Chapter 44: A New Era
Poll still going, it'll end, um, whenever I end it. You can find it on my profile. Thanks to everyone who's voted. So far, it seems most people want me to focus on BTtL, though the SSJ-kid-Goku idea is also pretty popular.
I think that, for me, the end of the android/Cell saga marks the end of the first 'half' of Break Through the Limit. Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean there's going to be around eighty chapters or anything, it's probably going to be a lot more or less than that. I just mean...the various tensions and character arcs were resolved, the running plot threads sort of finished up (I mean, there were still several plot hooks, but I kind of had to do that. The major stuff was resolved.) So the rest of the Countdown Saga, and then the Buu Saga and anything I do after that will be the second 'half'. Maybe 'half' is the wrong word. Arc? Storyline? Kind of like, in canon, the saiyan and Namek arcs were one storyline, then the android saga the second and Buu the third. Am I rambling nonsensically? Probably.
Also! BTtL Kai chapter at the end. Rejoice, all ye faithful.
Almost a year after the events of chapter 43...
Bulma was sitting at the monitor, working on her new project. The strange habit of doodling 7s had reduced in its intensity, and she now routinely carried scraps of paper to avoid vandalising the walls everywhere she went—really, she'd stopped paying attention. Seven Dragon Balls, perhaps? But that didn't tell her anything.
Ah, well. I don't really care. What interests me now is this project I'm working on. The initial idea came to me when I first came back...being killed by Cell really made me realise how fragile and vulnerable a normal human can be in this world of super-powered aliens and heroes. I got a pretty good description of these Kaioken and Spirit Bomb techniques from some of the guys, and I'm— Something felt different. She almost jumped out of her skin as she glanced down at the piece of paper she'd been using. Halfway down the page, the 7s had become 6s.
Bulma jumped up and sprinted out of the room. "Dad! Quick! Get over here!"
Raditz and Pikkon's battle paused, and they settled to the ground. Their energy pulsed around them, whipping up clouds of dust and carving out cracks in the ground. This was the same place they'd first fought, the same place they always fought, and after so many battles it was completely devastated, reduced from pleasant greenery to a mile or so square of utterly barren wasteland. "Come on, Raditz," Pikkon said wearily, "how many times are we going to do this? You've improved a lot, but even with your maximum Super Saiyan power, you're still about equal with me, and you just can't stand up to my most powerful techniques. Shall we try the Thunder Flash again?"
Raditz grinned ironically, seeming to accept his coming defeat. "Yeah, those tricks of yours are pretty tough to beat. But I know a few myself—" with this, he teleported to directly behind Pikkon with Instant Transmission. Expecting the move, the alien fighter turned and caught Raditz's punch. Growling in frustration, Raditz broke off his attack, and they leapt into the air, exchanging a blur of punches and kicks as they rose into the sky. Raditz mistimed a block and Pikkon's fist crashed into his face, followed by a double-footed impact as he kicked off the saiyan's chest, using the motion to backflip away and quickly charge up his ki, rapidly spinning in a tight circle, faster and faster until he disappeared into a high-speed streak of light, twisting around itself and throwing out gale-force winds. "Hyper Tornado!"
Raditz braced himself as the tornado rushed forwards and enveloped him. Held in the centre by the extreme air pressure, he waited for the inevitable rain of attacks from all sides as Pikkon orbited him faster than his senses could follow. He gave the appearance of weakness, waiting for Pikkon to slow slightly in an attempt to deliver the finishing blow, and then, in that instant—for only the third time—he did it.
He went beyond.
It was like turning on a tap, like going Super Saiyan all over again. He relished the flood of power that exploded from his transformed body. Sparks crackled through his aura, his hair stood up on end, and his eyes narrowed. Now he could see Pikkon. Now the green—hued hero looked laughably slow. Raditz grinned, twitching to the side to avoid a punch and bringing his elbow down onto Pikkon's back, a single blow smashing him into the ground. In an instant, Raditz was down there too, driving Pikkon further into the ground with one foot, then hopping off and crouching next to his battered opponent. As Pikkon looked up, bewildered, Raditz stared back unflinchingly, spirit soaring.
"I...win."
"What...in all the heavens...did you just do?!" Pikkon asked incredulously.
"I ascended to a true higher level..." Raditz replied. "I believe on Earth, they called it...Super Saiyan 2." I'm just glad I knew this level of power even existed, or like Goku and Gohan, I'd have had to go through some kind of emotional trauma to unlock it. A lot of things combined to enable this, actually...a less energy-draining Otherworld body was a major factor, as was the lack of the subconscious mental block Father represented, and finally...a target always helps immensely—so thanks for that, Pikkon.
