The four lone warriors still in Captial City floated in the air staring each other down. Trunks knew he wasn't strong enough to defeat Cell, at least not on his own. But he wasn't sure that Sakura or his father would be enough help. Cell would easily trounce either of them in a one on one and the battle would be seriously one sided even against him. Still, they had no choice but to try. If Cell survived, if he got away from them now, he could get to 18 and become Perfect and then all hope of stopping him would be lost.
Vegeta launched in first. Cell smirked as the Sai-jin Prince charged him. Vegeta pulled back a fist readying to throw a punch but before he could, Cell backhanded him away with a thunderous crack. Then his other arm shot back, his elbow slamming into Sakura's stomach doubling her over. A second later his knee shot up and smashed into Trunks' jaw knocking him higher into the air. Cell turned and smashed a fist into Sakura's face knocking her away.
"Come on, is that all you can do?" Cell laughed. Suddenly his right arm shot up and back and smashed into Vegeta's face knocking him back again. And then Trunks and Sakura were charging him again. They were seconds away from hitting him, he vanished, and they collided into each other.
"Gah, he's not even trying!" Vegeta growled re-joining the others.
"Of course not." Cell laughed. "Against ants like you, why would I have to try?" His eyes roamed over the three of them and he smirked as they settled on Sakura. "You know, in my time-line you Tanarians don't exist, as far as I know. Never came to Earth or entered the Doctor's files at least. Impressive spieces though."
"Flattery wont save you." Sakura replied.
Cell laughed again. "I already have plenty of genetic material in my system, the greatest DNA in the universe. Goku, Gohan, Piccolo, Krillin, Tien, Yamcha, Vegeta, and Trunks. Even Frieza and his father. To a lesser ammount there's even some of Roshi, Tao, Nam, and Giran in my system. Supressed considerably compared to the Namekian and Sai-jin DNA, but still there."
Cell's smirk widened. "Yes, all of the best fighters, the greatest powers... And yet here you are, a Tanarian, or at least a half Tanarian. Stronger than even the great Sai-jin Prince, and not a part of me. But... that shall soon change." The three warriors eyes went wide in shock and then Cell shot in toward them.
Trunks moved between the charging creature and Sakura bringing his arms up to block the incoming punch. The force of the blow knocked him back into her and sent both of them into a building. Vegeta launched in again but Cell's tail snapped out and slammed into the side of his head knocking him away again and then he charged into the building.
Landing inside the hallway he looked around for his target. "Come out, come out, where ever you are!" he called laughing. "Ollie, Ollie, Oxenfree!" As his eyes scanned the offices around him, his senses reached out as well for some twinge of power. Suddenly he felt two, one on either side of the hall, pressed up against the wall at the intersection. "Ah, found you!"
His tail shot out smashing into the wall on the right and destroying it comepletely. Trunks dove out of the way, his golden aura flaring back up once more. He'd reverted back to base while hiding but in an instant was back to full poower again. Cell walked down the hall at a leisurely pace to the intersection and looked off to the left. "Aww, all done fighting me?" he asked with a smirk.
"They may be, but I'm not!" Vegeta called from the hole in the wall behind Cell. The creature glanced back at Vegeta and he arched an eyebrow. The Sai-jin had his arms stretched out before him, golden energy sparking and flashing madly in and around his palms, his muscles pusling and rippling with more power than they could hold, as he finished charging an attack. "Final Flash!"
The golden energy swelled and then exploded forward tearing into and through the building. The outside wall cracked and started to crumble. The beam slammed into Cell, the energy swelling and then exploding. The explosion shook the entire building, blasted out the walls on that floor, and then brought the whole thing crashing down. Panting heavily he lowered his arms and then looked up over the smoke.
He could see Trunks floating there holding Sakura, who was in her base form. The Sai-jin let her go and she floated off to the side looking down into the smoke. An orange glow swirled up around her like flame and then in a flash she transformed, then there was a flash of silver and her aura changed color, her power jumping up to where it had been a moment before.
