Dragon Ball Z Dynasty

by Feraligreater328

When travelling along Snake Way, Son Goku suddenly finds himself plummeting down to Hell. There, he meets a surprisingly familiar ghost from his past that promises to change everything about his life going forward. How will the Saiyan react to this sudden, positive change in his life? Find out in Dragon Ball Z Dynasty.

103. Chapter 101: Versus the Cell Jrs, Part 1

Dragon Ball Z: Dynasty

Written by: Feraligreater328 and StevenBodner

A/N: To whoever it was that added a "Characters" page to the TVTropes Page, I just wanna say that you're my hero! I am so genuinely giddy that this story of mine has drawn such a great level of interest~!

Chapter 101: Versus the Cell Jrs., Pt. 1

Hurdling through the air at blistering speeds…

Gine was flying through the air so fast that Android 18 could barely hold on to her from the wind pressure. The Saiyan mother was, uncharacteristically, utterly livid at what she had been forced to watch. She replayed the same instance in her head over and over: the blood erupting from Bardock's mouth and the life draining from his face. She wanted to obliterate Cell for what he had done to her family.

18 tried to talk some sense into her. "What do you even have planned for us to do?! Cell would kill us both with a flick of his wrist!"

Gine didn't answer. Her teeth were grinding, a massive vein was bulging from the side of her head, and her hair was buzzing with golden energy. 18 tried to get a good look at Gine's face, but the wind pressure was too much to bear. As she considered letting go of Gine and just falling to the ground below, however, 18 saw something that shook her. Shimmering in the light of the sun, like crystalline jewels, were tears pouring from Gine's eyes. In spite of her anger and rage towards Cell, at the end of the day, Gine was simply just a distraught mother and wife who had been forced to watch her husband and youngest son endure agonizing torture at the hands of a monster. 18's words hitched in her throat and she reflected not only on the kindness that everyone had shown her, but on her own feelings if that were Android 17 and Android 16 in Goku and Bardock's place. The female Android steeled her gaze, gripping her fists tight. "Fly faster."

And so Gine did, flying so fast the trees bent all the way to the ground beneath her.

Future Goten and Android 17 vs. Two Cell Juniors…

Future Goten and Android 17 both hit the ground with a slide. They each took on a fighting stance and blocked an oncoming strike from the two Cell Jrs. that had followed them. The little demons screeched in their faces, but Future Goten and 17 quickly shoved them both back. 17 glanced over at his partner in all of this. "What's the plan here, man?!"

17 wiped blood from his mouth onto his sleeve. "How do we go about this?"

Future Goten barely responded with a grunt, rushing forward and not so much as even looking at 17. 17 threw his hands up. "Hey!"

Future Goten whipped out his Power Pole and pressed his fingers to his forehead. "Try this, you little monsters..."

The Future Warrior fired off a Special Beam Cannon, sending it flying towards the two little gremlins. They both prepared a blast to dispel the attack, but Future Goten caught them by surprise. As the Special Beam Cannon went flying, Future Goten thrust the Power Pole directly through the center of it. The mystic staff sucked in the Special Beam Cannon and Future Goten spun it in his left hand. "Ready?"

The Cell Jrs. were both confused. Future Goten lunged forward with a shout and his plan became clear. The spiraling energy of the Special Beam Cannon emerged from the sides of the Power Pole, turning it into a massive energy screw. Future Goten thrusted the drilling staff into one Cell Jr.'s stomach, piercing through and impaling the beast. And then, lightning quick, he swung his staff and used one Cell Jr. to crush the other into the ground. He leapt back and admired his handiwork. "Try that on for size, you little..."

Future Goten flinched at the sight of his foes once the dust settled. Rather than the two of them laying there in a heap, only the impaled Cell Jr. remained. It clutched its stomach, looking annoyed. Future Goten looked around. "But where..."

It finally dawned on Future Goten. Next to the recovering Cell Jr. was a hole in the ground. Future Goten immediately began to turn around. "Damn!"

As he turned, the Future Warrior saw the ground behind him burst open and a wicked, little face emerged to screech at him. The Cell Jr. pressed its finger to Future Goten's forehead and began to charge a Death Beam. But, before the attack could go off, a steely hand crashed into the Cell Jr.'s neck and sent it crashing aside and across the rocky ground below. Future Goten flinched as he was suddenly staring into the eyes of Android 17. 17 scowled. "What the hell, man?! Aren't we teamed up to avoid cheap attacks like that?!"

Future Goten sneered. "Don't you try to lecture me, you-"

Future Goten saw the reflection of a Cell Jr. behind him in 17's eyes. 17 saw a reflection of a Cell Jr. behind him in Future Goten's eyes. Without another word, the two turned and blocked the oncoming attacks. The sheer force of the Cell Jrs. blows sent the two warriors sliding backward and pressed them against one another, back-to-back. Future Goten felt a cold shudder go up his spine. His breath hitched. And, immediately, images of Future Gohan's death popped into his head.

He saw it clear as day, that nasty burnt-in scar of the number "17" on Future Gohan's chest. His killer had permanently marked the deceased hero. Having had the indecency to brand his brother, so that even his soul could not rest in peace. With those emotions running hot and heavy through his veins, Future Goten's rage allowed him to kick the Cell Jr. in the chest and send it crashing into the ground. The little imp twitched in shock at being hit so hard. And then, to the surprise of both the other Cell Jr. and 17, Future Goten turned around and grabbed a handful of 17's hair, levying his free fist right into the back of 17's head and sending the Android and his Cell Jr. opponent flying. As 17 and the Cell Jr. both crashed, Future Goten began to heave for air, burying his face into his hands. "Dammit... what was that...?"

"That's my line!"

Shooting up from the rubble, 17 glared at Future Goten and grabbed him by the shirt. "What the hell is wrong with you, man?!"

Future Goten shuddered. "Look, Android Sev-"

The sight of Future Gohan's corpse filled Future Goten's head again and he scowled. He glared at Android 17 with fury. "You-"

17 flinched in shock. "Goten! Look out!"

The Android threw his hands up just in time to form an energy shield to block a Destructo-Disc sailing right towards Future Goten's back. The disc collided and shattered against the might of 17's barrier. Unfortunately, in his rush to defend Future Goten, 17 didn't notice the two Death Beams shooting towards him. Both beams struck 17 right in the center of his back and the Android hissed in pain. He stumbled forward, but kept his balance, quickly righting his posture. "Look... Goten...I'm sorry about-"

Both Cell Jrs. came rushing up. One punched 17 in his Death Beams wounds, and the other kicked the stunned Future Goten in the back of the head. The two warriors both went flying and crashed hard to the ground. Future Goten quickly leapt to his feet. "Shit! Seven..."

Even the act of saying 17's name filled Future Goten to the brim with unspeakable rage. Enough that he was left distracted and unable to react to the oncoming Cell Jr. attack. The little, blue demon hammered Future Goten in the stomach with its fist and then kicked him underneath the jaw for good measure. As Future Goten went flying back, the Cell Jr. shrieked with delight and sent an energy disc after him for good measure. Future Goten scowled. "Do you think that I'm just going to let you kill me with a friend's move?!"

Future Goten did a mid-air flip and landed on his feet. Drawing the Power Pole out to the side, he smashed the energy disc into several pieces. "I won't let you get me with Krillin's attack!"

The Cell Jr. giggled and rolled its eyes. "Krillin? Pfft~"

The light behind Future Goten glowed red and he turned, wide eyed, to see four Death Saucers rushing right towards him. He gasped in shock, only to be tackled hard from the side by 17. The Android sent himself and Future Goten crashing to the ground and then rolled, getting into a crouching position and firing a green energy ball towards the disc-throwing Cell Junior. The little imp flinched, sending the Death Saucers back towards the assumed blast, only for the attack to smash through the discs like glass. The Cell Jr. flinched and then, with the sound of cracking bones ringing out, 17's attack solidly smacked it right in the face. That was no mere Ki ball, 17 had shot out an energy barrier bubble! The Cell Jr. glared at the crafty Android and 17 sneered at it. "Don't glare at me like that!"

