Chapter 10: The fight continues
A few close calls for more than just the people in the ring, and Goku makes a crazy decision! Not that you all don't already know. Feel free to scroll about halfway down this chapter if you've seen the Goku VS Cell episodes a thousand times like I have! (mostly for the making of this fanfic...)
Disclaimer: I own nothing except Midori and Lattice... who's been mentioned a couple times already, right?
As the two contenders took yet another break, I remembered something:
"Hey," I started out to nobody in general. "Didn't Cell say he has all of your fighting techniques?" I turned to the rest of the gang, who all gazed back with a renewed shock, as if also remembering.
"LUCKY FOUR!" Cell's exclamation caused an immediate ruckus.
"He can't be!" shouted Tien.
"I don't know!" was Yamcha's reluctant reply.
Krillin and Trunks were actually at the ring's edge now, gripping its corner.
As I turned back to the ring, the sight I beheld caused both my brows to rise considerably, for there were now FOUR Cells facing Goku down. I watched on with a shifty gaze as Cell moved all of himself to each corner of the ring.
'Well, I should have kept my mouth closed, now shouldn't I?'
It was a bit nerve-wracking to watch him take on all of those androids at once, but as they fought on I'd learned that their power levels should have been greatly decreased. It made sense.
There was now a theme: Use all of Goku's friend's attacks against him. Cell and his copies fired Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon. And, even after Goku had knocked him back into the ring so hard that Cell was back to his singular self, the android unleashed what looked like Krillin's Destructo Disc (they weren't sure).
'Gods. To think all these attacks came from the men behind me… They're all amazing techniques, but I guess Cell just makes them more dangerous.'
Goku had passed each trial with flying colors, (haha…) but was taken aback, as were the rest of us, when Cell decided to launch one final attack. The android had his hands cupped together at waist level; he was concentrating his energy—a whole lot of it!
I took a large step back. "Is he crazy?" I glanced around at the men beside me; I wasn't the only one surprised.
"KA… MEEE…"
Don't tell me…
Goku had caught on as well. "No! You can't put that much power into the Kamehameha!" He held a hand out in vain. "It's too dangerous!"
"HAAA… MEEEE…"
Oh shit.
Vegeta was the first to fully react—"He'll kill us all!"—backing up as I had done. I didn't blame him one bit.
"HAAAAAAAAAA!"
I yelped as the blue energy approached, ducking immediately. And not a second too soon as the monstrous energy beam shot right at us, swerving and barely missing our heads. All I could hear was the wild whistle as it shot off, shaking the ground with its might.
Soon the deafening noise faded... so I cracked an eye open to see if the coast was clear. With no immediate danger, I jumped up to witness the last remnants of the blast exiting Earth's atmosphere… Wow. That could have ended up ugly. I guess Goku had led the Kamehameha off course.
'Heh... Nice save, Goku.' I could only hope he would keep the upper edge.
It wasn't long before the two were back to business, but it was different this time… Goku wasn't dealing so well. Cell was moving remarkably faster, teleporting in and out, landing all the right blows, leaving Goku a confused mess in the center of the ring. Even I was becoming dizzy as the android moved across the arena in random patterns. 'He's trying to throw Goku off... I think it's working…'
I heard him mutter, "Where is he?" and it suddenly hit me: the others couldn't see Cell at all! He was moving too fast for them!
Sure enough as I glanced back, the others simply stood, watching Goku as he attempted to lock onto the machine.
Uh-oh.
Inhaling sharply, I called out, "Goku—behind you!" Just as I'd exclaimed behind, the green menace appeared out of thin air.
The saiyan rounded on his foe, a mixture of shock and anger on his face.
...
Even more time passed, and Goku's performance was steadily declining bit by bit. Cell was clearly overtaking him with his speed. With each echoing blow my eyebrows lowered and my frown deepened. I probably looked just like Vegeta. It was almost painful, watching the fight go on as it did.
'Goku… I know you have the strength to finish this… if only I could lend you my speed.'
It would make things even; if Cell could use the other's abilities, why couldn't Goku borrow my swiftness? If only…
I cringed slightly as Cell delivered an unexpectedly hard blow to his face, the SLAM of it not going unheard to the rest of us. The battle was going downhill, fast. It was all Goku could do to keep up with the android's pace now, and the damage he dished out was equally, if not more received.
