Chapter 10: An Alliance
3rd P.O.V.
When Goku and the others arrived at the Lookout, the other group had returned from their search empty handed. And needless to say, the rest of the Z Senshi, especially 17 and 18, weren't too happy seeing Cell. But Goku quickly explained to the others why Cell was needed and they were a little more at ease.
Cell noticed Kanji and Andy playing with Pan, Bee, and Icarus.
"Who are the brats?"
"The two younger ones are my kids. The other is Goku's granddaughter." Mirai said.
"I see. Been busy, haven't you runt?"
I know something that'll straighten you out… Mirai thought.
"Hey kids, come here!" Mirai called.
"What are you up to, runt?" Cell said as Andy and Kanji ran up. Pan followed as well, curious to see why Cell was up here on the Lookout.
"What is it, papa?" Kanji asked.
"Mirai, who's that?" Pan asked.
"I want you to meet someone. This is Cell. Cell, this is Kanji and this is Andy. And that's Pan, Goku's granddaughter."
"You look funny." Kanji said.
"Yeah, like a giant bug!" Andy said, causing everyone-Kanji, Pan, and Mirai- to laugh.
"So, you're the Perfect Cell? You don't look so tough, no wonder my dad beat you." Pan said arrogantly.
"So you're the spawn of Gohan? I'll have you know I almost beat him."
"Almost doesn't cut it."
"You two calm down, that's all in the past. Cell's here to help Katie."
As Mirai was talking to Pan, Andy went around and pulled on Cell's tail.
"Hey, that hurt!"
"You have a tail, like mama!" Kanji said.
"Not exactly. I use my tail to absorb energy as food."
"You eat with your tail?"
"Eeww! Gross!" Andy and Kanji said laughing.
"You know Cell, my kids are stronger than anyone, even Katie, Vegeta, or Goku." Mirai said. Pan looked over to him, and he winked. She understood and winked back.
"Impossible! How could that be! They look as though they should be in diapers."
"Show him, kids."
Kanji and Andy ran at Cell and started tickling him. Helpless to their power, Cell fell over and couldn't fight them off.
"Stop it! Stop... it right now! What is this?" Cell said through the laughs.
"Keep it up, kids! You're doing great!"
"What's all the noise over here?" Vegeta came around the corner, but stopped dead in his tracks and began laughing at Cell. "By my father's tail! I have to get Kakorot!"
A few moments later, both Goku and Gohan were rolling on the floor with Vegeta, laughing at Cell.
"Alright kids, I think he's had enough!" Mirai finally said, though he was laughing as hard as he rest. "I told you they were stronger than Goku."
"And to think I had so much trouble defeating him." Gohan said, wiping tears from his face.
"The only reason I allowed myself to be contained by those two brats was because Katie would never forgive me if I hurt her children."
"Sure, Cell." Goku said.
"You're funny!" Andy said. Kanji was laughing as well.
"She's ready." Dende said as he came around the corner.
"Right, let's go." So Cell, followed by Mirai, Goku, and Vegeta, followed Dende back to Katie's room.
Inside Katie's room it was dark. Cell said it was easier to do his work in the dark atmosphere, like when he did it last time in Gero's old lab. Only a few streaks of sunlight lit up the room, but it was okay for the Sayjins, their eyes are like a cat's. The other condition for Cell was that they had to make sure Katie was strong enough for the procedure. Her power level kept going up and down since the attack, and if it was too low Cell said he might accidentally kill her.
Cell went and stood next to the chair next to Katie's bed. Katie didn't look good at all. She was as pale as the bed sheets, and she was dripping with sweat. Cell's thermal read-out showed that she had a fever.
"So, how does this work, Cell?" Vegeta asked.
"Its simple. I simply insert my tail into her chest and our minds, if not more, link together. From there I believe that I can talk to her, see where she thinks she is, and quite possibly bring her back."
"She told us that last time you tempted her to join you." Goku said.
"That was then, this is now. I'll bring her out of this. I swear on the genius of Gero."
"Yeah, and we all know how great he was." Vegeta scoffed.
"I'm behind you all the way, Cell. If this can save Katie, I'll be indebted to you." Mirai said. Cell just snorted and took his seat next to Katie's bed. He stretched out his tail and positioned it just above the low-cut tank top's edge.
