Intercepting them part way on their flight to their destination was Android 16. The mohawk rocking android who was modeled after Gero's own biological son. How they used to be enemies in another life but now they could actually work together…put Androids like themselves back on the map as a positive influence in the daily life of humanity.

"I sensed a disturbance in the distance…Where we are going is unstable." 16's monotone voice filled the air around them even as he ran the numbers in his head on to what they are facing. "Judging by my scanners, there is a powerful force that is equal in strength to you. As well as two others."

{Dabura, Pui and Yakon…Yeah that matches up to the past. Wait…three?}

"What about Babidi? Or his other henchmen?" Cell inquired, knowing that there were still plenty others on Babidi's ship that could pose a threat. A minuscule threat but one none the less.

"Insignificant." 16 answered coldly. "They are all too weak for my scanners to detect. One however has an odd aura about them. It's not power I'm sensing however."

"That must be Babidi." Shin interjected into the conversation, his eyes narrowing at the thought that the little runt of a wizard was still causing trouble…especially to this war torn world. "He isn't physically strong so he won't fight us. But his magic is formidable. If you have the slightest trace of evil in your heart he WILL take advantage of it."

{That's right…He manipulated Vegeta's hatred in the past. Though as events unfolded it was clear that Vegeta was the one manipulating Babidi…}

"I am an android. I do not have good or evil within me." 16 answered in a dull tone, eyes narrowing just a bit as if he were looking Shin over to scan their power reading. "Cell I am not so sure about. He is organic…Organics have a habit of going from one end to the next in their moral compass."

"I object to that! I'll have you know that created me with such imperfections in mind and corrected them." Cell retorted with clarity. Voice raspy as usual. That said…he wondered if Gero actually did consider that counter measure. As brilliant as he was he never anticipated his own death. "I am the perfect imperfection...And I've trained in case of these eventualities."

This in part wasn't a lie. Thanks to his extensive nerd knowledge of the dragon ball universe in his past life he knew what to expect, what to avoid and what he needed to improve upon. In this scenario Babidi's mind control was the factor that he couldn't say for certain would be negligible. He was prone to his own anger, his own darkness but he liked to believe that what he'd done since he was born into this world was necessary. He COULD have followed 's plan for world domination but just as his brother and sister, that held no interest to him.

{Besides…the world is already mine.} He mused even as a small crack spread along his beak in a smug smile. He didn't HAVE to threaten anyone or cause mayhem for that goal.

His thought process was cut short however when he realized that they'd long passed the wasteland area in which his child was petrified and zoomed straight on into a rather lush forested area that reminded him of his first home. A place where nature clearly held domain with the number of trees his own internal compute system estimated to easily be in the thousands. A few mountains formed a back drop, almost serving as a wall that would cut out most of this territory from the outside world. "Finding Babidi's ship this way is like trying to find a needle in a haystack…"

"You already lost the trail? Or are you taking us for a ride Cell?" Trunks accused, fist looking as though he were ready to start a fight, the only thing keeping him from doing so being the knowledge that he knew he didn't stand a chance against the Android.

"I have Vegeta's cells so I know YOU do too. Use your head and think for a minute." Cell snapped, gesturing to the surrounding valleys. "If you wanted to hide a ship then wouldn't you want it to go unnoticed? No sense hiding it if everyone can see it."

"I don't think I follow…" Trunks muttered, looking over the landscape even as the group descended onto one of the cliffs to overlook the surrounding area. "What is it that you're getting at?"

Shin wanted to know too, even as he looked down below…If you wanted to hide a ship… "Ah! It's buried!"

"Right." Cell nodded to Shin, happy that the Supreme Kai figured that out. "16…My sensors picked up my child's energy being taken here then going off the grid…Maybe YOUR sensors can pick up where the ship's located. You're more machine than I am…I'd assume our father gave you some technology he even kept from myself given your origin."

Oh he knew. Android 16 couldn't HELP but know what he'd come from. The term father made even more sense given those facts. His eyes narrowed, scanning the area for anything that might indicate ship power…something of any kind of technological advancement would be out of place here. But…he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.

