Rowan was glad she had a bike instead of a car. The closer she got to Central City, the worse the traffic got, until it was clogged completely on the lanes leading out of the city, and people had begun to spill over into the other side of the road in an attempt to escape away from the tyrant. Rowan swerved between the cars easily.
She tried to stop at a motel for the night outside of Central City, but it was full to burst and she didn't even make it into the reception. People were hysterical, and there was chaos everywhere. Rowan fled, re-capsuling her bike and heading to the river.
Paprika River was a wide body of water. It fed the lands with the rain from the Sage Mountains, carving a path across the land until it reached the great sea. Central City was on the other side of the river. There were 2 major bridges that crossed over the river, and each was jammed full of people trying to escape. Rowan saved herself the trouble of trying to navigate through the mess of hysteric people, yelling and honking their horns on her bike, and instead crossed over the bridge on foot, using the small foot path on the sides of the bridges.
People were evacuating on foot too, carrying bags and suitcases, each looking worried, sad or angry. Cell was destroying people's lives and all he was doing was sitting in his arena, waiting for his tournament.
On the other side of the bridge, Rowan gave herself a moment to appreciate the city. It was spread out over the side of a huge hill, and it seemed to tower up into the evening sky. She sighed at the massive bank of cars each trying to funnel into the bridge. Rowan left the main roads, following the river bank until she found a quiet grassy area well away from the panicking people. She popped out her house, locking the door behind her.
She had no power or running water, since she was not connected to the main lines, and she had never bought the optional generator or tank that these houses could come with. When she had first fled from her father with his credit cards, she had maxed out two on just the basic house, and a third on supplies. She didn't have the means to buy the upgrades, or even a mode of transportation. She had relied on her wit, sheer determination and luck to travel as far as she had in the first place.
Rowan sighed, feeling incredibly good, just to be back in her own home. She felt her heart ache as she saw the lumpy sheet where Cell's old empty shell was. She gently stroked part of the exposed head crest, feeling the cool rigid casing. She stopped, forcing herself away before she started to cry. She made herself dinner, a rather bland affair that consisted of baked beans and dried jerky, and finally crawled into her own, comfortable bed.
She awoke feeling strangely calm. She dressed quickly and relieved herself outside behind some bushes, since her toilet wasn't working. She de capsuled her house and headed towards the city. There were still people trying to get out of the city, but there were fewer cars then there had been the evening before.
She popped out her bike when she was away from the traffic, riding slowly through the eerily empty streets on the outskirts of the city. She avoided going through the middle, managing to find her way by heading in the general direction she wanted to go. Within an hour she was back out of the city, heading North West, along one of the highways. There were very few cars along this arterial road, something that didn't surprise her in the slightest.
The forest gave way to gently sloping fields of wheat and barley. She slowed as she approached a road block. Heavily armoured vehicles and uniformed military men with large guns stood between her and Cell.
I didn't even consider this. She thought, berating herself as she stopped her bike. A military man approached her, holding his gun pointed at the ground.
"I'm sorry miss, but you can't go this way. You will have to turn back." He said in a firm voice. He was young, and he looked tense. He wasn't enjoying being stationed so close to Cell apparently.
"I was just hoping to pass through. My aunt lives on one of the farms on the other side of the hills." She lied. The man frowned.
"I'm sorry miss, but orders are orders."
"But she refuses to leave. Please let me pass, I really have to get her away from Cell." She pleaded, trying to make her face look worried and sad. The man hesitated.
"Wait here please miss." He turned back to his obvious superior. Rowan frowned, hoping that this worked. The man returned a moment later.
"Can you give us the location of your aunt miss? We've evacuated everyone within a 20 mile radius of the monster. If we've missed her, we will provide her with an escort out of the danger zone."
"Oh you've evacuated everyone. To where?" She asked, trying to gloss over things. The man then proceeded to give her very pointed directions to a refugee camp on the southern side of Central City. Rowan was forced to abandon her original plan and she thanked the man before she turned her bike around and drove off.
She stopped when she was sure she was out of sight and considered her options. She looked around at the landscape. The fields would give her little cover if she tried to walk, unless she walked really far away from the roadblock. She wondered what the penalty for trespassing was, as she re capsuled her bike and climbed over the small wire fence into a large field of wheat. The wheat was green, not yet ready to be harvested and about waist high.
She walked away from the road for several minutes. She felt a rumble as she neared the top of a hill, and she turned back to the road, watching as a huge line of tanks and armoured vehicles made their way up the highway, towards where Cells' arena was.
"Oh no…" She gasped as she watched the procession. There were so many vehicles, so many guns, so many tanks… She instinctively ducked as jets roared over her head. She stood back up, watching as the formations of military might all roared towards Cell.
She broke into a run at that, pushing through the fields of wheat, towards the arena.
The field gave way to red earth that became increasingly rocky, and she was forced to stop short, as the ground steeply sloped away beneath her. She had an amazing view of the massive army effort as it circled the arena. The jets hovered in their formations above as the tanks rumbled into position.
