Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Dance With Death ❯ Setting the Stage ( Chapter 3 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Angel Katarina aka AC 
Anime/Manga: Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 12.19.2004 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.7K | Visits: 313 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 12.19.2004 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.7K | Visits: 313 | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: I don't own DragonBallZ or any of its characters. Just Comet.
"Dance With Death"
by A.C
Chapter Three
Setting the Stage
---`---,---@
Comet had it - enough. She was feeling too horrified to remain near this monster any longer, and had to get away from him somehow. But she had learned, that when it came to flying, he was much faster than her. So she turned and bolted across the now-empty street (the citizens had all eventually fled), running as fast as her feet could take her. Cell didn't even try and follow right away, he merely turned to follow her with his eyes, his smirk blossoming.
She made it, unscathed, across the street and banked to scramble into an alley, looking around desperately. Just as she spotted the door and ran towards it, Cell's laughter, which had steadily been building, reached her ears, building in his chest and filling the city streets with his terrifying, rich and deep voice.
Spurred by the fear that flooded her at the sound of his laughter, she wretched the door open and slammed it behind her, pressing her back against her. But it didn't do anything to muffle his voice, which came just as clear as if he were whispering in her ear.
"It's no use, Comet! No matter where you run, I'll find you!"
"Damn... damn him..." she whispered weakly to herself, her eyes glazing over with tears, "Over my dead body will he find me!" And with that thought, she bolted up the staircase directly in front of her. She had reached some kind of office building, the one that has the stairs in the back that lead to each floor. As she hurried up numerous flights of stairs, Cell's laughter drifted in through each window on each floor.
"Cooooomeeeeeeeeet!!!!!!"
He was calling her! That son of a bitch was calling for her, as if she'd come! She only ran faster over the stairs, pelting past windows, doors and even one or two elevators, but she knew better than to attempt an elevator with someone like Cell around. Her adrenaline pumped only harder as she whipped around a stair railing - had it not been for her firm grip on the railing, she would have sailed past and slammed into the wall at her speed.
And suddenly, she paused, looking up the stairs. They were the last flight, and she could see the door leading to the roof just above her. Somehow, she couldn't help but think it would have been easier for Cell to find her on the roof. So instead, she turned and kicked open the nearby door, hurrying into the office on the highest floor.
For a split second, she was afraid of interrupting their work - and then realized her situation and that the office was empty. Of course it would be - no one would want to hang around with a monster like Cell on the loose. And still, she could hear his voice. Why wouldn't it leave her alone!?
"Come out, come out wherever you are, Comet!"
"Yeah right," she hissed through clenched teeth, closing the office door and locking it, "Not if I can help it!" She turned and walked quickly across the office to the nearest computer and flipped it on. Who could she reach, what could she do? The Earthling hadn't a clue - it wasn't like the Lookout had an email address!
So she reached over and picked up a nearby phone. But she had only punched in the 9-1... when the line went dead. She pulled it away from her ear, gaping at it, and then whispered the one word.
"Cell."
In her frustration and anger, she threw the phone across the room before noting that it did her no good, except to splinter into a billion pieces on the opposite wall. If only she could do that to herself to get away from this holy terror hunting her down! Comet leaned back in the chair, chewing on her lower lip. What could she do now, but wait? Wait for him to find her... yeah right! An idea striking her, she walked over to the door leading out of the office and leaned her ear against it, trying to hear over her heavy breathing.
Silence. Cautiously, she unlocked it and pushed it open, listening down the stairs. Nothing at first, but then... very faintly, she heard them. Footsteps. Cell was going to walk, nice and easy, up the stairs and search the entire building. Comet closed the door and re-locked it, walking quickly across to an open window.
'Too bad that by the time he gets up here, I'll be long gone!'
She pushed herself up to crouch on the windowsill, gazing across the empty city streets. If she hadn't known any better, she would have been creeped out by the thought that maybe Cell did kill the entire city's population. And it was a terrifying thought to think that he actually might have in the short time she was bolting up the stairs.
