Dragon Ball Z: Dynasty
Written by: Feraligreater328 and StevenBodner
Edited by: StevenBodner and SparkerLightning
A/N: Hey all! I'm not sure yet, I might squeeze out 106 before then...but this might be the last chapter of the year. So, rather than risk it, I just want to get this out of the way now. Thank you for another year of love and viewership, all of you. I don't have time to list every name that left me a review or a comment this year, because that would be quite long. But I just want you all to know I read every single review I get from top-to-bottom. They make me laugh, they make me think, and they make me consider how to go about progressing the story going forward. I have a plan, but how I implement this plan is often based on how you all respond.
Now, to name a few specific people...I wanna point out seven people specifically. Auzz and Cat, thanks for being my buds and being into everything I write. Jalen, thanks for being an advocate and talking me up to everyone you talk to. Steven and Sparker, thanks for being my put-upon editors who are always willing to put up with me. AnderArias, thanks for being the guy who maintains the TVTropes page. Not only does that mean a lot, but it helps me better plan all of this out. And Sasha just...thanks Sasha. Love you.
Merry Christmas everybody! And, should I not get 106 out before then, Happy New Year as well! :)
Chapter 105: Game Over
On the battlefield...
Gohan's agonized screams washed over the entire battlefield as Cell stood in triumph before the horrified Z-Fighters. Krillin gasped in a hushed voice. "This is a nightmare...this can't be real..."
Cell took a deep breath. "A nightmare, you say? Oh Krillin...nightmares are tame in comparison to the horrors I have in store for all of you. I am alive and that is a justification for celebration. So, I am afraid that the old, nice Cell that you have grown accustomed to will be taking a back seat for the time being as I rend every last one of you limb-from-limb!"
Vegeta snapped. "HOW ARE YOU ALIVE?!"
Cell pressed his hand to his chest, acting faux surprised at Vegeta's fury. But that quickly turned into a mocking laugh. "Dr. Gero was quite an idiot to have told me his endgame for what my life would be...but he was still quite the genius when it came to strategizing revenge. He definitely wanted his creations to have the last laugh over Goku~"
Everyone flinched. Cell smirked. "Think of it like a black-box. If my body senses that it is about to self-destruct, then it is tuned to create a Keystone Nucleus. A small cluster of vital cells from my various donors that is generated upon mortal peril. So dense that it is able to survive even the most destructive of catastrophes and the worst of disasters! A long story made short...I AM IMMORTAL! YOU WILL NEVER BE RID OF ME!"
The Z-Fighters were all aghast. A shiver ran across all of their shoulders. Cell slowly began to walk forward. "Namekian Regeneration! The Saiyan Zenkai! The Pure Progress of Frieza's race! Perfect doesn't even begin to describe me! I am Super Perfect!"
Cell raised his hands and his power flared, golden aura and electricity crackled at his fingertips. "And that power that Gohan managed to unlock is now at my fingertips as well~!"
Piccolo snarled. "Everyone be on your guard! We-"
A beam shot past Piccolo's head and crashed directly into Chiaotzu's forehead. The beam drilled through Chiaotzu's skull and blasted out the other side, blowing the little warrior's brains out. Chiaotzu flopped against the ground, instantly dead, and everyone was left stunned silent. Cell blew a curling string of smoke off of his fingertip. "I had forgotten all about Chiaotzu in my previous tallies. But now, I have officially defeated every last one of you!"
This act of senseless violence was what broke the ice. Tien, his body broken and battered, rushed forward with a primal scream. "CELL! YOU BASTARD!"
Tien threw a punch with all of his leftover strength. Cell caught it with a single hand and, with no effort, he tossed Tien backwards into Yamcha's arms. Yamcha awkwardly caught his friend and glared up at the monster, just in time to have Cell jam his hand through the defenseless warrior's chest. Yamcha coughed up a jet of blood and Tien called out. "Yam-"
Cell cut Tien off with a hammer-fist to the side of the head, knocking Tien from Yamcha's grasp and driving the three-eyed warrior harshly through the barren ground. Yamcha collapsed on top of Tien, unconscious, and the two warriors became still. Cell cackled. "Now then...eeny, meeny, miny-"
*POP*
Cell appeared behind the unaware Krillin and smirked as he drew his leg back for a devastating kick. "Moe~"
Before Cell could literally kick Krillin's head off, however, Piccolo leapt into the fray and crossed kicks with the monster. The two of them bared their legs against one another and Piccolo snarled. "Attend to Gohan! I'll handle this!"
Krillin gasped. "P-Piccolo?!"
Piccolo snarled and, in his rage, the Namekian had nineteen copies of himself split out and leap from his back. All equally furious, the twenty Piccolos rushed at Cell and began to attack the monster. Moving as gently and freely as a spring breeze, Cell calmly dodged each and every attack from the furious Namekian with no effort. Two clones struck down at his feet, but Cell was able to leap over them and blast each through the heart with a Death Beam. Two more came from the sides, but Cell simply punched their heads off.
Ten of the Piccolos rained from above, each with a Makosen charged. Cell chuckled and raised his hand into the air. "All Clear~"
A green veil appeared, glazing over Cell's palm. The monster thrust his hand up through one of the clone Piccolo's chests and then, with a twist, he caught the other nine as well. All ten Piccolo's were shredded by the ribbon of energy, blended down into a purple slurry and left to rain down from the sky. The original Piccolo watched in horror as, one by one, the remaining five clones of himself were struck down. The final clone landed on the ground and Cell sent a Death Beam shooting through its head. And then, the monster glowered down at the final Piccolo left standing. "Are you scared, Piccolo?"
Piccolo was frozen. Cell chuckled and raised his hand high. "Die."
As Cell brought his hand down, however, he was set upon by another warrior. Vegeta came flying in and kicked the monster's hand away, saving Piccolo's life. The Prince landed next to the Namekian and screamed. "Get your damned head into the game, Namekian!"
Piccolo sneered and gripped his fists as he faced down the overwhelming strength of Cell. "Right!"
