Chapter Six

Kyrie sighed to herself, watching the pencil scratch its way across the surface of the paper, irritating her. Sen seemed un-phased, enveloped completely in her drawing. Finally Sen yipped and piked up her drawing, examining it. She turned it over, showing its content to Kyrie. Kyrie almost throttled Sen. It was a picture of Cell, standing with his arms folded and eyes closed, smirking. Sen frowned as Kyrie let her head crash against the dining room table.

"…Ow…" Kyrie muttered. It wasn't enough to do anything further to the mild concussion she knew she was suffering, but it didn't help her steadily rising headache.

"Kyrie, if your really this wound up over Cell, why don't you just go to his arena? You know how to drive." Kyrie looked up at her friend and sighed, a little flustered.

"Do you know how far away that is?" She stated. Sen nodded.

"Yes. But Cell keeps making the effort to come here."

"Yes. And Seru has wings." Kyrie added flatly. Sen frowned as Kyrie replaced her head on the table. She was angry at what had happened and she had been an insufferable pain ever since and Sen's temper was wearing thinner with Kyrie's immature attitude.

"You could always borrow your uncles helicopter…" Sen suggested. Kyrie groaned in reply and Sen frowned, her eyebrows furrowed together.

"That's it. I'm sick of your moping attitude Kyrie. Pull yourself together. Get off your arse and drive to his arena and apologise already!" Kyrie stared at her friend in shock. Sen rarely ever rose her voice, let alone yelled at someone.

"Ugh… Okay…" Kyrie stated, pulling herself to her feet, and heading out and around the hall and towards her room. She packed some clothes and food in silence and tied her long chestnut coloured hair back, letting her two blond died bangs hand in front of her ears.

Kyrie turned to her door to see Sen looking ashamed.

"Sorry. I just think its better for you if you go and apologise. Remember to give him a chance." Sen muttered. Kyrie smiled and took her friend into a tight hug.

"Don't worry. I'll be back soon. I'm just going to apologise, then I'm coming straight back home." Sen nodded and watched as Kyrie left her room and headed down the stairs.

Kyrie opened the front doors, staring over her shoulder at Sen who stood on top of the stairs waving. Kyrie smiled and stepped outside, closing the doors behind her. She sung the keys once around her fingers, turning around, to head towards the garage to pick up her cobra, only she stopped, staring instead at Cell, who stood in front of the fountain that acted as a roundabout in the driveway. He stared back, his face neutral, just watching.

"Hi…" She said with a half hearted wave. He smirked in reply, moving his eyes to the backpack she held in one hand.

"Going somewhere?" He said in his smooth deep voice.

"Actually, I was coming to see you." She replied. His smirk deepened.

"Whatever for?" He was being cocky now. She knew he knew why.

"… To apologise for before. It was rude for me to talk about you whislt you weren't present…" He smirked at this.

"Yes it was rude." A silence befell them both, and they simply stared at each other.

"Still want to come visit me?" he asked slyly. She stared for a moment. His face was unreadable and she couldn't quite figure out what he meant.

"But you're here." She stated. He laughed at this.

"I know. It just seemed such a waste to pack but to not go anywhere." He stated. She frowned at this, glancing back at the huge double doors instead.

"I err…" She sighed and turned back to Cell. She still didn't trust him, but she had promised Sen…

"I'll just go grab my car…" She whispered, pointing absently to the garage. She turned and headed towards the garage, stepping from the stairs and out from the huge veranda. She yelped as she felt Cell's sudden body against her back and his arms around her waist. She was about to protest rudely, when the ground seemed to fall away, fast.

He was flying, taking her with him.

"You know, I don't mind driving!" She yelled, unable to hide the panic in her voice. Cell snickered at this.

"What's wrong? Don't want to fly?"

"Oh I'd love to fly!" She yelled. "But unlike you, I don't have wings!" She screamed the last part as he piked up speed.

"You don't need them." He stated as if it was obvious. "It's all a matter of being able to control your strength." She stared up at him blankly. He glanced from the path ahead to her. In such close proximity, she could see the pink and lavender flecks in his fiery eyes. He was enjoying this, she figured. He really was a bastard.

