Chapter 065 - Attack of the Cell Juniors
Down below the cliff top something dramatic had happened. Cell had survived what had turned out to be a botched attempt by Android Sixteen to rid the world of the monster once and for all. Instead it had ended with Sixteen having his entire body blown to bits, his severed head being booted to the side by Cell like a child kicking a stone across the floor for fun. Frustrated he had not been able to cause Gohan's powers to leak out by torturing the boy, Cell had turned his eyes to those on top of the mesa overlooking the fight. The senzu bag had been stolen from them and now Cell had conjured up what appeared to be eight tiny versions of himself from his back! The miniature Cells all stood by their 'father's' side, their eyes peeled on the group above.
Corset gulped and clenched her fists tightly realising just what was about to happen. Eight of the small monsters were down there and there were now eight of them standing and observing - including her. There was little doubt they were all in trouble.
The eight miniature Cells suddenly charged straight up towards them.
"Watch out, these guys are tough!" Goku bellowed frantically.
"Kill them!" Vegeta yelled as he started to charge up his power, transforming into a Super Saiyan. The Earthling fighters were not so eager to fight, many of which were now bricking it and for good reason - Cell and his little monsters would surely be way out of their league!
In the panic Corset revved up her ki, trying to raise her power level as fast as she could before they arrived! It wasn't enough time; the Cell Juniors' reached them in a matter of seconds.
The Cell Junior before her charged straight towards her, tossing out a tiny fist which struck her chin and knocked her backwards clean off her feet.
She had to fight now. It was on.
Corset back-flipped and landed on both feet, pushing forward, charging her opponent and entering the fight. The Cell Junior was ready as he matched her blow for blow; both fighters throwing out attacks and blocking incoming strikes. It seemed to be an even fight which surprised Corset as she'd not expected to be able to deal so well with the little monster's moves, though that did not make it an easy fight. She still found herself having to work hard to anticipate his moves.
The entire cliff was in a battle frenzy; out of the corner of her eye Corset could see Krillin and Trunks fighting their miniature Cells'; Trunks had transformed into a Super Saiyan. Everyone had to defend themselves against these little monsters and she was among them! She knew immediately not everyone would manage to do this; Yamcha, Tenshinhan and Krillin were nowhere near strong enough to stand up to these monsters and she had her doubts about Piccolo too. She had to somehow help the less powerful of them out whilst also holding off her own Cell Junior!
The fight had slowly taken to the sky; the Cell Junior kicked Corset backwards towards the cliff edge and over. The Super Saiyan quickly gained control of her movement and upon spotting a chance to intervene, deliberately flew down straight for Yamcha and his Cell Junior; he seemed to be struggling against the little fighter. Corset momentarily looked over her shoulder attempting to keep an eye on her own opponent, firing off a ki blast behind her straight into her pursuing Cell Junior. The blast hit the little monster engulfing him in the explosion, slowing him down at the very least.
Corset's attention now focused fully on the unsuspecting replica. Her foot slammed straight into the back of the Cell Junior fighting Yamcha, knocking the off-guard monster clean off the side of the cliff!
"You ok?" Corset asked, recoiling when she saw Yamcha's arm – it looked mangled and broken!
"I'll live..." Yamcha nodded through a flinch, "Just keep on your guard, kid!"
Corset's attention was taken back to the sky as a blast from her Cell Junior shot towards them. Immediately she drew her hand back and slapped the attack to the side and out of harm's way, leaping back up into the air to rejoin her opponent. She doubted she'd get another chance to protect her friends like that again; she couldn't underestimate her opponent. His hits were strong and stung but Corset was ready for them as the two sparred in fist-to-fist combat, rising higher and higher into the sky.
Everything was so hectic around her; Tenshinhan, Krillin and Yamcha were struggling greatly; even Piccolo and Goku weren't faring well! It looked like it was only her, her dad and Trunks who were able to put up a fight against these things! Gohan was still on the ground alongside Cell, doing nothing to help and just watching as his friends struggled. The sight annoyed Corset slightly; just what did he think he was doing? He was more than capable of coming to help! If she could hold her own against these miniature Cells' and Goku was convinced Gohan could beat Cell, then why was he standing around?
Fists clashed as Corset and the Cell Junior met once more in the sky. The constant close-combat was getting her nowhere and the Cell Junior had impressive speed which seemed to be even to her own. She had to do something drastic. Side-stepping a punch, she grabbed the Cell Junior's arm and violently tossed him over her head and down towards the ground, using the time to survey the other's battles and wiping the blood from her chin.