"Ridiculous...isn't one transformation enough?"
"Heh. Not to beat you, evidently." Raditz powered down, turned and began to walk off. "Well, be seeing you—it looks like you've got some serious training to do."
"You can't be serious."
"I am serious, mom." Gohan stood resolutely, expression unchanging.
"But...going into space?! What on Earth for?" Chi-Chi blustered.
"I've got to get this thing done." The boy held up the notepad he'd been scribbling down notes for his book on. "You didn't have any problem with me flying to the other side of the world to do research, did you?"
"Yes, but leaving the planet...that's completely different!" She shook her head. "No way. Why do you even need to do that? What can you learn on some other world that you can't here?"
"Plenty." He opened up his notepad. "See, we have no idea what happened to the whole galactic empire since we took out the frost demon heirarchy. We know next to nothing about saiyan society—something which I'd personally like to learn about—not to mention the various other species we've come into contact with. Besides, my uncle visited one random planet and learned how to teleport himself anywhere, instantly. That ability alone has saved us all more than once. Who knows what secrets are hidden out there?"
"Hmm..." she weighed all this up in her mind.
"And one more thing," he added, gesturing with his pencil. "I mentioned we don't know what's happened to the ex-empire. What if it's fallen into anarchy, or into the hands of another tyrant? In that case, it'd be our fault, and our duty to fix it. Right?"
"Aagh!" She slumped back against the wall. "You're just like your father. Someone, somewhere, might be in trouble, and you have to rush off to save them." Chi-Chi sighed. "Now I see what this is really about...you wouldn't do something this big just for research. There's always a wrong that needs righting, and if there isn't, you'll go find one. It's in your blood. I guess...if you're that determined, it'd be pointless for anyone to try and stop you, right?" He nodded, and she gave a sad smile. "Well...that settles it, then. But you're not going alone. You got that?"
"Mm-hm." Gohan shuffled his feet.
"I SAID, you got that?!"
"Aah! Uh, yes ma'am!"
There was, of course, only one place to go should one wish to mount an expedition into space—Capsule Corporation. Gohan found Bulma and her father poring over a set of readouts.
"No change in brain activity... " the older scientist said.
"I know...weird. Hmm...maybe it's some kind of countdown?" his daughter suggested.
"Perhaps." Dr. Brief replied, nodding. "Or maybe it's keeping count of how many of something there are. One of whatever it is just left or was destroyed or ended...it could go back up later. We really don't know. Still...keep watching, tell me if it changes again...oh, hello there, Gohan."
Gohan waved. "Hey, Bulma, Dr. Brief." He scratched his head. "Your mom not around? It's just you three are usually together..."
"I'm damned if I ever know where that woman is," the doctor told him, shrugging. "I wouldn't worry. She's just never been as interested in science as Bulma and I."
"Anyway, what can we do for you, kid?" Bulma asked.
"Sorry if this is a bit much to ask, but I, uh, I kind of need a spaceship."
"Oh!" Bulma looked thoughtful, walking over to the window. "I think...the ship your dad and uncle went to Namek in is still around here somewhere...maybe we've got it in a capsule or something. Why d'you want to go to space, anyway? Who all's going?"
Ten minutes ago...
"Nah," Goku said. "If Chi-Chi's staying, then so am I. I don't want to abandon you or anything, Gohan, but whenever something comes up I'm always running off. I figure it'd be unfair to leave her completely alone this time, right?"
"Well, I guess..."
"Don't worry, I'm sure plenty of the guys will jump at the chance for an adventure. You'll be in good hands...or the other way round..."
"All right..." Gohan headed out the door, only to be startled by a voice from the left.
"Space, huh? Sounds fun. Mind if I tag along?" Videl asked. She'd dropped by for her weekly ki training lesson with the Son family, and had overheard the whole conversation.
"Oh! Hey, Videl. Didn't sense you at all—you're getting good at hiding your ki."
"You know it." She grinned. "So, how about it?"
"Well, I don't know if-"
"Great! I'll tell my dad I'm going to go train in the wilderness for a bit, 'unlock my hidden potential' or some crap. See ya!" Tensing up her muscles, she took off into the sky, soaring off with her usual combination of grace and efficiency.
The present...
"...So Videl should be here soon," Gohan explained. "I'm not sure if she's entirely ready, but there's really no arguing with her. Who else do you think could come?"
