Risk
Chapter 25
Destruction. It was technically everywhere when Kakarrot appeared with Goten, Piccolo and Tien. The warriors saw Cell absorbing a woman; she was screaming in utter agony and pain before disappearing into nothingness. Kakarrot's teeth gritted and before anyone could stop the Super Saiya-jin, he vanished and appeared before the monster.
"Goku, it's nice to see you again…" Cell grinned darkly.
"Why are you doing this?" Kakarrot growled; his desire to stop this android growing stronger by the minute.
"Hm? You sound rather different…" Cell pondered loudly.
"That's because you're facing off a pissed off Saiya-jin's darker persona who's going to kill you," Kakarrot growled.
"Kill me? Oh, that's rich hearing that from you, Goku." Cell waved it off as though it were an empty threat. "There's no such thing as a darker persona and I'm sure you're making it up to scare me."
"Say what you will, but I'll give you a reason to fear me." Kakarrot vowed before lunging at the android. Cell realized that unlike before, the Earth-raised Saiya-jin's fighting style was oddly different; almost more primal compared to the one he encountered earlier. The two fought on the earth until a blow to the abdomen forced Cell heavenward. Within moments, Kakarrot appeared behind the imperfect android and they traded a ballad of blows within the skies above the other fighters.
"Kakarrot's underestimating Cell," Piccolo growled in irritation. "He should know better than to try taking him down by himself."
"The minute father is in trouble, I'm going to help him," Goten clenched his fists. "I don't want my younger self to grow up without a father in his life."
"It's our battle too," Tien adjusted the wrist guard on his wrist. "These Saiya-jins are always assuming we can't fight our own battles." Goten snorted when Tien said this almost though it was directed at him. "I was aiming that more towards Goku, Kakarrot and Vegeta."
"Right," Goten blew off the insult before turning his attention back to the battle above them.
Shockwaves literally rained from the heavens from fists and feet connecting to either combatant or to a guard. It seemed that whatever advantage Kakarrot had was starting to fade away the more that Cell studied the Earth-raised Saiya-jin's fighting style. Both of them soon pulled back; Kakarrot breathing slightly harder than Cell.
"Hm. You're right about one thing, you are definitely not the person I fought earlier," Cell snorted.
"Idiot, if you had any idea of who I am, you would have give up by now," Kakarrot growled.
"Hm. I don't care who you are to be honest. You're still Goku…" The moment the words escaped Cell's mouth, Kakarrot punched him in the chin. Blood was drawn from the shocked and startled android as Cell looked at him almost though the warrior had forgotten about honor. "W-what the hell was that for?"
"First off, Goku would never, ever punch someone off-guard…" Kakarrot boasted while counting off his fingers almost though he were attempting to explain something rather complex. "And second, just to let you know who you're really up against right now, you may call me Kakarrot."
"Kakarrot? Isn't that the name that Vegeta calls you?" Cell questioned.
"Yeah," Kakarrot's tail twitched behind him in irritation. "If you truly wish for a challenge though, why fight me now and not wait until I'm stronger?"
"You mean you rather I wait until you're strong enough to defeat me?" Cell laughed darkly at the idea that Kakarrot was trying to buy time. "I'm afraid if that's the best you are, you should just surrender…"
"Give me two days…" Kakarrot promised.
"Two days? Why I don't I just give you ten days? It should be enough time for you to say your goodbyes to this miserable planet and all of her people." Cell boasted.
"Ten days? Well aren't you generous." Kakarrot smirked rather coolly. The idea of the worst villain giving him a ten day reprieve seemed completely insane, but the Saiya-jin didn't truly need all the time to prepare for such a battle he would soon fight against this monster.
"I will announce where we will be hosting the event in which will be your utter defeat." Cell grinned. "Oh, and please feel free to bring all of your friends and family, even bring the androids if you don't mind."
"On one condition: you won't absorb 18." Kakarrot pointed out; knowing Cell almost too well.
