Project G…? What was… "My son. My greatest creation."
Cell's eyes sharpened when he heard the voice of an old, familiar voice. He could sense the age, but the power in the voice that was unmistakable…embedded into his very core. The core of all androids.
"You were created…to be the ultimate life form. My life's greatest accomplishment. My vengeance, my anger ran deep. Ran cold as I searched for my enemies and waited patiently to draw their blood at my feet. I tried with the first model androids and failed. Their strength…incomparable to the Saiyan that ruined the ambitions of the Red Ribbon Army."
Within the lab, a pod hissed open deep in the underground laboratory. The number label was #20 as a hand reached out to grip the edge of the pod's mouth. An elderly figure slowly rose from it, white mustache and a Red Ribbon cap adorned on the top of his head. Android #20, or rather…Doctor Gero arose from his slumber. The doctor whom supposedly died 20 years ago felt refreshed. His mind clear as he spoke calmly, any malice in his voice was undetectable.
"I tried to use human experiments, believing that they could surpass the power of that monkey and failed because I believed human beings could be controlled. You however my boy. My son. You've corrected many of my mistakes. You sought no death, sought not to rule with an iron fist, but out of kindness, to protect. My foes are long dead. Any such thoughts of revenge are foolhardy now, for I know now that the next step for us Androids is not to destroy humanity…" He fully stepped out of his pod, standing tall in the dim light of his lab, glaring up at the surface above. "But to seize it! To become the next step, to further our race and it's progression. Otherwise, hubris such as mine will rear it's ugly head. So…embrace your destiny my son. You are, the one true perfect being that I have ever created."
"I have watched you grow. Watched your experiences. And the only thing I can say, is that I am proud of you. For better or for worse. Thank you, for correcting a foolish fathers mistakes with his children…"
Cell couldn't explain why. Didn't know why fully himself. But as his old man finished his monologue a strange sense of calm fell over him. He felt invigorated. Their destiny was not to rule over humans, but to assist them as they ascend to the next stage of their own evolution. This meant he wasn't finished evolving either.
His body pulsed, as he slowly regained the shine of his Golden form, eyes sharpening into a razor focus that even left Beerus a moment of pause. "I will not let my father's wishes be reduced to nothing! I won't let you destroy this world!"
Cell's wings flexed behind him, the trees behind him snapping even as he soared into the heavens, Beerus following him with a look that only seemed to scream 'FINALLY' as he raced to catch up to his rival. The cat's tail swayed behind him in anticipation.
#16 and Trunks looked on even as they stepped out of the building, watching the two god tier warriors made their last stand, the half Saiyan barely registered anything beyond a few points of light, rings that pulsed above with each point of contact the two had.
At this point they were in close quarters combat, each one blocking one anothers hits with such accuracy that it was near impossible for either of them to gain the upper hand on the other. For once, Beerus could not completely dominate the battle. That said, with every second, every strike that Cell's golden frame would land a punch right at Beerus's side, he still didn't feel as though he were making a genuine dent in their stamina.
Meanwhile Cell was pushing themselves as far as they could go, the brilliant gold carapace of his transformation shimmering and becoming more radiant, even as they brought their fight above the clouds, at heights where they could practically see the curvature of the planet and it's mass as a big blue sphere. The air was thin…And if he'd not had Frieza's cells coursing through him he'd probably have to worry about it. Good thing he didn't actually need to breath.
Beerus on the other hand remained composed. His breathing slow even as he started slowly ramping up his power to match Cell's. The android through one punch, getting Beerus in the stomach, the next in his cheek. His fist simply slid right off the surface however even as the feline made another swift chopping motion at Cell's back but was pleasantly surprised when this time the Android hadn't retreated from his touch, instead turning round to round house kick Beerus only for them to swung over his leg and land a kick of their own to his left shoulder. A trade off in attacks that neither seemed to take critical damage to. This pleased Beerus greatly, as he now had exactly what he was coming for.
He broke off their contact only to grasp Cell's claws into his own, the two having a physical tug of war as the feline had a mirthful grin. Here he was, straining with someone who could take a full attack from him. Not only that, his attacks could be brushed off with simple regeneration and they grew more powerful from that fact. Maybe it was the radiance coming off their scales, but he had a feeling this…Android. This creature would one day surpass him. It was a threat to his own position in the universe and yet that thrilled him.