17 raised his middle and index fingers and the energy bubble, still pressed into the Cell Jr.'s face, reacted. The sphere began to warble and then, all at once, two solid spikes shot out from the surface and impaled the Cell Jr. through its eye sockets. The little demon screeched in pain and 17 smirked. Without missing a beat, he raised his hand up and summoned an energy shield to block the other one attempting to attack him from the side. He shook his head. "You little bastards might have gotten your papa's strength, but you certainly didn't inherit Cell's brains. I just had to take a few hits from you little idiots and I have you all figured out!"

17 clenched his fist and enveloped the Cell Jr. in an energy sphere. Rearing back his leg as far as he could, he kicked the trapped little monster sky high. With both Cell Jrs. out of earshot, 17 groaned and talked to himself. "Ugh... act cool all you want man, just because you can outsmart the idiots doesn't mean you can take them out all by yourself..."

Turning towards his partner on the ground, 17 knelt down. He held out his hand and the disoriented Future Goten took it, being helped into a sitting position. For a moment, Future Goten's voice sounded sincere. "Thanks, man, I-"

His head cleared up and he saw just who his helper was. Future Goten scowled and went stone-faced, getting back to his feet all on his own. "Thanks."

17 scowled. "Come on, man. They're both gone for a second. We should clear the air so that we can-"

Future Goten cut him off. "I'd rather just set up for when they get back."

17's face twisted into an annoyed, hateful scowl. He gripped his fists and felt his temper getting ready to snap in two. Just like so many people in the past, Future Goten was disregarding 17. He was treating 17 as if he didn't matter, just as 17's parents, Dr. Gero, and so many others always had. 17's hand was shaking with rage. He reached out and grabbed Future Goten by his shoulder. "Listen here, you-!"

Future Goten turned and snatched free of 17's grip, ready to fight. The mere sight of Android 17 had been pissing him off since the birthday party. The fact that he had to pretend they were friends made his skin crawl. But now, now that 17 was being aggressive, Future Goten was prepared to have to fight the Cell Jrs. by himself if he must. He turned and readied himself to attack 17, but was surprised to see the Android holding up his hand. "Listen, Goten..."

Future Goten's face was twisted in anger. 17 looked at him with a mixture of annoyance, pity, and... genuine remorse.

Future Goten flinched. "Wh-What...?"

17 sighed. "I've been meaning to pull you aside and talk about this. And, well, this isn't the best place but... we might as well do it now that we have a second..."

Future Goten flinched back. 17 sighed. "Look, man, I talked to Trunks and Ranch at the party yesterday. They, uh, they told me about what happened in the Future. About what the two of us did to you guys. About what we did to Gohan. About... what the other me did to Gohan..."

17 reached out and placed his hand on Future Goten's shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. "I just want to say that... you're not the only person that hates the me from your timeline. The fact that I could have become him... the fact that, without 16, I would have become him... I just..."

Future Goten screamed in rage and thrust his fist towards 17's head. The fist sailed right past the Android and smashed an oncoming Cell Jr. in the face. Smacking his hands down on 17's shoulders, Future Goten did a flip over the Android and revealed a Cell Jr. rushing towards his back. Immediately, 17 raised his hand and shot off a Power Blitz that crashed into the Cell Jr. and sent it flying back. Future Goten landed behind 17 and, once again, the two warriors had the two little monsters rushing towards them. It was a lightning-fast exchange of punches and kicks as 17 and Future Goten stood back-to-back once more. The little terrors both leapt back after the exchange and began to charge up their beams. Future Goten sneered and flared his power, preparing to fire back. 17, however, was a much cooler head. Moving quickly, the Android hooked his arms underneath Future Goten's. Right as the two Cell Jrs. fired, 17 yanked Future Goten down and the two of them did a backslide to the ground.

The beams shot over the two warriors and crashed into the Cell Jrs., each beam sending the opposite Cell Jr. screaming into the distance. Future Goten was shocked. "Man... you're pretty clever..."

17 leapt into a crouching position. "I'm not that clever, these little punks are just really stupid and basic. Now, we need to think of what we should do while they're both indisposed."

Future Goten opened his mouth to speak, but then he glared towards the ground. 17 sighed. "Look, man, like I was saying. You aren't the only person that hates the Android 17 from your timeline. The fact that so much evil is connected to my face is... it's enough to make a guy wanna vomit. And, maybe, I'll never be able to atone for what he did in your eyes. So, I accept that you might never like me and even that you might want me dead. But..."

17 held up his hand. "I apologize for what Android 17 did to your brother. And I'm asking you, man-to-man, let's team up just this once so that we can support your brother in this timeline. Cool?"

Future Goten's eyes were cast in shadow. He opened his mouth to speak and, as he did, the two Cell Jrs. recovered and came lunging back towards the two. Future Goten spoke in a voice full of fury and grief. "I can never bring myself to work with Android 17. I hate Android 17. I'll always hate Android 17. Android 17 ruined my life more than any single other person or thing ever did. Android 17 took everything from me..."

As the Cell Jrs. drew close, 17 bowed his head. "Okay. I get it. We'll just... have to try and beat them single-"

Future Goten drew his Power Pole again and, to the surprise of 17 and the shock of the Cell Jrs., the Future Warrior wreathed his staff in Ki-based flames and whacked one of the little, blue demons out of the air. The Cell Jr. burst into flames and screeched. Then, without missing a beat, the flames on the Power Pole extinguished and were replaced with a thick, frigid mist. Future Goten battered the other Cell Jr. out of the sky and the little beast's skin froze solid and began to crack. 17 stood up. "What the hell is that?!"

Future Goten turned to him. "I'll hate Android 17 until the day I die. But you, Lapis, I think I can grow up and forgive you..."

Future Goten reached his hand out and grabbed 17's, squeezing it tight. "So, let's get to it! We have monsters to beat!"

17 smirked, shaking his head. "I've only ever let two people in my life call me that name. But, if that's what it takes to make it where we can work together, then call me 'Lapis' as much as you like!"

Future Goten and 17 stood shoulder-to-shoulder, watching as the Cell Jrs. recovered. 17 turned to him. "So, what's the plan, Saiyan man?"

Future Goten held out his Power Pole. "I've spent the past 2 years and 10 days trying to get this technique down. I invented it myself. I flood my Ki into this Ki-sensitive Power Pole and I'm able to produce different effects from it. I've been calling it Wukong-Style Bojutsu."

17 snorted. "Weeb."

Future Goten scowled. "Shut up."

17 struck a fighting stance. "I mean, that's cool and all, bud. But, what does that do for us? Is fancy baton twirling going to be what takes these guys down?"

Future Goten rubbed his chin. "Well, not by itself..."

17 flinched. Future Goten turned to him. "I have one more idea and, thinking hard about it, you might actually be the best guy to help me out..."

The Android nodded. "Okay then, how do we-"

Both of the Cell Jrs. began to unleash a Death Beam Barrage, firing off a massive lightshow of deadly attacks to try and skewer their resilient foes. In response, Future Goten made his Power Pole extend and began to spin it around both of them. The Power Pole easily blocked, deflected, or absorbed the attacks and Future Goten spoke back at 17. "I need you to repel them again! Once you do, I think we can make this work!"

17 nodded. "Got it!"

The Android charged a sparking, green wall of energy into his hands and glared towards the manic little demons. "Duck!"

In an instant, Future Goten ducked down and Android 17 heaved the Super Electric Strike over his partner's head. The attack hit the two Cell Jrs. like a truck and zapped them both out of the sky like gnats to a bug zapper. The two of them fell to the ground in a heap and Future Goten started to run in the opposite direction, motioning for 17 to follow. As the two of them went sprinting, 17 turned to his partner. "So, what's the plan here? You said you have an idea that I'd be suited to helping with?"

Future Goten nodded. "Yeah. I actually just learned how to do this recently, when the four of us were in the Time Chamber. I think, if I can guarantee it works properly, it will give a lot of us the edge we need to crush the Cell Jrs. once and for all."

17 nodded. "Okay. I'm game. So, how do we go about this?"

Future Goten held his hand up and began to charge energy into his palm. "I just need one of your barriers to reduce the amount that comes out all at once. And, if this doesn't work properly, I need you to be ready to destroy it so we don't all go mad. Can you do that?"

