Thanks for taking the time to read this so far!
He was too late.
Cell froze, his heart thundering in his chest as his blood turned to ice. He hung suspended in the air, staring at the towering blaze of golden energy that had erupted like a mountain into the sky. Other Cells' energy was enormous. His power was beyond anything Cell had ever felt before. Even his own, new, super charged power was only paltry compared to this. The Earth below him shook violently, huge cracks forming in the ground, swallowing whole chunks of forest.
He was too late.
"Rowan…I'm sorry." He whispered, his mouth had gone dry, his voice was hoarse and raspier than usual, and he almost choked on his own words. The monstrous power of Other Cell continued to grow, the golden blazing aura shone brighter. A burst of energy, and the forest below was completely vaporized, leaving only the rocky Earth exposed beneath the soil.
Cell saw him then, a small speck in the distance, engulfed in the monstrous blaze of energy. Winds lashed at Cells' face but he felt nothing. He was numb with the overwhelming failure.
Something caught his attention then, a tiny spec on the ground just behind Other Cell. Cell stared at it for a long moment. He was too far away to see, but he could sense that it was Rowan. She was still alive, although her energy was dim, barely even detectable next to Other Cells overwhelming power.
And still his power rose.
"Cell!" Cell barely even glanced at Piccolo as he roared up next to him. Cell looked at Piccolo for just a moment.
"Piccolo." Cell snarled. This caught Piccolo off guard.
"You can talk? What the hell is going on? Why are there two of you?! How did he get so strong?!" Piccolo demanded. Cell snarled. He really didn't have time to deal with the Namekian.
"Do you see that girl behind the Other Cell?" Cell asked. Piccolo focused, nodded.
"I see her."
"Save her. She's important." Cell said firmly. Before Piccolo could say or ask anything else, Cell's aura erupted around him potent, powerful and full of the rage he felt within him. It was not as impressive as Other Cells', but it was never the less magnificent.
He burst into full flight, lunging straight at Other Cell.
"CELL!" Piccolo roared after him.
Piccolo felt his anger and frustration boil to the surface and he clenched his fists, feeling his long nails dig into his skin. He watched as the two monstrous powers collided in a massive explosive burst that threatened to blast Piccolo out of the sky. They broke into a fight then, one extremely savage, brutal and unpredictable, the other, a mighty fighter with masterful technique, but hopelessly outmatched in power.
Piccolo turned his focus on the girl. He watched, as the weaker Cell led the stronger in battle away from where the girl lay. Piccolo knew that if he was to get involved in such a fight, he would lose. It was better to let the two Cells fight it out. He flew down towards the girl, getting buffeted occasionally by the shock blasts from the battle.
The girl was unconscious. She had a horrible bruise across her cheek and her clothes were shredded and ripped leaving her exposed.
Slashed. He realized with a scowl. Thin trails of blood marked where his claws had torn her flesh. None of the wounds appeared to be life threatening. He slipped off his cape, ripping off the weighted shoulders, and draping it over her and scooping her up in his arms. His senses flared, and he dodged, leaping backwards as a powerful energy attack blasted the spot he had just been standing.
"MINE!" The stronger Cell hissed. His distraction cost him as the weaker Cell punched the stronger hard in the jaw, sending him flying across the wasteland.
"PICCOLO, RUN!"
Cell gave chase to the Other Cell; blasting his power to it's full. He caught up, flipping and landing a devastating kick to Other Cell's exposed abdomen, sending him crashing into the ground below in a shower of rocks and dust. He didn't wait for Other Cell to get up, cupping his hands to his side.
"Kameha…" He started. He narrowed his eyes, enraged. He had seen Rowan, seen what this monster had done to her, felt his failure burn within him.
"Mae…" Cell poured all of energy into the glowing ball of energy in his hands.
"KaemaehamaeHA!" The sudden blast of light from the crater below surprised Cell.
"HA!" He roared back, thrusting his hands forward and unleashing his attack.
The two attacks collided with an Earth-shaking blast of power, the shock wave lashing out across the landscape.
But despite all the energy he had, he simply couldn't fend off the power of the super-charged Other Cell.
Cells' eyes widened in the sudden fear of realization as the Other Cells' energy blast consumed his own, and the attack roared straight at him. He tried to dodge, diving to the side, but the monstrous blast struck his legs and waist, incinerating them instantly.
He roared in agony, feeling the severity of the attack. He had lost his legs, half his wings, his abdomen and all but a stub of his tail. He groaned, trying to focus. He had just lost a massive amount of energy, and now a huge amount of flesh too.
