Chapter 13: Next Steps
1st P.O.V.
I woke up, feeling very weak and drained of energy. When I looked, I saw that I was home, not earth, but my home on Planet Plant.
Well, I don't think I'm a Tuffle, so Goku must have one. But I missed it!
I got up shakily and started to walk, but fell to my knees after just a few steps. The floor under my knees could have been stone as the pain raced up my legs and back.
"I lost more energy than I though." I said to myself.
"Yeah, you did." I looked up and saw Codie, completely Sayjin, standing in the doorway, looking very much like his grandpa Vegeta when he crossed his arms like that.
"Hey you, what'd I miss?" I asked, trying to get back to my feet. He came over and helped me up, and got me into a chair.
"Good news and bad news. The good news, Goku won. He defeated Bebi in Oozaru form, and Bebi retreated from grandpa's body to a ship to escape. Goku used the Kamehameha Wave and blasted Bebi into the Sun." he explained.
"Then why are we still on Planet Plant?"
"The bad news, since the Black-star Dragonballs were used so soon after recovery, the time didn't change. We only have about… 2 weeks to evacuate earth now."
"Shit. How long have I been out?"
"A day." Codie helped me to my feet, "Mom, dad had to tell the others about… my real father. They saw me as Nymph." He told me.
"How'd that go?"
"They're confused, some of them are worried, some are mad. Grandpa took it well, and so did Goku, but some of the others weren't so willing to accept who I am." he looked at the floor as he talked. He was upset, very upset, "When you told me about Cell, I was happy, at peace I guess you could say. I thought I knew who I was."
"You sound just like me." I said, smiling, "Before you were born, I went on a journey to discover myself, and along the way I located the Dragonballs. I rescued a wolf pack, made friends with a Sea-monster, and was bitten by a rattlesnake. But along the way I learned this: I'm exactly who I am. I'm a Sayjin in heart and body, but part of me is also human… like your cousin Goku. You are my son, and Mirai is your father, but so is Cell. Be happy that you have a family, because growing up I really didn't have a family. Well, I'll take that back, I had people who loved me, but I didn't have my birth parents. My real parents died along with Planet Vegeta. I thought I was alone growing up here, but I had Goku, and Vegeta, and especially Mirai, and Cell."
"I really would have liked to met Cell."
"You'd think you're looking at him when you transform." I said.
"I noticed. The first time I changed I was terrified. I didn't know what was happening, so I kept it a secret. The second time, when you saw me, I sort of grasped what was happening. Insects transform when they mature, and since most of father- Cell's makeup was like a dragonfly, it would sort of make sense that a son of his would change when mature."
"You've been doing research, haven't you?" I asked.
"Wouldn't you, if you were becoming something and couldn't control it?" he asked, angry a little. I placed a hand on his shoulder to comfort him.
"Yeah, I did. When I learned about the Angel power, you couldn't keep me out of the library except to train. I was scared of my transformation, too. But I did learn something from that as well."
"And what was that?" he asked.
"I shouldn't fear what I am. If you're changing, go with it. Control it. You have, haven't you?"
"Kinda. I can transform at will, but sometimes it just happens. When I sensed you fighting against Bebi, I transformed on the spot, not even trying to. Its like Nymph has a mind of its own."
I wonder if maybe something of Cell did that, to protect me. Probably not, most likely it was an adrenaline rush when Codie sensed I was in danger. Cell is gone, I can't change that now.
"Well, lead me to the others. I wanna clear this up and help evacuate earth."
"But mom, your Ki is low, how are you going to help?"
"I'm strong enough to teleport a good amount of times yet." I said. I got up and headed downstairs. I knew this confrontation would be scarier than facing Roxx all over again.
As we were going down the hall, Mirai came out of one of the rooms. When he saw us he paused in the doorway.
"Hi." I said, giving him a smile.
"Hi. Uh, sorry about, I mean I-"
"I know." I said, smiling again, "Loves means not having to say you're sorry. I'm just happy I didn't have to hurt you."
"And what makes you think you would have hurt me?" Mirai asked with a playful smile.
"You guys aren't gonna do something mushy are you?" Codie asked, making a disgusted face.
"Maybe later." Mirai said, "Good luck with that bunch." Mirai said, jabbing his thumb toward the sitting room.
"Thanks." Codie and I said.
Vegeta, Kanji, Andy, Gohan, and Pan were all downstairs. Bulma was most likely directing people into shuttlecraft, and Goku was probably teleporting people from earth. Codie followed close behind, just as nervous as I was. I had no idea how they'd react.
"How are you, Katrin?" Vegeta asked.
"Fine. And you?"
"Better now that Bebi is gone."
"Aren't we all?" I gave a small smile, but nothing changed in the atmosphere, "I guess I have some explaining to do." I said, looking at Codie first, then to everyone else.
"Yes, I believe you do have something to explain." Gohan said in a hard voice, looking right at Codie.
"Right, here's what happened. Codie is technically Cell, reborn into a Sayjin. When Cell's soul was destroyed, he left me two gifts, remember?" Gohan nodded, but kept staring at Codie, "Well, Codie was the second gift. Mirai and I decided not to tell anyone after I found out because we were afraid you'd treat him differently. Like you are now, Gohan."
"He's Cell, so of course I'd treat him like the monster he is." Gohan said, taking an offensive step toward us. I stepped in front of Codie. Anxiety was flowing off Codie's aura in waves, and if an adrenaline rush made him change before, it could now. And in this situation, we didn't need that.
"My son is no monster. You helped me train him, Gohan, you should know that. And if we all went by that, then why haven't you killed Trunks or Mirai? Or Bora? Or Kanji and Andy?" I asked.
"That's different-"
"How is it different, Gohan? Aren't they Vegeta's kids and grandkids? Wasn't Vegeta evil once? By your logic, that would make them just as bad as Vegeta use to be. Guilt by association isn't logical, and for a scholar you sure are showing a lack of logic." I snapped at Gohan.
"She's right, Papa. If you act by that, then Bebi was right all along, wasn't he?" Pan said.
"But Cell-"
"No Gohan, Cell was good at the end. You know he was. He sacrificed his soul to save me, and he helped me stop Drazark. Cell was originally programmed to be evil, but he never made a move to hurt any of us after he died, even when he was brought back to earth." I snapped. I was furious, almost shaking with anger.
How could Gohan still hold so much anger for Cell?
"…You're right, Katie." Gohan said, taking off his glasses and rubbing his temple, "I'm sorry, Codie. But you have to remember how evil he was. And I really do see it now, how evil Cell use to be. I remember that last day… your brother and sister attacked Cell, tickling him into submission." Gohan smiled, remembering. I gave a small smile too, trying to visualize that at least his last days weren't alone in HFIL, "He commented on the fact that your mom wouldn't forgive him, he would have probably attack the kids."
Oh Cell… did you love me, was that it? Why couldn't I see it? You loved me, you weren't just obsessed with me. Why'd you go, you idiot? Why didn't you let me spend one more day with you?
"Mom told me all about him. He killed your dad and my dad. But hatred isn't going to stop me from being what I am. I am Cell, and that's all that can be said about it."
"I'm still confused on how." Pan said.
"I'm still unsure myself. All I know is, I still love him, and Mirai still loves him. I hope everyone can overlook this and still remember that he is my son as much as he is Cell."
"Right. We better get back to work, put this behind us hopefully. Bebi wasn't right, and neither was I a moment ago. I hope you can forgive me."
"I think that can be arranged." Codie said.
Codie's more refined than Cell was, anyway. They aren't the same person, that's why I miss Cell still. But it doesn't hurt so much as long as I have Codie.