Foreword: It's time for a Cell saga where everyone is more informed and the Androids aren't out to kick ass and cause havoc. Amazing what knowledge and compassion can do. Let's get this show started.
Piccolo stared at this green bio-mechanical creature, feeling a distinct sense of something being wrong and unnatural as he looked at the bug-like amalgamation of genetics from the world's strongest fighters. Piccolo needed knowledge first, it wouldn't do to leap in blind and get absorbed by this thing so feigning ignorance was the play.
Piccolo: "...What the hell are you? And how do you know me?"
Bio-Android: "I am Dr Gero's masterpiece, the perfect melding of the natural and mechanical. I know you because I am part you"
Piccolo: "All I see is an ugly oversized bug, so excuse me for not seeing the family resemblance"
Bio-machine: "Well, I am a mix of all the strongest fighters in the world. You are only one of many"
Piccolo: "Got a name or can I just call you Squashed?"
Bio-android: "Heh, as if you could. As for a name? Given my origin, I would say a fitting name for me would be Cell"
Piccolo: "I've heard better"
Cell: "You're named after a woodwind instrument and have the same name as your father. I doubt you would know a good name if it punched you in the face"
Piccolo: "My son Bansuri would disagree"
Cell: "Wait wha-?"
Cell was promptly punched in the face and launched out of the city into a nearby wasteland to avoid property damage. Cell managed to recover mid-air to avoid slamming into the ground only for Piccolo to be on him quicker than he could react and kicking him into the ground, making a trench with Cell's body.
Cell: "This can't be happening! You can't be this strong! It doesn't make sense!"
Piccolo: "Maybe you shouldn't jump to other time lines freakshow"
Cell: "What!?"
Piccolo: "My son found your embryo in Gero's sub-lab and destroyed it. The only way you can be hear is by being from another time line."
Cell stared at Piccolo with shock, none of the data Gero had on Piccolo pointed to the Namekian being this strong, none of it had anything about a son and Cell had nothing to say that Piccolo was educated about time travel.
Cell: "Wait! Are you from a different time line too!?"
Piccolo: "No"
Piccolo kicked Cell into a nearby spire of earth, causing the spire to shatter and cover Cell with dirt and rock.
Piccolo: "But it doesn't matter. You're going to die, here and now!"
Piccolo started charging a Masenko, the power putting fear into Cell's heart as he could sense that that energy blast could kill him. Cell floundered in the rocks and dirt until he put his hands beside his head with his fingers pointed towards his face and his palms facing behind him.
Cell: "Solar Flare!"
Cell gave off an agonisingly bright light that made Piccolo shout in pain and fire the blast, the distraction angling the attack to onlly make it to take off an arm from the Bio-mechanical menace before Cell ran off, hiding his power and getting out of the area. Piccolo's vision cleared to show that Cell had used his moment of distraction to escape, causing the Namekian to growl to himself.
Piccolo: "Damn it! He got away but at least I have a sense of how strong he is. I didn't even need to use Kaioken"
Piccolo smirked to himself as not only did he put the fear of god into Cell but he also kept his full power hidden from the mechanical monster. This could only prove helpful in the long run. Piccolo flew into the air and started the search for the now identified Cell.
In the distance the Z-fighters felt this confrontation and noticed that the Bio-android was with in the abilities of the Saiyans, Namekians and Krillin and Tien to take on should the threat be found by Chiaotzu or Yamcha. Krillin was especially relieved at this information since that meant if Cell tried absorbing the Androids he could fight if the need came up. Krillin smiled as he held multiple bags of Lazuli's shopping along side her. Krillin looked to where 16 was standing, multiple bags of Lazuli's shopping on him as well as he watched over Lapis in the arcade, apparently getting another top score on another machine to the black haired Android's delight.
Lazuli: "We're going to a lingerie shop next"
Krillin: "Uh, okay?"
Lazuli: "I'll need your opinion on what looks good on me"
Krillin: "Wouldn't anything look good on you though?"
Lazuli: "...Krillin."
Krillin: "Yeah?"