"Heheheheheh…" He glared down as the dust settled around Other Cell, his aura surrounding his body, golden and terrible in its power. Other Cell looked up at him, in the same way a lion looks at a wooden antelope and slowly licked his lips.
Piccolo had stopped flying, turning back to watch the fight. He was a fair distance away from the fight, hovering above the ground, but his keen senses allowed him to watch it. The girl groaned in his arms, moving. Her eyes opened slowly.
"My head…" She groaned. Piccolo looked down at her with a frown but said nothing. She took a moment, evaluating herself and where she was. She touched the cloak that covered her and her eyes turned steely for several seconds. "That… Monster…" She hissed between clenched teeth. Piccolos' eyes narrowed.
"What happened?" Her face flushed red with shame her eyes watered, although she did well, keeping the tears back. She said nothing, staring at her hands in anger.
A sudden shock wave buffeted them, and Piccolo turned his focus back on the fight, as one of the Cells' half-destroyed bodies crashed into the ground below. Rowan stared down at him in utter shock.
"Seru…" She whispered, her face flashed with a dark shadow.
Piccolo grunted, dropping the girl as she suddenly flung herself from his arms with surprising force.
"Wait! You'll just get yourself killed!" He roared.
Cell propped himself up against a rock, focusing his energy. With a powerful and painful burst, all his missing limbs erupted from their stubs in a shower of green. He panted for a moment, trying to catch his breath. His energy was all but gone, and as he looked up at the Other Cell, saw his blazing golden energy, felt his terrible power, and he knew, he was beaten.
The Other Cell stopped in front of Cell, looming over him dangerously, his tail arched over his back, poised to strike.
"NO! SERU!" Rowan roared. Suddenly she was there, throwing herself at Cell. He caught her, growling.
"Rowan, you have to go." His voice was bitter and sad, but full of force. He tried to push her away.
"No, damnit! This is all my fault!" She stood up, turning her back to Cell and outstretching her arms, once again protecting the people she cared about.
"Stop it Cell!" She roared. Other Cell tilted his head at her, a sadistic grin on his face. But he did hesitate, his tail quivering over his head.
"Rowan, please." Cell's voice was full of concern and sadness. He forced himself to his feet. He lunged at Rowan from behind, intending to throw her out of the way.
It happened in a slow-motion blur. Rowans' eyes opened in shock as she felt the force of the impact, and looked down, seeing Other Cells' tail embedded deep in her chest. She felt Cell holding her from behind, and she looked over her shoulder. His face twisted in pain, but his eyes locked on hers, full of pain and sorrow.
"I'm so sorry, Rowan." He gasped. She heard the horrific sucking sound and watched in horror as Cell's face drained away, collapsing in on itself. Within seconds he was gone. Her friend, her companion… Her lover… was gone.
Piccolo watched mortified as the girl stood between the two monsters, trying to protect one of them, only to get impaled right through her chest, out her back, and into the belly of the Cell she was protecting. He was frozen in fear, staring in disbelief. The Other Cell yanked his tail free in a spurt of blood after he absorbed the other Cell. The girl fell to her knees in front of the monster, and then collapsed with only a gargled gasp and a small billow of dust.
"You fiend!" Piccolo snarled. The new Cell ignored him, his eyes closed as he relished the increased power. Piccolo stared down at the girl's body and made a decision. He couldn't fight the monster, but he could try to save her.
He lunged at her, scooping her over his shoulder and blasting into the air in one smooth movement. He glanced back to see if Cell was going to follow him, but he hadn't moved a muscle.
Piccolo snarled and shifted the girl to a more comfortable position.
"Damnit!" He roared angrily.
Rowan stirred. She felt like she had been run under a steam roller. She tried to move, but everything hurt. Her limbs felt like they were made of lead, her head pounded, her chest ached horribly and her face felt swollen and tender. She tried to open her eyes, but that just brought on a whole new wave of throbbing pain. It was intense enough, that she felt nauseous and she kept her self still, focusing on her breathing until the feeling passed.
"How are you feeling?" She heard a woman's voice, unfamiliar, but not unkind. She tried to open her eyes again, letting the light filter in. She groaned very gently rolling her face towards the voice.
"I've been better." She murmured, feeling the swelling in her jaw ache as she spoke.
"You're really lucky to be alive. To be honest, I thought you weren't going to make it for a while there." The lady went from a blur of bright colours into a focused image as her eyes finally adjusted. She recognized the face from the magazines.