He twisted Cell's wrist and spun the two of them around so as to try and kick Cell back downward into the surface when the Android vanished from sight. "Where did that one go…"
"Right here…!" Cell had used a quick instant transmission to get himself behind Beerus and his field of view. His palms were full of glowing purple energy…Spiked with an intense amount of Ki that Beerus had no problems believing would have destroyed the planet had they not been hovering so high above it. His immediate pressing concern however was the smile on Cell's beak as he thrust both palms outward to release the charged blast of energy. "GALLICK GUUUUUUN!" Cell roared, the sound of which echoed between the two of them.
Beerus didn't have the time to dodge and so he just stood there, eyes wide as Cell's attack consumed him. There was nothing else said, even as the planet's inhabitants were offered a rather brilliant display of purple fireworks as Cell's attack discharged. Most of the denizens unaware, save for those like Trunks, who looked up and knew that attack from anywhere.
Once the smoke cleared, Beerus was left standing in the midst of it, his clothes looking quite disheveled but otherwise unharmed. That's not to say Beerus had not been damaged. His left ear had a burn mark on it, slight as it was the attack managed to finally break through their skin.
"Damn…I thought that would seriously do more to you."
"Hmph…" A snort came from the cat who's eyes glared into Cell's very being, claws gathering as he started forming a small sun into his hands. "You impress me creature! I was told you are a being born of many different others, But to make their power your own. I'll have to show you my utmost respect! Do not disappoint me or this will destroy your ENTIRE PLANET!"
He didn't like the sound of that. Cell pushed the Gallick Gun to it's limit. If that didn't work then he only had one other attack that might be able to challenge whatever Beerus was about to fire on him. He twisted his torso, hands gathering behind him, palm outward. "KAAAAAAAAA…MEEEEEEEEE…" His palms started glowing, the charge of his attack beginning, collecting the majority of his remaining Ki into his hands. An attack that he could not hold back on in the slightest. "HAAAAAAAAA….MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE…." {This is it. Our final attacks. I don't need to beat him…Just…beat this. No.} Cell kicked himself for ever thinking he should settle for simply stopping the attack. {If I don't charge this with the intent to kill…This will be the end!}
Beerus lifted his hands above his head, the mini sun in his palms expanding into a death ball in which he fired at Cell. "Accept your planets fate…and die with it knowing you were the strongest!"
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Cell let the power he'd charged into his palms go free, firing at the massive ball of heat and power with everything that he had. The immediate collision was enough to nearly shock Cell out of focus, tail flapping behind him without any control of his own due to the wind sheer that was the result of their impacts. Unsurprisingly, Beerus was unperturbed. All of the wind force was being directed at himself due to having put himself on the collision path of the god's attack.
"You showed more grit than any other fighter that I've met creature. You don't fear your own death?"
"I do…!" Cell admitted as he continued to force out his attack, pushing Beerus's death ball towards the feline some, but the way it shook…He knew that could change at a moments notice. Where his attack required all his focus, Beerus had fully discharged his own. "I fear death. But I fear letting down my friends even more…!"
"Your friends? You mean that little creature you created and the half Saiyan. Surely you could find more suitable companions given your gaps in strength. Why risk your life so much for them."
"Because…I want to be better than the one who came before me." Cell could feel his power draining. The boost in confidence he'd received from his fathers reawakening was spectacular. It awakened something in HIM too. Maybe it was the true potential of his existence or maybe it was just the Saiyan Cells responding to his desires. He wanted to evolve further. Further than his fathers designs dictated. He was not about to give up, not when he was so close.
"You ARE an off worlder." Beerus confirmed, something in his eyes lighting up even as he fired a smaller beam right into his death ball, letting the intense heat of his attack wash over Cell who's attack now did scarcely little to prevent it's approach. Soon, Cell's entire blast was consumed, leaving him to face the attack alone, grasping it with his own hands, his golden form shimmering with greater intensity as the attack's heat licked at his body.
His arms burned, his hands feeling like they were holding something akin to the weight of the world. Cell hated the fact that his most powerful attack had been thwarted. No…Not his greatest. His eyes snapped shut as he put all of his back into pushing back the ball, at the same time his own body started glowing brighter, with a thin veil of white light around him. {Whatever else you have…What you all have…Give it to me! It's our last…chance!}
Even in his simulations he never tried this out. Mostly in part that he'd forgotten about this key component in his programming. But desperate times needed desperate measures.