The arena seemed so small from where she was, a bright square of glossy white in contrast to the dark red earth it was nestled on. The dust from the army vehicles as they moved created a huge cloud that clogged the air.
Suddenly the army moved in formation, all changing direction to a rocky outcropping away from the arena. Rowan yelled as the entire force of the army was unleashed in a huge wave.
Missiles and rockets fired, leaving behind thick trails of smoke before exploding in a blast of destruction. Guns fired from the jets and all the military personal that surrounded the rocky outcropping emptied their magazines. The sound was deafening, and Rowan grabbed her ears, crouching low.
Her nostrils filled with the gun powder smoke and dust and she choked as the army continued to blast everything at the one spot.
It felt like the attack lasted forever until finally the gunfire stopped and the tanks stood still, their ammunition spent. It took several moments for the dust to clear, revealing the rocky outcropping to be completely destroyed.
"Cell…" Rowan stared in utter disbelief at the small silhouette hovering in the sky above the army. A sudden blast of brilliant golden light in an arch around the army, and the explosion that followed was monstrous.
There were no survivors and no trace that the army had even been there. Cell hadn't just destroyed them, he had completely obliterated them. His attack had scarred the land, leaving a deep crater of destruction in his wake.
Rowan could only watch as the dark spec returned to the centre of his undamaged arena. She was frozen, still stunned at the destruction she had just witnessed, the senseless slaughter of hundreds of humans. Nothing remained to tell who they had been.
She felt sick to her stomach, felt her wound in her chest ache and she fell to her knees, bowing her head in anger and shame.
"This was a mistake." She muttered to herself, feeling her shame rising. "His power, all those people's deaths… it's all my fault…" She felt a tear roll down her cheek, watching as it dropped to the red earth beneath her, darkening a small spot. She finally regained enough of her senses and she wiped her face on the sleeve of her shirt. She looked down at Cell. Even from such a distance, she knew he was looking back at her.
She stared for a moment, before she stood up, balling her fists. She felt the wind tussle her hair, and she turned away from him, walking away from the edge of the cliff, back into the field of wheat. She had expected him to follow her, and she was surprised when she remained alone.
She stopped, well out of sight of the arena, feeling sad, angry and horribly ashamed. She stood there for several minutes, her mind swimming with emotion, before she finally took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down enough to stop shaking. Finally, she set off again.
Rowan had made her way across the field to a large man-made lake. It was common for irrigation purposes for farmers to make their own lakes and let them fill with rain water. Rowan had de-capsuled her house in the field, stripped to her tank top and underwear, and gone for a swim. The water was cool, but refreshing and she needed this more than she had before, recalling how she had been in bed recovering for days and hadn't showered before she had left the Capsule Corp.
She had felt dirty and she had wanted to inspect her wound. The bandage wasn't needed anymore and she discarded it with little ceremony. The wound in her chest was closed, and the skin had scarred over, but it still ached with a dull pain. She ran her fingers over it as she knelt in the shallow water at the edge of the lake. The scar was about the size of her finger nail, but it was puckered and looked like a spidery star. It was to the right of her chest just under her breast, missing her heart by a hairs' breadth. It had punctured her lung, but Bulma and her father had done a miraculous job on that.
Rowan sighed and finally stood up, wringing her hair out and combing the tangles out with her fingers. She would brush it properly later. She threw a towel around her waist and headed towards her house, stopping at the window and turning around to see the scar on her back in the reflection. It was much smaller and had healed better. Her eyes drew towards her shoulder and she frowned. She lifted her arm over her shoulder, her fingers gently running over the scarred flesh.
"I always wondered where that came from." She started, but her eyes narrowed and she didn't move, her eyes locking onto his in the reflection in the window. He was a ways behind her, she could see, watching her closely. But his expression was surprisingly sombre.
"It's not your business, Cell." She said coldly, turning her head to face his. He frowned slightly, but he said nothing. She turned away from him then, opening the door of her house and walking in. He made no attempt to move, and she quickly closed the door behind her. Not that it would stop him if he really wanted to get in.
She sighed, pressing her back against the door and sliding down. She waited for a long time, wondering if he was going to leave. She didn't want to look out the window, knowing in her gut, that he was still there, waiting.
Eventually she picked herself up off the floor and headed to her bedroom, stripping off her wet clothes and dressing herself in clean ones. She chose a pair of track pants and a long sleeved shirt. She took a comb to her hair, giving it a thorough working before she tied it back in her usual pony tail. She sat on the bed, staring at the blank wall, her mind wandering.
Finally, she forced herself to the door, and she opened it. He was standing in the same spot, his arms folded across his chest, his head slightly lowered, his eyes closed. He didn't move. She stepped out, closing the door behind her, and she watched.