"You're Bulma Briefs." It wasn't a question. Bulma smiled down at her and nodded.
"Do you know your name?" Rowan smiled back, but it turned into a grimace at the pain.
"Rowan Graves."
"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Graves."
"Rowan, please." Bulma grinned, leaning over and checking the readouts on the screen on the opposite side of the bed. Rowan watched her, but her mind raced as slowly everything came back.
"You'll probably want to know, that you're at the Capsule Corp. You've been here for 3 days." Bulma said. Rowan gave her a small curt nod of acknowledgement, but offered up nothing more.
"Can you tell me what happened, Rowan?" Bulma asked after a long while. Rowan's eyes stung with tears and she blinked, trying to keep them back. Her chest ached with more than just the pain of being impaled.
"Seru… He's gone…" She whispered. Bulma frowned.
"I'm so sorry Rowan. So many people have been lost to that monster." Rowan's lips quivered and she felt a hot tear streak over her swollen jaw. Bulma stared at her for a long while, a sad frown on her face. When Rowan didn't make any attempt to talk, Bulma patted her arm.
"I'm going to go, give you some time to adjust. There's some water on the table here, and if you need anything else, just press this button here." Bulma indicated to a large green button on the side of one of the machines that were connected to the monitors, and to Rowan. Rowan gave her a small nod, but didn't watch as she left.
As soon as the door closed, the tears fell freely and silently, as she closed her eyes, thinking of her shame. She had been stupid, using herself as bait. She had caught Other Cell's attention, but she hadn't been fast enough to escape, or strong enough to stop him, and he had ripped her clothes, and her flesh, simply taking what he wanted. She had given the monster all the power he needed to defeat Seru and continue his slaughter and rampage across the country, unchecked.
"He's dead because of me…" She said her voice full of absolute conviction. "Because I wasn't strong enough…" Her resolve broke and her face twisted into a silent scream, as her shame consumed her completely. Like a bursting dam, everything rushed forward and she collapsed in her utter sorrow and despair.
She woke again with a start, her heart racing and her body flooded with energy. She flung her eyes open, staring around. It was dark and she could hear the rain falling lightly outside. She looked around her room. She was still hooked up to the machines and the monitors flashed a warning with the increased heart rate. The door to the balcony was closed and she could see the balcony itself was empty. The monitors blinded her from looking in the far corner of the room, but the rest of the room was empty.
She sat up slowly, feeling a dull ache in her chest. She opened the night gown she was wearing, looking at the tight bandage. She touched it, feeling a small blossom of pain, but it was greatly reduced. She touched a hand to her face, the swelling was gone. The scratches on her arms and legs were gone as well.
"What the…" She frowned as she tried to work it out. She was mostly healed. Her stomach rumbled loudly, the sound seeming to echo, louder than the rain that fell outside. She leaned over grabbing the glass of water that had been left for her, and she downed it quickly. It wasn't enough and she was still thirsty and hungry. She ripped the sensors from her skin, ignoring the beeps of protest and slid out of bed. She felt weak on her legs and allowed herself a moment to adjust. She slowly ambled to one of the two doors in the room and opened it a crack. It was a small room, dark and smelt faintly of disinfectant and soap.
She opened the door fully and made her way to the toilet, blessedly relieving herself. She washed her hands in the sink, heading around the bed towards the other door. She didn't see the two glints of pink hidden in the shadow of the corner, watching as she left the room.
Rowan made her way down the dark and silent hallway, past other doors, pausing to listen to the mewling of a baby as it dreamt of something that was making it happy. She was tempted to open the door, and look in, but she resisted the temptation and moved on. She found herself at the top of a stair case. She paused, listening and watching. She could hear the faint sounds of what sounded like a power drill; the various trill tones of computers and the tacka-tacka of nimble fingers on a keyboard.
Slowly, and as quietly as possible, Rowan slipped down the stairs. They emerged out into a large lounge room with a comfortable and wide L-shaped Sofa arrangement around a huge flat screen TV. To her left was what looked like the front entrance hall of the building, and to her right was the archway that led into the kitchen.
There was a door, opened on the other side of the entrance hall, and light flooded out of it. The sounds were coming from there. It was like a beacon, and slowly Rowan made her way across the blessedly soft carpet, pausing at the door.
The door opened to a small flight of stairs that led into a basement area. She could see the sterile white linoleum floors and parts of chrome tables and benches, covered in electronics and tools. She heard a gruff males voice mumbling enthusiastically to himself, followed by more keyboard noises.
