Pui Pui had been foolish. The energy of that mechanical being…that…Android 16 was unreadable. It made him overconfident in the belief their power was non-existent. Dabura was learning though. Slowly. He would take this next fight to study their opposition.
Something inside his gut told him that Yakon would not have as easy a time as his master Babidi believed they would. He was the one who recommended the fight in the first place though. He wanted to see what these earthlings were made of. If they could defeat the terrifying beast of the darkness planet.
"This time we're SURE to get lots of energy for Majin Buu!" Babidi bellowed in the best way his minuscule body could muster, taking Dabura away from his thoughts. His master definitely had a way to grab his attention…even if inwardly he sometimes wondered if they were competent enough to warrant him serving them.
The mark on his forehead made any such thoughts meaningless however. He was bound to Babidi and would be till the day he died. That was his price to pay for what he considered the ultimate unrivaled power.
"It will all be worth it in the end…" Dabura rumbled under his breath even as he stayed by his master's side. "Majin Buu will be revived, and nothing in this world or the next will be able to stand in our way."
Two of Babidi's foot soldiers were carrying a basket of food, draped over with a plain blue sheet to cover it's contents. Their mission…as much as they wish it wasn't, was to awaken Yakon the beastly pet of their boss.
Everyone knew how ravenous the big green beast was. At nearly 10 feet tall he was a behemoth that was insatiable, two large claws could be released and retracted in a pair of sheaths just above his clawed hands with a similar pair of spikes on either side of his back.
The oddest thing about the beast was the fact despite how much they consumed they never really sported a belly of any sort. Really the fact he managed to stay so slim and agile even on a full stomach was nerve wracking for most on the ship, as any sent to fetch him were quick to met their end in the beasts belly.
The two soldiers on their way hoped to break that cycle by offering the big brute a meal that they could really sink their teeth into in hopes that they might just get out of his room alive. Neither had much faith in their plan however. The only reason they agreed to go into the great beasts lair was the alternative was a rather graphic end with Babidi blowing either of their heads up with his magic.
The downside to having a master that offered them great power, was that their master themselves was an egotistical wizard with a rather sadistic streak when it came to disposing of servants that outlived their usefulness, compared to that…this task was more pleasant. At least SOMEONE would appreciate them, even if it was as meat.
With one rap on the door it slid open. Complete darkness…The first minion peered into the depths but couldn't find Yakon anywhere…Had the beast already moved on ahead to the fighting floor? "I…uh…I don't think he's here. Should we go back to master Babidi and tell them Yakon's missi-!"
His commentary had been cut off when a great green clawed hand reached out from within the darkness and drew him inside. He had just enough time to scream before the horrid sound of bones snapping began…His screams fading after only a few seconds of being pulled into the depths of the interior of the room.
Not particularly liking the idea of what would come next, the last minion dropped the gift basket and moved to high-tail it out of there but was not yet quick enough to avoid the hand reaching out for him. "Aaah! No wait…we came with a peace offering…!" But the beast didn't listen…It simply pulled him into the dark room. He caught a glimpse of sharp teeth and a salivating purple tongue looming in on him as he stared into the abyss of Yakon's throat.
Everything went black after the first crunch.
Our motley crew of heroes dropped down into the second floor of Babidi's ship. Though by Cell's reckoning he thought maybe this should have technically been the THIRD considering their positioning from ground level.
The first was merely their means of getting inside, the second being Pui Pui's room. Whom 16 dealt with swiftly. Now they were going to be settling on the next force to stand in their way. One which the group had already decided on who would fight next.
Cell was in no mood to fight Yakon. Or rather he wouldn't settle with the beast when he still had the thought of one of his children being smashed to pieces by Dabura in their sinister attempt to gather energy for Majin Buu. That left his own boys or Trunks.
Trunks was all too happy to have his turn now. Stretching his arms out like this were going to be a simple routine, he loosened up his body for the fight that was about to come. He had the Z-Sword in his possession, the legendary sword that's supposed to smite evil where it stands, and he was the son of one of the proudest Saiyans to have ever once walked on the earth.
He was psyched up and ready to go by the time the large oval door began to slide upward, revealing the beast that's been called to meet our heroes. Sliding upward the first sight anyone could see of their opponent was their long legs, three toed claws on each foot that looked sharp enough as it were but moving on to the main body…they looked almost as if they were just skin and bones…
The ridges of his rib cage could be seen visibly to everyone in the room though his chest had a fair bit of definition, there was an ominous growl that was coming from deep within the large beasts belly. Saliva dripped on the floor as they stepped out of the pod, green eyes peering at everyone in sight as his three clawed hands flexed almost as if he were going to reach out and snatch one of them.
