Hercule had managed to catch Chi-Chi after she fainted. He had laid her out gently on the ground before the glare had even faded away from the screen, and so, she didn't see that Goku had managed to survive. She also was not witness to the Earth shaking explosion that was Sakura's last attack. Bulma had instinctively held both her own young son and the child Sakura a little closer after that.
Outside the home Sango had followed the fight with her senses. But the final attack from Sakura she'd not needed her senses. She'd been able to feel and to see that. The light had flared up to the north almost like a second sunrise. At first she'd thought it was Hotaru but the Ki had been way too powerful which meant Sakura. "Just as much spirit as her mother..." Sango said softly as she watched the glare fade away.
Up in Gohan's room the two children stared at the screen in shock. "No... way." Videl said softly, blinking. "G-Gohan... y-you can still s-sense her... right?"
The boy shook his head. "No. She... she's gone." he said softly. "Come on, let's go."
"But... we're supposed to..."
"The fight's over." Gohan said. "I want to..." He froze and his eyes shot back to the TV to see if what he felt was true.
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Planet Vegeta, The Palace, Throne Room:
The Throne Room was both crowded and empty today. A small gathering of individuals had been invited to watch the events occuring on Earth, these 'Cell Games'. The King was there, of course, as was Pug, Toma, Mango, Tangerie, Vadora, and Chaotzu. All those present had something of a personal stake in the battle.
They'd all remained silent during the course of the battle, their eyes locked on the video feeds and power level readings from the planet. Pug was increasingly impressed with the new systems and increasingly suprised by the powers of those on Earth. Goku's Kamehameha and 'Super Kaioken' combo hadn't even put a strain on the systems and it had nearly reached 430 million.
It was a moment after that attack that someone finally spoke. As the blinding glow of Sakura's heroic attack filed the monitor. "That's..." it was Tangerie who had spoken, or tried to. But she couldn't find the words.
"She gave her life to save the rest of the galaxy." the King said a moment later. The view on the screens had changed to the Z Warriors. It wasn't looks joy and relief that the danger had passed, that victory was theirs, but one of sadness at the loss of one of their friends that covered their faces. It lingered on them for a moment before suddenly changing to show something new.
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Planet Tanaria, The Palace, Throne Room:
"What is she...?" Akira asked watching the screen. He, Sora, and Kavar had decided to watch the Cell Games together in the throne room. Most of the people in the city were watching the large screen out in the city square, their voices could be heard every so often as something major happened. Only a few of them were able to sense Earth from this distance and the power readings weren't being displayed to the public.
"Suicide attack." Kavar said watching. "She's going to take herself out to take out Cell." A second later the alien was proven true as a large explosion overtook everything and the scene was hidden by a blinding glare. It didn't take long for the three to notice Sakura's Ki vanish. Or for those outside in the city to grow loud again.
Sora closed her eyes. "So much like her mother, that girl."
Akira had to agree with that. Sacrificing her own life was definitely something Hotaru would do if it meant saving others. Especially ones she cared about. "At least... the threat is over." he said as he watched the upset mother hitting her fists against Trunks' chest.
Kavar had turned to head outside, the loud cheers already reaching his ears, when he felt a sudden 'twitch' to Sora's power. A small spike he had come to recognize over the years as an indication that something was bothering her. Turning to look he saw the image on the monitor shift and realized she must have sensed it before the cameras showed it.
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The Cell Games:
"She... blew herself up, to take out Cell." Raditz said softly.
Hotaru barely heard him. She barely even registered the world around her for a moment. And then she felt the hand on her shoulder and turned slowly to look. She snapped out of her daze a moment later as her gaze rested on Trunks. "Let go of me!" she cried, jerking away from him. The sudden yell shocked the others and they turned to look.
"I... we could have..." she started, her voice and look going between despair and anger. Suddenly she smashed her arms against his chest in frustration and anger. As she continued beating on his chest everyone watched on sadly. Yamcha knew how Hotaru felt to an extent but he'd not spent nearly as much time with their daughter from the future as she had. But he could also see the sadness in Trunks eyes too, after all, he'd just lost his mate.
As she continued her assault of anger and despair, Hotaru began to glow faintly as her power built. Trunks realized that, in her pain, the Tanarian royal was losing control over her power. In the same instant that she transformed, so did he so that she could continue letting out her frustrations without hurting him any.
A moment later her flailing arms finally slowed and then stopped as she collapsed against his chest still crying. Yamcha floated over to her and gently moved her away from Trunks. The numbness of his own mind was just starting to fade now and suddenly he remembered the Dragonballs. However, before he could say anything to Hotaru, a wind rushed out across the landscape and a power hit his mind.