Maybe…Yes they were in the wrong spot. Adjusting his sensors to allow for a broader scan of the area, 16 finally pinged a hit! Even if there was farm land way out here, most technology would be negligible at best but here he was picking up huge seismic activity that didn't match the ecology of their surroundings. Not an earthquake…yet subtle enough they wouldn't feel it under their feet. "We're on the wrong side of the valley! The ship…Is on the other side of the mountain."

They were just about to begin their ascent again when a flash of light came towards them. It was a simple ki blast that just about anyone with basic ki control could fire but it came at them so unexpectedly that 16 was struck right on the side of his face.

Shin cried out in disbelief, believing the attack may have decapitated the android but as the smoke cleared his face was revealed to be undamaged. That said he didn't take kindly to being hit without provocation. "The attack came from the direction of the ship. Reveal yourself."

Hovering above them was Pui Pui. His appearance reminded Cell of Frieza's third form in some respects…Though his body was mostly covered in a strange white armor including his head with a black jumpsuit underneath it. He had a dark M right along his forehead as a smug smile formed over his lips. "Ahahaha you fools. If you couldn't detect THAT attack, then you're out of your league here."

"State your intentions." 16 spoke firmly, though his monotone like voice made it seem much more menacing.

It gave Pui Pui a moment's pause. They didn't seem the slightest bit afraid of him. That thought was daunting to say the least…but then they had the numbers so he just crossed his arms, inwardly believing they were only great long as they fought together. "My master wishes to invite you lot into his ship. You are very important guests. If you decline his invitations then we will just have to be more…persuasive."

Cell's eyes narrowed dangerously. Obviously already in a foul mood after one of his children had been petrified. Threatening his friends was as good a way to meet your maker sooner at the moment as his playful personality remained more dormant within him. Without a word his tail slammed downward into a sizable rock behind him, smashing it into tiny pieces with little effort before he finally rasped. "Then take us. I am tired of hearing your drivel."

Pui Pui gulped. Something about the bug shaped humanoid sent chills down his spine much like they were a snake ready to pounce on it's prey. Who WERE these people? "Aagh…just come along and try to keep up."

He took a head start after gesturing behind the mountain and flew at least a good twenty feet away from the group and directed them towards an obviously unsettled patch of land that was filled with lush green plant lie aside from the land that surrounded an oval like pod that sat in the middle of the field. The ground barren of any life and looking as though it had been disturbed by something that was easily twenty times the size of what they could see.

"No wonder we couldn't find this place…!" Kabito growled out roughly, staring at the disturbed plot of soil as he scanned over it's landscape. "The cheeky wizard buried his ship right INTO the planet."

"So…this is the ship?" As they landed in front of it's upwards sliding door the half saiyan approached it's structure, giving a gentle knock on it with his knuckles. "You're saying the rest of it is underneath here?"

"At least half a kilometer below." Cell answered with his usual raspy voice. "This ship that you're seeing is just the front door. It goes down many floors with our prize being right at the bottom."

That comment caught Pui Pui by surprise as his green eyes bulged in dismay. "You…You know about our plan? How do you know where Majin Buu rests on our ship!?"

"I know a lot of things." Cell waved a dismissive hand, eyes rolling for a minute as he walked right past the Majin possessed warrior and urged the others including him to hop right into the elevator. "I know your master is foolish to invite us into his lair. And I know that you're not long for this world whether you beat us, or not."

Again that feeling of being in close proximity of a dangerous serpent crept into Pui Pui…This time it felt as though the coils were coming in to strangle him tightly…Like he was suffocating under the Android's very presence. This guy…He was not normal.

"You…You're only speaking so confidently because you don't know what we're capable of…! Once we're on the first floor I'll give you a true taste of what I'm capable of!" Pui Pui declared with confidence, tromping forward onto the elevator's lift and huffed even as they felt themselves descending downward into the first floor.

The tension on their way down was obvious. Nobody was laughing, Trunks kept his hand at the hilt of his newly acquired Z-sword. Even Kabito was on his wits end as he kept his hands pressed into his back with Shin wondering how smart entering the lions den actually was.

The only one who remained completely composed without a shred of doubt or worry was 16 who's arms remained crossed the whole way down, eyes closed as his breathing slowed to a calm.

The only sound that could be heard was the sound of the elevator as their platform clicked right into place in their first destination. A wide open spaced room with a teal toned floor made of some sort of metallic alloy. Trunks was the first to test it by stomping his foot on the surface a few times to test it's solidity.