17 flinched. "I mean, sure. But, would you mind explaining just what the hell you're talking about?!"

Future Goten turned and, giving his gathered energy form, produced a Power Ball. "Quick! Form a barrier around it!"

17 did just that, holding up his hands and forming a tight shield around the Power Ball. Future Goten nodded and then, with all of his strength, he heaved the Power Ball high into the air. "Burst open and mix!"

The Power Ball exploded inside the barrier and began to radiate energy out across the entire battlefield. Immediately, Future Goten began to snarl, doubling over and growling to himself. His muscles expanded, his hair bristled, and his eyes glowed an ethereal gold. 17 took a step back. "O-Oh! Oh shit..."

Future Goten growled, his breath hot and heavy. A stream of drool leaked from his mouth. 17 was stunned. "Uh, Goten..."

Future Goten's head snapped up, his nose wrinkled into a mask of primal rage. He took a heavy step towards 17, pure malice radiating from his body. 17 held up his hands. "E-Easy, big guy! You're not going King Kong on me, are you?!"

Future Goten spoke in an echoing growl. "Lapis..."

17 flinched. And then, Future Goten reached behind his back and whipped out the Power Pole. The mystic staff crackled with electricity and he pulled it back to swing. "DUCK!"

Gasping, 17 hit the ground and Future Goten swung his Power Pole, cracking it across the face of one of the Cell Juniors. This hit, unlike the ones before, had a lot more force behind it. Enough force to smash out three of the Cell Jrs. teeth and to make the black orb that made up its head superficially crack. The Cell Jr. crashed across the battlefield, leaving a purple smear across the ground as it slid and causing the other Cell Jr. to cry out in shock. Pulling the Power Pole back, Future Goten wreathed the staff in flames and threw it forward like a javelin. The flaming rod shot forward with such force that it impaled the other Cell Jr. through the stomach, sending it flying back and pinning it to a massive, rocky spire. 17, still laying on the ground, was stunned. "Holy crap!"

Future Goten reached down, still looking furious, and offered his partner a hand to get up. Once 17 was back on his feet, he looked Goten up and down. The combination of Future Goten's raging Super Saiyan power, along with the blistering fury of this new form, was enough to intimidate even the cool-headed 17. "So... uh... I guess 'what the hell?' is a good place to start."

Future Goten gripped his fists, clearly trying to maintain a clear head. "It's an idea that we experimented with in the Time Chamber. Something that myself, Trunks, Raditz, and Vegeta all worked on. We deemed it too dangerous for what it did to our heads and decided it would be better not to use it unless we were desperate. Given the circumstances, I figured it was now or never..."

17 nodded. "R-Right..."

Future Goten held up his hand gripping his fist hard enough that veins erupted from the back of his hand. "It's a power boost granted by limited exposure to the Power Ball. We took to calling it Wrathful State..."

17 had a lump in his throat. "Oh, I guess that's a pretty-"

Future Goten let loose a ghastly, loud roar and smashed a massive boulder with a swing of his tail. 17 flinched away, his hair standing on end. "HOLYSHIT!"

Future Goten was heaving. "Even with your barrier blocking most of the Blutz Waves, this is very mentally taxing... we need to hurry up and get the Cell Jrs. defeated so that we can destroy that thing. Otherwise, me, Trunks, and Ranch, are all probably going to lose it..."

Android 17 nodded, rolling up his sleeves. "Right. And, we're sure this isn't going to make the Cell Jrs. stronger as well?"

Future Goten snarled. "I feel a small increase in power inside of them, but they have a lot of extra genetic material in their systems that's muddling it. If we finish them quickly, they shouldn't have any time to benefit..."

The two Cell Jrs. both recovered, one wobbly stood up with the cracks on its head leaking blood. The other pulled itself off of the Power Pole and stumbled forward with a hole in its chest. 17 looked them up and down and struck a fighting stance. "I'm no Android 16, but I can see a pretty obvious weakness with these little bastards..."

Future Goten held his hand out. "Power Pole Extend!"

The Power Pole stretched out and came back to his hand. Future Goten continued. "Their healing factor is a lot slower than Cell's."

17 and Future Goten both focused, their power flaring. They spoke in unison and charged forward. "Let's get 'em!"

The two warriors rushed into the fight and clashed with their Cell Jr. foes. The two little imps blocked the attacks, but it was clear that they were now on the backfoot. Future Goten roared and applied a frigid Ki to his Power Pole, swiping it down at the Cell Jrs.' feet and freezing them in place. 17 immediately followed up, charging a Power Blitz into each hand and smashing them into the Cell Jrs.' faces. The two little demons went flying back, but they both kept their focus. They sneered at their foes and each began to charge the same attack. They both screeched. "TRI-BEAM!"

The two beams came shooting at 17 and Future Goten, but the raven-haired Android was well-prepared. He raised his hand in front of them and formed an energy barrier to block the attacks. The Tri-Beams were harmlessly repelled and, in the confusion, Future Goten shot forward. With primal force, the Future Teen reared his fist back and smashed the impaled Cell Jr. in the face. He then turned to the Cell Jr. with the cracked head and gave it a solid kick to the neck. Both strikes rocked their targets to the core and the Cell Jrs. were left stunned and in pain. With a flourish, Future Goten spun with his flaming Power Pole and shouted. "Wukong-Style: Flame Tornado!"

The Ki-based flames lit up the Cell Jrs. and made them both scream in agony. 17 shot up and dealt damage of his own. Coating his fists with his energy barriers, 17 cracked each of the little blue imps across the face and delivered a massive double punch to their guts. Then, raising his fists above his head, he went for a hammerfist to send them both crashing to the ground. But, to 17's surprise, the two Cell Jrs. still had some fight left in them. They both caught 17's fists and went for a double strike back. However, they did not make it far. Future Goten came rushing in with a wild screech and held out his hands wide. With a mighty clap, he slammed the two little imps and smashed their heads together. With both of the monsters stunned, Future Goten and 17 both reared their fists back. 17 punched one Cell Jr. in the face with all of his might and Future Goten punched the other in the back of the head. And finally, before either Cell Jr. could go flying back, the two warriors did a synchronized flip and delivered two devastating ax-kicks that sent the Cell Jrs. crashing into the ground below. The two little imps were planted hard into the ground, but it was clear they could still continue on. They both tried to struggle back to their feet to continue the battle, but Future Goten had had enough. "Okay! Let's put them down, 17!"

17 smirked. "Combo attack?"

Future Goten raised the Power Pole above his head. "Let's smite these little bastards!"

As the Power Pole crackled with electric Ki, Future Goten shouted to 17. "Launch me!"

17 easily complied, thrusting his hand forward and launching Future Goten and his raised Power Pole towards the Cell Juniors. The Wrathful Saiyan snarled and shouted. "Wukong-Style! Lightning!"

17 chuckled. "Well, if we're using lightning attack here, I can contribute~!"

The Android gripped his hands in front of his chest and summoned a black, sparking Ki blast. "You aren't the only one who developed new attacks after 2 whole years in that Time Chamber! Electro-Eclipse Ball!"

At this moment, both of the Cell Jrs. managed to pull their heads out of the rocky ground. They were both bleeding profusely and looked utterly rabid. The two of them looked at one another, each of them forming a Rebellion Edge on both of their hands. They weren't smart enough to express words, but the feeling was clear. They wanted to eviscerate Future Goten and 17. The two of them looked up, ready to lunge for the kill, but were left speechless and in horror by what they saw. With the shining, black light of Android 17's Electro-Eclipse Ball behind him, Future Goten's silhouette looked like little more than a raging, snarling beast. And with his Power Pole raised above his head, he looked like he was holding a lightning bolt to strike them both down. The Cell Jrs. both cried out in terror and started to attempt escape, but it was already too late. Future Goten swung his Power Pole forward, catching Android 17's attack and fusing them into one, massive move. Future Goten roared at the top of his lungs and slammed the staff down onto the ground between the two little imps. "FURIOUS WUKONG! BLACK LIGHTNING!"