"What the hell!" Vegeta cried, his eyes turning finally from his son to the point of origin of the power. There, floating about five feet above the center of the crater, was an oddly shapped blue mass that was pulsing and rippling strangely. Red lightning like energy was arcing around it as it pulsed and its power built up slowly. The mass was still weak by comparison to those present but its power was climbing quickly.
"No... it... it can't be..." Yamcha breathed, eyes going wide. "There's no way he survived that!"
Piccolo was the first to have a working mind and quickly he thrust an arm out, a stream of green energy charging for the forming mass. Howerver, the attack never reached it, slamming instead into an invisible barrier of some kind nearly a dozen feet of its target. "Damn it!" he cried, stopping the attack.
There was a flash of gold as Vegeta transformed and thrust his arms forward trying his own hand at stopping the re-forming Cell. His own golden energy had the same effect as Piccolo's, none. The Sai-jin Prince growled as he lowered his arms. "Damn that freak!" he roared.
"This can't be happening... no..." Hotaru said softly, eyes watering. "Sakura... she... she died for nothing..."
The forming mass was now a good three feet across and slowly taking on more recognizable features. Parts were turning green, black dots were appearing, small stubs had emerged for the arms and the legs. Joining the lightning like energy was his golden aura. But as it pulsed and flared, growing larger in match with Cell's power, it began to change colors, slowly turning orange.
"No fucking way!" Yamcha cried floating back. "He... he can't have... can he?"
"The Tanarian Transformation..." Krillin said in shock. "This isn't good..."
"He'll be even more powerful than before..." Appla said, the despair evident in her voice.
"We HAVE to stop him before that happens!" Trunks cried as he transformed quickly. And with that he charged in toward the mass. Vegeta was right on his trail followed a moment later by Bardock and Goku who transformed along the way. Raditz watched them go before growling. A second later a red aura flared up around him and he surged in as well not sure how much help he could be. Piccolo was only a second behind him and then Appla was charging in too.
"We have to help them." Tien said floating over to Krillin and Yamcha.
"What could we possib..." Yamcha was cut off as Hotaru's aura flashed to silver and she shot in to join the others. "Hotaru!" he called watching her charge in. "Damn it... Sanjuu Kinryoku!" he cried shooting in toward the battle as well.
Tien watched them go and then braced himself. "Yotsuu Kinryoku! Double Kaio Ken!" His silver aura vanished before even fully forming and was replaced by a red one. In a flash he shot in to join the others leaving Krillin alone.
The short Human watched them, the first group had already reached Cell's location and was currently trying to smash through the barrier around him. Each blow sent sparks of Ki flying out but was apparently having no effect on the defense. /Man... I'm going to die without a girlfriend.../ he thought. And as he did 18 flashed in his mind and the fear vanished from his face. "Sanjuu Kinryoku!"
The 11 warriors had surrounded Cell's location just at the edge of his barrier and were attacking furiously, putting all they had into each attack. By now his power had nearly reached the level he'd been fighting Goku at earlier and his arms and legs were fully formed. The rippling mass was now taking shape into his body, his head slowly emerging at the top.
And then, with a cry and blast of power that knocked all those around him away nearly a hundred yards, his regeneration finished and his power shot through roof. It was definitely greater than before but, as they were all thankful for, it wasn't nearly as powerful as they had feared. He may have unlocked a Tanarian like change but the increase wasn't nearly as great as the actual transformation. Still, he had them all far outclassed at this point. Not even Goku could see any hope left.
"How did you..." Yamcha started.
Cell smirked. "She almost had me... tricky girl. Luckily I'm trickier. At the last second I focused all of my power to protecting a single cell of my being. So long as it survived I would as well. It worked. Her attack was astounding and outstanding, it would have had me, but my ingenuity was superior. All she did was kill herself and make me even more powerful than ever before!
"My body seems to have adapted, increasing the priority of the Tanarian DNA over that of even the Sai-jin in me. Interesting. I can consider this later. I believe I was about to kill all of you before she interrupted me. So, shall we pick up there? Who would like to go first, hmm? Goku? Vegeta? Trunks?" he asked, his now red eyes looking to each of them in turn.
"Damn you Cell!" Hotaru yelled at him, the anger and pain dripping from her voice. A single blue symbol was forming in each of her solid red eyes as she glared at Cell. Her silver aura was flickering and fading away, the orange seeping in again. "She gave her life to stop you... Damn you!"
There was a crack and flash from Hotaru as her power churned around her. Her silver aura was gone, orange once more in it's place, but her power hadn't dropped. It was, in fact, building. Her aura was now a swirling circle around her growing thicker and brighter until she vanished from view within it. Orange lightning began to spark along it as blue green lines began to trace around it forming a pattern.
