"Where did they go?" wondered Mr. Satan, picking himself off the ground and staring at the scarred and barren landscape.
"Mr. Satan!" Jimmy called out, running up to him frantically with his microphone. "We've found working equipment! We only have audio but would you please tell the world what just happened?"
"Well…you see, Jimmy," Mr. Satan began. "Cell has been defeated." He paused momentarily as the gears turned in his head. "And…I am the one who put him down!" he declared, striking a heroic pose. The world cheered as Mr. Satan spun his story.
Meanwhile, on the way to the lookout, Krillin said to Ranch and Gohan, "You two were awesome back there!"
Ranch scoffed and looked away. "Please. Cell was still really strong and I was back up at best. Gohan did all the work."
"That's not true," Gohan insisted earnestly. "If you weren't there I might not have been able to help Vegeta on time. And we worked together to keep Cell's Kamehameha from overtaking us."
"I appreciate it, Gohan, but I bet you could've taken Cell on one handed," she told him.
"Maybe, but you being there with me made it a lot easier, so thanks," Gohan said appreciatively.
"Hey, what's family for if not to help each other take down a mad scientist's evil creation?" Ranch said, smiling at him.
"Speaking of which," Yamcha spoke up. "Hey, Krillin, what is it with you protecting that cyborg you got there?"
"She hasn't done anything that can't be forgiven, alright," Krillin said defensively.
Gohan then piped up, "Krillin, do you like 18 or something?"
Flustered, Krillin said, "What b—?"
"Obviously he does," Ranch stated derisively.
"Don't just blurt it out like that!"
"Why not? It's true," she said offhandedly.
"You have to kidding, right?" Yamcha said.
"Yeah, that's a cyborg," said Tien.
"Cool it, it's not as if I have a chance with her," Krillin insisted. "She has 17, after all."
Ranch sighed in exasperation. "You moron, 17 and 18 are siblings."
"Seriously?" Krillin exclaimed.
"Not like it matters, seeing as 17 was killed, too," added Tien.
"But we're using the Dragon Balls to wish back everyone killed by Cell, right?" asked Krillin.
"We could wish but everyone but him," Tien threatened, remembering the thrashing 17 had given him before.
"Would you kindly focus on carrying my boyfriend's body?" Ranch asked him rather irritably.
"Right, sorry," Tien quickly said, getting a firmer grip on Trunks.
When they reached the lookout, Dende came out and began to heal everyone. He started out with Gohan, who was by far the most hurt. Since Ranch turned down the Senzu bean earlier she still had the damage the Cell Junior had caused her, and the injuries she sustained during her quick tussle with Cell. When Dende got to Ranch, he placed his hands over her wrist, which had swelled up. When he started the healing process it wasn't just her wrist that got better, but also all the cuts and bruises all over her body. When he finished, Dende noticed something off and looked up at her curiously. "Ranch, w—?"
"Thanks," Ranch interrupted absentmindedly, rubbing her wrist and walking over to where Trunks was placed, where she plopped down beside him. "I guess you should heal up the bimbo too. Or not. I don't care."
"Who?"
"She means 18," Krillin said, indicating the cyborg.
Dende went over to 18 and healed her up as well. When 18 woke up she sat up before suddenly going on the defensive and taking in her surroundings.
"Dende, get away from her before she kills you!" warned Yamcha.
"Would you relax?" Krillin said. To 18 he said, "Don't worry, we're at the lookout. Gohan and Ranch beat Cell."
"Gohan and who did what?" 18 said disbelievingly.
"Yeah, that's right. They're a lot more powerful than you so don't try anything funny," Yamcha boasted from a safe distance.
"You should thank him," said Piccolo. "If it wasn't for him you'd have been destroyed after Cell threw you up."
"Well, it's not like I could have let that happen," Krillin said nervously.
"Whatever," she said dismissively, before taking to the air and leaving the lookout.
"Wow, how ungrateful can you be?" Yamcha said critically.
"Don't worry, Krillin, you don't need her, all your friends are right here!" Gohan said brightly to the dejected Krillin.
"Enough of this, we should summon Shenron and resurrect everyone Cell killed," Raditz suggested, glancing at Ranch. She was still sulking by Trunks' body, and he wanted her to be happy again as soon as possible.
And so the seven balls were gathered and Shenron appeared as the skies around them darkened. 18, wondering what was going on, doubled back. Yamcha then wished for everyone that was killed by Cell to be brought back to life.
As soon as the wish was made Trunks gasped and sat up. But he was taken back down when Ranch happily cried "Trunks!" and began to kiss him.
"I can't feel Goku's ki," Piccolo said. "He didn't come back."
"He did die once already, after all," Radtiz sighed, trying to not dwell that he had been responsible for that.
Krillin suggested, "How about we use the wish to go to New Namek? Porunga can restore someone's life more than once."
"Yeah, we should do that!" Yamcha agreed.
"Everyone, it's Goku," his voice suddenly said to all of them. "Listen to me. I've been giving it some thought. All the troubles that have come our way were because of me. If i don't come back to life then maybe Earth will be more peaceful."
"Kakarot, are you sure about this?" Raditz quickly asked. The three years he spent training with his brother were some of the best he ever had, and he didn't want to lose him already.
"It's for the best," insisted Goku. "Gohan, Raditz, I'm sorry. And tell Chi-Chi that I'm sorry. But please don't try and resurrect me. When the time comes for you to join me over here we'll meet again. Bye, everyone."
