A Wonderful Life
by: SomeRandomPerson648
Chapter 57: Regaining Hope
A/N: Hey Guys! Finally the action is coming into view, and quite frankly I spent a lot of my spare time making sure this chapter came out alright. Anyway, enjoy!
Videl and Mai brought Gohan and the other Saiyans to speed on current events. As of one week ago, the day Gohan left for the past, Cell Black was no longer spotted by recon troops or sighted anywhere. Yet his activities weren't quite gone, because every once in a while they would lose contact with another group stationed by one of the many traps set around multiple cities just like the one Gohan encountered earlier
The resistance, sure enough, was falling apart little by little. The only thing they've ever been able to report back was another loss, and their biggest one yet was Cell Black finding their base and killing a handful of leaders, forcing them to make bigger groups due to the lack of able commanders. Times were only getting tougher for them
"So far we've lost a third of our soldiers around the nation, and the rest of them are either too far spread out, or clumped together and surviving on scraps." Videl finished, looking at a posted map of the world that's been drawn over to display locations of settlements
The grim atmosphere overtook the room, as per usual. It was by this point that even the toughest soldiers lost hope in the future after so many defeats, and seeing them all lined up brought a sick feeling to everyone's stomach
"What...what do we do?" A woman asked, wearing the same uniform as the other soldiers only with a purple bandana wrapped on her arm
But no one answered. None of the reasonable minds could think of a logical out from their situation. Even Gohan felt the weight of the situation crush him yet again
All except Goku and Vegeta
"I say we hurry it up and get the rest of the civilians fed and healed now." Vegeta stated, standing up from his chair. "I'd rather get this over with so I can go home."
"Yeah, let's eat up!" Goku agreed, following Vegeta out the door
The humans were all confused as to whether the two guests weren't taking their situation seriously enough, or if they had a plan in mind. But for the moment, everyone in the room followed the two Saiyans out the door curiously
"Hey Gohan, can I talk to you?" Videl asked him, who nodded and watched everyone else leave the room before them. Once everyone walked out of the room Videl and Gohan were left alone and in private. It was rare enough that the two got a moment of privacy, so it must've been important
"What's up Videl?"
"We haven't had the chance to catch up for months...so I just wanted to know what happened while you were away." Videl asked calmly, which also wasn't a mood she was in that often
"Hm? Oh, guess that was a bit insensitive of me huh?" He chuckled harmlessly, though he could feel the guilt creep up, even the day he left he'd been missing for a while without a word to anyone
Gohan quickly recapped the important events of his previous two days in the past and a few other things. Aside from the appearance of Cell Black and his defeat, he also mentioned the many people he's met from his past, many of which Videl didn't know personally, but had heard through Gohan's stories
"Huh. So in the past, the Androids are all good too?" She wondered aloud, it was both hard to hear and say aloud
"I know right? The past is so surreal, it's like my wildest dreams come true. I even got to hang out with Trunks and a younger you and me."
The last statement caught Videl off guard. As much as she's heard about Trunks and how important he was to both Bulma and Gohan, the idea of Videl and Gohan being together in the past as well gave her a strange, almost bizarre feeling
"You and I are dating in the past?"
"Not just that...we're married. And having a baby."
"...You're making that up." Videl stated in disbelief, making Gohan laugh
"It's true, you can ask my dad, or Vegeta. Hell, even Cell could tell you that, whenever he feels like getting here." He defended himself
The Hybrid Saiyan took a second to hold Videl's hands within his own, looking deep in her eyes. Inside he saw not just the ferocious fire that she fought with every day, but he also saw a kind person who'd stop at nothing to protect what she loves, exactly like he has before. He's known her for five years and has watched her pick up the pieces of not just humanity, but his life as well
The image of Videl in the past came to mind. A Videl wearing clean, intact clothes and without a sword always strapped to her back, one that has nothing to worry about. A Videl that doesn't have to fight every day and appear tough at all times, with a version of himself that matches those same aspects as well
And it pleased him now more than ever to know that, in another time, they were enjoying themselves without the weight of the world on their backs
"I'm glad that I got to see the past. To see all of my friends again. But most of all, I'm glad to see you again, now more than ever." He said before hugging Videl emotionally
For a second Videl was taken off guard by the display of affection, but she soon found herself enjoying Gohan's sweet embrace. She could feel her tough exterior melt away as she settled into the moment, enjoying the brief vulnerability that Gohan was able to show. Seeing him happy for the first time in forever filled her with joy, like her hope was fully restored
After nearly a minute of hugging Videl was the first to pull herself away. Her legs felt weak by how enveloped in the moment she was, but she cleared her throat as a way to appear serious
"R-right, we should get back to the others, don't want to keep them waiting." She stated, making Gohan smile, the warmth of her body had yet to leave his chest
"Yeah, lets." He responded. Both lovers walked out of the room with warm hearts and renewed vigor, ready to take on the world once again
Out in the station platform, Goku and Vegeta looked around to see the many pained and hopeless faces. It hurt them both to see the inhabitants of Earth so desperate and in such poor states. In a way it felt like the two Saiyans failed their sole mission of protecting Earth from evil, and this was the result of that failure...