"Astounding. Truly incredible engineering." Rowan eased her way down the stairs, poking her head around the corner of the stair well.
She could see a smaller moustached man in a lab coat sitting at a computer, staring intently at the vast array of monitors that surrounded him with wide-eyed wonder. But what caught her attention and caused her to gasp, was the absolutely massive man on a chrome table in the middle of the room.
He was probably the largest man that she had ever seen, and he was incredibly muscular. He wore only a black skin-tight leotard, and his head was shaved, except for a strip of bright red hair that ran down the centre strip of his head. His eyes were closed, and from this angle, she could only see one side of him.
Her curiosity drew her and she stepped off the stair well and into the room. The man, she recognized as Doctor Briefs hadn't noticed her, but the giant mans' eyes opened revealing an intense piercing blue. Slowly his head rolled to face her, and she stepped back, in shock, as the other side of his face came into view.
His skull was opened, revealing a mass of circuitry and steel. He said nothing, but slowly he smiled a surprisingly warm and welcoming smile.
"You're… an android." She said. Doctor Briefs turned around then, surprised, but he managed a grin at Rowan.
"Ah, hello there!" He said.
"Uh, hi." Rowan managed, feeling suddenly small as she realized she was standing in front of one the greatest minds on Earth, wearing only a flimsy nightgown.
"Hello." The androids' voice was monotone and it startled Rowan.
"I'm glad to see you're finally up and about, how are you feeling?" Doctor Briefs asked.
"I'm.. Uh.. Feeling better, thanks." Doctor Briefs nodded, staring at her for a moment.
"You had some pretty nasty injuries. You almost died. Did Bulma tell you that?" Rowan managed a nod. Doctor Briefs nodded again and turned back to his monitors.
"We were surprised when Piccolo brought you here. We aren't medical doctors you know. But I suppose it makes sense. It's not like he could have taken you to a hospital, you being an alien and all." Doctor Briefs tapped one of his monitors as an image of a strand of DNA in its twisted helix form appeared. He tapped the keyboard, and a second image appeared of DNA, but instead of just two circling strands connected by rungs, this one had six strands, all encircling each other and connected by a network of proteins.
"Is that me?" She asked shocked. Her knowledge of biology was only the basics she had learnt at school. Doctor Briefs nodded with a bright smile.
"It certainly is. Way too complex for me to figure it out. I'm not that kind of a Doctor you know. But still it is very interesting. Can you tell me where you're from? What planet?" Rowan stared, still a little bemused by the android on the table that was still staring at her with a warm smile.
"I uh… I don't know anything about that. My mom was the alien, and she died when I was younger. Honestly, I only found out myself a few days ago."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Doctor Briefs replied, his voice genuinely sad, although she couldn't tell if it was for her loss, or for the fact he wouldn't know about her ancestry.
"Is he… Are you an android?" Rowan asked, directing her question to the giant man. He smiled a little wider.
"Yes, I am designated Android 16."
"Are you one of Geros'?" She asked a little hesitant.
"Yes." He replied again. Rowan stared in silence for a moment, swallowing the lump in her throat.
"Are you going to kill people too?" The androids' smile fell.
"I was created with the purpose to kill Son Goku. However, I have chosen to set aside that task in order to help fight against the threat of Cell." Rowan blinked letting his words sink in.
"Cell…" She lowered her head, staring angrily at the white linoleum floor. She felt her anger and her shame well up again, threatening to overwhelm her. She clenched her fists and closed her eyes, trying to maintain her control. Doctor Briefs stopped what he was doing, turning back to Rowan.
"I know you've been through a lot, Rowan, but I need to know, what happened? Piccolo was very vague on the details, only telling us that Cell had been the one who had hurt you." Rowan forced herself to take a deep breathe. Her mind flooded with memories again, painful, shameful and horrifying. It lingered on her Cells' face as he apologized, before he was drained away. She bit back the tears, refusing to cry again.
"I… I don't even know where to begin." She said sadly. Doctor Briefs stood up, walking around the android on the table and gently put his arm around her shoulder.
"Come sit down. I'll go make you a cup of tea." He led her to the chair he had just vacated, and she sat. He swung his jacket around her shoulders, and disappeared up the stair well.
Rowan stared at 16. He had followed her movements and was watching her intently.
"I do not know the details, but I have the same data from Geros' computer about your blood as Cell undoubtedly does." He said in his monotone voice. "I am aware of your unique gift." She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it, feeling her face flush as her anger simmered within her.