"How many floors are on this ship…?"

"Oh there are four fighting floors. After that would be the main control room followed by the chamber right at the base of the ship's bottom…That's where we'll find and destroy Majin Buu's core." Cell reported without skipping a beat, gesturing to the white pod like door off to the side that was connected to their floor. "Normally, Pui Pui would come right out of that door and greet us and issue a challenge…Right?" He grinned towards the flustered alien.

"Aah uh…Right." Pui Pui grumbled in defeat. Somehow this insect had the schematics of their ship down without any flaw. "Babidi! Would you mind changing the surface to a more suitable fighting space? I wouldn't want to damage your ship."

The diminutive wizard Babidi was sitting comfortably at the command room of the ship, staring through a crystal ball as their 'guests' wandered on into their base willingly. "I don't know WHO that bug is but he'll pay soon enough for spoiling my fun!"

"Pay him no mind." Dabura's bass like tone rumbled beside his master, a smile firmly on his lips. "I have fought their kin…He is no real threat or even a warrior. Let Pui Pui take care of them."

"Ehehm…Right…" Babidi glared at the ball with his wide yellow eyes and stretched his hands outwards towards it "Papara pa para!"

Already starting with the room change. Already a big difference from the past. That said…the biggest break away from Trunks' adventure with Babidi and Dabura is that HE is here too. His children started this by becoming a victim to Dabura's malicious game.

A white light enveloped the group, Pui Pui included as they were seemingly transported to a different world…Soil red, and the gravity denser than it was on earth…This must be Planet Zoon. Pui Pui's home world that was only seen once. Well…Twice…But they shouldn't see Moro at any point in this timeline.

The alien warrior looked right at home, putting his hands to his hips when he stepped away from their guests. He nonchalantly picked up a rock that was resting at his feet and held it in one gloved hand. "Welcome you fools…to the last place you will ever set eyes on! Here on my home world the gravity is 10 times stronger than your pathetic planet earth."

He calls THIS trouble? Cell flexed a hand and found himself thoroughly disappointed. The Time Chamber's gravity was about this much…and the gravity room that Bulma occasionally allowed him to make use of could output a much higher gravity density than this place. He'd have no trouble fighting at all here.

Just when he was about to step forward however, 16 held a hand out with ease, indicating he himself didn't find such a shift in gravity disruptive. "I will fight this one. He struck me…my parameters of self defense fall perfectly under these conditions."

Parameters? Sometimes Cell forgot that 16 was purely machine. Despite the personality and individuality they had, at their core they were what they were. Still…The suddenness of 16's willingness to volunteer surprised him. "Feel free. My prey is deeper in their lair anyway. Someone like him? Not even on my radar…"

"What's that?!" Pui Pui growled in his rebuttal. To be spoken of so lightly…Who were these fools. "Ah…you all think you're big and strong together right? Well I can fight any one of you and crush you."

"One on one." 16 shouted plainly, walking up to Pui Pui without hesitation. "I need no assistance. Start whenever you are ready. But be warned…I will not pull punches. Surrender now while you can."

"Rraaagh enough!" Pui Pui tossed the rock towards 16 who with just a mere tilt of his head avoided it. The alien was gone in a flash though, moving right into the Android's striking zone and landed a handful of punches. Some to the chest, a kick to the leg but through out it, the red ribbon machine remained composed.

Lastly, Pui Pui decided to pull a roundhouse kick right on into his foe's neck. That time 16 moved. Or his head did just a few degrees downward but a quick tilt of his head to glance at the majin controlled being indicated nothing seemed to hurt.

"Is this all you can do? You claimed this world would give you the advantage but you can't even damage my circuitry. My outer shell is undamaged."

"You…WHAT?" Pui Pui stumbled back a few feet at his foe's stoic nature. Nothing seemed to hurt them…physically anyway. "Why you…I'll show you!"

The alien warrior started charging energy into his palms and fired a continuous volley of blast into Android 16, laughing maniacally as he did so. "You see!? This is what happens when you mock me! You're just metal! That's why I couldn't hurt you with conventional attacks. But my Ki blasts aren't conventional! Become scrap under my barrage!"

"Aaaah! Shouldn't we…Shouldn't we stop him?!" Shin turned towards Cell who remained still with his arms crossed. "That's one of your siblings isn't it? You're both androids…Help him!"