Lazuli: "When the bomb is removed and everything is sorted out? You're going to need a new bed"
Krillin: "Huh? Why-Oh..(blush)"
Lazuli smirked at Krillin before turning around and started strutting away, just to make sure Krillin was enjoying the walk and view. 16 saw that Krillin and Lazuli were moving shops and got Lapis' attention and got him to move to the next arcade.
Lapis: "Man, being cyber enhanced makes beating the BS bosses in fighting games way easier and I can enjoy DDR as long as I want. I think I'll keep the enhancements and just get the bomb removed, you think Lazuli is thinking the same thing?"
Android 16: "No, I believe she is thinking of courting Krillin"
Lapis raised an eyebrow and looked at the pair and noticed the VERY obvious flirting and teasing Lazuli was doing with Krillin.
Lapis: "Huh, didn't know she was into short bald guys but whatever (Shrug) Hope the next arcade has a shooting game with zombies in it".
Lapis moved to the next arcade that was in view of his shop-hopping sister and apparent boyfirend with 16 walking behind him, Lapis used the reflection of the shop windows to see how 16 was holding up and found the red head smiling, seeming content to walk through the shops and look at things (especially TVs as they often had nature shows on them showing birds). As Krillin and Lazuli walked into the lingerie shop and Lapis walked into another arcade, 16's attention was caught on a TV nearby showing the raising of different kinds of dogs, the show making him smile.
The Z-fighters had split up and started seaching for Cell, the menace leaving empty clothes with stab marks in them where ever he went, Bansuri and Piccolo spotting an amusement park with the rides still going with the clothes flying of the rides.
Bansuri: "This is not okay, why are the rides still going if no one is there? This was supposed to be a place of fun!"
Piccolo: "Let's keep moving, we have to catch him"
Bansuri: "Right...still...'Cell'?"
Piccolo: (Shrug) "He thought it fit"
Bansuri looked thoughtful then gave an expression of 'fair enough' before he and his father flew away from the empty amusement park. Bansuri was getting a dark forboding feeling as he flew, the grim thought of Cell succeeding in absorbing Lapis and Lazuli and the potential consequences. Bansuri shook his head and refocused, the trail of clothes was starting to get uncomfortably close to the mall he could sense Krillin in.
Cell lurked in the ventilation of the mall, the bio-android forgoing the humans walking about and aiming to keep things quiet and subtle so the fighters won't know where he was until it was too late. Cell sensed Piccolo (with someone he guessed was Piccolo's son), Tien, Yamcha and even Chiaotzu searching for him, but not Krillin. Krillin was a fighter but wasn't with his fellow fighters hunting him down? Cell had suspicions about this behaviour and they were confirmed when he saw Krillin alongside one of his prizes: Android 18.
Cell: 'I could drop down and absorb her, but given that Piccolo was way stronger than normal in this time line it might be wise to assume the same of the other fighters. Maybe I should go after 17, there's no way that red-haired android could stop me, he's an older model and obsolete'
Cell smirked as he moved through the mall's vents until he was above Andoid 17, the cybernetic teenager currently playing an arcade shooting game.
Lapis: "...playing this alien shooting game feels kinda rude when an alien is the reason I'm playing it...Wonder how that Bansuri guy is doing"
*CRASH!*
Lapis: "Wha-?!"
Cell tore through the building and launched at Android 17 with his tail wide open, the speed and how suddenly this happened startling Lapis long enough for Cell to get Lapis in his tail and start gulping fast, the destruction making everyone else flee and attracting the attention of Android 16, Lazuli and Krillin. The group arrived in time to see Cell start transforming, the power building beyond a point Krillin could even compete with even with Kaioken x30. Krillin took Lazuli's hand and put a hand on 16 before using Instant Transmission to get the group out of harm's way.
Semi-perfect Cell: "Aaah~ This is much better. Now time to...WHERE THE HELL DID THEY GO?!"
Bansuri and Piccolo sensed the spike of energy from the mall and moved to teleport there to help Krillin when said human appeared in front of them with a shocked looking Lazuli and a confused looking Android 16.
