Talking With a Monster

by RoxaShadow

Set in the dark timeline. Due to a chance encounter, Android Eighteen is left with a feeling of doubt that leads her to question her and her brother's way of life. In a desperate search for answers, she finds herself turning to the one man who she never expected to harbor anything but hatred towards her. Son Gohan. Android 18 x Gohan

33. Chapter 33: New Monsters

Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to Akira Toriyama, the man who made this whole journey possible. His legacy is one that will never be forgotten.

---

-Cell-

What…happened?
With an audible snap, Cell felt the violent jolt of his neck reconnecting to the rest of his spinal column. With tiny rocks still tumbling down atop him, the bio-android's foggy mind did its best to recall the events which had left him splayed out in the center of a large, splintered crater. The pounding in his head made it hard to focus, producing a groan of pain from Cell as he attempted to push himself back to his feet—only to stumble when he noticed his leg had snapped at the femur.

The limb gave out, and Cell found himself crumpled to one knee.

I've taken significant damage…

He frowned, before his eyes narrowed to slits. That had been the plan, hadn't it? Cell had been expecting to be blasted out of the sky…and had also been expecting to take Gohan down along with him. Was this not simply the aftermath of such a brutal exchange?

But…shouldn't I be more damaged than this?

Judging by the scorch marks littering his carapace, the shattered and fractured bones he could feel in various places within his body, alongside the bruises he could feel nearly everywhere, it was obvious that something had to have gotten in the way of such a calamitous attack. Otherwise, Cell was almost certain he would have been reduced to little more than a body and a head—had he been lucky.

Cell grimaced as he felt his body beginning to regenerate itself, restoring burned and scraped skin in some areas and snapping bones back into place in others. Finally, Dr. Gero's ultimate creation shuddered as he felt the last of his wounds mend themselves just in time for the pounding in the back of his skull to cease.

His thoughts now unclouded, Cell's amber eyes snapped open with alarm.

Eighteen!

Instantly, Cell's memories flooded back to him, reminding him of the fraction of a second before Seventeen's attack landed when he caught a flash of blonde hair out of the corner of his eye. In the next instant, the vile android managed to collide with Seventeen's attack mere moments before Gohan's most calculated, most certain demise.

Cell's body began to tremble before ultimately crumpling to his hands and knees. His body tensed, his fingers forming fists in the ground as his shoulders trembled with seething rage.

Arrogant, Ignorant, insolent, impudent, pathetic, conniving, ill-bred, BITCH!

With a roar, Cell lifted his fists before slamming them down with enough force to feel himself sink deeper into the ever growing crater. Snarling, Cell pounded his clenched hands again and again, feeling the earth below rattle as the ground splintered in all directions like a spider's web.

With a final slam, Cell flung his head back, letting out a livid roar that died in his throat in a matter of seconds, his voice cracking as his cry transformed into a somber whimper. Despite his wounds having healed, Cell fell back to the ground, his head pressed against the cracked Earth as the reality of the situation set in.
That…was our final chance…

Cell had no delusions about he and Seventeen's chance of success now. Killing Gohan and overwhelming android Eighteen had been Cell's last shot at victory. He sagged, not even bothering to check his ki reserves, already knowing what they would resemble. Cell had suffered too many wounds, too many times had his body been forced to recover from an injury that would have otherwise left another on the brink of death. What chance did he and his brother have now that he was so weak Cell was uncertain if he could even fend off a wounded Triceratops if it came down to it. The android predicted he would be virtually useless in the battle ahead, leaving Seventeen to confront Gohan and the ever infuriating android Eighteen by himself. Considering those odds…

…Is this…it?

A sharp, strange sound off in the distance jerked Cell's head in that direction. His head cocked as he stared off toward the odd commotion. It was as if he were listening to a large ocean wave crash against a shoreline—which made absolutely no sense this far out into the forest.
After a short matter of puzzled moments, Cell's eyes snapped open wide as he heard the distant sounds of Seventeen's agitated voice somewhere far away in the sky. By what Cell could hear, it sounded like Seventeen was confronting one of their loathsome enemies.

His gaze shifted to the air, scanning the cloudline before finally landing on two figures in the distance—one of which was virtually dismantling the other in with a flurry of brutal, unrelenting attacks.

Cell felt anxiety climbing up from his stomach as he squinted, trying—and failing—to distinguish through the darkness of night which was which in this display of utter punishment. Apparently, the explosive results of Seventeen's attack had sent Cell too far a distance for his enhanced eyes to compensate.

Is that Seventeen, or Eighteen winning?

Somehow, earlier in the battle, Eighteen had managed to land such a devastating blow that the entire left side of Seventeen's face had been left demolished. If android Eighteen had somehow learned how to wield such a level of power, it frightened Cell to consider what she might do to Seventeen when left alone.

Immediately, Cell scrambled to his feet before taking off in a sprint. His limbs were tired and sore, his body bruised and exhausted, and no doubt his ki reserves were pitifully low at this point—but Seventeen was in trouble, and that was enough to fuel Cell's limbs as he raced toward the sounds of battle.

I will be there soon, Brother…and I…will do what I can.

Cell predicted he knew what was to come. If this really was to be the end…then at the very least he could do it fighting alongside his brother.

Wincing with anticipation, Cell finally searched within himself to discover what remained of his ki reserved following the aftermath of so much pain.

What he found…perplexed the bio-android.

My power…has grown?

Cell felt a swell in his chest as he assessed the power that laid dormant within. Somehow, someway, his ki had grown greater than it had ever been before. Despite his close calls with death, despite having to regenerate so many times Cell had lost count, his full strength had returned to him and then some.

How is this even possible?

The confounding thought nearly stopped Cell in his tracks as he tried to make sense of it. His desire to aid Seventeen overwhelmed such a narrow minded consideration as he instead flooded his body with a ki reserve that shouldn't exist, but did. Deciding to accept this new found energy, his feet lifted off the ground as he took flight, whizzing past trees and bushes alike but refraining from breaking the cover of the treeline—in case he might have the opportunity to catch one of his enemies off guard.

Where is this power coming from?

Now in full flight, Cell considered what was happening to him. He'd nearly died more times than he'd like to count, so how was it that he had recovered with even more ki than he had before?

I should be weakening from my wounds…and yet, something about this battle is bolstering me?

Cell raked his mind searching for answers, seeking something in his biology that would explain such a phenomenon.

My Namekian Biology? My Saiyan Biology? Surely not my human biology–

Cell's eyes widened as his mind returned to mere days ago, when he'd been forced to regenerate from just his head after his first battle against Trunks and Gohan. Cell knew such a demanding experience should have rendered him weak and feeble, but the very opposite had proven to be true. His power had grown considerably, and Cell was beginning to suspect that he was discovering a trend.

Interesting…

It appeared to Cell that, whenever he regenerated from a wound that would outright kill a mere mortal, he would return even stronger?

Dr. Gero…I am forever astounded by your genius, even now.

Finally, Cell understood. As long as there was enough of him to regenerate, he would always come back more powerful than he had before. He believed the phenomenon was somehow related to Saiyan biology, but that train of thought was derailed as Cell realized he was closing in on the conflict ahead. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the darkness of the night sky start to shift, the stars beginning to fade as the soft glow of the morning sun started to slowly climb its way above the horizon.

A short distance away, Cell could see the shores of a small lake far above which he could now distinguish Seventeen and Eighteen's battle raging on. To his delight, it was more than evident that Seventeen was winning. The sight almost made Cell wince.

He is really not holding back.

The sounds of Eighteen's body rapidly crunching beneath Seventeen's fists followed by her sharp cries of agony left Cell breathing a sigh of relief. The bio-android halted before he breached the treeline, descending to the ground before his feet skidded against the soft dirt still a short distance away from the Lake. He descended into a crouch, preferring to remain hidden since Seventeen seemed to have a handle on things for now.

It appears matters are less dire than I thought.

With Eighteen being thoroughly demolished, the last threat left to them was Son Gohan.

Perhaps I can intercept him before he stops Seventeen from finishing the job.

The smallest shred of Cell's instincts suggested that he take Eighteen now, absorb her and take another step toward perfection. But, that would give away his position, and he had no doubt that Gohan was still lurking in the area.

I will find another opportunity…

Assuming the demi-saiyan had been weakened to a similar degree as he from Seventeen's attack, Cell predicted the battle ahead may be swayed further in their favor than he'd previously thought. Pushing out his senses, Dr. Gero's final creation scanned the forest, searching for even the slightest trickle of Gohan's ki signature in case the demi-saiyan was attempting to hide from—

—Suddenly, Cell felt as if he was standing before the seething radiance of a burning sun. His search for Son Gohan ended as soon as it began as instantly Cell felt himself bathed in boundless waves of wrathful, wild, seemingly limitless ki—all of which was coming from a single source.

Son Gohan?!

Cell staggered back, overwhelmed by the colossal power he was feeling such a short distance away—It was evident that Gohan had found the lake as well!

Cell's thoughts began to panic as he gagged, feeling as if his senses were drowning within the vast ocean of power that was discharging from Gohan like a forever detonating nuclear bomb. Each pulse of Gohan's ki felt like it was threatening to rip Cell apart just for standing here, but had refrained because Gohan had not turned his attention to Cell, yet.

The bio-android stumbled as the earth beneath his feet began to shake, becoming an earthquake that forced Cell to his hands and knees. Trees began to tumble all around Cell, the winds becoming a whipping whirlwind as the clouds above began to circle around the lake—and the source of such incalculable power. Dr. Gero's final creation watched in terror as everything around him began to quake, reacting to the unfathomable force that was unleashing itself upon the world.

Cell felt frozen in place as he remained on his hands and knees. His mind raced, sweat running down the side of his face as he stared wide eyed, considered the absolute monster he and his brother were about to face.

A frigid shiver ran down Cell's spine as terror overwhelmed his reason. Dr. Gero's final creation felt numb as the first rays of the morning sunrise finally eclipsed the horizon.

---

-Trunks-

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, C'MON!" Trunks roared furiously as he shot across the sky as fast as his wounds would permit. His aura thrashed against the fabric of his denim jacket with milky white flames as he flew, making a beeline straight for where he'd last felt Gohan's ki before it had suddenly flickered out. Internally, Trunks prayed to Kami that meant that Gohan was simply being tactical by hiding his ki signature…and not that one of Trunks' greatest fears had just come to fruition.

"Why isn't it working?!" The demi-saiyan screamed, his fingers bawling into white knuckled fists as he tried once more. Trunks' remaining eye tightly clamped shut, his entire frame trembling from effort as he tried to draw back to two distinct memories.
Peni is right behind you about to die and you need to save her, Trunks!

The demi-saiyan felt a tightness in his chest, his anger building, but not exploding how he needed it to.

You just felt Mom's terror from across the world and you know if you don't get there in time, it will be too late!
Again, the rage from before blazed to life, but its flames were not hot enough to ignite Trunks with the golden fire he'd been hoping for.

Trunks growled, hit teeth gritting and grinding before warmth began brimming behind his eye.

Gohan…

The teen stole a quick glance where the precious pouch containing the very last senzu sat clenched in his fist.

Trunks knew that, given his current speed, he wouldn't be arriving back at the battle for several more minutes. If Gohan wasn't able to last long enough for Trunks to get the senzu bean to him…

The tightness in Trunks' chest magnified, the fear, the terror, the horror of losing his brother beginning to overwhelm him just before–

As if struck by a lightning bolt, Trunks stopped in his tracks, his eye growing wide with alarm.

Gohan?!

Trunks couldn't comprehend what he was sensing. Before, Gohan's energy had been withering, still impressive, but waning as the battle waged on. Now? Trunks realized that he couldn't even gauge how powerful Gohan was anymore. Even compared to himself in Super Saiyan, the ki Gohan was erupting with made Trunks feel like a small fry.

"How…?" Trunks murmured, slack-jawed. The teen remained floating in the sky, his blue eye unblinking as he stared, dumbfounded at what he was sensing; waves upon waves of overwhelming ki washing over him like a tsunami slamming mercilessly against a shore line.

Finally, his brow furrowed.

Why does Gohan…feel like that?

Despite knowing that the energy radiating off of Gohan like the heat of the sun was in fact from the same man Trunks knew as his master…it felt…different, somehow. Trunks had sensed Gohan's ki spike in battle more times than he could count, and every time without fail the teen sensed Gohan's courage, his bravery, his selflessness and grit emanating from the warrior; like the hero Trunks knew him to be.

What he was sensing from Gohan now, however, felt dark, as if the energy had been tainted by something foul. Trunks could almost taste the boiling fury of Gohan's rage from how loathsome and vengeful his ki signature had become, as if his master had been somehow infected with the intent of a murderer.

Trunks felt a cold shiver run down his spine. He'd never felt anything like it from Gohan before.

Redoubling his efforts, the teen produced a sonic boom as he continued his flight towards the battle. Whatever had happened to Gohan, Trunks was beginning to suspect it wasn't good. A deeper part of Trunks feared if he would even be able to do anything to help Gohan considering the power he now had. Regardless, his brother was in trouble, and that was enough for Trunks to continue forward.

Almost there, Gohan!

Trunks thought with a determined grimace as he saw the beginnings of a dense, green forest coming into view. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the beams of the rising sun caressing the land with its warm glow.

---

-Yajirobe-

The old Ronin shuddered as he stood, staring out of the cracked panel window of the Brief's living room. His eyes stared, unblinking, toward the enormous explosion of energy he'd just felt erupt from Gohan.

What the hell?

The unfathomable power left him leaning against the wall, breathing heavily as he felt beads of sweat roll down his face.

"What are you doing?"

