AS22: okay, here we go again! Now we see some good stuffs with Katie and Cell.

Cell: help…

Katie: it isn't that bad… okay, it is. Angel, don't!

AS22: sorry, I got to…

Chapter 31: To Meet a God

"You're crazy! Katie can't- what if these gods don't even exist?" Mirai asked. I looked him square in the eye.

"Mirai, a moment ago you were asking me to fight a god. Now you are asking me not to ask a god for help."

Cell had just told us about the trials, or at least what he knew. It wasn't all sunshine and daisies, but then again, nothing was in this universe.

"But Katie-"

"Mirai, fighting the Empress is more dangerous than anything you can imagine. I already told you… I tried to tell you, the powers of the Angel are godly. The only way to stop it is to become the Angel. The only clue we have is what Cell told me, that I have to meet with the Vegetian gods and ask them for help." I was mad still, but I was trying to look calm.

"Katie… I guess you're right."

"But gods?" Gohan asked, skeptical.

"I know, it could be a wild goose chase, but it's the only lead we have. Besides, it may end up being more dangerous if they do exist."

"Katie… I know you want to stop the Empress, but… you said fighting her as you are now would be suicide, right? So… I guess I have to agree with you and trust you… but I'm still scared for you." Mirai said.

"You don't have to be scared for me, I'm scared enough as it is. Mirai, I'm going to go no matter what you agreed to. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but... gods… until a few days ago I was just going to try to save Codie… but I've seen how bad off this planet is, and if the universe is the same… I couldn't go home without trying to do something about it. Goku was right about my armor of love." I smiled, "Goku protected earth for years, but that didn't stop him from going off after Brolly or trying to defend Namek. I'm not Goku, but I have to do the same now."

"You have to do this alone, you do realize that, don't you?" Tien asked.

"Yes. Once again, I have to go alone." I sighed.

"I can take you as far as the first gate. After that, you will be alone."

"How is it again, Cell, that you are able to go but we can't?" Gohan asked. They still didn't trust him.

"I've paid my homage to the gods." He replied simply.

"But Katie hasn't." Gohan responded.

"All Sayjin children are… baptized in the religion, traditionally."

"I'm ready to go." I said, trying to keep them apart. "Let's get the Ayokii and get this started." Cell went on out of the tent, but I turned to Mirai and Gohan once more, "I'll be okay, I just have one thing I ask of you. Keep an eye on Cell. Keep him safe… in check, whatever. The same for yourselves, I don't think I could stand to lose any one of you again."

"You just stay safe. If you actually meet these gods, don't do anything to piss them off." Mirai said. I hugged him tight, kissing him before I pulled away to hug Gohan.

"I'll be back, I swear." I said, slipping out the door.

When I got outside, Cell was waiting with the Ayokii. He was a gentleman and gave me a boost onto the beast. It was the same, small, black Ayokii that had chased away the bigger green one.

"Speak her name and you can connect, once you connect there is nothing you can't do together. At least, that's what the legend says." Cell said, jumping on top of his red Ayokii.

"How do I do that?"

"Concentrate. That's all I can tell you." Cell said, taking a few steps ahead of me.

I closed my eyes and focused on the animal, she pawed the ground, shook her head, like she was fighting me.

"Let me in, let me call your name. I need your help."

"No." she responded to me.

"I have to. I have to save my son, and you're the Ayokii to help me do that. You're not so different from me. You protected that younger Ayokii from that big one, I saw you. I am the same way, I protect people."

An image came to my mind, a bloody battlefield with dead Sayjins and Ayokii. A small black Ayokii got up slowly, limping, a spear in its rear leg.

"That was you?" I asked.

"I lost my family and my rider."

"Then help me save my son, my family."

"You're going to leave after that. I'd lose my rider."

"No, I'll take you back with me."

That was what I sensed. I can bring the Ayokii back with me.

"My name is… Biress P'reel."

"Biress P'reel… black moon." I said the name, and she pawed the ground again.

"Ready. Katie?" Cell asked.

"I- We are, now."

So we began our journey to meet the gods of Planet Vegeta.

In the beginning, there was a universe created by superior beings, called Kais. The Kais, in turn, created many beings called gods, or Kamis. Kamis looked over planets, and Planet Plant had four; Syreena, Goldeer, Oozark, and Mirean.

An eternity without purpose is a very long time, so the gods created the Tuffles. But the Tuffles advanced too fast and forgot of their gods. In punishment, the gods created the Sayjins. Each god gave a gift to the Sayjins, and the gift Oozark gave was their Super Sayjin and Oozaru transformation. The Sayjins did what their gods asked of them, and wiped out the Tuffles.

