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DRAGON BALL HARDCORE
THE CELL SAGA, part 5
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16 didn't know what to do, but he had lost 17 because of miscalculations and wasn't willing to lose 18 too. She was still struggling against his grip, trying to return there and make Cell give her brother back. She was too enraged to understand her position and 16 had to explain. Cell had all of 17's power added to his own, and now they can't stand a chance anymore. Now they needed to hide.
They found rest on a little island village, and thanks to 18's urgent request a nice old lady allowed them to hide in her garage. 16's head was split open and she didn't know the first thing to fix it, but he affirms no critical system was damaged. She starts walking back and forth, thinking of a way to take 17 out of Cell until 16 reminds her of the dragon balls. Goku and his friends have access to a dragon that can realize any wish; it wouldn't be a stretch to think their power can separate Cell and 17. The plan seemed perfect, but they needed the Z-warriors alive for it to work.
Just as they realize that, 16 captured Cell's nearby ki signature with his energy sensors. Cell himself could feel the signal waves from the Ultra Reactors, but was incapable of determining the precise location of where they are. He wandered around that little island town, looking left and right as people ran away terrified from him. He was getting too close.
16 told 18 to run and find any of Goku's friends while he buys her time. 18 wouldn't allow him to die like that, and that gave him no choice. Just as Cell was passing down the road, 16 pushed 18 with all his might towards the sky, sending her through the ceiling and flying far away. At the same time he busted through the garage door and took Cell by surprise with a strong punch to the face. 18 stopped in the air and started looking back and forth, eventually she decided to do what he said. 16 unleashed a barrage of punches, pushing Cell out of the city streets and into sea, but it was clear that he didn't stand a chance. He was disposed of fast once Cell got serious, and was sent plummeting into the bottom of the ocean. Cell immediately followed after 18's trail.
Out of this whole archipelago there weren't many places to hide. Cell's super senses could detect even the slightest changes in the distance. Soon enough he found her hiding under the trees.
Looking at that monster approach made her feel the most vulnerable in her entire life. He sent chills down her spine, and all of the sudden she couldn't move. She couldn't fight or outrun him. He had her brother and she didn't have the power to take him back. Cell felt bad about this whole situation; before it was pure instinct, now it's a personal kill. He apologized to her, but saw it as a necessary evil to a greater goal that needed to be done. His tail began to twitch, and it opened up the same way it did when he absorbed 17.
But then a huge ki bomb came flying from above and exploded right behind Cell, making him turn around. He immediately realized it was a distraction, and when he looked back at 18, Boku appeared there snarling at him.
He immediately used the Solar Flare. Cell was blinded by the light of a sun right on his face, and by the time he could see again Boku and 18 disappeared. The waves opened up as if something had just jumped on it, and so he gave chase. Hiding deep into the dark sea was clever, but Boku was exerting a lot of energy and was easy to follow. But when Cell finally caught up to the energy it turned out to be a Soukidan ball that quickly blew itself up on contact. He was completely fooled.
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Boku and 18 flew away in the opposite direction while Cell chased his distraction. He told 18 to run away while he keeps Cell busy as much as he can, but she noted he probably won't even get a scratch on him at this state. Then she noticed the thing in his hand, the same remote that Gero used to threaten them before. Boku explained that he will press the button while Cell is close to him, that would shut off 17's Ultra Reactor and probably put Cell back at square one. She asked why he didn't do it yet, and he said it would turn off hers too and kill her. He doesn't want to kill her or 17, not anymore. He's still thinking of a way to do this in a way no one else has to die.
Once again 18 was on the run, confronted with someone who's willing to put their neck on the line for their sake. He's way weaker than the enemy, but he doesn't care. She used to believe people like this didn't exist. These feelings of kindness confused her and now they were growing out. She doesn't know why, but she wants to protect him too. This was her problem just as much as it is his.
Cell suddenly arrived to make Boku pay for his interruption, and soon enough he had him by the neck. But against all odds, 18 decided to come back and save him; no more running away. The two now tried fighting Cell together to no avail. After a fight they stood facing each other on that island; Cell in good condition while Boku and 18 are completely wrecked. Cell wonders what will take for them to give up; he doesn't want to spend his time torturing two idiot teenagers.
Just as the fight was about to begin once more, they all started to hear rumbling in the background. When the three looked, they saw a chopper up there in the sky playing hard rock for all of them to hear. The world's champion finally arrived, after a city reported the sighting of Cell.
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As a first show off of his might, he jumps down from the helicopter 100 feet up in the air and lands completely fine. That was him; that was Mr. Satan in his almighty afro and mustache. He was wearing his brown gi and white cape. As soon as the helicopter landed, the news reporter Jimmy Firecracker announces him to the camera man behind them. They have finally found Cell, and it was time for the strongest man on Earth to put him down for good.
With a huge microphone, Cell and Mr. Satan begin to talk with one another. All three of the fighters were just looking back and forth to each other, not knowing what the hell was going on. Mr. Satan, calls Cell "King Piccolo," saying that after all these years he sprung back from his hole to try and intimidate the people into submission again. Cell tries to explain that he isn't King Piccolo, but Mr. Satan cuts him off. Piccolo thought he had defeated all of the earth's champions, but he forgot this one. And now, the winner of the World Martial Arts Tournament, Mr. Satan is gonna beat. His. ASS!
And so, Mr. Satan tossed his cape to the wind as the music from the chopper got louder. From across the world everyone was watching that fight about to begin. But before that Mr. Satan decided to put up a side show. From the chopper he brought five stacked concrete blocks. With his strong swipe he split all five blocks and left a little crack on the ground below. Jimmy Firecracker tossed tiles up in the air, to which Mr. Satan jumped up and destroyed all of them with fast kicks and punches. He was posing really hard for the camera, and eventually he decided it was time to face Cell at once. That innocent couple back there was ordered to back off and let him handle this.
Cell tried to explain one last time what he was getting himself at, but Mr. Satan's sheer hype cut him off again. And so he attacked Cell, unleashing a barrage of fists that did nothing. Cell was just silently thinking to himself; how things have come to this? Should he indulge in this play? It's so anti-climatic. Mr. Satan would continue punching again and again until he got winded and jumped back. He asked Cell if he liked that, and Cell figured it was time to get serious.