"Hmm..." Bulma chewed her pencil. "...'Fraid I can't go myself, I've got a few projects here I'm really getting into...you'll probably need people who've got space travel experience. I bet Kuriza would be happy to help, you two have always been close, plus he lives right here with us. And you're going to need at least one adult with you..." a malicious grin spread across her face. I know somebody who needs a good road trip to get him off his back. She hammered on a bedroom door. "Hey, Zarbon! Get off your ass, you're going to space!" Ignoring the ensuing stream of vulgarity from the other side of the door, she glanced down as her watch (wirelessly connected to the alarm systems throughout the building) beeped, a blinking red light appearing. "...And it looks like Trunks has bitten through his cot again. I'd better go round up the little terror. See you in five, Gohan!"
Considerably more than five minutes later...
Gohan, Videl, Kuriza (who, thanks to a newly-learned ki aptitude, was now constantly in his true, 'final' form without risk of losing control of his power), and a groggy Zarbon were assembled in the Capsule Corp garden. Bulma stood opposite them, leaning on their ship (the one based on Goku's saiyan pod), still dented and damaged from the trip to Namek. "Well," she said, "it's pretty beat up. It'll take, eh, maybe three days to fix it up. You already know what you're doing, vaguely, so come back in three days to set off, and until then, get ready to set off, and plan out specific destinations—from talks with you guys, and damaged files on board the ship, I've managed to make a pretty accurate map of important locations in the galaxy."
To make a short and completely uninteresting story even shorter...
...They did.
Hercule hissed like an angry cobra. He'd get it this time, he knew he would. "Hhhhh...Grrrrr...kkkk..." Beads of sweat poured down his face. He'd been trying for months, but this time, this was it. His teeth ground together as he forced his internal energy into the palms of his hands, and... "KA..." Out into the air between them. "ME..." His eyes narrowed. Just keeping the energy stable, not slipping and losing it, required his full concentration. "HA..." Still, it was working—he could see the faint blue glow in the corner of his eye. Videl had done well, relaying the lessons she'd learned to him. "ME..." He resisted the urge to take in a deep breath and relax. He wouldn't lose it now. He focused on the archery target in front of him. Now! "HAAAA!"
Launch landed on the ground, wiping blood and sweat from her forehead with her bandana. "Huh...ahuh...hahh..." she inhaled deeply as Tien landed in front of her.
"Well done," he said. "You're improving fast...your flight speed was faster than ever. It's weird...I've never seen any human increase their power as fast as you—If I didn't know better, I'd say you were a saiyan or something."
"Maybe Raditz's mindset rubbed off on me," she joked. "But seriously...I have felt a lot stronger ever since I...fused, even before I started training. It is strange, yeah." She'd changed a lot already-she now had a fighter's athletic build, and her ragged, intense appearance was a far cry from the slick, stylish city girl of not even a year ago. "Anyway...I think I've come further than you realise."
"Oh?" Tien raised an eyebrow, causing a strange effect on his three-eyed visage. "How do you mean?"
"Hhhhhh...Haaaaaah..." a shockwave rippled out from Launch's body as she began to power up. He doesn't even know I can do this one at all yet... "KAIO...KEN!"
What? Tien took a step back. Already?!
"Okay then...we all ready?" Gohan asked, checking the readouts on the command console.
"Yeah!" Kuriza answered with enthusiasm.
"Let's go!" Videl urged.
"Mm-hmm," Zarbon mumbled.
"Good luck, you guys!" Bulma called from outside, standing between Gohan's parents as they waved them off.
"Have fun!" Goku added.
"Stay safe!" Chi-Chi warned.
"Right!" Gohan nodded, waved once more, and pressed the ignition. With a roar from its engines, the ship lifted off, flattening Dr. Brief, who as usual was standing too close to the dangerous machinery (as testified by his frequent visits to the infirmary, always insisting that he was fine, despite all evidence to the contrary).
As they watched the receding glow of its engines, Bulma turned to the human-saiyan couple. "So...why aren't you guys going again?"
Goku shrugged. "I'm staying here with Chi-Chi."
"And you?" Bulma looked at Goku's wife. "You always seemed pretty protective of Gohan...why not go with him?"
"Well, I would...but, you see, I've been pretty busy lately—I've got to look after Goten, for one thing!" She grinned.
"Go...ten...?" Bulma folded her arms, waiting for an explanation. "What's a Goten?"
"Well, our second son, of course!" Chi-Chi shrugged. "He wasn't actually born too long ago..." A couple of months ago, to be precise...
