Unholy Crusade

Act 2: Breaking Point
Mini Series: Hunt for Android 17

Chapter 4: Newfound Feelings, And The Truce
Last time:

Then, she heard very loud sobbing in front of her. Selena looked up to see Nancy Lockheart Kirkland not moving from the crowd. The widow was crying into Kirkland's stabbed shirt, staying in front of Selena. Selena stopped and frowned. She felt like crying too. Kirkland had died because of her......

Nancy angrily raised her head to Selena.

"Yu brought it here, didn't'ja yu WITCH?! Yu brought it here ta kill us! Yu want us all dead, don't'ja?!"

"That's not true...." Selena muttered. "None of it."

"ME HUBBY'S DEAD COZ'A YU!"

"I'm sorry, Nancy."

"We shuld burn yu aat th' stake! Yu belong in th' depths of hell! YU'RE EVIL!"

--------------------------

Rather than watching Selena go, Cell watched the people of Pine Brook in disgust.

His eye was blown out of it's socket and he was mad as hell.

He couldn't take it anymore.

As soon as he was sure Selena had left the area, he stood from the church roof down at the people.

"Sinners!" he shouted at them. All of them turned their eyes to him as he glared at them through one good eye.

"ALL OF YOU ARE SINNERS!"

***************************
Selena soon became too tired to run as the rain poured down in bucketfulls. Her clothes were getting heavier as they soaked up water, her hair stuck to her face and skin, and she couldn't see through the thick sheets of raindrops.

Her arms felt weak, and she accedently dropped Sakura to her feet. The girl started to cry, and Krillin quickly went to her side and picked her up.

"It's okay." he told the girl. "Shhh, shh, shh, shh. It's okay, Sakura." He looked up at Selena. "Selena, are you alright?"

"................." That was a dumb question, of course she wasn't alright. She had never cried so hard then what she was doing now. She took a step foreword, feeling all her strength being used up to even raise her foot. She put her hands on her knees and heaved in breath.

"We........need to find shelter." she said over the rain. "There.......should be.......a thicket of trees.......round here somewhere......"

Then, she collapsed into the ground.

"Selena!" Krillin cried. "Selena, get up! Selena!"

She had blacked out, not able to take the weight from her clothes..........

..........or from the hole that had been torn in her spirit............

******************

Banta was thrown into another wall, making the house collapse on top of him. Cell waited patiently as the wreckage completely collapsed. The rain wasn't bothering at all, but it would sting his eye wound once in a while. Beating up the Ronso was helping him to think more clearly and calm his rage.

Besides, the sight of stabbed clothing belonging to every single villager in Pine Brook made him feel more comfortable.

Banta then clawed his way out of the wreckage, and stood holding his spear in hand. Cell closed his eye and chuckled.

"Ronso lucky." he mocked in a Ronso accent. "Cell can't absorb Ronso people, so Ronso can walk away alive."

"Mr. Farley......." Banta growled. "You killed Mr. Farley."

Cell opened his eye and glared at the giant cat.

"He deserved it. They all did. I killed only fools."

Banta roared and charged for Cell again. The android just shook his head.

"What slow learners these Ronso are." he muttered, grabbing the spear in one hand and hoisting it up into the air. Banta was flung to the other side of the road, and into another wall. Bringing yet another house down.

"Don't wear yourself out." Cell yelled sarcastically. "I could do this for hours."

Again, Banta clawed his way out of the wreckage, but this time he was injured. One arm was broken, and he used the other one to hold his spear at Cell.

"You killed good friend who helped Banta." the Ronso growled. "You will die for what you have done."

"Give up." Cell advised. "You'll need both arms to defeat me properly."

"Banta will not back down until your blood is stained on Banta's spearhead!"

Cell itched at the skin under his wound, bored.

"I might as well leave. Now I've lost my patience." He turned to leave, and Banta took that moment to charge.

"RAAAAAAAAR!"

Cell growled.

"You persistant pest!"

Cell swiftly turned to the Ronso and punched him right in the face. Banta was flung right into the chocobo barn, where he did not move. His spear stuck into the ground just outside. Cell lowered his fist and walked away.

"You will live." he decided. "My business is with humans."