"Everyone! Goku's tired from his fight with Cell!" Piccolo bellowed down below, "We've got to help him!"
"Right!" Corset glanced down quickly spotting Goku was indeed struggling. The Cell Junior was just too quick for the drained warrior. He hadn't been able to take a senzu bean as Cell had taken the bag full of the beans before Goku'd had the opportunity. The worn-down Saiyan was being beaten down by the little beast who seemed to be taking great delight in knocking him down.
She didn't need to see anymore.
Her Cell Junior opponent was rising to his feet from below so she had to be fast. Corset teleported down towards Goku and swung a leg out, knocking the Cell Junior several metres across the ground on its face. She hurriedly stood in front of Goku defending him as the monster slowly rose from the ground.
"Th-Thanks... Sorry about this..." Goku muttered, trying to get back onto his feet.
A high shriek above her made Corset look up; her Cell Junior was closing in on them both from above! Goku's Cell Junior had also risen to his feet and was charging them.
Piccolo suddenly struck the Cell Junior coming from above in mid-air, knocking him straight into the ground inches from its brother. Corset didn't have time to praise him; she put up her guard and met the other oncoming Cell Junior mid-way, trading blows with the fighter.
The fight had dragged on for so long now. Corset was gaining more and more injuries and her ki was slowly being beaten down. Not only was she trying to defend herself against her own Cell Junior, she was also trying to fight them off from those warriors struggling! It wasn't a successful plan anymore. Yamcha's screams could be heard, Tenshinhan was wavering on the verge of unconsciousness and even her brother and dad were starting to be beaten down! It wouldn't be long now until she would be joining them. These little fighters didn't seem to be losing any of their energy which just made matters worse. At this rate there wouldn't be anyone for Gohan to save.
Corset's attention went down to Gohan and Cell briefly; still Gohan wasn't fighting! What more did he want? They were all being slowly beaten and killed up here and all he was doing was standing and watching! What was Cell trying to get at? Why were they all suffering when his opponent right now was Gohan?
The lapse in concentration cost her; the Cell Junior's small fist clipped her in the cheek before the other struck her clean in the top of her head, sending Corset shooting down through the rocky cliff below, dust scattering all around her.
It took a moment for her senses to return and she realised she was laying in a crumpled heap amongst a pile of rocks. Quickly she pushed herself from the rocky ground, surging back through the small crag and out into the blinding daylight sun-
The Cell Junior had been waiting for her. As soon as Corset emerged he'd tossed a punch connecting with Corset's stomach. The unsuspecting girl bent over as the wind was knocked from her before she was then slapped away to the side, skidding to a halt close to where a now crumpled and exhausted Goku lay. Her stomach panged with pain and her face stung, she was certain she may have just scraped some of the skin from her chin as she'd landed. Flinching a little but determined to rise again, Corset opened her eyes, finally realising Goku was near her. For a moment she stared at him, finding solace in him as he struggled to rise, coughing against the ground before sitting on his shins. "... I'm... sorry guys... I didn't think... it would end up like this!" He spluttered almost breathlessly.
Corset frowned and closed her eyes for a moment. Here they all were relying on Gohan's hidden powers to awaken as Goku instructed and now being tortured because he had no control over them!
Her eyes opened and she stared over at the others.
Trunks had just been knocked down onto his back; her father was still fighting up in the sky but seemed to be fighting a losing battle. No one else seemed to be on their feet; all three human fighters and Piccolo were more-or-less face-down in the dirt. Krillin was down below, inches from Gohan and Cell; his little opponent still beating the tar out of him. Corset could hear the monk's screams even from where she lay, his ki being chopped away with every strike.
She had to get up.
"Play time's over now children! You can kill them all now!" Cell's voice boomed across the area, echoing slightly against the cliff face.
Corset felt a surge of heat rush through her body at Cell's words. Her determination flared up and she stumbled to her feet overpowering her aches and pains. Several Cell Juniors were currently clustered around the fallen Earthling fighters beating whatever was left in the unconscious men. Yamcha and Tenshinhan's powers were starting to become critically low; they needed help and fast!
"I won't let you have your way!" Corset screamed to no one, forcing herself to stand up straight and tightening her grip, flaring up her energy once more in a bid to stay alive and conscious. Her legs pushed against the ground ripping up loose fragments of rock as she shot forwards with a loud bellow towards the small group of Cell Juniors surrounding the fallen Earthlings. Her speed served her well as she succeeded in butting one of the Cell Junior's in the back. She jumped into the middle of the crowd standing beside Tenshinhan, catching the attention of three other Cell Juniors. Her feet barely tapped the ground as she threw herself up high into the sky; the small group of Cell Juniors – including the one she'd just attacked – followed her up. She had to get them all away from the injured people down below!