Vegeta just started to turn his eyes back down to the smoke when Cell exploded out of it charging straight for him. Before he could even think a fist slammed into him hard, his eyes snapping wide and mouth gaping open. He hung there on the creature's fist for a moment, his muscles shrinking and hair turning black, and then fell to the ground unconscious.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Somewhere between Capital City and the Lookout:
Super 13 flew along at full speed, his sensors still monitoring the battle he'd just left as well as tracking Dr. Gero who was making his way back to the lab where Tao was. He was also keeping a lock on the satellite feed showing 18's location. -Tao, are you sure that is her?- he asked as he went, his eyes narrowing slightly. -She's awfully high up.-
-It's definately a Proton Wave signature.- Tao's voice replied, inside his head. -It's certainly her, considering I was reading a level of 45 before it dropped and Cell's already absorbed 17. That means it has to be 18. There's a tall tower at the location, she's probably atop of that.-
-Understood.- 13 replied. He increased his angle and started moving up breaking through the cloud layer a moment later. Activating his telescopic vision he zoomed in on the horizon and saw it, just breaking over the horizon line. A tall tower reaching up a few hundred feet above the clouds yet. Imposing the reading for 18's signal over his vision he found she was even higher up and turned his gaze up.
There, a thousand plus feet over the tower, floated something else entirely. That was where he'd find his target. Once more he increased his angle and made a beeline for the Lookout. It only took a couple minutes longer and then he was flying up along the side of the Lookout. A second later he topped it and landed on the edge, his yellow eyes taking in the sight before him.
His data banks quickly identified most of those there. Tien, Krillin, Yamcha, Appla, Bulma, and of course, 18. There were two children, one only a baby, and two men he didn't recognize. "There you are 18, Cell has been looking for you." he said taking a step forward.
"Appla, do it!" 18 cried looking toward the Sai-jin.
The Sai-jin female turned her eyes back and forth between 13 and 18 and then closed them. "Kami forgive me." she whispered softly. Then, opening her eyes, she called out. "Kaio Ken times 45!" Instantly her red aura flared up and her muscles bulged, the ground under her feet cracking. She floated there for a moment and then brought her right arm up, palm pointed toward 18's chest.
There was a spark in front of her palm and then a red ball of Ki began to form, steadily growing larger. "I don't think so." 13 growled, realizing what was happening. In a flash he was charging toward her. A second later he reached her and smashed a fist into her head knocking her into the shrine atop the Lookout. He then turned to face 18. "You're coming with me."
"You stay away from her!" Krillin cried jumping in toward the blue machine. His foot shot out and smashed into 13's head but the Android didn't flinch. He pulled back and then clenched his hands together and called out. "Nibai Kinryoku!" The silver aura flared up around him, his muscles bulging slightly. Again he shot in but this time 13's elbow shot back and smashed into his face knocking him away.
Krillin pulled to a stop after a few yards and glared at 13 as 18 thrust her arms out and started firing her own energy blasts at it. "Damn it... here goes nothing... Sanjuu Kinryoku!" he yelled. The silver aura around him swelled and grew thicker and brighter, his muscles growing even larger, and then he shot in again. Reaching the machine he started pounding his hands and feet into it to no avail.
Suddenly the rubble of the right side of the shrine exploded and Appla shot up into the air. She stopped several dozen feet up and glanced up at the warrior above her preparing his own attack. Smirking she turned her eyes back down to 13 and thrust her right arm down toward him, energy gathering in front of her palm again.
Meanwhile Raditz had already powered up and shot in toward the Android as well. He moved around between 18 and 13 and started launching his assault smashing his hands and feet into the blue machine's chest and head but having as little effect as Krillin. 13 growled. "Annoying flies!" There was a flash of blue from his body and both warriors were blasted away from him by the shockwave.
Appla closed her eyes and turned her aim from Android to Cyborg. "18!" she yelled down, getting the other's attention.