"I'd still rather drive!" He laughed again, and she felt his chest dance in the same rhythm as his laugh against his back. What should of taken almost 9 hours of straight driving, Cell accomplished in less then 10 minutes. Kyrie was awe struck as he landed smoothly on the huge marble arena. He let her go and took a step back to let her get her bearings back. She stared around. It was in the middle of a baron canyon, but close enough to a few stray farms that she guessed would have been the first to be abandoned. She turned to face Cell who smirked, glancing around then returning his gaze to her.

"Welcome to my arena, where the world's fate will be decided." He was proud of that and she stared around again. She felt as if she should comment on it so she studied it. Marble tiled floor, thick and built to withstand a few attacks. It had four pointed marble posts, positioned at the corners.

"It's well built. Strong and big." She said, unable to think of what else she could comment on.

"Thank you." He said smugly. Kyrie frowned.

"It's not very close to anything…" She stated, realising there was practically no cover for a few miles.

"I can see people approach." He replied. She smiled weakily.

"I suppose… Not too much… err… in the way of homely comforts…" He glared at her, his smirk vanishing.

"What?"

"Well, as an example, where's the toilet?" She stared up at him and he smirked, resisting the urge to laugh.

"I don't need the toilet."

"No, but I do." He frowned and pointed a milk hand to the house, at least 6 miles away. She followed his gaze and frowned.

"Well, I'll see you in about a week's time…" She said flatly, leaping down from the arena and she began trudging through the red dirt towards the house. She got about a hundred meters when she found herself once again in the air, Cell, flying her quickly to the house.

An hour passed and it began to grow dark. They were back at the arena, Kyrie sitting on the edge, watching as the stars began to shine, one by one. Cell was in the centre of the arena, his back to her, mediating as he normally did.

"I don't think I've ever seen the stars like this." Kyrie stated. Cell's eyes opened in a flash and he glanced at her then up at the sky.

"I live near the city, and the lights dim the stars. You don't see the stars like this. There's just so many." Cell smirked and shook his head.

"I don't see the beauty in them." Cell stated, abruptly ending the conversation. Kyrie frowned and turned on him.

"I didn't think you would. You don't seem to see the beauty in anything."

"Rich, coming from you." He retorted. She growled at this.

"What would you know? You barely know anything about me!" She snarled. He smirked at this. She was fiery tempered and it made it easier if he chose to, to get to her.

"Perhaps. But, if I asked you, would you tell me?" His sudden question caught her.

"What?" She asked quietly.

"Tell me, If I asked you a question about you, would you answer me?" She stared for a moment.

"Only if you would answer a question I asked you." He smirked at this for a moment and closed his eyes, turning away from her again. Silence befell them and she sighed, turning back to the stars, pulling a blanket and a red juicy apple from her bag, making herself comfortable and took a bite.

"What are you parents like?" Kyrie stared back at Cell for a moment, before she finished swallowing her apple and took a deep breathe.

"They are both dead. My mother died when I was very young. I never knew her. My father died last year. He was a proud man. He was a doctor. Did a lot for the community."

"How did he die?" Cell didn't even look at her, just listened as she thought for a moment.

"He was shot when he accidentally got messed with a gang that was trying to rob a shop he was in at the time. He didn't co-operate and he got shot. Twice… In the head…" She choked on a sob, but held the tears back and sat in silence for a moment. She suddenly brightened and turned on Cell.

"What about you Seru?" He glanced over his shoulder.

"I am a bio-mechanical Android, remember? I don't have any parents." She smiled.

"No, but what about that Gero guy you were telling us about before?" Cell sighed for a moment.

"Dr Gero was an evil man. He died a while ago, but he had made a few mechanical androids before so and they transferred his brain into a mechanical body, giving him the ability to live again. He created me shortly after that, but he was killed by two other androids. 18 and 17. His entire life was dedicated to creating an army of robots, and conquering the world. Things went bad for him when Goku and his friends stopped him. Ever since, his motive has been revenge. I am sort of the end product."

