consume a horse given the chance.
Looking to the clothing then the mirror, Ranko hardened her features. "Hi, Ranko. I'm depending on you now." To the reflection she nodded and picked up her new clothes.
~
When Chichi wanted to cook, she could cook. Having lived with Goku for so long she'd become accustomed to creating great feasts as though they were normal meals. For someone like Goku this was particularly true, but for the rest it would take a dozen men to finish one of Goku's meals. They thought they would never see someone with an appetite so large anywhere else.
A plate of food was suddenly cleaned spotless.
Kuillin had known Goku the longest, from their training with Master Roshi when they were kids. He'd seen his friend accomplish amazing things, one of which was his ability to clear whole banquets of their contents and still be hungry.
Another plate rattled in place as it was suddenly empty.
Piccolo never feared Goku, but was on occasion in awe of the man. Once his rival, Piccolo had found an ally in Goku. Together they had fought terrible creatures and evil. Not once failing to rise to the occasion.
A bowl of soup was drained in a matter of moments and tossed onto one of the empty plates.
Yamcha once remembered young Goku telling him he saw everything as a challenge or a chance to train. His friend loved fighting and had become a force to be reckoned with. Goku was strong and fast.
"You gonna eat that?"
Tien huddled over his food more closely and nodded his head even as he watched the redhead pointing her chopsticks at his plate. It had taken them a few moments to realize that she'd been eating off of their plates even as she cleared the table. Whoever had taught the girl to eat with such blinding speed was either a fast, fat oaf or a skinny fool.
"How can you eat like that?!" Kuillin boggled. Only minutes ago Chichi had set down a dozen plates of dishes and now they were empty.
Ranko stared Kuillin in the eyes. "Lots of training." She'd taken her words in the mirror very seriously. Cell was going to die and she was going to see to it. But she had to be better than she was now.
"Can you teach us?" Piccolo asked. Others looked at Piccolo shocked. They'd never thought to hear him ask someone to train him.
Ranko glared at the green man. They had explained to her he was a Namekian, something unlike Cell, but she still didn't like him. His aura was powerful, but it was also bordering on something evil. She grudgingly accepted his presence since he had scared Cell off and practically saved her. So she wouldn't try to kill him, but she didn't have to like him. "Doubt it. There ain't enough hours in the day."
Piccolo growled.
"We could take her back to the Chamber of Time and Space, Piccolo." Kuillin said. He'd never been in it himself, but he was told that a year on the inside was only a day in the real world. Vegita and Trunks were inside it right now, training to fight Cell and the androids.
"But only two people can go in at a time." Tien reminded the monk. A slight blush rose over their faces as they considered spending an entire year with just Ranko and martial arts. It sounded like bliss.
"Hey!" Ranko slammed her palm onto the table and glared at the other fighters. "I don't need any of you. I'm gonna beat that bastard Cell myself!"
Piccolo snorted and met her glare. "You are nothing compared to the rest of us. How could you beat Cell? You wouldn't even be able to defeat the androids."
Red ki flared about her body as she made a fist. "You want another beatin, green-boy?!" All but Ranko and Piccolo took a giant step back. The air became still with tension. After a moment Ranko relaxed and sat back down. "What do you know about these androids and Cell?"
Kuillin coughed to clear his throat and slowly sat down as well. "Well, we were warned by a guy named Trunks from the future. He's fighting with us now to destroy the androids because they destroyed the world in his reality. They were all created by a group called the Red Ribbon Army, who have been recording a fighter named Goku for his fighting data. Cell is sort of a combination of the strongest fighters in the world and he needs to absorb the androids in order to evolve into his most powerful state."
Ranko sat for long moments taking in everything she'd been told. The others were rather surprised at how easily she'd taken the explanation. "That can't be right," Ranko finally muttered.
"What?"
She looked at Kuillin with a distasteful frown. "Strongest fighters. No one ever came to me to make this Cell."
The group crashed to the floor shaking the house's foundation.
Laughing nervously, Kuillin got back onto his seat, scratching the back of his head. "Hehe, I'm sure they just thought you were too young or something."
Ranko snorted. "So where do we find these androids? This whole evolvin thing sounds bad."
"Well," Kuillin looked to the TV, which was still blank of media coverage, "we don't know."
"You don't know?" Ranko deadpanned.
Kuillin laughed nervously and nodded. "They aren't human exactly so we can't sense their kis. And Cell suppresses his to stay hidden. We've kinda been using the TV to help us find him."