"Oh…Oh there's so much delicious meat in one room…Who should I eat first?" He spoke up, not very articulate…but He seemed to be thinking aloud more than asking them any sort of direct question.
From Trunks' perspective this guy didn't seem all that special. They were tall yes…easily double his own height but…they didn't seem very smart either. Needless to say he stepped away from the rest of the group, moving closer to Yakon with a smug smile on his face. "Try taking a bite out of me ." He took off his Capsule corp jacket that was his go to outfit and started cracking his knuckles in front of the big beast, wearing nothing but his jeans and black undershirt.
"I've been looking forward to this y'know. I was supposed to save my people from the Androids and I trained in the past to do it. But SOMEONE stole my spotlight. So now I can let out some of that steam."
For a second Trunks turned his head to Cell who in turn looked away, looking as though he were TRYING to whistle innocently, though the lack of any real lips made that difficult. Beaks weren't the best for that kind of sound.
The great beast shuffled on it's toes, bending both knees as it's body leaned forward only to spring towards Trunks with a speed surprising for something of their size and shape. The half saiyan himself barely having just enough time to avoid a well timed punch from the three fingered monster by jumping into the air.
Yakon was quick to follow however. With quick foot work he would aim to strike down at his foe but Trunks was just a bit too hyper aware of his opposition, avoiding swipe after swipe and the tail that tried to gut him with a quick twist. Their stalemate nearly proving the two of them were on equal terms before the beast managed one quick roundhouse kick that caught the warrior at his side, knocking him back into the ground.
Large claws extended from the sheaths above Yakon's arms came out, intending to cleave Trunks in half and very nearly did had it not for the Saiyan's own instinctive blood coming out and giving him the sense to unsheathe the Z-Sword to parry the claws.
"Is that all you can do?" Trunks asked with a bit of a grunt in his voice. It was apparent he was lifting the brunt of Yakon's weight with just his sword alone, staring up at the drooling face that seemed to only see him as a piece of meat that was to be eaten. "You're weaker than Frieza."
"Freezer? What would I want with something cold…I have fresh meat right here…"
"Frieza not-!" Trunks stopped himself, wondering how this big oaf got around as he did but decided to stop playing around just for a second and applied extra force into the Z-sword, snapping both of Yakon's clawed appendages clean off his arms. "Never mind. At least you're not as tough as a certain Android I know. YOU are someone I know I can beat. No sweat."
Further within the ship Babidi's eyes were bulging nearly out of their sockets. His face giving him a look of that of an old Saturday morning cartoon as Yakon's claws were snapped off. "How…! There were no earthlings with power this great when we scouted it last time!"
Dabura was not impressed. He thought that Yakon would put up more of a fight but it seemed he'd be losing fairly soon. For reasons he could not fathom, this...earthling was overwhelming Yakon. They appeared to be equal in strength but there was something about the group that ate at him.
"Master Babidi…Isn't there a place which Yakon can freely fight to his finest? With his claws snapped off he's going to need the advantage."
"Fight FREELY? He was already doing that. He was going to tear the Kai apart! He was supposed to make them feel the terror and darkness of our might!" That brought a light bulb moment into Babidi as he re-played that phrase in his head. "Darkness… Yes…There IS such a place!"
Normally Babidi would have made Yakon aware of where it is he was about to take them but considering this earthling currently had his sword's tip pointed at Yakon's chest, readying the killing blow he decided to just get it over with.
"PAPARA…PA-PARA!"
There was a glow of neon purple lights that enveloped the room of Babidi's observation room even as on the battlefield, their surroundings were darkening…Everyone's vision, save for 16, Cell and his Jr's were completely blinded by the darkness in the world they soon found themselves in.
Trunks in his hurry to finish the fight, thrust his sword forward where Yakon had been standing prior but all he got was the clank of his blade hitting rock. Too slow! "Coward! Where are you hiding you freak?!"
It was a situation that Yakon just narrowly avoided. Somehow this earthling was able to fight him off…Nobody save for Dabura was ever able to stave off his hunger and avoid the trip to his belly. Everyone ended up in there…Yet this boy snapped his claws like they were nothing. Had the planet's atmosphere not changed he'd be dead.
Now standing in the planet of Darkness, Yakon's self confidence began to improve, his eyes glowing red in this environment as he jumped back a few feet to get a safe distance from his prey.
"Welcome to my home everyone. The planet of Darkness. I bet none of you can see where I am now can you?" Yakon boasted, watching Trunks fumble somewhat in the dark world only to smack his knee into a rock. "Hah! Watch where you step. You might just trip right into my mouth if you're not careful."
That smarts…Trunks rubbed over his knee only for a moment as the beast laughed at him from a distance. He couldn't see Yakon at all…Yet judging from the distance of the voice they had to be at least a good 20 feet away.