'I don't know much about androids, but I have a feeling that they don't tire out as easily as mortals…'
I could see it; the way Goku's chest heaved with every move, every breath he took. I closed my eyes to concentrate. I'd picked up some unique abilities from a psychic planet back in the day, allowing one to sync their nervous system with another's. The technique had been intended for more… intimate situations, but it worked regardless for what I had in mind; I could see exactly what kind of shape my ally was in…
The more I focused on his aura, the more I felt my body start to change according to his. 'Kais… he's going to wear himself out!' I could feel his chest expanding painfully as his lungs preformed raggedly from abuse. 'Goku wasn't built for that kind of speed, he'll be down for the count within the next thirty minutes, there's no question about it.'
As saiyan and android took a brief recess high above the arena, I could feel the slight tremble behind each raspy breath Goku took. His hands were jittery, but he hid it well by clenching them as tightly as they would allow, like he was trying to strangle the airflow between his digits. His mouth moved to utter a few simple words, and I could feel him stall his breathing, trying desperately not to show how exhausted he was. His poor heart knocked against his chest in protest.
My own heart ached for Goku, and with the combined feelings of his fatigue with my own mental discomfort, I could no longer take it. I pulled back, the transfer leaving me in a semi-dazed state as it always did. But as I left him, I felt the trailing sensation of his heart skipping a beat.
"HEEEY! GET AWAY FROM THE RING—NOOOW!"
What?
For a brief second I turned back to the skies, catching Goku's tiny, but distinctively alarmed gaze.
My head snapped to the left: Vegeta was already turning, his eyes wide with realization.
KA-BOOOOM!
My cries were lost to the shrill wind and flying sediment as the marble ring imploded before me. There was no time for me to prepare for something like that. I did only what my reflexes commanded: My hands shot up, as if they alone would guard me from the giant slabs of rock being spewed in every direction.
In the initial explosion, as the outer edge of the ring erupted, it seemed I would meet my fate; stoned to death by Cell's marble ring.
Harsh words wafted around my ears; something like "Toma, you fool! Move!" This exclamation did not register to me, as I was busy focusing on the approaching hail of boulders about to reach their closest target—me. With several CHINK-s and BAM-s, I stood my ground as they ricocheted harmlessly off of the shield surrounding my body. After a ground-shaking minute passed, I eased my arms away from my face, the dust settling before my eyes to reveal a crater much larger than the arena had been... just feet away from my location.
"… That's what I get for not paying attention," I grumbled, still hearing light taps above me from the leftover pebbly debris.
I then turned slowly to address the rest of the group with a sheepish smile. Through the hazy force field I'd conjured, I could see that my comrades had scattered… quite a safe distance away. Vegeta glowered in the background, his glare almost as dark as his naturally untameable hair…
'I think my prince is directing that one at me.' My guilty smile turned apologetic.
Soon, though, the others drew closer as Goku and Cell drifted back to land. There was still a fight to be finished…
'And Cell isn't taking any more time to rest…' I noticed grimly.
Goku had barely enough time to stand from stretching before he was chased away by a bombardment of ki, explosions, and smoke. By then we had all regrouped along the edge of a cliff. Our previous posts were no longer fit for a peanut gallery.
A startling, thunderous BOOM and flash signaled two attacks colliding, and the sheer force of the raw energy shook the ground beneath us.
I silently thanked the upper beings that Goku and Cell weren't as close as they were prior to the ridding of the arena. 'Thank goodness I'm not epileptic, either!' I thought through squinted eyes.
I finally spotted the two, locked hand in hand, the ground still quivering in their wake. Both opponents were giving off a bright yellow aura. Trunks made a breathless comment of how Goku and Cell were evenly matched in both speed and power.
'I'm not sure, but…' Had Goku received a last minute adrenaline boost?
I shifted from one leg to another; the vibrations traveling up my legs had become rather trying. 'I should get used to it…' I decided with a lopsided frown. But never mind how I felt; I could barely see through all the levitating rocks!
…Ouch!
I cringed again as Goku took a particularly brutal blast to the face. What had that been about? He had plenty of time to—
A streak of gold shot from the smoke, high into the sky—
Oh, a diversion!