Cell smirked. "Piccolo and Vegeta working together? This is a surprise. You two must feel pretty bad about being the direct cause of the Earth's downfall~! Would it not have been more reasonable to just get Gohan a therapist after all was said and done. Or, perhaps, realize that the mental state of one boy doesn't equate to a planet full of people?"
The monster took a step forward. "Would it have been that bad to just let Gohan turn into an emotionally broken vegetable? At least he'd have a tomorrow to look forward to."
Off to the side...
As a hopeless fight against Cell went on behind them, Future Trunks, Future Goten, and Raditz were all pale-faced and silent. Future Ranch laid on the ground, her face a ghastly white. Future Trunks tenderly held her hand, feeling the warmth rapidly drain from it. "N-No. Ranch...no..."
Future Goten was hyperventilating. Raditz couldn't force the words. Future Ranch held up her hand, tears building in her eyes as it trembled and shook. "M...m..."
Future Trunks gripped her tight. "No, don't speak! Save your strength! We'll get you to Dende and-"
Future Ranch stared up at the sky as the Sun faded behind dark, dark cloud. In the last rays of light, she saw the silhouette of someone who she desperately craved to see one more time. A single tear escaped and slid down Future Ranch's cheek and she gasped her final word. "Mom..."
The sunlight faded and so did the silhouette of Future Launch. And the Future Ranch's eyes rolled back and she fell limp in the arms of her wailing fiancé. Future Goten fell to his knees and Raditz's shoulders sagged. Future Ranch was dead.
Future Trunks, as his peers cried out around him, was silent. He gently set his beloved onto the ground, slipped his wedding ring off of his finger and onto hers, and closed her eyelids so that she could be at peace.
And then, Future Trunks got to his feet...and his power exploded! Future Trunks, erupting with Super Saiyan power, turned and took off at high-speeds. He rushed forward towards the single target of his fury and screamed at the top of his lungs. "CELL!"
Back with the fight...
Screaming with fury, grief, and utter rage, Future Trunks shoved the battling Piccolo and Vegeta out of the way and shoulder-tackled into Cell. He and the monster both went crashing backwards. Cell did a flip and landed on his feet just in time to meet a punch from the livid half-Saiyan. Cell flinched back, but his smile didn't fade. "Oh my, Trunks, look at you~"
Lightning crackled out from Future Trunks' body and his gritted his teeth so hard it seemed like they might shatter. Cell chuckled. "My word...you've unlocked that same well of power that Gohan managed to. Did I kill someone important to you?"
The monster's voice was dripping with mockery and sarcasm. "Did you love Chiaotzu that much?"
Future Trunks screamed and tried to throw another punch. However, Cell caught it with ease. "Poor Trunks. Poor, poor Trunks. This would have been impressive a few minutes ago, but now you're just chasing a trend~"
Cell gripped his hand over Future Trunks' face and began to charge a blast. "Give Ranch a smooch for me~!"
*POP*
Raditz came in with Instant Warp and furiously kicked Cell in the head with his Oozaru Force power. Caught off-guard, Cell was sent flying a few feet off to the side. Paying no mind to Piccolo, Vegeta, or Future Trunks, Raditz rushed at Cell and tried to throw another punch. Cell easily feinted out of the way and responded with a brutal elbow straight into Raditz's nose.
Raditz crashed to the ground, but he was quickly replaced by Future Trunks rushing in with his sword drawn. "Burn in hell, you insect bastard!"
Future Trunks brought his sword down to slice Cell in half, but the monster reacted quickly. He formed a Rebellion's Edge over his left hand and, with one swift motion, he sliced Future Trunks' blade in two. The warrior gasped and Cell smiled. The monster snatched the severed blade from the air and wicked gears began to turn in his head. Finally, before Future Trunks could defend, Cell turned the broken blade back towards its former master and plunged it deep into Future Trunks' stomach.
Future Trunks' eyes went wide and Cell let loose a sadistic laugh. And then, just to really lay it on, he ripped out the blade, twisted it 90 degrees, and thrust it back in again. Future Trunks' mouth fell open and he vomited up a jet of blood as he fell from the air and landed on his knees. Cell raised his hand up and aimed his palm down at the critically injured warrior. "Goodbye, Trunks~"
However, before Cell could execute the future teen, Piccolo and Vegeta both came rushing in. The two warriors tackled into Cell and Vegeta snarled. "Don't get cocky! Just moments ago you were little more than a blip on anyone's radar!"
Cell slid back and quickly recovered, chuckling as he stared down these two thorns in his side. "Oh really? Well, tell me this Vegeta...did the past really happen? History is written by the victors, after all, and as far as I am concerned...well..."
He cackled. "The story of the Cell Games goes like this: Goku and his friends showed up, fell to their knees begging for their lives, and were all summarily executed for my amusement~"
Piccolo sneered. "You haven't won yet! We're still standing!"
Vegeta scowled. "You were kissing Gohan's feet only minutes ago! We'll force you into the position again!"
Cell smirked. "Vegeta, we've discussed this~! Without written or video proof, there's no way to convince anyone that things in the past actually occurred. That's why, after all this time, you really have no proof whatsoever that your father ever said 'I love you, son'~"
Vegeta gasped. "Wha-"
Cell cleared the distance between them in that single instance and crashed his knee right into Vegeta's face. And then, without missing a beat, the monster twisted in the air and harshly kicked Piccolo in the head, smashing the Namekian face-first into the ground.
As Vegeta and Piccolo both struggled to get back up, Cell loomed over them. "Heh. You two are tied, in my rankings. You're both number two. As in... there is only one person above the two of you in terms of who I will find more satisfaction in tormenting to death~"
As Cell talked down to Piccolo and Vegeta, Future Trunks ripped the blade from his gut. He was barely able to stay conscious, most of his blood now staining his pants and the ground in front of him. "You...you wife-killing bastard..."
Future Trunks closed his eyes and thought about Bardock, Goku, Chiaotzu, and his beloved Future Ranch. And then, his eyes reopened and his power flared to the max. "Take this, you!"
The warrior charged as much of his power as he could into the broken blade. And then, with all the force he could muster, he threw the blade right at Cell.