With a weak wave of Kiai he broke the camera from the news crew and the boombox inside the chopper. He asks that Mr. Satan get his boys and fly away from there. The three of them are in the middle of a fight of stupidly-high level that he can possibly comprehend, and it would be a shame if the world's champion, Cell giggled, was killed in the crossfire. Mr. Satan mocked him again, but to prove his point Cell fired a ki bullet to the sky and made it explode.
The strong wind reached all the way back to them, and took Mr. Satan off his feet. If the huge light and explosion didn't make it clear he didn't know what would. Cell told Mr. Satan to go back to his chopper, but Jimmy and the cameraman had already jumped in and flew away; making big thumbs up for Mr. Satan to defeat Cell without them. Feeling cornered, Mr. Satan's hype vanishes and he immediately pulls out his gun and starts shooting Cell in the face. How did this situation escalate so quickly in just five minutes?
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When everyone was distracted by Mr. Satan's stupidity, Boku and 18 tried to slip away only to receive a mean look from Cell. They were not escaping that easily. He tells them to calm down and stop fighting, promising it will make the rest of their lives less painful.
But then, Cell gets tackled from behind and held in a rear naked choke. It was android 16. 18 shouts his name in surprise as he announces this is gonna be the end. He apologizes to 18 and Boku, but this is the only way. And so he shoots up towards the sky along with Cell.
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He was planning to go far away into space and blow up his Ultra Reactor, killing them both. But while they were in the middle of their flight, Cell finally understood his plan. But he argues with 16; blowing up his Ultra Reactor will cause absolute destruction. It would destroy himself and several planets all together; a devastating supernova. Upon hearing that, 16 couldn't do it. He couldn't pull that trigger without risking it all. He hesitated too much.
As they are about to shoot off into space, Cell forcefully stops them both. It was good that 16 realized it before it was too late. Observing the situation, Cell thanks 16. Now he realizes there is indeed an Ultra Reactor inside of him all along.
And so with a powerful blast to his stomach, 16 is destroyed to pieces. His arms and legs spread into the air along with his head, and Cell was quick enough to snatch the Ultra Reactor from the flying pieces. It was battery shaped, and exerts an ominous sound. This was it; his ultimate, unstoppable form was here. He was going to be perfect at long last. He thanks 16 once more before swallowing the reactor whole.
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Boku and 18 watched from below as parts began falling from the sky. Finally 16's decapitated head falls right in front of them. It was releasing sparks from the neck, but he's still calm and alive. He looked at 18 and apologized to her, saying that he failed completely. She cries begging him to try a spare battery or whatever robots do, but his main functions aren't available anymore. If this shall be his end then he has a final remark. He thanks 17 and 18 for being his friend. These emotions, he was glad to finally experience some of them and was glad for the day of fun that they had. Now he knows what it truly means to be alive.
16 had one final wish. He wants 18 to protect this planet and these people he grew to appreciate. They were gifted with these powers for the purpose of revenge and destruction, but that does not need to define who they are. They can choose their own path. He begs her to use these powers for good, and maybe then she'll find the true purpose of her life.
With final sparks coming out of his destroyed neck, 16 closes his eyes, shutting down his main program. He would back up his memories at least if not for his systems being fried. Perhaps not even a robot can truly cheat death. With a smile on his face, his neural chip stopped blinking. 16 was no more. 18 grabbed his head and shook it, hopelessly crying as she realized he wouldn't wake up. The worst case scenario has just begun to unfold. A bright light was shining down at them, and with it an intense, other-worldly power.
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All of the Z-warriors, and even normal people across the world could feel it. A power greater than anything thought possible. The true, perfect and ultimate life form was complete. Cell, now with a more refined, tall and lighter look, descends from above. He too was shocked at how strong he became. The two warriors and Mr. Satan watch in awe as he shadowboxes to test the new limits of his muscles. If being perfect is a feeling, Cell most likely was the first one to ever feel it. But even so, there was still hope for the Z-warriors.
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Cell's rise for supremacy wasn't unchallenged. At the same time, the whole wide world could feel a second chill down their spines. The door of the room of spirit and time, after all this, has finally opened up. Dende was exhausted, keeping the clock at max speed with all his magic power. He was able to make 12 hours fit 1 entire year inside that room, and finally Goku and Gohan knocked at the door. And so he opens it up.
Their two powers, father and son, were now equal. Gohan grew taller within that year, and was absurdly powerful. Their clothes were on the rags, and so Dende shot them up with a Clothes Beam. Finally being able to see the situation that the others found themselves in, the two needed to act now. Goku could feel that Cell's power, the one Gohan told him about, had increased exponentially. It was a power completely surreal to him, but Gohan was confident that Goku could defeat him. He has absolute fate in his dad. Even if Gohan is as strong as his dad, Goku will always be more powerful thanks to his Super Saiyan form. Gohan didn't have much to say on the matter, or so he believed.
The two were feeling their friend's power shockingly low, and so Goku uses instant transmission to teleport to them with Dende. He found himself in a desolated, crumbled and dusty rock land that once was the ocean. Tien and Piccolo were resting there, and Dende started healing them at once. They told him what happened but they skipped one big, major part. Eventually Bulma showed up in her capsule corp flier. She knew they were fighting nearby and she thought the situation was already solved. She saw her friends all alive, but there was one important person missing.
Goku could feel Boku, but he was alone out there… Where was Yamcha?
While Tien only looked down in shame, Piccolo explained it. The good news is that the androids are no longer a problem. And the bad news is… Cell picked them by surprise. He stole Piccolo's energy and used it to overpower them, and absorb android 17 to become even stronger. He was about to kill them all when Yamcha managed to bring his attention somewhere else, and saved their lives. He fought Cell with all he got… to the very end.
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Little baby Boku began to cry, and soon enough so was his mother. Bulma was just seeing half of her life flashing before her eyes; all the regret and the good moments. That idea that they could live happy and long lives was just shattered right in front of her. So many times before she was confronted with the death of her friends, but now she cannot escape it. She felt worthless. Her old life, all the things she planned with Yamcha for decades to come, it all just went away in a flash. How can she recover from this? What was he thinking? How could he toss it all away so easily? Did he hate her that much? The questions were poisoning her mind, and she could help but to fall to her knees.