A long time passed, and she just studied him, taking in the full extent of changes he had undergone. She approached him cautiously, the grass like wheat cushioning her bare feet. She slowly circled him, her eyes drawn to the barbed tail that was little more than a stub between his glossy black wings. She paused for a while, staring at it, feeling the primal fear begin to rise as she remembered how that had pierced her chest, which began to dully ache. Only it looked less menacing now, smaller and not as sharp. She forced her fear down and completed her circle.
His armour looked different. In his earlier forms, the segmented armour looked like it was a part of his body, natural and fleshy. Now it didn't. It had seams down the middle and it looked less real. More like he was wearing it, than it being a part of him. She noted his boots, yellow like his chin strap, with the black gloss shell like armour over lapping it, much like the shin coverings some labour workers wore. She looked closer at the strange helmet he wore, held to his head with a chin strap.
She could see the edge of it, wondered if she could slide her fingers under it, or if it was really attached to his face. She was almost tempted to try, but she shook it from her system and kept her hands to herself.
His eyes were still closed and he hadn't moved a muscle since she had stepped out of her house. His face was neutral. She wondered if he was asleep.
"You killed a lot of people today." She said quietly. Very slowly, his eyes opened, and his pupils focused on her. The bright pink did not distract from the intelligence, or cruelty that shone in his eyes.
"It was self-defence." He said almost bored.
"Like hell. They couldn't hurt you, and you knew it. You could have let them run." He smirked slightly at this, closing his eyes again.
"I wouldn't worry if I were you. Earth has a new Kami, which means those damnable dragon balls will bring everyone back to life." Rowans eyes widened and her mouth curled into a small 'o'.
"Dragon balls? Kami? You mean, like… like a god?" Cell sighed almost frustrated that he would have to explain.
"There are 7 dragon balls on Earth. When someone gathers them together and summons the eternal dragon, Shenlong, then that person is granted a wish. The dragon balls are linked to the Kami, or, Guardian of Earth. Piccolo recently merged with the original Kami, meaning the dragon balls were rendered useless. However, I noticed a new guardian at the lookout earlier in the day, which means new dragon balls and new wishes. I've no doubt Goku will already be busy hunting down the dragon balls in order to wish back all my victims."
"Wait…. So…. Everyone you've killed?..."
"Will be brought back to life. Yes." He finished. Rowan was stunned.
"And you knew this?" His eyes opened again, a strange shadow flashing across his face.
"I assume. I don't know for certain." She couldn't stop staring at him, looking him in the eye.
"This isn't a lie is it? I mean, magical balls that grants peoples' wishes does seem far-fetched." Cell smirked at this and chuckled, a deep, smooth sound from the depths of his chest.
"I assure you, it is the truth."
"Does that mean all the people you killed before will be resurrected too?" She asked suddenly serious. His smirk vanished.
"Almost everyone. He won't be brought back to life." Rowans eyes misted over and she lowered her face, hiding the pain that she knew was showing.
"Why not him?" Cells hand suddenly found her chin, lifting her face back up to his. Rowans' eyes widened in surprise and horror as his free hand tucked her hair behind her ear.
"Because he isn't dead, Rowan." She stepped back then, breaking his gentle touch.
"How?" Her throat tightened and her mouth tasted of ash, and she could barely manage the word. Cell sighed, slowly folding his arms across his chest again.
"When the Cell you remember, absorbed… Seru" Cell began, visibly struggling to explain, "Instead of Cell simply adding the energy to his own, something strange happened. I'm not entirely sure of the details exactly, or even how it happened, but the two merged."
"Merged?" She sounded small and scared. He looked down at her with a small frown.
"It is bizarre, I grant you. I have the full recollections of both of them and I no longer consider myself to be either one or the other, but a new Cell, a culmination of power and intelligence. Perfection, embodied." Rowan couldn't believe what she was hearing, and she stared, stunned. Half of her felt her fear clawing at her insides, the other, was numb from the shock of hearing that Seru, in some way, was still alive.
"S… Seru…" She whispered hoarsely. His arrogant smirk softened slightly and for the tiniest second, she saw the warmth in his eyes that she had seen in her old friends. But it was gone in a flash, replaced with the cruelty of the other Cell, who delighted in hunting… and hurting.
"You may call me that if you wish. But everyone else will know me as Cell." He said proudly.
"No! He may be a part of you now, but so is that monster! You can't expect me to ever forgive what you did to me, what you did to him!" Anger seethed through her voice as she spat the words out. His expression steeled at this.
"What happened was despicable. I do regret the memories of that particular incident and what he did to you." His tone was guarded.
"No, you don't get to gloss over it. You don't get to pick and choose. You are responsible for everything they both did. Everything!" She felt the tears stinging at her eyes, but she bit them back, refusing to show such weakness in front of Cell.
"Maybe, but I wouldn't hurt you Rowan." Cell said quietly, his eyes softened as he frowned.
"But you did." She said quietly, but full of accusation. "You raped me Cell. You raped me, and then you killed the man I loved." Her chest ached horribly, and despite her anger and her pride, she couldn't stop the tears that fell as she spoke the last word, knowing it was the truth. She hung her head, unable to look him in the eye now. He was silent for a while, confused, and unsure.