"But...you don't..." Bulma spluttered, incredulous—Chi-Chi bore no sign of the pregnancy, looking just as in shape as ever.
"Well, I guess I work out a lot!" the younger woman replied cheerily. "It just burns the fat right off, you know!"
"Right..." Bulma grimaced inwardly. I forgot...she may be human, but she's still part of that family...they're all crazy... "Well, uh, congratulations! Any idea when I can meet the little guy?"
"Not really...I'm not sure. When he's a little older, I suppose. Speaking of which, we really should be getting back soon...can't leave a baby alone for too long! Luckily Goku can fly us back in a few minutes..."
"You ever thought of learning?" Bulma asked. "Flying, I mean. You're already a martial artist, right? The way I hear it, everyone's gonna be doing it when Gohan's book's done."
"Well, I was thinking about it when that Videl girl started coming to our house for lessons—you know, seriously putting some time into training—but then Goten came along and I started getting bigger and all that went out the window! Maybe sometime soon, though."
Goku offered his hand. "Well, I'll bet he'll be happy to see you, anyway, so let's get home, all right? See you, Bulma!"
"Right..." Bulma waved half-heartedly as the happy couple took off. It's changed...why's it changed? What's different now? 7...6...is it keeping track of something? Or counting down? Damn it...ah, well. If it is something like that, time is probably of the essence. This project...could be useful. She hurried off to the lab. I'd better get back to work.
One thing I'd like to get out of the way here: That's not all we're going to hear about Goten's birth. I'm not going to skim over it completely. I was deliberately not 'showing' him yet, it's—it's build-up, all right? Don't nag me about it.
One other thing: Sometimes I'm really pressed for time, sometimes it's Sunday and the chapter's only half done and I have to rush it, but not this week. It was mostly written by Tuesday (Last minute edit: But of course I didn't FINISH it until Sunday evening, damn it).
Anyway, yeah. Timeskip, ten or eleven months I guess. I hadn't planned it, but I figured it would take Gohan quite a while to make a decision like this, plus it meant I could put the bit with the 6s in this chapter, and also show the results of some training. So yeah. Space will be involved. Feel free to start speculating which movie characters this will involve, and whether they'll just be random throwaway plots or if they'll actually affect the story in some way later on, as if I actually plan this stuff or something.
(Hint: It's that last one.)
So, while there are a lot of subplots going on in this 'Countdown Saga', there are going to be three main events, three main storylines, one after the other. This, the trip into space, is the first. Between them, these three will contain elements from four movies, two OVAs and a little something from GT (GASP! He said the forbidden word! Burn the witch! But seriously, I know GT was...well, bad, there's no other way of putting it, but I'm just going to...eh, you'll see. It's nothing horrible, don't worry.)
Q: Did I just see a Harry Potter reference?
A: Not intentionally, but apparently the bit about 'this is both real, and in your head' was similar to the bit at the end of Deathly Hallows. If you've read it, you know what he's talking about (or watched it? I guess that scene was in the movie? I haven't seen it yet). I wasn't thinking of that, but, um...well spotted?
Q: I don't know if you explained this or not, but how come Raditz didn't want to come back by the Dragon Balls, but Future Raditz apparently had no problem with it? I mean, you said he was a day away from being revived.
A: Good question! I probably should have addressed this more thouroughly. Future Raditz (and indeed present Raditz before the start of the android saga) wasn't quite as satisfied with his life and family and whatnot. By the time he died, and a few days beforehand when he made his request to Goku, he felt a bit more...fulfilled, I guess? Seeing his daughter grown up and making him proud helped a lot.
And the mandatory Wild Mass Guessing (thank TV Tropes for the terminology) about the 7s thing:
Q: I'm going to assume that, to improve dramatics and plot, that the whole 7 thing could reflect upon the seven deadly sins. Also it could simply be a countdown. Lol.
Q: This was cool! 7 WHAT?! XD and more XD! And Raditz's dream was cool!
And my favourite:
Q: Can all of the 7's actually mean the original z warriors are giing to face their evil counterparts from another dimension?
A: Um. What.
Although the seven deadly sins thing got me thinking. What about GT's shadow dragons? Seriously. Cool idea. Awesome idea. Terrible execution. There were more than seven wishes, so don't come up with some BS about one dragon for each wish...also, half of them don't look like dragons...basically, the idea of the Dragon Balls creating the threat is good, and so is fighting the previously benevolent dragons, but that's about it. So what if you just said one dragon per ball, rather than per wish, and maybe for their characterisation they could represent the seven deadly sins? Too Fullmetal Alchemist? Maybe so. Well, even without the sins idea, I like the basic concept of the shadow dragons. Will we see an altered version of them in Break Through the Limit, someday in the future? Perhaps. I don't know at the moment.