Goku looked empty. His smile slowly disappeared. the joy had left his eyes, almost as if in trance.
One of his oldest friends lost forever, while the other was crying uncontrollably. This feeling killed Goku on the inside, and triggered something that he thought to be under control. This unbridled rage that once ruled his mind; the Super Saiyan. It shaped his thoughts into absolute violence. He didn't want anything other than revenge at that moment. Everything that was on his mind was swept away by that single desire to inflict as much pain as possible. His last words of conscience were used to apologize to Bulma. This was all truly his fault.
And so, he alone used instant transmission to go straight at Cell. He didn't want the others there to watch nor interfere. Cell was now his to kill. Gohan was shocked; they were supposed to fight him together. He had faith in his dad, but now everything is in doubt. He blasted off into the sky, asking Dende to heal the others and stay put. His father got this… right? There is no one else that can do it besides him, he thought.
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You can't imagine Cell's surprise. He was about to finish off Boku along with 18, but all of the sudden the person highest in his hit list just pops out of nowhere. Goku looked like he was losing his mind. It was clear from the very first thing he said. Goku proclaimed, "I'm going to kill you."
And so, he transformed into the legendary Super Saiyan, and with no words to spare they began their fight. The battle of an ancient legend against the ultimate being. The colliding of their fists shook the world. Everything surrounding them would be erased by the waves of energy. All that surely proved Cell's point beyond all reasonable doubt; Goku was too dangerous to be left alive. Their fight took over the skies, the ground and sea. Not an inch of that continent was spared from their power.
At one instance Goku was ready to send a Super Kamehameha down to Earth in order to kill Cell. That thing would have blown up anything in the universe; had Goku really gone mad? But at the last second, he used Instant Transmission to teleport right in front of Cell, and unleashed his energy towards Cell's chest. The Kamehameha beam kept going out into space like a shooting star.
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When the light died out, Goku saw Cell split in two by that attack; his bottom half had been reduced to nothing. Cell did not seem to mind his situation, and started floating. Thanks to his genes from King Cold he was able to endure absolute peril. Thanks to his Namekian biology he was able to regrow his stomach and legs instantly. And finally, thanks to Goku and Vegeta's Saiyan biology he got an amazing power from surviving this near death experience. The battle only got harder. Goku was fighting with all his power now. For the entire year in the Time Chamber he was able to calm down his heart problems, but they were returning quickly. He was getting weak, and Cell was getting the better of him. He felt he was gonna lose.
Cell asks, "Is this all you got, Goku?"
Goku fell for the taunt. It was then that Goku realized it was now or never. He used it, knowing what it would do to him. With his last energy, he uses the Kaioken 20x along with his Super Saiyan.
The result was the strongest power that this universe has ever seen so far. Cell's smug smile faded, and suddenly realized that he might not win. With the last power of his life, Goku rushed down Cell and destroyed him. He knocked him around the world, attacks so strong that Cell would fly between continents. By the time Cell landed on the ground Goku was already there waiting for him. He tries one last time, with one final Super Kamehameha. He took a certain distance, and again unleashed a blast that engulfed Cell completely.
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That was it. In those thirty seconds, Goku's attacks completely destroyed Cell. Mere pieces were left of him, and his head was left lying on the floor. Goku thought that would be it, he couldn't regenerate from that; Piccolo certainly wouldn't.
Goku suddenly felt an immense pain in his chest, and vomited blood. He fell to his knees and the transformation had been undone. With his entire life on the line Goku managed to overpower Cell a little more, and won.
But against everything that Goku knew, Cell's head started talking to him. Cell asked Goku, "was it worth it?" And so his head floats in the air, and piece by piece his body slowly grows back to normal; from his neck, to his torso, then his arms and legs. Goku was completely powerless to even get up. Cell explained that the regeneration skill costs quite a deal of energy for Namekians, and they probably can't do it several times in a row. But since Cell has two reactors producing energy infinitely, all he has to worry about is the pain. He asks Goku if it was really worth it, almost blowing up his own planet in the scuffle. It was a good fight though. Cell was made for this moment, and he's enjoying himself. But he knows Goku doesn't have more than a minute in him anymore. It was time to end it.
He was about to blast Goku into oblivion, but then the lowest person in his hit list attacked him by surprise; it was Gohan. He wouldn't allow Cell to kill his dad, and challenged him to a fight. Goku knew this was gonna be bad. He tried awakening Gohan's Super Saiyan for all those months in the time chamber, but it never worked. Goku could trigger the Super Saiyan with just his darkest memories, but Gohan couldn't do it. He had to experience the true boiling point to become a Super Saiyan, but he didn't want his son to go through that. Gohan didn't stand a chance at his base form, no matter how hard he tried.
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At the barren and destroyed lands, Piccolo was finally done being healed. Determined, he blasted off first and arrived much sooner thanks to his huge power. And what he witnessed from a far put him against the wall. He was confronted by the promise he made to his father and the emotions that he had for his friends. He found a way to break himself free of both of them at the same time; and while at it, he'll not disappoint either side. "I'm sorry, old man. But your revenge dies with me."
In their short fight Gohan showed some absurd improvement over the last time Cell saw him. He was as strong as Goku at that point, but it seemed that he wasn't a Super Saiyan. Cell was especially stronger after getting another boost from his decapitation. He decided to get this all over it. He ignored the kid and prepared a blast aimed at Goku, but Gohan stood in front of his father. Goku screams for him to get away but Gohan wouldn't listen. Goku clenched his fist and hit his head against the ground; knowing he doomed everyone.
As the lights were coming towards them both, Gohan got ready to defend… but he never had to. Just like a fading memory of what once happened, Piccolo appears in front of him; arms and legs spread open. He took the blast head on for his friend.
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By the time Cell, Goku and Gohan looked, Piccolo was still standing strong there, with his clothes destroyed and bleeding purple all over. He looked back and stared down at Goku. "Don't you realize, Goku? I know you did. We lost. No matter how hard we try, you know it's not us who are going to solve this. But I…. I think it's you Gohan. I only wished to have realized this sooner.
