Back on earth, the vampires were moving south to Los Angeles, led by the Master. However they were not the only things released by the Hellmouth explosion. A few minor demons stood on a hilltop led by the cyborg-demon-human creature Adam.
"So the Master is back and all the vampires are with him. That's fine. We're well within set parameters. Soon, I'll take the vampires and be their Master and the Master of all I perceive." Adam bellowed before hearing a huge crashing behind him.
He turned to see one demon devoured and another batted away by an enormous tail. He himself was shocked to see a gigantic snake in front of him. He was even more shocked when it spoke.
"No, no, no. Cities don't have Masters. They have Mayors." the huge snake bellowed as it devoured Adam in one gulp. Mayor Richard Wilkins was back.
Buffy awoke in a beautiful meadow. The sun was gloriously blazing overhead and morning dew dropped from the trees onto the tall grasses. She sat up and looked around as thoughts began to flood her head.
"Wow. Just like a map. Okay, so I have to go down this road for a few miles, make a left at the river and travel a few more miles till I get what I need. Thanks Q. Piece of cake." Buffy said as she stood up and listened to the directions Q had placed in her head.
About then is when she heard the growl.
"Yeah. Poisoned cake." Buffy said as she looked overhead.
It landed and looked at her. It wore contemporary dress. A hat, a trench coat and other clothing but its bat-like wings were visible before they disappeared beneath its coat. It looked at her and she saw its scaly green face and razor sharp teeth as it smiled. It sniffed the air and smiled for intently at her. It then roared into the air. Buffy stared at the creature.
"So we going to fight or you just going to growl?" Buffy smirked pulling out good old Mr. Pointy
The creature in front of her smiled its wicked smile again and removed a small axe and sword from its coat. Then over the trees they came, flying like the bats of Hell itself. Flying monkeys.
"You have got to be kidding." Buffy said as she looked at the unholy horde of flying simians.
She was so distracted that she was almost caught off guard by the coated creature in front of her. Almost. She managed to avoid the initial slash and then delivered a powerful kick. Unfortunately it didn't connect. The creature simply avoided it and then showed her what a kick really was. Then the monkeys were on her tearing and gnashing. Buffy actually jammed her stake in one monkey to get it off of her. She managed to fight off the rest and soon the creatures were backing away from her.
That's when she got another kick to the face that sent her flying. She landed in a heap, near unconscious. This thing was strong and fast. It was defeating her with seeming ease. The monkeys also regrouped and were following the creature as it walked to her, its axe ready to take from her what it had smelled and enjoyed about her body. Buffy tried to get up, but as if it was punishing her, the creature kicked her in the ribs. Buffy cried out in pain as the creature prepared to finish her.
"HEY! How about you pick on someone your own size." a powerful voice rang out.
The creature cocked its head at the new arrival and then was sent flying by a powerful blow. It quickly regained its composure when it stopped in midair by use of its wings. The monkeys instantly leapt at the new arrival but were soon thrown back. They then scampered and flew into the air screeching. The creature that had been punched shrugged at the cowards and then flew back in for an attack. He slammed into his opponent and they went tumbling.
Buffy managed to turn her head and look at the two struggle on the ground. They didn't stay there for long. The creature took the man into the air and then dropped him. Buffy's savior hit the ground and didn't move. The creature then landed and strode over to him. It smiled and sniffed the air. It smelled something strong on the newcomer. Something it wanted.
But as soon as he was close to the man, he sprang up and delivered a powerful double axe handle. It screamed and punched him. He punched back. It head butted him and swung a small sword at the man. The man blocked it with a metal gauntlet on his wrist. He then punched the creature again and again building momentum. The creature was not doing well. It couldn't fight back and was too dazed to evade. The only thing it could do was fly. Upwards, it went and it disappeared over the tree line in pursuit of the monkeys. The man who had saved Buffy strode over to her and helped her up. He was a big man, very muscular with long golden brown hair.
"Are you alright?" he asked
"Yeah fine." she said dazed
"Nice moves there. Too bad he was just a little too fast for you." the man said steadying her
"Yeah, but I've got his measure now. Still he was going postal on me." Buffy said
"Postal?" the man asked confused
"Never mind. Alternate universe, probably not the same lingo as back home. I'm Buffy." she said shaking his hand.
"Hercules." he said
"NO WAY!" Buffy said surprised
Hercules just shrugged. No one ever did believe it.
Meanwhile, the creature was flying back to its base. A city very nearby. The city of Athens. It landed on the main streets of the city with its pitiful band of flying monkeys. Nearby, an elderly man with a white beard flanked by several ugly creatures and a woman in black with green skin. The creature walked to the elderly man and kneeled.