In the barn, Banta sat up best he could. The chocobo were becoming agitated and frightened by the new hole in the barn wall. Banta carefully stood up, holding his lame arm.

"WARK! WARK!"

He looked to General's stall, seeing that the chocobo was clawing and pecking at the door to get out. Understanding why, Banta quickly stumbled to the stall door, and opened it.

"Protect Selena!" he ordered as the chocobo ran out of the stall and lept through the hole. Watching him go, Banta decided not to give up yet, and hobbled over to open the other stalls.

"Wait for Banta......."

***********************

Krillin tried to make due by carrying Sakura in his arms and Selena on his back. However, the unconscious Selena kept slipping off his back and into the mud. His hands were full, and Selena just seemed to weigh heavier and heavier when he kept carrying her.

"Oh, man...." he groaned. "Where is this thicket Selena talked about.....???"

Then, he suddenly heard a loud cry behind him. He turned to see something big come into view.

"Whoa.....what the...."

"WARK! WARK!"

It was a chocobo! General to be exact! The giant bird rushed to Selena's side picking her off Krillin's back and dropping the woman to the ground. It cooed and poked at her, with only moans in pain for responces.

"Hey," Krillin tried to stop, "you'll hurt her if you do that...."

General quickly stood over Selena, fanned out his fluffy and small wings and lowered his head menacingly. He was standing over her protectively, like he had done before.

"Waaaark!"

"Stop that, she needs help!"

"Wark!"

General picked up Selena with his beak and tossed her onto his back. Before Krillin could protest anymore, the chocobo trotted off with her.

"HEY!" he shouted, trying to run after the bird. "Come back! You can't do that!"

"Cuu! Cuu!"

"Come back!"

Krillin soon tired himself onto one knee, panting and holding Sakura tightly to him.

"Why does this crap always happen to me?!"

*********************

'The lightning seemed to have stopped, so I guess it's safe to sit under a tree.....'

Cell had found a tree through the dark shroud of the pouring rain, and he scrambled to it for shelter. It was very small shelter, but he was satisfied with it and sat with an exhausted sigh.

"Finally."

He put his fingers on his empty eyesocket, feeling the bullet still embedded in his skin. It stung at the touch, and then there was the annoying itch just under the wounded skin. He delicately scratched at it before working at his wound. He carefully took two claws to the bullet and pinched on it.

Sucking in a breath, and counting to three, he pulled on it. The bullet popped out of the eye socket, dripping blood. Cell quickly threw it away, and put both hands on his bleeding wound. He growled in pain.

'Damn humans.........I'll eat every last one of them for this!

'This hurts like hell!'

When he felt the pain was bearable, he carefully rubbed his finger into the wound, provoking the regenerative fluids. The Namek DNA kicked in, and his eye began to rejenerate. Cell gritted his teeth, trying not to scream at the sudden burst of ki. The ki formed around the left side of his face, forcing skin to grow and nerves to rebuild themselves. Soon, his eye was regenerated, and yellow fluid covered the left side of his face.

Cell quickly squinted his left eye shut. It hurt to look with it still. He held out his hands to cup rain water, and used it to wash his face off.

'This feels better, but I don't think I should use my new eye just yet......

'I wonder how Selena is doing......'

Then, he heard a thud nearby. It sounded like something fell. Covering his closed eye with one hand, Cell crept from the tree for a closer look. He could see a chocobo nearby, prodding at something on the ground with its beak. Cell moved closer to see what it was.

It was a human body...... He squinted with his good eye to see who exactly it was.

The face was pointed up into the raining sky, and the features were instantly recognizable.

Cell quickly rushed to her in worry.

"Selena!"

The chocobo quickly stood over the fallen girl and took its defensive posture. Cell blinked in surprise at the giant bird.

"Wait........are you the same one.........that defended her back at the village?"

"Waaaaark! Waaaaark!"

Cell smiled, realizing the bird was trying to help her. He quickly manuvered around the bird's legs, and scooped Selena in his arms. He backed away as the chocobo tried to attack him.

"WARK! WARK!"

"This is no attitude to have right now!" Cell scolded. "She'll die if she stays out here." He looked around to see where Krillin and Sakura were, but the chocobo continued to attack him. Cell dodged its clawed feet and beak with ease, not even being touched.