Goku, thank you for giving me another chance when no one else wanted to. And thank you Gohan, for being my friend despite all that I've put you through. Thank you…"
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And so, Piccolo falls face down to the ground. Gohan just looked at him, quietly and intently shocked. He hurried to his side, shaking him awake to stay with them. He started crying; he couldn't possibly win without them, but Piccolo told him to stop. Gohan has to stop doubting himself. He may think that he will never reach the same level as Piccolo and his father, but that's not true. He has proven it again and again. There's a side of Gohan that is more powerful than they can ever imagine. The side of him that can take on any enemy. He told Gohan to stop suppressing it, and let it explode. Use its power to save his dad, his mother, and his friends. "I'm glad I'm not gonna make it through this… because if I did, we would end up as enemies in the end. Please Gohan, keep on fighting… for me, and everyone else… my friend."
And so, the last of Piccolo's energy disappears and he closes his eyes. The power to match the Super Saiyan legend; the smarts to defeat the gods; the goal to take over his world… Piccolo gave up all that to his friends. Seeing the lifeless body of Piccolo beginning to mysteriously disappear into thin air, Gohan was with a blank expression on his face. Soon enough Goku began to cough more and more blood. His vision was being warped and fogged by exhaustion. He felt like his death was now imminent. And so he closes his eyes, passing out.
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Gohan now stood up straight. His father now lies dying before him, and a close second of a father just vanished before his eyes. Their murderer is right there; smirking. Cell was made to track down and kill the Z-warriors, but all of them just rather kill themselves to stop him than to die by his hand in a fight. Quite a tragedy, but it works either way. He could feel Boku weakened back there; Tien and Dende are heading here soon. Killing Gohan now is the obvious choice, he better do it before he throws one of his tantrums. But something was wrong with him; you could see into his eyes.
The earth began shaking; the skies were getting heavy. Everything around them seemed to be breaking apart. In Gohan's mind, a streak of fire shoots through the darkness and consumes it whole. His mind was on fire. With the flashes of the past in his eyes, he screams in absolute anger. And so the light of a sun envelops him. Lighting starts to sparkle around him.
It was time for a new legend to rise.
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The Super Saiyan legend is quite simple. It tells that one day, a Saiyan warrior of incredible resolve would be corrupted by murderous anger, and he would then achieve the power to defeat even the gods. Although many tried, the legend remained a legend for hundreds and hundreds of years, because Saiyans lacked one vital thing: a pure heart. Because an evil one cannot be corrupted twice. In that way, the Super Saiyan legend means… hope. The hope that even one of the Saiyans, known to be evil and ruthless, could eventually become a good person, against all the odds.
Son Gohan, although not the first in history, he is half Saiyan. It was something that gave him absurd power from a young age, but cursed his childhood with battle after battle in order to survive. Now he faces the greatest battle of his life, and despite his lack of Saiyan purity, that didn't stop him from realizing the legend. Not only that, but the legend he created now surpasses the original.
Everyone in the entire north galaxy who could sense energy witnessed the rise of the Superior Saiyan, Son Gohan. His hair turned golden, more spiky than Goku's ever was, but his green eyes were just as fearful and deadly. Cell watched in awe as Gohan showed the same form as his father did a moment ago, but somehow stronger even as Goku used the Kaioken. He couldn't comprehend how this ki grew so intensely, and before he could even say anything Gohan already had his fist plunged in Cell's stomach. With that attack that was a dozen times faster than light, their final battle began.
To put it simply, it's perfect. No matter the timeline, that battle couldn't play out any different. The fight started out as nothing more than Cell's personal torture session. 18 and Boku with Mr. Satan on their back soon arrive to see the light show that was the fight. Boku damned himself as he saw Goku's body lying there. He had to be the worst time traveler in history. Right after them came Tien with Dende, and he healed 18 and Boku's wounds. They continue watching the fight unfold, and eventually, with his third eye, Tien spots Goku's subtle movements and hands shaking, and sees that he is still alive. He was happy to see Goku still standing, but Goku replied saying that he might not be for too long. Tien puts him on his shoulder and they all get some distance from the fight.
Gohan was being as ruthless as one can get; ripping apart Cell piece by piece, only for him to regenerate and Gohan to rip it out again. Cell was getting stronger and stronger as he regenerated but it wasn't doing any good. Gohan was so unimaginably more powerful that he had no hope of winning. Desperate, Cell blasted himself towards the sky. He can survive in space just fine like Freeza and Cold's race, but Gohan and the others couldn't. He damns Gohan for pushing him so far; if this were to go his way no one would have to die besides the Z-warriors. And so he prepares a powerful Kamehameha, and fires it down to the Earth.
Gohan stood his ground, calmly watching the wave of energy descend upon him. At the last second he fires back with his own Super Kamehameha. It was like a needle that was strong enough to push against a giant hammer. Cell sunk all his power into that thing, and watched in terror as Gohan shot it back at him with no effort. He protected himself, but was swallowed by the light.
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When the earth stopped shaking and the dust settled in, the few remaining Z-warriors and Mr. Satan looked up to Cell. He was just a torso with a head. Legs, arms and his crown thing were obliterated. He was bleeding a disgusting purple all over, and was shaking in fear. He used all his power to survive, and was already fully regenerated. When he did so, his power shot up way higher than before, making Gohan frown. His power was steadily increasing and Gohan was failing at putting him down for good. However, he wasn't the only one in that fight.
Boku explained to the others around him that while Cell has both 17's and 16's Ultra Reactors inside of him, he'll be able to regenerate forever. And so he once again took the remote from his pocket; hands trembling. He still couldn't force himself to press the button with 18 there. However, 18 now looked at this destroyed land that saw this terrible fight, and remembered 16's final words.
Even if it was just once, and even if it's the last thing she'll do, she wants to make something right by herself. She wanted to choose her own fate, instead of going where the wind took her. If her life had any worth, then she'll use it all up now.
She quickly snatched the controller away from Boku's hand, and looked him dead in the eyes. She told all of them, "Thank you guys for everything. Thank you for making us feel wanted… See ya."