Not wanting to wait any longer, she pushed off from the windowsill. And for one blissful moment in time she was falling, suspended in mid-air, and then her aura flared up and her ki kicked in, sending her flying forward, no longer falling. She didn't even glance back at the building as she shot off, looking for another hiding place. Where could she go? It didn't seem like anywhere was safe... he had found her in the middle of the desert-like wasteland around the city, he had found her in a taxi in the city... where couldn't he find her!?
Her eyes settled on a sea of green leaves just below her... the city's main park the unfortunate cab driver had told her about. It would have to do. She swooped lower and dove into the leaves, instantly finding herself in a sea of patterned sunlight, branches and green. She banked and curved, dodging branches as she went.
The park was just as empty as the rest of the city. She knew the citizens had either evacuated or... Cell had somehow gotten to them all. So where were they hiding? Oh well - if she joined them, she'd be leading Cell right to them. But it was lonely, fleeing from a mass murderer all on her own.
She raised her eyes to the green canopy above.
'C'mon Goku, Piccolo... someone! Where are you guys?'
Too bad she wasn't watching where she was flying. Something thick and hard made contact with her stomach. She flew back, doubling over and wheezing, and then she was falling... falling. With a thump, she landed on the soft, grassy floor of the park. She could just blearily see, through the leaves, a fountain off in the distance. And then it, along with any conscious feelings, swirled into blackness.
---`---,---@
She hadn't even opened her eyes yet when she became dimly aware of the surface she was lying on was cool and hard, much different from the soft grass she had been on before. When she did open her eyes, blinking hurriedly to clear her vision, she saw a wide sea of blue, and nothing else. Where was the park, and the trees? Or more importantly - where was she?
She sat up, instantly wincing at the dull sore in her stomach, as if she'd done a thousand sit-ups. Slowly, she looked around in front of her. The surface she was laying on was a floor of some kind, in a large rectangular arena. At the two corners she could see, large white pillars stood. Confused, she turned to look behind her. There was the rest of the stadium, two more pillars, and...
Cell.
But he didn't seem to notice she was awake. He was standing, his back to her, his crested head bowed, arms folded. She recognized the zoned-out presence of someone in meditation - Piccolo certainly did it enough. He was perfectly still and silent, and didn't move when she slowly stood and brushed herself off.
'How did I get here? He must have found me... damn, he is good at finding things. But why am I still alive? And where am I? What am I doing here?'
She was so desperate to get her questions answered, she almost half-wished he would snap out of his trance to answer some of them. But perhaps she could take this time to escape. Slowly, she began to creep over to the edge of the arena, realizing it was more like a platform, about two feet off the ground. But she had hardly taken five steps when Cell's voice spoke up from behind her.
"Going somewhere?"
She paused and gave a sigh of defeat, turning around to see him. He hadn't changed much in position, but his head was up and looking directly at her. His face was cold, expressionless. She swallowed, chewing her words, and finally answered, "Yeah. Out of here."
His face didn't change much. "You won't get very far."
She wrinkled her nose - mostly in annoyance for his lack of emotion at this present time. She didn't like not knowing what he was thinking... at least she could get a clue from before, when he was either smirking or frowning. Finally, she decided to satisfy her thirsty curiosity, now that he was awake. "Where am I?"
He gazed at her a little longer, apparently deciding if he should answer her question or not. Finally he turned, so he was facing her, and spread his arms. "My arena. Nice little work of art, wouldn't you say?"
She gazed around it, tapping her boot on the slick surface, "An arena? Why?"
His face had finally gained an expression - a faint smirk. She didn't know if she was relieved or not. "I'm hosting a tournament for your friends - 'The Cell Games'. They start in seven days."
"Whoa..." A week away!? Yikes! "How long, exactly, was I out!?"
"A day and a night. You almost had me worried, Comet."
"Almost being the key word," she sneered. She took another look around it, gazing at the pillars and its surface. And then she remembered another question that had been burning in her mind so strongly before, "Why am I still alive? And why did you bring me here?"