Sure enough, Cell hadn't quite comprehended until Goku was floating incredibly far above him (and us).
'Of course he would have to fly up into the bloody sun!' I squinted my eyes again in real pain that time, one hand not quite enough to shield my mistreated eyes. 'Why is he just hovering like that?'
Krillin spoke my exact thoughts a moment later. "Look—Goku... He's way up there… Hey, what's he doing?"
I finally caught a good angle with my hand where I could see him… cupping his hands together…
...He wouldn't.
"KAAAA… MEEEE…"
He couldn't!
Piccolo took this moment to warn us—"Everyone get down! Take cover—get moving!"—though not a soul heeded his words. "Goku's releasing the Kamehameha!"
Ha! Indeed!
Krillin seemed to be okay though. "Aw, just relax guys," he said as I turned to face his easy, almost triumphant stance. "Goku's crazy, but he's not that crazy!"
I could feel Goku channeling his energy as Krillin continued to assure us there was nothing to worry about.
"HAAAAAAAAA…MEEEEEEE…"
Even Cell gave a small, nervous laugh, refusing to believe that Goku would destroy the whole planet.
'Does he even know what he's doing? Because that's what'll happen if he launches that attack from a mile up!'
Was this supposed to be one of those "If you can't beat 'em, join em" sort of moments? Join them in death? What kind of humor was that?
"No, don't do it! Please dad—don't!" Gohan called out in vain.
I doubted his father could hear him. I could just barely hear Goku's voice drifting down to us.
Krillin was making hysterical noises now. Vegeta had backed up again, eyes flickering between fear and anger. I stood my ground, because something told me he was trying to trick us. He had to be.
"I plan on beating him. I can't let him destroy my home," he answered gravely; a sort of determination rang strong in his voice.
I remembered the words he'd used before the final battle with Broly. He had held such passion in his eyes—his voice. If he could utter those words in such a way, then how could he be planning to annihilate the one thing he strove to protect? His family? His friends?
But still he fed startling amounts of ki into his hands. There would be no way to simply hold on to something that intense for much longer…
'Wait!' My breath caught in my throat as I felt the familiar sensation of an aura flitting from one location to another in the blink of an eye. '…Yes!'
I knew it!
My hand fell slowly, but my head snapped back down as quickly as non-self-injuring as possible. And there he was! Right in front of Cell!
"YES!" I threw my hands up into the air with wild, giddy abandon.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Away went Cell, vanishing in the bright, white light of Goku's screechingly-loud bomb of an attack, the others around me black silhouettes behind the glow.
"EXCELLENT!" I cheered despite the strain of being heard through the harshest winds yet, flying rocks, and flashes that brought a tear to the eye. Why hadn't I thought of the instant transmission? I latched on to nearest person, who I assumed was Trunks, and through gritted teeth, in a victorious sort of growl, I exclaimed, "Yes—I love it!" with one fist balled and shaking in Goku's direction.
"Idiot, get off of me!" I was shoved roughly away a moment later, the familiar voice of my brother attached to the irritated shun.
I stumbled back a few steps, my cheeks flushed with the utmost mortification. Had I really done all that to Vegeta just now? As the thick dust cleared, I realized that the only thing I could do to regain any ounce of self-respect was to clear my throat and stand properly. "Yes… a superb stratagem in the heat of battle."
I took that next moment to scan over the surroundings. For miles around, the terrain had turned to rubble; it was a complete wasteland. And in the mountain's jagged and crumbling depths was Goku, standing stoically over Cell's remains—a pair of legs and half a torso.
…
…
Where had the day gone wrong? Hadn't Goku just launched the finishing move? Half an hour later, the tables had been turned so abruptly, there were no words to describe the emotional medley I was experiencing. It all started when Krillin gasped, the moment after Goku's supposedly fatal attack:
"GET AWAY FROM HIM, GOKUUU!" Krillin's usually medium voice bellowed across the cliffs, out to the targeted saiyan. "CELL IS GONNA REGENERATE HIMSELF!"
After that, the rest of the struggle was for naught. Goku had put most of his energy into his attack and could no longer defend himself against the speckled abomination.