"I won't as long as you are the first to fight me." Cell held out a hand; almost though he wanted Kakarrot to seal the deal with the devil himself.
"Deal." Cell and Kakarrot shook hands. Seconds later, Kakarrot felt pain rake up his spine when he felt Cell rip the trusting Earth-raised Saiya-jin's tail out of his back. It was probably the most backstabbing moment that happened between them. Falling from the heavens from the immense and sudden pain, he saw Cell holding the severed tail in his hand like a trophy. "Fuck you, monster…"
"Father!" Goten flew up quickly and grabbed him before they both crashed into the earth; Kakarrot still cursing in utter pain over the loss of his tail and about Cell stealing it. "Shit…"
Cell absorbed the appendage and left calling out: "Ten days… we'll fight in ten days… make sure you watch the news for your grave yard…"
"Kakarrot, what the hell did you just ask for?" Piccolo growled and pulled the injured Saiya-jin on his feet.
"I'll tell you after I get a Senzu. Now give it to me or I swear I'll ensure that I will kick your ass until there's nothing left of your body!" Kakarrot growled the threat between the slightly bloodied lips from the battle he had sustained.
Minutes later, Kakarrot had finished his tale about the deal he struck with Cell. Goten punched the tree in irritation. The tree, unable to take the horrid punch creaked before falling to the ground.
"Damn it father! He might end up breaking his promise!" Goten yelled at the elder Saiya-jin warrior who seemed not one bit worried about this development.
"Like any moron would be stupid enough to go before I have a chance to fight him." Kakarrot muttered.
"Anyway, we should get back. And Kakarrot, the next time you make a deal like that, get Goku's permission first." Piccolo warned.
"It's not like he would have been able to stop…" Kakarrot suddenly felt Goku take control and started cursing within the Earth-raised Saiya-jin's mind. Despite the anger and rage literally boiling in him at the moment, he managed to give a friendly smile to the others to let them know who was in control.
"…I'm not even going to bother to ask…" Tien sweat dropped when Goku sighed in irritation. For the moment, Kakarrot was contained within him, but it would only be a matter of time before he's given control again.
That is if Goku let Kakarrot have control anytime soon.
"We should get back. Chi-chi's probably worried sick about me and I'm sure Vegeta and Trunks are about done." Goku reminded them before lifting off the ground.
"I should go check on Chou-su anyway," Tien replied before leaving. Piccolo and Goten followed Goku back to Kami's Lookout; deciding to ensure that Goku would be fine after suffering a rather devastating loss of his tail.
Upon reaching Kami's Lookout, Chi-chi noticed Goku close his eyes and seemed to be breathing rather calmly. She noticed that there was blood on his clothing and grew worried by this.
"Goku, are you alright?" Chi-chi began to look her husband over before she noticed that the tail that he had grown back during their travel to Namek was gone. "How…?"
"Cell tore it off, but that's not the bad news…" Goku growled. "We have ten days to prepare."
"Ten days?" Chi-chi blinked.
During the exchange, 18 had been fidgeting rather nervously while 16 helped Mr. Popo take care of the flowers. It was almost though the android had found a safe haven even within the sky. The butterflies danced around him unaffected by the male's appearance and one even landed softly on an outstretched hand. It flew away abruptly when he heard angered footsteps approaching their side of the sanctuary and an irritated and teary-eyed Chi-chi run past them. 18 noted the woman; however, she didn't even bother to follow after her. Moments later, Goku followed through looking for her worriedly.
"Chi-chi!" Goku called out. 18 blocked Goku's path in a rather irritated mood.
"Why are you chasing her? Isn't it obvious that she's pissed off at you?" 18 asked Goku.
"Move, she doesn't understand why…" Goku started to say.
"I assume that Cell's after me and you just made a stupid wager with Cell," 18 growled; reading the warrior's eyes rather easily. "I rather be destroyed than let him absorb me like he did my brother!" She grabbed Goku's hand and placed it on her chest. "Go ahead and destroy me if that's what you wanted to do in the first place!"