Erupting out like a furious hurricane of electricity, Future Goten's attack was launched. The explosion of electricity was almost deafening, strong enough to create a massive crater in the rocks and powerful enough to incinerate even the rock itself down to mere ashes. Once the noise and the lightshow died down, Future Goten's feet finally touched the ground. He let loose a massive, seething sigh and looked around. A single charred black leg of a Cell Jr. was all that remained of their foes. And, the moment a strong gust of wind blew through, even that was reduced to utter nothingness. Future Goten let loose an exhausted sigh, his legs giving out from under him. Luckily, 17 was right there to catch his tired comrade. "Man, that certainly was something..."

Future Goten looked up at 17. It was clear that the Android was struggling to keep composure. He chuckled. "So... was the name cool? I kinda thought it up on the fly..."

17 exploded. "DUDE! THAT WAS SO FRIGGIN' COOL! HOW DID YOU THINK OF SOMETHING THAT SOUNDED THAT BADASS ON THE FLY?!"

Seeing the genuine excitement on 17's face, Future Goten couldn't help but chuckle. If anyone had described this scenario to him a few days ago, he probably would have punched them square in the mouth. But now all Future Goten could do was laugh out loud as he and Android 17 discussed the naming schemes of their attacks.

FUTURE SON GOTEN & ANDROID 17 (LAPIS) VS. TWO CELL JRS.! THE VICTORS: THE SAIYAN-DROID DUO!

Tien and Chiaotzu vs. Two Cell Juniors…

Chiaotzu shouted at the top of his lungs and unleashed his maximum range, the Kaioken x20! As he released this, the little dwarf just barely dodged out of the way as the razor-sharp claws of the Cell Jr. he was fighting sailed over his head. The claws tore through the rock behind Chiaotzu and cleaved it into pieces, much to the little warrior's shock. He leapt back, avoiding a stomp from his slightly taller opponent, and tried to catch his breath. Chiaotzu wheezed. "This is insane. I'm... I'm out of my depth here..."

Chiaotzu cringed in pain, his cheek split open and a small geyser of blood dripped down his face. He pressed his hand to his face and began to shiver. "I... I can't do this... this thing is too strong...I..."

"HAAAAAHHHH!"

The other Cell Jr. came flying in and crashed into a wall. Near immediately, the little imp pulled itself free from the rocks and wiped a dribble of blood from its busted lip with a chuckle. Tien marched forward, clearly beaten and bloody, but with a steady gait and squared shoulders. The three-eyed warrior was facing the battle with intensity and focus that had become a trademark of who he was. Tien looked over to Chiaotzu and gave his partner a silent nod of solidarity. It was clear by the look on Tien's face that he was just as unsure as Chiaotzu if they could win this. But it was also clear that he wasn't going to give in to despair. Tien took his Crane-Style Stance and called out. "Chiaotzu! We have to give this our all, my friend!"

The little warrior was still a bit shaky, but he took a deep breath and gave a firm nod. "Right. As much as we can!"

It was a staredown. Tien and his Cell Jr. locked eyes, and Chiaotzu and his Cell Jr. locked eyes. An arid wind blew through the battlefield and, out of the corner of their eyes, all four combatants saw a massive dust cloud billowing their way. Their stances were tight. They all knew that the battle was about to start again. And then, once the dust cloud rolled over, all four of them leapt into action. Chiaotzu could hear the bone-crunching sounds of the Cell Jr. and Tien fighting in the distance. He, meanwhile, burst through the cloud and came upon his Cell Jr. charging a Death Wave. Chiaotzu yelped and banked to the right, just barely dodging the deadly technique. He cringed and went through his list of techniques in his head. 'Ugh... purely offensive moves like the Dodon Ray and the Tri-Beam won't work for me. I don't have enough power...'

Chiaotzu took a deep breath and thought of his options. He knew that he was in a bad spot, but he also knew that he had options that his fellow Z-Fighters did not. Calming his soul, Chiaotzu got himself prepared. And then, he opened his eyes and they shined with white light. The Cell Jr. flinched and Chiaotzu shot forward, smashing his head into the Cell Jr.'s chest. "Zen Headbutt!"

The headbutt itself did very little damage to the Cell Jr. physically. However, the attack was so much more than that. Flooding psychic energy into the little monster's body, the headbutt gave Chiaotzu the briefest level of control over every muscle in the Cell Jr.'s body. And with that brief second, Chiaotzu caused every muscle in the Cell Jr.'s body to seize up and the little beast cringed into itself in a gigantic muscle spasm.

The Cell Jr. cried out in pain and Chiaotzu threw a kick. But, to the surprise of the little warrior, the Cell Jr. fought through the pain and shot out a hand, catching his foot and giving it a tight squeeze. Chiaotzu cried out as he felt the bones in his foot break and was helpless as the livid Cell Jr. tossed him away like a toy. Chiaotzu went flying through the air, unable to right himself, only to suddenly be caught and embraced with care. He looked up and gasped at the sight of Tien, blood pouring from a gash on his head, holding him tight. Tien's Cell Jr. foe came rushing up, but Tien was prepared. He stomped his foot onto the Cell Jr.'s head and redirected it towards Chiaotzu's Cell Junior. The two of them slammed into one another and Tien extended his finger. "SUPER DODON BARRAGE!"

The Dodon Rays came firing from Tien's finger like a machine gun. They shot into the two Cell Jrs. and drove them into the ground, smashing them through the ground and leaving them both half-buried. Tien sighed and took his brief moment of respite to try and focus up. However, the two Cell Jrs. caught him by surprise as they both immediately leapt up and charged straight at him in the air. Tien groaned. "Damn it. KAIOKEN x50!"

Chiaotzu cringed as Tien activated the Kaioken. Held close to his friend's chest, Chiaotzu could feel Tien's muscles straining and twinging just beneath the surface of his skin. He had been using the Kaioken to fight since the Cell Jrs. had first attacked. King Kai had told them all that continuous use of the Kaioken was a mistake and it was very apparent that Tien was reaching his limit. As the two little beasts got close, Chiaotzu panicked and threw up a Reflect barrier to defend them both from the Cell Jrs.' strikes. And then, seeing that the two began to charge ki blasts, Chiaotzu threw up a Light Screen barrier behind that. Sweat poured down Chiaotzu's face as he pushed his psychic powers to their limit, struggling to keep his barriers up as the two Cell Jrs. struck against them. Tien groaned and he let his Kaioken go, giving his weary body a brief rest. As the Cell Jrs.' attacks became more ferocious, Chiaotzu shrunk his barrier sphere further down until he and Tien were forced into a sitting position. Chiaotzu cried out. "Damn it! I... I just have to hold them off a bit longer...then Vegeta or Piccolo can come and help!"

Tien sighed, giving a tired chuckle. "So, that's what we've become, huh?"

Chiaotzu looked up at Tien. Tien had a weary smile. "We're just cat toys distracting these little gremlins until the 'real' warriors show up. Is that it?"

One of the Cell Jrs. smashed its fist against the barrier so hard that a shockwave echoed through it. The pressure was enough to send Chiaotzu flying out of Tien's arms and against the opposite wall of the sphere. Chiaotzu pushed himself up, only to scream in fear as his Cell Jr. opponent pressed its face to the barrier and screeched. Chiaotzu was terrified, so he turned to Tien. "I mean, what else are we meant to be here, Tien?! W-We're only human, ya know? Genetic abominations like this are-"

Tien finished for him. "An obstacle to overcome."

Chiaotzu flinched. "T-Tien...?"

Tien groaned, cracking his neck and trying to limber up. "I made a vow to myself, Chiaotzu. After everything that happened with Master Shen and Mercenary Tao... I said that I would become stronger. Stronger than they could ever hope to be. Strong enough to stand up and defend the innocent and make the Crane School of Martial Arts everything that they never had the morals to make it into..."

He looked at Chiaotzu, deadly serious. "Because I'm a martial artist, Chiaotzu. I have my honor and I have my pride and... I can't just sit back and wait for the likes of Goku or Piccolo to come in and clean house. How does that make me more than a spectator?"