But even with all their power, the gods could only do so much by universal law. A Super Sayjin was sent to the people, but that too was limited. They saw that their children and siblings needed a godly protector. Thus came to be the power of the Angel Sayjin.

This legend I knew, but there was more I didn't. That is where Cell came in. He told me more.

When the gods are needed, and prayer doesn't work, you must travel to the rim of the green sky, into the caves of light, and there is the land of the gods.

You must meet each god in person and pass their challenge. The first god is always Mirean, and you may only touch her sacred ground by riding an Ayokii, for they are her favorite creature.

Mirean is the goddess of nature, light, life, weather, stars, and day. She is the protector of animals, the sister of the Sayjins, and is always seen in the form of a Mirna. Her element is wind, and her season is summer. She is the first goddess I must meet.

"So Cell, how do we reach the rim of the sky?"

"Well, I have been working on a theory-"

"Oh boy."

"And I've realized that it is possible to reach the rim of the green sky. When the sun is setting, there is a place I've seen before where the sky doesn't turn green in the autumn. The god Goldeer is in charge of the sun, and his season is autumn, so it makes sense that it was done on purpose like that."

"Lucky that I came here in the autumn."

"Or fate." Cell added.

"D'rar! Screw fate."

(Damn)

"Why are you so set against fate? What happened to you?"

"My destiny was to become the Angel, so all kinds of things happened to me to make sure that I did become the Angel. I was saved from Planet Vegeta and sent to another dimension to earth, where I grew up human. When I was 15 I came back to my home, but I didn't know it was my home. I helped the timeline along, I died and went to HFIL, I met your double, I had a family, but then Roxx came along."

"Roxx? Is he the one you had to defeat?"

"Yes. He was so powerful. He turned Goku, Vegeta, and Mirai to stone during our fight. I became the Angel, and then killed him. Years later I fought another being who wanted my power, and that was when I lost Cell."

"I'm sorry. He tried to save you. I cannot… why would someone sacrifice their life for another?"

"Love. That's easy. I've done it, but I never actually died by sacrifice. It's silly, I know, but… I kind of want to. I want die in a meaningful way. Maybe that will change one day… I don't really want to die, of course, but I want my death to matter."

"How did you die?"

"I died once fighting Buu. No, I didn't fight Buu, I gave up fighting him. I had become evil, a spell, like I said to Yamcha. Vegeta died trying to save me, even though I was evil. He died… I would have killed him without a second thought… but I beat the spell because of his sacrifice. Then Buu turned to me. I couldn't imagine that a creature could be more powerful than him, but Roxx turned out to be more powerful. But Buu was so powerful, I knew I couldn't fight him, so I gave up to him. I was killed easily, eaten by him as a piece of chocolate, I think. I went to HFIL. I met with Cell again… he was shocked I was sent there when I died, but I killed so many innocent people."

"And Dragonballs were used to bring you back and turn earth back to normal?"

"Yes, and that too, is another story. I created a monster… 4 monsters."

"Dragons, I presume? The Shadow dragons you mentioned on earth?"

"Yes, I created 4 of them trying to stop them from being in the first place. My wish was so pure that it was powerful enough to create multiple dragons. With only 3 others, it didn't take long."

We were silent for a while as we rode on. When Cell stopped he jumped down and looked around.

"This is the spot."

I jumped down and looked to the sky. It was still as red as ever, but the sun was starting to set.

"Now what?" I asked.

"We wait. A red light from the green sky should give us the path to the caves of light."

The waiting was tedious. The sun doesn't set very fast on Planet Vegeta. It can take 3 hours in autumn for the sun to set, and it had only begun.

"Katie… why did you like my counterpart so much? Why did you give… him a chance?"

"Well… the way I knew the future was by a television show I watched as a kid. Cell was always my favorite villain. And I wasn't the only one from my dimension who thought so."

"Why? How could I, good or evil, be so adored?"

"I don't know, really… your character is so original…. And you were a combination of all the heroes, only evil."

"I'm also part Frieza."

"I know, but… you were honorable, powerful… you defeated a Super Sayjin easily. You could use any attack. And I always thought your programming made you evil. Gero made you, after all."

"How do you know my fath- Gero so well?"

"Part of being the Angel meant I had to know all about myself and so I saw my alternate timeline. I saw that I had become a Sayjin android. I was your younger sister, but I destroyed you then."

"I see. So many things have happened to you, but you're still good… still nice… virtuous. My mate… could she ever be like you?"