He chuckled - he had folded his arms across his chest again. "So many questions... and you've been awake for not even five minutes! Well, to answer them both in one... I need some entertainment until the games start. And you've intrigued me, my dear. I'd like to know exactly how your mind works."
"I've... what?" she blinked, staring at him. "What do you mean, 'I've intrigued you'? What are you talking about?"
"I'd like to know why is it you don't plead for your life when faced with danger," he answered calmly and patiently, "You obviously fear me, and yet you talk to me in civilized conversation and won't beg for me to spare you. Why is that?"
She was nothing short of appalled. Was that really such a big deal to him? "I don't know... because I like to think I don't freak out like everyone else? Who knows... maybe I'm not afraid of death." She shrugged, but then paused thoughtfully. "Not that I'd like to be killed, thank you."
Cell didn't just chuckle this time - he outright laughed. Comet looked up at him, startled, wondering what was so funny. But he apparently wouldn't tell her, for his laughter just died away without an explanation. "Is that a plea?" he asked, his tone of voice taunting.
She narrowed her eyes, and then, just to spite him, replied; "No. A request."
Cell paused, contemplating this Earthling female. She was truly unique - very different from any other female he had come across. She was beautiful, yet powerful - with an internal fire and quite the temper. What other secrets about her were hidden beneath that pretty face? He didn't know, but at that moment decided firmly that he would make it his job to find out.
Comet didn't quite like the look slowly unfolding on his face as he gazed at her, and cleared her throat slightly to break the silence. Cell's eyes focused on her own again. She met his gaze steadily, and then folded her arms across her chest. Was she... mimicking his stance? Mocking him!? No... there was defiance in her gaze, but not the mischievous glint that came with mockery. He knew - he had mocked plenty in his lifetime.
"What?" she finally asked, irritably. He smiled slightly, amused with her plain annoyance at his silence. Finally, she gave a frustrated groan and abruptly spun on her heel, turning her back to him. He raised his eyebrows as she stalked to the edge of the arena and sat down, dangling her legs over the side. Her back hunched as she rested her elbows on her legs and her chin in her hands, gazing off into the distance. He watched her, mildly puzzled with her odd behavior, and then - satisfied that she wouldn't try and escape - he lapsed back into his trance.
Comet stared blankly at the plains around the arena. There wasn't another city, nor another person for miles. She heaved a sigh, swinging her legs slightly. So here she was, stuck with a murdering monster, for seven days until her friends could come and hopefully save her.
Would she even live long enough to see that day?
---`---,---@
Apparently, Comet had been unconscious for a day and a night, as Cell as said, but also for the morning and a good portion of the afternoon of that same day. For sunset came faster than she expected. Cell was silent all afternoon, deep in meditation, while Comet wandered listlessly around the arena, kicking rocks, contemplating her fate or watching the scenery. Cell snapped out of his trance just as the sun was starting to sink below the horizon. Directly in front of him, once again seated on the edge of the arena, Comet was sitting with her back to him. At first he wondered if she, too, was meditating - and then he realized she was watching the sunset.
But, being an Android, he couldn't figure out why. He watched her, silhouetted against the gold turning scarlet rays as the sun sank lower, and she watched intently, hardly moving. The sun had reached a position that it threw its orange light across her. Her hair flowed down to her mid-back area, in soft, shiny waves. Chestnut streaks were just visible amongst its rich, dark chocolate color, and they seemed to stand out even more in the sun's glow. He was certain that if he ran his hands through it, it would be the softest thing he had ever felt, silky to the touch. And then he was wondering why he was thinking these things.
Comet, meanwhile, oblivious to his musings, only watched the sunset, in some sort of trance. She wasn't gazing directly at the sun, but at one position slightly above it, to save her eyesight. Had Cell been able to see her face, he would be lost in the mysterious way her bright emerald eyes sparkled, or how soft and creamy her skin looked in the sunlight, modestly tanned from days of training outside. The look on her face was of content attention, as she watched in some kind of silent and calm happiness, in awe at the beauty.