Chiaotzu could hear the tone of Tien's voice, he raised his hands up. "T-Tien, calm down. I mean, I get what you're saying... but this goes beyond the pale! These little creeps are tiny versions of that monster that crippled Goku and killed Bardock! I get that we should always strive to get stronger, but we're going to die if we don't get help here! They'll kill us, Tien..."

Tien shook his head. "Beyond the pale, eh? Well, if they're beyond the pale... then the only option I see is to go beyond that point as well. And... if it kills me, it kills me. You are welcome to leave, Chiaotzu. And, to be honest, I would prefer you to. If you were to die here, I'd never be able to forgive myself..."

Chiaotzu flinched. "Tien..."

Tien smiled. "But, as for myself, I'll never get stronger if I don't face these little monsters with all I have. So... forgive me, my friend..."

Chiaotzu flinched and Tien gave him a small smack across the face. Not enough to hurt, but enough to break Chiaotzu's focus. And then, as the Cell Jrs. began to charge in, Tien shouted at the top of his lungs. "ETERNAL DARKNESS SOLAR FLARE!"

Tien squeezed his eyes shut and hastily covered Chiaotzu's. One of the Cell Jrs., realizing what was going on, closed its eyes tight. The other was not so fortunate. At that instant, a flash of light so bright shined out that it turned the entire area around Tien and Chiaotzu a pale white. Beneath Tien's hands, Chiaotzu could still make out little threads of light shining in between Tien's fingers. He squeezed his eyes shut and cried out. "Tien! What's going on?!"

Tien responded with a shout. "MULTI-FORM!"

As the Eternal Darkness Solar Flare ended, the original Tien let go of Chiaotzu's eyes. He and his Multi-Form clone both leapt out to face the Cell Juniors. The blinded Cell Jr. was still stunned and the other was still recoiling from the surprise. This gave both of the Tiens the advantage as they shouted. "KAIOKEN x50!"

One of the super-charged Tiens rushed in and delivered a massive, spinning kick combination to the blinded Cell Junior. The disabled imp was rocked like a ragdoll and sent crashing to the ground below. The other super-charged Tien lunged at the remaining Cell Jr. and unleashed a series of Crane-Style strikes to its chest. "ATATATATATATATATATATATA!"

This Cell Jr., still relatively unharmed, caught both of Tien's wrists and gave them a squeeze. Tien cringed and the little demon kneed him in the gut. The strike was almost enough to knock him unconscious, but Tien was able to stay awake. He smashed the Cell Jr. over the head with a brutal elbow strike and grabbed it into a headlock. As he tried to give a twist to break its neck, however, the Cell Jr. responded with an elbow of its own to the chest. This time, Tien went limp. The Cell Jr. cheered with delight as Tien slipped off of him and began to plummet to the ground below. However, in its revelry, the Cell Jr. failed to spot-check. A hand shot up and grabbed the little imp around the ankle. It looked down and Tien smirked up at it. "Little fool..."

With all of his Kaioken-boosted strength, Tien heaved downward and flung the Cell Jr. into the unforgiving ground below. The Cell Jr. hit hard and all of the wind was knocked out of its chest, allowing Tien to rain down from the sky and stomp onto its chest.

In the air, Chiaotzu was amazed. Both of the Tiens got back together and merged back into one person, his Kaioken power flaring out. He took a deep breath and sighed. "Chiaotzu! I understand being afraid of enemies that have such a higher power level than you! But you always need to keep in mind that, as martial artists, we have more than just our strength to rely on! Especially against brainless beasts like these!"

The Cell Jrs. both took exception with those comments. One of them sat up and shot out its arm, stretching into the distance to grab Tien around the throat. The blind Cell Jr., using its Ki sense, charged a Special Beam Cannon and prepared to fire. Tien, however, was unfazed. He called up to his partner again, his voice entirely serious. "I would never force you to, but may I ask you to stand by my side against these monsters?! We can win, Chiaotzu! I know with our skill and experience, we can win!"

The blind Cell Jr. screeched. "Special Beam Cannon!"

The drilling beam shot forward, but Tien didn't budge. He had faith in Chiaotzu. He knew that his friend might be afraid, but he also knew one other thing about Chiaotzu...

"LIGHT SCREEN!"

The psychic barrier appeared right in front of Tien and totally blocked the Special Beam Cannon. He chuckled and bowed his head in gratitude. "Chiaotzu might be afraid, but he'll never let you down."

Chiaotzu landed next to Tien and took on a fighting stance. "Never have, never will Tien!"

Both of the warriors thrust their palms forward and sent the Light Screen crashing into the Cell Jrs., knocking them both to the ground. The two longtime friends looked at one another. Chiaotzu was determined. "I can't fight these things directly. I'm not strong enough. But I have my psychic powers."

Tien nodded. "Excellent. So, you'll be providing support?"

Chiaotzu slapped his hands onto Tien's back and calmly spoke. "Calm Mind."

A feeling of refreshing calm washed over Tien. He took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm gonna be hurting for the next few days..."

Chiaotzu nodded. "Definitely. But I believe in you, Tien. You can do this!"

Tien smirked, and then he charged forward. The three-eyed warrior was ferocious as he rushed, using the Four Witches Technique to sprout two additional arms from his back and engaging in close combat with the wicked, little demons. Tien's Kaioken Times 50 power flared, putting him on roughly an even keel with his two foes. So now, it was just a matter of skill and experience against brute strength and numbers. The blind Cell Jr. tried to fire a blast, but Tien caught it and smashed it right back into the imp's face. The other Cell Jr. tried to deal a massive chop to Tien's neck, but he was able to catch the strike with one of his extra arms and send the Cell Jr. flying with a headbutt. With the Cell Jrs. laid out on either side of him, Tien stuck out all four of his arms and fired. "DOUBLE DOUBLE DODON RAY!"

Two beams of Ki fired off at each Cell Junior. The blind one, more reliant on its Ki sense, was able to quickly stand and deflect the attacks. The other Cell Jr., still recovering, was wide open. It took both Ki beams directly to the chest and was sent sliding back. It looked at Tien with utter hatred, two new smoking holes in its chest. Both of the Cell Jrs. rushed at Tien and the warrior responded by leaping into the air. The Cell Jrs. followed along to continue the fight and Tien chuckled. They both summoned a Rebellion Edge and stabbed Tien through, only for the martial artist to totally blink out of existence. They were both stunned. On the ground, Chiaotzu chuckled. "Amnesia~"

And then, the memories flooded back. The Cell Jrs. had both tried to stab Tien with their attacks, but he had dodged at the last second. Chiaotzu had briefly blocked out their memories and made them forget that they had missed. Before the Cell Jrs. could reorient themselves, Tien came shooting up from underneath with another attack. Using his second set of arms, Tien thrusted a two fingered strike into the solar plexus of each of the Cell Juniors. "Crane-Style! Manipura Sealing Jab!"

This one strike, to a specific point on both of the little demons, totally disrupted their flow of energy. Left reeling from this, the two of them were wide open for Tien's next attack. He slammed his four fists down onto the Cell Jrs.' back, busting off their wings, and with rapid speed, Tien unleashed an even more devastating move on their bare backs. "Crane-Style! Overhand Stroke!"

The solid blow, combined with Tien's Kaioken strength, utterly rocked the Cell Jrs. and sent them crashing to the ground below. They both stood up with some effort and watched as Tien launched his next attack. Though, this one was just as perplexing for the inexperienced little demons. Tien was slowly coming down from the air, his stance suggesting he was going for a double diving kick. As he slowly moved towards them, the Cell Jrs. reached up and grabbed Tien by the feet to block his attack. Tien smirked; this was exactly what he wanted. With a forceful twist of his ankles, Tien forced the guard of the two Cell Jrs. open. And then, making double x-shaped crosses with his arms, he launched his real attack at their unprotected chests. "You fell for it, you fools! Double Thunder Cross Split Attack!"