"It's hard to see them like this, everyone's been through so much already. Just like Trunks and Gohan." Goku mentioned
"Trunks and Gohan have always been fighters, it's in their blood." Vegeta reaffirmed. "It's a wonder that they're able to continue smiling, after everything they've been through."
The two warriors took a second to think of their children from the future and how proud they made their parents. Both have seen their friends and family die before their eyes, and their home torn to shreds. It took a special type of grit to not lose hope, one that even the two Saiyans doubted they have
"Is this what I've caused in the past?" Vegeta thought outloud, concerning Goku
"What do you mean Vegeta?"
"Before I settled into Earth, and even before I fought you for the first time, I spent my days conquering planet after planet in the name of Frieza. It makes me sick to my stomach that I was ever so...cruel. But I can never seem to atone for my sins." The Saiyan Prince explained. Is that the man Bulma thought of him as? A monster who ruined lives like Cell's?
"Vegeta, those were different times. You've changed. You helped fight to protect the Earth and every life on it many times already."
"That's true...but how am I going to convince my wife? She's exiled me from my home Kakarot, and...I don't want to fail them as we have here." Vegeta remarked, feeling his heavy heart get even heavier than before. He's done all he could to change...but it seems that he's failed his family regardless
There was a long moment of silence as the two men observed the remaining humans, each in their own type of pain. Without someone to protect them, to inspire them to keep fighting, then they were just hopeless, waiting for it all to end
"Listen, I know you've come a long way Vegeta, but Bulma's a different case." Goku explained. "You just have to keep showing her that you mean well, and that you're not the same as before. And you can start by giving them these."
Goku grabbed two capsules from his pocket and gave them to Vegeta, capsules full of food and medicine for the survivors. Goku and Gohan asked Bulma if she could fill them with lots of food and Senzu Pills, and in her own time she was able to store them away within the Time Machine for safe keeping
"You can be the one to give them hope. It's a start." Goku said as Vegeta held the two capsules in his hand. It wasn't much, but with these Vegeta could do a lot for the people of the future
"Thank you Kakarot." He thanked before he walked to the center of the platform. "Everyone, come and eat." He declared as he popped a capsule open and tossed it to the ground, exploding and revealing a long table that held a large buffet of exquisite food, plates and several bottles of water
Vegeta also popped the second capsule in his hands, blowing up and revealing a box filled to the brim with Senzu Pills. As he held the box, people went up to him curiously and thankfully
"Grab one and swallow it, it'll heal your wounds." He stated, followed by many people grabbing a pill and doing as they were told
In no time Vegeta and Goku saw the survivors fully healed and downing the mountain of food made for them. The countless praises and thank yous that Vegeta received were more than enough to lift his spirits, if at least a little
Soon Gohan and Videl walked into the scene to find everyone enjoying fresh food and water without the bloodied bandages and bruises from a while ago. The two were stunned to see everything as it was, the happy atmosphere in such a dark environment
"I-what?"
"Here, catch." Vegeta yelled, tossing the couple each a Senzu pill. "Take it, you'll feel better. But Gohan, you save it for later. We still have a war ahead of us."
"Yeah!" Gohan agreed, pumped to see the people happy and healthy, his people
But for the moment, everyone found themselves amidst the controlled chaos that ensued, each with a plate of steaming hot food, a plastic bottle of water and a large appetite, most especially the Saiyans and Hybrid Saiyan
And of all people to be excited, Mai was one them. She sat on a spare mat with her rifle laid out next to her, eating a plate of meat and rice. With this meal, and whatever might be left over, she couldn't help but view things from a tactical standpoint. This was enough food to satisfy them for the next few days, maybe even longer if they could cut back on consumption. It was also a miracle that they were able to receive pills that could restore any wound, that was a material worth preserving
"Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?" A voice asked
The tactician looked up to see Goku standing next to her, with a mouthful of food and an abnormally large plate in one hand
"Oh, Gohan said that you've met the me in the past." She answered, but Goku wasn't satisfied
"I guess I did see little you, but I'm pretty sure we've met before that." He wondered until it finally hit him. "Oh hey! You were with the Pilaf Gang weren't you? Back when I was a kid!"
"Heh, yeah I was." She confessed, remembering the simpler times when she was one of Pilaf's Henchmen
"Wow, you still look a whole lot younger than when I last saw you." Goku exclaimed, noticing Mai's youthful face compared to her old, mature looks
"That's right, Pilaf used the Dragon Balls to make the group younger before they were destroyed. But I was the only one lucky enough to survive the Androids."
"Yikes, sounds like you guys were close, even back then." Goku stated, making Mai chuckle grimly
"We were, I owe my life to Emperor Pilaf. It was because of him that I've come this far. Back then I spent my life supporting his ambitions, but now I look after everyone, and make sure they're okay."
"Wow, you really are responsible." Goku complimented. "I'm glad you're able to stay hopeful."
Mai sighed to herself. "I guess so, but it's hard to when there's someone out to get you. I have to manage everyone's safety at all times. And it's...stressful to say the least."