And so she flew towards the fight with Boku going after her; Gohan and Cell were getting more and more balanced as Cell regenerated. Suddenly 18 screams for them to stop, and they take their eyes to her. Boku was right behind, trying to convince her to stop but she already made up her mind. Cell was curious about what she had to say.
Fearless, she wields the remote that only has one big red button. She felt nice; a serene feeling of having her fate written. And so she simply says, "You're terminated, fucker," and so presses the button.
Both 18 and Cell feel a shock through their bodies. She started losing air out of her lungs, trying to grasp onto something that wasn't there. She felt empty on the inside, no warmth in her guts. Even so, she felt like she did something right. With a smile on her face, 18 closed her eyes and fell back. Boku caught her before she fell, and the remote broke as she dropped it to the floor. She was out, and Boku shouted in anger, but there was nothing he could do. But as it happened, they all felt something strange happening with Cell.
As if something had gone wrong with his brain, he starts to move weirdly and shake violently. There was foam coming out of his mouth and his eyes were spinning around like crazy. He started increasing in size; trying to concentrate and keep his power but it was useless. To finish off the weird Olympics, he vomits out 17's body. Surprisingly he was still all in one piece, but he was covered in goo and seemingly as dead as his sister.
Without a second Ultra Reactor powering him up, Cell was slowly reverting back to his Semi-perfect form; and with it, his power shot down instantly. If he was struggling to defeat Gohan before, then he is nothing to him now, and he realized that rather fast. All his plans went down the drain. They were about to take everything away from him… a second time. He wasn't willing to let that happen. He didn't care for his plan, he didn't care for the universe anymore, he just wanted revenge.
As Gohan kicks him away in his feeble attempt to fight back, he takes some distance and starts to power up. Suddenly he started to bloat, and exert a bright energy from his surroundings. Boku grabbed 18 and 17's lifeless bodies away and shouted for Gohan to finish it before he did something stupid. With a cold nod Gohan sets on for the kill.
He stands in front of Cell, getting on a stance to blast him into nothingness, but Cell laughs in his face. He began his self-destruction sequence, which will be done in about a minute. However, that's only a timer, he's already set to blow up now, and any kind of attack will make him explode. Once he does, the whole planet goes boom with him, and THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO ANYMORE!
Gohan just stares at him in disbelief, before falling to his knees. He failed… He should've used all his power from the get go, but he was too focused into making Cell suffer. He was just as foolish if not more than Vegeta was. Now he's going to die. What the hell is he gonna say to Piccolo in the other world?! Cell began to laugh maniacally, grateful that at the very least he can bring down his hateful nemeses with his suicide.
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Out of everyone damming that monster for his cowardliness, there was one person who knew what to do. Goku had to clean up his mess. He apologizes as he pushes himself away from Tien's shoulder, and stands faintly there. Boku, Tien, Dende and Mr. Satan look at him; faces full with despair. He puts his fingers on his forehead and warmly waves at them, "Guys… take care."
Tien immediately understood what he was gonna do and shouted at him to stop, but it was too late. Goku disappeared before them, using the last of his life to teleport to Cell. Gohan looked up, and saw his father.
"Gohan… I'm sorry for being such a bad father to you. Many times I couldn't protect you, and many others you had to pick up my slack and solve the problems that I caused. But even so you pushed through, and showed to be much more powerful and capable than I could ever hope to be. You couldn't have made me prouder if you tried… I thank Boku for allowing me to spend those three more years with you and your mother, but now it's time for me to make up for my mistakes. And Gohan… Take care of everyone for your old man, okay? Goodbye."
Gohan tried to run at him, but Goku already wasn't there anymore. In a blink of an eye he vanished. All that wind, and light made by Cell went along with them, and now there was only a dreadful silence in those barren wastelands. Gohan screams in absolute anguish before falling down on his face, crying.
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King Kai has been observing the situation unfold for a long while now, but he couldn't offer any help at all from his planet. This matter involved only planet Earth so far. But now his star pupil had managed to make quite an impression for himself. This tale of bravery and sacrifice should be told till the end of time, and King Kai hoped to see him soon in the other world. But just then he turns around to see Goku on his planet with Cell. He quickly asks, "King Kai, it's true gods like you can't die, right?"
And before King Kai can even finish screaming, Cell explodes. The light enveloped Goku and King Kai, and turned them to absolutely nothing.
A few seconds earlier, Bubbles and Gregory were about to head back through Snake Way with some plastic bags full of groceries. The second they set foot on it they witnessed a twinkle in the distance, and then a huge explosion surged in its place. The sheer force knocked out the roof from King Yenma's Office and sent all his stuff flying. When the light and tremors stopped he sent out his ogre employees to fix up everything. When Bubbles and Gregory looked back, the explosion went so far that it vaporized the entirety of Snake Way just a few meters away from the Palace.
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Back on Earth, Gohan seemed to be inconsolable. He was looking down at the ground, blaming himself for this. Boku tried to shift the blame to himself, but Gohan just wouldn't buy it. As a last attempt to light up the mood, Dende reminded them of HIS dragon balls. Since he is notably more powerful than Kami, who knows; maybe his dragon could bring back the dead. Gohan then stood up from the ground and looked back with a faint smile. "It shouldn't be wrong to try," he said, as his blond spiky hair slowly faded to short black once again. While they are at it, they should try to do something about all this destruction and the people who were killed by Cell, Gero and 19.
They all turned around in order to head back into the lookout, but sadly they were a second too early.
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In a flash, a huge dust cloud settles back and a bright light emanates from the huge power that they now feel. They couldn't believe it, but the bastard was back. Gohan grinds his teeth as he feels his energy again. Before any of them could react, a Death Beam shoots out of the smoke, faster than all of them could react, and hits Dende square in the chest. Cell speaks from the dust cloud. "Dragon balls, eh? Almost forgot about them. I will not allow any wish granting dragon to remain existing. No one should be allowed such power."
As the smoke clears, Cell appears again back at his final form. They may ask, how in sweet merciful Kai did he survive this? Well the answer is simple; it even lies on his name.