"Not likely." Trunks decided to shoot back, putting the sword right back into it's sheath and took a calm deep breath, hands at his sides, fists curled. "I'd smell your breath long before I trip and fall in that thing you call a mouth."
That got a growl right out of Yakon who didn't take too well to being mocked it seemed. He licked his lips however, ready to strike when a bright light suddenly snapped into existence around his prey. Trunks' hair was purple yet…now it was standing upright, spiked and glowing a radiant golden yellow color.
The very sight illuminated the planet so vividly that Yakon was stunned into silence. He wanted to say something…But the words didn't come out right away. The first thought coming to mind was that this was going to be more fun than he'd thought it would, a thought that had him licking his lips in anticipation."
"Good work. Now I can finally get something in my stomach…!"
"What? You're not making a whole lot of sense. You could barely fight me when I WASN'T a Super Saiyan and now you think you're suddenly going to pull off a win? That's delusional…"
Yakon let out what Trunks could only describe as a gleeful giggle, like a kid in a candy store. He wiped his lower lip of the drool that was accumulating there only to open his jaws nice and wide. Everyone in the area could see right down the beast's throat given how he could stretch it out before a strong feeling of suction began to grip at Trunks…like a vacuum of wind all being pulled towards the hungry jaws of the beast.
"Aaaaah! Of course! Yakon devours light!" The Supreme Kai exclaimed with a moment that seemed to just snap him into the current situation. "Super Saiyan's emit such a strong light that it's like an all you can eat buffet to the creature! Trunks you have to stop this!"
That was easier said than done! Right now it was taking everything he had NOT to get pulled right on into Yakon's mouth. The power of such a vacuum was a gravitational pull in itself. So much so that Trunks had to stab the tip of the Z-Sword into the ground to hold himself in place. Even then, the Sword would cleave through the soil and steadily drag him towards Yakon.
It all happened in the flash of a moment however when darkness enveloped their whole world as the light of his Super Saiyan state was compressed into a large mass of light that flew right on into Yakon's maw an with a mighty gulp was swallowed down by the great beast.
The bulge formed in Yakon's throat was brief. But noticeable, only for the beasts stomach to remain completely unfazed…as if his title as a ravenous insatiable beast was already being proven true. He reached a single clawed hand over his belly, grinning knowingly at the Half Saiyan. "Ooooh…you know what…that was the most delicious light I've ever tasted…I can't wait to have ALL of you in me…"
So far this fight was going about as Cell expected. Yakon wasn't weak…but he also wasn't entirely capable of defeating Trunks on his own. That said…The boy also wasn't as well trained as the fighters of the past…He doubted that they'd be able to accurately sense Yakon enough in the darkness for him to make up for his current blindness.
IF he were an android this would be no problem. Night filters made everything on this rock look as though he were still in the daytime. Trunks had no such luxury. "What will you do Trunks…Should I step in?"
"What?! No." The idea that Cell would even suggest picking up his slack offended him. Trunks could fight his own battles, but he did have to admit…the lack of sight made this tricky. And if he became a Super Saiyan this big oaf would just devour the light. The power of his suction made him especially tricky to counter attack because he'd just be giving Yakon an easy mark. Maybe…
He did have a shot. It was a dangerous one…but from what he saw of Yakon it just might work. Maybe those Cell Jr's he'd trained with weren't so useless after all.
"Ohhh. So you want more of it huh? Well who am I to say no to a valued customer." Trunks smile quickly became a grin as he began the process of transforming back into a Super Saiyan, illuminating the world once again.
"No Trunks! We can do this without transformation. Just let Cell handle it from here you're just making him stronger." Shin pleaded with Trunks, even trying to approach the boy but the Cell Jr's barred his way, shaking their heads as a playful grin came out of both of them. "Why do you stop me? Don't you want to help him? He can't see like you can!"
Cell was the one that answered for them, a similar smile on his face though not to the extent of his sons. "They've been training with him for the past year. They know what he's capable of even more than I do. Just watch. I think he's going to surprise us."
{Even me…Trunks what are you up to…You don't have the same Power leveling Goku did when HE fought Yakon so what's your end game here?" Cell could talk a big game, and wanted to see how the future would unfold from this point in since his presence itself has drastically changed events where he could no longer predict them…But he still had a bit of a fan boy in him for Trunks and didn't want to see them hurt.
Maybe trusting his own words were easier said than done… He KNEW his children spent nearly a full year with Trunks, training with them, improving his strength. They weren't fools. Neither was Trunks. {Worse comes to worse…I'll travel to Namek. But don't make me have to do it…}
"Bah ha ha ha! You're going to feed me? Then come to me and become my food!" Yakon declared with a loud bellow as his jaws once again yawned wide before he started inhaling everything once again. Rocks…Dirt…Everything that was in frame of his jaws were vanishing right down his gullet without discrimination.