Frowning further, Ranko looked around the room then spotted something in the back. "And who are they?"
Everyone whipped around and found three individuals waiting on the beach. Two looked like brother and sister, about the same size and look. The boy had long black hair, black shirt and blue jeans, and a red bandana wrapped around his neck. The girl, who was leaning non-challantly against the doorframe, had blonde hair, cut like her brothers, and a cowboy blouse and leather skirt getup. The last was a big man, nearly six feet tall, with a huge amount of muscle covered by a black jumpsuit and bulky yellow armor with red ribbon printed on the breast plate.
"Hi." The boy nodded to Ranko. "We're looking for Goku. Can you give us some directions?"
~
Capsule Corps was responsible for much of the world's advancement in the last decade. It used to be a research group dedicated to better living. After the first inventions, capsule objects, money began to roll into the company and soon they were funding their own factories. Most of their products were still expensive or experimental, but the new homes, car designs, and other basic had been improved upon to create better usage of energy.
Its headquarters sat in northern Japan, close to the sea. A small city that had grown from Capsule Corps influence.
Hunched over her workstation, one of the lead scientific minds in robotics and technology; was hard at work putting on the final touches to her specially designed remote. A few touches on her keyboard and the program ran a final diagnostic check. With a ping, the computer was finished and the scientist hastily closed the remote software link and jumped to her feet with the remote in her hands.
"And the world is saved by the beautiful and brilliant Bulma!" she cheered.
Bulma's father blinked with her newborn son. They were beside baby Trunks' crib, playing another childish game. "Finished what dear?" her father asked.
"The remote for the androids of course," she presented the metal box and antenna, a large red button on one side. Rather simple looking for something that took her so long to build. Dr. Gero had been very careful with the androids' functions, making it impossible to trip the self- destruct sequence by accident.
"Well," her father adjusted his glasses and set baby-Trunks back in his crib. "You should get that to one of your friends who can get close enough to the androids."
"You're right." Bulma skipped over to the phone and dialed a number. Baby- Trunks made a few pitiful sounds as he watched her dial the phone. "This'll be all over before you know it!"
~
"Hi." The boy nodded to Ranko. "We're looking for Goku. Can you give us some directions?"
So this is what they meant, Ranko thought as she narrowed her eyes at the androids, I can't feel any of their kis, but I know they gotta be strong. She was also learning why people got sick over her cocky smirks, Ranko had the over-whelming desire to wipe the smug look off 17's face.
Most of the Z-fighters had fallen into fighting stances except for Piccolo, standing closest to the door with his arms crossed over his chest. The Namekian seemed unshakable, and he looked upon the androids with a condescending glare.
Though he hid it well, Ranko could see Piccolo tensing and warming up his ki. If it was true that Piccolo was the strongest of the group then she should take the androids very seriously. Ranko had no beef with the Androids and usually preferred to not fight if it was possible. Her chair scrapped over the floor as she stood up and sauntered silkily over to the Androids. The blonde girl watched her carefully, but otherwise made no movement as Ranko walked up to the boy, who had kept his eyes on her.
With a smirk Ranko took his arm and walked him into the house. The Z- fighters gawked; Piccolo dropped his hands and too stared in shock. Did Ranko have some sort of death wish?
"Have a seat," Ranko smiled, pushing the unresisting boy onto the couch in the living room. "I'm sure he'll be back soon."
A slight red hue crested 17's face as he watched the beautiful redhead standing before him. He almost wished he were not an android because something was lost in his sense of touch, but he could still smell the clean skin and shampooed hair. He gave an almost imperceptible nod to Ranko's request, "So, he'll be here then?"
"Who," Ranko asked, bending over slightly, the red gi showing off a good amount of cleavage.
"17," the boy responded, watching her with rapt attention, just not at her face.
"Men," the girl snorted in disgust. She strutted into the house and pointed her palm at the group of Z-fighters, a ball of white ki forming there as she faced Piccolo. "Tell us where Goku is or they're all dead."
Piccolo knew he couldn't protect everyone in the house, Chichi and a few others would surely die in the blast. Only he was strong enough to really fight the androids. "Why don't we take this to a bigger island so we can 'talk'."
18 looked between Piccolo and the other people inside the house. It really didn't matter if any of them tried to run. She was stronger and they would all die eventually. Besides, a fight would help pass the time. With a cold grin, she nodded and headed back outside. "This should be amusing. Let's go 17."