As the blade hurdled through the air, Cell sighed and held up a single finger as his foes got back to their feet. "Just one moment, Piccolo and Vegeta, I have a loose end to cut..."
Without even looking, the monster held up his left hand and caught the flying blade. He tossed the piece of metal from his left hand to his right. And then, he turned on his heel, charged the blade with his own ki, and tossed it back towards Future Trunks with all of his strength. Future Trunks barely had the energy to stay conscious, much less move. And so, the blade hit its target dead on.
Future Trunks gasped and stammered, unable to form words. Slowly, his Super Saiyan form gave way to pale lavender hair. A large fountain of blood ran down the center of Future Trunks' face. And then, he slumped over and fell to the ground in a heap. Future Trunks, just like his beloved fiancé, was dead. Cell turned back to Vegeta and Piccolo and smirked. "Who's next?"
Vegeta was shaking. He screamed at the top of his lungs and his Super Saiyan power flared. The Prince started to lunge. "You son of a-"
Quick as a bolt of lightning, Cell shot forward a kick and crashed it right into the side of Vegeta's right leg. The femur in Vegeta's upper thigh shattered almost immediately, his leg turning into a limp noodle and waving about. Vegeta screamed in pain and stumbled over to the side, gripping his broken limb. Cell nodded. "Thank you, dear Prince, for stepping up. Now...wanna see something neat?"
Vegeta cringed, watching as Cell pressed his fingers to his forehead. "Not to state the obvious, but I managed to learn how Goku's Instant Transmission works~ And, well, I just thought of the most devilish use of it. You see..."
Cell used Instant Transmission, but he did not go far. Instead, he simply teleported even closer to Vegeta. Vegeta watched in horror as Cell began to appear right in front of him. But the Prince looked down and saw something even more horrifying than that. Cell's hand was extended forward, and it was reappearing in the same space that Vegeta's remaining leg was occupying. Vegeta gasped. "Shit!"
And then, Cell's hand fully teleported. Taking up the same space as Vegeta's leg, the two forms of matter could not occupy the same area. Cell's hand and Vegeta's leg both swelled, and then they burst. The explosion forced Cell to brace himself, meanwhile Vegeta was sent flying backward. The Prince landed on the ground, screaming in agony and holding his bleeding leg stump. Cell, on the other hand, simply used his Namekian genes to regrow his ruined appendage. "Instant Transmission is such a powerful ability. I love it~"
The monster aimed his hand toward Vegeta and began to charge a blast. Vegeta struggled to move, but the pain of losing his leg kept him frozen in place. Cell smiled wide and fired a massive, killer blast. "Goodbye, Vegeta!"
Vegeta gasped, staring death straight in the face. But, before the attack could land, a green Energy Barrier suddenly formed between the two. The blast crashed into the Energy Barrier and made it shatter into pieces, but Vegeta was left unharmed by the attack. Both the Prince and Cell turned to glance at the source of the barrier, seeing Android 17 standing there with his hands extended. "I won't just let you have your way, Cell! I-"
A Death Beam hit Android 17 dead-center in the chest and sent him flying off of his feet. The raven-haired Android fell flat on his back as Cell regarded him with little more than disinterest and contempt. "Nice shield, but...who are you again?"
Cell turned back to Vegeta and Piccolo and cackled. "Well, come on! We aren't done yet! Stand, the both of you! STAND AND BREAK YOUR BACK OVER THE WORLD'S MOST PERFECT MOUNTAIN!"
Piccolo stood and rushed at Cell. "Damn you!"
The monster smirked and began to exchange blows with the Namekian, matching him punch-for-punch and kick-for-kick. After a few moments, Cell slapped one of Piccolo's hands away and reached forward, grabbing the Namekian's left antenna and snatching it off with a small pop. Piccolo pressed his hand to his forehead and snarled in frustration. Cell placed a hand on Piccolo's shoulder, leaned forward, and whispered right next to his ear. "Keep struggling. Keep it up. Every moment you remain entertaining is another precious moment of life the people of Earth get to enjoy~"
Off to the side...
In desperation, Krillin carefully began to scoop Gohan off of the ground. The boy was still screaming in agonized pain, holding his bloody arm stump. Krillin whispered. "It's okay, buddy. I'll pick you up and get you out of-"
Suddenly, a Special Beam Cannon came shooting in and drove right into Krillin's left side. The drilling blast came shredding out of Krillin's right side and crashed into a nearby mountain. Krillin coughed up blood and stumbled forward, dropping Gohan back to the ground and falling flat on his face. Moments later Piccolo, with a massive hole drilled through his chest, came flying in and crashed next to Krillin. Cell's laughter rang out loud. "Where did you think you were going, Krillin! You can't leave and neither can that brat!"
Gohan's eyes cracked open and he moaned. "K-Krillin..."
Krillin was still on the ground, blood rushing out of his wound. The monk's ki was fading quickly as well. In just a few more seconds, he too would die. But then, a bolt of energy shot forward and crashed into Krillin's body. Rather than exploding, however, the ki entered into the little, bald warrior and somewhat revitalized him. Krillin was unconscious and critical, but at least he was alive. Cell was briefly confused, but then he turned and chuckled. "You revel in futility, don't you?"
Vegeta was struggling to stay up, balanced on one broken leg and the bleeding stump of a missing one, it was clear that fury was the only thing keeping the Saiyan Prince going. Cell sighed. "Would it not be easier to just die and go console your son? I'm sure he's kicking himself down in Hell~"
A vein bulged from Vegeta's forehead and he screamed with rage. The Prince smashed his fist against his chest, his Super Saiyan power flaring, and then he rushed at Cell once more. Cell didn't say a word, simply just fanning his arms to the side and beckoning Vegeta forward.
Unfortunately, the sounds that echoed out after that made it pretty clear just how much of a chance they had. Piccolo and Vegeta, both similar in strength, were the last two lines of defense that the Earth had. And Vegeta's cries of pain and anguish as Cell manhandled him made hope for victory seem more and more foolish with each passing second. And yet, still, resistance against this inevitable doom played out.