Both looked up and saw her, 18 nodding as soon as she did. "Do it!"
Appla nodded. "Crimson Thunder!" she cried. Her arm jerked back and her red aura faded as the large sparking ball of energy surged down toward 18. The Cyborg closed her eyes and held her arms out to the side leaving herself open to the attack.
"I don't think so!" 13 yelled jumping into the air and reaching a hand up catching the attack.
"What!" Appla cried, lowering her arm. /No... I put... everything into that. I don't have enough left to fight with.../ she thought, panting heavily.
13 smirked. "Here, I think this is yours!" he cried, throwing it back up at her. Appla's eyes went wide and she froze with fear. There was absolutely no way she could block or dodge it, no way she could survive it. She knew she'd be lucky if there was even dust left of her after it hit. Even if she still had her full power she'd have little chance of surviving, but this weakened... no way. She closed her eyes. /Well, this is it. No more revivals for me. Good-bye Raditz, Gohan, Goku... Maybe I'll see you later, and Bardock, I'll be waiting for you./
Suddenly someone engulfed in a silver aura, with silver hair flapping about madly, arms crossed before her, appeared between her and the nearing attack. "Hotaru, no!" Appla cried, but it was too late. There was a blinding flash of red as the energy hit her and then surrounded her. She threw her head back screaming and then there was another bright flash and a sudden rush of air in toward her that lasted a split second.
When the glare died Hotaru, once more in base, fell to the ground hitting the floor of the Lookout with a dull thud, smoke drifting up from her body, clothes torn to shreds. Her power was nearly gone, but still there. Cuts covered her body, blood slowly seeping free. "Hotaru!" Yamcha cried running over to her and kneeling down beside her. 13 frowned as he watched Appla drift down and land with the other two, checking on the girl.
There was a loud crack as Piccolo's foot smashed into the back of the Android's head but the machine didn't budge. "More pests." he said at last turning to face the Namek. "Do you all wish to die so badly? My orders are only to take 18, none of you matter. You would save yourselves the pain if you simply stayed out of the way." As soon as he turned, Yamcha stood up cupping his hands at his side.
"And let that Cell creature get stronger? Not a chance." Piccolo growled, pulling back his arms and charging energy in his palms. Drifting back slightly he thrust his arms forward with a cry and fired the energy point blank into the Android's chest. It swelled and then exploded on impact. Piccolo smirked but then Super 13's fist shot out of the smoke and smashed into his face knocking him flying off the Lookout completely.
The Android then turned toward where 18 had been and found her missing. "Now where'd she go..." he wondered, glancing about for her. Not seeing her, he brought up his satellite feed again. "Ah, there you are, heading north... Ah, I see. Going to destroy the lab, shut down the satellite's, are you? Well, I don't think so."
"Sanjuu Kameryokuha!" Yamcha cried thrusting his arms forward before the machine could move. It turned just in time to see the silver stream of energy charging toward it. The machine's yellow eyes flashed and the wave was torn apart before it even reached him. Another flash and Yamcha was knocked back several feet and onto the ground.
"Now that the pests have been dealt with I'll be on my way." it said turning.
"Hey, aren't you forgetting someone!" Tien yelled down as 13 walked to the edge of the Lookout. The Android looked up and saw the Human floating there, a red aura dancing about his body, golden energy flashing between his hands.
The machine recognized the hand shape. "Your Tri-beam is powerful, but it can't stop me. You'll only waste your energy."
"We'll see about that!" Tien called down. /Sorry Chaotzu, Vadora... I don't know if I'll live through this./ Suddenly the golden energy between his hands flashed to silver, and then to red. "Super Tri-beam!" With that cry a blast of powerful red energy surged down toward the Android, it's eyes widening as it computed the power of the attack.
Quickly it brought up its arms to block and the energy hit dead-on driving the machine down through the edge of the Lookout down toward the Earth. Tien relaxed, his muscles shrinking back down from their tripled size, and he wavered in the air. Then his eyes closed and he fell down to the floor of the Lookout.