"Listen, Kakarrot was the one who made the deal with Cell, not me," Goku jerked his hand away from the female android. "Also, had he not intervened earlier, you would have already been gone."
"Give me one good reason I should even follow through with Kakarrot's wager?"
"He said it was because no one would dare be stupid enough to challenge Cell without knowing of his intents."
"You do realize that he's making a mistake right? Why do you even let him have control of your body?" Goku closed his eyes and sighed.
"You'd never understand…" Goku admitted before turning back and walking off. He decided for the moment to leave Chi-chi alone and figure this entire situation out. It was driving him crazy the more he thought about the consequences of letting his darker persona take control when it could end up getting him killed.
'I'm not going to get us killed…' Kakarrot attempted to defend himself.
'What if you do though? I don't want…' Goku started to say before he noticed a mirror and saw on the other side Kakarrot standing there. Unlike the Earth-raised Saiya-jin, he was wearing his armor and still possessed the tail that they both lost earlier to Cell. It startled Goku for a moment until he realized the importance of this mirror.
"I forgot this mirror even existed…" Goku smiled softly. Back when he was with Kami, he had heard about this mirror reflecting the inner desires that one had. It seemed that due to this, Kakarrot decided to take advantage of the situation.
"Strange how a mirror seems to capture my inner desires," Kakarrot chuckled at the look on Goku's face.
"Of talking to me face-to-face?" Goku questioned.
"Yes and no. I was thinking of having my own body without having to share with you."
"You do have some weird obsessions…"
"And you don't? Whose idea was it to fight Frieza at his full power?"
"I thought it was your idea…"
"Not really. I wanted you to fight him and crush him before he had a moment to destroy the planet and avenging what's ours, not for you to let him go all out against us."
"Look, somehow we need to get stronger and the only way to do it is the Room of Spirit and Time…"
"As long as you're planning to ensure that she's not absorbed, fine." Moments later, the mirror wavered and Goku only saw his own reflection. He assumed that the argument with his split personality was over for the moment and he went back where Chi-chi had retreated. Seeing neither 18 nor 16, he crept into the area where he instantly saw her coming out of her room; her eyes red from the crying she did.
"You can't let Cell win…" Chi-chi muttered.
"I won't." Goku vowed. "I'm definitely fighting Cell first so I can keep the world safe."
"You need to get stronger. You should take Gohan and…" Goku shook his head. "Why not?"
"I want to train you some more…"
"But…" Goku silenced Chi-chi with a finger to her lips.
"In case something happens to me, I want you to be strong for our children. Last thing I ever want is for anything to happen to them."
"Goku…" She buried her head in his chest and sobbed. He affectionately rubbed her back softly and felt two familiar power levels.
"It's time. We better go…" Goku shook her softly. Drying her eyes, she nodded.
"Trunks! How did it go?" Goten grinned at the idea that his power increased.
"It went well, father and I…" Trunks started to explain.
"Trunks! Don't discuss our training with any of them!" Vegeta snapped; irritated about the attention that his son received. At that moment, they heard an engine sound on the lookout before it powered down. Footsteps were heard and they saw Bulma running in with Goten and Trunks in her arms.
"Chi-chi, you need to take your son now and…" Bulma stopped and gasped in wonder at her son's long hair. "Wow! Your hair's so long! How did this happen?"
"I just came out of the Room of Spirit and Time with my father. While I was in there, I stayed in for an entire year." Trunks explained.
"How come yours didn't change?" Bulma asked Vegeta.
"Unlike you humans, Saiya-jins are spared by the idea of hair growth," Vegeta growled. "But why do you even bother bring that up when we should be focusing our thoughts of destroying Cell?"
"Well Vegeta, that's the thing…" Goku sighed; knowing that Vegeta was going to kill him for even mentioning this news to him.
To Be Continued…