The old ronin jumped from the small voice suddenly at his side. Whirling around, Yajirobe breathed a quiet sigh when his gaze fell on the small blonde girl from earlier. He thought he remembered her name being 'Peni'?

Scowling with annoyance, the ronin turned his back to the girl, shifting his attention back to the window. "I'm seeing how the fight is going." Yajirobe had taken it upon himself to track the battle and keep everyone updated. Bulma and Erasa had stood by for a time waiting for updates, before the pair offered to make a meal for everyone and left. Focusing, Yajirobe could already tell that Trunks had nearly made it, and that something big had just happened to Gohan.

"How're you doing that?"

Yajirobe gave her a sideways glare. He did not want to be playing babysitter right now. "It's a technique. Energy sensing. Now, don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Nope." Peni said with a shrug. "Mom said it's best to stay here until things aren't so crazy." The young girl's head slowly lowered, her lips pulled into a frown until her blue eyes turned to Yajirobe once more. "Hey…things are…pretty bad right now, right?"

Yajirobe merely nodded.

"...Worse than the androids?"

Yajirobe paused, before slowly nodding again and preparing himself for more questions. Much to his surprise, his answer seemed to satisfy Peni's curiosity as she fell silent. After a couple minutes, Yajirobe was certain the girl had moved on to some other task until he heard Peni's quiet voice surprise him once more.

"...Is everything going to be okay?" Peni whispered, her voice trembling as she spoke. "Are…we going to be okay?"

Yajirobe's hardened scowl softened as he turned to look over his shoulder. The innocent curiosity in Peni's eyes had been extinguished, revealing true fear as Yajirobe noticed tears beginning to brim along Peni's eyes. The sight made the old ronin pause, considering his answer. He wanted to convey hope to the small child, someone unfortunate enough to have been born into this apocalypse, and so had always known the fear of death could be around any corner.

Despite himself, despite the cruelty of the situation, Yajirobe couldn't find the strength to lie to the small child. He could only imagine how many times she'd been lied to before, from people hoping to hide her from a reality all too apparent. "I…don't know." he finally answered, honestly. The energy he was feeling from Gohan was absolutely incredible, unlike anything he'd ever felt before…but, it was also so dark, and decrepit. If this was truly what Gohan had become…then Yajirobe couldn't be certain that the world would be safe once the young saiyan finished with the threat he now faced.

Wanting to bring some light to the cruel situation Peni was facing, Yajirobe added, "But… I still have hope."

---

-Eighteen-

Ugh…

Eighteen felt the brutal, stabbing impact of Seventeen's fist driving itself into her abdomen, causing a concoction of oil and blood to burst from Eighteen's lips. The android tried to release a sharp cry of pain, only to discover herself gagging when she found her lungs had been completely drained of air from Seventeen's attack.

"Fight back!" Seventeen demanded as he slammed a devastating right hook into Eighteen's cheek. The attack came so fast Eighteen hadn't even been able to see the punch coming, only registering the injury once her entire body twisted violently followed by her consciousness beginning to rapidly fade. When the black spots eventually dwindled away, Eighteen found herself hanging limply by her throat, gripped tightly within the hand of Seventeen's cold fingers.

"Why the fuck aren't you fighting back?! Do you want to die?!" Seventeen roared next to his sister's ear. She barely had enough energy to wince as the sharp sound of her brother's voice disturbed her eardrum.

Eighteen's head lolled to the side as she felt Seventeen's grip tighten around her neck, her arms and legs left to hang limply in the air. Eighteen's half lidded eyes drearily absorbed the sight of her mangled body below. Her right arm had been bent and snapped in the wrong direction alongside the entirety of her abdomen being dented and bruised with layers upon layers of engravings from Seventeen's fists decimating her now crumpled and broken form. If only to add to the absolute agony of the experience, the entire right side of Eighteen's body was still charred and blackened from the intense attack she'd prevented from killing Gohan, her leg still melted from the knee down to expose wires and metallic bone. The result meant that each one of Seventeen's merciless strikes felt like lava melting through her skin time and time again.

Hold…on. I…have to hold on…for Gohan…

Eighteen felt her resolve harden once more as she stiffened, holding back tears. She knew each second she held off Seventeen meant another second Gohan had to escape. A part of Eighteen wished she still had the power to sense Gohan and know whether or not he'd managed to escape yet. She supposed it was only fair that even such a bare consolation would be denied to her, even after everything. The uncertainty only served to drive Eighteen's desperation to hold out for that much longer.

The android winced as she endured one of her eyes stinging from the stream of blood and oil spilling from the top of her skull, before finally opening her split lips to suck in a strangled breath of air. "...No… I don't want to die."

Seventeen's unrelenting attacks finally paused as he registered his sister's answer, "Really now?" he scoffed, "Because, you're definitely not proving it!"

"I don't…want to die…" Eighteen repeated in a whisper, struggling to maintain consciousness as black spots began rapidly filling her vision once more. It was clear to the android that her time was almost up. "But…sometimes…there are people… who are more important to save…than yourself."

Seventeen recoiled, his face disgusted as he snapped, "WHAT? What the actual fuck are you talking about?! Do you realize how idiotic you sound right now, Eighteen?!"

Feeling the last of her energy slipping away, Eighteen internally hoped that she had wasted enough time for Gohan to get away. She had only managed to last a matter of minutes…but she knew how slippery Gohan could be when he had a head start.

Eighteen looked to the brightening sky, hoping that, somehow, some way, the man she loved would hear her message.

Be strong, Gohan. I know you'll figure a way out of this mess. You always do.

The sensation of the calm, pleasant breeze running through her hair, the warmth of the gently rising sun against her skin, even the plethora of wounds littering her body; all of it felt numb to Eighteen as she regarded what she was certain to be her final moments.

"Did you fucking hear me, Eighteen?! I asked you a damn question!" Seventeen spat against her face, snarling with a viciousness only magnified by his darkened and mutilated features.

Looking upon the horrible monstrosity that her brother, her very twin had become…curiously brought back memories of before all of this had begun. Eighteen's mind traced back to before Dr. Gero's demented transformation changed them forever, before they were troubled teens running the streets, before even they had known that something was 'wrong' about them because they didn't have parents. It had been the only time in their lives when life felt…almost normal.

She remembered being seven years old.

Eighteen's mind returned to the times when they would read fairy tales to one another before they went to bed…because there had been no one else there to read to them.

All those fairy tales always started the same…

Sensing the very last of her energy slipping away, Eighteen reached out with a trembling, broken hand and gently placed it against Seventeen's cheek. "Once upon a time…wouldn't you have done anything to save…me?"

The snarl of Seventeen's mangled face disappeared, his eyes growing wide as his disturbed expression stared back into his twin's eyes. Eighteen watched as her brother's lips opened to speak, but no words came out.

Eighteen sucked in a strained breath, noticing her brother's grip easing around her neck as she continued. "Once upon a time…I know I would have done anything to save…you." She gasped, finally gaining a deep breath through Seventeen's laxing grip. "That's why I started this whole journey…to try and save…you."

The softness in Seventeen's eyes hardened to diamonds before his grip tightened and he spat, "Really now? Is that the case?! You did all of this?!" He waved his free hand to the broken and shattered forest around them, before finalizing his gesture with a finger pointing directly at his missing eye. "For me?"

Eighteen's tired gaze slowly blinked before her arm fell away, weakly clasping against the arm Seventeen was currently using to strangle her, even if his fingernails were no longer digging into her throat. "...Yes…I did." she gasped, her vision finally fading away as the weight of her head became too heavy to keep up. "I hoped…I could stop us…from…this."

Seventeen sucked in a tight breath, his head recoiling as if he'd been struck.

"I guess… I failed." Eighteen let out a soft cough, feeling herself finally slipping away. Knowing she had no more time left, Eighteen let herself admit the truth. "But…it's better this way…Now. I finally got to fight…for someone…who actually deserves it."

Seventeen's rage returned in full, his eye igniting with fury as he drew back a fist. "You mean that limp dick, stumpy, condescending asshole, Blondie?!"

Knowing what would come next, Eighteen breathed the words: "Goodbye, brother". Accepting her fate, Eighteen felt the world around her clouding into darkness as the last of her vision dimmed.

Goodbye, Gohan.

The wind whistled as Eighteen listened to Seventeen's punch drive straight toward her face, knowing all the while she wouldn't survive it—

—Only to discover…the fist never landed.

What…?

Her vision impaired, Eighteen found herself forced to rely solely on her other senses. The android felt the grip on her throat relinquish almost entirely before a rush of wind across her body and an arm gripping around her waist told her that she was being carried somewhere fast. Far off in the distance, Eighteen heard the startling boom of a devastating impact.

What is happening?

After a matter of seconds, Eighteen felt the sensation of the cool, soft grass on her backside as she was laid down, gently.

Still trying to piece together exactly what was going on, Eighteen's attention slowly shifted to the side when she heard a cold voice full of animosity speak, "I need you alive."

Eighteen's eyes snapped open wide and alert as she felt a rush of ki like she'd never felt before flood through her systems, rejuvenating her with so much energy it almost felt like she was about to burst.

The android winced as she turned her head—her mouth still sore from how hard Seventeen's fist had cracked jaw—but what she saw made Eighteen gasp with panic.

"G-Gohan?" she murmured, staring, dumbfounded at the man before her.

Crackling lightning encased the massive, golden eruption of flame enveloping Gohan's rigid form as he stood with an arm reaching out toward Eighteen that fell once the energy transfer was finished. His golden locks of spiked hair had sharpened, leaving only a single, defiant strand which hung before two, cold, emotionless, teal-colored-eyes. Eighteen felt as if she were laying next to a supernova from the incredible torrent of unrelenting ki rolling off of his person. Despite everything she was seeing, all of it paled in comparison to Eighteen when she studied the look in Gohan's eyes.

It was the look of a monster.

"W-what happened to you?" Eighteen stammered, feeling a building terror swell in her chest the longer Gohan's hollow, death–filled gaze stared back at her.

He didn't answer. It was as if he wasn't even looking at her anymore, more like he was staring through her into an abyss that Eighteen couldn't perceive. If she didn't know any better, Eighteen might have thought that it wasn't even Gohan standing before her anymore.

"I'll deal with you later." Gohan…? Said with the same icy, tone that made Eighteen shiver. It didn't even sound like him…not anymore. The hardened, grizzled warrior with a heart of gold was gone, replaced by something even Eighteen knew to fear through instinct alone. He turned his back to her, slowly lifting his head towards the sky before moving in a blitz of speed so fast it appeared as if he had simply vanished.

Eighteen stared at the place Gohan had stood for a matter of moments that felt like an eternity as she tried to piece together what she had just seen.

P-pull it together, Eighteen!

Even if Gohan was acting…concerningly, that didn't mean she could leave him to fight alone!

With desperation, the android attempted to push herself up with her good arm to a sitting position. The endeavor left Eighteen releasing a sharp cry of pain before collapsing back to the ground in a heap. Doing a quick self-assessment, Eighteen realized her legs were completely shattered since no matter how much ki she pushed into them would yield a response. As if to compliment her brokenness, Eighteen noted that her right arm was following suit as it dangled uselessly along her side. It didn't take long for Eighteen to determine, even with Gohan's energy managing to keep her alive, her body was still too broken and beaten to even function properly anymore. Eighteen scowled, doubting she would be able to do much of anything in the coming battle ahead.

Not to mention my ticking clock…

It was only after she laid her head back down in the grass that the android noticed that something was wrong in the form of an object gripped around her throat.

Eighteen scrambled, feeling her body jolt in pain from the sudden movement as she panicked. Reaching up with her only functional arm remaining, Eighteen ripped away whatever it was that had still been clutching her neck. Wincing, Eighteen managed to toss the item several feet away before watching it roll through the thick grass and finally come to a stop.

Eighteen sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes becoming pools of white as she stared with horror.

Laying obscured in the grass, still spilling out a dark crimson mixture, was the severed hand Seventeen had been closing around her throat.

---

-Seventeen-

"..."

[A_critical_error_has_occurred]

[Restore_sequence_failed]

[Shutting_down]

"..."

[Auto-reboot_sequence_initiated[]

"...!"

[Critical_damage_detected]

[Restore_sequence_initiated]

"...!"

[A_critical_error_has_occurred]

[Restore_sequence_failed]

[Shutting_down]

"..."

[Restore_sequence_initiated]

"...!"
[Recurrent_error_detected]

[Restore_sequence_Bypass_Procedure_Initiated]

[Reboot_sequence_initiated]

W-wha…? W-Where…?

Seventeen's vision was swimming through a tsunami as he slowly shifted from where he'd impacted, face first, with the ground. Glancing over his shoulder, Seventeen could see that he'd carved a deep and devastating gash through the Earth's crust that had only ended due to the now decimated hillside that had cushioned his impact.

How…did I get here?

The last thing he could remember was preparing himself to finally put Eighteen out of her misery, to finally put an end to the nightmare that had become his life ever since his sister's betrayal. He had been so, so close when…when…?

Seventeen growled as he struggled to think past the unrelenting pounding within his skull before cursing his freshest injury to go away. The rest of his wounds and scrapes littering his body felt overshadowed by the unbearable throbbing Seventeen could feel pulsing from the back of his skull, nearly leaving the rest of his injuries feeling numb by comparison.

Fuck, does this hurt.

Despite his wounds, Seventeen knew he didn't have time to waste. He immediately attempted to push himself off of the ground, pressing his hands beneath him before—

—A blood curdling scream exploded from Seventeen's lips as the tender exposed flesh of his left forearm sunk into the recently scored soil, pressing shattered bone and torn muscle against the unforgivingly jagged and graveled surface. The sensation felt as if a lightning bolt were shooting up and down his arm, from Seventeen's shoulder all the way down to his wrist—where the flesh of his arm abruptly ended.