"Rowan… if I did do… that, then I was also the one who spent four years with you and I was also the one who made love with you in the forest… And… I was also the one who failed to protect you. I have the memories of one Cell impaling you to absorb the other. And I also have the memories of holding you while we were both impaled." She wiped her eyes, forcing her resolve to stand, before she looked up again, staring into his eyes.
She saw him then. He was in pain, confused and small. His arrogance and pride were gone. That monster she had seen in him was nowhere to be seen. She saw Seru... She suddenly threw herself at him, her fists against his chest as she buried her face against him as everything overwhelmed her and she cried. His arms wrapped around her gently and he brought his face down to her hair.
He gently stroked her hair with one hand, while the other held her close. He felt her body tremble as she sobbed.
Eventually, she calmed down, but she didn't move, didn't lift her face or step out of his embrace.
"I miss him." She said softly against his chest. "I miss him so much."
"I'm still here, Rowan."
"No, he's not. Not really." Finally she moved her voice stony. She wiped her face on her sleeve again and stepped away from him. He let her go. She finally looked up at him, her eyes red and her face flushed, but she was resolute.
"You aren't my Seru. But you aren't that other thing either." She said quietly. He closed his eyes, sighing as he folded his arms again.
"No, I suppose not." Rowan looked at him for a while, the tiny crease in the corner of his mouth as he frowned, the tense line of his jaw. He might have looked bored to anyone else, but to her, he looked hurt.
She stared at him, seeing him in a different light then she had before, knowing that she was the only person in the world that would ever see this side of him. Even as she watched, his face slid back into neutral, the little lines disappearing and his tension easing. He was hiding behind his walls. Silently, she wished she could do that as easily as he could.
Cell turned inwards, his mind was a chaotic wreck. The merger between the two Cells had been a terrible experience. He had not been expecting that to happen, and he knew that if either of the previous Cells' had known what would happen, they would have flatly killed the other instead of trying to absorb them. He was something entirely different now. He had the complete data from the computer programming and all the information that Seru had absorbed from the internet, and he had the cool intellect and problem solving skills of his sharp mind as well.
But he also had the blood thirsty, cruel and primal streak, a hunger to make people suffer. Their twisted faces of fear delighted him. The only thing that the two Cells had agreed upon was Rowan.
Although they had different reasons for the attraction, never the less, Cell was drawn to her. Even now he felt the tug, the urge to be close to her, to make her smile and to smell that delicious scent of hers, to touch her warm skin, to feel her soft hair…
Cell's eyes opened and he snarled inwards, berating himself, as he fought to regain control over his body. He needed to stop that. She was dangerous to him, he knew. She was his weakness, his only weakness in an otherwise perfect body. But she was also, his strength. He had felt the power increase from her body, not once, but twice, and that power… Cell felt himself tremble. Part of him only cared about that, the power she could give. Not that he needed it. He knew he was a league above and beyond the Z warriors.
But part of him enjoyed more than just her body, that part also enjoyed her company. That part wanted… more than just sex.
He considered everything that had happened. The power he had obtained after the merger was astronomical. Nothing could stop him then, and now that he had absorbed both the androids, his power was beyond absurd. He had toyed with the warriors who had stood against him, enjoying the torment and their utter defeat. But he hadn't killed them. He was a sadistic being, and wanted to draw out their suffering, and make the world watch.
So he had announced the tournament. It had been a brilliant idea. He had created his arena, making it larger than the 'Strongest Under the Heavens' tournament arena. He was proud of his handiwork, admiring the perfectly proportioned angles and smooth handiwork of the pillars.
But he had grown bored very quickly, his sharp intellect needing stimulation. He had gone looking for Rowan. He travelled to the wasteland where the merger had taken place. He had found her capsule case in amongst the tattered shreds of her clothes, a sight that made him angry. He knew Piccolo had taken her away, and he assumed she was either at the Kame House, the Lookout Tower or Capsule Corp. His first guess was Capsule Corp, and he had been right. He had found her easily, locking onto her energy in one of the upstairs rooms. He had let himself in to her room via the balcony. Seeing her lying in bed, beaten, bloodied and injured had struck him a mighty blow, one he hadn't been expecting.
He wasn't sure if he did it out of concern, regret or purely because he wanted her up and about so he wouldn't be bored, but he had gently touched her hand, giving some of his energy to her, forcing her body to rapidly heal.
He had watched from the corner of the room as she woke shortly after, responding on instinct to his presence. But she didn't see him. And he had watched her, seen her vulnerable, seen her suffering. Even his sadistic streak had given him little pleasure in the real pain she bore.
After she left the room, he made his decision. He wanted her away from the Z warriors before they discovered her gift. But he wasn't going to kidnap her either. So, instead, he had given her the freedom of choice, although he was confident that her curiosity would win out. He thought he knew her well.
But she had surprised him once again, choosing to travel away from his arena rather than towards it. He had followed her at a distance, up high and out of sight.
