It wasn't long before we started sensing something unusual. An extremely strong being randomly appeared out of nowhere. We could all sense that he was at Kami's Lookout.

"Is that Piccolo?" I asked.

"It must be," answered Krillin. "I've never sensed something like this before, though. It doesn't feel like him; it's too powerful."

"You could be wrong, Krillin," Tien added. "Piccolo could have gotten this strong from fusing with Kami."

"Guys!" shouted Roshi from inside. "There's something wrong with the Dragon Balls!"

We all ran inside. "Bulma just called!" exclaimed Oolong, the phone still in his hand. "She says that the Balls turned to stone right in front of her!"

"So it's true," I said. "Kami and Piccolo really did fuse."

"What?! Kami and Piccolo fused?!" The turtle hermit's jaw dropped.

"Last time we saw Piccolo, he was headed to the Lookout," Krillin told Roshi. "We figured that he wanted to combine his strength with Kami's to make himself more powerful."

"Oh." Roshi had a dark look on his face. "That's too bad. Without Kami and the Dragon Balls, we can't bring anybody back to life."

"I'm going to talk to him," I said. "I'll be right back." I used Instant Transmission to get to Kami's Lookout.

I heard Piccolo's voice. "Frui?"

"Hey," I greeted. "Are you...still Piccolo?"

"Kind of," answered the newly-formed Super Namekian. "I'm half Kami and half Piccolo. I'm the best from both of them."

"Okay," I said. "But no Dragon Balls?"

"They're gone, Frui." A shadow crept along his face as the sun set.

"Also, what should I call you? Piccolo? Kami?" I asked. "Maybe Kamicolo?"

"Just call me Piccolo," he told me. "I'm not the guardian of Earth anymore, so Kami doesn't seem right."

Mr. Popo walked up, muttering, "All these squares make a circle...All these squares make a circle...All these squares make a circle...All these squares make a circle..."

"What's up with him?" I asked.

"He's disappointed that he lost my Kami half," Piccolo stated. "Mr. Popo, you still have me!"

"You're...you're not Kami!" The genie ran off, crying.

"He's finally leaving me alone!" the Namekian exclaimed with joy. "Now I can deal with this issue!"

"What issue?" I was confused.

"There's a new threat," Piccolo explained. "He's got energy like Frieza, Goku, Vegeta, and all of us...except for you and Trunks. For the past 2 years or so, my Kami half was keeping track of this creature's movements and actions. He's been absorbing people and...getting stronger. That's one reason why Kami wanted me to be formed."

"I want to know how strong this thing is," I wondered aloud.

"He's much stronger than Frieza when he came to Earth," Piccolo answered. "He might not be as strong as the Androids, though."

"I can help," I said. "Where is he? I'll take us there."

"He's in a town right now," the Namekian said. "He's actually absorbing people as we speak. Do you sense it?"

I concentrated until I sensed multiple small energies fading from existence. "I think so," I replied. "Let's go." Piccolo put his hand on my shoulder, and we teleported to Gingertown.

Our sudden appearance startled a fat, bald man in a navy blue suit. "Gah!" he shouted as he backed away.

"Sir, have you seen a monster recently?" I interrogated. When he pointed at Piccolo, I said, "Other than him."

"B...b...behind y...you!" He was still pointing.

Piccolo and I turned around in time to see a long, green tube of some sort coming at us. It had a needle on the end of it. We both moved out of the way, but then it impaled the man behind us. I heard a slurping sound, and when it stopped, I turned around to see nothing but a pile of clothes on the ground.

"Hehe," came an unusual voice. It sounded really gravelly. "You truly are a wonder...Fruiota Hiroshi."

"How do you know my name?!" I exclaimed.

"I know lots about you." The creature came out of the shadow of a ruined building. It had a weird U-shaped crest that was very wide. Its green skin was speckled with brown spots. His mouth was more of a birdlike beak. "I know who your friends are. I know where Kame House is. I know that you've died before. And I know who you are...Piccolo."

"Who are you and what do you want?" Piccolo's tone was quite forceful.

"I am called Cell," answered the green creature. "I have your DNA, Piccolo...Goku and Vegeta's...Frieza and King Cold's...Tien Shinhan, Krillin, Yamcha, and Chiaotzu's...they're all in me. My desire is simply Perfection. It's kinda hard to do that right now, though, since I have to keep doing creepy stuff. Remember when I drank that one guy? That was frickin' weird."

"And how exactly do you plan on becoming 'Perfect?' I asked.

"By absorbing Androids 17 and 18, of course." Cell licked his lips hungrily.

"And then what?" I asked. "What's your plan after that?"

"I haven't thought of that," said Cell. "I'll probably blow up this pathetic planet and find someplace more interesting."

"Oh, okay," I said, turning Super Saiyan. Piccolo prepared to fight, too. "Then I guess we'll have to kill you."

"That's not happening! I will become Perfect!" Cell shot his tail at my arm. I dodged it.

"Nice try, but I'm not getting stabbed," I boasted. "Your tail isn't going to touch me."

"You shall die!" shouted Cell as if he hadn't heard me. Then, he put his hand into the air, palm up. "KIENZAN!" An energy disk formed above his hand.

"What?!" Piccolo and I were equally shocked. How could this creature know Krillin's technique?

Cell threw the disk at about chest-level. "Farewell, Piccolo and Frui." Then, he flew away.

The energy disk moved briskly through the air. Piccolo was able to move out of the way as he was a bit further back. I started flying to avoid getting cut in half, but I wasn't fast enough. The disk cut off my feet. It was the second most painful experience I'd ever had up to that point, the most painful being my fight with Raditz.

"Gah!" I exclaimed as it severed my ankles. "AAAAAHHHHHH!"

"Frui! Are you...?! Oh..." Piccolo was trying to show as much sympathy as possible. "I'm sorry about your feet."

"Senzu bean," I said. "It should help."

"You're lucky that I have a few." The Super Namekian gave me one of the beans.

"Thanks." I ate it, and my ankles stopped bleeding. Nothing else happened.

"Piccolo..." I said, "shouldn't this be healing now?"

"It should," he responded. "I'm surprised that it isn't. But if you were a Namekian, you could just do this..." He pulled off his left arm. "...and this." He concentrated and regrew the limb.

"Okay," I said. Then, just on a hunch, I concentrated on my ankles. I imagined what it was like having feet, walking, and kicking. I pushed my ki into my legs, forcing it to compress.

Suddenly, it happened. Feet. On my ankles, real feet, which were completely identical to my previous ones, had formed.

"What the?!" Piccolo and I exclaimed at the same time.

Hey, guys! Now...we have Kamicolo. The Dragon Balls have "died." Mr. Popo is grieving Kami's sudden, permanent fusion with Piccolo. We have Imperfect Cell wanting to absorb 17 and 18. Those things are expected for a story that runs directly parallel to the canon timeline. But what just happened to Frui? That's definitely new. I mean, it's not natural for somebody to have their feet cut off and randomly regrow them! Also, I just effectively introduced a brand-new subplot. :D

Power Levels:
Kamicolo (Piccolo fused with Kami): 2,000,012,575
SSJ Frui: 1,420,000,000
Imperfect Cell: 1,200,000,000