Unable to mask his pain, Seventeen rolled onto his back, clutching what remained of his wrist in an effort to stop some of the darkened crimson beginning to gush out in bloody spurts. After writhing on the ground, gasping and fighting back tears from the sheer agony of his mistake, the pain eventually subsided enough for Seventeen to feel his thoughts begin to return.

Sitting up, Seventeen hesitantly lifted the remains of his left arm for inspection. His final eye was bloodshot and unblinking as he saw without a shadow of a doubt that the appendage had been completely ripped off, leaving nothing but empty space in its place.

"T-this can't be happening, not again." Seventeen stammered, his vision blurring.

He had just got his other arm repaired, just been fixed back to one-hundred present…and now…

Seventeen felt warmth running down the side of his cheek as he processed what he was seeing. Before he could consider how or what had stolen his hand away, a sinister voice over his shoulder ended that train of thought.

"There you are."

A deathly chill shivered down Seventeen's spine. Immediately, the android jumped, his shoulders tensing as he heard the voice of Blondie somewhere behind him. In an instant, Seventeen had scrambled to his feet, careful this time to avoid any unnecessary pressure to his injured wrist before whirling around to face Gohan once more.

"You want some more, Fuck Fa-" Seventeen's defiant words died in his throat the instant his gaze locked onto Gohan's hardened glare.

W-what? Is…is that still…Gohan?

The person floating above Seventeen certainly resembled the man the android had spent the better half of a lifetime tormenting, but something was…off. Gohan's demeanor, his body language, and most of all, the look in his eyes had all gone through a transformation Seventeen couldn't quite put his finger on. Without realizing it, Seventeen found himself taking an instinctive step back, his shoulders beginning to tremble with a bubbling fear he couldn't seem to shake no matter how hard he tried.

C'mon, Seventeen! Get it together! Look. At. Him! Blondie has never been in worse shape in his life! You just unloaded a fully charged Power Blitz straight into him! He's probably barely staying up right now!

A cursory glance at Gohan's wounds supported Seventeen's theory…but the longer he stared at the man, the less certain Seventeen became. The top of Gohan's gi had been completely torn free, revealing a grizzled chest littered with more cuts and bruises than Seventeen cared to count. The pants of Gohan's gi appeared to be just barely surviving with the fabric now coated from grime in some places and torn beyond repair in others, leaving one of Gohan's legs bare from knee to boot which revealed even more injuries. The wounds raked across Gohan's torso left smeared, crimson marks staining his skin—some of which were even still bleeding as Seventeen examined closer, though it didn't appear as if Gohan were giving them much mind. Sure, it seemed like Gohan's hair was a little bit sharper than usual, the flame of his aura just slightly bigger, but what did that matter?

Wait, is he…sparking? Did he always do that? How did I never notice that before?

Everything Seventeen could see about his opponent was telling him that Gohan couldn't possibly be any weaker than he was right now…everything, except the venomous glint in Gohan's eyes.

If looks could kill, Seventeen was pretty sure he, along with every single living soul unfortunate enough to be behind him for the next one hundred miles would be wiped out of existence, instantly.

"You're alive. Good." Gohan's tone was low, his voice no more than a deadly whisper as he gradually descended to the disheveled ground below. "I was afraid I hit you too hard." Seventeen felt frozen in place despite his nerves screaming at him to run. Gohan's boots gently touched the ground only a few paces from where Seventeen stood rigid. The Super Saiyan's lips pulled into a sinister smile as his teal eyes narrowed on Seventeen, "Now, it's time for everything else you deserve."

Pull it together, Seventeen!

Summoning as much false bravado as he could muster, Seventeen forced a sneer to his lips as he found his voice. "W-what? You think I'm scared of some d-dumbass about to collapse? Well guess what—"

An eruption of pain unrivaled by anything Seventeen had ever felt before buried itself straight into his gut, forcing a spray of bloody spittle from his lips as Seventeen felt the air in his lungs wheeze out all at once.

The android's vision began to darken as he instantly doubled over from sheer agony. Gagging for air, Seventeen never made it to the ground as his head found a shoulder, Gohan's shoulder. The Super Saiyan stood stiff as he kept his arm buried into Seventeen's abdomen.

I didn't even see him move!

Seventeen gasped for breath, but none came as Gohan's fist continued to dig deeper into his midsection. "I'm really tired of your voice." Gohan said with a sinister growl. "So, you're just going to listen for now. Understood?"

Seventeen, still gagging for air, attempted to push himself away from Gohan's impaling fist—only to feel Gohan abruptly shift in response, driving his fist even further into Seventeen's solar plexus before violently twisting, lifting Seventeen overhead only to slam him right back down with a calamitous crash that cracked Seventeens skull against—

"..."

[A_critical_error_has_occurred]

[Restore_sequence_failed]

[Shutting_down]

"..."

[Auto-reboot_sequence_initiated[]

"...!"

[Critical_damage_detected]

[Restore_sequence_initiated]

"...!"

"-ey, hey, wake up. You don't get to die. Not yet."

Seventeen's eye fluttered open as he tried to take in his surroundings through the thick fog clouding his mind. His exhausted gaze found Gohan standing above him, a boot placed squarely against his chest and completely pinning him to the ground. Seventeen's head slowly shifted to regard the dust settling around them, discovering that they were now in a crater deeper than either of them were tall.

Gathering that he'd suffered a fresh concussion at the very least, it was hard for Seventeen to remember what or where or how or…? Seventeen's tired gaze turned back to the Super Saiyan standing above before his cracked lips croaked out, "Are you still…Blondie?"

A slow sigh escaped Gohan's lips as he regarded Seventeen with a weary look. "I've always hated that nickname."

Seventeen didn't even see Gohan's boot lift before it came back with so much force the android immediately felt his cybernetically enhanced sternum and ribs crack. The crater engulfing them grew abruptly as Gohan's foot sank the pair even deeper into the Earth, leaving Seventeen wanting to scream in pain only to have all the air in his lungs abandon him once more.

Seventeen's remaining hand clawed desperately at Gohan's unforgiving heel, but it was as if Seventeen was feeling the weight of the entire world pressed against his ribcage. Seventeen found himself unable to budge even an inch.

Gohan sucked in a deep breath, before sighing with a malicious, satisfied sneer. "That's better. Are you listening now?"

Seventeen felt saliva dribbling down the side of his cheek as he coughed up his response.

"Good." Gohan continued, the pressure of his foot only intensifying against Seventeen's chest causing the android to silently squirm and writhe in pain. "Now then, I'll explain exactly what is going to happen to you."

Seventeen felt a new horror blossoming through his mind as he listened to the Super Saiyan stomping against his ribcage.

"We're going to play a little game. Don't worry about learning the rules, you already know them." Gohan's eyes narrowed to slits before his smile slowly melted away to form a thin line. "I've heard stories. Stories…from people who barely survived you…and your sister." Gohan had to turn away, his eyes clamping shut before he continued through gritted teeth. "Stories… about all the horrible, twisted ways you two would…'play', with your victims."

Seeing Gohan seemingly distracted, Seventeen's panic fueled him to thrash beneath Gohan's boot in a desperate attempt to free himself—only to feel his eye nearly bulge out of its socket when Gohan's foot immediately sunk Seventeen even deeper into the shattered Earth.

"Those horrible…demented stories." The Super Saiyan spoke as if he hadn't even noticed Seventeen's attempt at freedom, not missing a beat as he continued, "Stories about how you would torture and mutilate, how you would blind and dismember your victims, all the while ensuring that they stayed alive all the way up until the very, last, second." Gohan's eyes slowly reopened with a far off look as if he gazed into an abyss only he could see. "So many stories…" he finally murmured under his breath.

What the fuck is happening?! What even is he now?!

Seventeen felt his blood run cold, his entire body quivering with terror as his head snapped side to side, searching frantically for help. His bloodshot eye scanned the treeline desperately for his brother, Cell, to somehow appear with a plan to save them like he always did.

"I listened…I listened to as many as I could because I felt like it was my responsibility to. Listening felt like my reconciliation for never being able to stop you two. I felt so…so guilty, so I listened, hoping to at least take a little bit of the burden off of their shoulders. Though, in the end, it felt empty, pointless, only serving to force those poor people to relive the horror you and Eighteen put them through." Gohan blinked, his eyes refocusing as a sinister grin pulled at the corners of his lips. "Now, I finally see the reason I needed to hear all of those stories."

The little air left in Seventeen's lungs managed to pump out a quiet gasp as Gohan's foot lifted before slamming down on Seventeen with enough force the android felt himself bounce against the packed earth like a soccer ball. The explosion of pain against his already cracked ribs and sternum left Seventeen seeing black spots as a spray of bloody spittle flew from the android's lips. Without a moment to recover, Seventeen felt his neck almost snap from whiplash as Gohan's cold, iron grip snatched him by the throat before he ever made it back to the ground.

Seventeen's limbs fell limply at his side, exhausted. Blood and saliva dribbled down his cheek as Gohan lifted him into the air, his fingernails digging into Seventeen's jugular.

"Because, now," Gohan said with a grin, his eyes wild and deranged as they fell on Seventeen, "I get to reenact each and every one of them…with you." Gohan's grin widened as his grip hardened around Seventeen's throat, "So, are you finally ready to 'play'?"

No…not like this…

Seventeen thoughts felt numb as he struggled to remain conscious, his precious life blood still pooling on the ground at their feet. The fear of death, however, kept him awake as Seventeen began gathering the last of his strength, gritting with bloody teeth before he glared at Gohan. Thrusting out his remaining hand, the hand his brother had made for him, Seventeen snarled before a rose–tinted explosion erupted from the palm in a wave of energy that enveloped Gohan completely. Watching his attack land, head on, blossomed a new hope in Seventeen's chest that he might actually be able to get out of this situation alive.

That was, until he noticed that Gohan's grip around his throat had only grown tighter, his forearm flexing as it disappeared into the wave of destruction enveloping the Super Saiyan.

W-what? No fucking way!

Seventeen growled, intensifying the wave of annihilation as he thrashed against the fingers still clutching his throat with a grip that might as well have been made of steel.

Still writhing against the nails stabbing into his neck, Seventeen froze when he watched the rose–stained energy shift before Gohan leaned forward. His head emerged from the wave as if from a pool of water, his nose stopping inches away from Seventeen's broken one. The android felt his body trembling as Gohan revealed a face both completely uninjured, as well as wearing a malevolent grin.

"Are you done yet?"

Fueled by terror and desperation, the pale scarlet energy of Seventeen's beam dissipated before he cocked back his fist and took aim at Gohan's jaw.

To the android's delight, he finally felt the grip on his throat relinquish—

—but only because that same hand had just caught Seventeen's fist inches away from Gohan's chin. Seventeen's mouth slowly fell agape, his eye unblinking as Gohan's gaze regarded the android's hand with an almost casual expression. Gohan twisted the fist clenched within his fingers, forcing Seventeen into a crouch as his arm was painfully rotated until the android thought he might be hearing the sounds of his shoulder joint tearing.

Seventeen let out a sharp cry of pain as he felt tears beginning to brim his eye.

"You and that monster you call brother went through so much trouble to get this…" Gohan muttered beneath his breath as he considered the android's fist with half-lidded eyes. Pursing his lips, he shrugged. "Too bad."

Seventeen felt Gohan's grip tighten around his knuckles and instantly realized exactly what was about to happen. Panic filled Seventeen before he looked frantically to either side, searching again for help before realizing all at once that the crater Gohan had made with his own body was completely blocking either of them from view of the outside world. Seventeen felt himself begin to shake with fear, his vision swimming as tears began trickling down his cheek. All of his options exhausted, Seventeen finally turned to Gohan and desperately shouted, "Gohan, please!" The Super Saiyan paused, his grip no longer tightening as Seventeen finished with a whimper, "Please, don't do this."

The Super Saiyan's eyes shifted away from the android's fist before meeting Seventeen's fearful gaze. Seventeen's remaining eye was puffy and bloodshot paired with snot and blood running down his face from an absolutely decimated nose. The android knew that he must look absolutely pathetic from Gohan's point of view, and hoped that might be enough for the Super Saiyan to show mercy. Gohan was supposed to be the 'good guy', right? The 'good guy' wasn't supposed to torture and mutilate people, right?

For a brief, blissful handful of moments, Seventeen felt hope.

That hope died when Gohan started laughing. The sound was harsh and hollow, dark and cruel and devoid of any joy that should be there. When The Super Saiyan finally recovered, his smile had melted away to reveal a merciless, compassionless, unfeeling scowl.

"Now, that's the spirit."

Seventeen let out a blood curdling scream as he felt his hand implode within the Super Saiyan's crushing grip. Bones and metal alike bursted out between Gohan's fingers before, all at once, Seventeen felt his hand pop like a grape. The pain was excruciating as Seventeen staggered back, finally free of Gohan's grip as his body shook from the agony it had just endured. Seventeen clenched his teeth as he back peddled, his eye screwing shut as he tried not to be overwhelmed by his mutilation. With a cry of alarm, the injured android stumbled against the curve of the crater before finding himself on his back. Taking several deep breaths, Seventeen finally built up the courage to look at the horror of what he had just suffered.

He opened his eyes…and whimpered.

Raising his trembling arms, Seventeen sniffled, before finally breaking out in a sob as he stared, horrified, at the two bloody stumps where his hands had once been.

"There, that should make you easier to handle."

The crunch of footsteps snapped Seventeen's attention to where Gohan was slowly approaching him, his fist now coated, and dripping with crimson. The android wanted to run, but knew there was nowhere to run to. He wanted to hide, but he knew there was no hiding from this…this…

Monster…

Seventeen pushed his back up against the side of the crater, whimpering fearfully as Gohan finally closed the short distance between them and spoke; his voice calm and empty. "Now then, let's continue."