Eventually, he realized why she wouldn't sate her curiosity. Something that was glaringly obvious. She was worried he would use her again. The thought disgusted him; his pride was too great to sink to such savagery again. But she didn't know that.
He had actually enjoyed toying with her at the service station, until she had stopped him killing the clerk. His respect for Rowan, overpowered his sadistic desire to kill the insolent little worm that had dared to attack him. This gave him cause for concern at the time, but he had brushed it aside quickly.
Cell had all the power in the world and he knew nothing would stop him. Not even Son Goku, but he still looked forward to the tournament with relish. 6 days to go.
Rowan had left him to his musings, returning to her house. She needed to escape him, to think, to figure things out.
She felt so small, so utterly alone. She wished she had someone to talk to. She thought of 16, for just a moment, and felt a pang of shame. He had been good to talk to and the Briefs had saved her life, fixed her up and shown her hospitality. She had repaid them by stealing food and running away.
She thought about packing up her stuff and going back. She wouldn't be safe from Cell, but she would be amongst good people, friends. She frowned as she thought of Mary and of Bulmas' baby. If she went back, she knew Cell might follow her, and she would put them at risk. It was something she couldn't do.
But what then? She thought. Stay? That doesn't seem like a good idea either. He confuses me, this new Cell, and I'm both terrified of him, and drawn to him. I know that he can do whatever he wants. He's already demonstrated that running is pointless; he can track me and my energy. But he seems honour bound, at least enough, that if I ask him too, I'm fairly confident he will leave me alone. But then what?
Rowan sighed, her head began to ache. She collapsed on her bed, staring up the ceiling as her mind wandered. What should she do now? Well at the very least, she couldn't stay here. She didn't have any power or any running water. All she had was the little lake outside, and the dried food she had stolen from Bulma.
Thankful for giving herself a task, something to do to distract her, she busied herself, dressing herself warmly and slipping back into the waterproof jacket. She tucked her hair under the neck line and headed back outside.
Cell was gone.
"Probably back at his arena." She thought out loud. She wondered, for just a moment, if she should go and tell him her plan. "Nah, he'll figure it out."
She de-capsuled her house, packing it away neatly in the case, and she began to walk towards the road.
It was late afternoon by the time she reached the road. The day had flown by, but it had also felt like it had lasted ages, so much had happened. She had travelled from the river, through the city, been stopped by the army, only to then watch them get destroyed. She had swum in a lake, and then discovered that her best friend wasn't dead so much, as he was now a part of a new being. It was a lot to take in for one day.
Rowan popped out her bike on the road, mounting it and looking in both directions. She wasn't sure which way to go. She hesitated, wondering if the road block was still up the road. She decided to risk it, and she took off towards the direction of the arena.
The road block was gone, only some bollards with a large sign warning of the impending danger and to 'travel at your own risk.' Rowan nodded her acknowledgement and drove around the bollards, accelerating as she got back onto the open road.
A grassy paddock blocked her view for a moment, until it suddenly gave way to the scarred red earth that marked the destruction of the army earlier. The road was still thankfully, un-damaged, but the sight made her sad. She could see the arena, the glossy white marble reflecting the setting suns' light, giving it a pink and gold hue. She could see him standing in the middle, his head bowed, his arms folded. It was at a distance, but not so far as to not see his head lift, looking at her.
She turned her attention back to the road as it sloped around and away from the arena, eventually disappearing around a rocky outcropping and over a hill.
She slowed as she crested the hill, spotting a small pocket of civilization. Not even a town, just a general store that doubled as a post office and a handful of houses on large rural properties. On the other side of the town was a huge lake, a real lake, surrounded by pebbled beaches and a huge forest on the far side that was swallowed in the shadow of a large mountain. She turned back to the town and the large rural fields that surrounded the town.
"Orchards." She observed. She could see the neat rows of trees, although she couldn't tell the type from so far. It seemed promising though, and she drove down the hill towards the town.
She passed an orange orchard and what she guessed were lemons in another. She stopped when she saw the apple trees, their boughs heavy with the ripe red fruits.
"Oh that is fantastic." She exclaimed, jumping over the small wire fence and running up to the nearest tree. They were taller than she realized from the road, and she had to jump to reach the lowest branch, shaking it. Several ripe apples fell to the ground, along with a rain of leaves. Rowan quickly gathered them up, securing all but one of them in her bag. She quickly polished the apple in her hand on her shirt, and bit into it. It was, without a doubt, the sweetest thing she had ever tasted in her life, and she relished it with a heady groan of pleasure.
"Sounds like you're enjoying that." She whirled around at the sound of his voice. He was standing under a tree in the next row over, the shadows of the gently swaying leaves making his speckled armour almost invisible in the diminishing light. But his face stood out amongst the darkness. He didn't have the camouflage of his earlier forms.
Rowan didn't answer, but slipped another apple from her bag, tossing it at him. His movement was graceful, and incredibly quick. The large red apple was dwarfed in his hand, his black nails digging into the red flesh, causing it to ooze its sweet juice.
