Risk
Chapter 27
After the day had passed, Chi-chi and Goku came out. What impressed everyone besides the couple was the idea that Goku had about remaining a Super Saiya-jin constantly. Goten and Gohan eagerly went into the Room of Spirit and Time after letting Goku know about getting a new guardian from Namek. While Goku was gone, Chi-chi had time to think about the battle that lay ahead of them.
'Will Cell do something that will keep Goku from keeping his promises to me?' Chi-chi thought quietly to herself while sitting on the edge of the lookout. Since this whole dilemma started a week ago, she had not had one chance to think about the consequences that might arise if her husband was to die again. A cold chill ran up her spine just then. 'I hope I don't die. If I do, Goku…'
She was interrupted by Krillin's cheer of joy. She turned around and noticed...
…a small Namekian child standing next to the healed Krillin who found himself back on his feet.
"Goku, I thought you were bringing back a new guardian…" Chi-chi stared at the boy almost though he was being pushed into a burning tower.
"This is the new guardian! His name's Dende and he's the reason why we had a chance against Frieza on Namek." Goku explained. "He's going to resurrect the dragon balls."
"Excellent! Can it have three wishes like the Namekian dragon balls?" Krillin asked.
"We'll see," Dende smiled softly. "Can I see the model of the dragon?"
Mr. Popo brought out the miniature dragon on the tray and after a brief incantation, the dragon glowed before it vanished into a glowing sphere and scattered into seven beams of light. Shortly after, Dende looked up with a grin on his face.
"They're ready," Dende confirmed before the smile faded off his face. "However, I was only able to increase the number of wishes to two and you can only bring someone back to life once."
"Only once?" Chi-chi paled. She felt her knees wanting to buckle; however, she forced herself to remain standing. 'If either Goku or I end up dying, then…'
"Don't worry about it Dende," Goku said cheerfully; breaking the morbid thoughts that Chi-chi had been thinking. "We're not going to go down without a fight."
"After Gohan and Goten are done, you should get back to your training with Chi-chi," Mr. Popo suggested. "You two still have one more year left in there."
"Thanks, but I'll pass," Goku smiled. Chi-chi's jaw dropped. Was he passing on an opportunity for them to prepare better for the battle that would lie ahead of them?
"Why won't we go in there again?" Chi-chi asked.
"First off, it wouldn't really help us much," Goku explained. "And second, I'm pretty sure I stand a chance against Cell."
"I hope so."
"We should get home. Get Goten so we can go spend some family time together."
"Alright."
The time passed quickly between them. With much persistence, Chi-chi accompanied Goku on the search for the dragon balls before the Cell Games. After their trials of locating all seven, they spent the rest of their time together with their sons and their son from the future.
At long last, the big day arrived. Chi-chi left young Goten with her father and accompanied her husband and sons to the field. Like Goku, Gohan and Goten were both in their Super Saiya-jin states since emerging from the Room of Spirit and Time. Upon arriving, they noticed a foreign group of people standing there; one of them boasting about his strength and promising to rid the world of Cell.
"I'm sorry, but if you all are here to fight Cell, you will have to wait until Mr. Satan is through with him," the announcer proclaimed.
"What?!" Goku realized that if Mr. Satan went first, then his deal with Cell would be off and 18 would be at the android's mercy. "But he can't!"
"I'm the champ here buddy and if I say I want first dibs, then I'll get them!" Mr. Satan rushed into the ring; a moan escaping Goku's throat as the proclaimed champ attacked Cell with all of his strength. Kakarrot wanted to kill this idiot for ruining his chances of fighting Cell before he absorbed 18 was practically over with.
'Come on! One less idiot in this world's not going to make a difference!' Kakarrot protested in Goku's mind; wanting nothing more than for this idiotic act to end quickly.
'That's almost like Cell killing our love.' Goku mentally argued against the voice.
'Don't you dare compare her to that moron in the ring! He's much weaker than she is!'