Cell was created in such a way that as long as a single cell survives, he can regenerate himself from that with his energy regardless if his soul has left his body. However 16's Ultra Reactor has suffered some form of malfunction in the process to completely rebuild himself. His energy is now dwindling, and he won't be able to do it a second time. But thanks to his Saiyan inheritance, the near-death experience accelerated his development rate and now he was back at his final form; much more powerful than when he left. How? Good question… I don't know, and he doesn't care. How did he reappear here? Who fucking knows. Win is a win.
Tien furiously screams, "you monster!" before dashing right into Cell's perfect face and unleashing a point blank, full power Shin Kikoho at his devilish smile. The light shot out of his hands and instantly engulfed Cell, but that was a feeble attempt. Cell just walks off of it, slapping Tien with the back of his hand and sending him into the ground.
Cell then put his eyes to Boku, standing there in shock. This god damn kid is the cause of all this mess, and who better to die first, right? With all his power he tries shooting down Boku with a hand blast. Boku didn't have time to even think of dodging, but he was still saved as Gohan jumped in front of the blast to save him.
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The result was an injury that neutralized the left side of his body. His clothes were destroyed and his left arm and leg went limp, and bleeding.
Gohan mumbled in rage, "While I live… you won't kill… ANYONE ELSEEEEEE-!"
As he shouted, he powers up into his Superior Saiyan form, not giving a damn about his injuries. Cell was now strong enough to match Gohan in this form. He thought, "what better way of finishing off this pair of brats than sending them right back to their papas?"
He took a stance, preparing for a final Kamehameha to finish off this entire travesty, but was surprised to see Gohan follow suit. With just his one arm he took the Kamehameha stance and repeated after Cell. "Gohan, can't you see? If our powers collide and explode it will be the end of this planet; HELL, THE END OF THIS SOLAR SYSTEM!" Gohan didn't care; if he won the struggle then that won't happen. They prepare their energy for one final, climatic showdown.
And so they unleash their energies upon each other, and they collide in a struggle that shakes the whole world. Buildings were crumbling; crevasses were opening on the streets; the sky turned black. The world was collapsing in on itself as they pushed themselves to the limit. Gohan's obvious injuries were limiting his power, and Cell was slowly taking the advantage.
But suddenly, Boku jumped at Gohan's right and prepared a blast of his own to fire towards the struggle. Their powers were so balanced that even Boku's weak power could make a difference, and slow down the incoming blast. If Gohan loses he's gonna die anyway, and he's sick of seeing people he likes dying before him. Now it's time to bet everything.
After Boku, Dende jumped into Gohan's left, and started healing his wounds as much as he could. Thankfully he could regenerate from that death beam with Namekian powers, but that took most of his energy too. He was seriously willing to give the last of his life, and Gohan's wounds were closing up.
The two tried to stay there to help for as long as they could, but the force of the energy struggle was just too great and they were blasted away as it got serious. Thanks to them Gohan was able to gain back some strength and take the advantage.
Cell wouldn't allow Gohan to win now, and decided to put all the energy in 16's Ultra Reactor into this attack. A Kamehameha with the full power of a sun on its blast; a Solar Kamehameha if you will. Gohan started losing again. The energy was approaching. Every muscle in his body was near their breaking point. He couldn't believe it, this all felt impossible. He was gonna fail again…
But then, he hears his father's voice at the back of his head.
"Gohan, you must not give up now. You're so close to beating him! Think about all that you're gonna lose if you fail this time. Boku is going to die. Dende is going to die. Tien, Chi-chi, and Bulma, and everyone else is going to die. But they will only die if you give up! I know you're better than this. You're better than him! You're better than me! Just focus and wait for an opportunity!"
Cell was screaming at him. "THIS IS IT GOHAN! IF THIS SERVES TO ANY CONSOLATION TO YOU, I SHALL PROTECT THIS PLANET AFTER I'M DONE WITH YOU AND YOU'RE MISERABLE FRIENDS!"
Gohan was waiting, gathering all he had left and holding it for one final push…
Suddenly Cell hears again a sound that it's etched to his mind at this point.
"SHIN… KIKOHOOOO!"
Cell received a powerful blast to his back that startled him, and made him flinch. He sunk so much of his energy into the blast that he left his back completely unprotected, and he was heavily wounded. He looked back and saw Tien with only one of his hands up, using the last of his full power before falling to the ground. And so Goku screamed in Gohan's mind, "DO IT NOW!"
With all the power he saved up, Gohan unleashes the last Kamehameha he'll do in a long while. The most powerful Kamehameha of all time, and that final push of energy takes Cell completely by surprise. He couldn't push back against the son's power being motivated by the image of his father.
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In his last moments, being enveloped by light, he remarks that he was trying to do the right thing. Why must he be the one who loses? His moments of cowardliness and hypocrisy flash before his eyes, and so he understands. His resolution wasn't as strong as Gohan. He had none to protect, and none to protect him. He felt alone in those last moments.
What comes next is impossible to know; but he does know that as long as Gohan lives the battles will continue to get harder and harder. "Gohan… are you ready for what the future will bring to you? I hope you are, because you can't back down anymore. I'll have to leave it all… to you."
Cell was slowly consumed by the light; cell by cell, atom by atom being turned to nothing by the light. Even if a single cell survives, he won't have any more energy to return. He can't tell if it's his Saiyan side speaking… but this fight was quite entertaining. The light blasted him off to space; so thick and bright that you could see it from light years away.
And so, Cell… was no more.
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To think that the skies would open up in such beautiful blue after a galaxy-level struggle. The Z-warriors were scattered around the battlefield, and soon emerged from the rubble and sand that was put up by the force. Everyone was fine, after all that Gohan falls down from the sky and is caught by Tien. He said with a smile, "you truly are something else, kid."
Everyone reunited around Gohan, cheering him on even though he can barely stand on his feet. While everyone was in high spirits, they decided to head back to the lookout. Boku got 17 and 18 on his back and was ready to go, but Gohan called everyone to come closer; they needed to stop by somewhere first. They grabbed onto him, and he placed his two fingers on his forehead. And so he used the instant transmission.