"I really don't need to eat." He said flatly. Rowan swallowed, licking her lips.
"These are the sweetest apples I've ever tasted. You should at least, experience it."
Cell stared at her for a long time, holding the apple as he had caught it. Finally, he put it to his lips, and took a small bite.
It was the first thing he had eaten since he had obtained his perfect form. His new body came with new senses, and he realized, as he bit the apple, that his sense of taste was much more acute in this body then it had been in his larval form, when he had eaten everything and anything.
The apple was amazing. His face must have shown it, because Rowan started to laugh.
"See! You shouldn't be so quick to refuse to try something!" She said, still smiling. The laugh had reached her eyes. Cell slowly smirked, and took another bite, savouring the sweet taste and crisp texture. She gathered up a few more apples that had fallen from other trees until her bag was over flowing. She turned back to her bike, heard his footsteps following her.
"I've got to find somewhere to stay. My house doesn't have running water or power. No hot water or lights." She said over her shoulder. She took some of the apples from her bag, packing them into the storage bags on her bike, making the shoulder bag more comfortable to carry.
She mounted the bike, looking at Cell. He stopped a few paces away, simply watching, and the half-eaten apple still in his hand.
"I guess I'll see you around Cell. Try not to kill anyone else, please." She said a little sternly, before the bike roared into life. She smiled as she rapidly accelerated down the road, loving the extra roar as she slipped between gears. She glanced in the mirrors; saw him standing where she had left him, a rapidly disappearing speck in the distance.
By the time Rowan arrived in the heart of the town, the last of the light had faded. She slowed down as she drove down the road, looking for an empty lot or caravan park or something with utility boxes sticking out of the ground for her to set her house up. She gasped as he flew overhead, landing to the left on a side road. He was glowing gold, a beacon in the darkness. She paused a moment, before she turned down the side road, following him. He took off again down the road, towards the huge lake she had seen earlier.
He landed again a ways down the road and Rowan slowed, her headlights illuminating a sign,
Nutmeg Lake and Caravan Park
She slowed down, as she entered the caravan park, a huge clearing of gravel and small grassy areas, surrounded by trees. A brick reception building stood empty and dark. There was a public bathroom as well, but it too was dark.
There were no caravans, no tents, or anything else of note. There were, however, utility boxes for people to plug their camper vans into. It's what she had been hoping for. She set to work cracking out the torch, as she ran the connectors to her house. Satisfied, she went inside and flicked on the power, laughing as the lights turned on. She tested the kitchen sink, the pipes groaning for a moment before the water began to run.
She ate another apple as she waited for the water system to heat enough water to run a bath. She wanted nothing more than to soak in hot, soapy water. She slipped outside though.
Cell was still standing near the office building, his golden glow was gone, but she could see him clearly, a dark figure in the clearing. His black shelled chest and shoulders reflecting the yellow light that flooded from her window.
"Thank you Cell." She said loudly. He gave her a curt nod of approval, before his wings flared open and he blasted off again, back towards his arena, leaving her alone for the night.
Rowan woke slowly, her bed was warm and comfortable and the air was chilly and still. Her chest ached dully and it took her longer than usual to slowly get up, wrapping herself in her old bathrobe for the extra warmth; before she ambled into the kitchen, setting the kettle on to boil. She ran her fingers through her hair. She must have slept well; her hair was a mess, sticking out in every direction. She looked at her reflection in the microwave glass, trying to smooth her hair down, and eventually giving up.
The kettle boiled and she grabbed her favourite mug from the cupboard. Only she stopped herself. She moved to the front door, and opened it. She wasn't surprised. She had been expecting him. He was standing near the edge of the clearing, his arms folded across his chest, his head lowered. The sun was up, but just barely cresting the mountain ranges. Birds sung loudly to greet the morning, unfazed by the tyrant. Rowan frowned and turned back to the kettle. She set out a second cup and brewed the tea.
He didn't move when she approached him, her eyes squinting in the bright light, taking a moment to adjust. She stood next to him for a while, enjoying the warmth of the sun light in the chilly morning air. She sipped her tea noisily, and slowly his eyes opened. She held out the second mug but didn't look at him.
He took it, his fingers brushing hers for just a moment. The chill of his flesh shocked her, sending a shiver down her spine.
"You're freezing." She said. He smirked at this.
"I don't freeze." He said simply. He held the mug but made no attempt to drink it. Rowan held hers in both her hands, letting the warmth soak her. Despite the tea and the sun, it was still quite cold.
"I'm going inside. It's too cold out here." She didn't wait for him to respond and she headed back inside. She paused at the door, looking at him before disappearing inside. The door remained open.
Rowan sat on the couch, turning the TV on as she finished off her tea. She heard his footsteps approach after a moment, saw him duck his head to fit in the door. He couldn't stand upright all the way, his strange helmet was too tall, touching the ceiling. He frowned, placing his tea on the little counter to the right of the door.