Piccolo pulled himself to a stop in his descent halfway down from the Lookout and started flying back up. He was still a few hundred feet off when suddenly a huge power spiked up on the Lookout. "What the hell?" he cried, eyes going wide. And then the red energy tore through the edge of the Lookout ripping a chunk off and driving the Android down passed him. He just barely dodged out of the way as it zipped passed. "Ugh, no way... was that Tien?" He looked back up toward the Lookout and felt the Human's energy dropping quickly. His wasn't the only one fading, however.
"Damn, Hotaru, Krillin, and Yamcha... they're all fading." he muttered. In a flash of green he surged up toward the Lookout landing a moment later. Bulma was already kneeling beside the downed Krillin and giving him a Senzu, Hercule doing the same for Tien, and Chi-Chi giving one to Yamcha. The Namek moved over to Bulma and took two Senzu's from the bag in her hand before heading over to Appla and Hotaru.
Meanwhile, far below them, the Super Tri-beam slammed Super 13 down into the Earth before exploding and destroying at least a mile of terrain, turning it into a barren blasted landscape instantly. And then silence as the dust settled. A minute passed, then two, finally the Android floated up out of the large hole in the planet, its gaze turned skyward in a deep scowl. "That pathetic Human generated more power than even Vegeta! How the hell is that possible! Tch, no matter, that attack most likely killed him, unless they got to him within a few moments."
He reached up and touched a hand to his neck where something felt wrong and felt around. "Something's out of place... I'll have Dr. Gero take a look later. First I need to get to 18." he said looking around. As soon as he locked onto her Proton Wave signal again he shot off after her moving at more than twice her speed. "Shouldn't take more than three minutes to catch her."
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Planet Vegeta, the Palace:
"Tien!" Vadora cried, feeling his power jump and then dive a second before the screen before her registered the power flux. Her hands instantly went to her stomach and she closed her eyes trying to focus on the powers on Earth. The numbers for Tien had been replaced by NR, or No Reading. He'd dropped below the ten thousand bottom scan of the new systems.
It took a moment but then she sensed him and the other downed fighters. Their powers were low and still dropping slowly. Her eyes clenched shut tightly as she focused on them not relaxing until she felt them going up again. "Thank Kami." she whispered, relaxing.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Capital City:
"Father!" Trunks cried as Vegeta fell to the Earth. With a yell he charged down toward Cell, his golden aura trailing behind him. Cell turned to face him and smiled. He slipped to the left easily dodging a punch meant for his face and then ducked under a kick, spun around behind the Sai-jin, and slammed his foot into his back driving him into the ground on top of his father.
"Come now, you can't defeat me!" he laughed. "I must say, I hadn't expected the power boost to be this impressive." he said looking down at his hands. "And the one from absorbing 18 will be just as great! They're strengths are the same in this time-line, unlike in mine, but their DNA is still the same. Fraternal twins, two peices of the same puzzle. Once I have both my full strength will be unlocked and I will be even more powerful than I am now. My Perfect Form will make this stage look insignificant!"
"Not if you don't reach it!" Sakura cried as she flew down at him.
Cell turned again and his fist snapped out smashing into her face knocking her skyward once more. This time he followed, chased up after her. It didn't take long to reach and then pass her. Turning toward her, a moment later, he caught her. His legs wrapped around hers and his arms wrapped around her body pinning her arms to her sides. "Now, let's see what improvements your DNA can offer to my being." Cell said with a smirk, his tail reaching up over his shoulder from behind.
Sakura's eyes snapped wide as the point of the creature's tail plunged into her neck. The pain lanced up into her head and down along her arm more intense than anything she'd ever felt. And then it intensified as she felt her energy and blood being sucked out of her body. Down below Trunks had climbed back to his feet and looked up toward them. "Oh no... Sakura! Hang on Sakura, I'm coming!" he yelled shooting up into the air again.