The massive strikes hit both of the Cell Jrs. in their chests and sent them flying back towards Chiaotzu. The little warrior's eyes shined and he used his psychic powers to pick up all of the rubble on the ground. With force, he launched the rocks towards the imps and began to batter them. Both Cell Jrs. growled in frustration and unleashed a double Explosive Wave to incinerate all of the rubble. As the smoke cleared, both of the Cell Jrs. were breathing heavily. Neither could grasp how this was possible. Tien and Chiaotzu were the weakest team-up on this entire mountain and they were the children of Cell! How were they struggling?! Emerging from the shadows like assassin's out of the dark, Tien and Chiaotzu both charged at the Cell Jrs. from behind. The two little demons yelped at the sight of their foes. Chiaotzu frowned. "You're both so dumb that you can't speak, but I can tell what you're thinking without reading your minds... I believe that your next line is 'Who do these humans think they are?', right?"

Tien scowled. "We're martial artists. And, just like the rest of our friends, we're sick of having to watch you and your wicked father hurt not only the innocent, but those that we personally hold dear..."

Chiaotzu's hands began to glow. "For Bardock."

Tien gripped his fists tight. "For Goku."

They both shouted in unison. "We finish you both right now!"

Both of the Cell Jrs. shot their hands forward to fire off Ki blasts at Tien and Chiaotzu, but Chiaotzu was prepared for this. The psychic energy glowing on his hands formed up into two ethereal blades and he sliced them through the Cell Jrs.' wrists. There was no damage and the little demons' hands didn't go flying off, but that didn't mean for a second that Chiaotzu hadn't dealt a critical blow. Chiaotzu grinned. "Psycho Cut!"

Both of the Cell Jrs. were taken aback, stumbling backwards in horror. In an instant, all four of their hands had disappeared from view. The Cell Jrs. couldn't see them, they couldn't feel them, as far as they could tell, the hands had entirely vanished from existence. They both cried out in horror and Chiaotzu admired his handiwork. Using his psychic powers, the little warrior had totally blocked out all memories and brain functions relating to the Cell Jrs. hands. The little imps had no clue what was going on and, although Chiaotzu hadn't damaged them, he had deprived them of a main source of defense. Tien smiled. "Thank you, my friend. Now, let's put these two down for good! Can you hold me together?!"

Chiaotzu's eyes glowed and he formed a psychic barrier around Tien's entire body. "Be careful, Tien!"

Tien took a deep breath and let it out. He knew what he was doing was risky, but he also knew this was his only chance. If those little devil spawns were able to get it together once again, they would put all of their efforts into killing Tien and Chiaotzu. The three-eyed warrior stepped forward with a heavy stomp that made the ground shudder beneath his feet. "I worked long and hard to achieve this level. And... it's risky, but I will never surpass this point if I don't give it my all..."

Tien bellowed so loud his voice made the sky shudder. "KAIOKEN x100!"

That doubling of his previous Kaioken was enough for Chiaotzu to immediately start straining. If he were not holding Tien together, the sheer force of the burst of power would have blown Tien's body into pieces. Tien's skin turned a dark, burning red. His skin cracked, revealing a glowing, flaming energy beneath. The three-eyed warrior loomed over the Cell Jrs., his eyes glowing, looking like some kind of vengeful god. He struck a fighting stance that directly implied death for the two Cell Juniors. They both shivered in fear. But then, they both tried to rush him. The Cell Jrs. both fired Eye Beams at Tien, but they uselessly deflected off of the shield surrounding him. And then, at lightning speed, Tien's fists shot out and jabbed each of the Cell Jrs. twice in the face, crushing their eyes and impacting them deep into their eye sockets. The two Cell Jrs. both went flying back like ragdolls. But, Tien's new speed was enough that he was already waiting for them on the other end. He clotheslined both Cell Jrs. hard enough that they came to a dead stop midair and began to spin in place. Eventually, their spinning stopped and they came upon a terrifying start. Tien was standing there, his sweat evaporating as it formed on his skin. He had a look of pain and fury on his face, his muscles swelled to a terrifying degree. "Crane-Style Kaioken!"

Tien used the Four Witches technique once more, growing yet another set of arms for a total of six upper limbs. His fists shined bright with Chiaotzu's psychic power. Tien narrowed his eyes at the Cell Jrs. and, although neither could see, they both shivered in terror. And then he lunged at them, all six fists drawn. "New Crane-Style! Rampaging Asura!"

All six of Tien's arms shot forward, three hitting one Cell Jr. and three hitting the other. One solid strike in the heart, disrupting the Anahatta Chakra, one solid strike in the throat, disrupting the Vissuddha Chakra, and one solid strike in the forehead, disrupting the Ajna. The energies within the Cell Jrs. bodies backed up into them, causing them both to warp and distort in shape. And then, with a massive scream, both of the little demons exploded into clouds of blue dust and viscera. Immediately after, without even a second spared, Tien released the Kaioken and fell to his knees. Before he could fall on his face, however, Chiaotzu was there. Tien fell onto his friend's shoulder and chuckled. "W-Well... we did it..."

Chiaotzu sighed, but gave a small smile back. "Yeah... and at least we have a few different ways to get you healed up..."

Tien nodded, the cracks in his skin beginning to bleed. "I-Indeed. But... I'm exhausted. I hate to bow out but... I think... I need to rest..."

The three-eyed warrior fell out, going limp and unconscious on Chiaotzu's shoulder. Chiaotzu looked at the remains of the Cell Jrs., firmly nodding. "That's fine, Tien. I'll keep you safe until we can get the Senzus back..."

TIEN SHINHAN & CHIAOTZU VS. TWO CELL JRS.! THE VICTORS: THE PREVAILING HUMAN SPIRIT!

Vegeta and Future Trunks vs. Two Cell Juniors…

Vegeta and Future Trunks each blocked a thunderous blow from their Cell Jr. opponents and sent them flying back. The Saiyan Prince and his heir both leapt back as well, giving themselves some space to breathe and regroup. Vegeta glared over at Future Trunks. "Remember what you learned in your recent training and battles!"

Future Trunks gripped the hilt of his sword firmly. "Understood! You keep your wits about you too!"

Vegeta flinched at his son's cheek, but then he chuckled. As the Cell Jrs. came flying in, Vegeta whipped his hand out. "BIG BANG!"

Future Trunks jammed his sword into the rocks and did his swiping hand-motions. "BURNING!"

And then, the two of them fired off in unison. "ATTACK!"

The Cell Jrs. flinched back. They were perhaps the two most unlucky Cell Jrs. on the entire battlefield, having to team up against two monstrously strong Super Saiyans. But, the wicked little demons did not back down. One drew its hands to the side, the other raised its hand above its head. "KAMEHAMEHA! MASENKO!"

All four attacks met in the middle and clashed, creating a massive explosion. As the smoke rose up, Vegeta scowled. "They countered our attacks with Kakarot and Gohan's attacks. They really are Cell's kids; they know how to piss me off!"

Future Trunks grabbed his sword. "Keep a cool head, Father! We need to-"

Two Death Beams came shooting from the smoke, but Vegeta and Future Trunks were not caught off guard. Vegeta slapped the beam out of his face like an annoying pest and Future Trunks sliced his encroaching attack away with his sword. The Cell Jrs. came rushing at the two of them and they were easily able to block. Both of the Cell Jrs. sneered. These two were two of the ones they really had to gang up on to do damage. Especially Vegeta.

Needing to get that advantage back, Vegeta's Cell Jr. disengaged and rushed at Future Trunks. The little demon formed a Rebellion Edge and tried to stab Future Trunks in the throat. The Future Warrior remained cool-headed, however. He simply raised the pommel of his sword up and used it to block the Cell Jr.'s hand. He glared out of the corner of his eye at the little demon. "You think dirty tricks and sneak attacks are going to win this for you? Everyone here has seen how your shameless father operates and we've all trained ourselves to be able to fight against him. You little punks being no more than carbon copies is going to get you killed, because we already know how you think!"

Future Trunks shoved his Cell Jr. back and then took his sword in both hands. "And if you think you can kill me with an untrained blade like that, you really are dreaming!"

The Future Warrior flooded his sword with his Super Saiyan energy, giving the appearance of being wreathed in gold flames. "God's Parry! Cherubim!"