"That's enough." He ordered, grabbing its reign with one hand. He forced the bird to look down at Selena. "See? She is safe with me. I won't hurt her. At least, not at the moment, I won't hurt her." The chocobo seemed to calm down, and warbled softly in sadness. Cell let go of the reigns, and headed back to the tree. The chocobo followed him. Cell knelt down and tilted Selena's head up to get a good look at her.

There was mud all over her face, hair, and clothes. She had more than likely collapsed several times during her escape. Cell wiped the mud away with his hand, and cleared her mouth and nostrals with his claws. She was breathing, and her heartbeat was steady. If kept in a shelter to rest, she would be alright.

He got up and looked around. Through the pounding rain, nothing could be seen. But some of the underbrush and small stretch of forest would have to do than just a single tree. Cell began to walk north, hunching over Selena to help keep her dry. The chocobo followed after him.

"Bruu-ruu-uuu!"

Cell glared at it.

"Why are you following me? She'll be fine, trust me."

"Bruu-ruu-uuu!"

Cell felt like blasting it to smitherins.......

.....but then Selena gave out a sleepy moan.

Cell looked down at her, and repositioned her slightly so that she would be comfortable. He accidently hit one of her broken rips, and she whimpered. The chocobo was immediatly at her side, cooing and warbling.

Cell watched in fascination.

'What is the deal with this giant chicken? What is it about Selena that draws it to her?

'I guess I can't get rid of it. It'll just have to come along.'

"Alright, let's go." he said silently to the bird, walking foreword. The chocobo walked right beside him, looking around. Cell stared down at Selena, seeing that she had grown quiet again.

'What is it about this girl that fascinates me? She's just another human girl, no different from the rest. Why am I constantly thinking about her, and treating her this way....?

'I guess..........it's because.........

'Do I have feelings for her? Do I care for her? Do I have feelings for her and the need to protect her just like the androids?

'I'm not sure I understand what is happening..........but if I let this develop further, perhaps a clear answer will come to me........'

******************

Cell and the bird walked for about an hour until they finally came to a massive outcropping of underbrush and small trees. The plants were so cramped together, the ground underneith them was perfectly dry. Cell smiled at his finding. Shelter at last.

He got down on one knee and parted a bush slightly. He instantly frowned, seeing that it was already occupied.

Krillin and Sakura were sleeping inside, propped up on a tree trunk. Cell let go of the bush and stood back up.

"I guess this is where we leave her....."

"Cuu! Cuu!"

The chocobo dug at the ground by the bushes, and pushed past Cell to get through. Cell stepped aside with a grunt, and the giant bird crawled into the underbrush and nestled beside Krillin and Sakura. It sat, hiding its legs, and ruffled its wet feathers until they were dry. Cell smiled to himself.

"I see."

He too carefully crawled in, and set Selena on the bird's other side. The girl's head leaned on the soft feathers, and she sighed slightly. The bird tucked it's beak into one wing, and kept one eye on Cell. Cell looked a moment at Selena, then carefully moved some wet hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear.

"I guess.....I should go." he said to no one in particular, then he crawled out of the underbrush and back into the rain. He looked around to see if any sign of his presence was around, then he took off to find shelter of his own. He smiled as he went.

'The only way I can put my feelings for now is..........

'..........I care about Selena as much as I care for my dear androids......'

*****************

That morning, the rain had completely stopped but left behind black clouds. Selena and the others woke up to see that they were reunited and that General was with them. Selena theorized that General brought her to her friends after suddenly running off. Just happy to be together, the friends dismissed all that happened. Taking General as their new mode of transportation, Selena guided the others into a nearby town with people. She checked them into a doctor for their injuries, and all were treated.

Selena and Sakura were able to walk out, but both were still in pain. Krillin had minor injuries and would heal in a matter of days. Selena was also surprised to see Banta was also at the hospital being treated for a broken arm. He told them that Cell had left, killing everyone in Pine Brook. Selena ignored that, and asked which way Cell had gone. The Ronso shook his head, not knowing. He advised the woman to stay away from the creature, for it would kill her. She then launched into her quest to kill the creature, and that she would be successful. Banta wished her luck, and said he was going into another town with Farley's flock of chocobo. He let Selena keep General.