"So you were created to get back at a guy that Gero couldn't kill?" Cell nodded. "That's actually depressing…" Cell smirked.

"I hadn't noticed."

"So what happened after that?"

"What happened?"

"Yeah. Like, did you just come straight from there and start killing of everyone of Nikki Town?" Cell laughed.

"No. I came from the future." Kyrie stared in disbelief. Cell turned to face her and frowned. "Allow me to explain. In order for me to obtain my ultimate perfection, the form you see before you, I had to absorb my two sibling androids, 17 and 18."

"The two that killed Gero."

"Yes. A sort of ingenious plan, as my power doubled with each sibling I absorbed. However, in the future, a young boy named Trunks had destroyed the androids, as he had travelled here, to the past to warn the Senshi of the androids, and to increase his strength. However, he hadn't anticipated on me. I bade my time before I killed him and stole his time machine, to come here. Here, my androids were still alive. It was only a matter of time before I captured them."

"Oh… So your from the future?" Kyrie asked. Cell nodded slowly.

"Wow…" He smirked.

"Your turn. What happened to you after you father died?" Kyrie smiled and thought for a moment.

"Well… I came to live with my uncle, my mother's older brother. I kept in touch with him for as long as I could when I was with my dad. Any way, he took me in and I went to high school. I met Sen there and we studied together. This year is our last year. There isn't a lot more to tell really." She said. Cell smirked and turned his back again.

"I'm a little amazed to see that you don't fear me." He stated cooly. She smiled at this.

"True. I'm a little amazed myself. But Sen said that I should give you a chance. I suppose I'm learning to relax in your company…"

"Perhaps." Another elongated pause…

"So what is it like in the future? I mean, their must be some amazing things there…"

"Not really. The androids destroyed everything. People were becoming hard to find. Entire continents were destroyed. They were a plague to the planet." Kyrie stared, flabbergasted.

"So the planet was destroyed?"

"In a sense yes. It was coming close to becoming completely uninhabitable."

"No! What about now? Will the same thing happen here?!" She stopped suddenly, realising who she was talking to. Cell turned around slowly, opening his eyes and locking them with hers. She frowned slightly.

"Why do you want to destroy this planet?" She asked quietly. He frowned at this.

"Because… It is my destiny. My purpose in life. I was created to destroy." Kyrie hung her head and pulled her knees to her chest, thinking. She sighed slowly and pulled a beige blanket from her bag, wrapping it around her.

"You may have been created to kill, but the man who created you is dead. Shouldn't that leave you free to create your own purpose?" She looked up again, her eyes large in the failing light and moist.

"I… No. I am designed to hunt and destroy."

"But why those who have done nothing to you?" Cell stopped at this and frowned, turning his back again.

"Really, it's none of your business. You wouldn't understand."

"…I'm sorry…" Kyrie's voice was barely audible and Cell made no attempt to respond. Instead Kyrie laid herself out on the marble floor hugging her knees and closed her eyes. Surprisingly, she fell asleep quickly.

Cell turned around when he heard her breathing slow and stared. She was so peaceful when she slept, but she looked so vulnerable to him. He sighed nasally and closed his eyes, scanning the area quickly for any unwanted presences…

Kyrie woke to find herself in a large soft mattress bed. Not just any bed though, in her own bed in her own room, in the mansion on the hill crest above the city. She was at home. She sat up slowly and stared blankly at the mirror that sat upon the drawers opposite her. She didn't see her own reflection though, as her mind wandered, and she thought of Cell. He seemed so upset last night.

"He must have been angry with me… He took me back home… to get me away from him…" She sighed and stepped out of her bed, stretching quickly… "But why was he so upset?"

She stripped and stepped into her shower quickly, drowning herself in warm water, enjoying the feeling before dressing herself in a pair of faded jeans and a baggy red T-shirt. Downstairs, she found Sen already in the kitchen, preparing breakfast.

"So how did it go yesterday? I heard you come in early this morning." Kyrie stared for a moment, deciding whether or not to tell Sen the truth.