Rowan's eyes widened in shock as Cells' hands slipped behind his ears, and in one fluid movement, slipped the helmet off causing a cascade of black hair to fall in his face.
She stared in absolute shock, her mouth open, and her eyes wide. Cell's eyes narrowed at her and he ran one hand through his loose black hair, sweeping it back, out of his face. He placed the helmet on the table, picking up his tea.
She said nothing. He said nothing. He stood near the couch, his attention on the muted TV. She stared at him, still shocked and surprised.
"You… You have hair." She said, her voice squeaking. Slowly, Cell sipped his tea. She saw the tiniest tint of lavender in his cheeks, but he didn't take his eyes off the TV screen. He didn't look at her.
"Wow, you really did change." She finally managed. She finally turned to the TV and frowned. The image was on the arena, but it was empty. She saw the words Live Broadcast written above the words Cell Watch in bold letters on the bottom of the screen. The sound was muted. A moment later, the camera focused on to a reporter, standing on a ledge above the arena. He was a middle aged man, greying with smart eyes, full of determination, a frown on his face as he spoke.
"I should go." Cell said, turning to leave.
"Wait. What does it matter? So what if they're at your arena. What can they do?" He turned to face her then, a smirk forming.
"I can't let them think I'm gone Rowan." Her face fell and she stood up. She knew her hair was a mess, framing her face wildly, and she wore only pyjamas and a bathrobe, but she puffed her chest out and drew herself up as tall as she could, her eyes hard and her mouth frowning.
"Don't you dare hurt them, Cell." He chuckled and turned back, picking up his helmet. He slid it on, adjusting the yellow strap on his chin as he looked back at her.
"I won't kill them. I'll just… Put the fear of Cell in them." His voice was cold, sadistic and full of pleasure. His eye was bright with the cruelty of the Other Cell. She shivered, her bravado vanishing under that look. Her fear must have shown cos his eye narrowed as his smirk broadened. But he left quickly, taking a few steps before he blasted into the air.
Rowan didn't want to watch the TV, but she couldn't help herself. She kept the volume off and hugged her knees to her chest as she watched.
The reporter went from a hard look, to sudden absolute terror, the camera whirling around to see Cell's hard shelled chest, before dropping down towards the ground, swinging wildly. She saw the camera man's feet, the dirt, and the occasional green of Cell's leg or a glint of black shell.
It lasted only a moment, before the camera dropped. Cells yellow boot appeared in front of the lens, and then his leg, his waist, his chest, and then his face as he obviously picked the camera up. He bore a huge sadistic grin, and she could see his Adams apple move as he laughed. And then with a twitch, the camera feed was lost. He had destroyed the camera.
"Ass hat." She murmured. She stared angrily at the screen, as a pair of news anchors appeared behind a desk. They looked nervous and scared as they talked to the camera. Rowan lost herself in her own thoughts, barely registering the words on the news reel on the bottom of the screen, until it was replaced with the bold words;
Reporters Survive Cells' attack!
"Good. Jerk." She said angrily to the TV, but inwardly she felt a little better. She had seen the Other Cell in him, seen the way he truly enjoyed terrifying the reporter and the camera man. She had seen him the way everyone else saw him. She had seen the way he really was and that saddened her.
She felt conflicted again, and she sighed, exasperated. She was struggling to get her head around this new Cell.
It was noon, and Rowan was growing restless. She stood on the edge of the lake, her jeans rolled up to her knees, her feet in the delightfully cold water. The day had warmed up, and the sun shone warmly down on her, reflecting silver on the water's surface. She was tempted to go swimming, but thought better of it. She had been expecting Cell to drop in again, to annoy her, but as the day had stretched on, she began to think he wouldn't.
"Maybe I should go visit his arena." She mused to herself. It wasn't a bad idea, she could berate him just as easily there as she could if he came to her. And the idea of going for a ride on her bike was delightfully tempting.
Rowan packed some food for a snack in her bag and slipped on her jacket before she slung her bag over her shoulder. She locked her house and popped out her bike. Within minutes she was back on the main road, loving the wind in her hair. She left it out, letting it whip out around her like an auburn cape.
Cells' arena came into view as she rounded the rocky outcropping and she slowed as she approached the arena. She stopped, dismounting and capsuling her bike before she headed off across the wide red scar in the earth.
Cells' arena was huge up close, a massive expanse of white polished marble, with simple steps along the sides and ornate pillars in the corner. Cell was standing in the centre, his eyes closed, his arms folded, as he usually was. She stood at the edge of the arena, not sure if she should step up. It seemed wrong to her for some reason, almost like she wasn't worthy.
Cell didn't move, didn't acknowledge her. She sighed nasally and stepped up, turned and sat on the edge of the arena. It was warm from baking in the sun light. She pulled a sandwich from her bag, unwrapping it and taking a bite. She stared around the area, noticed how peaceful it was. Red rocky cliffs and out cropping's littered the landscape, intermittent with grassy patches and large marble rocks. There was a gentle breeze making the grass dance.