"I think she can. I thought the same about you, and I was right."

Cell smiled, a feat I had never seen. Sure, he had smirked, or laughed, but a smile from Cell was as rare as a smile from Vegeta.

"So… did Katrin have to face some evil being after she got her Angel powers?"

"No… she didn't… not yet, anyway."

"Could the evil have been… herself?" I asked, more rhetorical than logical. Cell looked at me with his confused look.

"Hey, look, the light… the sky!" Cell stood, mouth agape as I stood to look in the direction of Cell's gaze.

The light in the sky was red, as the rest of the sky was, but it was pulsing, like it was moving. He laughed.

"Is that it?" I asked.

"Yes, I believe so. Keep watching, it should point us to the caves of light." Cell looked pleased with himself.

"Why are you so smug?" I asked.

"Oh, well… I just proved the unproven. I have evidence of the gods now." Cell smirked, watching the pulsing sky.

He's achieved the impossible. He knows he has, and he's proud. I get that.

I thought that perhaps even if the caves of light led us to sacred ground, the gods may not be there, but I couldn't tell Cell that, not after seeing his eyes light up.

The red light in the sky remained as the sun set, leaving a small red streak in the darkness. The light led into the woods.

"There, does that lead to the caves?" I asked. Cell mounted his Ayokii, so I followed suit as Cell answered.

"Legend says that the rim of the green sky leads to the caves of light." Cell started toward the path, and I was right next to him, "The caves lead to Mirean's sacred valley. You cannot touch her sacred ground without permission, so you must remain on your Ayokii until then. Ayokii and Mirna are her favorite creatures."

We followed the red patch of sky into the woods. The Ayokii were nervous, snorting or making their howl-like sound every few meters. Even if there were no gods, the Ayokii were still anxious about our path.

"Biress P'reel is acting skittish. I don't like that." I said, looking around.

"Use your nose, can you smell anything around?"

I breathed in deeply to take in the woodland air. I could smell the trees, flowers, and something similar to cinnamon. I could smell water nearby as well.

"Nothing that would make these beasts nervous." I said. Cell didn't look satisfied, so he sniffed.

"My sense of smell is nothing compared to yours, but what about a scent of cinnamon? Did you smell something like that?" Cell stopped, and I came around his front.

"Yes, I did."

"That's not g-" then Cell wasn't there. It was so fast, whatever it was, that I didn't even see it rip Cell off the Ayokii, which was now running away. I looked around, but I didn't see Cell, I only heard his scream.

"Cell! Cell! Where are you?" I jumped off the Ayokii and looked around, but I couldn't see anything, no trace of footprints, no signs of a struggle, nothing.

"Biress P'reel, find the red one and bring him back here. I'm going after Cell." In response she pawed the ground, agreeing.

I sniffed the air and felt out for Cell's Ki. The smell of cinnamon was near, and Cell's Ki was falling fast. I ran, not wasting time.

I can get to the caves myself… I have to save Codie… but Cell saved me, more than he had to. And I couldn't bear to lose him again.

I ran with the speed of an Ayokii, a feat which made my muscles burn, but I couldn't waste time. The caves would disappear after the rise of the sun, and Cell's Ki was dropping at a dangerous rate.

I ran more, leaping over fallen logs and small streams like they were nothing, not slowing down, even after sliding down a rocky hill, I couldn't slow down if I wanted to save Cell.

He has to be okay… he's strong; a monster couldn't kill him so easily. Even though he isn't as strong as Cell was in our universe… he has to hold on.

I came to a small clearing and stopped, ducking behind a tree as I saw a large figure. The scene I witnessed as I turned to peek around the tree was horrifying.

There was a large creature towering over Cell's still form. The creature was at least 3 times as high as Cell, and the scent of cinnamon was coming from it. Its weight was on its hind legs, but it was bent over on its front legs, crouched-down. Its fur was gray, its eyes were yellow, set back into its flat face, and either it didn't have a neck or it was so bulky you couldn't see it. Its mouth was opened wide, showing off rows of razor-sharp teeth, was only a few feet over Cell's body.

Why isn't Cell moving? Why isn't he fighting back? Why is he just laying there? What is that thing?

The answer wasn't pleasant. As I watched, I saw the creature's tongue was inside Cell's chest, like a proboscis. Light was moving from Cell's chest to the creature's mouth.

"Hey! Stop eating my friend!" the creature kept its tongue in Cell's chest, but turned toward me.