"It sort of went well and it sort of didn't…" Sen turned to face Kyrie, motioning for her to continue. "Well, I talked a bit with Seru and I learnt a bit about him. You were right, he's not that bad… but I think I annoyed him a little too much…" Sen frowned slightly.

"Well these things have a tendency to sort themselves out…" Sen shrugged and returned to her cooking. Kyrie simply stared at Sen. she was so calm, and she was expecting her to yell at her…

"Oh Kyrie…" Sen sang breaking some eggs into the fry pan.

"Yeah?"

"Could you go into the bedroom next to yours and get my Discman? I left it in there, by accident last night when I was on the balcony." Kyrie nodded and left the room, heading slowly towards the stairs. Sen didn't originally want a balcony for her room when she came to stay, so she often drifted into the spare room next to Kyrie's to star gaze.

Kyrie opened the door and headed into the room, ignoring the music from the CD player and the steam from under the bathroom door and headed towards the balcony. Sure enough, there was Sen's Discman on the ledge. She picked it up and turned to leave, only to finally notice that the spare bedroom that should have been empty, wasn't. The CD player was playing some classical music lightly and the bathroom door, that was slightly ajar, had steam from the shower slowly wafting out.

Not truly thinking straight, she wandered to the door and knocked twice.

"Hello?" She called. She almost screamed of fright when Cell replied.

"Yes?" She started back, only the lino floor was damp and she slipped, falling flat on her back. She grunted in agony, and slowly sat up, to come face to face with Cell, who was standing over her, a towel around his waist, a disgruntled frown on his face and water dripping from him. She stared up at him unable to comprehend what she saw. Cell wasn't wearing his speckled green armour, nor did he have the yellow strap around his face. His skin was pure white and he had a firm very well built body, and shoulder length black hair, with two fringe bangs that hung down around his face.

"Seru?" She asked her voice slurred. He frowned and folded his arms across his chest.

"Do you make a habit of walking in on your guest when they bathe?"

"Err… No I'd say you're the first…" She replied, sitting up slowly. Cell offered his arm and she took it, realising just how firm it was.

"You… Work out a lot don't you?" She stated, rudely staring at his chest and the bulging muscles that rippled as his arm moved.

Feeling annoyed, at her dazed state of mind and the rudeness that came with it, Cell lifted a finger beneath her chin and aimed her face towards his.

"It's rude and irritating having you stare. Now if you don't mind, I'd enjoy the rest of my shower, if I were alone." He stated, turning and heading towards the shower, which was still on. He glanced over his shoulder, watching as Kyrie glanced at him before stumbling out of the bathroom.

Cell smirked to himself in a dignified way and threw the towel on the bench top and stood back beneath the water, listening to his music.

Kyrie returned to the kitchen, still unable to comprehend Cell's true look, and handed the Discman to Sen before collapsing at the table and staring blankly at the wall opposite her. Sen smiled smugly.

"I take it you found your guest? He was here when I woke up. Didn't say much."

"I just walked in on him in the shower…" Kyrie replied dazed. Sen laughed. "Did you know his armour stuff comes off?" Sen smiled.

"Did you think it stayed on permanently?"

"No… But he looks so different with it off…"

"Really? Better or worse?"

"Good… Really good…" Suddenly Kyrie shot up and slapped herself hard in the face. Sen flinched at the sickening clap that came with it. She had a deep red mark on her face in the shape of her hand and tears sprang to her eyes, but she ignored them.

"I can't believe I'm even thinking what I'm thinking! Seru! Its Seru damn it! He's the bad guy!" Kyrie roared, slapping herself although not as hard again.

"You said before he wasn't so bad…"

"No he's not, but he still wants to destroy the world! Damn it! Damn it!" She roared. Sen sighed and rolled her eyes, placing a plate with eggs and rice heaped up on it, in front of Kyrie.

"Eat something. It will make you feel better." Sen dictated. Kyrie sighed heavily and began to eat slowly.

"Good morning Seru! Fancy some breakfast? It's rice, eggs and bacon. Except for Ms Vegetarian over there." Sen said happily as Sen wandered in, back in his armour again. Cell shook his head politely.