They reappeared at the shore of kame house just as Tien asked, "What the heck- Goku taught you how to do it?" to which Gohan nods. The others soon notice them outside, and the warriors run in to greet their families. Launch was tending to baby Boku and her daughter Dina who were playing together. Bulma sunk her face into her arms over the table, and Oolong was trying his best to console both her and Puar of Yamcha's death. Chi-chi was just staring out the window at the blue sky.
Boku quickly put 17 and 18 on the couch and went straight to talk to his mother. Once he called for her she looked up, and saw her baby boy in one piece. He said, "we did it, mom. We won. And we're still here, all thanks to dad."
She proceeded to hug him really tight, and he did so too. Boku saw Puar floating over them and pulled him in for the hug, saying "come here, boss. I missed you too."
Launch and Tien looked at each other from the opposite sides of the living room. Tien smiled and gave her a thumbs up, which sparked her up with joy and made her jump on top of him for a hug. She's none the wiser of what happened the last two days, but she bets he showed that android who's boss.
Gohan calmly walked over to his mom who didn't turn to see him. "Hi mom," he said. She responded simply and calmly, "hi Gohan." He was trying to think of words to not break her heart, but she continued. "Let me guess… Your father ended up acting recklessly, and got himself in a jam and we won't be able to see him again for the foreseeable future… is that it?"
He was surprised that she knew exactly what happened. Chi-chi said, "darling… this isn't the first time Goku ran off into the future and left me behind, you know? First time we met each other, he proposed to me and never came back. I know how your father does things. But I am grateful that he was kind enough to leave behind the greatest gift he ever gave me, and I'll love him every day for the rest of my life for that… And it's you, Gohan. You and all the happiness that he gave both of us is what we'll always have to remember him." She looks back at Gohan now, teary eyed. His only response is to give her a tight hug that lasts a whole minute.
Dende reminded everyone that they should go back to his temple and see how much they can fix things.
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Gohan takes everyone to the lookout by sensing Mr. Popo's energy. He was already there waiting for them; dragon balls in toe and Senzu Beans at hand. Now everyone could heal completely, and they were ready to summon their new dragon for the first time. Dende asks the others what they should name it, and they all agree that Dende himself should decide. And so he comes up with Rutamomo. As he says, in the Namekian language, it means "act of kindness."
"Rise, Rutamomo, and bring our dreams to life!" he shouted the secret code.
The dragon balls shined really bright for a moment, and from their light the dragon appeared, making circles around the sky. Boku read about Shenron constantly but he never saw him before; he was truly massive. He was red, with a yellow belly and huge golden horns shaped like crystals. Dende made him resemble their old dragon, but why he came out red was something he didn't understand. With him out, Dende shouted, "Great dragon! As your master, I order you to state your rules to us!"
"Very well," the huge red dragon barely opened his mouth, and words came out just fine. "As any dragon worth his salt, I shall grant a wish. A single wish to everyone present before me. However, if the wish shall be used for personal gain, or if the wish doesn't align to that person's heart, then I shall not consider it. That is my trade."
"What does that mean, exactly?" Bulma asked. Dende responded simply, "It appears that it can grant a wish for each and everyone of us, however we can't ask things for ourselves. We can only make wishes for the benefit of others."
That was quite possibly the worst dragon they ever heard of, but it is a powerful dragon indeed. It practically serves more of a defense mechanism than weakness. An evil wish for someone's own gain will never have its way. "All of you, wish away if you shall," said Rutamomo.
Dende goes first, asking that all the destruction caused by the last battles on the planet be undone, and let nature run its course again. Rutamomo was powerful. His eyes shined for a moment, and the earth shook for a couple of seconds.
Everything had been undone. The cracks at every road were fixed; all the speckles of dust were put back where they belonged; the earth was readjusted, and both sea and grass instantly took over their natural place. In a blink of an eye the Earth was now back to normal. The people all around looked in shock as their personal possessions were put together by strange magic as if all the earthquakes and superhuman battles truly never happened around them. Popo walked up and asked, "What about the lives lost during the last two days… Do you have the power to bring them back?"
Rutamomo simply said, "No, for that is beyond my power. Onto the next wish."
Dende sorrowfully looked back; after all he isn't powerful enough to help those long gone. He bows and apologizes to everyone. Not being able to bring back the Earth's heroes hurts him especially. But then Gohan said to him, "it's okay, Dende." There is something they have to live with. Though Goku and the others are dead, their lives were not in vain.
Now they had a lot of people there with wishes to grant.
Puar went ahead and wished that Yamcha's pile of dirty clothes on Capsule Corp mansion get washed and cleaned properly; it was the last favor that Yamcha asked Puar to do, and he was sure to do it now. Rutamomo grants it easily.
Oolong asks for all the electronics at kame house to be renewed; a gift for Launch and Tien. Rutamomo grants it, and he did it well too; he made everything brand new; turned the tube TV into a smart TV and even made Launch's semi-automatic rifle under her bed into a fully automatic rifle. Launch wholeheartedly thanks him, and for her own wish, she wishes that Oolongs up-coming book series "Angel Cubes" becomes a huge success all over the world.
Bulma wishes that her future son's Time Machine gas tank is filled to the brim with the proper fuel, so then he can go around without a hitch. Creating such powerful raw material was a bit tiring for Rutamomo, but he granted it too. Boku thanks her; he hadn't even thought about it. To get that stuff he would have to dig to the center of the earth for a month to find just a smidgen.
Gohan asked what his mom was gonna wish for, and she went straight for it. Chi-chi wished that her next child would be as pure and kind as his older brother and father, a wish that made Gohan cheer, and then go "wait, what?" Nevertheless, Rutamomo grants it as well.
Now they were down to the last three wishes; Gohan, Tien and Boku. Tien steps up to the dragon, and says as he points to 17 and 18. "Almighty dragon, one of my dearest friends has forsaken his life in the name of saving ours, and especially those two young ones over there. I beg of you; could you please make the machines that keep them alive start functioning once again, so then his death shall not go in vain?"
"Hmmm" mumbled Rutamomo, "To do that, I shall create two cores of energy as powerful as the core of a sun. A hard task indeed, but one that I can grant." And so his eyes glowed.