---

-Eighteen-

"This…is agony." Eighteen groaned before turning her head and spitting out a mouthful of blood and more teeth than she cared to see. Despite her best attempts, Eighteen found it impossible to ignore the pain. The tender aches of her broken arm and legs—now numb and limp—were constant and unrelenting. The stabbing throbs within her chest and torso—where Seventeen had unleashed a brutal flurry of blows—told Eighteen that it would probably be easier to count how many of her ribs weren't broken than otherwise. Eighteen's jaw still stung from where one of Seventeen's wild haymakers had cracked her across the face, and that was on top of all the burn marks running along her side which definitely didn't appreciate being pressed against the coarse dirt and grass.

However, none of those wounds compared to the true source of Eighteen's agony.

This… is worse than at Bulma's place. Hell, I think this is even worse than Dr. Gero.

Eighteen slammed her fist into the grass beside her, ignoring the painful complaints from the rest of her body. At least when this had happened at Bulma's, Eighteen had been able to talk to someone. When it had been Dr. Gero pulling the strings, at the very least Eighteen hadn't cared about anything or anyone besides her brother and herself.

But now?

Eighteen grimaced, revealing bloody teeth as tears began to blur her vision. Once again, Eighteen found herself trapped, but this time, instead of a detainment pod or a life preserving cable connected at the skull, Eighteen found herself a prisoner of her own, useless, broken body!

"Work damn you!" The android shouted at her own legs, her thighs trembling from the effort to get moving again, only for Eighteen to release a cry of defeat before falling back, deflated. Eighteen wanted to be out there with Gohan, fighting Cell and Seventeen and ensuring that neither got the better of him; she wanted to get up and fight to help protect all the people she now loved and cherished, and most of all, she wanted to get up and fight to get back Gohan from…whatever force it was that had stolen him. If nothing else, Eighteen hoped she could do that much.

His ki feels so…twisted and hollow now. So…so hollow…

Eighteen shuddered, studying the energy gifted to her by Gohan with intense focus. Sure, she could sense him from across the lake, his ki roaring like a blazing inferno, but—as she had learned from her time training with Gohan—ki transferred always revealed more about a person than ki sensed. What Eighteen could sense disturbed her more personally than she would have liked. As she regarded Gohan's ki flowing through her systems…the android found it had a dangerously close resemblance to her own artificial energy.

If Gohan doesn't snap out of this…

Eighteen released a shaky breath. If this Gohan was unleashed on the Earth, then even she and Seventeen would pale in comparison to this new monster now set loose on the world.

Eighteen's thoughts were abruptly cut off by a piercing scream of pain and anguish from somewhere across the lake. Her brow furrowed as she thought she recognized the voice.

Was that…Seventeen?

It had sounded like him, but Eighteen had never heard him scream like that before. The terror in his voice was palpable, and only rivaled by the second and third howls of agony which confirmed Eighteen's suspicions that it was her brother's voice. Judging from where Eighteen could still sense Gohan's ki…it wasn't hard for her to put two and two together.

Despite herself, despite having already made peace with Gohan killing Seventeen tonight, that didn't make her skin crawl any less upon hearing the sounds of her brother's wailing screams of pain as Gohan…as Gohan…

Eighteen forced her eyes shut, not wanting to envision it, not wanting to even hear it as she pushed her head to the side, using the grass to smother one ear as she pushed the palm of her hand against the other. Fresh tears began to trickle down her face as she trembled, knowing that soon, she would no longer have a brother. The only sensation she couldn't smother was that of her ki sense which could still feel each and every time Gohan's energy spiked, delivering yet another brutal, painful attack against her—

Eighteen's eyes snapped open, her gaze darting to the side where the shore ended and the treeline began. A fraction of a second later, Cell came bursting from the shrubbery flaring his power to its zenith. Eighteen gawked at Cell's ki, sensing that he was now stronger than the horrid abomination had ever been before. A white aura enveloped Cell, thrashing wildly as he rocketed forward, heading straight toward her.

Eighteen felt her chest tighten, knowing she was trapped as she recalled one of the first things Cell had ever said to her.

"I'll…devour you…and then…we'll become…whole."

Now armed with more context from Trunks' encounter with the Cell, Eighteen felt like she had an idea of what Cell intended to do to her. Seconds seemed to stretch to minutes as time slowed, leaving Eighteen to realize she only had mere moments to figure out a plan which sent the cybernetic enhancements of her mind working overtime. If Cell wanted to absorb her like he did Trunks, then that meant that Eighteen had to ensure that didn't happen in any way she still could. Whatever Cell wanted was almost definitely bad for…well, everyone she imagined.

But, I can't even move! What can I do to stop…!

Cell was no more than an arm's reach away when Eighteen finally understood what she had to do. With a defiant snarl, Eighteen positioned her hand against her chest as she waited for Cell's stinger to appear.

Come and get it, Cell! Bon-appetit! And, while you're at it, why don't you enjoy a bite of the bomb Dr. Gero put in my chest?!

Eighteen's palm began to glow with radiant energy as she prepared to sacrifice herself—and hopefully take Cell with her. She internally prayed that the bomb Dr. Gero had installed to keep Seventeen and her in check would be enough to finally finish off the seemingly unkillable bug. Regardless if it worked, Eighteen refused to let Cell get his way, no matter what she had to do to stop him.

Not like it will matter very soon, anyway.

Despite the bountiful supply of ki Gohan had transferred to her, Eighteen could feel her internal clock ticking away at a rapid pace. She could only assume the damaged internal parts Bulma mentioned had taken even more of a beating from Seventeen's merciless assault. Gauging from how quickly her body was tiring…Eighteen predicted she might have ten, maybe fifteen minutes left?

At the very least, I can do this to help you before I go, Son Gohan.

Time sped back up as Eighteen made her decision, awaiting the inevitable. The android tensed, sucking in a tight breath as she prepared for oblivion, watching as Cell flew above her—

—and then straight past her.

Eighteen blinked in disbelief, dumbfounded as she released the breath she forgot she'd been holding.

"What?!"

---

-Cell-

Damn my cowardice!

Cell cursed himself for being so petrified by terror that he'd been unable to even take a step once Gohan revealed his true power. It had only been Seventeen's wails of excruciating agony that finally broke Cell free of his mental prison.

The bio-android shot across the lake, his aura thrashing at the waves to part and make way. A tiny voice in the back of his head attempted to demand that he turn around and go back to absorb Eighteen, to succumb to his genetic programming and finally complete his ultimate goal of perfection! Cell knew what he was supposed to be doing, he was supposed to stop, grab Eighteen, and complete the slow, tedious process of absorption—all the while Seventeen is killed.

Taking a page out of his brother's robust vocabulary, Cell growled, muttering to himself. "Ultimate objective my ass."

Cell pushed Dr. Gero's preprogramming to recede to the back of his mind, shoving it so far away it became no more than a faint memory. It was easier now, especially given how many times he'd been forced to ignore it before. Now, finally, Cell could focus on forming a plan around what remained as his only true objective.

I must save Seventeen!

Cell was closing in on the crater he'd tracked Gohan's enormous energy to, knowing he would find his brother there as well. The building nerves in his stomach made the bio-android grit his teeth. Despite his determination, Cell still didn't have a plan of attack to overcome the overwhelming force that Gohan presented. Cell knew his power had grown considerably, enough so that he was almost certain he could even compete with android Seventeen at full strength with the aid of the Kaio-ken. Such strength was formidable, Cell knew, but compared to what he now had to face…

Perhaps if I overtax the power of the Kaio-ken, I can land a lucky enough strike to gather Seventeen and get away. Though, considering the pain, anything past Kaio-ken times two would likely overwhelm me...If only I still had access to the power of the Oozaru…

Something itched at the back of Cell's mind as he considered the idea, an itch that seemed to grow as he focused…

Cell's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Seventeen's sharp cry of misery paired with a brutal snapping sound from just over the lip of the crater.

"Get the fuck away from him!" Cell roared as he finally cleared the lip of the massive cavity in the ground, his eyes darting to the center of the enormous crater as he prepared for battle.

The bio-android came to a halt, his pupils becoming slits of darkness dividing seas of amber as he stared, wide eyed with shock. For the very first time in Cell's life, he found himself horrified by what he saw.

Standing at the base of the freshly formed basin was Son Gohan, his back turned to Cell with his hand clutching the throat of android Seventeen. The android's head had lulled to the side, his jaw visibly broken from the painful way it now hung off-axis, his clothes now shredded and bloodied. Dark, oily crimson pooled at their feet as Seventeen hung limply, only the slightest trace of consciousness registering from his half-lidded, lapis-colored eye.

Cell would have questioned why his brother wasn't fighting back—if not for the painfully obvious reasons.

Each and every one of Seventeen's limbs had been severed at their joints, leaving each bloody stump dripping with crimson that continued to grow the bloody pool at their feet.

Cell felt sick at the sight.

Gohan lazily glanced over his shoulder before his eyes landed on Cell. "Oh, you're here." His voice was monotone and emotionless as he turned back to Seventeen, though still clearly speaking to Cell. "I'm almost done here. Just wait your turn."

Cell watched in horror as Seventeen was lifted higher into the air, Gohan's fingers closing slowly around Seventeen's jugular as a subtle movement caught Cell's eye.

Seventeen, his bleary, half-conscious gaze finally locked onto Cell's as he mouthed a single word: help.

Cell didn't wait an instant longer. Throwing caution to the wind, Cell roared, "Kaio-ken times three!"

The bio-android exploded with scarlet flames, every muscle in his body screaming in anguish as he rocketed toward Gohan like a burning bullet. Cell had to fight back tears as his body felt like it was bathing in the center of the sun. Each and every fiber of his being was ablaze with a heat so scorching that Cell was almost afraid he might melt before he ever reached Gohan. The world smeared like a paint brush against a canvas as, despite the pain, despite the horror, Cell charged the monster holding Seventeen.

Moving fast enough that Gohan didn't have time to respond, Cell cocked back a fist and unleashed the strongest haymaker he had ever loosed directly into Gohan's cheek—

—Before letting out a sharp cry of pain as his knuckles crunched against Gohan's adamant jaw.

What?!

The overtaxing power of the Kaio-ken bled from Cell all at once as he stared, dumbstruck. His mouth fell agape as he gawked, unblinking at his fist still pressed against Gohan's cheek. From what Cell could determine, all his punch had managed to do was tilt Gohan's head a little to the left.

A slow, annoyed sigh escaped Gohan's lips as he regarded Seventeen. "You don't mind waiting, do you?"

Seventeen didn't respond.

"Good." Gohan dropped the brutalized android who clattered to the ground, helplessly. Cell almost moved to catch Seventeen, before he caught Gohan's teal eyes dart to himself with a dangerous glint.

The Super Saiyan spoke slowly, his voice dripping with menace as he said, "Did you not hear me the first time?"

Cell gulped.

Gohan became a blur as he spun, unleashing a spinning hook kick so brisk Cell didn't even see the boot until it cracked against his chin. Instantly, Cell felt his jaw dislocate as he was sent careening up and out of the basin, flying hundreds of feet into the air with black spots filling his vision.

Dazed, Cell struggled to reorient himself as he hurtled through the sky like a ragdoll. After several disorienting seconds, the bio-android finally managed to stabilize himself, flipping upright before whirling back around to face the crater he'd been sent from. He tensed as he saw just how far Gohan's attack had sent him, noticing that he was now hovering so far above the lake that clouds were drifting past him.

"I don't like repeating myself."

Spinning back around, Cell felt a shiver run up his spin as he found Gohan floating mere feet away. His glare was shooting daggers through Cell like he was a pincushion.

He was not there a second ago!

Gohan continued, his face entirely masked of emotion. "So, I'm only going to say this one more time."

The Super Saiyan disappeared before Cell, only to reappear with his knee nearly impaled through Cell's solar plexus.

"Wait." Gohan growled.

Before he could even process the first attack, Cell felt the side of his crown snap off as Gohan's elbow crashed into his temple.

"Your."

His vision swimming, his abdomen stabbing with pain, Cell didn't couldn't even tell up from down if he tried.

"Turn!"

Thankfully, the hammer fist into the top of Cell's head made the difference brutally clear. Cell listened to the sound of his skull crack before he was sent hurtling head first down to the lake far below. Dr. Gero's final creation let out a shrill cry of panic as he collided with the surface of the lake rising up to meet him, his body impacting with a sickening splat as—at these speeds—the water may as well have been made of concrete.

The water swelled as Cell broke through the surface, finding himself completely submerged before slamming against the bottom of lake with such calamitous force Cell felt the entire lake rumble before it ruptured. The water enveloping Cell abandoned him all at once to form a geyser the size of a mountain, leaving him nearly dry as he stared up in awe at the water above him.

Then, it all came crashing back down.

Hundreds of thousands of gallons of water came rushing back down on Cell with a crushing force. The bio-android found himself screaming as he was swept away by the power of the wave, the violent torrents slamming Cell against boulders and logs alike as he was thrashed beneath the brutal currents.

Finally, after being trapped so long that Cell began to question if he would ever enjoy the sweet taste of air again, the currents calmed enough for the bio-android to begin making his way to the surface.

Cell burst from the lake, showering the shoreline with water droplets as he clawed his way onto the sandy beach, wheezing with every desperate gasp of air.

"Everything…hurts…" Cell rasped as he rolled over onto his back, his chest rising and falling in pain as he felt his wounds beginning to mend. Far above, a glowing speck in the clouds seemed to nod down in approval before zooming back toward the crater where Seventeen remained.