"Don't get any ideas." She said flatly. 16 smiled at the fire in her eyes.
"Do not worry. I am an entirely mechanical being. Such an activity would benefit me not." She sighed, feeling her anger abate and relief wash over her.
"I'm not sure I want anyone else to know. It seems dangerous."
"The Briefs are good people. I do not think they would do anything to harm you or willingly put you in harms' way. However I too agree that the details of your gift would be dangerous if it were common knowledge. Even good people can do bad things when they are desperate." Rowan nodded as his words, staring down at her clenched fists in her lap.
"Is Cell still killing people?" She asked after a long while. 16 paused for a moment, considering his answer.
"He no longer has a need to consume people. He has achieved his perfect form and has more power than is fathomable."
"His perfect form?! He found 17 and 18 then?" 16 frowned at her question, his face sad.
"Yes. I was unable to protect them from his wrath. I failed my friends." Rowan felt a deep fear in her belly at the news of Cell's evolution. But she also felt her heart ache as she watched 16's face.
"I… I know what you mean. Because of me, Seru was killed. It's my fault Cell is the monster he is…" She said quietly. 16s face was unreadable, as he stared intently at her.
"So my sensors were not failing. There were two Cells." He said after a while. Rowan nodded and wiped her eyes. They were moist.
"Seru was from the future, and he was my friend. He lived with me for four years in his larval form, while he waited for his body to mature." 16 frowned, as he listened. Rowan found she couldn't stop herself, and before she knew it, she was telling 16 everything that had happened.
She told him about the other Cell's appearance on the TV, triggering her Cells' evolution, about how he had told her about the future, and how he had known her then, and had come looking for her when he came back in time. She even told him about how she had willingly given him a power boost in the forest so he could stop the primal Cell, although she glossed over the details, her face flushed as she recalled the memory. She told him then, about how she had used herself as bait to save her friends from Cell's attack, but how it had backfired.
"It's my fault, 16. I shouldn't have brought attention to myself. Maybe he would have killed me like the others and he wouldn't have gotten as strong as he is now… And then Seru would have won, and we wouldn't have such a Monster to deal with now."
16 sat in silence as she finished, her head hanging in shame. Slowly, he lifted his hand out to her. She gave him hers and felt his reassuring warmth as he squeezed her hand gently.
"It is not your fault, Rowan. You did what you thought was best. Your intentions were noble. Your actions saved Mary and her family." His eyes were kind and sincere, even though he wore a sad smile.
"Thanks 16. I have to admit, I feel better telling you." 16's smile was genuine and warm.
"You are most welcome." She took her hand back and he returned his to his side on the table. A silence befell them for a while.
"Do you know what Cell will do now that he is complete?" She asked. 16 frowned.
"He has declared a martial arts tournament, called the Cell Games, in order to decide the worlds' fate. It is scheduled to be held in 8 days' time, in an arena he has built. I believe he is giving the Z warriors a chance to fight back against him, in order to fully test his new strength." Rowan blinked in utter surprise, as she thought of the monstrous Cell, little more than a savage animal. She couldn't wrap her head around it.
"But... He was little more than an animal. How is he hosting a tournament? That doesn't make any sense…" 16 looked at her with a slight frown.
"I do not know. But he has given his word to Goku that he will not attack anyone, unless he is provoked, until the tournament." This shocked Rowan even more. She felt numb and dizzy, and her chest ached.
"I think…. I need to think…" She said meekly. 16 nodded as she stood up, swinging Doctor Briefs' coat over the back of his chair.
"Thank you 16." She felt surprisingly comfortable around the giant man, and she gently touched his arm in appreciation. 16 smiled at her, turning his face back up to the ceiling, closing his eyes.
Rowan walked back up the stair well. Doctor Briefs and Bulma were both standing at the top of the stair well, two mugs in Doctor Briefs' hands.
"I'm so sorry Rowan; I didn't want to interrupt you." He said a flush of shame on his face. Rowan frowned.
"You heard…" It wasn't a question. Bulma's face was full of concern and anger.
"That jerk." She hissed. Doctor Briefs offered Rowan a cup. It was still warm, but not hot. They had been standing there for a while. She thanked him for the tea.
"I'm going to go back to bed, if that's okay." She said, feeling dirty and shamed. She didn't wait for a reply, gently walking past them and heading back up the stairs to her room.