Eventually, Cell's curiosity got the better of him - as it did at times. A part of him hated to snap her from her trance, for she seemed somewhat content, but he was too puzzled. "What are you watching?"
At first, it didn't seem she had heard him. She didn't move, or look around at him, just kept the same pose. Eventually, however, she responded quietly, in an awe-struck voice. "The sunset."
A frown flitted across his face. He should have been more specific - "Why?"
She did move this time, turning to look over her shoulder at him, a frown of her own present - a frown of confusion. "What do you mean, 'why'? Look at it!" Her exclamation was soft, as she turned to look back at it. The sky was starting to go back into its rich shade of blue, melting into orange and scarlet and then hitting the sun itself. "It's beautiful..."
Cell's frown deepened, his annoyance rising with confusion as to why she was so taken with something as simple as the sun, "It's there everyday. It happens everyday - what's so special about it?"
Comet looked back at him again, but this time her face was shining with... pity!? She was pitying him!? "You don't understand true beauty, do you?" She sighed, not waiting for a response, "I suppose you wouldn't... otherwise you wouldn't be a murderer..."
'Oh, I understand beauty well enough...' he found himself thinking, gazing intently at her face. But he mentally kicked himself, forcing himself back into reality. Out loud, he responded, "I don't need your pity - I can live well enough without understanding 'true beauty'."
Comet shrugged lightly, turning back to watch the last bit of the sunset, "Have it your way."
His annoyance lifted somewhat as he continued to watch her. He was still somewhat puzzled, but more or less indifferent to the exchange that had just taken place. So, humans thought sunsets were beautiful? What about other things, similar things. Was all of nature beautiful to them, or just to some of them? But it was of no matter - these thoughts didn't gnaw away at his curiosity as she had. Interesting. Only she served to leave him puzzled.
Cell drifted back in a half-consciousness, somewhere between alert and meditation. He lost track of time as it steadily became later. He was only dimly aware when, a good deal after sunset had passed, Comet finally moved - but not far. She drew her legs up back into the arena and stretched out on her back, this time staring with similar interest at the darkening sky above. The midnight hues were darkening with each passing minute, and eventually the clouds gave way to a cool, clear sky as the stars began to come out.
He came back to attention when she whispered something. It was so quiet, he was certain she hadn't meant for him to hear, but with his excellent hearing he managed to catch it.
"The first star."
Distracted from his meditation, Cell looked over at her. It was almost as if he could see the midnight sky reflected in her brilliant green eyes, wide with amazement. Why was she so taken with the sky, just as she had with the sun? Was this more of her 'true beauty'? The Android raised his head to gaze at the stars as well, straining to find what caught her interest so well. Indeed, there was the first star, shining brightly in the southern sky.
Soon afterward, the other stars made themselves visible. A short ten minutes later, the heavens were carpeted with a glittering layer. Mildly frustrated he hadn't been able to see what she found so fascinating, he glanced again at her for some sort of clue. For the first time, he saw a faint smile curling her lips.
He didn't speak for a few minutes, staring at it. Her smile... there was something more to it, as if she was hiding it on purpose just to tempt him. It was sweet and innocent, but alluring, with a sense there was more than met the eye. A hidden mischievousness, perhaps?
"Do you find the stars as beautiful as your sunset?"
She seemed startled by his sudden question, the first words in a long period of time. Her head flicked over to glance at him, and then slowly rolled back to continue staring at the sky. "Yup," she replied. He felt a smile of his own forming. For one afraid of him, her speech was so casual.
He longed to question it further, to see if he could find out how, but he knew her answers would be as meaningless as those regarding the sunset. She just knew she liked it, and even though she didn't know why she was content with only that as her reason. Perhaps she knew something about the stars and the sun that he didn't, something he couldn't come to appreciate.
Instead of interrogating her, he merely tilted his head back in a vain attempt to see her 'true beauty' of the stars. They both sat in silence for an hour or longer. Cell lost track of time, staring blankly at the heavens above. He felt that perhaps he was getting somewhat close when he noticed a change in his female companion's breathing.