"Lord Sarumon, I return." it said
"What is the status of the interlopers?" the older man, Sarumon asked
"The rebels still protect the Creation Stone. Our search party was repelled by the demigod." the creature explained
"All of you? You yourself are near his equal Creeper." Sarumon said sounding angry
"Yes. We would have won, if I had Orcs with me and not those winged apes." the creature, Creeper said pointing to the flying monkeys, "They fled after barely attacking him. I was left by myself."
Sarumon looked over at the woman.
"You assured me that these creatures had fighting spirit, witch. You assured me that their range and ferociousness were second to none." he said angrily
"It's not my fault! They are supposed to be vicious!" The witch said in her defense
"Obviously, they are not. You shall pay the price for lying to me and to our glorious master." Sarumon replied
"I'll pay no price you miserable old fool!" she screeched in defiance.
In the next instant she however burst into flames. Sarumon smiled and turned to Creeper.
"Now that that is taken care of, you will have your Orcs, Creeper. And tell the other Orcs that the monkeys are now open season." Sarumon said
"Sir, there was another. In strange dress: a woman. She was strong. Stronger than any Amazon we have killed. And she was unafraid of me." Creeper responded
"Hmm. The only one that matches that description is that Xena person these peasants revere. But she hasn't been seen in over a year. It is possible however, that this woman was perhaps not of this world. Perhaps our master's foes have begun to put forces against our own. The Creation Stone. That's it. She has been sent here to take it for safekeeping. Creeper, assemble a battalion. Take Lurtz with you." Sarumon smiled, "And perhaps our pet as well."
Meanwhile, a reality away, Dawn was greeted with some interesting surprises.
"Did I just see a cat dressed in a suit?" Dawn thought in her head very shocked.
She has just appeared in this incredible city where there were huge buildings of incredible size and odd shapes, there were people with amazing shades of blue and green for hair, and even animals walking on their hind legs dressed in suits no less. Dawn felt like she was in a very weird place. So she did the only thing she thought was reasonable.
"A mall. Great and me being Queen Klepto" she smiled.
She walked into the large mall and looked around. Despite the fact that this was an alternate reality and there were cat and dog people walking around, it seemed like the same mall in Sunnydale. Some shops were even in the same places. Dawn smiled as she looked at clothing.
"So I'm at a mall when I'm supposed to look for those things Q wanted me too. But jeez, how am I supposed to find ALL seven of those when they're all in different places on the planet. I might as well just hang out until I think of something. Did I bring any money?" Dawn thought as she visualized the map that Q had placed in her head before arriving in this reality.
She soon realized that she did indeed have money, just not very much. And also perhaps not in the same currency as this universe
"Thanks a lot Q. I guess even big cosmic guys are cheap." Dawn said aloud as she walked over to the food court and sat down in a huff.
"So how am I supposed to find those…..what do you call them? Dragon Balls? I mean I barely have money for a burger and fries and these things are all over the place. I can't walk that far!" Dawn said aloud in between bites of her burger.
A keen pair of ears however heard words she had spoken.
"Excuse me. Did you say Dragon Balls?" the owner of the ears asked Dawn from the next table.
Dawn turned and felt her knees grow weak. It was a boy. Not just any boy. He was very handsome and had a crop of purple hair on his head with searing purple eyes.
"Ummm yeah." she said just gazing at him
"Why do you need them?" the boy asked her
"Well, see this might sound weird….actually replace "might" with "will"… but I'm not from this dimension and there's this big evil guy who blew up my hometown and he wants to destroy the multiverse and stuff and this other powerful guy sent me after these balls to help kill this guy. Umm." Dawn said turning red with embarrassment after blurting out a really unbelievable and contrived story to the cutest guy she had ever met.
"Okay. Need help?" came his reply
Dawn looked at him shocked
"Huh?" was all she could muster
"Do you need help? I mean I'm offering." the boy said
"Well, yeah. I do." Dawn said looking at him.
"Okay, you got it." he replied
"Just like that?" Dawn asked
"Yeah."
"No questions?"
"Nope."
"Why?" Dawn asked
"Why what?" the boy asked
"Why do you believe me?" Dawn wondered
"Oh. That sort of thing you mentioned happens a lot around here." the boy smiled
"Oh! Okay! Ummm…I'm Dawn." Dawn said sheepishly
"That's a pretty name. I'm Trunks." the purple haired boy smiled
"Yeah. That's an ummm pretty name too." Dawn said internally "Blahing" at his name.