Krillin commented, "He sure does sound content for a dead guy."
Ranch had torn herself from Trunks and went up to put a hand on her father's shoulder. "I'm sure it'll be okay, dad."
"Yeah, it will be, Uncle Raditz," Gohan said, coming up to them with a smile. "Between all of us here I'm sure the Earth will be just fine."
"I have been waiting for your last wish for quite some time," the dragon said testily.
"Oh that's right," Yamcha said goofily. "If you guys don't mind I'd like to get this girl I'm seeing an expensive necklace."
Krillin, who had given it some thought, then stepped up and asked, "Could you turn 17 and 18 into normal humans?" He shocked everyone with that request, including 18, who was looking on nearby.
"I can't," replied Shenon. "Both cyborgs are stronger than me and I am unable to change them."
"You know, being a cyborg doesn't seem too bad," Yamcha said, "other than walking around with a bomb in your chest."
"Shenron, can you take the explosives out of their chests?" asked Krillin.
"That is possible," said Shenron. "Your wish has been granted. Farewell." The dragon disappeared into the balls, which rose and scattered.
"I can't say I approve who those wishes were for, but it was admirable all the same," Trunks said, when the skies cleared.
18 then stepped out of her hiding place, and demanded, "Okay, what did you do that for? You had a wish granting dragon, and you used it on us. Why?"
Krillin stammered, "Oh, uh, you see I didn't think…um, that it was fair if you and—"
Sighing exasperation, Ranch called out, "Because he has a crush on ya, ya frickin bimbo!"
18 rounded on Ranch, and dangerously said, "What did you call me?"
Ranch put her hands on her hips. "A bimbo. Going to do something about it? If you are I might rethink sparing you."
18 took a few steps towards Ranch. "Why you—!"
Krillin quickly for in front of her, and frantically said, "She's the one that took Cell out with Gohan, so that's no empty threat."
18 and Ranch stared each other down, until 18 ultimately looked away as her eyes landed on Trunks, and she remembered how strong he had gotten. Clearly Ranch did as well. "Fine, whatever." She then turned away, looked back at Krillin, and said, "Well…I guess I should find my brother. See you later." 18 flew off again, leaving Krillin with a rather astonished feeling.
"Hear that, you still got a shot!" Yamcha told Krillin.
Trunks and Ranch shared a significant look before they rolled their eyes.
"I suppose I should get back to Chiaotzu, he's probably worried," announced Tien. "All of you take care." Before he left, Tien said to Trunks and Ranch, "Good luck in the future—go wreck them."
Ranch nodded with confidence, while Trunks said, "That's the plan."
"Everyone, until we meet again." And Tien took off as well.
"We should get going too," Krillin said.
Gohan asked, "So when are you guys headed back to the future?"
"We'll spend another night here, and head go back in the morning," said Trunks.
"And once we do those damn cyborgs are going down," Ranch added, punching her fist into her palm.
"We'll see you guys off tomorrow," Krillin told them.
"Definitely," said Gohan. "Are you staying here, Mr. Piccolo?"
"That's right." After they all said their goodbyes to Piccolo, Dende, and Mr. Popo they all flew up into the air and left the lookout, waving to Korin and Yajirobi as they descended.
Ranch said to Trunks, "As much as I want to spend time with you after what happened, I should head back with my dad and Gohan to break the news to Aunt Chi-Chi."
Trunks nodded. "No problem. We've got the future ahead of us, after all."
They closed in on each other as they flew and kissed deeply. When they parted, Trunks split off with Yamcha, Krillin went his own way, and Ranch went with Gohan and Raditz.
As they flew, Trunks asked Yamcha, "So what happened to my dad?"
"It was crazy!" Yamcha told him. "After you were killed Vegeta went berserk and attacked Cell without thinking."
"He actually did that?" Trunks said in astonishment, feeling slightly glad about that. Yamcha continued give him Trunks a blow by blow of what happened, surprising him even further after telling him that Ranch had also transformed like Gohan did, and helped in taking down Cell. I've got a lot of catching up to do, thought Trunks.
At Gohan's house the new was broken to Chi-Chi she fell to her knees and began to cry. Raditz held onto Launch and baby Ranch was they stood off to the side as they mourned. Older Ranch had her back against the wall and her eyes were cast downward. Her uncle was an idiot…but he was a good guy and meant well. And at the end of it all he made the ultimate sacrifice.
She then went up to her father and put her arms around him. "I'm sorry you lost your brother, dad." They all pretty much stayed like that for the rest of the day and night.
The next day practically everyone was at Capsule Corp to see the time travelers off. Trunks bade farewell to his mother. Ranch embraced her parents, aunt, and cousin. Bulma's parting gift to Ranch was a capsule filled with all the clothes that were bought for her during the shopping spree. Raditz shook Trunks' hand normally before gripping it tightly and drawing him in closer to all but threaten him against making Ranch unhappy in any way. As they made their way to the time machine, the two looked over at Vegeta, who simply held up two fingers at them as a sign of respect. They both returned the gesture, although Ranch did it more reluctantly after resisting the urge to flip him off.
Trunks and Ranch hopped into the time machine, sharing the seat in the confined space. Trunks pressed the buttons and switches to activate it, and the vessel rose into the air. The all waved goodbye to each other one last time before the machine disappeared.