So, Selena, Krillin, and Sakura headed off on the hunt for Cell. Selena was confident that in her next encounter with Cell that she would kill him. Even though he was stronger and faster and overall better than she was, she counted on his overconfidence as a weakness. However, she felt she needed more training to be able to keep up with him in battle. She would have also appreaciated learning his techniques and fighting style so that she could counter him. Except for that, she felt she had the inner strength to defeat him.

Little would she and Cell realize the events that would soon take place..........

.........would bring them closer together than they ever imagined................

**********************

Two days after the battle in Pine Brook..........

Selena packed up her purse, making sure there was money and her paperwork inside. Then, she walked out of the tent. Krillin was teaching Sakura how to play old maid outside, while General was comfortably seated by Sakura's side. Selena smiled at them.

"Who's winning?" she asked.

"The bird." Krillin moaned as General plucked out a card from Krillin's hand with his beak. "Gaaak! I'm tellin' ya, Selena, this is embarassing!"

Selena had a good laugh, and gave Sakura a wink.

"Well, I'm headed into the next town to see if they have a gas station. I'll bring back some food too. Anyone have any requests?"

"Can we have pankakes?" Sakura asked. "I don't like having oatmeal all the time."

Selena nodded.

"Okay, cake mix is on the list. Anything else?"

"I think we're good." Krillin nodded, picking a card from Sakura's hand. "Heh, heh. Almost out."

"Okay, well, I'll be back in about half an hour. So, don't panic if I'm not back soon."

"No prob, Selena." Krillin assured as General took another card. "We'll watch over this place while you're gone. Cell wouldn't even think of making a surprise attack with us here."

Selena nodded, then headed off on foot. Just as she was out of the camp, she heard Krillin yell:

"NOOOOO! I'M STUCK WITH THE OLD MAID!"

Selena fell to her knees laughing.

"Sorry, Krillin." she said to herself. "I should have told you that General is the poker player of his flock."

*********************

Selena soon stopped upon the road sign: MAPLETON, 1 MILE.

She nodded at it, and took off at a run.

"Mapleton.........so, it's about fifty or so miles to Dublin, and I know for a fact that city has a gas station."

As she approached the city outskirts, and very foul stench made her stop running and quickly cover her mouth and nose.

"OH GOD! YUCK!" She backed up and looked around. Nothing looked out of place, and the smell seemed to be coming everywhere. "Jeez, what is that SMELL!?!" she growled, walking foreword. "That is nasty....."

She headed into the town, noticing that the residental area was completely quiet. There was some signs of a mass rush of panic: broken windows, kicked in doors, massive footprints in gardens and patches of dirt........

'Cell? So soon?.....'

Looking around, she didn't see any limp clothing lying around.... It couldn't have been Cell......

'Wait a minute.....'

She decided to go into one of the houses, and crawled in through a broken window. Looking around, she found a couple asleep in their beds. She moved in to wake them up, but found their bodies were ice cold.

They were dead.

'I don't get it. What in the world caused this.....???'

She got out of the house, and headed further into the town. By the time she got to the main square, she froze in fear.

"Oh my God........."

People were lying dead in the streets where they had stood. Some had their eyes open, and looked to be in terrified shock. Men, women, and children were completely strewn throughout the streets, making it impossible to walk through without stepping on a dead body.

Selena stumbled backwards in horror.

"What.......happened here......"

Then, she remembered the stench. It was still present, and worse than ever. It wasn't the smell of decomposing bodies, everyone died reciently.

Selena blinked a few times, juggling ideas into her head.

"A gas bomb?"

She heard gunfire nearby, and turned her head in that direction. She reached behind her and clutched her staff while snarling.

"Who would do such a horrible thing....?"

Suddenly, someone grabbed her from behind and held her back.

"No! Don't go further!"

Selena snarled and struggled.

"Lemme go, Cell! What are you doing?!"

"We need to get to higher ground....before you breathe in any more of this gas."

"Put me down!"

Cell jumped up to a rooftop of a house before he let go of Selena.

"There." he sighed. "It's not as bad up here."