"Okay so you say you need the Dragon Balls right?" Trunks said getting up
"Yeah. I kind of do." Dawn said following him
"Just so happens that my mom looked for those when she was a teenager. She has this tracer thing that points them out." Trunks said exiting the mall
"Cool. So we going to your car?" Dawn asked slightly nervous
"I don't drive." Trunks replied
"We're walking to your house?" Dawn asked horrified
"No. We're flying." Trunks said with a burst of energy suddenly creating a small field around him. Dawn was stunned.
"You can fly?" Dawn asked wide eyed
"Yeah." Trunks said to her
"Cool!" Dawn exclaimed leaping into his arms
Trunks was a bit shocked at this, as was Dawn herself. But in a moment their shyness disappeared and they were airborne. Dawn was a bit scared at first but she felt safe with Trunks. Trunks likewise was a bit nervous. He was taking a girl home to see….his family!
Soon, they landed in front of a huge building in a grassy area. It was beautiful Dawn thought while looking at the nearby trees and then marveled at the large building and smaller buildings dotting the landscape.
"You live HERE?" she marveled at the huge Capsule Corps building.
"Yeah. My grandpa started the company. Mom pretty much runs it now. I'll probably be running it in a few years." Trunks said without the awe that Dawn displayed
"Wow. Rich, good looking, AND has superpowers." Dawn thought while drooling. Soon, she got up the nerve and spoke again, "So what does the company do?"
"We make little capsules that when you pull the pin on them like a grenade and toss them, they become cars, machines, even houses." Trunks again stated plainly
"That's amazing. We don't have anything like that where I'm from." Dawn said in awe again.
"It's okay I guess. Come on. We'll inside and get mom's tracer." Trunks said walking to the door of the building.
Dawn simply followed him and looked around. It was practical enough inside the building. Trunks then led Dawn down a hallway that was almost futuristic. On one side was a huge door which have must led to a gigantic room. Dawn looked at it for a second before she jumped back at the sound of a loud roar of anger from inside.
"Does this place double as a prison?" Dawn asked, looking at Trunks
"No. That's just my dad working out." Trunks laughed
"He gets really into it." Dawn remarked
"He's a serious guy. Too serious, but he's the best guy you want on your side in a fight and the last guy you want against you." Trunks smiled thinking of his father
"So where's this tracer?" Dawn asked
"In my mom's lab. Looks like she's gone today though. Probably in one of the other domes doing an experiment or out shopping with 18 and Chi Chi." Trunks added
"What weird names they have here?" Dawn thought
Trunks led her to a room where countless inventions lay strewn across tables. Huge computer screens were in the background. Dawn watched as Trunks dug through all the junk and looked here and there for the tracer.
Dawn hopped up on a table and simply watched him. She suddenly very glad that Q had sent her here. Trunks was different as far as boys go, but that was good. He was the strong silent type and she liked that. She could just watch him for hours. She smiled and pined for him.
Trunks had felt an immediate attraction for Dawn as well. She was likewise different from most of the girls here. She wasn't as flashy, but that didn't mean she wasn't eye catching. She was very normal with brown hair and blue eyes. She seemed innocent and he liked that, despite the fact he couldn't stand to look at her eyes for fear of turning red with embarrassment. He had finally found the tracer too.
"Got it!" he said excitedly.
Dawn's eyes lit up as he smiled in finding the tracer. Trunks likewise smiled back as his own eyes lit up. Their eyes also met. There was something they could feel in the air. An attraction between the two that went beyond the fact that they had just met. They seemed to soar and they felt as if their hearts had tugged at one another. Dawn was reminded of how Buffy used to talk about Angel once. She seemed to feel the same way for Trunks. It was as if, they were fated to find one another, despite time and space. They felt inside despite having only known one another for fifteen minutes that their hearts had known one another even longer. Was it fate? Possibly. God placing two hearts together as one? Undoubtedly. They knew only that moment and it stretched into eternity as their eyes and heart met and placed love in one another. Trunks slowly walked to Dawn and she waited for him. Trunks sat the tracer beside her and put his arms around her waist as he thought he should. Dawn's arms likewise wrapped around his neck. Their eyes met again and angelic music seemed to play in their minds as their faces moved closer.
They kissed. It was gentle, but it was a kiss of fiery passion. A kiss of purest love. A kiss that bound them to one another. A kiss that neither wanted to stop because in this moment they had found bliss, found nirvana, found Heaven.
Then again it was possibly just hormones.