No…

Despite the wounds racking his entire body, Cell didn't wait for them to heal as he staggered before forcing himself back to his feet. His skull was still pounding from Gohan's attack, but the bio-android did his best to ignore it as he desperately tried to come up with something, anything to stop Gohan before it was too late.

The Kaio-ken did nothing! Son-of-a-bitch! What else can I do?!

Cell's mind raced as he ran through all the abilities he still had. Demon wave? Explosive wave? Cell knew neither were powerful enough. The Makankōsappō? Perhaps, but Cell knew that he would need minutes to charge up enough energy to actually cut Gohan down, minutes Seventeen didn't have.

"Fuck!" Cell roared, clutching the sides of his head before redoubling his efforts.

The Kamehameha Wave? The Galic Gun? Photon Flash?

Cell felt himself begin to tremble as he fell to hands and knees, realizing all at once that none of his attacks would be strong enough to even scratch Gohan, not anymore. The bio-android felt himself at the border of tears, before a familiar itch began nagging at the back of his head.

The Oozaru form…

Cell straightened as he focused, trying to draw upon whatever genetic instinct was trying to aid him in his time of need. Screwing his eyes shut, Cell extended his palm as he attempted to center himself, searching within for the ability that seemed to be screaming out to him now.

It's…a form of energy…

Cell felt his hand beginning to hum with ki, a small, snow-white orb forming within.

But…it needs to resonate…at a specific frequency…

Cell grunted, his brow furrowing as he struggled to manipulate the ki in the way it wanted, realizing as he did that what he was forming in his hand wasn't an attack, but something else entirely.

Come…on!

Cell began trembling from his efforts, sweat running down the sides of his face as he concentrated everything he had into completing this bizarre ball of ki that he knew would somehow, someway turn the tides of battle.

"Please!" Cell begged to the sphere of energy forming in his hand as it warped and shifted to accommodate the bio-android's demands. "Work!"

The ball of ki hummed to the frequency Cell was resonating, reflecting a radiation that almost resembled the moo—

Cell gasped as his focus broke, the sphere of ki dissipating all at once before he crumpled to the ground, heaving from the strain.

No…no, no, no!

Cell slammed his fists into the beach, sending a spray of sand and debris scattering around him.

This technique…it is too complex for my current stage of evolution…

Cell growled, understanding all at once that there were in fact limits to his abilities at this stage. Perhaps if he were another step closer to perfection, or perhaps if his mind and power were greater, Cell predicted he would be able to access the full extent of his genetic abilities.

But now?

Cell threw his head back, letting out a furious roar that echoed through the trees. His voice cracked, the fire in his stomach withering as his voice transitioned into a wail, and then a sob as he collapsed back into the sand. The bio-android pressed his head against the course ground, slamming it over and over into the soaked sand overwhelmed by frustration.

Soon…it will all be over…

Cell stretched out his ki senses, discovering that Gohan had just arrived back at the crater to finish the job.

The bio-android took a shaky breath before whimpering, "I'm so sorry…my brother. I…couldn't save you…!"

Cell's head snapped up, his eyes as wide as they could be as they darted to the clouds, his ki sense detecting a new presence drawing close. He stared, astonished at the blue sky before scrambling to his feet, his heart thundering in his chest as he realized a new opportunity had just arrived.

Hold out just a little longer, Seventeen!

Cell felt the fire in his stomach blaze back to life. Raising two fingers to his forehead, Dr. Gero's final creation prepared to enact his final plan.

He growled, murmuring beneath his breath with venom laced in his words. "An eye for an eye…"

---

-Gohan-

Finally.

Gohan's lips curved into a crooked grin as his boots crunched against the earthy bottom of the crater, prompting Seventeen to flinch from where he lay still crumpled on the ground nearby.

"Good. You haven't bled out yet." With a casual stride, Gohan closed the distance between them before kneeling and forming a fist into Seventeen's hair. "I was afraid I wouldn't get the chance to say goodbye."

Seventeen whimpered helplessly as Gohan painfully ripped the android into the air by his scalp. The Super Saiyan sneered as he faced Seventeen with an aloof, uncaring expression. The android's face was so demolished it was hard to tell if the thing in Gohan's hand was even Seventeen anymore—not behind all the bruising, swelling, and blood now obscuring his features.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Gohan knew that what he was doing was technically wrong. Hell, the Super Saiyan was even willing to admit that what he'd done to Seventeen was demented, gruesome, morbid, even. He knew that such a cruel and brutal sight would have normally made him recoil in disgust, or at the very least look away in revolt. Instead, Gohan pursed his lips, considering, before a dark smile split his face once more.

"You know, it's funny." the Super Saiyan began in a low tone, "Do you remember what you said to me…the first time I took your arm?"

Seventeen didn't respond, his eye clamped shut in a painful grimace as the rest of his severed limbs dangled uselessly at his sides.

"Well, I remember." Gohan continued, curtly, "You said you were going to 'rip me apart limb from limb' and then beat me until I was 'black and purple'." he snickered, "So, is this–" Gohan slowly twisted his wrist back and forth so that Seventeen rotated as if he were on a display case. "–what you were picturing?"

Again, Seventeen didn't breathe a word of response as he dangled pathetically from the Super Saiyan's grip.

Gohan's smile slowly melted away before it was replaced by a deep, loathsome scowl. He released an annoyed sigh before dropping Seventeen back to the ground with a sickeningly wet thud.

"How sad." Gohan grumbled, "I was hoping our little game would last for a while, you know, for old time's sake." He clicked his tongue, shaking his head like a disappointed parent. "But, if you're not gonna play, then what's the point?"

Gohan slowly lifted a palm pooling with dangerous golden energy. "Rot in hell, Seventeen. I know they'll have a spot prepared for you. Die knowing the only thing you deserve is more than what I was able to do to you today. Thankfully, it looks like your 'brother'," Gohan sneered at the term, "Will manage to keep the game going a little while longer than you."

"Don't…you…fucking…dare…" Seventeen's voice slowly wheezed out.

Gohan paused, his eyebrows hitching in surprise.

Oh?

The light slowly dimmed from Gohan's palm as the sinister smile from before crept back up the corners of his mouth.

Did I just figure out how to get him to keep playing?

Gohan lowered himself to a crouch before leaning over Seventeen with an amused smile. "Oh yeah? And why shouldn't I?"

Seventeen growled, his teeth clenched as a flame ignited behind the android's glare. Trembling from the strain, Seventeen began to use what remnants of his arms were left to begin pushing himself up until he was sitting at eye level with Gohan. Despite the situation, the android's snarl was more viscous than Gohan had ever seen it.

"Because I'll fucking kill you if you try."

Gohan felt his mouth drop, finding himself stunned for several seconds of complete silence. After the shock wore off, the demi-saiyan couldn't help but throw his head back and laugh.

"Really, now?" Gohan bellowed incredulously, before tipping forward and driving his knee straight through Seventeen's femur, snapping in half what little remained of the android's thigh bone and splattering his orange pant-leg with even more crimson. "And how do you plan—"

A sharp, earsplitting scream erupted from Seventeen's lips as his thigh bent backward.

"— to do that?" Gohan continued with an amused smile.

Seventeen fell back, gasping as tears rolled down one side of his face. The fire in his eye was all but gone, leaving behind a desperate look that regarded Gohan wearily.

For a moment, Seventeen's face twisted into a snarl, his lips curling back defiantly as he took a breath to continue his false bravado.

Then…it all melted away as the android's head fell, his shoulder's drooping. "...I don't." he let out a shuddering sigh. "But…you have me…and I'm the one you want, right?" Seventeen looked back to Gohan with a face so wrought with despair, with fear, with concern that Gohan found himself taken aback. "I'm the one who played all those 'games' with you, not Cell!" Seventeen continued, tears rushing down his face. "I'm the one who helped hurt you all those times, who took your arm, who taunted and insulted you for years! Not him, me!"

Gohan found himself at a loss for words, staring dumbstruck at the sight before him.

"I'm the bastard who tortured you! I'm who made you feel like less than human! I'm the one who helped kill all of your friends, who has been slaughtering humans by the hundreds of thousands for the better half of a decade! It's me you want, isn't it?!" Seventeen's voice cracked as he screamed.

Gohan parted his lips to respond, but failed to find his voice. Instead, Gohan merely nodded, his brow furrowed by what he was seeing.

"Then please…Son Gohan." Seventeen begged, "Spare him. Capture him, lock him away, hell, do whatever you did to Eighteen to make him stop killing, I don't care!" Seventeen's body shuddered, his eye clamping shut as he took several deep breaths, clearly trying to push down the agonizing pain stemming from nearly every inch of his body. "Just…please don't make Cell pay for my mistakes…" he paused, before blinking open his eye and slowly meeting Gohan's gaze with a hardened look, "Or Eighteen's mistakes. Don't forget…her list of evil is just as long as mine.

Gohan felt his head slowly hitching to the side as he stared at Seventeen, his mouth slightly agape, his eyes narrowed to slits as he examined the android with an unblinking gaze.

…Huh…

It wasn't the fact that Seventeen was so trying to save Cell that left a strange, bubbling sensation of uncertainty in the pit of Gohan's stomach. It wasn't even the fact that Seventeen was trying to push Eighteen into the same line of fire as himself; The Super Saiyan was more than familiar with all of Eighteen's horrible deeds, and had already planned to deal with her…later.

No…it was the desperation in Seventeen's voice, the way he was talking that was slowly causing the bubbling sensation within Gohan to boil over.

His…voice, his tone, his expression…it's…it's all so…

Gohan's eyes blinked open rapidly before finding himself staggering backward. The Super Saiyan stumbled as he struggled to get his legs beneath him before taking several strides away from the bloody heap that was android Seventeen.

It's all so Human.

As if being revived, something within Gohan's chest began to stir back to life. The Super Saiyan tore his gaze away from Seventeen's mutilated form as his breathing began to grow erratic. Gohan felt a wave of panic overwhelm him as his mind raced.

He's not human! He's not even a person! He's a monster that deserves everything that he's getting right now!

But…the way Seventeen begged, the way his voice cracked as he pleaded for the life of someone he cared for, the selfless negotiations Seventeen was undergoing…

"L-look," Seventeen coughed out from over Gohan's shoulder. "I doubt it'll mean much coming from me…but if it'll make you spare my brother…" Seventeen took a deep, strainful breath, "I'm…sorry for what I did, to you…to…everyone. I'm…sorry."

Gohan snapped his attention back to Seventeen, staring with eyes unblinking as he tried to process what he'd just heard the android say. Gohan felt like his mind was twisting around itself, strangling itself in the same way a serpent tangled by its own body would. The dark, loathsome desire to laugh in Seventeen's face before continuing their little game raged within, battling against another force that Gohan struggled to identify as he grimaced.

What the hell…is wrong with me?!

Gohan buried his face into his hand in frustration, digging his palm into his eye socket before wincing, sensing something salty and wet stinging his eye. Pulling his hand away from his face to stare down at his fingers, Gohan felt himself go numb.

His entire hand, all the way up to his elbow, was completely and utterly drenched in blood. Gohan shuddered, feeling the same crimson running down the side of his face now, dripping off of his chin as he stared down at his scarlet stained fingers. All at once, Gohan was finally able to distinguish the force within trying to stop him from continuing his torturous game, struggling to bring him back before he did something…he would never come back from.

His humanity.

The Super Saiyan grinded his teeth, snarling as his mind tore itself into two voices, one: loud and menacing, raging and thrashing to justify continuing its rampage. The other: quiet, and calm…barely even a whisper.

He deserves it all! He did this very same thing to so many people…and so, so much worse! There's no one more deserving than him!

Perhaps…he does…and perhaps…there is no one more deserving of this…

Gohan's fingers curled into a fist, his knuckles still dripping with crimson.

Exactly! There's no justifying showing mercy to such a disgusting—

But…wasn't the entire point of this long battle that has lasted far too many years…to make sure that no one ever had to suffer like this again?

Gohan felt his blood run cold. Looking down at Seventeen, Gohan would have assumed he was staring at a corpse if not for the barest, subtlest hint of movement from the android's straining breaths. The Super Saiyan grew still as, subconsciously, he began to compare what he had done to Seventeen to all the android's victims he had seen across the years. It didn't take him long to come to a chilling realization.

This…this is somehow worse.

It wasn't that Seventeen or Eighteen had never left a person in such a horrible, maimed and mutilated state; they had left dozens, maybe hundreds. It was the fact that every person Gohan had ever seen…this done to…had already long since been dead. The people the android's mutilated were actual humans, not super powered androids that could shrug off an injury that would outright kill a normal person. No other soul would have had to endure such excruciating and agonizing torment for more than a handful of seconds, maybe a minute, if that person was unlucky and didn't bleed out soon enough.

Seventeen, on the other hand?

Gohan stared down at the trembling, limbless form of android Seventeen as a hollow feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. How long had their…game been going? For how long had Gohan been forcing Seventeen to suffer through a pain unlike any other? Trying to recall, Gohan had an unnerving realization that he had lost track of time. The memories were all just one long blur.

The intense desire for revenge, the raging inferno roaring to complete his vindication, the yearn to continue with their game…all began to bleed away. Eventually, all Gohan found himself left with was the hollow void that consumed him with mortifying shame.

"...What am I doing?" he said with the faintest of whispers.

Gohan shuddered, clamping his eyes shut as he was forced to look away from the grotesque, bloody corpse of Seventeen that was still somehow wheezing out breath.

What…happened to me?