Krillin: "Things are bad! Cell got Lapis and transformed!"
Piccolo/Bansuri: "Damn it!"
Bansuri: "Find a place to hide them and hide your energy, things are already going poorly we don't want that monster to become perfect."
Krillin: "Got it. Give me your hands guys, I know a place"
Both Lazuli and 16 looked confused before they realized what Krillin was doing and giving their hands, the group teleporting away. Moments later a now transformed Cell flew toward them and stopped in mid-air with a smirk.
Semi-Perfect Cell: "Ah, so this is the son you were talking about. This time line is bizarre, you didn't have any kids before 17 and 18 killed you in my time line."
Both Bansuri and Piccolo looked at each other before vains plumped on their bodies and their powers multiplied as they both used Kaioken x30. They both knew neither of them had the strength to do a finishing blow on Cell but they knew all they had to do was stall and distract until someone with the power to take down Cell did arrive. Piccolo Launched forward and threw out a kick that was easily knocked aside while Bansuri used magic to befuddle Cell's senses and balance, allowing Piccolo to cut off one of Cell's arms with a Light Saw only to see the limb grow back.
Semi-perfect Cell: "Do all the tricks you want! You can't beat me and you know it!"
Both Bansuri and Piccolo continued raining attacks on Cell, noticing how certain attacks did little-to-nothing and which attacks did damage, how Cell reacted, moved and attacked. This was a fight for getting all the information they could for a potential next round or to pass the information along. All manner of techniques were used to keep the menace occupied for as long as possible, Gigantification, Clone techniques, Paralysis, Solar Flares and Instant Transmission among other numorous techniques were used.
Piccolo: 'We just need to keep holding Cell back, Vegeta and Trunks should be out of the time chamber soon. Just hold on a little longer'
Bansuri: 'Yes father'
They could both sense that Goku was back on his feet and that Gohan was with him. They could guess that there was a moment of confusion and possible fight that could have been had Krillin not been there with the Androids but everything seemed calm enough to teleport there when someone else could tag in. The fight continued for an hour longer before Piccolo and Bansuri both sensed Vegeta and Trunks, both way stronger than before and moments later the father-son pair appeared in front of the Namekian duo.
Vegeta: "So this is the big bad android?"
Bansuri: "Calls themself Cell, can absorb people through the tail and can regenerate. Wipe them out all at once or not at all."
Bansuri put two fingers to his forehead, dropped Kaioken and teleported to the lookout, dropping into a seated position coated in sweat and panting with his father arriving after dropping into a reclined position instead. Krillin, Gohan and Goku rushing to him with the latter-most person giving them Sensu Beans to them.
Goku: "Man, that Cell guy must mean serious business if the 2 of you couldn't beat him"
Piccolo: "He is, the best we could do was stall him"
Bansuri: "I imagine you want to go into the Room of Spirit and Time with your son?"
Goku: "Heh, yeah. Me and Gohan are pretty close in power so it should work out alright"
Piccolo: "My fusion with Kami made the Dragon Balls inert, I'll teleport to Yardrat to fix that while Bansuri keeps an eye on things here to make sure Vegeta doesn't do anything stupid."
Gohan: "Do you really think he'll do something that bad?"
Piccolo/Bansuri: "...Yes"
Goku: "Okay Gohan! Let's get to training"
Gohan: "Right!"
Goku and Gohan walked into the Room of Spirit and Time and Popo closed the door behind them, there energy vanishing from the outside world. Piccolo looked at Bansuri and gave him a nod before teleporting to Namek to ask for any Dragon Clan volunteers. There was a moment of silence before Lazuli spoke up.
Lazuli: "...Sooooo what's the deal with the green guys?"
Krillin: "Oh! That is a long story"
Bansuri walked away from the chatting pair to the edge of the Lookout to watch how Vegeta and Trunks faired against Cell. Was the training to ascend past Super Saiyan successful? Can Vegeta take down Cell? Who will be Earth's new Guardian with connection to the Dragon Balls? Find out next time on Some Help