"Ah I see. Still, after today, you won't have to worry about Cell Black any longer, we'll take care of him." Goku boasted with a wide grin, making Mai smile
"You're pretty confident, I can see where Gohan gets it from." She chuckled, seeing a bit of Gohan's can-do attitude in his father
Still, it was nice to see someone so optimistic at times like these. So positive and sure of themselves, if only she was like that
Elsewhere in the room Vegeta stood by himself, also eating from an abnormally large plate full of food, watching the survivors rejoice through their own feast. But as he ate, he was approached by Bulma
"Hey Vegeta." She greeted. "Goku told me that the food and medicine was from you. Is that true?"
Vegeta was left stunned for a second, turning to face Goku with a confused expression. Luckily, Goku caught his glance and gave back a cheeky smile
"Er- Yes, it was my idea." He lied. "The Bulma of our time was able to fit everything into two capsules."
"That's great. And how did she make the pills? I could never imagine being able to make something like that." She wondered while flexing her now intact arm
"The team found the Cell of our timeline and brought him to you for research. Using his DNA, you were able to make the Senzu pills." Vegeta explained as best he could, leaving out a few details
"Oh, you mean the one that left a while ago?" Bulma asked, and Vegeta nodded. "I've been meaning to ask. What's his deal? Why is he so against everyone?"
Vegeta took into consideration his next few words. The story of Cell and why he was against the team was not only long, but including all of the details could ruin his standing with this Bulma too. It was against him to explain it to her, and he could just as easily fabricate a lie to satisfy her
"But I can't lie about this anymore, not when it caused more harm than good before. Maybe, I could put in the effort to explain myself instead." He thought carefully
"Cell is a tough case." He began. "Before he was born we fought the Cell that came from the future, and because of that these next few parts are...as grim as they are."
"What is he talking about?"
"At the time I was full of such an intense rage towards him, I watched him kill our boy in front of my eyes, and he humiliated me more than anything else. So when I found out that another version of him was going to be living with me...I took the opportunity to enact my revenge." Vegeta revealed, surprising Bulma
"For years I beat him to a pulp during my training and I never stopped enjoying it, seeing that smug bastard under my foot... But eventually, he found a way to grow more powerful than anyone could have expected, and it was all my fault." He reminisced, remembering every feeling and event accurately. "And now we've more than settled the score. I ruined his life, and he ruined mine...more than once."
Bulma was shocked to hear Vegeta's confession, yet surprisingly he sounded quite sad as he told the story. As horrific as he made it out to be, he wasn't arrogant or proud of any of it, instead he was rather shameful, very unlike what she knows him to be
"That's what I saw in Cell, that's what he was hiding in those eyes." She thought, gasping at the realization. There was so much history between him and Vegeta that she wasn't aware of, yet she was still curious to know the rest
"And...do you regret it?"
"I do, and I spend every waking moment taking it all back. I've tried to separate myself from the man I once was, but it's never enough. Because of me our son died a second time, and you did as well. And because of me, Cell can't move on from the past that I've tarnished."
For Vegeta, this was the first time in a while that he's put himself into such a reasonable perspective. During the period that Cell was presumed dead he carried the full weight and guilt of his actions, seeing them as well deserved on his part. But ever since he returned to threaten the Earth once again, Vegeta's hatred for Cell grew into something new. No longer was Cell just a look-alike of the man that destroyed his pride and killed his son, but he was now the man that did it twice and got away from it
But now, looking back on everything that's happened, it was depressing to realize that it was all because of him. The hatred he experienced now was only a result of his own actions, and so was the pain he endured. He even lied about it to save face, yet that only ruined his life even further
There was a tense silence between them as Vegeta could feel Bulma's judgmental gaze on him. He tried to ignore it by continuing to eat, but the food tasted bland in his mouth now. Unexpectedly, Bulma gave the man an awkward pat on the back. She didn't walk away, or yell angrily, or even tell him off. Instead, she heard him out, which was already more than what Vegeta expected of her
"Listen I don't know you well enough anymore to judge, and what you did sounds messed up." She sighed. "But...if you take it all back, then you're already better than the Vegeta I know."
"You...forgive me?"
"No, not at all. Quite frankly, I don't think I could ever forgive you if I was Cell. But you're different. Before I would've thought you were still that brash asshole that nearly killed me and my friends back on Namek. But you at least regret what you've done and you're growing past it...so that's a step in the right direction if I've ever seen one."
There was yet another silence between the two, one that seemed not as a moment of awkward tension but clarity. Bulma realized just how much this version of Vegeta had changed, and how much the same he was. And while torturing another was a horrific thing to do, she didn't believe she was in a position to judge. Not only was he needed to fight Black, but he was at least growing more mature
"Can't say the same for Cell." She thought
However, unbeknownst to everyone around, there was an ominous sound of footsteps that echoed down the long tunnel, and it took a while for everyone to take notice
"Hey, is there a patrol coming back or something." A man asked, confused as to why everyone was suddenly so quiet
"No, not at all, the local patrols are already here." Mai answered, holding her rifle in her arms and aiming at the dark passage way
"Why can't I sense them?" The ki users nearby thought as they ran towards the entrance of the dark tunnel to meet this new person. By the way they were hiding their ki, they couldn't be anything good, if there was any to sense at all
"My my, it seems that I've finally found the hidden den of sinners. It's impressive that you've avoided my godly gaze for so long." A mysterious voice spoke, yet Goku was the only one who could recognize it
"Wait, it can't be. Zamasu?"