"I don't eat."

"You don't eat because you can't or because you chose not to?" Sen asked. Cell frowned.

"The later."

"I thought so." Cell suddenly found himself with his hands supporting a plate of breakfast, and it smelt appealing, but he simply stared at it.

"I said I don't eat."

"Not under this roof you don't. Besides, I want you to try my cooking." Cell frowned and picked up a pair of chopsticks that were sitting on the side of the plate.

Kyrie and Sen watched as he took a small mouthful, chewed for a moment then swallowed.

"It's very good." Cell said half heartedly and placed the barely touched plate on the bench besides him. "But I don't eat." Sen smiled and shrugged.

"Fair enough. If you get a little peckish, just let me know. I'll cook you up something." Cell nodded and resumed staring at Kyrie. She swallowed her mouthful and stared back.

Sen watched as the two stared, almost motionless at each other. She frowned, feeling tense and sighed heavily.

"You two are hopeless." She muttered, finishing off her breakfast and leaving the table.

"Why are you here?" Kyrie asked when Sen had left.

"To relieve my boredom."

"Uh-huh… Why did you take me home?"

"You looked uncomfortable. I thought you'd appreciate it. I appear to be mistaken though." Kyrie stood slowly and walked towards cell, stopping just in front of him, staring intently into his magenta eyes.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Would you rather I am cruel?"

"No, it just doesn't match you… You're supposed to take pleasure in being cruel, but here you don't even seem to care." Cell smirked at this.

"True, but you and your friend are interesting."

"Where also a long way away from your arena. I'm beginning to doubt you simply stumbled across us by chance…"

"I admire the mansion. I enjoy architectural feats." Kyrie stared for a while longer, a slight frown at the corners of her mouth. She sighed though and shrugged.

"I suppose you do…" She turned away and headed towards her room. Cell smirked, internally laughing that she bought such a foolish reason.

After a moment, he followed her up the stairs, stopping at her door. It was slightly ajar and he could hear her muttering under her breathe, cursing everyone and everything. A moment later and the door swung open, Kyrie given a yelp of fright at finding Cell in her face again, and stumbled backwards. Cell caught her sports shirt, pulling her back to her feet with relative ease.

"Thanks…" Kyrie muttered angrily. She headed around Cell in a slight temper and stormed down the stairs and through the back doors towards a large room, full of gym mats and equipment.

Cell emerged, arms folded to find Kyrie laying into the punching bag, angrily and sweatily. Cell watched for a while, judging her movements carefully. She had grace and power and she was fast, but her accuracy was lacking, especially on her right side. He frowned slightly, a quick memory reminding him why. Kyrie was blind in her right eye, and he knew, it was the same reason why she had lost the fight with Kev. He had struck her, because she had misjudged the distance, because she had no perception.

"Your style is atrocious." Cell muttered, closing the distance a little between him and Kyrie.

"Be quiet! I'm not a trained killing machine like you." Kyrie retorted. Cell snuffed the remark.

"That aside, there is little wonder as to why a bunch of low lives beat you up the other day." Kyrie stopped abruptly and turned on Cell angrily.

"Leave me alone already! I've had enough of you and you're cocky arrogant attitude! Why couldn't you just be the arsehole your supposed to be?!" Cell stare, one eye ridge arched slightly and a scowl on his face. He wasn't impressed at her sudden outburst.

"Calm down or you'll make me calm you down." Cell warned his voice suddenly tense.

"Oh just bugger off!" She declared and turned back on her punching bag, hitting it so hard and furiously, that within a matter of seconds it tore apart and the sand fell to the floor. She roared in her frustration and stormed out of the gym. Cell followed her a few moments later, curious as to what had sprung the sudden outrage.

"Kyrie?" Sen stopped in her tracks as Kyrie stormed past, looking viciously angry and threw open the front doors, and began to run. Sen frowned exasperatedly and turned as Cell appeared a few moments later.

"Something wrong?" Sen asked. Cell nodded slowly.