She closed the door behind her, and placed the tea mug on the side table next to her bed. The machines and monitors next to her bed were off now, silent. The room was chilly. There was only a slight breeze, but it was still raining lightly outside, and the balcony door was ajar, letting the cool air in. Rowan sighed and stared out the window, before she slowly closed the balcony door, and turned to her bed. She started suddenly, as she saw a little capsule case on her bed and a folded piece of paper.
"Bulma?" She wondered to herself. She sat on the bed, and unfolded the note.
The gift of freedom. The promise of resolution.-S. She read, the letters were beautifully written. She stared at it for a moment, before she turned the note over.
NW Central City, P 5, R 28 KS. She stared at the writing for a long time. It was an address, written in the old style, a fashion that hadn't been used in mainstream for years. Slowly she folded the paper placing it on the bed, and she opened the small metal case. 3 Capsules were secured.
She slipped each one out, reading the labels on the side.
"6x RX hover bike." She read, staring in wide eyed surprise at one of them. The second was a standard storage unit, the size of a small filing cabinet. The third was a small dome house, like the one she had, but had been lost during the fighting.
"No… wait…" She looked closer at the peeling label; saw the scratches and the dirty marks. "This... This isn't a house like mine, it IS MINE." She said with a gasp. She dropped the capsule onto the bed, staring at it with wide eyed horror.
It took Rowan several more minutes, before she finally shook the fear from her system, her mind finally whirling back into action. She picked up the note again, staring at it intently.
"The gift of freedom…" She mused. She looked at the capsules. The bike was new, but her house had everything she owned in it. She wouldn't deny she was at least glad to get that back. She wondered where the bike had come from, wondered if she should even keep it.
"The promise of resolution." This one made her frown as she thought about it. "Is he promising to give me an explanation?" She wondered. She looked at the address. She would need a map to figure out the exact location, but the NW Central city, told her that it was obviously North West of Central City. If she was at Capsule Corporation Headquarters, then that meant she was in West City. Central City was East, on the other side of the Paprika River.
At least a half days drive, if she was to go. She sat in silence, her mind racing as she stared at the capsules and the beautifully written note.
Why would I go to see him, after what he did to me? She thought bitterly. Because he called himself Seru? Does he think I'm that stupid? But… He was an animal. How is it that he's making all these scheming plans, and acting smart? And apparently he can talk now. Ugh, I'm so confused. She felt hungry, but she didn't have the appetite to do anything about it.
Finally, curiosity got the better of her, and she opened the storage capsule, clicking the activator and tossing it into the middle of the floor. A storage cabinet appeared, pale blue in colour with two huge drawers. She opened the bottom one first, finding it filled with a few sets of clothes and a pair of sneakers neatly on top. She rummaged through, finding a pair of dark jeans and a heavy woollen turtle neck. She quickly dressed herself, tying up the laces on her shoes. They all fit her perfectly. He knew her size. She also grabbed out a large, water-tight jacket, tossing that on the bed too.
She opened the top drawer next, found a map, torch, a small bundle of money, first aid kit and a few other bits and pieces that would come in handy on a long trip. She withdrew the map, opening it up and spreading it out over her bed. She looked at the note again, before she examined the map closely. She pin pointed the location in the middle of farming country.
"At least he's away from people." She muttered to herself. She grabbed the money, feeling dirty, just for touching it. She had no way of knowing where it came from, and if Cell had killed people to get it. There was a few hundred dollars' worth. She frowned and tossed the money on the bed. She made a mental catalogue of everything else that was in the cabinet, before she finally closed the drawer and re-activated the capsule, picking it back up and sliding it back in place in the metal case.
She stared at the collection of stuff on her bed now, listening to the gentle rain outside. She frowned, her internal mind warring with itself. Half of her wanted to run away, far away, to somewhere where she could be safe. Her fear of Cell was strong, the savage fanged monster and his tearing claws, his hot stinking breath and the needle sharp tail, the horrible things he had done to her and to her dear friend were memories that would haunt her always. Not that she could think of anywhere safe to hide.
But the other half of her was curious. What had happened to Cell, why was he so articulate and smart now? What had happened, and why would he call himself S? Was it possible that somehow, Seru had survived? Was Cell just playing games, trying to make her come to him, on his terms? Was this a trap? Or was it genuine? He had given her the means to make her own decision, the freedom…
"The gift of freedom." She smiled wryly at this and sighed, collapsing on the bed to think.
The rain eased as dawn broke. It was a grey morning, the clouds still peppered the sky, but it was slowly clearing. As was Rowans' mind. She had suffered greatly at the hands of the monster, but all evidence suggested that something had changed. She wanted to know what. But she also didn't want to give him what he wanted. She could potentially double his power level and that, would be very, very bad.