As Vegeta received the beating of his life from his cruel and sadistic opponent, Future Goten flew into the scene. The boy had dried tears streaked down his face. It was clear that he was grieving the loss of so many people, no less his two dearest friends. But, in spite of that, he could not just sit by. Especially while his little, older brother laid on the ground in such agony. Future Goten picked Gohan up and held him close. "Don't worry, Gohan. I won't let you die in this timeline. I refuse to..."
Future Goten gripped his brother tight and began to fly away, aiming to get Gohan to Dende and restore his arm. But, as with so many others before, it was made clear that this wouldn't be allowed. Future Goten barely made it ten feet off of the ground before a massive blast came shooting in and crashed into his back. The future teen screamed and dropped from the sky like a weight, landing on his knees. Cell called out to him. "Hold on one moment, I'll be with you shortly~!"
Future Goten turned to look behind him and gasped at the horrible sight that met his eyes. Vegeta was dangling limply from Cell's grip. The Prince looked like he had been put through a wheat thresher. Cell smirked at Future Goten and dropped Vegeta to the ground with a wet splatter. Much like so many other of Earth's greatest warriors, Vegeta was now permanently out of the fight. The monster stepped over Piccolo's prone form and began to march towards Future Goten. "Oh no, that child in your arms will not be getting away. He's the cherry on top of this misery-dessert I am so greatly enjoying the taste of~"
Future Goten got to his feet and began to run forward. Cell sighed and pointed a finger towards him. The genetic abomination fired a Death Beam that pierced into the lone teen's back. Future Goten stumbled, but he kept moving forward in spite of the pain. Cell fired another Death Beam. And another. And another. And another yet. And then, with one final Death Beam, Future Goten finally fell to his knees once again. Cell wolf-whistled. "Five Death Beams. Impressive."
The monster lunged forward. "But, unfortunately, not nearly impressive enough!"
Cell drew his arm to the side and focused on Future Goten's neck. He was going to slice the boy's head off with a single strike. But then, to Cell's annoyance, a former challenger rejoined the fight. Raditz rushed in, nose gushing with blood and Oozaru Force raging. He clashed against Cell's chop with one of his own and caused a stalemate with the monster. "No! You won't be killing anyone else! I won't let you, damn it!"
Raditz turned and glared back at the barely conscious Future Goten. He shouted. "Take Gohan and get out of here! Go!"
Future Goten breathlessly nodded, gripping Gohan close with one arm and dragging himself away with the other. Cringing at the sight of his surrogate son in such a state, Raditz nonetheless turned and prepared to fight. "I won't let you have your way, Cell!"
In response to that, Cell merely laughed. He laughed good and long and hard. "Won't let me have my way?! Raditz, what do you think I've been doing the past few minutes?!"
Raditz flinched, but gripped his fists tight. Cell continued to laugh, wiping a tear from his eye with his finger. "Do you really think that you are going to be the one to stop me?! You?! The one Saiyan on this battlefield that can't even go Super Saiyan?!"
Cell took a heavy step forward and Raditz shuddered. Cell looked the warrior up and down. "About that, actually...why aren't you Super Saiyan, again?"
Raditz mouth went dry. Cell cocked his head. "I mean, come on. Where's the golden glow, Raditz? You're acting upset by everything I've done and yet you STILL haven't turned? After all of the people that I've slaughtered and after all the torment that I've wrought? I mean, I guess Bardock is forgivable...I killed him while you were fighting my children. And I guess Goku is forgivable because, technically, Goku killed himself. But, after what I did to Ranch, you still haven't turned?"
The older brother was shuddering as Cell got closer and closer. The monster sighed and pressed his hand to his forehead. "I guess what I'm asking is..."
Cell leaned into close to Raditz's face, so close their noses nearly touched. The monster smirked. "Do you not love your daughter~?"
Raditz gasped in shock, his eyes going wide, and Cell took advantage. He delivered a brutal uppercut to the older brother, sending him flying into the air. And then, Cell raised his hand as Raditz began to fall back down. The older brother fell onto Cell's extended palm and a Gravity Impact went off, sending shockwaves throughout Raditz's torso and shattering his ribs and chest. With that done, Cell tossed Raditz off to the side, not even bothering to watch as the warrior crashed against the ground. The monster chuckled, turning his gaze back to Gohan and Future Goten. "Now, where were we?"
Future Goten snarled in frustration and pulled his weapon out of its sheath. "POWER POLE EXTEND!"
The staff immediately began to shoot outward, streaking towards Cell like a red lightning bolt. Cell closed his eyes and chuckled. And then, right as the Power Pole was about to jab into his face, the monster caught it, gave it a yank to pull both it and Future Goten forward, and then thrust it backward. The other end of the Power Pole jabbed into Future Goten's throat and Cell used it to shove the boy back as hard as he could. Future Goten unwillingly dropped Gohan and was sent flying back into a mountain, pinned harshly by his throat against the unforgiving rock.
Cell cruelly watched on as Future Goten choked and gagged, trying his best to fight against Cell's strength but ultimately failing. Eventually, when this got boring, Cell sighed and gripped the Power Pole tight. His energy flooded into the staff, making it splinter and crack. The Power Pole then burst into flames, crumbling apart and becoming little more than ash. And Future Goten was left leaning against the mountainside, looking utterly devastated as the last remnant of his own father was left to scatter in the wind.
Cell marched forward, looking satisfied at the look of devastation on Future Goten's face. As he walked, the monster eventually came upon Gohan, lying still and barely conscious on the ground. He shot Gohan a smug look and stepped over him, continuing to walk forward. Gohan hazily listened as the metallic, clomping footsteps got farther and farther away. But then, Gohan was caught off-guard as they suddenly started getting closer again. The boy attempted to lift his head to see what was going on, only for Cell's foot to suddenly stomp down on his bloody, arm stump. Gohan's eyes shot open wide and he screamed in agony as Cell stomped down on his arm again and again. Once Gohan's pained screams were back, full force, Cell chuckled. "Ah, yes, like a symphony to the ears~"
With that bit of needless cruelty out of the way, Cell turned his attention back towards Future Goten. The monster walked forward. He loomed over Future Goten with a glowering grin, and then he reared his leg backwards and kicked the boy hard in the chest. Future Goten attempted to grab Cell's foot, but the monster easily snatched it away and kicked him in the chest again. He assaulted Future Goten with all of his strength, making sure each kick was painfully felt. And then Cell began to rant back at Gohan. "Tell me, boy! Where is your fire at?! Where's the anger?! The passion?! Hell...where's the humor?! Are you finding this torment hilarious?! What about those hands of yours, wherever they went, are they having a nice laugh as I torture all of your friends and loved ones to death?!"