Evidently the green skinned Kai in question stepped into the light, revealing himself to the crowd of people around. He was perfectly identical to the Zamasu of the present, cloths and all. But there was a different look in his eyes that caught Goku's attention, one of self-confidence and fury. Not only that, but Goku couldn't sense his ki anymore either
"You know my name mortal? My colleague warned me of time travelers, thus you must be one of them."
"Colleague? So you're working for Cell Black?" Mai demanded
"I wouldn't say 'work' per se, for there is nothing laborious about pinning an ant to the ground and snuffing it's flame." He taunted. "But it just so happens that you exposed yourself very carelessly. Shame, there was a sort of fun in seeking out the sinners from where they hide."
"He must've sensed Cell leave the tunnels." The Z Fighters realized, since there were multiple devices around that prevented anyone from sensing anything inside
"Where's Black? Too busy to take care of us himself?" Vegeta demanded, only making Zamasu laugh
"Why would you worry about him? For I'm not only your judge...I am your executioner."
Zamasu suddenly fired a ki attack towards the group of helpless refugees, only for Vegeta to react by deflecting the blast into the air, burning it through the underground and digging its way upward only to explode violently in the sky
"Gohan! Evacuate the humans while we take care of this!" Vegeta barked as he ascended into his Super Saiyan form and threw himself at Zamasu, but with a swift dodge and a grapple the Prince found himself firmly pressed against the wall of the tunnel
Goku intervened by transforming as well to kick Zamasu in the face, only for the Kai to block the attack with a purple ki ball at hand, forcing it to detonate with the impact of the kick to knock Goku away. But Vegeta was able to free himself from Zamasu's hold and land a vicious kick to the chin, launching him through the underground and out into the open air of the destroyed city. He was quickly followed by a powerful ki blast that enveloped him before exploding with no effect
"If this is all you've got then I'm very disappointed. It seems you've placed you're hope in the wrong hands." Zamasu taunted both Vegeta and Goku who were flying out of the metro tunnels
"Guess he's strong enough to take our Super Saiyan." Goku noted. "Hey, why don't we go all out? I've been dying to fight him for a while now."
"Fine, but make it quick, we don't know what trick he has up his sleeve." Vegeta agreed
With that Goku yelled to his full power, drawing upon the godly ki stored within him and bringing out the Super Saiyan God once more
"What is this? A mortal able to wield the power of a God?!" Zamasu exclaimed out of immediately anger. It was not only unheard of for a mere mortal to hold godly ki, but it was disgraceful. How dare the mortal wield a power that was only privy to those for sustain!
"Yeah, I call this Super Saiyan God." Goku boasted, feeling the majestic power flow through him. "So let's see what you've got!"
But as the battle of God and Saiyans commenced, the residents of the future timeline were left stunned and afraid for what's to come
"We have to help them!" Videl argued, holding the sword in her hands
"No, we have to evacuate everyone out of the city, pack as many things as you can and guide them out." Mai ordered, leading her two friends into action. Gohan kept near to protect them from stray attacks
"Please, dad, Vegeta, we're counting on you."
Far away from the battlefield was a lone pod amidst the desert wasteland, once the center of attention but now a mere accessory to the empty environment. But a new disturbance arrived to the landmark, a tall bug-like man who observed the entrance with a sense of nostalgia
To Cell, the door to Babadi's ship looked the same as before save for some damaging around the face of it, clearly Gohan had gone inside of it before. But standing in front of it filled him with memories both positive and negative, the greatest and most influential turning point of his life
Flashes of images passed through his mind as he made his way through the tunnels of the ship. The last, yet the hardest, beating he received from the twin Androids, his destruction of Satan City, the death of Vegeta...and what was supposed to be his own death
Cell thought of these memories fondly for the most part, even his death. But after the many trials and experiences he's made now, the friendships he's made and the ones he's severed, the best memory out of all of them was his tour of the human city, with Buu and Prestina. It was then that he could pretend things were normal, to have a sort of tame fun
"Yet I tossed that aside for pointless hampering. I craved revenge for so long I couldn't recognize the taste of it, and look where that's lead me."
Killing Vegeta was, in most people's eyes, the only justifiable act of retaliation and revenge. But he couldn't stop himself from having fun, from going further than just settling a score and wrecking as many lives as he could. When Goku and the fusions gave him a way out, he chose to ignore them for the act of continuing his rampage. And as much as he wanted to pretend to regret it all...he truly didn't.
"But that's in the past. What matters is moving forward, and maintaining my most important friendship. Even if it means losing a few options."