Corset concentrated her ki and brought her arms and legs up to her chest; quickly surrounded by the small gang of blue fighters. She screamed out as she expelled a large amount of her energy into a kiai, knocking all four Cell Juniors flying away from her. The power surged through her body as she continued to gather energy, determined to take them all on one-by-one.
The monsters quickly recovered and were back on the attack, this time working together as a team. A couple suddenly began to rapidly fire energy blasts at the girl; two others flying through the gaps towards her. Corset dodged and blocked each attack as it honed in on her energy, noticing the two approaching Cell Juniors and firing down several of her own blasts. The Cell Juniors were wise to her plan and easily anticipated her moves, teleporting out of her eyesight. Corset frantically locked onto their ki and avoided an oncoming double kick, the two monsters shooting past her as they missed.
She had not been prepared for the next attack. As she turned, the other Cell Junior couple caught her off-guard with a fierce strike to the stomach followed by a sharp blow to her head. Corset was sent plummeting towards the ground before crashing with a heavy thud. She choked upon impact, blood rising up her throat from the strike to her back as the first pair of Cell Juniors that'd missed last time struck her in the back.
Corset attempted to rise to her feet but was stopped in her tracks as the two Cell Juniors who'd landed on her immediately reached out for her legs. Her arms faltered under the weight of her body, shaking madly. This cost her dearly as before she could fully recover, she was yanked off the ground and over the monster's heads. Corset braced herself as best as she could as she slammed straight into the rocky ground, displacing small fragments of the surface as she struck. Her ankles were pulled again and once again Corset was swung down violently to the floor, dispelling even more dirt with every throw.
The remaining two Cell Juniors decided to join in and grabbed both of her wrists, Corset now held by all four of her limbs, instead now being slammed face-first into the ground below her repeatedly, the tiny fighters chortling in content with every attack dealt. Corset choked as once again the entire front part of her torso and limbs was subjected to a fierce beating from the ground. She could feel blood dripping from her nose which she was sure had broken, pain radiating from her ribs which only amplified every time she hit the floor. She couldn't free herself from their grasp; she'd gather ki into her palms and blast her way free if she could have enough time to concentrate but every bit of contact she made with the ground just messed with her concentration and ki channelling abilities!
Suddenly she was tossed high into the air, suddenly free from the Cell Junior quadruplet's grasp. That was going to cost them dearly. Through the agony she managed to squint through one eye; horror struck her as four ki attacks quickly converged in on her -
The world spun as she felt herself be lurched to the side, now in the grasp of someone's strong arm. Then she was suddenly back on the ground and being put onto her feet which she was surprised to find were still willing to support her! Corset glanced to see who'd saved her from the incoming moves and breathed a small sigh of relief, though the sight of her brother was a little pitiful. "Thank you, Trunks."
"They got you good, huh?" The Super Saiyan teenager asked rhetorically. "Don't take them all on, I'll distract them as much as I can."
"Cheers, I owe you one, Big Bro!" Corset nodded feeling a little more rejuvenated. Her head snapped back as she sensed five of the Cell Juniors closing in on her and her brother. The two siblings instinctively stepped backwards pushing themselves through the air; three Cell Juniors charged after Corset whilst the other two chased Trunks.
Three she was sure she could hold off. Her body was growing tired and had been worn down by the recent onslaught she'd endured but she wasn't going to give up! Corset drew one hand back and fired off a ki attack straight for her pursuing opponents; all three Cell Juniors avoiding being hit. She stopped herself mid-flight with one strong foot pushing against the ground, charging up her energy into both her hands until both fists were glowing with energy. The Cell Juniors were inches from her before Corset went on the attack, locked in hand-to-hand combat once more only this time with three separate opponents! The ki in her hands amplified her attacks and finally one successful punch to one Cell Junior's face sent it bolting back into the cliff face, vanishing inside the rocky rubble. The hit seemed to temporarily stun the other two Cell Juniors as they quickly glanced back to check on their brother.
Suddenly there was an explosion of power from behind. Gohan's scream filled the air though it was quickly drowned out by the deafening roar and shockwave, Corset finding herself being pushed forward a couple of uneasy steps. Her attention turned away from her opponents, jaw dropping in shock.
Something was happening.