She would take the gift he had given her, and she would run.
Away from him.
The house was silent again. Bulma and Doctor Briefs had obviously gone to bed. Rowan made her way downstairs and into the kitchen. She helped herself to a large bottle of water, drinking half the contents, before refilling it and setting it on the table. She made herself a sandwich, eating it ravenously, while she rummaged through the pantry. She felt ashamed as she helped herself to dried and canned foods, piling them on the table, before shovelling them into a shoulder bag.
She quickly scribbled out a note using a pen and pad next to the phone, leaving the note on the kitchen table, before she left out the front door, quietly closing it with a reluctant sigh. She walked quickly and quietly down the pavement, following the street around the corner until she was out of sight of the giant yellow domed building of Capsule Corp. The city was just starting to wake up, with a handful of early-shift workers getting into the cars, or walking down the sidewalk, people who weren't afraid of Cell, or who didn't have anywhere else to run.
Rowan pulled out the bike capsule, clicking it and tossing it onto the side of the road. The bike was new, and beautiful. It was a large, sleek thing, with white, chrome and black components. It looked like it was built for speed and power, and Rowan couldn't deny her thrill when she saw it.
She didn't have a license, and her experiences with hover bikes where minimal, but she took it slow, getting a feel for the rumbling, powerful engine beneath her body as she eased the bike into gear, and took off down the road.
She found her way out of West City without incident, her confidence in driving increasing as she adjusted to the bike. She got a thrill out of feeling the wind in her face. She had her hair tied back in a ponytail, and had tucked that under the neckline of her jacket, but loose strands still whipped around her face. The bike had a wind shield, keeping the bugs out of her face as she sped along the road.
She stopped about an hour later, pulling over into a gas station on the side of the road. She sat on a bench around the side of the gas station and pulled out the map from her bag, smoothing it out. She studied it carefully, wondering where she should go. The roads were surprisingly quiet outside the city, and there was only two other cars at the station. One was parked, and obviously belonged to the employee. The other was at the pump; a snappily dressed business man was filling up his car.
Rowan sighed, absently tracing roads with her fingers. She could go anywhere. Absolutely anywhere. And all she could think of was him. She felt the hairs on her neck rise, and she looked up suddenly, feeling like she wasn't alone. She looked around, but the business man was ignoring her. She scanned the tree line at the back of the service station, but nothing caught her attention. She frowned, watching intently for a moment, before she looked back at the map.
She heard the man finish up and the jingle of bells as he went inside to pay. She looked up a moment later as he got back into his car, firing it up and driving off. An occasional car drove past on the road. Everything seemed fine, but Rowan still felt alert and uneasy.
"I could go north." She mused to herself after a while, looking at the abundance of small towns that littered the North ranges. "Although it will be cold this time of year." She examined the West, port cities on the edge of the vast ocean. Sunnier, and with the beach, it seemed more tempting. To the East, were the farming lands and forests, back from where she had come from. She only considered the South for a moment, resolute against it. Her fathers' house was south.
She sighed, her eyes being drawn back to the red circle she had marked on the map just outside Central City.
"If only there was a way I could guarantee he wouldn't use me." She muttered.
"I give you my word." She almost screamed as her entire body tensed as her adrenalin pumped at the smooth, conceded voice. She whirled around, looking up.
He was standing on the roof of the service station, hidden from the road behind a giant sign, but he was in clear view of her. She simply hadn't looked up.
He had changed completely. He looked, for want of a better term, like a human Man, only taller, stronger and adorned with speckled light green armour. His pale white face looked sculpted, clean cut, and perfectly proportioned with cool magenta eyes, a perfectly straight nose, framed by a strange yellow chin strap that held the split-horn like helmet on his head. He had indigo streaks on his cheeks and two long and slender, black shelled wings hung from his shoulders. His arms were folded across his broad chest.
Rowan felt the burst of pain erupt in her chest at the sight of him, and she jumped to her feet, backing away from the service station.
"Cell…" She gasped, unable to hide the fear that had gripped her.
"Hello Rowan." He said with a wide smirk. "What do you think of my final form?" Slowly, and without any sign of effort, he lifted from the roof, slowly lowering to the ground in front of her. She stepped back, trying to put distance between them. He was so tall, looming over her. She couldn't speak, her tongue turning to ash in her mouth.
Her heart hammered in her chest and blood surged, but she stood frozen, her mind blank. It took several moments for her to calm herself, for her body to start responding to her thoughts again.