It had taken twenty-eight minutes for Goku to come to terms with his weakness—
"You're right about one thing, Cell!" Goku's audibly exhausted voice drifted back to my sensitive ears. "The world does want to see..."
Like a candle being blown out, the bright, golden glow that was undeniably Super Saiyan, wisped away, leaving him exposed to the cold outside world.
"…a real champion."
—And just two minutes to announce his submission.
There was an array of hushed astonishment among the other males.
I couldn't believe… I didn't know what to believe! A moment ago, I had been certain that I was about to watch Goku fight honorably to the death. The weight on my chest had been much heavier than I would've liked to admit, because… because… Gah! How could he just give up?
'He can't be serious!' I was starting to breath heavy now, my eyes glued to the blond saiyan as he stood up straight, like some great pressure had been removed from his shoulders (and placed on ours), smiling softly. 'This better be another trick, Goku, I swear..!'
But his words shattered my hopes: "It's over, Cell! You win."
No…
"I give up!"
No!
"I know how strong you are. There's no point continuing this fight, I can't beat you!" That last statement hit not only Vegeta like a brick ("You… coward!"), but Cell as well. The android stood angered and appalled.
I tried desperately to construct half-sensible reasons as to why Goku had just handed over an entire planet—one with all his friends and family—over to a wicked cyborg!
Goku continued on in that obnoxiously composed voice of his, "You know, I wasn't sure when I came here today that I'd have what it takes to beat you… I know now that I don't."
Murmurs from our crowd muffled the next part of his speech, but I cared less and less to hear what he had to say. Even Cell laid into the saiyan for his surrender.
But one thing caught my ear: "There's still one person for you to fight!"
Instinctively, I faced my brother who met me with just as much confusion.
After a small eternity filled with banter, Goku turned his easy, almost smug eyes to the cliff, and called out to us…
"That someone is you… son."
This time I didn't care if Vegeta might pushe me away when I grabbed his shoulder with one hand, my other hovering millimeters from my parted lips. He hardly noticed as he muttered Goku's birth name in disbelief. Certainly, we had heard wrong!
Goku flew up to us, landing just below Vegeta and I (we were slightly apart from the rest) to address Gohan and the others. It was odd, seeing him so close up, even if it was just his backside, after an hour or more of watching him dart across an open landscape.
I didn't need to see his face. I could hear his smile as he asked almost tenderly, "You can do it, right?"
My eyes fastened onto Gohan's uncertain form all through Goku's constant insisting and Piccolo's verbal abuse towards his father. He was so hesitant in his replies that it made me ponder the idea of both adults representing the two conflicting sides of his young mind.
Piccolo was the voice of reason: Cell would tear into Gohan without mercy or scruples. The android would finish him off with ease—because he was a child.
Goku was the voice of wishful thought: Gohan had been asked to save the world. To slay the beast that Goku, Earth's established champion, had failed to. He could certainly do it, because he had some sort of hidden potential that obviously made him stronger than Cell!
Gohan was a bothered mess, whilst Goku urged him on so reassuringly it almost made me sick.
I felt as if a ghostly hand had reached into my chest and squeezed tight around my thumping heart. I was about to watch a young boy fight what would undoubtedly be a bloody battle, and it reminded me of my own child, and his untimely death. It didn't matter how different the roles were; Gohan was being put in the line of a monster, just as my son had been for his short three years.
Something inside me snapped as I watched the small half-saiyan blast into the air, up like a golden fountain, then down like a blazing comet. His energy was so radiant and youthful… He had his whole life ahead of him... I couldn't let him end up like my son!
"Goku!" I took me one short leap to bypass my brother, then Piccolo, and land nimbly in front of my target. He met my sharp gaze with his frequented wide-eyed stare. I didn't bother with chitchat or personal space as I moved close to him, speaking desperately, "Please reconsider—please!" Maybe my motherly nature would make him see the light.
Six other pairs of eyes were now watching me with confusion and curiosity, but two of them already knew of my inner turmoil. Goku's surprise melted into sympathy. He smiled softly, replying, "I never got to say… I'm sorry for your loss… both of them."
So he did remember...
"Look, my love… doesn't the boy remind you of Lattice?"
Midori moved from behind Goku to stand in front of Gohan, glaring hard at the offending saiyan. "Broly, you wouldn't dare!" She could hardly believe he had the nerve to mention… him…
"Do you think… he would have grown up to be such a fine young man?"