'If I hadn't of trained her all this time, she would be weak.'
'True.' Much to Kakarrot's displeasure, Cell sent Mr. Satan flying with a flick of his wrist about a mile away near a mountain. It was after this gesture that he left the platform and flew towards 18 who stood there glaring angrily at Cell.
"You win. Go ahead and absorb me." 18 growled.
"Why thank you…" The tip of Cell's tail expanded and he sucked the female into it; her body vanishing quickly. A surge of power washed over all of the warriors and knocked back Mr. Satan's fans. After Cell's transformation was completed, Kakarrot managed to take control without Goku's permission and walk up to Cell.
"Just so you know, I'm going to make things even now…" Kakarrot smirked before ripping Cell's tail off and blasting it. "There we…" Of course, this was all in vain when Cell regenerated the missing limb. "Damn you bastard…"
"What can I say, I have Piccolo's cells after all," Cell boasted while swinging the newly regenerated tail around before it shortened beneath his wings. It was so that Cell could protect it from another attack from the irritated and dark-natured Saiya-jin warrior.
"You'll regret having anyone's cells in you once I kick your sorry pitiful green ass and save this damn planet," Kakarrot growled before powering up. The warriors were amazed at the power radiating from the Earth-raised Saiya-jin as his eyes shone with a fierce fire that could not be contained for long without destroying the landscape or anyone with it.
"Shall we take this to the ring then?" Cell questioned while jerking his thumb towards the ring he had spent time creating for their little duel.
"Ring, sming… I rather just fight without some damn obstacle that I have no choice but to abide by the rules…" Kakarrot growled before throwing a blast; destroying what seemed like minutes of Cell's handy work.
"If that's the case, then if you either give up or die, you lose and Earth is practically at my mercy."
"Hm. Sounds boring… I mean you're practically destroying the world just so you can prove you're perfect. What happens after you destroy countless worlds and kill nearly every life you see?"
"I suppose then I'll create a new universe that will be perfect and in my own image." Cell grinned. "After all, the universe is a huge place…"
"Perfection is highly over rated." Kakarrot lunged at Cell and the two traded blows against one another. The fighting seemed aggressive and violent as it shifted from the ground into the sky before skimming only a mere few feet from the ground. It was almost though the two were trading blows against one another in a joust that had no winner or loser.
At the same time, the violent energy from either combatant would occasionally cause a dent in the ground or cause a part of the landscape to be scarred in some way, shape or form. Thankfully, they could restore Earth after this battle with the dragon balls or it would be permanently scarred from the fight these warriors were putting out.
Very soon, Kakarrot threw a blast that startled the android and he retorted by firing Piccolo's signature attack at the warrior. The warrior was singed slightly at the shoulder and barely avoided the attack. Hissing in pain, Kakarrot growled at Cell; almost though he was challenging the android to try hitting him in a vital part of his body.
"Are you that eager to die Kakarrot?" Cell questioned.
"You're the one toying with me demon," Kakarrot glared at Cell. "You could have ended this at any time, but you're only nicked me so far."
"If I killed you now, then tell me where would the fun be? I'm sure you're holding back some of your power as well."
"Maybe, but you'll have to keep fighting me like you want to kill me to see it."
"Then I'll be more than happy to oblige." Cell smirked before flying quickly towards Kakarrot and throwing several quick attacks at the Earth-raised Saiya-jin. Kakarrot was having trouble keeping up with Cell's increased speed and strength due to absorbing the androids and he knew he wouldn't be able to keep this up forever. Forced into the heavens, Kakarrot allowed Goku to take over and the warrior began summoning a blast into his hands.
"Ka… me…" Goku began to chant; the energy building up quickly.
"Oh come now, you wouldn't dare fire that thing at me from up there…" Cell chuckled; assuming it was a bluff.
"…ha… me…" Goku continued his chant; one syllable away from unleashing his attack whether Earth was in the line of fire or not.