Cell shot a blistering look back at Gohan, thrusting his open palm towards Future Goten's head. "I'm not hearing any laughter, Gohan! Maybe it would entertain you if I blew this one's head into chunks! How about that?!"
The monster turned his attention back to Future Goten and summoned a massive blast. "Begone!"
The blast went flying from Cell's palm and down to the unconscious Future Goten. However, to Cell's surprise, the blast did not hit Future Goten's head. Instead, it collided into a sudden, green Energy Barrier and dispersed into nothing. Cell groaned. "Oh, for the love of...would it kill you to just die?!"
The monster turned to face down the source of the barrier, Android 17, only to be confused by what he saw. 17 was still on the ground, hole in his chest from the Death Beam, lying completely still. The only part of 17 that showed any sign of consciousness was his right hand, trembling and jerking around as it struggled to maintain the barrier. Cell lost interest in Future Goten, instead walking over to Android 17's body. And what he saw when he stood over the body amused the monster to no end. "Well, well, well...look who it is~"
Sitting on 17's wrists, dug into the raven-haired Android's skin, was a single, metallic insect with a red "#16" printed onto its back. Cell smirked. "16! You're still alive~! How pleasant! You get to live through what I'm going to do to this planet just like everyone else does..."
Cell reared his leg back, kicking Android 17 harshly in the ribs and sending him flying. Both the raven-haired Android and his robo-insectoid comrade crashed hard into the distance, totally powerless to do anything more to Cell. With those pests dealt with for the final time, Cell turned his attention back to the half-Saiyan brothers. He chuckled. "Look at this~"
Gohan, in spite of his injuries, was dragging himself across the ground to check on Future Goten. The last living member of the Future Trio was in a bad way. He was beaten, broken, and very bloody. And, most of all, he was totally unconscious. Cell sighed. "I'm sorry, Gohan. I've been giving everyone attention but you. Let me fix that...PERFECT SHOT!"
A green ball of energy formed into Cell's hand and he immediately levied it at Gohan. The boy was utterly helpless in the face of this attack. He was struggling to get to his feet and he was down an arm. Not knowing what else to do, Gohan tried his best to shield Future Goten with his body and braced himself for impact. But that impact never came.
Hearing the Perfect Shot collide with something, Gohan turned and gasped in shock. Piccolo, in spite of the injuries Cell had dealt him, had leapt into the fray. Taking the Perfect Shot head on, Piccolo defended Gohan and Future Goten. The attack exploded in the Namekian's face and blew his arms off, sending Piccolo flying into a smoking heap in the distance. And so, with that final warrior out of the way, all of the Z-Fighters were left beaten and unconscious. The only two people left standing on the battlefield were Gohan and Cell.
Cell chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Go on, Gohan. Take your time. I'll wait for you to get up..."
Struggling, and trying his best not to hurt Future Goten, Gohan eventually managed to get to his feet. But it was clear that there wasn't much there. Gohan gripped his bleeding arm stump. Being on his feet only seemed to make the blood pour out even faster. Gohan glared at Cell and tried to summon his true power, but was only able to produce standard Super Saiyan. And, even with that, the boy was barely able to keep his eyes open. Cell wickedly chuckled and shook his head. "Poor Gohan. Poor, pathetic Gohan..."
The monster looked around, gazing upon his fallen foes before locking his eyes back to the boy. "Ah, who am I kidding? At least you're standing to face your death. That's the only way for a true warrior to die~"
Cell took to the air, rising high up and staring up at the overcast sky. Cell's energy swelled and the entire world began to tremble in fear. This well and truly appeared to be it. Cell chuckled. "This is where the Earth ends, Gohan! Aren't you excited?! I'm going to launch an attack directly into the planet's core and then watch it explode before I surf that shockwave all the way to Namek! What do you think?"
Gohan was on the verge of despair. As Cell loomed over him, the boy simply let his shoulders sag as his eyes hit the floor. He had failed. Cell had won. Cell smirked and raised his hand, charging a Perfect Shot. "Don't worry, Gohan! I'll make sure that's it's painless for you, at least! I'll hit you dead on and blow you to pieces!"
Feeling Cell's deadly energy charge above his head, Gohan looked around at all of his friends scattered around the battlefield, some barely clinging to life and a few dead. Yamcha and Tien were laying in a heap next to Chiaotzu's corpse, Future Trunks' body laid lifeless to the side, Raditz was unmoving, Krillin was near death, Vegeta was practically floating in a pool of his own blood, Android 17 was limp on the ground as the powerless, and much-reduced 16 watched on, Future Goten was slumped against a rock, and Piccolo was down for the count as well.
Gohan looked around a bit more and his eyes landed on Future Ranch's corpse, cold and alone off in the distance. He looked from her to that shattered set of empty chest armor that once belonged to his Grandpa Bardock. Gohan bit his lip, drawing blood, and then a single scrap of orange fabric fluttered in front of his face. The boy remembered his father, his grandfather, and his older cousin. He remembered their belief in him during their entire time in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
The boy gripped his remaining fist tight. And then, all at once, his recently unlocked power returned full-force. Gohan's hair stood tall and electricity crackled in the air around him. Gohan glared up at Cell and the monster flinched, his Perfect Shot dispersing. Trying to maintain his cool. Cell smirked. "Heheheh! Are we angry~? Is that it?!"
Gohan nodded. "I am. I'm very angry, Cell. But, honestly, it's not even at you. I'm angry at myself, right now..."
Cell fell silent. Gohan sneered. "I'm angry at myself, Cell. I'm angry at the fact that I was willing to just stand there and let you have your way..."