He looked over at her. Her green eyes had closed, her head leaning to the side to rest against her right arm - which was thrown lazily above her head. Her knees were still bent, legs propped up off the ground, and her other arm rested across her stomach. Her breathing was much deeper, a very soft version of snoring, through gently parted lips. She looked so peaceful and unafraid of anything, falling asleep under the stars she loved so much.
Ironic, how she could enjoy all this while in his company.
Cell spent the rest of the night staring determinedly into the heavens.
---`---,---@
Comet awoke the next morning as peacefully as she had fallen asleep and been throughout the night. She felt slightly damp and chilly, but the sun was already suspended in the sky so that she would dry fast enough. Already she could feel today would be a hot day.
It took her a few waking moments before the aching hunger overcame her, and as she sat up she clutched her stomach with a slight groan. Her memory flashed back to the previous days' events. If Cell was right in how long she had already been here, she would not have had anything to eat for two days straight. And she was paying for it now.
The second thing she noticed, gazing around in hopes of a meal appearing in thin air, that her 'captor' was gone. The evil Android had merely vanished without waking her. He was nowhere nearby, training or meditating, and he wasn't in the sky. There was no sign, other than his precious arena, that he had even been there.
Her heart lifted with a delighted realization at her opportunity to escape... but sunk with the memory that she was too hungry to fly anywhere or run very far. With a grumbled curse, she slumped back down, having no choice but to wait for him to return from wherever he had gone.
She didn't have to wait long.
"Ah, you're awake. I had the feeling you'd wake soon - you might have realized this, but you haven't eaten in two days."
"Thanks, Cell, I was aware of that," she replied dryly, watching without moving her head as the Android touched town in front of her, a small paper bag in hand. She raised an eyebrow, realizing it looked quite out of place in the hand of a serial killer. But her hunger didn't care what it looked like, as long as it was food. He gently tossed to the bag in front of her, and she cautiously peeped inside. "What's this?"
"Breakfast," he responded. "Your food services in the city are so slow... I had to quicken it up a little." As he spoke, she had eagerly pulled out the sandwich inside and started eating, but as he finished she gaped up at him. The evil smile had found its way back on his face, and her stomach seemed to vanish as she realized what he meant.
"No... you mean you... you destroyed another entire city!?" she gasped, her hands clutching the sandwich trembling slightly. When he raised his eyebrows, his smile telling it all, she uttered a low moan, staring at her sandwich and dropping it. "I'm... I'm not so hungry anymore," she whimpered.
Cell's smile faded slightly, and he raised one eyebrow. "Don't be foolish - you were ravenous only moments ago. Why the sudden change of heart - or should I say, stomach?" He chuckled lightly at his little joke, but Comet drew her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them, gazing miserably at the stadium floor.
"This isn't right... why should I be allowed to live, while all these innocent people are dying?" She stared up at him through tear-glazed eyes, "Why me?"
He cocked his head, watching her closely. "I believe we covered this ground before, Comet. I still have much to find out about you. As for now..." A frown crossed his face, "You must eat. You'll be too weak to do anything else if you don't."
She looked doubtfully at the food, but said nothing. Eventually, fed up with her lack of response, Cell walked to her. She tried to slide back, away from him, but he crouched down so he could look her in the face. She froze; he could feel her muscles tense, uncomfortable with being so close to him. He narrowed his eyes as he gazed into her's, and then his look softened. As if mesmerized, he slowly raised his hand and ran the back of it along her cheek. She shuddered, recoiling, seeming to snap him out of his trance. He moved his hand beneath her chin, gently supporting it so she was forced to stare into his eyes.
"Eat. You'll feel better," he said, but it was more of an order than a suggestion. After gazing at her a few more minutes, he stood and walked away, crossing the arena to stand at the other side, and folded his arms to fall back into his meditation. But out of the corner of his eye, he watched her.
She stared after him, blinking, too stunned to react right away. Finally, she took the sandwich and took a hesitant bite, glancing at him. 'What just happened?'
Satisfied she would eat, he closed his eyes and fell into his subconscious.