Cell turned his head turned me, his eyes were wide and he was gasping for air. The creature whipped its tongue out of Cell and back into its head, and then turned his whole body toward me. He took a step forward and knelt down, roaring at me and spewing drool all around.

"Yeah, I'm yelling at you!" I felt down deep and let loose my own roar, the roar of the Sayjin.

The monster roared back and charged. I jumped up into the air and kicked it in the head, sending it back a few yards onto its back.

I stood and roared again, tapping into my primal side. The creature stood and shook its head, and then it sent a wave of energy at me. I was able to dodge, but it was a lot of energy it shot out.

That thing wasn't eating Cell, its taking his Ki!

"You've forced this upon yourself. Super Gatlik Wave!" the purple blast erupted out of my hands and through the creature, ripping it apart.

Not wasting a second, I ran over to Cell. He hadn't moved, and even with his white skin he looked pale.

"Cell? Come on, get up dammit." I checked, but I didn't feel a pulse. I couldn't sense any Ki, either.

Now what do I do? He's not dead yet, and I refuse to let him die. I refuse!

"I refuse to let you die again!" I raised my power level and put my hands over Cell. I was trying to give Cell some of my Ki.

"If Goku could give Frieza some of his Ki, I can give you some of mine! I refuse to let you die! I won't lose you again!"

I starting moving my Ki, pushing it from my gut to my hands and out to him, forcing it into his reserves little by little. His body was rejecting it.

Why is this so hard? Goku gave Ki to Frieza, and Frieza was cut in two. Why can't I give Cell some of mine?

"Work, please, work!" I said, pushing more Ki to him. Finally he opened his eyes, grabbing my arm.

"-good at all." Cell said, finishing his sentence.

"Thank the Kais. Or in this case, the Vegetian gods." I said, grabbing him into a hug. Just as when I last hugged Cell, he awkwardly hugged back.

I helped Cell back to his feet and we started back to the Ayokii. He had to lean on my, but you know, I didn't mind it at all.

"It was a creature called a Ki-sucker."

"Aptly named." I said, smirking.

"They're not supposed to exist, they guard the caves of light. We have to be close." Cell said, swaying. I put my arm around his arm, holding him steady, "Thank you."

"Hey, you carried me in your arms for two days, holding you steady is the least I can do. I mean that." I said, squeezing his arm.

"A few more seconds and that thing might have killed me." Cell said, rubbing the mark on his chest.

"Technically… it did. I couldn't find a pulse." I replied.

"It will be a while before my Ki levels return to normal… that's how they feed, first they suck out your Ki, and then they eat the vulnerable body."

"Even when you're half-dead you sound like an android." I said as Cell started leaning more on me.

"I cannot help that I'm an android, just like you cannot help that you are a Sayjin."

"I use to be human."

"So I heard. How was it?"

"Dull, harsh. If you look at my life as a Sayjin, at least it has meaning. As a human I was going nowhere like the rest of the herd."

Cell didn't respond as we walk back toward the Ayokii. Biress P'reel's snorting got louder as we got closer.

We got to the same spot where this all began, and the Ayokii were just a few yards away. This time, instead of Cell helping me onto my Ayokii, I had to help him onto his.

"Can you still ride?" I asked as Cell grabbed onto the mane.

"Sure, Rit Nariss has been my Ayokii for years."

"Red Wish? How'd you get him out here?"

"Telepathy, of course."

"Why hasn't the Empress found you yet?" I asked, thoroughly confused. If it had been my mate, I would have been looking.

"Well, it's only been a few days, and this band on my arm has been hiding my Ki signature from Scouters. As long as I don't use too much Ki, she won't be able to find me."

"Did you tell her you were going to feed or something?"

"It wasn't a lie, I just went to Purgatory after I fed."

"We don't have all night, you might as well head back to the base camp and get some rest. I think I can handle things from here."

"Are you sure? I could stay to help you." Cell said. I smirked.

"I'm sure, and besides, with your Ki so low you wouldn't be able to help me as much as you normally could."

"Alright, but I'm going under protest." Cell said as he turned around on the Ayokii.

"So noted. Thank you, Cell. If all goes well, the next time you see me I'll be a goddess." I smirked, and then started following the red sky once more.

"Katie!" I stopped and looked back.

"Yeah?"

"Good luck and… I love you, Katie! So you have to come back and help my mate!"

"Wouldn't miss it!" I waved as Cell took off over the hill.

Cell in our universe never said it… never said I love you… and I regret never getting around to tell him the same.

AS22: see, it was a bit heart-warming. Right?

Cell: sure…

Katie: R&R or we'll sick the Ki-sucker after you!