"What is?!" she demanded. "What did you do to these people?!"

"Nothing." he shook his head. "Well, I was going to attack this town for an energy boost, and I find everyone gassed to death." Selena watched his tail swing around violently as he scowled. "By the smell of it, it's Mako. Very spoiled Mako."

"What the hell is Mako?" Selena demanded. "And who did this?!"

"I don't know." Cell answered sourly. "I can't find anyone alive. I don't see any gas masks anywhere. I can only assume that the one who set off this gas is dead too....."

Another shot rang out.

"........or not...."

"So, let's go get this guy!" Selena insisted. "Cause this is one hell of a terrorist act!"

"I'm not sure it's a terrorist." Cell shook his head.

"What?"

"Selena, have you listened to the news lately? Have you heard of people commiting suicide in the area..........in alarmingly large numbers?"

Selena crossed her arms and shifted her weight to one leg.

"I haven't listened to the radio for a long time, and I don't have a TV. What's suicide got to do with anything?"

"I don't absorb the dead, no matter how long the body's been dead. Apparently, word spread about that, so people started killing themselves so that I wouldn't absorb them."

Selena scratched her head.

"Now that you mention it, I remember seeing one hung guy in a town you attacked. So, what does that have to do with this?"

Cell stared at her for a moment, hoping that some idea would sink in her head. When it didn't he looked away from her.

"I think it's too much of a coincidence that the people in this town, the town I planned to attack, were killed before I even got here."

The idea sunk in then. Selena turned to Cell angrily.

"Are you saying someone is trying to prevent you from killing people?!"

Cell nodded a couple of times.

Selena fumed to herself, clutching her fists and shivering.

"I don't believe this! These people didn't do anything! And they were just snuffed out! This is absolutely insane! What kind of nut would do this?!"

"Someone who would prevent me from absorbing more energy." Cell theorized.

Another shot rang out.

"And that someone is probably still here, looking for survivors. We can't do anything until the gas breaks down, or we'll be poisoned. We'll just have to stay up here until it's safe."

Selena looked at Cell curiously.

" What's with the 'we' and 'we'll' talk? Are you saying I should help you?"

Cell looked at Selena.

"Please? I might need it."

Selena shrugged.

"Sure. Okay, I'll help you out, but just this once, and that's it."

Cell smiled slightly.

"Fine by me."

"Shake on it."

"What?"

Selena extended her hand.

"Just to make it official. I mean, since when have we helped each other out?"

Cell thought back to last night in the rain, but he decided not to bring it up.

"Why exactly do I need to shake your hand?"

"That's what you do when you make a truce, right?"

Cell had to laugh.

"You humans and your silly traditions...."

He grabbed her hand and shook it anyway.

"Now it is official. Are you happy?"

Selena nodded, then sat down on the roof.

"So, how long do we have to wait and what's Mako?"

To be Continued!

End of Episode SUPER BONUS!

Cell: What in the world is going on? What's up with the ending?

Masq: I was rushed. I wanted to get this chapter done as soon as possible and still leave room for these bonuses.

Selena: No, he means what's going on? Who's gassing the towns?

Masq: I'm not saying anything.

Cell: **looks at the title** It says "Hunt for 17," so is it 17?

Masq: **sweatdrop** I didn't say anything......

Selena: Well, whether it is or isn't, the Antagonists have songs to perform. TWO of them.

Masq: Yeah, to make up for last chapter. So, hope you all out there enjoy them. I have to take my seat.

Selena: Let's get on stage.

Cell: Okay. I got the sterio ready.....

((The stage lights go on and the crowd cheers.))

Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen! The Antagonists will now perform "Disease" by Matchbox 20!

((The crowd cheers.))

Masq: Whoo! Matchbox 20! Mad Season is the best album ever!

((The music starts up, Cell and Selena are the only ones on stage. Both begin to perform.))

Cell: Feels like you made a mistake.....

Selena: You made somebody's heart break

Cell: But now I have to let you go

Selena: I have to let you go

((As the music picks up, they sing together.))