The Ultra Reactors inside 17 and 18's chest slowly but surely started making power again; everyone heard the noise. Soon enough the two open their eyes; just being pulled back from the line to Yenma's office. They get up in shock and then looked at each other, looked at everyone around them and then looked at the giant dragon. 17 said, "That green bastard…" While 18 said, "Did you guys kill it?"
Boku nodded, and 18 gave a sigh of relief. 17 didn't know what the hell was going on, and in response 18 just punched him in the arm and said, "good to have you back. I'll explain everything to you later."
They seemed fine, but Boku knew of something the others didn't know of; the cruel fate Dr. Gero bestowed upon them. He wanted to make things right; for his dad, and for the future.
It was his first time making a wish; he tried to be eloquent. "A-almighty dragon… I know that they look fine but it's not so simple. Their mechanical hearts bring them power along with a curse. Their youth will be stolen as the core's power fades with time. Could you please use your power to save them from that cruel fate by any means?"
"I see. But the truth is that their bodies were changed far beyond the point of return. I do not possess the power to turn them back into normal humans. However, I can indeed use my powers to stabilize their cores for decades to come, so they may age as a normal human. Is that what you wish?" Boku agreed, and so it was granted.
All of the sudden, 17 and 18 felt way lighter on the inside. 18 asked what he did, and Boku explained to them what would've happened to them in just fourteen years. He saved them from looking like a zombie and an old hag at the age of 30. Still, they didn't understand why, so Boku was straight with them. They're not bad people, and he doesn't think they deserve it, so he stopped it. Is that really so hard to believe?
17 and 18 didn't know what they were dealing with. They clearly had no ill intention at all anymore, and so the others decided to trust them. Now they felt a little flustered and they still didn't know how to deal with it still, so they decided to leave. Just as they were about to jump off the lookout, Bulma invited them to come to the capsule corp in West City; whenever they were done with their own stuff. It would be a shame for them to never see each other again after all this. 17 said that they would think about it, and so he jumped off. 18 stood a little longer looking at Boku. She smiles at him and then she jumps off after her brother.
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Now Gohan held the final wish, but he truly didn't have any. Because what he was about to wish just happened on its own. All of the sudden they all heard their dead friend's voices at the back of their minds; a courtesy of King Kai. They would like to say a few things to their loved ones.
Yamcha was the first. He spoke to Boku and Bulma, noting that Boku really will grow up to be a true man who can save the world. He tells Bulma to not cry, because he'll always look after her from there. No matter what, she'll never be alone. He would worry about her safety, but he knows Boku will get that covered. Speaking of which, Yamcha then speaks with Tien. He begs his good friend to look after his son; shape him to be a warrior strong enough to protect his mom from anything, and maybe even surpass his old man. Tien smirks, saying that shouldn't be so hard. Yamcha uses his forced laugh one last time, before wishing everyone good luck, and saying goodbye.
Next up was Piccolo. He made fun of the fact that a once demon was now in heaven. Such a tragic tale of failures, he said. Gohan disagreed; there was nothing of his life to be ashamed of. He thanked Piccolo for all his years of training and for his friendship. With a smile, Piccolo demands that Gohan keeps on training. If he slacks off, Piccolo will go beat him up in his dreams. But before leaving, he speaks to Dende and apologizes to him. Now Dende would have to take all the burden of being the last Namekian on his shoulders. Dende wasn't worried. The Namekian way; the peace and values that they fought for will last much longer than their race, and that is what was more important to Dende. With a last remark, he tells everyone to stay sharp, and enjoy their damned peace.
When it was Goku's time to speak, Gohan already knew all he wanted to say. He said it was okay, because he would take care of everyone no matter what. Goku knew that, he had no doubt he could. He'll be cheering for his son all the way. He thanks all of them; his wife, his friends and his son. And most importantly he says, "thanks Bulma… for bringing me on this adventure with you. Thanks for allowing me to meet all these amazing people… Goodbye, everyone. I promise that one day we shall meet again."
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Rutamomo saw no one else there could make a wish, and so he decided to take his departure. He used way too much of his power and should probably fall asleep for the next four years. "Farewell" he said, converting back into pure light and returning to the dragon balls. They shot up into the sky, and scattered around the world. The black skies suddenly turned fresh blue once more.
What else to do if not go home?
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Bulma blew up her flier capsule and she left for Capsule Corp with Puar, Oolong, her baby boy from the present and the one from the future. They have a lot to enjoy before he decides to go back to his timeline. Tien took Launch in his arms as she took Dina on hers. He slowly flew down to Earth with them, determined to make good on his word for Yamcha. He'll make these kids into the greatest warriors that this universe will see. And for Gohan and his mom, they wave Dende and Popo goodbye as Gohan calls for the flying nimbus to pick them up. Like a little yellow rocket they soar through the skies with hope for the future in their hearts. Gohan fought non-stop since he was a four-year old, and now it was time to enjoy some time of peace.
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After the decisive struggle against Cell, our heroes teleported out of there, but they forgot someone. He was reacting loudly for the entire fight, but they refused to pay much attention to him. Right after they disappeared, Mr. Satan emerged from the sand. It got all over his mouth and through his nose and ears, and now he had to cough it all out.
He found himself in a silent and barren wasteland, and right there where Cell stood, he found a small green bit that was his skin. He looked intently at it, until it started to wiggle. That scared him straight, and his reaction was quite extreme. He took out his Magnum handgun and shot that tidbit a couple of times, then he took a matchstick from his pocket and set it on fire. Finally, he picked that stuff from the ground and ate it. He munched really hard at it, and finally swallowed it. Now that was it; Cell was no more.
A few minutes later, Jimmy Firecracker and his crew with a new camera arrived on the spot. They saw Mr. Satan standing there on the wasteland, and asked what happened. Now tell me; What do you think Mr. Satan told them?
Yeah, you know. Why, he had a piece of Cell left in his tooth, and he showed it right to the camera. He defeated him so hard that even decided to make a barbecue with what was left, and celebrated with a victory sign to the camera right as his theme music kicked in. The people across the world screamed in excitement for their champion; for their almighty savior. But for Mr. Satan, it's gonna take a few years of therapy to forget what he saw in these past hours.