"Wish me luck." Cell said.
With any luck at all I'll be able to find her…
Then Cell injected his tail into Katie's chest, but before he did so he heard one last thing.
"I hate needles!"
3rd P.O.V. - Cell
Cell opened his eyes to see a large, empty gray room.
"Well, if I didn't know her better, I'd think this was her mind. This looks more like Goku's mind, barren. I must have messed up, dammit."
"But it is her mind. It's been a long time since I've had a visitor."
Cell turned to the voice to see a transparent figure who looked exactly like Katie in her complete Angel Sayjin form.
"Katie?"
"Not exactly. I'm Katie's Inner Light."
"I see. She's spoken to you before."
"Yes, but that was a long time ago." The figure turned away in a sorrowful motion.
"So, where are we?"
"In Katie's mind, like you said before."
"This can't be Katie's mind."
"I'm all that's left, and I'm growing weaker now because of Drazark's attack. He's taking me away piece by piece. Without me, Katie will die, and Drazark with have her Angel Sayjin powers, me."
"How do I stop him? How can I help her? You know how much she means to the world."
"And to you."
"Please, help me." Cell pleaded.
"I'm helping her as much as I can. I'm sending her memories of her life, trying to get her to remember. If she can remember, she can break free. But its not enough, I can only send so many without causing damage."
"Tell me what you can so that I may help her."
"Have you ever seen the Matrix?"
"What does that have to do with anything?" when she didn't reply, he answered her, "Yes, I have." He sighed.
"Then you will be able to understand her situation better. If she dies in the illusion, she'll die in real life. If she realizes it's an illusion, she can break free. She's Neo, and you need to be her Morphius and help her realize it's an illusion."
"But how do I do that?" Cell screamed. He was starting to get impatient with the Inner Light.
"Through there is her Matrix. I cannot enter, but I believe you can. Once there, you're on your own, but I will help you if I can." The Inner Light pointed to a bright doorway to the side of where they were talking.
"Wait, first tell me what's going on in there. If it is like the Matrix, I can make myself look different, right?"
"You catch on fast, but I don't think anyone else could see you in there. Her prison is Planet Vegeta."
"What?" Cell said.
"The illusion is made up so that she was never taken from planet Vegeta as a child, and that Frieza didn't destroy it. those were the 2 major factors in her life that caused her to become the Angel. She's about twenty, the age when you first met her, right?"
"Close, yes."
"Right now she's at her home, along with Raditz, Kakorot, Bardock, and her parents. Soon, Freiza's servants will come for her to take her to the castle. He intends on marrying her in this illusion. The wedding is when she'll die. You have to help her remember before the time of the wedding."
"Right, I understand." Cell began to think to himself, "A possible destiny for her. If it was perfect she could dismiss it, and if it were her hell it would drive her away. It had to be normal, both good and bad."
"Drazark is a powerful wizard, and ingenious as well. He couldn't kill her himself, so he's letting her do the job. And little by little I'm growing weaker. If you can't help her I fear I'll be too weak to. I've tried all kinds of different images. Happy ones, sad ones, ones that have confused her. I know there is one image somewhere that could stimulate her memories, but I don't know what it is." The Inner Light shimmered in and out as she was speaking to Cell, showing that she was growing weaker.
"I'm going in, and I'm not leaving without her." Cell headed to the portal.
"Cell, you really do amaze me sometimes."
"How's that?" Cell asked, turning to face the Inner Light.
"I was there when Katie saw the show. I know all about you, as she does. Or did, anyway. I guess her influence changed you."
"Not soon enough, or it may have been me with her and not the runt."
"I don't believe so, and I know you don't really believe that, either. She had already Bonded with Mirai No Trunks by the time you were Perfect. But you still mean a lot to her, like an older brother, or a father, or even a best friend. You were her favorite villain, and one of her favorite characters. That has to mean something to reality. She cried after her trial because she realized how much you had helped her over the years and she couldn't do anything to repay you."
"I'll have to tell her she doesn't owe me anything once I get her out."
"Good luck, Android 21. God knows you'll need it."