---`---,---@
"Dance With Death"
by A.C
Chapter Three
Setting the Stage
---`---,---@
Comet had it - enough. She was feeling too horrified to remain near this monster any longer, and had to get away from him somehow. But she had learned, that when it came to flying, he was much faster than her. So she turned and bolted across the now-empty street (the citizens had all eventually fled), running as fast as her feet could take her. Cell didn't even try and follow right away, he merely turned to follow her with his eyes, his smirk blossoming.
She made it, unscathed, across the street and banked to scramble into an alley, looking around desperately. Just as she spotted the door and ran towards it, Cell's laughter, which had steadily been building, reached her ears, building in his chest and filling the city streets with his terrifying, rich and deep voice.
Spurred by the fear that flooded her at the sound of his laughter, she wretched the door open and slammed it behind her, pressing her back against her. But it didn't do anything to muffle his voice, which came just as clear as if he were whispering in her ear.
"It's no use, Comet! No matter where you run, I'll find you!"
"Damn... damn him..." she whispered weakly to herself, her eyes glazing over with tears, "Over my dead body will he find me!" And with that thought, she bolted up the staircase directly in front of her. She had reached some kind of office building, the one that has the stairs in the back that lead to each floor. As she hurried up numerous flights of stairs, Cell's laughter drifted in through each window on each floor.
"Cooooomeeeeeeeeet!!!!!!"
He was calling her! That son of a bitch was calling for her, as if she'd come! She only ran faster over the stairs, pelting past windows, doors and even one or two elevators, but she knew better than to attempt an elevator with someone like Cell around. Her adrenaline pumped only harder as she whipped around a stair railing - had it not been for her firm grip on the railing, she would have sailed past and slammed into the wall at her speed.
And suddenly, she paused, looking up the stairs. They were the last flight, and she could see the door leading to the roof just above her. Somehow, she couldn't help but think it would have been easier for Cell to find her on the roof. So instead, she turned and kicked open the nearby door, hurrying into the office on the highest floor.
For a split second, she was afraid of interrupting their work - and then realized her situation and that the office was empty. Of course it would be - no one would want to hang around with a monster like Cell on the loose. And still, she could hear his voice. Why wouldn't it leave her alone!?
"Come out, come out wherever you are, Comet!"
"Yeah right," she hissed through clenched teeth, closing the office door and locking it, "Not if I can help it!" She turned and walked quickly across the office to the nearest computer and flipped it on. Who could she reach, what could she do? The Earthling hadn't a clue - it wasn't like the Lookout had an email address!
So she reached over and picked up a nearby phone. But she had only punched in the 9-1... when the line went dead. She pulled it away from her ear, gaping at it, and then whispered the one word.
"Cell."
In her frustration and anger, she threw the phone across the room before noting that it did her no good, except to splinter into a billion pieces on the opposite wall. If only she could do that to herself to get away from this holy terror hunting her down! Comet leaned back in the chair, chewing on her lower lip. What could she do now, but wait? Wait for him to find her... yeah right! An idea striking her, she walked over to the door leading out of the office and leaned her ear against it, trying to hear over her heavy breathing.
Silence. Cautiously, she unlocked it and pushed it open, listening down the stairs. Nothing at first, but then... very faintly, she heard them. Footsteps. Cell was going to walk, nice and easy, up the stairs and search the entire building. Comet closed the door and re-locked it, walking quickly across to an open window.
'Too bad that by the time he gets up here, I'll be long gone!'
She pushed herself up to crouch on the windowsill, gazing across the empty city streets. If she hadn't known any better, she would have been creeped out by the thought that maybe Cell did kill the entire city's population. And it was a terrifying thought to think that he actually might have in the short time she was bolting up the stairs.
Not wanting to wait any longer, she pushed off from the windowsill. And for one blissful moment in time she was falling, suspended in mid-air, and then her aura flared up and her ki kicked in, sending her flying forward, no longer falling. She didn't even glance back at the building as she shot off, looking for another hiding place. Where could she go? It didn't seem like anywhere was safe... he had found her in the middle of the desert-like wasteland around the city, he had found her in a taxi in the city... where couldn't he find her!?