The boy Ranko had been standing in front of stood up guiltily and walked out of the house.
Seeing the redhead about to head out after them, Kuillin grabbed her by the wrist, eyes still startled by what she had done. "Are you crazy? Those are the androids. They could have killed you!"
Twisting her arm angrily, Ranko tossed Kuillin to the ground. "I could've kept them here where we could watch them if you morons had half a brain," she hissed. Ranma wasn't the brightest person, but when it came to strategy he had been one of the best. "Now I have to follow them to find Cell."
The group watched her storm out of the house. Tien blinked all three of his eyes and poked Yamcha in the side, "She is nuts". Yamcha nodded, but eventually followed everyone else out of the house.
16 and 18 were already in the air and heading off for one of the distant islands. Shaking his head of the fuzz, 17 lifted off as well.
"17-kun," Ranko called sweetly from the porch. The android stopped and turned around to regard her waving arm and bouncy form. "How about a ride?"
He blinked. "I think it would be safer for you to wait here." What was he doing?
Ranko put on her best 'give-me-what-I-want-because-I'm-a-cute-girl' pout, "But I don't want to miss the fight. Couldn't you carry me in your big strong arms?"
17 started to blush again, but he wordlessly descended from the sky to scoop the girl up. He felt cavities coming on because of the sweet looking girl in his arms. She was very . . curvy.
17 took off at a fast pace, forcing himself to not look at Ranko.
The Z-fighters began to brood as the three androids, Piccolo, and Ranko disappeared from sight. They would have liked to have gone too in case Piccolo needed their help, but against the Androids they would've been more of a liability than of help. Cell was stronger now, maybe stronger than the Androids, but at least there was only one of him.
The phone rang in the background as Kuillin, Yamcha, and Tien just stood on the beach.
"You don't think she enjoyed being carried by that monster, do you?" Yamcha asked nervously.
Tien considered the redhead and hoped she wouldn't get in Piccolo's way.
"Kuillin!" Master Roshi hobbled out of his house with the phone in his hand. "It's Bulma. She wants to talk to you."
"To me?" Kuillin accepted the phone and listened to the woman on the other side. After a moment his eyes went wide and he cheered. "A remote detonator! That's great Bulma! Haha! I knew you could figure it out!"
The others turned to watch the bald monk jump up and down, listening intently to the phone.
"I'm on my way to pick it up now!" The phone was passed back and Kuillin jumped into the air. "Bulma finished a remote detonator. I'm gonna go pick it up. I'll be right back!"
Tien nodded, "Hurry, Kuillin. We may not have much time."
The monk nodded and shot off into the sky at his fastest pace. After days of watching Cell and the Androids kill millions it looked like things were finally going their way. Just a press of the button and only Cell will be left.
~
It's hard being the only rational mind among the androids, 18 thought. As they passed over islands and seas, she gave 16 a glance and saw him staring absently to the ocean, following the movements of dolphins and whales. He seemed sensitive to the world and yet empty-minded at the same time. He was more like a dog than the killing machine he was designed to be.
18 frowned and turned to 17. He still held the redhead in his arms, and if she hadn't known better, 18 would say her counterpart was blushing. He was either one of the cruelest men in the world or he was actually interested in the little tramp. The girl cooed in his ear again and 18 watched 17 begin to lag behind farther.
"This is far enough," 18 spat and descended to a nearby island. She touched down the same time 16 and Piccolo did and began to tap her foot as 17 continued to take his time.
He stopped and hovered about a foot off the ground, his arms still cupping Ranko beneath the legs and back. She giggled at something and whispered in his ear. For some reason 18 felt her anger rising after seeing this.
On the other side of the field, Piccolo stretched out his neck and arms, watching Ranko and the androids carefully. He wasn't going to stop fighting because of her, or worry if she was hurt. It had been Ranko's choice to come along and she would suffer the consequences associated with that decision. "Well?"
18 gave 17 another disgusted look. He'd finally placed the girl, far too gently, on the ground, but she held his arm. The starry gaze she was making for 17 was obviously put-on, but 17 was dense enough to fall for it. This really is pathetic, 18 thought, our plans to takeover this weak little world are being ruined because 17 doesn't know which head to think with.
18 flicked her blonde hair behind her ear and pressed her mouth into a line of agitation. "All right, Piccolo. This shouldn't take too long."