Yamcha floated back in shock. He recognized this process, Hotaru was transforming again! Still, he seriously doubted the power increase she'd make would be enough in the end to stop, or even annoy, Cell. A second later Hotaru's cry sounded from within the sphere of energy and it exploded apart.
Now with the visual obstruction gone they could see the changes, minor as they were, that she had undergone. As with Sakura she now had more stripes on her body. On her arms, forhead, and neck. Her hair was now a light sky blue, lighter than Sakura's had been, and her eyes were now solid pink. Orange lightning, a lighter and brighter color than her still orange aura, flashed about her as she glared at Cell.
Her power had, indeed, gone up. But as Yamcha had figured she really was no match for Cell still. /Maybe,/ Yamcha thought. /If we were lucky enough for her to transform right on through to her True Form.../ He wasn't really sure if his mental calculations were entirely accurate on that, but he figured she'd be at least around the level Sakura had been during her fight with Cell.
"My, what a light show." Cell asked smirking. "What, have transformations gone on sale today or something?"
Hotaru growled. "Shut-up! You have no right!" she cried, the lighting like energy snapping about her angrily. Her hands were still clenched into fists and her entire body was shaking with rage that bordered on pure hatred. "You have no right to be using her DNA, no right to the form you've taken, no right to live!"
"Aren't we the righteous one." he laughed. "Well then, if you want to be with your daughter again, then come on, I'll send you to join her."
Hotaru growled again, her fists clenching more and her nails drawing blood from her palms. "Nibai Kinryoku!" she cried, her aura shifting to silver, the energy bolts still sparking around it. She felt her muscles swell and her power spike. It was a bit of a strain but she'd felt worse. In a flash of silver she surged in at Cell.
The Bio-droid didn't bother to move or react in any way other than to follow her with his eyes. She reached him in seconds and began to hit him with everything she could manage. Blows to his head, neck, chest, stomach, and back, each sending out thunderous cracks and backwashes of power but not even phasing the powerful creature. Cell simply laughed. "Let me know when it's my turn, would you?"
"You think this is a game!?" Hotaru cried, backing off a bit.
"Well, it certainly isn't a fight."
"Sanjuu Kinryoku!" She cried in response. Her power flared up higher, her aura grew brighter and thicker, and her muscles bulged outward. Again she surged in but this time Cell didn't bother to just stand there. He moved, faster than she could see, and slammed his knee into her stomach and then smashed his elbow into her back.
She was knocked into the ground a few feet below them, her aura vanished and her body glowed for a moment as she passed out and reverted to base. Cell pointed an arm down at her and started charging energy for a death blow. Suddenly a foot smashed into his face as Goku attacked him once again. The blow was enough to distract him from the downed Tanarian, but little else.
A second later the Sai-jin was joined by two others, Trunks and Bardock. Together the three of them launched a furious assault on Cell but he dodged around all of their attacks avoiding them like they were moving in slow motion. The four lifted up into the sky, the others just watching on for a moment.
As Trunks was knocked away by a fierce kick to his stomach, Vegeta shot up into the fray taking his son's place. But the half Sai-jin wasn't out of the battle for long and soon re-joined the others. Even with four Super Sai-jins attacking him at the same time he was dodging them as easily as if they were moving in slow motion.
"Is this the best you've got?" Cell laughed as he blocked a kick from Trunks with one leg, a kick from Bardock with the other, caught a punch from Goku with his left hand and smashed his right fist into Vegeta's unprotected chest. The pause in the battle lasted only a moment and then the five were moving once again.
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Son Home, Gohan's Room:
"I... I don't believe it..." Videl said in shock as Cell finished his regeneration. "He... survived!"
"And he's gotten even stronger too!" Gohan cried. "That's it, I'm going to help." he said heading for his window. "I have to try and do something..."
"I'm coming too." Gohan glanced back at her and she frowned at him. "Don't think I'm staying here. I'm just as good a fighter as you, and stronger than Trunks or Vegeta too. Besides, you know what will happen if they lose. Either way I'll die. At least this way I have some say in it."
Gohan nodded and then floated out of his window. He waited there for a moment until Videl was out as well and then both of them shot off toward the battle, little more than golden streaks to anyone that had seen them leave. The only one who had was Sango. "There they go." she said watching them. Suddenly she smiled. "Can't let everyone else have all the fun." and with that she vanished from where she stood.
Inside the home, Roshi was the only one able to sense how powerful Cell now was. He was also the only one in the room that was able to follow the kids as they took off or detect Sango's sudden depature from the front lawn. He could hardly blame any of them. Even as weak as he was by comparison to these fighters he wanted to go and try and help.