"Well?" He asked again. His voice was smooth, deeper and completely different from the voice she knew.
"You still look like a monster to me." She managed, faking her bravado. He saw through her easily, his bright magenta eyes flashing with a sick delight.
"You never were a good liar." She snarled at this.
"Like you would know."
"Oh but I do. I lived with you for four years." Her eyes widened at what he were saying, her fear replaced with surprise.
"No… That was Seru… You killed him." Her anger flared within her, heating her blood. "You murdered him, THROUGH ME!" She screamed the last two words, her anger was absolute, the memory of her friends face, so full of sadness blazing across her mind. She lunged at him in her blind rage, fists balling as she tried to hit him.
He easily dodged her swings, with a chuckle, catching her wrists in his hands effortlessly. She writhed and pulled, trying to twist away from him, yelling and screaming.
Her commotion caused the employee of the gas station to run out, stumbling as he saw Cell and falling to his face.
"Holy shit!" He half crawled, half ran back the way he had come.
"Calm down Rowan." Cell demanded a smirk on his face. He was arrogant, enjoying watching her fire burn. She tried to free her wrists, but it was useless.
He wasn't hurting her, but his grip was like iron, unrelenting and absolute. She finally stopped, the exertion causing her to breathe heavily. Her hair frayed around her face.
"Are you quite done?" He asked. She snarled, and said nothing. He let her go, and she stepped back, putting distance between him.
"Jerk." She growled. This only made him grin wider.
"Now, now. There's no need to be so rude."
"What do you want?" She demanded, brushing the loose hair from her face. She tried to reign in her anger and the shame that fuelled it.
The gas station clerk appeared again, a shot gun in his hands. He levelled it at Cell. Cell didn't even look, instead, stepping forward suddenly towards Rowan, his back to the clerk. His wings snapped shut behind him as the clerk fired both rounds.
The sound was deafeningly loud and Rowan flinched. Cell was right in front of her, a sadistic grin on his face. The clerk tried to fire again, but the gun clicked, out of shells. Cell turned his side to face the clerk, his wings flexing, as the tiny pellets rained on the floor.
"Don't hurt him!" Rowan yelled suddenly. Cell didn't move, staring at the clerk, who stared in horror at Cell. She could see the tiny tensing of his jaw, feel the heat of energy emanating from him, and she knew he wanted to kill the man. But he didn't. Rowan watched as the clerk hugged his gun to his chest and disappeared back inside the service station to cower and hide.
The whole even had taken only a few seconds, but Rowan found her anger flare down to a simmer. He could have killed him, it would have been nothing for him, she knew, but he hadn't. Why hadn't he? She couldn't understand it.
Cells' cool gaze turned back to hers, his face still sporting a smirk.
"Rude little insect." He sneered. Rowan frowned.
"Thank you." She managed, although the words were bitter in her mouth. Cells grin widened, and he lowered his head to eye level with hers.
"You are most welcome." He said in a voice that oozed arrogance. She grimaced and turned her face away from him, waiting until he stood back up to his full, impressive height. He lifted from the ground then; his wings open slightly as he landed smoothly on the roof again.
"Wait, that's it? You're just going to go?" She was surprised and it showed in her tone. He smirked, folding his arms across his chest again.
"I gave you the gift of freedom, Rowan. Freedom to make your own choices. If you want to know the truth about me, you know where to find me." Cell tapped his head knowingly with a sly grin as he spoke.
"Wait a sec!" Cell laughed, a smooth, but cruel sound.
"I give you my word, I will not hurt you, if you do decide to visit my arena." He laughed.
"DAMNIT CELL!" She roared as he took to the skies in a burst of golden energy, his laugh fading as he flew away. The sign groaned and fell to the ground from the power of his departure, but Rowan ignored it and sighed nasally, stressed and annoyed.
She sat down on the bench for a moment, staring at the map, her mind recalling everything that had just happened.
He wasn't her Seru. She concluded. But it also wasn't the Cell she had encountered either. She wondered if his word was worth anything.
"I can't believe I'm actually thinking about this. It could just be a trap." She said to herself. She looked up at the sky where he had flown off. She thought of the power she had felt as he gripped her wrists and frowned. "Although if he had really wanted to, he could have just taken me then and there and there would be nothing I, or anyone else could do to stop him." She admitted.
She folded the map back up quickly, and stuffed it back into her bag. She mounted her bike, sending gravel and dust up as she spun the wheels before zooming off down the road. She had made her decision.
She had to know.