Waves rolled up against the island and brought a spray of water up the side. The falling water shimmered with the sunlight and disappeared back into the sea. There was a little wind that rustled the grass and trees on the island, a good two miles wide. They had landed in the valley on the far side of the island, surrounded on all sides by sheer cliffs.
Ranko made eye contact with Piccolo and tightened her hold on the android, which he mistook for some trepidation for the fight. Piccolo nodded only slightly. She would hold off the other androids as best she could if they decided to join the fight early. Ranko didn't like the Namekian, but she'd give him a chance to change her mind. If he believed he could take on these androids and destroy them, she would hold the others off with her life if need be. Just one destroyed android could mean the difference for Cell's invulnerability.
"AAAARRRRHHHH!" Piccolo crouched into a deep fighting stance, the muscles along his arms and back tensing up as a bright corona of white power enveloped his body. The ground shook beneath his feet and dirt was caught up into orbits about his body until he resembled a chemistry drawing of an atom. Beneath his feet, a depression began to form then spread as his power jumped higher. In a sudden flash Piccolo was floating two feet off the ground in the middle of a fifteen-foot circle formed by the pressure of his ki.
"Piccolo has become more powerful than he was before," 16 announced. There was no emotion in his voice, just a statement of fact.
Ranko watched the big man as she leaned against 17. Besides the one sentence, he seemed uninterested in the fight. 16 stared out into the sea and raised his hand for a bird to land on. A sparrow twittered on his finger, chirping pleasantly for the android. At the moment, 16 looked like no threat at all to Piccolo. Ranko still glanced his way to check if anything had changed, but throughout the fight the large android hadn't moved an inch.
"So, how did you get caught up with that bunch of losers," 17 asked, following the fast-paced fight with his eyes. Once things had begun between Piccolo and 18 did he begin to forget she was even there.
Ranko looked to the sky, only seeing the fight because of her experience with the Chestnut Fist and its speed. At times it was too fast for her to follow, but the constant breaks in the sound barrier and blasts striking the earth helped point out there new positions. Another blast struck the ground not far from where she'd been standing with 17, and a rush of wind carried some dust past their feet.
Grabbing his arm with both hands, Ranko leaned against the android more firmly. "And who says they caught me?"
The boy blushed and remained silent.
High over the ground, traveling at speeds that left after-images, 18 had her hands full with fighting Piccolo. He was not the pathetic pushover he had been before. She couldn't figure out how the Namekian could have boosted his power so fast, but it had surpassed the strength of the Super Saiyajins she'd faced so far. Vegita had been a toy compared to Piccolo now. Still, while he was stronger, Piccolo did not have the unlimited supply of power as the androids did.
18 lashed out with a fist, passing through Piccolo's face. The image vanished as the last two had and she felt the fighter strike her over the back with a double hammer fist. The wind screamed past as she plummeted to the ground. With the finesse one could pull from such a speedy descent, 18 flipped and touched down feet first, her body digging into the earth like it were made of crackers.
"He has gotten stronger," she drawled, wiping the back of her hand over her mouth and removing a smudge of dirt. "This may be a much more interesting fight than I'd first thought."
Piccolo snorted as he dropped to the ground again, unharmed and barely sweating. "This is where I bury you androids," he said.
"You're sweating, Piccolo," she smiled, "and I'm still as fresh as ever."
"Fresh fish," Ranko muttered. 17 heard it and chuckled, quieting again when he saw 18 glare in his direction.
18 turned back to Piccolo with her nostrils flaring with her heavy breaths. How dare that little hussy call me a fish! She won't be making jokes when I start using her as shark bait once I'm done with Piccolo! "C'mon, Piccolo! Let's get this over with!"
Despite himself, Piccolo grinned. Ranko's comment had been perfect for throwing off 18's confident mood. The android came swinging at him more wildly than before and made it easier to dodge. Ducking one crescent arm, Piccolo lifted the blonde off the ground with a solid uppercut to the chin. He caught up with her quickly at about twenty feet and sent her back down to the pot-holed island with an over-the-head ax kick.
18 pounded her fists against the ground in her impact crater. Her vest was ripped, her hair was mussed, and there was another layer of dirt on her cheeks. "DAMMIT!"
Piccolo jumped back as the ground was rent open further and 18 came floating out of the cracked earth. While she could not display an aura, the way her face was screwed up in a scowl did its own work to repel people. "Maybe next time I should give you a bath," he suggested, nodding to the sea.