The sword swung by the Cell Jr. at lightning speed, so quick that it wasn't apparent what exactly had happened at first. And then, things became very apparent. The carapace on the Cell Jr.'s chest split and a geyser of purple blood came spraying out. The Cell Jr. screeched in pain and fell back, rolling on the ground in agony. The other Cell Jr., seeing an opening, let loose a wicked chuckle and immediately went to shoot Future Trunks in the back. However, the young man didn't even flinch. He knew his back was protected. And that protection came rushing in from the side in the form of Vegeta. Making a scooping motion with his leg, the prince kicked the Cell Jr. in the throat and sent it flying back. Vegeta and Future Trunks nodded to one another and Vegeta immediately gave chase to his new opponent. Future Trunks, meanwhile, raised his sword above his head and prepared to stab down. "Let's just end this now!"

Perturbed, the Cell Jr. rolled over and quickly began to burrow down. Future Trunks flinched back slightly, watching as the little imp wriggled its way into the ground. He scowled. "Disgusting. Just like its father..."

He turned and stared into Vegeta's direction. And then, without hesitation, Future Trunks flew in that direction. Even an idiot could see what the Cell Jr.' s plan was.

Meanwhile, Vegeta and his Cell Jr. continued their brawl. Vegeta threw a punch, but the Cell Jr. blocked it. Using Vegeta's arm as leverage, it pulled itself up to give a counterattack. Vegeta sneered. "Don't get cocky..."

The Cell Jr. threw a punch, but Vegeta feinted back and the punch wildly missed. Vegeta shot his head forward and headbutted the Cell Jr. in the face, sending it flying back. The Cell Jr. snarled. It charged a blast in its hand and then...

*POP*

... it appeared right behind Vegeta to attack him from behind. Reacting quickly, Vegeta turned and wrapped his hand around the Cell Jr.'s throat. With his free hand, he hammered it hard across the face. The Cell Jr. went flying from Vegeta's grip and crashed into a rock. The prince rolled his eyes. "The strength of a monster like Cell, but all the cleverness and wit of a dullard like Dodoria..."

The other Cell Jr. popped up out of the ground behind Vegeta, Rebellion Edge at the ready. Like before, Vegeta didn't even have to watch his back. He knew it was safe. Future Trunks came falling from the sky right before the energy blade stabbed into Vegeta's spine and smashed the hilt of his sword into the Cell Jr.'s face. The little monster went crashing down, bouncing across the ground and skidding to a halt. Vegeta and Future Trunks stood back-to-back, both of them glaring as their foes stood back up. Both of the Cell Jrs. looked frustrated, but that frustration quickly turned into a pair of wicked smiles. Future Trunks scowled. "I think they might have thought up a plan..."

Vegeta snorted. "Thought up? I think you're giving them too much credit. These things are idiots. Their biggest strength is their numbers. They're able to take out the baldies and Yamchumps of our number and then focus on the greater threats as a unit..."

The prince took a fighting stance. "As much as I hate to give the Namekian and that woman of yours credit, the call to break off into teams was a sound choice."

Future Trunks held his sword aloft, prepared to engage in another fight. "His name is Yamcha, you know."

Vegeta smirked. "I know~"

And then, the Cell Jrs. came rushing in again. Vegeta and Future Trunks both fought on an even plane with their foes. The experience that the two warriors had gained over their lives allowed them to hold the advantage very briefly, but it could not be denied that these two little gremlins had strength that was near to Cell himself. The two Saiyans had to measure out and precisely deliver each move and strike, or they would leave themselves open to a painful counter. Vegeta threw a chopping strike, but the Cell Jr. caught it. The little beast opened its mouth and, in reflex, Vegeta drew his hand back. He didn't want to be bitten again. The Cell Jr. took advantage of this opening. It raised its hand up to Vegeta's face and prepared quite the familiar technique. "BIG BANG ATTACK~"

Future Trunks flinched, turning to see the massive Ki sphere ballooning into his father's face. At that moment, Future Trunks' own Cell Jr. opponent took advantage. It did the swiping hand motions and then thrust both of its hands into Future Trunks' face. "BURNING ATTACK~"

Faced with two of their strongest attacks, fired at a point blank range, Vegeta and Future Trunks were both nearly overwhelmed. Vegeta snarled as his gloves were burnt away. Future Trunks had to drop his sword to be able to properly defend. But, even then, it looked like they had been caught. And, while these attacks wouldn't kill the two of them, they would most definitely hurt. Future Trunks snarled. "The little bastards copied us so quickly..."

Vegeta growled. "I will not be defeated by my own-"

And then, both men shuddered. As the two warriors looked up, their eyes began to glow bright gold and they were both filled with an unyielding amount of rage. Their hair bristled on end and the two Saiyans gained a massive boost in strength. With this boost, and with a pair of mighty roars, the two of them managed to shove the attacks that were right in their face back and send the Cell Jrs. flying. Finding themselves free of their foes for the moment, Vegeta and Future Trunks were both embroiled with white-hot rage. Future Trunks smashed his fist into a nearby rocky spire, making it crumble. And Vegeta stomped his foot hard enough to make the ground beneath him fissure. The prince gripped his head in frustration. "This is..."

Future Trunks took a deep breath, looking into the sky to see a Power Ball surrounded by a familiar, green energy barrier. Future Trunks nodded. "Wrathful State... got it..."

Vegeta growled. "Dammit! They're supposed to let us know before they do that..."

Future Trunks shrugged, trying to calm down and regain his composure. "That was the agreement. But we can complain later. Right now, we need to focus this rage into something productive..."

The Cell Jrs. came rushing back in and both of the warriors caught their opponents' strikes. The Cell Jrs. looked up to see utterly hateful glares coming from Vegeta and Future Trunks. Vegeta nodded. "Right..."

With a twisted look of fury on his face, the prince kneed the Cell Jr. in the side of the head. Three of the Cell Jr.'s teeth went flying and the little imp went tumbling. Vegeta loomed over his opponent. "You're the one that thought it would be funny to bite me earlier, right?"

He ripped off his tattered glove, revealing a row of teeth marks, bleeding heavily. "You had a good laugh over this, right?!"

The Cell Jr. shivered in fear, waving towards its partner for help. The other Cell Jr. screeched and summoned a Rebellion Edge, rushing towards Vegeta's back and getting ready to stab. But suddenly, out of nowhere, the Cell Jr. flinched as a massive, shining blade came swinging towards its throat. The little monster was forced to drop into a slide, just barely avoiding the blade. It slid towards Vegeta and prepared to swing its Rebellion Edge, but the prince simply leapt into the air and avoided being cut all together. The two Cell Jrs. crashed into one another and Future Trunks and Vegeta stood side-by-side. The two Cell Jrs. got up and stared hatefully at their opponents. Splaying their hands out to the sides, each of the imps summoned two Rebellion Edges. They crossed their blade-clad arms over their chests and shot wicked grins towards their opponents. Future Trunks looked unimpressed. "You're trying to sword fight me again? Didn't I already make it clear how useless that would be? This fight is already over."

Both of the Cell Jrs. eyed Vegeta, finding him to be totally unarmed. Vegeta turned his nose up at them. "What... me?"

The prince rolled his eyes. "Fine. You brats wish to play sword fighter? I'll oblige."

Vegeta held up his right hand, compressing his fingers together. And from these fingers erupted a long, jagged, yellow energy blade. Vegeta looked down at his weapon and nodded. "I think... I'll just call it the Spirit Sword. No reason to get overly complicated with the names."

Future Trunks looked over at his father. "That kinda sounds like Goku's Spirit Bomb, ya know?"

Vegeta scowled. "If you ever say that again, I'll slap you."

The two Saiyans rushed at the Cell Juniors. Blades clashed with blades and the sounds of energy struggling against one another rang out. The Cell Jrs. tried to keep their confident air at first, but that all quickly deflated. It was clear after just a bit of struggle that the Cell Jrs. were well-outmatched in terms of strength and skill. The Power Ball in the sky had given Vegeta and Future Trunks an unbelievable boost in power. The Cell Jrs. both shuddered, these two were both almost strong enough in this state to be on equal footing with their father.