Eventually, Cell found himself at the very end of the ship with the two familiar pods that housed the Majins. Strangely enough, when he sensed the pods he noticed that they did not emit any ki as a living organism should, rather there was an absence of ki like that of a dead creature. The result was likely not only to the power of the two being siphoned away, but also to expertly hide them as dead bodies in the eyes of ki users
By what Cell knew and understood of Babadi's magic, it seemed as though it was used to extract ki from different sources and channel it elsewhere. And luckily, donating his ki personally would do the trick regardless of fancy demon magic
The Android stood before the two pods and began to focus his power into the slumbering Majins, donating what was a monstrous amount of life energy but was only a fraction of his power now. He could sense as the two powers akin to containers were gradually filled with his energy until finally they were capped out
"I hope that magic wasn't a requirement." Cell wondered as he stepped back and waited for the pods to open
Time passed slowly, and no response...
...
...
"Damnit."
Realizing his mistake, Cell began to walk away from the pods, disappointed. That was until there was a loud hiss of steam followed by the opening of the pods. When Cell turned around he saw not two pink blobs of goo but instead the figures of Majin Buu and Majin Prestina, both conscious and alert
The two aliens opened their eyes to see their dark environment that was only made brighter by a small ball of ki floating in the air. The dust and darkness aside, the only other person with them was a strange, tall green man that looked at them rather strangely
"Ah, I'm glad you're awake." Cell said, not expecting to see them already conscious. "My name is Cell, and I'm the one who reawakened the both of you."
"Where is this place?" Prestina asked, afraid
"This is a planet far away from you're own. You were both former pawns of a wizard long dead."
"Oooh. This planet empty?" Buu asked, already having sensed the emptiness of the planet, no intelligent life nearby
"You are correct." Cell answered. "Which is why I'm going to be sending you both home."
"Home? Buu have home?"
"Yes, it's a planet teaming with your descendants. Your family."
"Wow! Buu have family!" Buu exclaimed out of joy, since when did he have family?
"Wait...huh? I don't..." Prestina clutched her head a little. Was she dreaming? Not one minute ago she was in a field of flowers, and now here. Did she fall asleep? And why was the name 'Buu' so familiar? It was at the tip of her tongue
"I'm aware that this seem very sudden, but a lot has happened without your knowing."
"How do you know us? And why do you know so much about us?" Prestina asked suspiciously
Cell chuckled to himself, even without realizing it she seemed so similar to her current counterpart. "You may not know this, but I come from a different reality. In fact, I'm your...friend." He hesitated
"Really?" She asked in disbelief. It was hard enough to buy that she wasn't dreaming, but time travel? That's a little much
"I've revived the both of you because it wouldn't be fair that you remain here, on a dying planet. So instead, I've given you both a way to where you truly belong. Away from here." Cell said before he began to force a Cell Jr. out of his body, until eventually the little blue version of himself flew out of his tail
Although the planet has most likely gravitated far away from where Cell's come to know, the Jr. is smart enough to navigate them back to where they belong with directions alone
"But if it makes you feel any better, I'm certain that you will see your family, one way or another."
"Guess even in another timeline, I'm still held by my promises. Perhaps that's what 21 saw in me." Cell thought, remembering his promise once again
The Android has changed since that day. While he now lies to the Majins claiming to be their friend it was still the truth at one point, and it is the truth now. Imagining Prestina reunite with her family filled him with an odd sense of joy. It was not reluctant obligation or dull curiosity that led him to this moment, but the genuine idea that he was going to do good, instead of the 'usual'
Yet as he was distracted, a large burst of power could be felt thousands of miles away from Goku, almost like he was in a panicked state
"Guess I won't be able to see that reunion again. I supposed it's for the best." He thought
"What was that?" Prestina and Buu wondered, both having sensed the distant conflict. It wasn't anything worrying was it?
"Nothing to worry about." Cell brushed off. "This creature here can take you out of the planet and guide you home. I'd love to do it myself, but I'm quite busy at the moment."
The Cell Jr. stepped forward and giggled to himself, excited for the journey ahead. Both Buu and Prestina were amazed by how similar it looked to Cell. They would ask but, by this point Cell was starting to float away, in a bit of a hurry
"Wait!" Prestina said, holding Cell in place and allowing her to fly in for a hug, something that Cell wasn't expecting at all
"Even if this is a dream... Thank you for helping waking us up, and for helping us get back home."
Buu, seeing the cute scene before him, also flew in to give Cell a warm and playful hug
"Buu thank you for waking Buu up! Now Buu can see family!"