Still hanging onto 17, Ranko smirked. The Namekian was starting to taunt the androids on his own. He learned fast for a green monster. She watched the two combatants exchange energy blasts, an interesting one being Piccolo's spiral blast. They were tearing down whole cliff sides without much effort, a far greater amount of energy being tossed about than what even Saffron or Herb had used. Compared to these fighters, Herb and Saffron were bush league losers.
She checked on 16 and blinked. The armored android was still sitting peacefully with a few more birds sitting on his shoulders, all oblivious to the explosive battle being waged only a few meters away. Ranko had to shake her head at that. Besides having a little temper, and a desire to kill this Goku character, the androids seemed like nice enough people. Hell, she'd gotten more attitude from Akane, the tomboy.
No, I didn't mean it, Akane, Ranko shut her eyes and prayed. I never meant any of those things I said to you. I didn't mean to make you angry or cry.
"Something wrong," 17 asked, noticing how Ranko had closed her eyes and began whispering something he couldn't hear.
Ranko looked up and shook her head, a new smile on her face, "No, I was just feeling the energy from those . ."
"What?" 17 watched the redhead fade off and stare past his shoulder. Her smile faded and turned into an angry scowl that brought energy to her eyes. 17 glanced in the same direction, "what is it?"
There was only one thing that caused so much hate and anger to well up within Ranko. Cell stood on the other side of the valley floor, a cocky smirk on his face as he watched 18 and Piccolo continue to battle, unaware of his presence. Energy swirled about Ranko's form and she bared her teeth with a growl, "Cell".
16 stopped what he was doing and followed Ranko's line of sight to the green monster flicking his tail one way and then the other, like a snake preparing to strike.
Maybe Ranko couldn't take on the androids very well, but she'd beaten Cell once before. She'd just have to do it again, and this time she would do it right. "DIE!"
Cell blinked and ducked down to the ground as a pair of vacuum blades cut through where he'd been standing. "Oh, it's you again."
"That's right!" Ranko started building up two blasts in her hands as she caught up with Cell. "You're going to pay for the hell you've put me through, Cell! DOUBLE MOUKO TAKABISHA!"
Cell slapped the blasts out of the air and laughed, "I think not, little girl." His tail curled around his leg to slap Ranko across the side.
She avoided the tail with a quick flip, landing on her hands and pushing off again to dodge the follow-up that would be coming. He was faster now. Ranko had felt the tail skim her feet as she barely avoided it.
"Get lost, pest," Cell held out one hand and watched a ball of condensed energy gather there. He released it with a laugh; the ground Ranko had been standing in was a cloud of dust in less than a second was. "Too bad. She was very amusing."
"You obviously don't know how to treat a lady," 17 sneered. He hovered overhead with Ranko in his arms. She gasped, having never been saved like that before. 17 quickly distanced himself with Cell and set Ranko down out of the way. "Maybe I'll teach you a lesson while 18 deals with Piccolo."
"So, you're one of the androids," said Cell. He hissed like a snake, grinning a little as 17 approached and dropped into a fighting stance. "You should just join me. Together we will become a perfect being and our power will be unrivaled."
17 snorted, "What's so great about becoming an overgrown toad?"
"You're about to find out!"
The sudden build-up of power caught the attention of 18 and Piccolo where they had been trading another series of energy attacks. 18 broke off first and glanced over her shoulder to see what was going on. The energy signature was familiar, but mottled, like it had been patched together with pieces of a million different people.
Piccolo called off his energy blast as he found 17 and Cell beginning to fight one another. "NO!" Piccolo launched past 18 and began firing energy blasts like mad at Cell to hold him off from 17.
Cell had to jump back from his fight with 17 before the blast hit. "That was rude, Piccolo," Cell said.
"You must not fight Cell," Piccolo shouted at 17. "If he absorbs you he'll become strong enough to destroy the planet."
"Absorb me?" 17 quirked a smile, "No one is going to absorb me. I'm the best fighter on this miserable little planet."
"You talk big, but can you back it up?" Cell hissed again. "Maybe you'd like to hide behind the girl some more," he chuckled and pointed at Ranko, who stood on the edge of the fight, growling in frustration.
17 glanced in her direction then set himself against Cell. "I don't need some girl to protect me. You're nothing compared to me."