As with before, Trunks kept himself propped up with the Z-Sword, using it to keep himself from slipping too far forward while his body was tilting some towards the beast. The suction was much more powerful than last time but he was hoping it would be. His whole strategy depended on it.
He didn't have the vast reserves of energy that Goku possessed, he was only Half Saiyan after all…And he'd failed to ascend past the level of a Super Saiyan. Still he wasn't about to be defeated by this beast…!
"Well…here goes!" Trunks didn't like this. It was reckless…But he did it anyway…His fingers loosened around the sword slowly, before he completely let go of it's hilt, flying towards Yakon in a somersaulting fashion, knees tucked in before curling himself into a ball as he approached the beasts jaws.
Once again darkness enveloped the surrounding area as Yakon's jaws clamped shut around the massive ball of earthling sitting inside, forced to swallow it down whole thanks to forward momentum! The bulge thick in his neck before it settled in his stomach, barely visible from the outside but the big green beast had a look on his face that said he hadn't really expected it to be THAT easy.
He let out a small burp and started rubbing over his belly, laughing in his victory. "Ba ha ha ha! The fool practically jumped into my mouth! It's a shame I didn't get to savor him…I hardly get prey that is so willing to die."
"Aaah…!" Shin dropped to his knees, eyes bulged in horror as he watched the light fade. "Trunks…He…He killed Trunks…ate him like he was nothing…!"
For the second time today, Cell felt a bit of rage. He knew that the Half Saiyan could be foolish but not THIS foolish. He was just about to step in when one of his sons yanked at his tail. It was the first time ANYONE grabbed his tail like this. Another moment of rage even as he stared down at his son. "Why are you preventing me from ripping this beast in half?"
"Keh Keh Keh! Watch!" Was all they said, pointing at Yakon who was currently savoring the feeling of a full belly though…did that beast ever really become satiated…? Even Cell would have a bit of a belly when he dined on a Triceratops…or-
That's when the lightbulb moment came through to him. "You told him didn't you? Crafty buggers!" Cell's Scowl became a grin over his beak that soon mirrored his sons.
"Aaah…I never had such a pure light like that…The meat could be better but oh well…I'll just settle for the rest of you." Yakon began to extend what was left of his claws, grinning menacingly at the androids that could very clearly see what it was he was doing. "NOW…which one to eat next…?"
*GRrrrmmble*
"Hmm?" Yakon stared down at his belly, hearing another thick gwrrrrrrrrgle coming out of it, something not usually heard when he'd finished off a big meal. Of course…he never ate someone whole before. "Oooogh…He needs to settle down in there…"
Yakon put both hands on his belly as if he were trying to steady himself, stumbling back a few steps before his middle started expanding like a balloon. His eyes widened as pain intensified inside him. "Wait…! Stop you don't know what you're doing…!" He cried out, trying to push his stomach back in as his body slowly inflated into that like a balloon before a huge flash of light blinded the area, followed with a loud resounding BOOM that shook the landscape.
Yakon was nowhere to be seen…But Trunks was, standing right where Yakon had been moments prior, drenched in the monster's horrid stomach fluid. He made a look that indicated how he wanted a shower and started shaking himself of. "Ugh…How awful…I didn't think that'd actually WORK. But I guess that's why you should watch what you eat."
Shin was dumbfounded. First Trunks had been…but now he… "I'm so lost…how are you still here…? You LET yourself get eaten?!"
"You stole a tactic from my early days." Cell rasped, suddenly extending a hand out at Trunks as if he were about to destroy the boy. Even Trunks was suddenly on his guard, until he felt a warm sensation over his body as his clothes were replaced and his skin dried. "When did they tell you that I defeated Godzilla that way?"
"It was when you went into the Hyperbolic time chamber." Trunks admitted with a knowing smirk. "They are connected to you…So it's hard for them to hide ANYTHING from their father. But when you're in THAT space…well…your telepathy does not factor across dimensions so they waited until you were out of their signal reach to teach me a few of your tricks."
"Sneaky bugs." Cell was mildly annoyed that the learned how to circumvent his watch, but he had to admit…not knowing everything added a certain bit of excitement into the mix. "I should have picked up on it immediately…Doing that was reckless though. MY body will recover from such a close blast…You however look like you won't be doing ANY more fighting today."
Though he could replace Trunks' clothes, his body was a different matter. He had blast burns over his visible skin so no doubt he'd be out of any more of the action for that kamikaze effort, but still…Even Cell had to admit that Goku never would have thought to go directly into the belly of the beast to get the same results.
"Let's get going." Cell paused only for a moment when they were transported back onto the ship and the elevator started going down to the next level. "There's someone I need to absorb in the next room."