Chapter 29: Cell's Game
Cell walked out of the hidden lab and moved toward his arena.
"I really don't get you, Cell. You've proven that you can show compassion, and that you can resist your programming. So why are you going through with this?"
Cell didn't reply, but I think I struck a nerve.
Up on the hill, Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, and Trunks were all visible, though I sensed the others, including the rebuilt 16, now with his red hair and green vest. I couldn't move; Cell had his tail wrapped tight and it squeezed my arms tight to my sides. Cell approached the center of his Arena and stopped.
"I'll allow only one of you to come and accept the girl." Cell called out to the others on the hill. However they decided, Goku was elected to come for me.
"Katie, are you alright?" Goku asked when he walked into the arena.
"Just fine." I said sarcastically.
"Did you find a weakness?" Goku asked telepathically.
"He doesn't have one. Only a fighter stronger than him can beat him."
"Take her, as I promised, she is safe. For now." Cell whipped his tail straight and let me go; nearly tossing me aside like garbage. He was still mad.
"I'll be back in a moment, then we can have our match." Goku said.
"That's fine by me." Cell said in agreement. Goku and I flew beside each other as we went back to the group. We landed and everyone rushed up to us.
"Well, you're safe now, Katie. How was it?" Trunks asked.
"What do you think? He kept me locked in a Ki-suppressing chamber the entire time. The only nice thing he did was let me out to eat and use the bathroom." I lied. They didn't need to know about the other stuff.
"You're back, so let's get going." Goku said, turning back to Cell.
"Wait, look, is that-"
"People of the world! Your savior, Hercule is here! I am the strongest, and I will defeat this monster and save the planet!"
"Hercule. The idiot from TV." Krillen said.
"Does he really think he stands a chance?" Yamcha asked.
"Yes. He has no idea of Ki control, so he thinks those explosions were all tricks to scare people." I explained.
"Your dirty tricks won't stop me from cleaning the floor with your face!" Hercule called, pointing straight at Cell.
"See?" I couldn't help but laugh, "But give him a little slack, he really is a nice guy deep down, once you get past his mendacious life style. I mean, he is trying to save the world." I explained.
"I don't know what mendacious means." Goku said innocently. Gohan quickly explained it to him.
So Hercule stepped into the arena and was looking cool, but looking cool doesn't always mean landing effective hits. Cell wasn't even bruised as he kicked Hercule miles out of the arena and somewhere in the woods. Of course, the TV station announcers were blown away by the force of Cell's Ki, and the camera went out before Hercule really began to fight, so no one but the witnesses at the arena would know what really happened.
"I'm ready for my first challenger." Cell called up to us.
"Alright." Goku acted as to step up.
"Goku, wait." I stopped him.
"What is it Katie?" Goku asked.
"Don't tell me-" Trunks began.
"I want revenge. Let me go first." I said. No one could argue with my tone, so I went out to face Cell. Vegeta had an almost proud look on his face aimed toward me.
"Fine, but I'll go next if I'm needed." Goku said.
"Katie, uh, here." Trunks handed me Arina. We both knew Arina would be useless against Cell. "For luck." He looked over to Vegeta with a quick glance, but hell, I didn't care what he thought now. We could die. I gave Trunks a quick kiss on the cheek and turned to leave.
"What was that about?" I heard one of the others say before I was out of hearing range.
I flew and saw no emotion on Cell's face. He was ready for a fight.
"So, you're back already?" Cell grinned.
"I'm ready to fight you, and I'll do my best to finish you."
"Inferior creature, I will not be defeated by you." Cell said.
We each took our poses, the same ones from our 'friendly' spar, and powered up. I went only to SSJ, seeing as the fault in Ultra SSJ would only hold me back.
"Cell, we don't have to do this."
"Why are you trying to get me to join you?"
"You were my favorite villain from the show back home. I just want a chance to save your soul before its too late. Up until now you could say the murders you've committed were for feeding. But if you keep it up you'll be sent to HFIL."
"But you said no one could kill me."
"I'll give you one last chance to surrender. I feel… I know we could be great allies."
"You know me better than Gero himself. Do you think I really care about your feelings?"
"Yes." that shut him up.
I charged first, aimed a punch and then spun into a kick instead. Cell actually fell back a few feet, but got right back into poise. He smirked as he came at me, and we began to exchange punches and kicks. We moved so fast that I couldn't see any type of background except for a blur. I remained focused on Cell.
"You're better than you let on." Cell said.
"I couldn't let you find my weaknesses, that's my job." He frowned again as he powered up a bit. I did too, making sure not to hit Ultra SSJ. We stopped, backed off, and took an evaluation of each other as we caught our breath. I knew I wouldn't last much longer, but I had to try to talk some sense into him.
"Cell, listen to me. If you stop now and help us, we'll leave you alone."
"Why would I want to help a bunch of traitorous monkeys?"
"I couldn't betray you if I was never on your side."
Cell disappeared, and I tried to sense him, but to no avail.
"Over here." I turned to my left, almost all the way around, and was hit in the face with a close-range Ki blast. I heard someone on the hill scream my name, but I shakily got back up anyway. I was weakened already, but I was still going to try to win him over.
"Cell, I'll fight if I have to, but it would be nice to have you as an ally."
"Yeah, so why don't you join me?" he asked.
"You told me my destiny was set, right? So it wouldn't have mattered if I did choose to join you, because I couldn't have." I almost fell as I walked back into the ring to meet Cell for another round.
"So does this mean you actually would want to join me if you could?"
"No." I replied almost too quickly.
He blasted me head on again, and I was sent back through the air. I landed hard and skidded through the dirt like a skipping stone. When I finally stopped I was hit over and over with more blasts, each one more painful than the last. I finally began to scream as the blasts hit, and I fell out of my SSJ form.
A nauseated feeling went through my stomach, another form of my SG. I strained to open my eyes and saw Cell walking toward me.
"You really disappoint me, because as you said, we could be great allies."
He lengthened his tail out once more and used it like a fencing sword and stabbed my arms and legs repeatedly.
"Cell, it doesn't matter what you do to me, I'll never join you, you sick freak!" I shouted.
"I have to absorb you now. Then we will be together forever." He said as he licked his lips, as if I were a bone and he a hungry dog. He whipped his tail back and forth over my chest, getting ready to take aim. I did the only think I could thing of to save myself.
"I give up. You win the round of the tournament."
"Clever girl. Very clever indeed. Fine," he retracted his tail and stepped aside, "Then you are the loser, and when I kill Goku, you will be absorbed. Pity you chose this path." Then Cell started off.
"I know you can show compassion, Cell. You have before. And remember, I did try to save you." He snorted at that.
Confused? It's like this. Cell's programming is complicated, but I had found a sort of weakness. He doesn't break a promise, he couldn't. And the rules of the World Martial Arts Tournament state that when an opponent gives up or loses in another way, they are not to be harmed any longer and are free to go. Cell may kill during his own tournament, but he basically follows those same rules. I was lucky that it worked.
He walked back into the arena and took his place, ready for his next challenger. I was wobbly as I got to my feet, and I limped on the flat ground until I reached the hill, then I had to fly back the rest of the length up the hill to the others. Goku rushed over and helped me toward a safe place to sit.
"You okay, kid?" Goku asked sincerely.
"Yeah, I will be as soon as I get the license plate number from the truck that hit me." I snorted.
"Here." Goku handed me a Zinzu bean and gave me the bag to hold. He was going next.