"17, don't. He is more powerful," 16 informed them again. "He would defeat you."
"Oh, lizard man is going to beat one of us? You should get your power meter checked, 16," 18 had a wry smile on her lips as she watched 17 finally forget about the redhead and focus on the fight. "Make this quick, 17. We still need to find Goku."
17 nodded.
Piccolo cursed again and dropped into a fighting stance. If he couldn't stop the androids from fighting Cell, then he would have to help them and make sure Cell didn't absorb them. Before 17 could move, Piccolo was flying straight into Cell with his right hand cocked back.
Cell dropped to the ground and caught Piccolo with a flick of his tail, "Too slow, Piccolo!"
17 was only a fraction of a second behind and cleared Cell's tail, launching a number of punches that were blocked or dodged by the green monster. "Stand still!"
Cell laughed and sidekick 17 in the chest. He dodged out of the way of Piccolo's ki attacks and rushed the Namekian while he listened to 17 crash into the side of the cliff.
Without a distraction Piccolo was having trouble dealing with Cell. The monster's iron fists were sneaking past his guard and beating against his chest. His forearm was beginning to hurt as they blocked punches and kicks. Energy began to build up again in Piccolo's body as he was feeling his second wind.
"RAAAARGH!" Piccolo forced his way past Cell's arms and landed a hard punch to the creature's stomach.
Cell coughed and staggered backwards for a moment, just in time to have 17 come back, barreling into him.
"Perfect," Cell grinned and positioned the spine of his tail over 17's body.
"I don't think so," 17 growled and grabbed at the tail. With a malicious glee, 17 began to swing the creature in a wide arc before releasing Cell in the direction of the mountain. "HA!" a blast of soft blue energy streaked over the ground and impacted where Cell had landed against the dirt.
18 laughed, "He wasn't much of a challenge, was he?"
"Cell is not dead," 16 responded while reviewing energy statistics.
18 turned back to the cloud of dust at the base of the mountain. It only took a moment for the coastal wind to brush away the dust and leave Cell, still ready to fight.
"I haven't come this far to be beaten by some walking calculators," Cell growled and charged his body with more energy for the fight. "Your mine, android!"
~
"Daddy?"
Goku sat on the edge of Kami's island feeling for the battle Piccolo was fighting against Cell. "Don't worry, son. Piccolo can handle himself."
In truth, Goku was worried about the Namekian. It was a big risk to let Piccolo fight with Cell and the androids. He had definitely become stronger after fusing with Kami, but it may not be enough to really deal with these monsters. What was worse, if Piccolo were to be killed in this fight then they would lose the power of the Dragonballs and all the people who had already died could be lost for good.
Near the steps of Kami's home, Gohan shifted back and forth, eyeing a large double door made of bronze. "How much longer?"
Goku looked over his shoulder at his son. Gohan still wore the outfit he'd gotten from Piccolo. It still looked new since Gohan had had to carry Goku off of the battlefield when the heart disease hit him. It had taken Goku more than a day to recover from that, but he'd still been able to feel Vegita's fights with the androids and new he needed more training before he had a hope of defeating them. Hopefully, a year in the Chamber of Space and Time he and Gohan could become strong enough to fight the androids, or possibly Cell if it came down to it.
Looking away, Goku stared back down to the earth miles below. "Not long now, Gohan."
Clouds drifted by without feeling for what was happening nearer the ground. Goku saw these as mocking their plight. They should be dark and storming with the monster his friends were facing.
"Will Piccolo last that long?"
"Have faith, son," Goku asked emphatically. If Gohan started to lose focus he may do something stupid. Right now the earth needed all the fighters it could get and Gohan was one of the best they had. "Piccolo will be just fine."
Gohan's eyes remained concerned, but he tried to look strong like his father, "All right, dad."
They both became silent again and felt the battle auras of the people below them contesting their enemies. By the way Cell's energy suddenly sky rocketed, they could guess one of the androids had been absorbed. Nothing could be said for Piccolo, which, for as much as they could tell, had fallen off the map.
Goku heard his son sob once and try to maintain his cool, but it was hard. Piccolo had meant a great deal to his son, as mentor and friend. Two others joined the fight against Cell. Goku could tell one of them was Tien, but the other was small. He didn't recognize it.
"Piccolo," Gohan was on the verge of tears as he strained to feel for the Namekian's power.