Cell laughed. "Oh, so you suddenly think you can beat me when you're so injured and down an arm?!"
Gohan sighed. "Who knows...? But... NO ONE THAT I KNOW WOULD JUST STAND THERE AND TAKE IT! WHETHER YOU KILL ME OR NOT DOESN'T MATTER! BECAUSE I WON'T LET YOU BEAT ME, CELL!"
The boy's palm filled with ki and he pressed it to his bleeding arm stump, cauterizing it. And then, Gohan drew his arm to the side. "FOR MY DAD, MY GRANDFATHER, MY COUSIN, AND EVERYONE ELSE THAT YOU'VE HURT OR KILLED, I WILL NOT JUST STAND BY AND LET YOU HAVE YOUR WAY!"
The ki began to swell in Gohan's hand and he roared in the face of Earth's cruel tormentor. "KA! ME!"
Cell was stunned, a smile spreading across his face as maddened laughter echoed from his throat. Every other fighter, all of these people with lifetimes of experience, was down for the count. And yet, this boy was standing strong in the face of it all. And, what's more, the boy was charging an attack with the goal of defeating Cell.
The monster continued to laugh, and laugh hard at that. But then, all of that joviality and mirth was replaced with brutal rage and a violent. "YOU SMARMY LITTLE BASTARD! HOW DARE YOU PUFF OUT YOUR INSIGNIFICANT LITTLE CHEST AT ME?!"
Cell drew both of his hands to the side. "KA! ME!"
Flying through the air, towards the Cell Games battlefield...
Gine and Android 18 both looked determined. They might not have had the power to deal with Cell directly, but the two of them were laser-focused on providing help however they could. Miles behind them, in a Capsule Airplane, the rest of the party from Goku's house were flying in as well to provide support.
"HA!"
At Mr. Satan's house...
The entire Earth seemed to be shaking, the planet quivering in its boots as it's the decision over its fate came to the forefront. As the house shook, Videl stayed calm. She simply grabbed onto her frail mother and held her tight. "It's okay, Mama, I'm here for you!"
Miguel had given up hope, clinging onto her daughter as hard as she could. "Oh Videl..."
"ME!"
On the Cell Games battlefield...
Mr. Satan stirred awake, laying in a pile of rubble next to an unconscious Jimmy Firecracker. The Champ was beaten pretty badly, but he still managed to sit up. "What the hell is goin' on?"
Meanwhile, Gohan and Cell both stared at each other with unflinching hatred; two mortal enemies that both knew they could not exist peacefully so long as the other did. At the same time, they each levied their hands forward and fired their final shots at one another. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
The two beams crashed towards one another at break-neck speed and met right in the middle. The resulting clash created a sonic boom so intense that it made the surrounding mountains crack and crumble into pieces. The resulting dome of energy shined between them, like a massive star having formed within the Earth's very atmosphere. One side of this orb of power glowed a heroic blue, the other side a vile green. And the two colors seemed to struggle against one another for supremacy.
As the Earth cracked beneath his feet, it became clear to Gohan that he was at an immediate disadvantage. The full weight of Cell's power was pressing down on him, making even gravity itself seem like an encouraging pat on the shoulder. And yet, with a righteous scream of defiance, the boy continued to resist. He put all of his energy and his focus behind his own blast, pushing harder and harder against Cell's attack to hold it in check.
However, this defiance only served to make Cell even angrier. Putting aside all pretenses of being cool or collected, Cell resorted to psychotic ranting as he pressed harder and harder down onto Gohan's head with his blasts. "DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!"
Cell screamed, the rage in his voice twinged by just a hint of mortal fear. "JUST DIE AND BE FORGOTTEN! YOU ARE NOTHING COMPARED TO ME! YOU'RE A MEASELY LITTLE CHILD, AND I AM THE GODDAMNED PERFECT BEING!"
With a primal scream, Cell forced even more power into his attack and Gohan was sent crashing to one knee. The boy was rapidly reaching his limit. It was torture to even keep his remaining arm straight as the muscle-fibers within began to wear out and rapidly tear. Gohan squeezed his eyes shut, giving it his all. "No... I can't just let it end like this..."
Seeing this more submissive stance, Cell managed to regain a bit of composure. He cackled and shouted. "There we are! Now you understand! You, and all of your friends, and this planet, and the entire solar system can burn away in my perfect might!"
Gohan groaned and struggled, every bit of his body straining under the pressure. "I...I..."
"Little Cousin, you can do this. You've gotta stand up!"
Gohan gasped, his eyes flying open. Rapidly, he looked around for the source of that voice. "R-Ranch...?"
Future Ranch's voice chuckled. "We were going to have my wedding after all of this. You remember that, don't you?"
Gohan was stunned, he had no idea what was going on. And then, another voice echoed. "You can do this, son! I know you can!"
Gohan gasped again. "D-Dad...?! But...but how?! Where are you guys?!"
And then, another voice spoke. "I must admit, I don't know you all that well...but I believe in you too, Gohan."
Gohan's eyes went wide. "K-King Kai? Wait a minute...are you all talking to me from-"
Above Snake Way...
Goku smiled wide, chuckling. "Yep. Other World~"
Goku floated there, a fresh halo over the top of his head, with his hand pressed down onto the center of King Kai's back. Standing to Goku's left side, Future Ranch had her hand placed on King Kai's left shoulder. King Kai turned to Future Ranch. "You know, cutting in line like that is a one-way ticket to Hell, right?"
Future Ranch shrugged. "Let this King Yemma be mad at me; I don't plan to stay dead in this timeline anyway."
She shook her head. "But that doesn't matter right now. What matters is you, Gohan! You can do this, don't let a bastard like Cell overwhelm you! You're so much better than that!"
Goku nodded. "She's right, Gohan. Cell might be tough, but he's got nothing on my son!"
Gohan sounded like he was struggling, but he managed to speak. "But...I... I let all of you die. If I were stronger, that wouldn't have happened. I... I don't know if I could ever forgive myself for that..."
Future Ranch smiled. "You have nothing to feel sorry over."
