A quick note…: Sorry I haven't worked on this one earlier, but I spent the whole weekend with my boyfriend and any time I wasn't with him I spent sleeping. I wrote this onein school this morning, but I haven't the ambition to do more than post this. I will answer a question from the reviews, which I'd like to thank you all once again for your kind words and awesome support. This chapter feels shorter than the others, though I don't believe it is. I'd like to say I'll write/post chapter 10 tomorrow, but I don't know. I feel like sitting and being a couch potato all day, hehe.
Aquasage: Unfortunately no, I've never seen such a cell, but it's not in the movie. Cell doesn't even have a cameo appearance in movie 12—not even in the midst of Freeza's gang as far as I could tell.
Chapter 9: Layrial's Choice
Toshi caught up with me in a matter of seconds. He was out of breath, probably because he had been running around quite a bit since I last saw him. Other than that, he looked like no harm had come to him. Before he had the chance to say anything to me, however, or even look at me for that matter, he saw Cell standing there, in person, very much real.
I could see Toshi's throat swallowing hard, his eyes frozen on the android before him. In return, Cell stared down as if Toshi was a mere insect that was doomed to be squashed in the very near future. I had made a grave error and I wish I hadn't paid attention to my surroundings like I had. Toshi didn't have a chance if Cell became angry enough, but it seemed that me knowing the school teacher was a great benefit for his sake.
"Layrial," Toshi said his throat apparently dry as he tried to speak normally. "Are you okay?"
I noticed how he didn't even chance blinking his eyes as they were still locked on my other companion. "Yeah, I'm fine. How'd you get over here?"
"I umm," he started, finally looking at me; "I fought my way out of that crowd and snuck up the street where I saw you heading. I'm just glad you're okay—I was worried that you would've been attacked."
Cell gave a small snort just then and turned to walk away. He seemed to accept the fact that I was acquainted with Toshi, but I knew right away that Cell didn't like him. I couldn't blame him—he's never had to fight for me, so to speak, before now.
"Actually, I had almost gotten myself killed," I said truthfully. "It was a miracle that Cell showed up just in time."
Toshi's eyes widened and Cell looked over his shoulder, a very miniscule grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. He looked away again, though, and I was left to deal with Toshi's shocked state of mind.
"He…saved you?" he questioned in disbelief. "How is that possible?" His voice had gone down into a low whisper where both of us had to lean forward a bit to hear what he was saying.
"Don't seem so surprised," Cell's voice said from behind me. "Its more than a pathetic man like yourself could've done."
"Cell—" I chimed in, but it wasn't enough.
"Layrial, I beg to know if this…person…is to join us now." Cell asked, his eyes shifting back over his black shoulder to stab Toshi in the heart.
"I'll have you know, buster, that I'm taking Layrial back where it's safe," Toshi stated firmly. He put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me to him.
"Please," Cell said with a smug attitude. "If Layrial is to remain safe, her best bet is with me."
"You!" Toshi asked rigidly. "Didn't you once kill a whole town?"
"It's a shame you didn't live there," was the come back the android offered.
"Stop it! Both of you!" I yelled and they both silenced themselves. "Toshi, Cell's right—the best bet for survival is staying with him."
"Do not forget, Layrial, that you life is the only one I'm willing to spare," Cell told us point blankly. "This human is nothing to me, whether you know him or not."
"Layrial, you're willing to risk your life with him?" Toshi asked. "He's monstrous and insane!"
"If you value you're life then I'd hold your tongue before I have reason to expel you from this world." Cell's face was lethal and I knew he was doing everything in his power to keep himself restrained.
I sighed and began to walk away. Cell could take care of himself, and although I knew that I was in fact safer with him, I didn't want to risk Toshi getting hurt. I knew Cell wasn't lying when he said that my life was the only one he spared. If something came up again then he'd most likely let whatever force it was feed on Toshi until he was no more. Therefore…I had to make a choice.
"Cell," I began, trying very hard to avoid eye contact. "I'm going with Toshi."
He stared at me coldly, a bit of surprise and perhaps annoyance locked in his eyes. "You chose a human over me?" He asked his teeth nearly clenched. "After all I've done for you, Layrial?"
"I have to," I said softly. "Toshi and I will find a place to hide until this is all over. I can't let him die because of me."