Goku too tried to find the aura of his once rival. He didn't need to look back to know Gohan was ready to jump off the island and fight Cell himself, but his son simply wasn't ready for it yet. First he had to get his son into a Super Saiyajin level. "Gohan," Goku stood up and placed two fingers against his forehead. "Wait here."
Gohan watched his father vanish from Kami's island.
~
Cell roared in anger and charged through Piccolo, who was blocking his path to 17. The two exchanged some blows, but Cell was focused and powered by his need to finally evolve.
"Out of my way, pest!" Cell ran his fist into Piccolo's jaw and knocked the Namekian beneath the waves a hundred feet away.
Ranko and the androids gasped as they watched the powerful Namekian disappear into the sea. She'd seen the fight and knew the risk of becoming involved, but she couldn't stand on the sidelines any longer and allow Cell to become any more powerful. "CE-!"
"NO!"
Ranko spun back around at 18's distress. Cell's spine had inflated into a cone being pressed down over 17 from above. She was shocked and she was too late. They all were.
18 had barely taken one step in Cell's direction when 17 had disappeared into the tail. His body made a bulge in the narrow tube, but they could all see it slowly being pulled further into Cell's body until, at last, it disappeared. The whole process had taken less than half a minute.
Gasping, Ranko turned back around and started running for the other two androids. She could feel the result of Cell absorbing 17's body and it shook her nerves like a strained guitar wire. "Get out of here," Ranko yelled, "run!"
18 barely registered the redhead, still gaping at the monster Cell had become. She'd never thought there would be any real danger to herself or 17. They were the strongest, most powerful androids ever built. Not even Trunks and Vegita could stand up to them, and here this creature had so easily swallowed one of them whole.
"We should do as she says," 16 grabbed a hold of 18's shirt and began dragging her away from Cell.
"Going somewhere?"
All eyes snapped around to find Cell standing in front of them. He'd moved faster than they'd ever seen before. Cell's body had changed with 17's absorption. He was bigger, muscles bulged everywhere on his body and his face became more defined. A green crown grew on his forehead and his lips had taken shape from his chin. Cell's voice was deeper now, like a bullfrog and thunder rumbling in the clouds.
Gritting her teeth, Ranko stood before the two androids, her little frame barely blocking the two larger people. "Get her out of here. I'll hold him off."
"You do have spirit, I'll give you that," Cell laughed. "But none of you will be going anywhere."
"We must run," 16 urged the blonde android again.
Cell scoffed, "I have no need of you." A yellow lance of energy shot across the field and penetrated 16's head. The large android fell over backward, electricity shooting from the broken head plating.
"16!" 18 cried and dove beside the fallen androids side. "Get up, we have to run!"
"Didn't I say that before," Ranko muttered.
"HA!"
An explosion rattled the ground where Cell had been standing. High above the ground, Tien had come to a stop with his hands pressed together until he was looking down through the diamond arch. "Ranko, find Piccolo. I'll hold off Cell."
Ranko turned back to the androids. "Get out of here, ya stupid bitch! If you get absorbed by that monster we're all done for."
18 was pissed at her, but knew better than to argue with the redhead this time. She grabbed 16 and put his arm over her shoulder.
"Leave me."
"You're coming with me," 18 growled and took off into the air. She was moving slower with the extra weight, but they should be able to make some good distance before Tien tired of his attacks against Cell.
Ranko ran to the edge of the island where she had seen Piccolo fall. Hopefully the fighter had held his breath, if he was still alive that was. She took a deep breath and jumped in, the cold water didn't quite reach her body as she was surrounded by her own aura, which refused to die down while her adrenaline was so high. It wasn't just the anger that made her this way; it was fear. Ranko had never thought she would face anything more terrifying than Cell, but this evolved version had made her chest clench painfully.
Above the water she could hear Tien send off another one of his blasts. The water currents wavered for a moment while they absorbed some of the impact. Ranko kicked herself deeper, keeping her eyes and senses open for Piccolo's body.
She found him slowly floating upwards on his back. His shirt purple uniform was torn, revealing his green chest and one of his legs. Ranko grabbed a hold of one of Piccolo's arms and started dragging him to the surface. She needed to get back up to the surface for air, not just for her own sake. He was heavy and it slowed her down a little, but she climbed higher.
"C'mon, Ranko," Tien murmured as he held his hands in front of him, aimed straight down to the pit he was carving into the island in order to keep Cell pinned. He wasn't going to be able to last much longer. Each blast took a great deal of energy to even hold Cell back for a moment. "HA!"