For the first time since he'd tasted this power now flooding through him like an unstoppable, roaring current, Gohan finally regarded the unrelenting energy with a tepid consideration. Staring down at his arm, Gohan could see electricity rippling off of him as if he were a malfunctioning fuse box, his golden aura thrashing around him as if he were the beginning of a raging bushfire. It felt as if his ki had managed to swell until it became twofold, transforming him into what Gohan began to slowly realize was a form even beyond Super Saiyan. Never before in his life had he felt someone, anyone more powerful than he was now as he stood before Seventeen. It was overwhelming, to say the least. His body felt strange as Gohan made the connection that, as he was now, there wasn't a single soul on the planet that could hope to rival his power.

The realization…frightened him.

"...What's wrong, G-Gohan?" Seventeen's gurgled before spitting out blood. Sneering with missing teeth, he added, "Finally…coming down f-from the power high?" His bloody grin split wider. "F-fun, ain't it?"

Gohan set his jaw. Releasing a deep breath, he turned back to Seventeen, who flinched in response.

He stared down at Seventeen for a time that seemed to stretch on for eons, all the while considering if Seventeen was deserving of his next set of words. After battling with himself for more time than he would have liked…Gohan knew what he had to say, if not for Seventeen's sake, then for his own.

"I'm…sorry." Gohan murmured, dully.

Seventeen blinked, his crooked jaw falling in shock. "W-what?"

The emptiness inside left Gohan feeling like a shell of his former self despite the magnitudes of power rolling off of him. With a somber expression and a grim frown, he raised his arm to present his open palm to Seventeen.

"I am not sorry that you're about to die. You definitely deserve death. There is no question." Gohan winced in shame, before gritting his teeth. "I am sorry…for putting you through what I did. No one deserves what I did to you…no matter how much weaker they are."

Gohan' hardened gaze locked with Seventeen's remaining eye, watching the android stare with first confusion, and then recognition of what he was being compared to. A dark laugh escaped Seventeen's lips as he fell back, letting himself rest in the pool of crimson enveloping him. "Huh," his eye opened gradually, staring up at the clouds rolling past overhead with a look full of consideration, and reflection. "Maybe…just maybe…you might have a point…"

Seventeen was basked in golden light as Gohan's palm filled with energy, preparing to finally end the android's torment. Seventeen let his head rest against the rocky earth, closing his eye as a peaceful expression enveloped his face. The android adjusted the best he could, shifting into a comfortable position against the lip of the crater before he let out one long sigh and accepted his fate.

Recalling what Seventeen had asked of him earlier, Gohan considered his response. "As for your brother…" Gohan watched Seventeen perk up, subtly cocking his ear in Gohan's direction, "...I'll see what I can do."

Gohan caught the subtlest of smirks from the android before he said, "That's pretty fair, I guess."

"Goodbye, Seventeen."

Seventeen scoffed, before smiling back at Gohan with an expression that almost seemed…reverent to the Super Saiyan. "Goodbye, Son-"

"GOHAN!"

Gohan jumped, whipping his head around to face the roaring voice of Cell from somewhere over the lip of the crater.

"What is he–!" Gohan felt himself go rigid with horror as his ki sense spanned out all around him, instantly picking up multiple ki signatures—one of which had been charging up their ki significantly.

The other, however?

Trunks?! What the hell is he doing here?!

Instantly, Gohan spun on his heel before rocketing out of the earthy basin with so much force a small mushroom cloud erupted behind him.

Clearing the lip of the crater by several dozen feet, Gohan found himself floating in the air before snapping his attention to the side of the lake where he could sense a dangerous amount of energy swelling to its zenith. There, standing at the shore of the lake—less than a hundred feet away—was Cell with two menacing fingers crackling with energy pressed against his forehead.

Gohan's gaze flickered to the sky, where he could see the growing speck of Trunks drawing closer as his white aura propelled him through the air.

When his eyes darted back to Cell, Gohan registered pure, loathsome contempt written across Cell's unnerving features.

The bio-android took a deep breath before he roared, "If you take my brother away from me—"

Gohan produced multiple sonic booms as he raced forward, hoping to close the distance between them before Cell could unleash his attack. The world blurred around him as he cut through the air, exploding with so much speed it was almost hard for Gohan to control.

"Then I'll take yours away from you!" Cell's voice cracked.

Time seemed to crawl to a halt as Gohan finally managed to close the distance to a mere handful of feet, his arm reaching out to grab Cell's forearm and stop—

"Makankōsappō!"

Gohan felt his heart drop as Cell's arm straightened, pointing those two lethal fingers into the air milliseconds before Gohan crashed into him, slamming the pair into the soggy shoreline with an earth rumbling impact.

Cell groaned, appearing disoriented from the collision as he gingerly shifted on the ground, but Gohan didn't give the bio-android a even spare glance as his attention snapped to the sky—

—and saw a spiraling lance of golden and violet death streaking away from them, slashing across the sky like a lightning bolt aimed directly for Trunks.

---

-Trunks-

When Trunks felt Cell's energy begin to surge in the distance, the demi-saiyan's efforts to arrive sooner only grew with desperation as he had immediately assumed the attack was meant for Gohan.

Now that he could see the crackling violent energy growing closer, his mind couldn't register why?!

That's too much power!

Trunks felt his stomach drop, realizing all too late that the beam of rippling energy was aiming for him as it appeared to split open the sky in a flash of light, crossing the great distance between them almost instantly. Trunks knew it was too late to dodge, too late to do anything but hastily raise his arms up to brace himself and hope it would be enough. Although, considering how much power was radiating from the attack…Trunks knew the odds weren't in his favor.

Squeezing his remaining eye shut in a tight grimace, Trunks prepared himself for what he prayed to Kami would not be the end. The sound of crackling destructive energy arrived moments before the pain did, warning Trunks of his impending doom less than a heartbeat away from crashing straight into him—

—Only to jump, when a blast of air slammed into his face milliseconds before an arm pulled him into a hard embrace. Trunks' eye snapped open an instant before he gasped.

"Gohan?!"

Trunks only barely managed to steal a glimpse of his master as the Super Saiyan wrapped himself around Trunks, pulling the boy to his chest as he braced for—

The teen felt the air wheeze out of his lungs as the concentrated blast of calamitous energy slammed into Gohan's back, transferring only some of the kinetic force through Gohan—but that was enough. Trunks thought he might have felt some of his ribs crack, simply by impact alone, leaving the teen no false impression that he would have survived such a lethal attack by himself.

The pair were carried back several meters as Trunk listened to the growling roar of pain rumbling from his master as Gohan took the brunt of the beam straight on. The sound of sizzling flesh filled Trunks ears as the beam attempted to eat straight through the Super Saiyan, but failed in its mission as it finally dissipated, having at last expended its energy.

Trunks watched in shock as Gohan let out a shuddering gasp, his breathing ragged as he leaned his head against the teen's shoulder—struggling to catch his breath. From over Gohan's shoulder, Trunks could see faint smoke tendrils rising from his master's back. The scent of cooked flesh nearly flipped the teen's stomach over, but Trunks forced the nausea down, for Gohan's sake. Considering how much Trunks could feel Gohan trembling, he could tell that the pain was likely excruciating.

"G-gohan?" Trunks stammered nervously, "Are you okay?"

His friend didn't respond immediately, still taking deep, greedy gasps of air prior to his infuriated glare snapping upward, locking onto Trunks with a hardened resentment before Gohan shifted his gaze back over his shoulder to see where the attack had come from—Trunks assumed. The teen followed his master's gaze back down to the lake, near which sat an empty crater with crimson splattered across almost every wall.

"Damn it all!" Gohan roared before snapping his attention back to Trunks. The young demi-saiyan jumped as his master snarled, "What the hell are you doing here?! I told you to take Bulma back and stay safe!" the Super Saiyan paused, shuddered and wincing once more as he processed the pain in his back with a hiss before continuing, "Do I need to write it on your damn forehead for you to listen for once?!"

Trunks recoiled, his arms drawing to his chest as he nervously floated back several feet. "I-I'm sorry, I just wanted to-"

"You are going to get us killed! Do you understand?!" Gohan snapped again, cutting off the teen's sentence and making him flinch. "I need you to leave so they," He pointed a finger down to the lake below. "Don't have a weakness," He pressed a finger into Trunks' chest. "to hurt me! Do I make myself clear?!"

Trunks dared not blink, let alone say even a word back to Gohan's outburst as he remained rigid with fear. The words hurt. Being called a 'weakness' by the man you aspire to be certainly cut deep—but Trunks could sense that there was something even deeper from the surface going on. The burning, furious energy coursing through Gohan now was boiling over with rage, leaving very little but malice to be detected as Trunks honed his ki sense. The teen could tell that whatever power Gohan was using right now was threatening to consume him if he wasn't careful.

I need to help him!

Setting his jaw, Trunks steeled his resolve before digging a hand into his pocket and thrusting out the contents. "Here!" he commanded, sternly.

Gohan blinked, some of the frustration on his face subsiding as he stared down at the small brown pouch in Trunks' hand. He cocked an eyebrow. "Senzu beans? I thought Yajirobe said that we weren't going to have any until the next harvest."

"Senzu bean." Trunks clarified, trying not to be annoyed by Gohan's earlier comments as the Super Saiyan reached for the pouch. "And you're right. Yajirobe said that this is the last one." He shot Gohan a serious look. "Basically, after this one, there's no more senzu, ever."

Gohan's body stiffened, his eyes widening until they were tiny beads of teal within seas of white. "The…last senzu bean?"

Trunks nodded, his lips forming a grim line as he dropped the pouch into Gohan's frozen hand. "I could feel your power getting weaker and weaker as I got closer to the fight and thought you would need it. Well, that is until…" He trailed off, his brow furrowing as he looked Gohan up and down. "Until whatever this is happened." He gestured with a hand. "What exactly did you do?"

Trunks tried not to shudder as he regarded the bloody mess that was Gohan—nearly drenched head to toe in crimson. Awaiting a response, Trunks counted the number of bruises and scrapes, the small cuts and burn marks littering his master's exposed chest and arm, not to mention all the blood Gohan had seemingly lost. Considering it all, Trunks couldn't fathom how his master was even managing to stay up.

That concern began to diminish however…once Trunks began noticing that the large majority of blood dripping from Gohan's body…wasn't his own.

The teen had to turn away from the grisly sight, instead choosing to study the ground hundreds of feet below as Gohan stared down at the brown pouch in his hand with reverence.

"I…don't know exactly." Gohan finally answered, his face softening before he turned his gaze back to Trunks. The teen didn't flinch this time as Gohan's expression had changed, shifting into the warm and protective friend Trunks knew very well. "It's something beyond Super Saiyan. I think I figured out that much." Gohan stared down at the bag a short time longer, weighing it in his palm before letting out a sigh and regarding Trunks with apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that. This power…it's…" Gohan winced, gritting his teeth aggressively before visibly forcing himself to take a long, deep breath. "...hard to control."

"I can tell." Trunks said sympathetically, "I could sense your energy on my way here and I could tell that something…weird had happened." Trunks' gaze shifted between Gohan and the bag still sat in the warrior's hand. "You…uh, gonna eat that?"

"...Maybe…" Gohan pursed his lips, studying the bag with narrowed eyes. After a short time longer, the Super Saiyan's eyes snapped open wide before he whirled around, turning his back to Trunks as he stared down at the lake once more.

Trunks gasped, his hands covering his mouth as his master's back was turned to face him. A dark black impact point had burned itself directly into the center of Gohan's lower back, leaving charred skin and exposed, bleeding muscle in its place. It looked as if a drill had been pressed against his master's back, ripping and tearing away flesh unceremoniously before miraculously running out of power before the job had been finished.

"Uh…Gohan?" Trunks asked tepidly, moving until he was floating just next to Gohan. "You okay?"

His master didn't respond as he stared down at the lake, his expression hardening into a tight, loathsome scowl. Trunk's brow furrowed as he turned to face the lake as well, squinting as he tried to distinguish just what Gohan was staring at with so much hatred.

"Here." Gohan said numbly, tossing the bag back to Trunks.

Trunks scrambled, releasing a loud shout of alarm as he nearly fumbled the pouch he hadn't expected to be returned. "What?" he cried out, shocked. "Why?"

"Because I don't need it." Trunks frowned, noticing that Gohan's entire demeanor appeared to have deflated as the warrior continued. "Seventeen is already basically dead, and Cell won't be far behind. Give it back to Yajirobe when you can."

Trunks' brows rose upon hearing that Seventeen was 'basically' dead, feeling some of the weight in his chest ease. "So…should I just…go?"

Gohan let out a solemn sigh as he shut his eyes. "No. Not yet." With a nod of his head, Gohan motioned toward the lake. "Android Eighteen is down there. She's pretty broken, and her ki is dropping fast. Get her to Bulma as soon as you can, and make sure she doesn't die." Gohan gave Trunks a hard look. "She has some serious explaining to do once this is all over."

Wait, what? Eighteen's ki?!

Without any further explanation, Gohan's golden aura flared before he rocketed back down toward the forest floor. Before he escaped Trunks' sight completely, the teen called out, still confused by all of this. "Wait! Where are you going?!"

Gohan paused for only a brief moment to look over his shoulder. "To go squash a bug."

With a flash of movement that caused the very air around Gohan to swell like a vortex, creating a breeze like a miniature tornado, Trunks found himself floating alone in the sky.

The teen cocked his head, still baffled by what Gohan said. "What in the world is he talking about?"

Had Gohan gotten hit in the head one too many times? How could he detect an android's ki? Regardless, Trunks knew that whatever Gohan said was important, and so dutifully swooped down to the lakes shore. The teen flew alongside the water's edge before he noticed a petite figure crumpled in a heap within a patch of wild grass.

The teen touched down, feeling some of the water from the lake seep into his shoes as his feet sank into the soaked sand. If Trunks didn't know any better, he would have assumed a tidal wave had come through this area from how wet everything was.