"Very well," Cell said. "Then you won't mind if I take my leave."
"I'm sorry, Cell," I said and looked away. Cell paused for a moment, my thoughts being that he figured I'd say 'oh forget it, I'm going with you,' but when it didn't come he flew away.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Toshi and I had walked approximately half a mile before we reached any residential areas. He claimed that his condominium was located another mile and a half away. I voted for dodging into the nearest restaurant or office building, but he insisted we went to his place as to not have to worry about any further trouble.
The only thing bugging me, though, was Cell. I had really thrown him away in a matter of ten minutes. I won't say that he doesn't deserve to have his ego bruised, but it wasn't my intention to do it in the way I did. If Toshi hadn't shown up I probably would've gone to where Cell decided I belonged, but I couldn't leave my friend hanging. Cell would carry me if he wanted to leave—Toshi couldn't follow.
"I'm proud of you," Toshi said with a small smile, trying very hard to break the silence.
"Why?" I asked dully.
"Because you gave him up," he replied. "I could see he had his mind tricks preying on you."
"He doesn't have any mind tricks," I told him.
"Well he obviously was—"
"He doesn't have any sort of lame tricks!" I yelled. I stopped in the middle of the street, my fists clenched and arms straight next to my side.
"Yeah," Toshi agreed when he saw how fiercely I looked at him. He began walking again, ahead of me this time, and I felt ashamed. He was just trying to help…I guess.
Before we reached the end of the street a massive explosion filled our ears. Both of us stopped and turned around to witness a huge black cloud rising into the blue sky. I quickly wondered if Cell was the reason for such a commotion.
"I don't even want to know," Toshi said as he started down the street again. "The quicker we're indoors the better."
"I'm telling you that we should just go in someplace now," I said with bitterness. He was actually starting to get on my nerves.
"These are private homes," he said. "People would never let us in."
"Then maybe we should've gone into one of the places I suggested before we started this stupid trip!" That was my breaking point. I realized then that Toshi was trying to take control and had the nerve to treat me like a child. He made me leave my protector and submit myself to the horrors that now roamed the streets, of which we were so far lucky as to not have encountered yet.
"Layrial, I'm just trying to—" he started, but I quickly cut him off.
"No Toshi, you're not trying to do anything but satisfy your own needs," I snapped. "You've wanted me to go out with you since the day we met and this gives you a perfect opportunity to act like a hero. All you're trying to do is light up my eyes into seeing you as some sort of knight in shining armor. Well guess what, you're not having that effect on me. Actually, you hurt me. You treated me like I was a damn prize when you showed up when Cell was there and now you're leading me around this damn town like it's your own. I'm not your wife—I never will be—and I have no reason to stay here with you. I'm going back to a restaurant or whatever and hiding there. I'd hate to think what you'd "try" to do when we got to your damn home."
And with that I turned away and stomped off. I felt no regret from anything I just said. I almost wanted to laugh at the look he was giving me as I yelled. Everything I said was true and there was no reason for me to dwell on its accuracy.
"Layrial!"
I told myself not to turn around. There was no way I was going to surrender after I just told him off. There was absolutely no way on this damn earth that I would let him take the lead again.
"Layrial!"
"WHAT!" I hollered and twisted around, prepared to start another fight if need be.
Only…he wasn't calling me to try to mend things. He was calling me because there was a major problem. I couldn't count how many, but there were enough zombies to line the width of the street one, maybe two times. My mouth fell open and I felt like I couldn't breathe. My voice's volume must've alerted them to life-forms nearby. Toshi held his hands out, as if to calm them, and slowly backed away. This group of zombies, however, knew nothing of negotiation. They actually seemed different than the first three we encountered after getting out of the school. These guys looked like something out of a horror film. Their skin sagged terribly, their eyes were practically covered over white, and they walked as if they were mechanical robots with rusty joints.
"Toshi, don't stare at them," I said as he got closer to me. I tried to keep my voice low and calm. Trust me, it wasn't easy to do.
"They're going to kill us…" he said over his shoulder, his mouth tightly clamped.
My heart was torn between two things at that moment. First, if I had stayed with Cell I'd have no worries with something like this. Second, if I stayed will Cell, Toshi would be all alone with these creatures of the dead. Either way, I lost.