Trunks smiled but for a brief instant he caught an image from the corner of his eye. He quickly recoiled. Dawn was shocked and she turned to see two people standing in the doorway of the lab. One was a woman with greenish blue hair wearing a red miniskirt. The other was a heavily muscled but not huge man in a simple bluish black jumpsuit with a huge amount of black spiked hair on his head. The woman seemed shocked while the man had no expression on his face save a look of anger. Trunks swallowed hard.
"Hey mom. Hey dad." he said sheepishly
The woman instantly began to clear her throat.
"Hello Trunks, who is your…ummmm…friend?" she asked
"Oh. Mom, Dad, this is Dawn. Dawn this is my mom, Bulma and my dad, Vegeta." Trunks explained as best he could without blushing.
Vegeta just kept staring angrily. He made Dawn very nervous, but he seemed very familiar. She had seen that cold indifferent look on Spike many times before he got into a fight. Bulma however rushed over to Dawn and began talking to her.
"Well hello Dawn. It's nice to meet you! Do I know your parents by any chance?" Bulma smiled
"No. My mother passed away and I rarely see my dad." Dawn said to her
"Oh. I'm sorry dear." Bulma said genuinely
"It's okay." Dawn replied
"Answer me this girl, why do you want the Dragon Balls?" Vegeta said gruffly, noting the tracer at her side.
"Dad. She's from another dimension. A guy who sounds a lot like Majinn Buu is attacking it and destroying cities. She was sent to get the Dragon Balls by someone so they can save their dimension!" Trunks added
"Oh dear, don't you have anyone who can handle this threat?" Bulma asked
"Well, he sent people to blow up my town. They did and we nearly died. I don't think we can handle it." Dawn said
"A town? HA! That's it? Pathetic." Vegeta sneered
"HEY! A lot of my friends died there so you shut up!" Dawn exclaimed before she realized what she had said
Vegeta strolled over and stared at her in a way that made whatever courage she had had before melt away.
"Vegeta! Stop it! You're frightening the poor girl!" Bulma said angrily
Vegeta just kept staring at Dawn hatefully.
"Quiet woman." he said to Bulma, "Girl, do not think to disrespect me in my own home."
Trunks stepped in between Dawn and Vegeta and stared at his father.
"You challenge me too eh?" Vegeta asked
"No. I don't have a chance against you dad, but you always want respect. Show some for the dead." Trunks said to him
"You tell me what to do now? How dare you?!" Vegeta said angrily.
"Trunks, it's okay. I apologize." Dawn said holding his arm
"Vegeta! You shouldn't act this way! This girl's been through a lot." Bulma explained
Vegeta looked at his son Trunks, who was showing fear yet bravery in his face. Vegeta's sneer turned to a smirk.
"You're a little soft Trunks, but you make me proud." Vegeta said to him, "But don't get too full of yourself. I won't be so forgiving next time."
"I don't expect it father." Trunks replied picking up the tracer, "Come on Dawn. Let's go find the Dragon Balls. Then we'll go back to your world. By the way, how do we do that?"
"Umm…I'm not sure. I guess after I get the balls I go back. Really we don't even need the tracer because I have a map in my mind that shows me where they're at." Dawn said to Trunks.
"You don't know the lay of the land like I do. This tracer will be more accurate." Trunks replied smiling at her.
"Now wait just a minute! Trunks, do you think you're just going to get the Dragon Balls and run off to fight some powerful monster by yourself?! HMMM?! Vegeta, go with them!" Bulma said to Vegeta who stood by unfazed at her demand that he go
"Well, this should prove to be interesting." Vegeta said dryly walking out of the room
"AND CALL GOKU AND THE OTHERS!!!" Bulma roared at him
Vegeta stormed back in.
"WHAT?!!!!" Vegeta roared back, "Damn it woman, must Kakkarot always be a part of these ordeals?!", Vegeta demanded
"I'd just feel better if you took Goku, Gohan, and Piccolo along!" Bulma added
"But…..but……..BLAST IT WOMAN!" Vegeta roared realizing there was no chance of her changing her mind.
That and she was too good in bed to up and kill.
Deep in a Hell a lone creature sat. He was an artificial being, an android if you will. He had been sitting in this cell for close to ten years now. Fitting that he was sitting in a cell, for that was his name.
Cell had been the ultimate weapon, an android with mechanical parts yet made up of living cells of the world's greatest fighters. After a series of evolutions, Cell had basically defeated every being who had set out against him. Even Goku. Yes, even him. Goku, the rival to Vegeta, the proudest and strongest of all the warriors in the world. Or so he thought.