He trudged through the thick sand over to Eighteen, before wincing once he saw her condition.

"Whoa…'broken' is a serious understatement." Trunks lowered himself into a crouch next to the unconscious form of Eighteen. So much of her body was dented or twisted in ways that it shouldn't be, so much so that Trunks found himself asking a question: "Are you…even still alive?"

Eighteen's form didn't stur.

"Hmm." Trunks frowned, unsure if he should even bother with bringing android Eighteen back. Sure, the woman had managed to save his mom, but that was one good deed in the face of decades of evil. Trunks idly began rubbing the knuckles of the hand Eighteen had once crushed before his very eyes as a scowl formed on his lips.

Well…if I'm tallying points right now… I guess she is also the Ghost.

He'd done hours of research on the new 'superhero' shaking up the criminal underworld, excited about a new presence of heroism before he'd learned the truth. As much as it pained Trunks to admit…crime had been on the decline ever since the Ghost started appearing, reducing as much as 30% during the short time Eighteen had been active.

Trunks let out a long sigh before burying his face into his hand. A battle stormed within as to whether he should attempt to save such a despicable person, or if he should leave her to her fate and simply tell Gohan that he was too late.

Gohan said that I needed to save her.

With an annoyed groan, Trunks positioned himself so he could carefully scoop Eighteen up and into his arms—before he paused, his brow furrowing.

…He also said her ki was dropping…?

Acting on his master's bizarre advice, Trunks focused his ki sense on Eighteen, idly curious what an androids energy would feel like when—

"What the fuck?!" Trunks' knew it was a filthy word, and his mother would likely scold him for using such language, but the teen could hardly think as he stared down at the android before him, gawking. His eye snapped open wide before he staggered back, stepping away from Eighteen as if she were a ticking time bomb seconds from going off. Trunks continued to back pedal until his back found a tree, his eye was unblinking, his breathing erratic as he could feel a cold sweat beginning to run down his body.

Trunk held his breath as he watched Eighteen shift, her eyes fluttering open in response to his loud outburst. They slowly shifted, tiredly searching for whatever disturbed her before eventually landing on Trunks.

A warm, sleepy smile pulled at the corners of her lips as she regarded the teen, "Trunks…" she murmured fondly.

Trunks felt his heart in his stomach, his mind felt like it was enduring a cyclone as it doubled back on itself over and over again, recalling each and every memory he ever had with—

Videl?!

---

-Cell-

Must…move…faster!

Cell's limbs felt like they were about to tear in half from exertion as he ran as fast as his muscles would permit, never allowing even a drop of ki to lessen the load lest the monster that was Gohan managed to track them down.

The uneven weight of Seventeen on his back caused Cell to stumble, almost leading to his brother sliding off of his back. Cell scrambled, shuffling Seventeen delicately back onto the center of his spine—where his beetle–like wings could keep Seventeen properly centered.

Dropping back to all fours, Cell whispered with a sympathetic frown. "My apologies, brother. I will be more careful with your transport from now on."

Choosing his footing vigilantly this time, Cell continued his progress away from the wretched lake where Seventeen's horrific suffering had transpired.

"...Cell…?"

Dr. Gero's final creation breathed a deep sigh of relief. His brother had been rendered unconscious ever since Cell had utilized a controlled ki beam to cauterize Seventeen's limbs—a preventative measure to ensure he did not bleed out too fast.

"Yes, Seventeen, it is I." Cell said with his best interpretation of a smile. "Worry not. I am getting us to safety."

The sound of his brother's voice served to provoke Cell's drive to save Seventeen even further. The violent screams of the bio-android's muscles almost sounded like distant cheers from a crowd now that he knew that Seventeen was still breathing.

"You're…okay?" Seventeen croaked.

"I am, and so are you." Cell answered before Seventeen groaned atop Cell's back, shifting in a way that forced Cell to dart to the left before his brother toppled off. "Please, be still, Seventeen. I am doing my best to get us somewhere safe, but I must move swiftly."

After adjusting for the second time, Cell continued his stride, darting through the forest trees and selecting the most shadowed sections of the forest floor to pass through.

"I'm…not okay…Bro." Seventeen grumbled into Cell's shoulder blade, unable to reposition himself otherwise.

"You have suffered many great wounds. Fear not. I will repair you."

"...How?"

Cell's answers came to a stop as he considered Seventeen's question. Dr. Gero's laboratory had been destroyed by android Eighteen, as well as Capsule Technologies, the only other place of science Cell knew to rival the genius of Dr. Gero. Beyond those laboratories…

"I will find a way." Cell finally answered, determining that he would have to.

Their travel turned silent aside from the crunching noise of grass being crushed beneath Cell's hands and feet as he hastily made his way through the wild grass and untamed flora. All the while, Cell began to construct a manner in which he could restore his brother to his former glory.

Perhaps if I absorb a great enough mind—Bulma Briefs, for example—I will be able to determine a method outside of laboratory resources to repair Seventeen effectively. Barring that…

"Cell…" Seventeen's voice croaked once more, sounding even more frail than before.

"Yes, brother?" Cell responded quietly, concerned their noise may draw unwanted attention.

"...Stop…"

Cell felt something in his chest wither with grief and sympathy. "I understand that you are in a great deal of pain, but we cannot stop now, brother. If we rest, that…demon may find us." Adjusting his speed and form, the bio-android attempted to shift so that Seventeen was in a more tender position than before. The adjustment sacrificed a great deal of efficiency on Cell's part, leaving him running slower and with his neck at an awkward angle to best support Seventeen—but such was a small price to pay to help alleviate some of the harrowing agony he knew Seventeen must be enduring.

They continued this way for a short while longer before Seventeen's wheezing voice spoke once more. "Cell…stop…please."

Cell felt his body jolt with pain, but not from any attack. Listening to the sounds of Seventeen's pleading, something Cell had never heard his brother do before, left Cell feeling weak from sorrow.

"I am sorry, Seventeen. We cannot stop. If we do, it will mean certain death."

Seventeen shifted once more. Cell cringed as he felt his brother's bloody stumps press into his back, pushing Seventeen up before—

"NO!" Cell screamed as Seventeen heaved himself from the bio-android's back. Despite his best efforts, Cell couldn't stop his brother from slipping off and smashing into the flattened grass and hard packed earth. Cell's feet came to a grinding halt before he spun, rushing back to Seventeen's side and hastily attempting to pull his brother back onto his shoulders.

"Come, Seventeen. We must hurry—"

"Stop, Cell!" Seventeen roared with the fiery attitude Cell had come to to expect from his sibling.

Cell froze, his fingers inches away from scooping Seventeen back into his arms. "...But why? We cannot stop, Seventeen. Please, let me carry you."

"Don't you get it…by now?" Seventeen wheezed out, coughing out a large glob of blood in the process. "It's…over…Cell. I'm…not gonna make it through…this one."

Cell felt a frigid chill run down his spine. "What are you talking about? Of course you're going to make it! You. Are. Android. Seventeen! You are the great destroyer, a god of this world. You will not perish here."

Cell moved to pick up Seventeen once more.

"Please," Seventeen choked out, meeting Cell's gaze with tears brimming his remaining eye. "Dont."

Cell arms began to tremble as he slowly let them fall to his sides. Thebio-android's legs crumpled beneath him, leaving Cell sat next to his brother with his head hung low.

"You are certain…about this?" Cell asked, solemnly.

Seventeen's lips curled into a somber smile before he nodded. "I…can feel myself…slipping away. I don't think…I have much time left."

Cell's eyes narrowed to slits as he began studying Seventeen's injuries more critically now that they had a brief respite. He has sufficiently cauterized each of his brother's limbs, reducing the blood loss drastically, but what he hadn't noticed in his haste were all the other injuries likely causing even deeper, more troubling issues. Seventeen's torso had been deformed, his ribs and chest sunken in from so many brutal impacts that Seventeen appeared partially flattened as a result. Cell could only imagine how many bones had been fractured and shattered, not to mention the internal bleeding from such merciless attacks.

Now that he could see the full extent of the ordeal his brother had gone through…he was beginning to suspect that Seventeen was…correct in his assessment.

No…

Seventeen coughed out another splatter of crimson, coating the blades of grass next to his face with blood.

No, no, no…

Cell's vision began to blur as he stared down at his brother. Uncertain exactly what was obscuring his vision, the bio-android shut his eyes, hoping the darkness would bring clarity.

Instead, he felt two warm streams running down either side of his cheeks. At first, the sensation was foreign to him, but soon, memories that were not his own informed Cell of his actions.

For the first time in Cell's life, he had found a reason to cry.

"Awe, c-c'mon bug bro…don't be like that…"

Cell didn't respond at first, his shoulders trembling as he struggled to accept what he was rapidly realizing would likely be his brother's final wish. After wrestling with his mind for an unbearable amount of time, hoping to find any way out of this mess that didn't involve the death of his brother…

He found none.

"..Very well." Cell murmured in a low whisper, before rising to his feet and facing the direction they'd come from. "Then, we perish together."

"No the fuck you aren't." Seventeen snarked back, coughing out a chuckle.

Cell snapped his gaze back to Seventeen, his cheeks still wet. "Then what would you have me do?! I cannot just leave you! Not like this!"

Seventeen snickered, before wincing painfully. "Man…who'd have thought you actually have a heart?" he paused, before adding, "Hell, with how strange you are, I bet you have two."

Cell bristled before snapping back, "Is this any time for jokes?"

Seventeen's jovial expression melted away, his lips forming a thin line as he stared up at the clouds. "No…I g-guess not." he sighed, "But…what happened today…d-doesn't mean you have to die too, bro."

Cell's demeanor faulted, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to form the right words. Before he could find his tongue, Seventeen found his.

"I…m-managed to make a sorta deal with Gohan before he was…" Seventeen grimaced, "...finished with me."

Cell felt his body shudder from revulsion and animosity, his fingers curling into tight fists as Seventeen continued.

"He said…he might spare you…if you p-play good for a while." Seventeen's breathing began to grow more haggard. "So…you don't have to die…h-here. You can still…make it."

Cell processed Seventeen's message. So, if he were to refute his calling and ally with the ones responsible for the soon to be death of his brother, he would then be permitted to live?!

"I refuse." Cell responded sternly, a deep, detestable snarl consuming his face before he continued., "I will not rest until I have stilled Gohan's beating heart forever…or, I will die trying."

Seventeen released a long, tired sigh before closing his eyes as if to sleep. "I figured…you'd say some s-stupid shit like that…"

Cell stared down at his brother, watching as each strained breath grew farther and fewer between. Feeling the warmth returning to his eyes, Cell folded his legs beneath him before sitting down next to Seventeen and gently resting his hand on his brother's shoulder.

Seventeen sturred, shifting his head, but not opening his eye. "W-what are you doing?"

"...I will stay with you in your final moments…"

Seventeen scoffed, shaking his head. "You know…that's a very bad idea, right? Y-you still remember…who's after us?"

"I know. I do not care." Cell answered numbly.

Seventeen continued to shake his head disapprovingly, but the subtle grin pulling at the corners of his lips told Cell that he'd made the right decision.

The pair fell silent as they sat, with Cell listening to the slow, painful sound of Seventeen exerting himself with every breath—all the while knowing that once that sound stopped, it would mean…the end.

"Man…all this doom and gloom…is making me think about the first time we met…" Seventeen smirked, "I nearly killed you sooo many times."

Cell snickered bitterly, recalling the event. "You did. I was considerably weaker at the time. I would have likely died if not for our eventual arrangement."

Seventeen grunted, smugly. "You said it…c-crazy how all that worked out…I think a little part of me almost feels sorry…for how many times I tried to kill you…" Seventeen adjusted, trying to find comfort in the soft grass before his brow furrowed, though his eyes remained close. "...Hey, B-Bug Bro, I don't think I ever got around to asking…"

Cell perked his head, turning to Seventeen with his undivided attention.

"What…would have happened…if you had managed to absorb me way back when…we met by that river?"

Cell paused, frowning at the line of questioning. The last thing Cell wanted was to reveal to his brother that, all along, he had been designed to kill Seventeen outright—especially not in the android's final moments. The mere thought twisted something inside Cell's chest in knots.

However, the idea of lying to his brother in his last minutes of life…seemed like an even worse alternative.

"I…" Cell sighed, looking away in shame. "I would have grown more powerful than ever before. You…were meant to only be a stepping stone on my road to perfection."

Seventeen's eyebrows rose, his eye still shut.. "Whoa…Really?"

Cell nodded, before turning back to Seventeen with a grim smile. "However, I never would have predicted that I would find a far greater prize in the form of being your…" For the briefest instant, Cell's mind thought to use the term 'ally' to describe Seventeen, as that was all Cell had thought of him at the beginning of this journey. The instant passed, and Cell immediately corrected himself. "...Brother. I have long since banished the thought of absorbing you to meet my goals. I decided I would find another way."

A silence grew between them, one that Cell feared was a sign that Seventeen had found resentment in his truth.

Instead…

"...But…if you did absorb me…would you be stronger than Gohan?"

Cell's eyes grew wide, his mouth agape as he processed his brother's question. "What?"

"We both know…I have…m-maybe a few minutes left before…I kick the bucket." He sucked in a sharp breath of air before grimacing painfully, "So…if there's still enough of me to…matter…I'd die happy knowing that I m-might be saving my brother's life at the same time."

Cell's gaze locked with Seventeen's, before noticing the thin stream of tears trailing from his closed eye down his bloodied cheek.

Cell wiped a forearm across his face as the warmth in his eyes grew hotter, becoming steady streams that he could not stop despite his efforts. "I…don't understand."