That tail twitched once, the needle like tip stopping and pointed upward as he turned his eye to look at Shin without moving his face. "My brother there is not so weak. Isn't that right Trunks?"

Trunks didn't say anything but he knew what Cell was getting at. Of all the androids out there, 16 was the only one that the half saiyan didn't have a hatred for. They tried to stop Cell in the past, and died trying to protect the world. {I hate it when he's right…I hate it even more when I have to agree with him…}

"Ahahahaha! Now then…!" Pui Pui finally stopped his assault on Android 16 so he could wait for the dust cloud to finally settle. "I bet he's nothing but scrap metal now. We needed some spare parts for our ship anyway…Hmmm…?"

His overconfidence was slowly dropping as he caught hint of a rather tall silhouette in the smoke and debris. Even more so it was standing upright. "This…this can't be possible. You're a freak!"

As it finally cleared up, everyone could see Android 16 unharmed. The only thing smeared or damaged was his red ribbon logo which he seemed to purposefully allow to be burned out. He took one heavy step forward, forcing Pui Pui to take one step back. Then another, as they matched one another pace for pace.

"I am…An android designed for the sole purpose of destroying Goku. He does not exist in this world anymore. So my new purpose is to protect the planet earth so it's life can flourish."

He stopped only once Pui Pui was backed into a wall, the pure look of fear on the armored alien apparent when 16 with all the ferocity of a jungle cat suddenly pounced on him, dealing several hard blows into the stomach and face. Each hit reverberated off Pui Pui's body, the impacts heard painfully so as he was driven right into the cliff side.

"NNngh…H-How…? You're on a planet with 10 times the gravity of earth…you shouldn't be able to move this fast…"

" created us with the most durable resources that could be procured on this planet. If a shift in gravity were to deter us, how could we ever accomplish our goal?"

He was already pressing his hands into his armpits, a soft click coming from each wrist as he detached them and revealed what looked to be cannons hidden underneath. "I will finish you quickly. I only did as much damage to you as you have already done to this planet."

There was a warm glow that was coming from those cannons that gave Pui Pui the chills. This was it…this was how he was going to die? He felt angry…Angry and insulted at this twist of fate as he tried crawling out of the hole he was shoved into to get one final dig at Android 16. But it never happened as the light intensified and he was suddenly washed away by a huge blast of energy that scorched his body as if he had flown directly into the sun. He had just enough time to scream his last scream before his body was incenerated in the inferno that was Android 16's Hell's Flash attack.

Sitting there dumbfounded and terrified was Shin and Kabito. The power that 16 just exibited…even as the room started shifting back to normal so that they were standing in the midst of Babidi's spaceship…This shouldn't be possible. No earthling should have the power that Android 16 just showcased just now.

Almost as if he read their mind, Cell grinned smugly towards the supreme kai and spoke in his old raspy voice. "We aren't earthlings. You won't have seen this kind of power the last time you surveyed this planet. We are androids…our power far supercedes anything a mere earthling could conjure up through training."

"I…I see…" Shin swallowed. Thankful that Cell was on their side. He watched as 16 approached the group again after securely tightening his hands back into place. He didn't say anything however, just remained quiet as was usually within the android's nature.

"They…They annihilated Pui Pui like he was nothing…" Babidi was holding the ball in his hand, staring at their invaders with what could only be described as pure terror. One of their greatest fighters…taken down in a flurry of punches and what looked to be just ONE energy blast.

"Pui Pui was weak…Depending on who you send out to the second level they will not have such an easy time about it. Why don't you send your favorite pet down to the second floor…? Isn't it almost meal time?" Dabura suggested, a sinister smile creeping on his face.

"What?!" Babidi snapped in his usual demeanor when things weren't going his way. He took a moment to process what Dabura had suggested before the lightbulb moment came in his head. "Oh! OH YES YEES! It is that time isn't it? Alright then…"

He looked down over his crystal ball, his calm returning followed by the sinister laughter that accompanied those that were foolishly overconfident. "Yes…I'll send HIM in. He'll leave nothing but bones of this group…!"

The wizard's laughter filled the halls of the ship, to which even Cell was able to pick up from above thanks to his Namekian hearing. The next floor was going to be amusing…Hopefully Trunks was up to the task.

(To be continued.)