Both:

You left a stain

On every one of my good days

But I am stronger than you know

I have to let you go

No one's ever turned you over

No one's tried

To ever let you down,

Beautiful girl

Bless your heart

I got a disease

Deep inside me

Makes me feel uneasy baby

I can't live without you

Tell me what I am supposed to do about it

Keep your distance from it

Don't pay no attention to me

I got a disease

Feels like you're making a mess

You're hell on wheels in a black dress

You drove me to the fire

And left me there to burn

Every little thing you do is tragic

All my life, oh was magic

Beautiful girl

I can't breathe

I got a disease

Deep inside me

Makes me feel uneasy baby

I can't live without you

Tell me what I am supposed to do about it

Keep your distance from it

Don't pay no attention to me

I got a disease

I think that I'm sick

But leave me be while my world is coming down on me

You taste like honey, honey

Tell me can I be your honey

Be, be strong

Keep telling myself it that won't take long till

I'm free of my disease

Yeah well free of my disease

Free of my disease

I got a disease

Deep inside me

Makes me feel uneasy baby

I can't live without you

Tell me what I am supposed to do about it

Keep your distance from it

Don't pay no attention to me

I got a disease

I think that I'm sick

But leave me be while my world is coming down on me

You taste like honey, honey

Tell me can I be your honey

Be, be strong

Keep telling myself it that won't take long till

I'm free of my disease

Yeah well free of my disease

Free of my disease

((The music ends, the crowd cheers like crazy while Selena and Cell take a bow.))

Selena: Thanks, everyone. It took a long time to finally get it down together.

((Cell just smiles.))

Selena: Okay, we'll take an intermission before the next song! Thanks again!

((The curtain goes down.))

((INTERMISSION))

((When the curtain goes back up, the band has all of their equipment out. Only Krillin is in front of the microphone, and Selena is on the keyboard.))

Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen! The Antagonists!

((The crowd cheers again as the band starts up the song "Girl All The Bad Guys Want" by Bowling for Soup.))

Krillin:

8 o'clock, Monday night and I'm waitin'

To finally talk to a girl a little cooler than me.

Her name is Nona, she's a rocker with a nose ring,

She wears a two way, but I'm not quite sure what that means.

And when she walks,

All the wind blows and the angels sing.

She doesn't notice me!

Cause she is watchin' wrestling

Creamin' over tough guys

Listenin' to rap metal

Turntables in her eyes

It's like a bad movie

She is lookin' through me

If you were me, then you'd be

Screamin' "Someone shoot me!"

As I fail miserably,

Tryin' to get the girl all the bad guys want.

She's the girl all the bad guys want!

She likes the godsmack and I like agent orange

Her cd changer's full of singers that are mad at their dad

She says she'd like to score some reefer and a forty

She'll never know that I'm the best that she'll never have

And when she walks,

All the wind blows and the angels sing.

She'll never notice me!

Cause she is watchin' wrestling

Creamin' over tough guys

Listenin' to rap metal

Turntables in her eyes

She likes 'em with a mustache

Racetrack season pass

Drivin' in a Trans-Am

Does a mullet make a man?

It's like a bad movie

She is lookin' through me

If you were me, then you'd be

Screamin' "Someone shoot me!"

As I fail miserably,

Tryin' to get the girl all the bad guys want.

She's the girl all the bad guys want!

She's the girl all the bad guys want!

She's the girl all the bad guys want!

There she goes again

With fishnets on, and dreadlocks in her hair

She broke my heart, I wanna be sedated

All I wanted was to see her naked!

Now I am watchin' wrestling

Tryin' to be a tough guy

Listenin' to rap metal

Turntables in my eyes

I can't grow a mustache

And I ain't got no season pass

All I got's a moped...moped....moped.....

It's like a bad movie

She is lookin' through me

If you were me, then you'd be

Screamin' "Someone shoot me!"

As I fail miserably,

Tryin' to get the girl all the bad guys want.

She's the girl all the bad guys want!

She's the girl all the bad guys want!

She's the girl all the bad guys want!

She's the girl all the bad guys want!

((The music wraps up, and Krillin takes a bow.))

Krillin: Thanks a lot, everyone!

Selena: Heh, heh. Story of your life, eh Krillin?

Krillin: Hey, that's not funny!

Selena: Thanks a lot, guys! We'll see ya next chapter!

((Curtain call.))