"Cell, please." Seventeen begged once more, "I don't…want to die like this, knowing that everything I fought for…will soon be gone." He shot Cell with a sympathetic smile. "Please…let me keep fighting alongside you…even if you won't see me alongside you…anymore…"

Cell felt his entire body begin to shake, his voice choking up as he tried to accept what his brother was asking of him. "A-are…" He took a deep, shuddering breath to collect himself. "Are you…certain that this is what you want?"

Seventeen regarded Cell with a warm, understanding smile. "Yes."

Cell shut his eyes, his body tensing as he was overwhelmed by his emotions. He wanted to outright refuse Seventeen, to spare his brother the horrible experience of being absorbed in what would be his final moments of life. He wanted to spend what remained of these precious minutes left with his brother, speaking and laughing and reminiscing over what Cell was rapidly realizing was a tragically short amount of time spent together.

I wish it could have been longer…

But, Cell knew that was a selfish desire. If this is what his brother wanted…then he would do it, for him.

"Okay."

Wordlessly, Cell's tail rose until it was just above his shoulder, its dangerous stinger aimed directly at Seventeen. The bio-android's movements paused, however, as he struggled to dig up the old, primal instincts that had once urged him to consume Seventeen at every possible turn.

They didn't come back.

Cell trembled as he instead had to force the tip of his tail to expand, all the while feeling new instincts within roaring at him to stop. He ignored them through bitter tears, as he finally expanded his tail large enough to swallow Seventeen in one go—as to limit the torment his brother would have to endure.

"...Ready?" Cell asked with a shaky whisper.

Seventeen smiled up at Cell with a reverent expression, his eye finally opening so that he could meet Cell's gaze one last time. "I'm ready."

Cell hesitated, his tail trembling in place as he prepared himself for what came next.

Knowing he would never get another opportunity, Cell whispered words he hadn't known he'd been holding for so long. "I will always cherish what you are…what you were, my brother."

Seventeen's eye fell shut one last time as he whispered back with a peaceful smile. "I'm proud to be your brother, Cell."

Cell's mind became a hazy blur as he felt his tail dart forward with a tenacity that betrayed the numb sensation the bio-android felt within. A fog of gray overwhelmed Cell's vision as the sickly, crushing noises of something slurping up his tail were drowned out by a dull ringing that persisted throughout his hearing. The sensations of his body instantly deadened, any touch to his skin be it on the surface or within becoming completely numb as if refusing to accept the reality of what was happening.

After a time that felt like an eternity, Cell found his hearing, his sight, and his touch returned all at once before he crumpled to the ground on hands and knees.

Immediately, Cell turned to look where Seventeen had been resting—

—only to discover a flattened stretch of bloodied grass.

The bio-android could feel sweat dripping from almost every inch of his carapace as his body began to shake violently—but not from power. Something within Cell's stomach twisted as the bio-android felt a sudden urge to open his mouth wide. Cell's face hovered before the bloodied blades of grass as—for the first time in his life—he felt the necessity to puke.

His body heaved and convulsed, his torso writhing as he spat out several mouthfuls of translucent green fluid that began pooling around fingers clawed into the dirt.

None of it made him feel any less sick with himself.

Accepting that the wretched sensation was not going to go away any time soon, Cell grunted, before snarling as he forced himself to his feet. His gaze shifted up to the daylight shadowed by tree branches, adopting a deep, loathsome glare.

I will make them all pay. For you, Seventeen.

Cell stiffening, preparing himself for the transformation he knew would be arriving soon. His eyes closing, Dr. Gero's final creation sucked in a tight breath as he readied himself for his next step toward perfection.

"..."

"...?"

"...?!"

Cell's eyes snapped open with alarm before immediately darting to scan the rest of his body. He stretched out his arms only to find no change at all before examining his legs to determine no sign of growth or evolution there either. His hands—which also appeared identical to before—frantically reached to inspect the crown of his head, his face, his back, as well as any other features he could think of to search.

Finally, Cell's hands came to rest at his sides as his entire body grew still. In those bitter moments, he came to a sobering conclusion.

Absorbing Seventeen…was pointless…

Cell fell to his knees, his back rigid with eyes staring out into nothingness. The cruel, 'perfect' mind Dr. Gero had condemned him with had instantly discovered what had gone wrong in their plan.

Seventeen was too weak…

His brother's power had been spent, hemorrhaging from the damage Gohan caused for all the time Cell had been attempting to find some way to save him from his fate…

Cell stared out into the darkness that formed from the forest's dense treetop, shadowing a passage of the unknown that seemed to stretch on for an eternity.

Cell couldn't move. He couldn't even blink.

Absorbing Seventeen was pointless…?

Cell's mind simply couldn't process it. He was meant to be the perfect being after all, wasn't he?! The bio-android had understood that the road to accomplish such a colossal goal would be more than challenging…but…the path ahead had always seemed so clear, the next step always so natural no matter the opposition.

But now…without his brother at his side…Cell couldn't see what direction he was meant to go anymore. His eyes, though open, saw nothing. The darkness of the forested path before him mirrored his own mind as he found no way through…no more path ahead.

The end of the road.

So…this is it.

Cell thoughts were bleak as he reflected on his journey, all the trial and tribulation, the struggles and the hardship, all of it leading up to this singular, crucial moment.

All of it…for nothing.

But…worst of all…

"I killed my only brother!" Cell's voice bellowed, his arms wrapping around himself as he folded over, pressing his head into the flattened grass where Seventeen had once rested. He knew Seventeen was going to die anyway, he knew that Seventeen had even asked for him to do it, but that didn't deny the facts thereafter.

I could still be with my brother now…

Had he not acted so recklessly, and actually considered the outcome of such a process in Seventeen's critically injured state…Cell could have refused Seventeen's request. He could have instead spent whatever little time they still had together…together.

Already…the forest felt too quiet without Seventeen's snarking remarks.

Cell's body shook, his shoulders trembling violently before his shaking arms raised above his head.

All of my suffering…

As if ringing a dinner bell, Cell slammed his fists down, impacting the earth with enough force that the ground beneath his feet began to sink. Eventually, his arms rose again.

Every death…every torture…

His fists broke through the earth as his arms pounded the ground once more, sending dust and debris alike flying through the air.

Every sacrifice…every confrontation…

Cell ripped his arms free of the ground, letting the jaggad stone and rock slash against his carapace before his arms raised once more.

All of it…for nothing.

Cell brought his fists down one, final time, all the while feeling something deep within beginning to break. What had once been steel became glass, shattering into pieces, each a shard reflecting yet another broken ambition. His mind, his resolve, his goals, his family had all been cut down in one fell swoop. Cell knew there was nothing else left, nothing more for his supposed 'genius' mind to interpret and calculate in order to determine some sort of 'optimal outcome'. The road to perfection…was impossible now. His purpose…felt like an empty void…

Cell decided it was finally time to step into that void.

---

-Gohan-

I'm sure I just heard someone shout from this direction.

Gohan's eyes had narrowed to slits so small paper could slide between as he floated hundreds of feet above the forest floor, scanning its perimeter. He remained still, waiting for any sign of—

There!

An enormous boom echoed out from a short flight away. Gohan shifted his attention before blasting off in the direction of the commotion. A second, slamming noise told the Super Saiyan that he was close, a mere handful of meters away before he would discover Cell.

When the third collision sounded, Gohan found himself halting to an abrupt stop.

The explosive collision resembled a meteor strike, creating a devastating sonic boom that nearly deafened Gohan for being too close. Below, the earth quaked with enough ferocity that Gohan watched trees and hillsides alike topple or crumble in response. Jaggad cracks began forming through the ground, spreading out like a spider's web all connecting to a single, cataclysmic impact.

Gohan swallowed, staring down at the demolished forest floor with concern before turning a sharp gaze back to where he had been heading. Gohan's eyes grew wide, feeling a wave of astonishment and anxiety begin to wash over him as his ki sense registered the threat before him.

So much power…

A crater so large it could have contained an entire town had formed in the earth below. At its center, stood a figure that, from a distance, Gohan couldn't quite recognize, but its energy signature was unmistakable.

"Cell…" Gohan snarled.

Squinting, Gohan could distinguish a figure at the craters center slowly looking up. Their shoulders were broader, their body bulkier, alongside a tail that appeared less green than it had before—instead displaying a stark combination of jet-black and bright orange. As if the greatest indication that something in the battle had changed, Gohan noted that something about their face was somehow…different?

No longer inhibited by a beak, Cell took a deep breath, before his lips parted, growling as he said a single name, his voice dripping with malice. "Gohan…"

---

Author's notes:

May you rest in peace, Akira Toriyama. Your stories will forever touch the hearts of many, and your name will forever be immortalized in the hall of greatness.

And so, two new monsters have been birthed from this conflict. This chapter was a challenge to write for a number of reasons, least of which was its length. This is the first and only chapter of the story which sits at over 40 pages worth, but I felt it was appropriate given a number of factors. For one, I felt the scenario required more in terms of writing in order to achieve the narrative weight I desired, at the same time, I recognized that the father of all of these tales had recently passed away, an event that I believe was devastating for all of us. Lastly…I have been away from this story for a prolonged time, for many reasons, and so wished to provide my way of an apology in the form of this extended, double chapter.

As for the chapter itself…

I decided to take a unique direction in the reveal of Super Saiyan 2 Gohan. I wanted to honor the way the original Dragon Ball Z would shift over to the other character's reactions in response to the great power being displayed, and so decided to slowly pull away from the fight, showing the cast's response through tiers of distance to demonstrate the true force behind Gohan's transformation. Of course, following Gohan's transformation, are his decisions on how to use this power. In truth, the logic behind Gohan's rampage following his transformation was simple: How can Gohan become a scarier Monster than either Seventeen or Eighteen could ever be?

I hope I answered that question in this chapter.

Trunks' sections of this chapter were short, but I'm happy how they turned out. I'm curious about the predictions of Trunks' response to learning about the truth of android 18. The next chapter is basically set in stone, but I'm still curious.

Finally, comes Cell's transformation. I decided to intentionally leave his transformation up to interpretation. Did Cell transform due to Seventeen's power core eventually registering with his biology and triggering the transformation we all so expected? Or, did the trial and tribulation of Cell's situation finally trigger Cell's Saiyan biology and force his abilities to rise beyond their normal means?

I'll leave you to decide.

Outside of that, This is all I have to say about the chapter itself. I plan to continue, though I can't say with certainty the rate of releases. I know with assurance that the next release will not be as long a wait as the last, but I recognize that that bar is not very high. What I can say to all of you, is that I plan to complete this story, even if it's the last thing I do.

Unfortunately, this chapter was left untouched by the graceful editing skills of the beloved Ben Thryss. I wish him the best of luck with his endeavors and hope his stories eventually reach your ears.

Thankfully, my wonderful partner Pear has decided to help fill in for the part, and you have them in part to thanks for the cleanliness and flow of this chapter. Please sing them high praises for overseeing such a large chapter.

Until next time.

ATTENTION: THE FOLLOWING IS NOT RELATING TO THE CONTENTS OF THE STORY. FEEL FREE TO STOP IF YOUR INTERESTS ONLY LIE WITH THE STORY.

The contents of this aftermessage bears dark subjects, even for the themes of this tale. I do not want to cause any issues or struggles for people who have had difficulties regarding suicide or similar experiences. Please stop reading now if you struggle with these difficult topics, as I do not want to write anything that might harm you, the person reading thisright now. If you feel at all uncomfortable by the conversation being presented, feel free to click off the page, and please return once the next chapter of TWAM releases.

You have been warned.

This section of the author's notes is only meant for those of you who have continued with the story for all this time. I have spoken many times to all of you who have reviewed on so many occasions, and I thank you all. This section of the author notes is to reveal to those of you who have stayed so loyal to the story the true reason behind my absence after so many months, as I had every intent to return to the story after only one month, if not for a single, critical event.

Less than a week after the release of Chapter 32, on the very morning of Thanksgiving, my father, the man I aspired to be, took his own life.

The effect it had on me…can not be overstated. I was the first person there after the fact. I saw everything. Then the police were called. What I experienced in those short 24 hours…simply cannot be put into words, despite my own capabilities. No string of words, no matter how devastating, can describe the emotions I endured that day. I was rendered incapable of…anything, really. It felt like a very real part of my soul had been ripped out of me, and I was left to try and fill the hole.

Perhaps some of the dark themes of this chapter are now clearer upon hearing this information.

I am still battling with this event in my life. Nothing like the fantasy of the dragon balls or Bulma's time machine exist in the world you and I breathe within to try and change what happened that day. I have learned to accept that what has happened…happened, and so am beginning to learn how to return to the person I once was. Since then, I have been slowly trying to reclaim my past hobbies, as to see if I can even return to the person I was before. This chapter in and of itself was a test of that belief.

I hope with everything I have left that this chapter, Chapter 33 manage to be up to par with the rest of the story, and that I have not lost something crucial to the person I was before.

I suppose, I simply have to wait until you all reveal the truth.

I know that I didn't need to reveal this about myself. I know that I could have simply continued writing these chapters as I normally do, but I feel this tragedy I was forced to endure may save someone else's family, and so I feel the need to share it.

In this next sentence, I am speaking directly to you, the person reading this. I understand more than most the difficulties that can arise from being born into a troubled family. I know how hard those difficulties can be, and how much they will push you as a person. However, if you are like me, and feel even a single shred of gratitude even toward just one of your parents, or the person(s) who served as your parent(s), as I do, then please reach out to them. Let the person you love with all your heart know it before it is too late, no matter how strong you assume they are. Express how important the people in your life truly are. Don't wait for an arbitrary date to relay your feelings, do it now, just after you read this message...otherwise, you run the risk of completing my own mistake, which I will never forgive.

I wish you all the absolute best.

Until next time.