Ranko's hand reached over the edge of the island and she began hauling herself and Piccolo back up. She grunted with the effort until she had a knee to the ground. "You better not be dead after what I just did for ya."
Tien sighed in relief as he watched Ranko rush Piccolo behind a few boulders to check on his condition. Only a little longer then he could run for it.
Ranko brought her ear to his mouth and waited to feel his breath, nothing. She placed two fingers against Piccolo's neck. There was no pulse. "Dammit. I didn't take CPR for this." With his nose pinched and head tilted back, Ranko pressed her lips against Piccolo's and breathed in some air once before pressing against his chest five times. "You are so goin ta owe me for this."
She repeated the process a few more times, very aware of how Tien's ki blasts were weakening slowly. It wouldn't be long before Cell would be on them and then after the androids. They needed to get out of here quick. Ranko expelled another breath into Piccolo's mouth and then pulled back as he suddenly coughed up some water. She sighed with her work done. Piccolo was still unconscious, but he would live.
Tucking the Namekian's body up against the wall, Ranko ran back around the boulder and closer to the fight. She'd have to wait there until someone came to fly Piccolo away. Until then, she would cover for Tien in case he ran out of energy and was too exhausted to fight Cell any other way.
Tien's body was beginning to feel numb from all of the ki blasts he was sending off. Veins were sticking out all over his arms and he noticed himself drooping lower in the air. A small energy signature told him Piccolo was safe now. Ranko must have resuscitated him; that ought to be a good one to tease the Namekian about later. If there was going to be a later.
The crater he'd made was the size of a large pool now. Cell kept trying to push against his blasts and was beginning to make some headway. Tien was about to fall out of the sky when he was suddenly grabbed from behind. "Goku?"
"You did great, Tien," Goku nodded. They disappeared from the air and stood upon the island then next instant. Goku set his friend down carefully and looked around. Piccolo wasn't in the sea any longer. A quick scan, Goku found his other friend resting behind a couple of boulders.
Cell screamed as he finally flew out of the crater. His eyes blazed with a green unholy light. Turning about quickly, Cell spotted Goku and Tien a little ways off. "So, you've finally come, Goku."
"Cell," Goku responded.
Smirking, the green monster rushed forward, eager to fight the man he'd heard so much about. This was why he was created; to destroy Son Goku utterly. His grin slipped as his foot sailed through Goku's head. The after image faded a second later. "What?!"
Goku and Tien reappeared behind the boulders. He picked up Piccolo and soon they were all off for Kami's island again.
"I will kill you, Goku!" Cell roared to the empty sky. That had been no simple illusion Goku had performed. They were all gone, just gone. Well, they had to return sometime to face him.
"MOUKO TAKABISHA!"
Cell's head rocked forward as the ki blast hit. Scowling further, he turned around to see who had dared . . "Little girl, you just don't know when to quit. I like that in a victim."
Stepping out from underneath the few trees left on the island, Ranko smirked in return. From her hiding spot she'd seen the man called Goku appear and take off with Tien and Piccolo. She'd been left behind. That didn't matter though. She wanted Cell for herself. Ranko's knuckles popped as she ground her fists together. "Guess I'm just another stupid girl then."
Cell smiled, he settled onto the ground and adopted his own fighting stance. He could take this girl without a problem, just a blast of energy and she would be dead, but he just liked her cocky attitude too much to make her death that quick or painless.
Ranko flared her ki in expectation as she faced off against Cell.
Suddenly the space behind Ranko grew heavy and a man appeared. Goku dropped his hand onto Ranko's shoulder and put the other against his forehead. "Almost forgot about you," he laughed and they disappeared together.
End Chapter Two
* * *
I know, you're upset that the fighting scenes aren't as complete as in the first chapter, but if we went into that kind of detail for every fight that would happen in a DBZ crossover the story would never be finished.
Just a few notes, neither Kaz nor I were certain how old the characters were so we guessed and/or manipulated the data. Goku and his crew are in their thirties (mid to late). Gohan is a little older than maybe he should be, fourteen. And Ranko was born a fully developed eighteen-year-old girl.
Send C&C to Michael at: jehtek@hotmail.com
Or Kazblah at: kazblah945@aol.com
Or visit the Temple of the Creative: www.geocities.com/jehtek
Ja ne.