Goku chuckled. "And you have nothing to seek forgiveness for, either."
And then, a strong hand pressed itself down onto King Kai's right shoulder.
On the battlefield...
"So, with all of that said, why don't you pull your head out of your ass and get back on your feet, kid?!"
Gohan gasped. "G-Grandpa...?"
Bardock spoke gruffly, but lovingly into Gohan's mind. "Listen here, kid. I didn't sacrifice myself against Cell to make you feel guilty. I did it because that's what a grandfather is meant to do, protect their young'un's until the time comes for the young'un's to take charge!"
Gohan slowly got his foot back under himself. Bardock continued. "Now, I know you don't like feeling angry or anything like that. I get it. But you aren't doing this out of anger, Gohan. You're doing this for the same reason the rest of us would be, Cell's a monster and he wants every innocent person in the entire universe to fear him! He wants everyone you love to fear him! He wants them dead, kid!"
Future Ranch smiled. "But he's not going to get his way! Not as long as a valiant hero like you is there to stop him!"
Goku nodded. "And not as long as you have everyone else behind you, pushing you forward!"
Gohan was back on his feet, tears built in his eyes. He spoke quietly. "I'm not all alone here...?"
Above Snake Way...
King Kai shook his head as he spoke again. "My boy, you are never alone in this life. So long as you live purely and selflessly, so long as your soul remains in the light, you will always and forever have friends by your side~"
King Kai's antennae went straight, electricity sparking between them around his halo. And behind the deity, all three of his Saiyan companions went Super Saiyan.
On the battlefield...
Struggling under the weight of Cell's attack, Gohan was surprised when a pair of combat boots, wreathed by an ethereal glow, stomped onto the ground to the left of him. Future Ranch's spirit, glowing bright blue, chuckled and smirked. "Everyone and their mother know how to do this attack...but I'll admit that I'm giddy to be able to use it like this~"
On the right side, another pair of boots stomped down. Bardock stood next to Gohan, glowing the same blue that Future Ranch was, and he glared up at Cell.
And behind Gohan, a familiar feeling suddenly appeared. Goku's spirit stood tall with that Goku-smile, and drew its arms to the side. "KA!"
Future Ranch drew hers to the side. "ME!"
Bardock drew his to the side. "HA!"
All three of them chanted in unison. "ME!"
The smile returned to Gohan's face, surrounded by the loving warmth of his family members. Joining them in their chant, Gohan and the three ghosts all roared at the same time. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
A balloon of energy formed in the palm of Gohan's hand and shot up through the beam into the ki blast struggle going on in the air. Cell's eyes widened with shock and fury as the pressure pushing against him suddenly and exponentially increased. Sent careening back through the air, Cell shoved all of the power in his body into his own Kamehameha, but this only served to create a stalemate. "No! Stop it! Stop it damn you! JUST DIE! DIE!"
Gohan's legs quivered and his body trembled against all of the pressure going on around him. But the boy did not falter. He turned his glare to the sky and, just as Cell had done, he forced all of the energy out of his body and into the attack. Slowly but surely, with the support of his loved ones, Gohan was gaining the upper hand. In the face of his slowly shrinking advantage, Cell's voice went hoarse. He ranted and raved as he gave it his all to crush his opponent. "No! I will not be bested by a child!"
The sheer force of the beam struggle between Gohan and Cell sent shockwaves rippling across the planet. Buildings collapsed, trees were uprooted, the oceans themselves writhed and boiled. Gohan was doing his best to stay strong, but Cell had simply abandoned all rational thought. His Kamehameha whipped out and sent burning jets of ki shooting all around. The skin and chitinous armor were shredding from Cell's hands and forearms, but he didn't care in the slightest.
A single thought filled Cell's head, overriding all other conscious thought. He screamed, foaming at the mouth as he did. "DIE GOHAN!"
Gohan's body was aching from head-to-toe, but he knew he couldn't afford to falter. Everyone was continuing on him this time. With a defiant glare in the face of evil, Gohan screamed back. "NEVER!"
Above Snake Way...
In spite of Gohan's determination, things were not going so well for King Kai. Even in death, the deity's fever still persisted. And, along with the pressure of having to transmit the energy from Goku, Bardock, and Future Ranch, King Kai was rapidly waning. Bubbles fanned him with a towel and Gregory rapidly massaged pressure points all over King Kai's body, but that was only putting off the inevitable.
Behind King Kai, Bardock, Goku, and Future Ranch all stood. Their eyes glowed with a bright blue light as they focused on helping Gohan overcome this massive obstacle. But, even with their best efforts, the battle was still stalled. The three of them knew they didn't have the time left to wait for Cell's energy to give out. Future Ranch sneered, clearly straining. "What do we do now?!"
Goku was sweating. "This is insane! Is Cell's energy well just bottomless?!"
Bardock snarled. "Damn it..."
The older Saiyan bowed his head and thought to himself. 'If King Kai gives out, Gohan is dead. Even if we were to transmit as much energy as possible to him, he's still down an arm. So how do we win this? What's the alternate angle?'
Bardock thought back to every interaction he'd had with Cell prior to this. Every fight, every conversation, every little moment. He needed to think of something, anything, that could grant them even the smallest leg up. And then, Bardock remembered something that gave him inspiration. Bardock remembered facing down Cell in his Imperfect Form.
'My knowledge on you is both limited and second-hand...'
Quickly, Bardock raised his free hand and slapped it down in top of King Kai's head. The deity cried out. "Ow! What the heck are you doing?!
Bardock didn't answer, instead shouting at the top of his lungs. "HEY! CELL!"
In the air above the battlefield...
Cell had a confident look on his face as he watched Gohan's sudden and unexplained burst of strength wane. Soon enough, the little cockroach would be dead and Cell would have triumphed, being given the liberty to live on with his perfect, Gohan-free life. This moment of triumph, however, was cut off by the sound of Bardock's voice going off in Cell's mind. "HEY! CELL!"