Midori bared her teeth and growled, blinking her eyes rapidly so that the unshed tears would stay unshed. "He would have if you hadn't killed him, you insane bastard!"
Goku looked at her, his eyebrows furrowed, as Broly threw his head back and laughed.
But Goku was including the loss of my mate, despite my ill will towards Broly anyway…
"Midori," he spoke up in a brighter tone. "You don't have to worry—"
I stood with parted lips as he spoke, my eyes gradually narrowing.
"…about that happening here. I know—"
My hands were clenched around the fabric of his orange outerwear before he could finish speaking, issuing a few outcries from the small crowd as I shook him roughly once. "You know that you're sending your son to die! Are you out of your mind?" I pulled him in closer (my nose was level with the bottom of his) as I bared my canines in instinctual anger, but forced myself to speak low. "Gohan's blood won't just be on Cell's hands, it'll be on yours as well."
The entire time, Goku observed me with a strained smile. Finally, he managed to pry my hands off of him and reply quietly, "Please..." while maneuvering one of my hands in his as he brought it up to my face. "Have faith in my son…" He then brushed away a newly shed tear with my own thumb.
I was speechless for a moment as he held my wrists gingerly. In my ears I could hear my own blood pumping hard. I then blinked a few times before tearing my hands away, my expression beyond disbelief. I didn't bother returning the offered smile as I turned around slowly, and, one long leap later, was standing next to my brother again.
'Ugh, I didn't just cry in front of him, did I?' I glanced to my left...
Vegeta seemed more subdued than before, only because he knew the most of my past, but I could see in his eyes he had thought my outburst unnecessary. A few of the humans muttered their confusion amongst themselves, but the spectacle was long forgotten as Goku made his next move.
Having received a Senzu bean from Krillin, Goku called out, "Hey Cell—catch!" and tossed the small, edible healer straight into the hands of the enemy.
Krillin almost fell over from shock (as did I). "Hey!"
Our unsuccessful hero kindly explained exactly what he'd just passed onto Cell and why he had felt the need to do so—"It just wouldn't be fair if Gohan beats him when he isn't at his best!"—while the rest of us floundered in our well-worn incredulity.
I was the one growling instead of my brother that time. 'That fool!' I took a step forward just as Vegeta's sharp voice stopped me, calling that foreign name again: "Toma!"
I rounded on him with a raised brow. "You said it again…" I had not paid much attention the first time ("Toma, you fool! Move!"), but now it had caught my attention. "That isn't… the name I was to be given?" I inquired, ignoring Cell as he powered up briefly in the background.
Vegeta responded gruffly, "You should be proud."
The next thing I knew, a tornado of sand had sprung up in the middle of the battleground, unexpectedly dispersing to reveal...
I blinked. "Gohan?"
Amazing. Not a second later, my hair was going for a ride on the wind. His power-level was… Wow. How had I not noticed it before? Great warm energy waves washed over me in a soothing way that nearly had me letting my guard down. But I remembered right away what he was facing. Gohan was shockingly powerful for his age, but he was underage nonetheless.
'So Goku was right about him being strong… I just hope it's enough to keep him alive.' I swallowed hard.
Cell landed lightly behind Gohan after the energy display. And then they took to the skies.
My eyes darted to-and-fro as they dodged in and out. This lasted a minute or two until finally, Cell decided to end the warm-up. The android had already been there and done that with Goku. I could only flinch as the poor boy was seized by the collar and punched repeatedly in the face, then drop-kicked mercilessly to the ground below.
But... he seemed well-off as he emerged from the smoke in a battle-ready stance, more serious than I'd ever seen him.
Round two started off with a bang: The whole canyon was lit up by Cell, Gohan jumping, evading, and rolling to avoid becoming crispy-fried meat.
'Kais, I can't watch anymore of this…' I averted my eyes to something less perverse—my feet—as Cell began beating into Gohan once more. Through my peripheral vision, a tiny purple dot was sent crashing through solid rock. I could sense the child was okay… but he wasn't making an effort to move.
Most of the others took this as a mark for the worst, and Piccolo began screaming at Goku, "Your son's dead, Goku! HE'S DEEEEAD!" hoping to break through the saiyan's thick skull.