"I...um." Cell stuttered. "I'm...glad to be of help. Truly." He said before flying away without another word, wanting to get into the fray of the battlefield
There were still plenty of questions and sights he wanted to see. Is Turles long dead now? Did Cooler finally take over the galaxy? Were Bojack and his gang still tearing apart planets? Yet he couldn't simply answer any of them, and the one thing that kept him from wandering away were the promises he's made...and the sense of responsibility for Cell Black
As he quickly flew into the direction of the city he couldn't help but feel his chest get a little warmer. He was rewarded for his act of kindness by kindness in turn...something that he wasn't quite used to
"Perhaps that's the true goal, to be treated kindly. Maybe that's the reason why 21 is so willing to see me grow, to watch me flourish." He thought, reinvigorated as he flew towards the battle ahead
The battle between God and Saiyan was nothing short of difficult. While Goku was now as powerful as a God, Zamasu in this timeline had managed to become close to as powerful as he was, however, Goku still had the upper hand between the two in strength
As the God was being tossed around like a rag doll he was only getting angrier by the second. How was a mere mortal stronger than he?! Even with the power he's gained throughout the years, there was someone who climbed a higher mountain than he, a GOD?!?
Zamasu tried to block an incoming punch with a cross guard, only for the ape to incessantly assault his guard with absolutely no regard for it. It wasn't until the guard slipped that Zamasu was sent hurtling away because of a kick to the face
"This is it!" Goku yelled as he made one final rush to end it quickly, flying after Zamasu to begin his assault with a fist to the gut, followed by a quick and powerful string of punches to the face and ending it with a spin kick that blew back Zamasu with the force of the impact
"Kamehame..." He yelled as he flew after Zamasu yet again until he was just in front of the flying Kai
"HAH!!!" Came the full powered attack, Goku even made sure to use all of his reserve energy on the one attack to put an end to Zamasu and his tyranny
The attack lasted many seconds before Goku finally let go, huffing for breath as he floated in the air victorious
"Did you think that'd kill me?" Came a familiar voice, and without warning a blade of energy pierced Goku's chest, missing his heart but instead tearing through a kidney
Goku was tossed to the side, allowing him to fall out of the sky only to right himself in the air, clutching the bloodied hole in his chest. If it had stayed any longer, the wound would've burned itself into him leaving no room for healing
In the air, standing from the falling dust was none other than Zamasu, completely unharmed by Goku's most powerful attack. How was that possible? He was clearly weaker than Goku during the whole fight?
"What the hell?! That should've killed you!" Vegeta raged, now on his guard for anything to happen
"Oh? It seems I forgot to tell you. You see, before my partner and I rid ourselves of this dimension's Dragonballs, we used them for one single wish...to make me an immortal God."
"That means..." Goku huffed, realizing his mistake all along. It was the reason why there were no bruises or markings on him whenever he attacked with a force little over twice his own
"That's right, you've pieced it together. You cannot hurt me, and there's nothing you can do to stop me." Zamasu gloated
"And even if there was...I wouldn't let you!" A voice said from the sidelines
Without warning Goku let out a painful scream as he felt something carve a large gash on his back, enveloping him in a hot paralyzing pain that took him out of his God form and sent him falling to the ground
The culprit was a plume of black smoke with glowing red eyes, unmistakeable from the threat they've seen before...Cell Black was back
"Damnit!!" Vegeta panicked, flying after Goku at high speeds and managing to catch the fallen Saiyan before he could hit the ground. His gi was in ruins with a hole in his chest and a slash on his back, both were pouring blood
"You've finally returned, and what a dramatic entrance too." Zamasu commented
"My apologizes, I lost track of time." Cell Black joked, hiding the small truth to Zamasu and their guests
"I'll take care of this myself!" Vegeta declared loudly and boldly, powering up to Super Saiyan 4 and flying straight for Cell Black
"Seems the ape doesn't know when to quit."
Vegeta made a wide swing that Black easily ducked under, followed by a series of quick punches and kicks that failed to hit their marks. With an unmatched speed Vegeta was suddenly punched in the face with such power that it left a red mark that continued to sting him
"What the? How?!" Vegeta raged before he threw himself back into action, with even more ferocious attacks that still continued to miss
Cell Black smirked as he ducked, sidestepped and dodged ever blow as though it come from a child. He could easily outpace Vegeta, yet he kept toying with him just for the fun of it, a trait he picked up from the dear mortals
That was until one blow finally landed, one that Black allowed to hit him. But to Vegeta's shock, Cell Black was completely unmoved by the attack
"What monster are you?!"
"Have you forgotten? This body is not only crafted by mortal hands, it was forged by the fire of pain that you and countless others have created." He said as he gripped Vegeta's hand, not letting him go. "I have taken the suffering of mortals and have made it my own to wield for my holy purpose."
Without warning Cell Black slammed his forehead into the prince's skull, stunning him and leaving him open for a ki blast to devastate him and send him crashing into the ground. Before long a bombardment of ki attacks was next, each one creating a crater that became larger and larger until it was nearly a mile wide
And at the bottom of the crater was the defeated Saiyan Prince, nearly unconscious and out of his Super Saiyan 4 form. His leather jacket and gloves were long since destroyed, leaving him in ripped leather pants and tattered purple shoes
The mortal God descended into the crater with a smug look on his face, one of victory. This was what his new pain has led to! It was intoxicating! Lashing with out everything he's felt and multiplied by ten! It was rewarding to see the fruits of his efforts come to such a victory
"It hilarious really. This body craves for your suffering. It knows what you've done, and I'm ecstatic that I've gotten to experience this pleasure all to myself." Cell mocked cruelly, a sea of memories that weren't his came rushing into him, yet they felt like they were his. Memories of torture, suffering and pain were all that the body could think of. This body lived to suffer!