Little did Cell know, Goku's young son Gohan was more than his match. Even then, Cell had nearly killed the child and if not for the intervention of Vegeta, Gohan and the entire world would be dead. He was momentarily distracted and that allowed Gohan to deliver the killing blow, a mammoth blast of energy that completely destroyed his body. And so Cell sat in the dark recesses of his universe's Hell, ever angry, ever hungry for vengeance, ever waiting. The wait was over.
Within an instant, the bars which comprised Cell's holding room were destroyed. Cell's cellmates, the tyrant King Cold, his son Frieza and Frieza's soldiers, the Ginyu Force stood up shocked. Cell simply sat and watched. A dark hooded figure entered the room, in his grasp a minor demon that had attempted to impede his progress. The demon was battered, bloody, and very dead. Cell simply watched as the figure strode forward.
"Greetings Cell. I am here to offer you a deal." the figure said in a dark voice that made the others in the room frightened.
Cell sat calmly though and ignored the new arrival.
"I know that you are angry Cell. I would be too. In fact, I see a great many similarities among us. Both of us are immensely powerful yet both of us have been wronged. My estate was taken from me when lower beings defeated me. Your life was taken from you, as was your freedom. These were both accomplished by lesser beings as well. I know you hunger for revenge as I do." the shrouded figure spoke coldly.
Cell did not move. Nor did he speak.
"I believe you'll have to deal with us stranger. Cell hasn't spoken in a year. He doesn't even acknowledge us!" King Cold said attempting to hammer out a deal with the entity.
"You are ignored with good reason. You are nothing. Among you all, only he has true fighting sprit." the entity spoke
"You will hold your tongue creature! Frieza will not be spoken to as such!" Frieza shrieked at the being.
In an instant the creature's hand forcefully ripped into Frieza's mouth and tore his tongue from his mouth and put it in his hands.
"Hold your own. Now Cell, I have come a long ways to make this deal. I have gone out of my way to allow you revenge. Will you accept or not?" the figure said again, oblivious to the fact that he was being assaulted with various energy attacks by the other prisoners.
Cell smirked, "Goku, Gohan, and Vegeta are mine to crush. No one else's. They are MINE."
"Agreed. You will require more power to deal with them as they have surpassed you. I have that power." the figure said outstretching it's long clawed hand as a black orb appeared in it, "Now take this power and cripple these annoyances."
"I don't need added power for that." Cell said leaping up in an instant.
Within seconds the remainder of the Ginyu force were each lying on the floor in states of unconsciousness or were mangled, missing limbs or their spines. Cell then walked over to the tongue-less Frieza and pounded him into the ground relentlessly. He then held Frieza by the neck and smiled at King Cold as he tore his son's skull open, leaving him in eternal pain. They were already dead of course.
King Cold looked at Cell's cold smile in fear and began to flee, flying out of the cell as fast as he could. Cell simply used Goku's instant transmission technique and appeared right in front of Cold, sending him to the ground in a bloody heap. Cold wept in pain on the floor, his spine shattered from Cell's angry blow. Cell landed next to the space tyrant and placed his foot on Cold's head.
"Cell…why? We were your allies! You are made from us! Why?! WE are the closest thing you ever had to family! You're destroying your FAMILY!" Cold pleaded.
"And I don't care." came Cell's reply in addition to his foot bursting King Cold's head like a melon.
The shrouded figure clapped as it walked to Cell, the black orb hovering behind it.
"Such brutality. Such anger. I am pleased." it said
"They were a means to an end. With your deal they served no further purpose. Still they live." Cell commented at the writhing undead beings on the ground
"I'll remedy that very soon. Now take your new power!" the figure said as the orb hit Cell and sent energy pouring through the air.
Cell himself was shocked at how painful it was and knelt in pain. His green skin began to change to a dark black. His body grew in size and mass. His claws extended upon his hands to reaches they had never known. Cell's eyes became a bright green, issuing forth light. After the energy's lightshow had ended, Cell rose. He was larger, stronger, faster, and more evil than he had ever been before.
"How does it feel to be perfect again, Cell?" the shrouded figure asked
"No. I am beyond Perfect Cell. I am ULTIMATE CELL!" the monster bellowed
"Do you know what you must do now?" the figure asked
"Do you know how long I rotted in that prison cell? Do you know how long I planned what I would do to my enemies? I've always known what I must do and now, I do it." Cell said, instantly transmitting himself out of Hell.
"Excellent. All goes according to plan. Now then, time for a snack." the figure said glowing with energy as the entire Hell dimension collapsed inwards upon him. The figure laughed in delight as he faded from the now empty Hell dimension, his power skyrocketing even further.