From the planet, those that still lived, the humans that remained alive, rebuilding their lives…Somehow they could sense his desperation. His desire to win, to protect them, and in turn they began to raise their hands up. Pinpoints of light escaping from the residents of the planet, pets, plants…Everything offered a small part of their power, sending it to their savior.
Even Trunks, who watched from where he was standing could feel something in the air. It was Cell asking for his help. Asking for all their help. "Damn…I'll help however I can." He reached his hand out, transforming into his super Saiyan state to offer even more of a boost for whatever it was Cell had planned.
Gero, in his new body steadily climbed up the half broken steps of his underground laboratory and out into the mountainside. From there he could see and feel things much more clearly, see the ominous orange glow from above that threatened to consume them all. He lifted his hands up, the old man looked feeble after having just awoken to the world again but his eyes appeared focused, a look in them that was not anger but rather hope. "Take it son.. Everything that I have is yours. It always has been."
Up above, Cell didn't expect a whole lot to come from his prayer but he remembered the old saying…Never underestimate the human race. It all came in a flash. His palms grew white hot and the discomfort intensified but he had a renewed determination on his face. A growl coming from him. "I will not be defeated…!" As he roared out his declaration he started pushing at the sphere, succeeding in throwing it off the planet's path but he wasn't finished. His arm muscles tensed, the pressure within him enough to nearly snap him into but he pushed on, grabbing the sides of Beerus's finishing attack, he gave it a squeeze, watching as the majority of it discharged harmlessly into the atmosphere, burning away before it even touched the ground but his chest looked scorched from the ordeal, the bluish white lining around his body shimmering for a second longer before vanishing completely, even as his golden scales receded to their usual green.
"What... was that you just did…?" Beerus had to ask, his face incredulous while looking at the severe injuries on his foes body. "You crushed my attack. Yet you're so unbelievably damaged. Explain yourself."
Despite not needing oxygen, Cell was breathing heavy, body trembling as he had nothing left to offer in this fight. He just stared, half out of it even as he put what was left of his attentiveness to Beerus. "Spirit bomb…I…channeled everyone's energy into my spirit. I didn't have enough time to focus it into a blast so I used my body as a medium…"
"So you were the bomb instead. Are you going to be okay?"
"Huh? Yeah…After a day or two these injuries should be gone, no problem at all…"
"Mmm." Beerus closed his eyes and put his hands down. "So then, are you able to continue on? Or are you ready to concede defeat at my hands."
"Yeah…I submit…" Cell spoke in a low breath, taking in a lungful of air before laughing, as if he was just in on a joke that Beerus had yet to be clued in on. "I've given you everything I have in this fight. But in the end I just could not match your strength."
That last part got Beerus attention, even as he approached, one finger prodding Cell's shoulder, a genuine smile on the cat's face. "Don't sell yourself short. In all the centuries that I've served as God of Destruction, there's never been anyone quite like you who was able to push me this far. Among all the people I've fought through my existence, you were the second person to push me so far."
"Only the second huh? I'm assuming the first is your attendant, Whis?"
"Yes he is." Beerus moved his claw and sighed softly. "You're definitely an Off Worlder if you already know that much."
"What…is an Off Worlder my lord. If you don't mind me asking…"
"You deserve a reward for fighting as well as you did so I guess I'll let you in on it." His eyes locked in on Cell's, indicating a complete sense of attentiveness, an acknowledgment to their existence. "Off Worlders, they're people that we gods have come to call people who have been reincarnated into this world. They originate from another dimension. While they're quite rare, your people do come here every now and then. My guess is King Yemma screws up some paperwork and accidentally revives one of you."
"Oh. So then I really did…"
"Die? Yes. There is no going back to your old life, so a word of advice. Forget your old life. You are who you are now here. THAT is what matters now. You'll be much happier here."
Cell never even suspected he'd died. His first thought was that he'd simply been dreaming this whole adventure. But Beerus confirmed it, the feeling in his chest wasn't something he'd have experienced in such a dream. When he was about to push for more info however he found that he couldn't keep himself afloat and started free falling back to earth, or would have if Beerus hadn't extended a hand out to grab his wrist, gently guiding them right back down to earth.