"I have finally found what makes Cell stronger. It's his pain! A God such as myself shall incorporate this mortal suffering and use it to cleanse the reality of all evil! Including yourself!"
Cell Black was eager to ready a ki blast and finish Vegeta off, but a bright flashing attack caught him by surprise, blinding him. When he came to Vegeta was gone and instead a yellow light could be seen flying away with a body
"The pest returns..." Cell mused, no longer annoyed by the mortal's puny efforts at survival, but instead...entertained...
In the distance, Gohan flew desperately from the battle with the injured Vegeta in his arms. It was a miracle that he came just in time, had he arrived a second earlier Vegeta would've died
"Swallow this." He urged as he pulled out one of the two Senzu pills he managed to collect before leaving. He force fed it to Vegeta as he rushed after his fallen father
Soon Gohan spotted his father between some bits of rubble. He landed and immediately force fed the second pill to his father, watching the thin hole in his chest close. But rather than heal completely, it left a raw, thin red scar. Strangely enough the pill refused to take effect as well
"What's going on? I thought this thing would heal you?" Gohan panicked
"The pill...it doesn't work for us...we've used it too much..." Vegeta gasped, feeling the bones in his chest repair themselves yet continue to sting
"Amazing, you're maneuvering was for naught!" A voice said behind Gohan, the Hybrid whipped around to find Zamasu standing behind him with his arms folded behind his back
"Nowhere to hide Gohan, this game ends now." Cell Black declared from behind Gohan, who turned around yet again to be met with a bone crunching gut punch, knocking the wind out of him and going as far as forcing Super Saiyan out of him
The hopeless warrior doubled over in pain, coughing up a small stream of blood before a foot kicked him away into the arms of Zamasu, who held him in place with a suplex
"This is the end of the line! Ka...me...ha...me..." Cell Black yelled, charging his own dark version of the signature attack
"HAH!!"
The blast enveloped both Gohan and Zamasua and destroyed every bit of rubble behind them. Everything and anything in the direction of the attack was vaporized out of the face of the Earth with no trace. Except strangely enough...none of it seemed to hurt them
Once the attack disengaged and the dust began to settle, Black was still able to sense Gohan was alive, and there was even another...
"Big Bang Crash!"
Before he could realize what was wrong a powerful orange attack struck Black in the chest with an unexpected amount of force, launching him nearly a mile away
"What?!" Zamasu questioned as the dust settled, revealing Cell just in front of him. The confusion of identities was enough for the Cell of the past to punch Zamasu in the face, forcing him away from the injured Gohan
"Eat the pill before you fall asleep." He advised. Gohan was able to creep his hand into his gi's pocket and pull out the Senzu pill he left for himself. Once he swallowed it he felt a strong rush of energy within and his bones heal instantaneously
"What happened?" Cell asked the now fully conscious Gohan, who still struggled to process the earlier events
"I-Dad and Vegeta nearly died the second Black came. I don't know how but he's so much stronger than them."
"Is that why he wasn't here? Was he out training?"
"What about you? Can't you take care of Black again?" Gohan asked the now uncertain Cell
"If the likes of Goku and Vegeta were overpowered so easily, then the best I can do is match them. But it will take much more to kill." He contemplated before a horrible, yet entertaining, idea came to him
"If Goku and Vegeta are out of commission, then I'm the only one who even stands a chance against them. That means I'll have them all to myself..."
"Then get them both back to the past for another day, and I'll fight the gods for as long as I can."
Gohan was shocked by the suggestion. Hold them off?! Even if they were to go back in time to train for a year in the chamber, what's to say they don't travel back to the right time? Or even that Cell could last more than a few minutes?
"That's insane! What if you can't hold them back? There aren't any Dragonballs in this timeline to bring you back." Gohan exclaimed
Before Cell could respond he was forced to react fast to a large purple ball of ki coming his way. He immediately grabbed Gohan by the arm and used Instant Transmission to teleport him away from the battle
The next thing Gohan knew he was surrounded by a familiar looking wasted city, realizing that it was the first city they arrived to upon going forward in time. The Hybrid Saiyan searched for Cell to find no trace of him. That was until, moments later, he appeared for a fraction of a second with the unconscious Goku and Vegeta next to him before disappearing again from sight
Reluctantly, Gohan pulled the capsule with the Time Machine from his pocket and popped it. With little difficulty he carried the bodies of the two Saiyans into the cockpit of the machine, both sprawled out on the floor while he sat at the driver seat
As Gohan rushed through the booting process of the machine his mind rushed just as quickly, thinking of how badly he'd failed. He truly believed that this was the end of it all, that everything would fix itself. He made so many promises to himself and others but he was wrong, all wrong. It was just like the Androids all over again, he hoped and hoped but there was never a real fix. Cities fell and he was always powerless to stop them. Now the same thing happened again, he was powerless to stop those that were destroying all he cared about
In a quick moment of frustration he banged his fist against a panel of the Time Machine, crushing it and leaving a fist-sized dent on it. Why was he always running? He could never stand up to the threat itself, always finding ways to escape and fight another day. But if things are going the way he thinks they will then maybe they won't have another day...