'He's definitely not dead,' I thought, my eyes betraying me as I caught a glimpse of Gohan emerging from the ruins in a flashy demonstration. 'But he would have been better off staying down there…'
He approached Cell with meaning in his gait.
'He's like a little man.' I couldn't help the smile that broke through as I noted the intensity burning in his eyes. Even looking at him—the way he was, it was becoming harder to believe he was only ten years old… or eleven, if counting his time in the Chamber…
They stood for a long time after that, conversing silently about who knows what. Nearly seven minutes later, Cell broke out into hearty laughter. I doubted Gohan had been telling jokes…
'What could he be laughing at down there?' Possibly the destruction of the Earth, I realized, as Cell began pummeling Gohan across the rocky field. First knocking him to the ground, and then using his hard-plated foot to squish the child's face into the rugged floor.
I looked away again, feeling queasy. I could feel the hammer-down that followed, a short comeback, then even more hammering. 'Gohan better find that hidden potential fast…' His agonizing screams were getting to me. 'Or he'll be ripped to pieces...' I silently agreed with Piccolo as he took his frustrations out on the boy's father. I had heard of the Namekian's bond with Gohan from Trunks, and felt for Piccolo.
To that, Goku countered, "Wait until he has no choice. And then, when Gohan is backed into a corner with no way out, he'll awaken his furious inner strength." A short pause… "And when that happens… You watch—Gohan will break Cell down once and for all!"
With those words, I finally turned to face Goku, who had moved to the far side of the group on slightly higher terrain, Piccolo glowering behind him. Judging by the look on Vegeta's face, I could tell the prince was also having a hard time believing in the theory. Still, Goku maintained his prideful gaze over the nearly one-sided battle.
His words had been somewhat poetic… but would it actually happen? Certainly not while Gohan was being crushed to death in Cell's arms!
Piccolo had seen enough. He'd told Goku right off in my opinion: "He doesn't thirst for battle and mayhem! He's not a fighter like you!"
This tiny, and in my opinion, apparent fact finally managed to bring Goku halfway down to Earth (figuratively speaking). What really brought him home were Piccolo's last few statements…
"Do you want to know… what he's thinking? He's not thinking about strength, or about competition!" He continued in a steadily rising tone. "HE'S WONDERING WHY HIS FATHER IS STANDING THERE, LETTING HIM DIE!"
I smiled in relief in what felt like forever when Goku whipped around, calling out to Krillin for another Senzu bean. Judging by his alarm, I could tell he would put it to good use that time around.
But then Gohan's body hit the ground…
And before we could properly exercise even more astonishment, Cell was flying up to us.
Two seconds later, he was in front of us.
One second later—the Senzu beans were in his hands.
My mouth had formed a perfect "o" shape as Cell flew casually back to where Gohan was now on his knees, leaving all of us on the cliffs stiff with anxiety. What could we do now? What would Cell do now?
My primary question was answered immediately: A bright green blur passed my side view. "What was tha—Sixteen?"
The giant, redheaded android's shadow engulfed Cell from behind, just before he encased the insect-like cyborg in his iron grip. And of course, Cell hadn't been able to sense him coming!
But of course, the tables would be kept in constant shift that day.
Android Sixteen proclaimed that he would self-destruct, taking his spotted-droid brother with him. Krillin, seemingly one to be on top of things, pointed out shakily—despairingly—that Bulma had removed the bomb embedded in Sixteen's chest.
I couldn't even form coherent thoughts as Cell reached around and all too easily blew the burly, green-armored android into a thousand metal pieces. After that, I could only watch with my lips parted, mouth slightly parched, eyes slowly widening, as the bizarre creature I'd come to know began giving birth before my very eyes!
Gradually, my mouth upturned in disgust as one by one, eight blue masses shot out of Cell's retracted "tail" and hit the dirt. They began squirming, taking form, slowly rising to stand as they took their first breaths of Earth's oxygen.
'They look like miniatures of Cell!' I tried to even my breathing as my dear estranged friend, Dread, seized my shoulders from behind, and breathed horrible foreshadowing words down my neck, letting me know… that these new creatures couldn't be for Gohan, no… they were for the rest of us; all eight of us.