The sword fighting continued, with Vegeta and Future Trunks standing shoulder-to-shoulder and forcing the Cell Jrs. back. The little demons had lost all sense of an advantage by this point as the prince and his son continued to make them retreat. Knowing they were out of options, both of the Cell Jrs. tried to think of just what they could do to gain an advantage. They were at a loss for how they could ever hope to match these two mighty warriors. But then, inspiration hit them and they both had the same awful idea. The Cell Jrs. took to the air and hovered just out of Vegeta and Future Trunks' reach. The two warriors were both confused as they watched their little imp opponents stare out into the distance. Vegeta scowled. "What are they looking at?"

Future Trunks turned. And looked in the same direction they were. He flinched. "W-Wait... no! They couldn't!"

Vegeta turned as well. "Couldn't what?!"

The prince turned as well and flinched at the sight of a massive, red swirl of energy rising into the air. Vegeta was taken aback. "What the hell?!"

Future Trunks was stunned. "What the heck is Yamcha doing over there?!"

And then, as Future Trunks feared, the two Cell Jrs. both cried out. "KAIOKEN x2!"

The prince and his son both turned just in time to see that the Cell Jrs. were right there. Future Trunks feinted back. "Oh shit!"

Vegeta snarled. "Damn!"

But it was too late for them to react. Both of the Cell Jrs. launched their attacks and caught the two Saiyans. Vegeta took a massive wound to the shoulder, near-instantly rendering his entire left arm dead. Future Trunks, meanwhile, gasped in pain as he felt the Cell Jr.'s Rebellion Edge pierce his gut. Future Trunks skidded back, doubling over in pain and slumping atop the Cell Junior. Vegeta, meanwhile, hit the ground. His Spirit Sword flickered away and he gripped his injured shoulder. "Gah..."

The Cell Jrs. both squealed with delight, dropping their Kaioken before it could exhaust or injure them. The Cell Jr. that gutted Future Trunks hooted with joy, stretching its arm several lengths and using it to smash Future Trunks into a rock. And then, to twist the knife further, it began to sink the Rebellion Edge further into Future Trunks' gut. The little demon wanted his opponent to die, but it wouldn't be satisfied unless Future Trunks died slowly. Vegeta's Cell Jr., meanwhile, lifted up a big rock, around the size of Vegeta's head, and began a slow march up to the prince. This little ghoul's intentions were quite clear. Vegeta gasped, gripping his shoulder tightly. "Damn... it looks like... death is... inevitable..."

Future Trunks' head was hung over. "Yeah..."

Both of the Cell Jrs. let loose a sadistic giggle. And then, Future Trunks and Vegeta both glared at their opponents with a vengeful glint in their eyes. "You overconfident little shits!"

Both Cell Jrs. were taken aback. Vegeta, lifting his right arm back up, thrust it towards the Cell Jr. and shouted. "SPIRIT STAB!"

The Spirit Sword shot out of Vegeta's fingers and rammed through the Cell Jr.'s chest. The little monster dropped the rock and blood erupted from its mouth and it was sent flying back. Future Trunks, meanwhile, raised his hands just as the Cell Jrs. had done before and formed two Rebellion Edges. Rushing forward and swinging his hands like a vegetable dicer, Future Trunks shredded the Cell Jr.'s arm apart. The little demon squealed in terror, immediately trying to retreat, but Future Trunks' speed was much greater. He cut the Cell Jr.'s arm all the way up to the shoulder and then held both blades above his head. "I told you that you didn't stand a chance fighting me with a blade!"

Swinging both arms downward, the Future Teen dragged the Rebellion Edges down through the Cell Jr., lengthwise, and divided the little monster right down the middle. As it split apart, he kicked it into the air and it went flying all the way to its sibling on the end of Vegeta's Spirit Sword. Vegeta retracted his blade and turned to his son. Future Trunks picked his sword up off the ground and nodded. The two warriors charged into the air at their Cell Jr. foes, both of them raising their swords high up. Working together in perfect unison, father and son sliced and diced their opponents into tiny little pieces. The Cell Jrs., having Frieza's cells within them, were both still alive and quite conscious as they floated there, utterly reduced. And their separated eyes went wide as Vegeta and Future Trunks each aimed a Ki attack at them. Future Trunks held his hand out flat. "BURNING FLASH!"

Vegeta thrusted his fingers at the Cell Juniors. "DIRTY FIREWORKS!"

Future Trunks' Ki blast shot forward, engulfing the Cell Jrs.' remains. But, before that could finish them off, Vegeta's ring of Ki wrapped tightly around the blast as well. It squeezed in, compressing both the ki sphere and the Cell Jrs. down tight. And then, both attacks went off all at once. A massive, burning explosion sent Vegeta and Future Trunks both crashing to the ground and the Cell Jrs. on the receiving end were left as little more than spent ash sprinkling down from the sky.

Vegeta and Future Trunks lay there on the ground, both of them exhausted. They let their Super Saiyan Second Grade forms disperse and allowed the malaise to set in as blood began to pool beneath them both. Vegeta chuckled. "I... I hate to admit... but I'm feeling a bit light-headed..."

Future Trunks nodded. "Y-Yeah. You have a gash in a major artery and I have a massive hole punctured in my stomach. We're both in a bit of a bad way..."

Vegeta's eyes were half-lidded. "Right. Well... listen here... and keep in mind, I'm only saying this because there's no one else around and... I will deny it if you try and tell anyone I went soft..."

Future Trunks was confused. "Go on...?"

Vegeta looked over at his son. "I'm proud of you. You're a strong warrior and you've found a good partner in life. You have... my respect..."

Future Trunks was at a loss for words. He wanted to say something, but he just couldn't think of what that something was. One of his biggest goals in coming to the past was to earn the respect of the man whose name he had carried since the day he was born. And now that his father had vocalized that, Future Trunks felt like, for just a moment, he was going to cry. But then, he pushed that feeling back and just adopted a big, satisfied smile. "Thanks, Dad..."

PRINCE VEGETA IV & TRUNKS VEGETATHEFIFTH BRIEF VS. TWO CELL JRS.! THE VICTORS: THE SAIYAN ROYAL FAMILY!

Meanwhile, on a different part of the battlefield…

Two Cell Jrs. both cackled as they stood there, reveling in the horrific things they had gotten up to. Just off to the side, laying in a pool of his own blood, was the beaten and battered form of Krillin. The little bald monk gripped his fists tight and groaned. "Damn... this can't be happening..."

He looked genuinely devastated as he stared out at the carnage in front of him, barely able to articulate his words. "16..."

Spread out along the ground, in front of Krillin, were various bits and pieces of technology. The former shell of Android 16. His limbs were still slightly twitching, his shattered skull laying open next to a rock. One of 16's eyes was resting in a crack in the ground, staring blankly at Krillin. Tears built in the monk's eyes and he slammed his fists to the ground. "H-How could it come to all of this...?"

Up on their ledge, the two Cell Jrs. continued to squeal and cackle. One of them had a blinking microchip between its teeth, adorned with a Red Ribbon Army insignia. Cruelly, the little beast bit down hard and snapped the chip in two and then chewed it up and swallowed it. "All gone~"

The other Cell Jr. nudged its sibling in the ribs with its elbow. They looked to one another, and then the nudger pointed with its thumb towards a slumped over figure behind them. The other Cell Jr. adopted a twisted smile and then cackled. As the two of them walked over to the slumped figure, Krillin struggled to his feet. "Wait! N-No... Stop!"

Krillin stumbled and fell to his knees. "N-No!"

Helpless, Krillin could only watch in horror as the two Cell Jrs. began to accost their new target. The little, blue demons both cackled as one picked up the pale, barely breathing Goku and threw him backwards over its shoulder. The other Cell Jr. preened, punching Goku in the side of the head and drawing a groan. They both cackled and then, with only cruel thoughts on their minds, one Cell Jr. grabbed the fallen Saiyan by the sides of his head while the other held his body tight.

And then they both began to twist in opposite directions. This immediately caught the attention of the ailing Saiyan who, even in his injured stupor, was aware enough to know what was happening. With almost no strength behind his blows, Goku tried to fight off the Cell Juniors. But they were able to shrug off all of his attacks. They both cackled and continued to twist, their cruel giggles echoed through the entire mountain range. Krillin could barely move, but he struggled to drag himself towards them. He had to save Goku, he was the only one left that could. "No! Stop, dammit! Stop!"