Cell flinched, but then he cackled. "Well, Bardock...what a surprise! Reaching out for a friendly chat from the depths of Hell? Well, I suppose that it's only fair that the last of these miserable fools I ever hear from be you, the first one I killed~! So, I will allow you to decide. You get to decide the finally eulogy for Planet Earth!"
Bardock sighed. "Eulogy, eh? Well...I ain't the best at prepared speeches and all. So, I'll just have to keep something like that simple. I'm thinkin'...six words..."
Cell mockingly chuckled, pressing down as he felt Gohan's power begin to wane even further. "Go ahead! You don't have long left before the Earth pops like a grape~!"
Bardock smirked. "You have my genes."
Cell flinched. "Wha-"
Bardock concluded his eulogy. "Future Vision."
Cell sneered. "What the hell are you talking abaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa..."
The monster's eyes went wide, his pupils shrinking and blood pouring out of his nose.
On the ground, the pressure from Cell was suddenly cut in half. Gohan was stunned, wondering what happened. His three companions, however, all shouted in unison. "GOHAN! PUSH NOW!"
Seeing his opportunity, the power within Gohan's very soul swelled. And then, with one massive scream of primal fury, Gohan shoved all of his power into the Kamehameha and pushed both his attack and Cell's attack up towards the monster. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Cell was just floating there, in a trance and unaware as death drew ever closer. The monster mumbled to himself. "A female scientist...?"
But then, finally, Cell was able to snap himself back into reality. Just in time to see a massive, blue ball of energy crashing towards him. Cell cried out. "OH SHIT!"
Abandoning his own Kamehameha, Cell simply pressed his hands against the oncoming attack and held it back with brute strength. "Damn you, Bardock. You think that distracting me with a parlor trick is going to be what ends me?! Is that what you think?!"
Cell spoke through gritted teeth, veins bulging from all over his body. "I will not...let you fools...defeat me..."
All four Saiyans flinched in horror as, with all of his strength, Cell began to push back. What in the hell were they supposed to do now?! Cell laughed out loud, screaming in a fit of unhinged mania. "I WILL BE VICTORIOUS AND THE EARTH WILL DIE!"
But then, a massive ki blast struck Cell in the back of the head. The attack did not do any real damage, only blowing off one of Cell's head ridges, but it did break his focus. The monster turned his gaze to the source of the attack and scowled. "What?!"
There floated Gine, her Super Saiyan power flaring. She sneered at Cell. "That was for my husband!"
And then, in Cell's distraction, another attack came rushing in. Accompanied by a familiar buzzing sound, a Destructo-Disc passed in front of Cell. He turned towards the source of the attack and gasped. "YOU?!"
Floating there, with a cold scowl on her face, was Android 18. She snarled at her hated enemy. "Burn in Hell, Cell!"
At first, Cell wasn't sure what 18 had done. But then, it became very clear. Cell's forearms both split off from his body, purple blood erupting out. And, as they flew away, so did Cell's last chance at survival. Gohan's Kamehameha shot forward and engulfed Cell all at once, overwhelming the monster and making him scream in pain as he was sent flying higher and higher into the air.
Cell despaired as he tumbled around within the deadly blast, his body slowly burning away from the energy surrounding him. "THIS CAN'T BE! IT CAN'T! I... AM...PERFECTION!"
The monster's arms and legs both quickly burst into ash and dust. After that, his lower body and wings followed. But then, as Cell's upper body and head began to burn away, the monster was suddenly beset once again. Just as had happened before, Cell's eyes went wide and his nose began to gush with blood. This time, however, Cell fell silent. As the Kamehameha burned the last of the monster away, the horrified scowl on his face turned into a wide, psychotic smirk. Cell chuckled. "Oh...I see...~"
And then, every last bit of Cell, down to the final cell, was burned away.
The smoke and dust from the Kamehameha cleared and Gohan shouted out loud. "WE DID IT!"
He turned around. "Guys, we-"
Gohan flinched, finding that the Bardock, Goku, and Future Ranch that had stood alongside him had vanished. The boy frowned, at first, but then he smiled. "No... that's okay. I'll see them all again soon..."
Content and victorious, Gohan fell backwards into a waiting pair of arms. Utterly exhausted, the boy allowed his Super Saiyan form to disperse and he chuckled. "Hey, Grandma..."
Gine had tears in her eyes, but a massive smile on her face. She hugged her grandchild close and gave him a gentle squeeze. "Oh, Gohan...I'm so proud of you..."
As Gine tended to Gohan, Android 18 walked across the field. The wind pressure from the Kamehameha struggle had blown 17 and Krillin close by to one another. The cool-headed blonde knelt down and checked each of their pulses before giving a sigh of relief. "Jeez..."
And then, to 18's shock, a bug with a "#16" crawled onto her finger. She looked at the bug with confusion, but quickly realized who it was. "Well, it's nice to see you too, 16..."
In the distance, Gine and Android 18 could both see the Capsule Plane approaching, signifying the end of the fight. It was a struggle, and not with its losses, but finally Cell had been defeated. And the world was safe once again.
A complete and total victory for the Z-Fighters and for the Earth!
Hidden behind a nearby rock...
Trembling in place, a single being watched on as the Capsule Plane containing everyone from Goku's house landed. This mysterious individual watched with a fearful gaze as each of the crippled Z-Fighters were loaded onto a plane and the plane flew away.
Shaking, the being reflected on everything that had just happened and how they were the only one left on the field. Having managed to recover from their wounds, dealt by a hated enemy, the being questioned what they should do from here now that Cell had been slain.
On one side of the field, behind his rock, Mr. Satan was knelt next to the unconscious Jimmy Firecracker and Larry the cameraman, having a crisis of conscience on how he should handle this.
On the other side of the field, behind its rock, the last of the Cell Juniors was shaking in terror at the concept of its Papa being killed. It knew that it didn't have the strength to deal with the Z-Fighters by itself. It knew that staying on this planet would be a death sentence. So, with very little fanfare, the little blue demon stood up and took off as fast as it could.
While it did this, the beaten and battered Mr. Satan wandered out into the blasted-out battlefield and pulled his scratched and dented title from a pile of rubble. "Well shit, Mark, what are ya gonna do now...?"