"…he's lost it…" Cell muttered. It was then Goku vanished and Cell realized where Goku had teleported. Like a deer caught in the headlights, the Earth-raised Saiya-jin was literally in point-blank range with the blast ready to be unleashed. "Oh sh…"
"HA!!" Goku roared as the blast literally destroyed the top half of Cell; the lower half falling to the ground lifelessly.
The warriors who watched this battle were absolutely stunned at this act. Was this truly the end of Cell?
"He did it!" Chi-chi exclaimed. She ran out to where Goku was standing as he gave a thumb up to everyone before she jumped into his arms. The bliss was cut short however when they suddenly heard a sickening sound and noticed Cell beginning to regenerate as though he had not been destroyed in the first place. Goku pushed Chi-chi back in order to protect her.
"Get out of here," Goku warned Chi-chi; not wishing for the android to change targets.
"But…" Chi-chi suddenly noticed Cell's eyes fall upon her.
"Ah, so this is your wife…" Cell grinned while looking Chi-chi over. "I always wondered what would happen if I absorbed her…"
"Do it and I swear…" Goku warning ended with a growl; his chi rising slightly. Cell noticed this little spike in the Earth-raised Saiya-jin's chi.
"What's the point? She's extendable…" Cell grinned darkly while advancing towards Chi-chi. Both Goku and Kakarrot were irritated that this android had his eyes on their mate; something they knew would happen if she did nothing to defend herself.
"Your fight's with him, not me," Chi-chi hissed.
"I could let him rest; maybe let him have a Senzu while I ensure that you too become a part of me…" Cell smirked.
"Over my dead body."
"Hm?" Cell was punched in the face by a pissed-off Kakarrot. The merciless Saiya-jin did not give Cell the moment to even recover from the momentary attack. Countless blasts rained against the cockroach-like creature that was threatening to absorb his love out of curiosity and out of an attempt to drive the Saiya-jin mad in the process.
"Has anyone else noticed Kakarrot and Goku being affected when Chi-chi's life is threatened?" Tien asked.
"She's the reason Goku went Super Saiya-jin in the first place back on Namek when she died," Piccolo explained. "She pushed him out of the way when Frieza fired the blast."
"If she died again, he might ascend Super Saiya-jin…" Trunks thought in awe.
"Or he could do that and literally destroy Cell along with this pitiful mud ball," Vegeta growled. "Kakarrot's not going to be able to do it without endangering this planet. It's the reason those Nameks lost their home in the first place."
"Daddy…" Gohan muttered softly; praying that somehow, his father would be able to protect his mother. Goten too was worried about his parents. His last wish was for his parents to be at the mercy of this monster and ensure that his past self grew up without them.
"Seems you caught your second wind!" Cell grinned. "After you lose, I will ensure that she becomes part of me!"
"That's the last thing I ever want you to do!" Kakarrot roared before throwing a punch at Cell's face. The android took the blow; however, he was barely scathed from the damage he received. An irritated hiss escaped Kakarrot's throat. How was he to contend to such a power?
"Your power's barely increasing and you're slowly dipping from your maximum power. At the rate you're going, you'll be out of gas before you could fully destroy me."
"I don't give a damn. The thing I want is to make you take your fucking mind out of the gutter about absorbing my wife!"
"Even if it means your death?" Cell questioned.
"…" Kakarrot remained quiet. He didn't want his wife to hear his answer; knowing she would be fully against what his answer might be.
"Be gone." The Saiya-jin's eyes widened as Cell threw Frieza's finisher at the warrior. Chi-chi screamed as the beam passed through Kakarrot's chest. Blood gushed out of the open wound as he flew backwards and fell into the earth before coming to rest on the ground. Blonde bled back to the natural locks of raven hair; a sign that the warrior was either unconscious or dead.
"NO!" Chi-chi cried; praying this wasn't happening and hoping beyond all hope that he hadn't perished at Cell's hands.
To Be Continued…