"I have to do something, anything. I just can't run anymore!"
There was a moment of tense silence as Gohan considered his situation. He had to make sure Goku and Vegeta would arrive safely, but at the same time...he had to stand his ground
Without another thought Gohan input the exact coordinates and time for the machine and jumped out of it as soon as the hatch began to close. He watched as the Time Machine sealed itself shut and began to fly up into the sky before it disappeared in a flash of light
"I can't just hope for a better future anymore...I have to make it happen."
The world could no longer afford retreats, what they needed was a hard fought battle, an end to everything. They needed a wonderful life...
Meanwhile, the two Gods observed their surroundings carefully. Those two mortals were distracted for long enough, and hopefully that blast took care of them
But sadly, the figure of Cell appeared yet again in front of them, defiant as ever
"You don't know when to quit. Quite an irritating trait." Cell Black complained. Yet as always, Cell had something to say
"Oh really? I was under the impression that you were glad to see me here. After all, I've left a rather large impression on you."
"Hmph, indeed you have." Black chuckled ironically. "You've shown me what true mortal suffering is like, what we Gods have overlooked. You've been destroying yourselves for so long that it's hard to see why we haven't intervened ourselves."
"On that we can agree." Cell stated. "But don't be fooled, I'm here to put an end to this."
"Oh? Is the infamous Cell here save mortals?" Black shot back
"No, I'm not here for them. I am far from noble. Rather, I'm here to test your metal, my metal really. And then...I'm going to burry you in the ground myself."
"A bold statement." Zamasu cut in. "But you wouldn't last an hour against the both of our might combined."
"That may be true, but I'm not here for the both of you. I'm here for him." Cell informed, pointing towards Cell Black. "Tell me Cell, does your blood not boil by the thought of a true fight? To show your true power to one that once was above you! If you're anything like me, then I know that revenge is very, very sweet."
Cell Black was unable to hide the slow creep of a smirk and the twitch of his fist from Cell. What he said was true, he was far too in tune with this mortal body to stop now. Imagining himself driving his blade into Cell's chest filled him with a deep sense of anticipation. He wanted to fight so badly that his body began to twitch in excitement
"...Stand back Zamas, this one is mine!" Cell Black implored, to his companion's surprise
"You'd waste time picking a minor grudge in favor of wiping him out?"
"This is no mere squabble for he is not only the mortal that dared defy our shared will, he is the original holder of this body. And I will claim what's rightfully mine!"
"Bold words. For when I kill you, I'll make sure that you're soul is ripped from my body!"
The God and mortal were on the verge of attacking when suddenly, two new figures came flying into battle. They were none other than Prestina and Majin Buu, and close behind them was the Cell Jr. that was meant to guide them home
"Buu? Prestina? I thought you were going home?" Cell asked, shocked to see them return to him
"We sensed you were in trouble and came to help, we wanted to return the favor as best we could." Prestina explained, but was soon confused as she realized there was another Cell staring at her
"This is none of your concern! Get away while you still can!" He yelled, but Zamasu and Black had already taken notice
"Is that the evil Majin Buu that destroyed countless planets and slew the Kais of this universe?!" Zamasu exclaimed, now fully facing the two Majins. "I must personally see to it you die before you stain our utopia."
"Is green man mad? Did Buu do something?" Buu wondered, but Prestina was now a bit scared
"Oh? So you have more pink friends Cell? Strange, I'd wonder what would happen if my associate were to slay them in front of you. I'd imagine it wouldn't be too pleasant." Cell Black schemed evilly, enjoying the brief moment of horror Cell showed before he shook his head
"Then I'll be the one to stop you!"
Just then, Gohan in his Super Saiyan form rushed to the scene at full force before he stopped just beside Cell. The warrior was oozing with anger and frustration as he stared down the false idols
"I thought you left with Goku and Vegeta?" Cell asked
"I couldn't run away again. This is my home, and I'll defend it with my last breathe if I have to." Gohan declared
"So that's what this is about. Buying time for the real threats to show up." Cell Black realized, frowning at the thought of being played. "If that's the case then this battle will be more than a duel, it will be a slaughter!"
"Gohan, take care of Prestina and Buu, the three of you and the Jr. can band together and resist Zamasu while I take care of Black." Cell advised, to Gohan's surprise
"What?" He said, before realizing that there were two pink people floating nearby, as well as a smaller version of Cell too
"Prestina doesn't know how to fight but Buu does, and both of them can regenerate their wounds. That, and the Jr. knows a great deal of tricks. With your powers and skills combined you'll be enough to occupy him."
"Right!" The hybrid Saiyan exclaimed as he rushed after the group
"With that settled, there's only one thing left to do..." Cell Black mused dramatically, shouting to the heavens. Or what was left of them at least
"May the battle commence fourth!!"