"Considerably. She appears to be angry that I don't live up to my stereotype." Sen frowned.

"She finds it hard to accept you when you're supposed to be evil…" Sen muttered. Cell frowned and sighed.

"Perhaps… Perhaps I should live up to my stereotype then." He muttered, suddenly vanishing. Sen frowned, knowing this was going to end badly. Kyrie had been doing so well trying to accept cell as well…

Kyrie ran, her face distorted and shades of crimson. Her muscles burned but still she ran, unlike anything she'd run like before. Trees zoomed past, and the ground was just a blur of grass and dirt. She bit back the tears of shame that bit at her, and she swallowed the forever building lump in her throat.

"Kyrie, stop." Kyrie obeyed without realising it, glaring around angrily, trying to figure out where Cell's voice had come from. She soon found out as he dropped to the ground in front of her.

"If you wish for me to be so cruel, then fine." Kyrie screamed in agony as Cell's milk hand suddenly back lashed across her face, sending her flying into a nearby tree. She fell to the ground but only for a moment before she forced herself back to her feet and she turned enraged at Cell.

"What as that for?!" She roared, feeling the bruise already swelling in her cheek.

"You want me to live up to my nature. Well, so be it. I'll be the cruel, merciless killer you want me to be." He replied, suddenly lunging at her again. Kyrie yelped again, blocking his punch, but he was simply to powerful and it damaged her arm instead. She roared and cradled it for a moment, before turning on Cell and lunging at him. He easily blocked her punches and kicks as if it was child's play, but he watched, his eyes on hers, as she tried so hard to hurt him.

She tried to hurt him. To damage him, and she couldn't. That self defeat was what was hurting her, Cell realised and his defences suddenly dropped. Kyrie stared in disbelief as her punch struck his face. He let himself fall to his back and stared at the sky. Kyrie stared down a moment later, gasping for breath, blood trickling from her mouth and a bruise forming on her cheek.

A few moments later and she sat down slowly besides him, staring up at the sky.

"You let me hit you." She declared. He nodded slowly. "Why?" She asked.

"Because you wanted to." She growled at this.

"Why do you care what I want?! Why am I so special to have your attention lavished on me?!" Cell frowned and sighed slowly, closing his eyes.

"In the future, I met someone I couldn't kill. I spent a while with her, during her falls and her victories and we enjoyed each other's company. I still killed other people and I hunted humans to near extinction. But at the end of the day, I always came back to her. Over time I began to realize that I care for her, because she was the only creature who could accept me for who I was. She didn't care that I was a hideous creature. She didn't like the fact I was a killer, but as she said, it was merely a survival instinct… Every creature has to eat to survive. She said that one day I would eat her, but she didn't really mind."

"…" Kyrie stared at Cell. He was lying on the grass, his eyes closed, and hands at his side, telling her the deepest secret of his life.

"She accepted me in a way I don't think I'll ever understand. But the point is that she accepted me and it made me feel like I belonged. However, one day she told me that she would forever care for me, but she had a disease that was killing her. I offered to help her, to make her get well again, but she declined time and time again. She didn't want me to make her live forever. She wanted to die, because she was ready to die. She did die. I watched her, my only real friend… She died… When I came back here, I thought I could find her again, but this time line is so different. She grew up as an orphan and her parents were killed by the riots the androids had caused. She lived in an abandoned hotel; many roomed like your mansion. Her name was Kyrie Graves…"

Kyrie stared wide eyed in horror at this and she couldn't breathe for a moment, her chest tightening…

"All I want is to be your friend, like I was before…" Cell muttered.

One of the longest silences that Kyrie had ever known befell them then. She didn't know what to say and Cell wouldn't move. Finally Kyrie found her tongue again and she liked her lips slowly.

"Seru… Things are…"

"Different I know. But I hope you can understand that I can't hurt you, because even if you are not the Kyrie I remember, you are still Kyrie." Kyrie hung her head and sighed as Cell slowly stood up and stared at the sky.

"Goodbye." He muttered, opening his wings and taking to the sky. Kyrie frowned and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Goodbye… Cell." She muttered.