Super deluxe special amazing special bonus awesome special extra special feature special:
Break Through the Limit Kai Chapter 5: Cell Saga
Cell: My name is...Cell! DUN DUN DUN
Katas: ...You already said that.
Cell: I know; I'm just recapping for the readers to remind them where we left off!
Kyle Hebert: LAST TIME ON DRAGON BALL Z—
Katas: Get out of here!
Kyle Hebert: Pah! Philistine. (leaves)
Katas: Where were we?
Cell: We were going to fight...?
Katas: Um...why?
Cell: Because I just killed a bunch of people?
Katas: You did? (notices dead people) You did.
Cell: Well.
Katas: Well.
Captain Space: SO BEGINS AN EPIC DUEL OF THE AGES—
Katas: Give me all your fives!
Cell: Hah! Go fish!
Katas: CURSE YOU!
Captain Space: Uh, guys...epic duel...ages...fight?
Katas: But how could he resist my ultimate 'Give me all your Fives' technique?! How powerful is this monster?
Cell: Prepare to lose, Namekian! Uno!
Captain Space: What? What game are you even playing?!
Cell: I think, um...all of them?
Katas: There's only one solution...I must quote Team Four Star. I bet nobody's ever thought of doing that before! NAAAAAAAAIL!
Nail: Huh?
Katas: Fuse with me so I can win a card game!
Nail: ...A card game. You want me to fuse with you...over a card game.
Katas: A card game FOR THE FATE OF THE EARTH!
Nail: What is this, Yu-Gi-Oh?
Captain Space: Apparently.
Katas: Anyway. Fuse now?
Nail: Yeah, no.
(pause)
Nail: Okay.
(They FUSE. It is EPIC.)
Captain Space: If I just call it a running joke, I don't have to actually think of new material! I'm so witty!
Nail: I am neither Katas or Nail! I am the one who will destroy—crap, wait, I am Nail. Well, that ruins my whole speech.
Cell: So, you fused, huh? Well, it doesn't matter—I summon the ace of hearts, in attack mode!
Nail: Is that so? Well, too bad—I have a full house here, and every card is a royal flush! You lose all your life points!
Captain Space: Are you just making this game up as you go along?!
Cell: Noooo! I have to think of something...if I dont absorb androids 17 and 18, I'll never become perfect! Um...uh...give me all your androids?
Nail: GO FISH.
Cell: 'Kay. (runs)
Captain Space: You aren't going to...you know...chase after him?
Nail: Nah. There are...(puts on sunglasses)...bigger fish in the sea. YEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAH
MEANWHILE, THE NEXT DAY
...
Wait, what?
Nail: Well, looks like I'm the main character now. Do I get a transformation? Can I become a Super Namek or something?
Everybody: Well, technically you already are a Super Namek because Katas—
Nail: Yeah, I don't care.
17: Hi.
18: Hi.
Nail: We're not doing this again.
Captain Space: Curses! My running joke! Now I have to actually think!
16: You shouldn't attack him, you'll lose.
17: Yeah, well we want to find Goku, so...I'm gonna beat this guy up until he tells me where he's hiding.
Nail: SHORYUKEN!
17: Ow, my disk drive!
18: Let me help—
Nail: FALCOOOOON PUNCH!
18: Ow, my...um...
Captain Space: Um...what other things do computers have?
Nail: Screens?
Captain Space: Yeah, well that wouldn't work as a joke because...er...something...insult...just...just carry on fighting, okay?
Nail: ...Right.
Cell: Howdy! (Absorbed too many Texans)
Nail: Okay, Cell! DUN DUN DAAAANNNN Where is that coming from?! Um...where was I...oh! Right. Last time you distracted me with a card game, but this time I won't hold back! Prepare to face MY TRUE POWER!
Captain Space: Yes, that's right, folks! The showdown of the century is about to begin—
Nail: King's Knight to E4.
Cell: Queen to B5.
17: Are you guys serious?
18: Apparently they are.
17: We were fighting to the death here! 16, back me up on this!
16: Let me play!
Cell: Eh, sure.
17: ...I'm surrounded by morons.
MEANWHILE
Raditz: ...Huh. I just got the funniest feeling that someone, somewhere, understands what it's like to be me.