Rowan glanced over her shoulder back at Cell. Still nothing. She turned back, finishing her sand which off, before she stood up, dusting herself off. She hesitated a moment before she stepped up into the arena, making her way towards Cell.
She stopped in front of him, staring up at his unmoving face. She thought of the hair he hid under his helmet and absently wondered if all his armour came off now. She blushed at the thought and shook it from her system, although she couldn't deny, he had looked good with his helmet off.
"You know, it's rude to stare." He said suddenly. She started at the sound, catching herself quickly. She felt the warmth in her cheeks, and watched as his eyes slowly opened. His mouth lifted into his trade-mark smirk, obviously enjoying her embarrassment.
"Yeah well, it's rude to scare people and break cameras too." She said meekly. He chuckled, that deep, smooth voice.
"So, what do you think of my arena?" He said, unfolding his arms. She heard the pride and his voice and she looked around again, noting the smaller details of the pointed pillars.
"You did a good job. But I'm not sold on the idea of a tournament." She said after a moment. His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Would you prefer I just take over the Earth now, without giving the Z warriors a chance to grow stronger?" She frowned at this, staring up at his face intently.
"No. I'd rather you didn't fight them at all. You achieved perfection. You reached your goal, why make the world suffer?" His smirk fell at this and she saw the glint in his eye fade. He did not answer for a while, thinking.
"I have the greatest power known to exist. I could destroy Earth if I really wanted to. I want to find out the scope of my limits, and I know Goku at least, will give me a good fight. I am a warrior, Rowan. I need to fight."
"And you couldn't just casually challenge him to a fight without all the flair and attention?" She asked flatly. His smirk returned.
"That wouldn't be as much fun." She sighed.
"You are a jerk." This earned her a deep laugh.
"You knew I was made to fight, to feel the thrill of battle, the surge of power. You knew it when you slept with me in the forest that night. You probably knew it before then too." He said, leaning forward, his face lowering to hers. She scowled.
"I did that to help Seru so he could Kill Cell and stop him from murdering people." She felt angry suddenly, and very annoyed. He had a way of getting under her skin.
"Not because you wanted to?" He asked. He was smirking, but his eyes were hard, unreadable. She paused, giving herself a moment to think of her answer.
"I did want to." She finally admitted. "I don't regret that night." Her voice was quiet.
"Neither do I." His face was close to hers now, and she didn't flinch as his hand rose to her face. He gently tucked some of her hair behind her ear, a motion she was used to now. She looked away, not wanting to see the look in his face. She knew that look. His face had changed shape, but the look was the same and it hurt her to see it, bringing back the memories of that night in the forest, of the gentle but hungry way Seru had loved her.
His hand was still by her face and gently the back of his fingers stroked her cheek, until they slid behind her head. She let him pull her into a kiss then. She thought of Seru, tears pricking her eyes as Cell's lips pressed to hers. He deepened the kiss, and she tasted him, and it was the same taste as Seru's', sweet, but not overpowering.
He let her go after a while, realizing that tears were falling down her cheek. She lowered her face, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.
"Sorry." She mumbled, "I should go." She turned to leave. Cell grabbed her wrist, stopping her. She didn't look at him though, not wanting to show her face. Her long hair tumbled over her shoulder, and down her back, hiding her.
"Rowan."
"Let me go Cell." Her voice was stern.
"Why are you crying?" He didn't let her go.
"Please, let me go." She asked again. He stepped closer, still holding her wrist, and used his free hand to turn her face to his. Her eyes narrowed in a cold anger. The tears had stopped. It had only been a moment of weakness and she was determined not to let it show. He kissed her again but this time she pushed him away and struggled to free herself from the grip he still had on her wrist.
She yanked her hand free, but the force caused her to stumble and she fell down. She flicked her hair from her face, tossing it over her shoulder and she stared up at him, sad and angry.
"Rowan, what's wrong?" He asked sincerely. She sighed and slowly stood back up.
"You just… You confuse me. That's all." He frowned at her answer, his eyes darkening with some brooding thought for a moment. He stood back up straight, folding his arms across his chest again. He said nothing, and she took it as her que to leave. She hurried from the arena, feeling like such a stupid little girl.
She threw her bike capsule on the road, watching as it materialized. She stared at it for a moment, her mind racing. She looked back at Cell, he was watching her still, his pink eyes unblinking, staring and full of sadness…
She mounted the bike, taking off with more force than she had intended, blasting off down the road.
Cell stared after her, feeling his mind racing, twisting, conflicted and at war. He was deciding if he should let her go, or chase after her.
The instinct driven, hunter side of him wanted to give chase. The smarter part of him told him to give her time, let her calm down.
The hunter won. His wings opened and he blasted after her.
Up on the cliff, far from the arena, a camera lens glinted in the light. It had captured everything.
Thank you again for taking the time to read this and for the reviews! They help me improve as a writer and I am grateful. Please enjoy the story!