MEANWHILE
Nail: Three-player chess? How does that work?
Cell: You're already, like, three people. He can join my team.
Nail: You absorbed a bunch of people, right? Doesn't that make you, what, three hundred people?
Cell: Yeah, well...
16: Queen's bishop to C3.
Cell: Right, queen's bishop to C3, just what I was about to say!
Captain Space: I'm just throwing out random numbers and letters, some of these might be illegal moves or something in actual chess, I don't really know.
Cell: Hey, 16, we've only got a couple pieces left each. Why don't you take over for a minute?
16: Check.
Nail: Check.
16: Check.
Captain Space: This happens in chess, right?
Nail: Check.
16: Check.
Nail: Check.
Cell: Hey, what's up. Just absorbed android 17. Super-powerful now.
Nail: Mm-hmm, don't care.
16: Check.
Cell: (flips board, scatters pieces) DAMN IT PAY ATTENTION TO ME
16: ...You do realise that game was mate in fifteen.
Cell: Whatever. You can play again some other time, right?
16: THAT WAS MATE IN FIFTEEN, YOU— (self-destructs)
Cell: Well, that happened.
Nail: I think he was trying to take you with him.
Cell: Well, he missed.
Nail: How the hell do you miss with a gigantic explosion?!
MEANWHILE
Frieza: ...Huh. I just got the funniest feeling that someone, somewhere, is talking about me.
MEANWHILE
Cell: Well, anyway...we were fighting?
Nail: No, I don't think we've actually fought yet.
Cell: Well, we are now. I win.
Nail: I liked your first form better. All it did was play games and run away.
Cell: Much like Gohan. Anyway. LAZOR
Nail: Ow, my splanch!
MEEEEEEEEEEEEANWHILE
Bulma: Hey, kids! The splanch is not a real organ! THE MORE YOU KNOW
MEANWHILES
Captain Space: And then an elite team of warriors intervened to save 18!
Cell: What elite team? All I see is Krillin, Zarbon and Yamcha...
(They fight. It does not go well.)
Cell: Hah! Didn't even need to kill Yamcha. He managed it all on his own.
Raditz: Hi.
Break: Hi.
Cell: How many times are we going to do that joke?
Captain Space: Yeah, seriously, I didn't even write it that time. They just said it. Fight now? Please?
Break: 'Kay.
(She DOES.)
Cell: And now I'm losing.
Break: I'm bored. Go absorb 18, that'll be fun.
Raditz: Break. What. The. Hell.
Break: C'mon, it's a DBZ story! Can't not have Perfect Cell! DUN...DUN... All right, enough with that! Honestly! But anyway...c'mon. Can't skip Perfect Cell.
Raditz: Yeah, we can.
Cell: 18, can I absorb you?
18: Go to hell.
Cell: Pweeeeease?
18: Oh, all right! Fine! Just stop doing those puppy-dog eyes!
Cell: Yaaaaaaay.
(He absorbs 18.)
Raditz: Damn it, Break!
Break: Now, Cell, DUN DUN...
Cell: DEATH BEAM!
Sound effects guy: Why?! (dies, no more dun dun dun's)
Break: Okay, let's fight!
Cell: Hahaha, fight? That's an overstatement.
Break: Sorry, could you say that again? When I'm transformed, I get confused with words over three syllables.
Cell: Okay, how about this one: punch. Oh, and also: Kick.
Break: Bleagh.
K.O.
Raditz: You're making me angry, Cell...you won't like me when I'm angry...
(He turns into THE INCREDIBLE HULK.)
Cell: Eh. Whatever. Punchety punch.
K.O.
Raditz: Well, crap.
FINISH HIM
Cell: Hmm...yeah, I could, but...naaah. You've all got a week. Have fun, kiddies!
(Goku and Gohan go into the HTC. And come out of it. They're powerful and stuff.)
Goku: Hey...is Cell's power higher than before, or am I imagining things?
Gohan: Yeah, who do we blame for that?
Raditz: Break.
Break: Um, uh...Lord Slug?
Slug: Oh, come on!
Nail: Quiet down, you!
Goku: Well, there's only one sensible thing to do.
Raditz: What? Have you got some kind of special training?
Goku: Nah. We're going to do...absolutely nothing.
Break: Maybe Raditz and I should...y'know...master Super Saiyan like you and Gohan did?
Goku: Huh? Oh yeah. Go ahead. Knock yourself out. I'm going to bed.
Wow, these keep getting longer. Perfect Cell saga is going to have to be another chapter altogether.