Her eyes settled on a sea of green leaves just below her... the city's main park the unfortunate cab driver had told her about. It would have to do. She swooped lower and dove into the leaves, instantly finding herself in a sea of patterned sunlight, branches and green. She banked and curved, dodging branches as she went.
The park was just as empty as the rest of the city. She knew the citizens had either evacuated or... Cell had somehow gotten to them all. So where were they hiding? Oh well - if she joined them, she'd be leading Cell right to them. But it was lonely, fleeing from a mass murderer all on her own.
She raised her eyes to the green canopy above.
'C'mon Goku, Piccolo... someone! Where are you guys?'
Too bad she wasn't watching where she was flying. Something thick and hard made contact with her stomach. She flew back, doubling over and wheezing, and then she was falling... falling. With a thump, she landed on the soft, grassy floor of the park. She could just blearily see, through the leaves, a fountain off in the distance. And then it, along with any conscious feelings, swirled into blackness.
---`---,---@
She hadn't even opened her eyes yet when she became dimly aware of the surface she was lying on was cool and hard, much different from the soft grass she had been on before. When she did open her eyes, blinking hurriedly to clear her vision, she saw a wide sea of blue, and nothing else. Where was the park, and the trees? Or more importantly - where was she?
She sat up, instantly wincing at the dull sore in her stomach, as if she'd done a thousand sit-ups. Slowly, she looked around in front of her. The surface she was laying on was a floor of some kind, in a large rectangular arena. At the two corners she could see, large white pillars stood. Confused, she turned to look behind her. There was the rest of the stadium, two more pillars, and...
Cell.
But he didn't seem to notice she was awake. He was standing, his back to her, his crested head bowed, arms folded. She recognized the zoned-out presence of someone in meditation - Piccolo certainly did it enough. He was perfectly still and silent, and didn't move when she slowly stood and brushed herself off.
'How did I get here? He must have found me... damn, he is good at finding things. But why am I still alive? And where am I? What am I doing here?'
She was so desperate to get her questions answered, she almost half-wished he would snap out of his trance to answer some of them. But perhaps she could take this time to escape. Slowly, she began to creep over to the edge of the arena, realizing it was more like a platform, about two feet off the ground. But she had hardly taken five steps when Cell's voice spoke up from behind her.
"Going somewhere?"
She paused and gave a sigh of defeat, turning around to see him. He hadn't changed much in position, but his head was up and looking directly at her. His face was cold, expressionless. She swallowed, chewing her words, and finally answered, "Yeah. Out of here."
His face didn't change much. "You won't get very far."
She wrinkled her nose - mostly in annoyance for his lack of emotion at this present time. She didn't like not knowing what he was thinking... at least she could get a clue from before, when he was either smirking or frowning. Finally, she decided to satisfy her thirsty curiosity, now that he was awake. "Where am I?"
He gazed at her a little longer, apparently deciding if he should answer her question or not. Finally he turned, so he was facing her, and spread his arms. "My arena. Nice little work of art, wouldn't you say?"
She gazed around it, tapping her boot on the slick surface, "An arena? Why?"
His face had finally gained an expression - a faint smirk. She didn't know if she was relieved or not. "I'm hosting a tournament for your friends - 'The Cell Games'. They start in seven days."
"Whoa..." A week away!? Yikes! "How long, exactly, was I out!?"
"A day and a night. You almost had me worried, Comet."
"Almost being the key word," she sneered. She took another look around it, gazing at the pillars and its surface. And then she remembered another question that had been burning in her mind so strongly before, "Why am I still alive? And why did you bring me here?"
He chuckled - he had folded his arms across his chest again. "So many questions... and you've been awake for not even five minutes! Well, to answer them both in one... I need some entertainment until the games start. And you've intrigued me, my dear. I'd like to know exactly how your mind works."
"I've... what?" she blinked, staring at him. "What do you mean, 'I've intrigued you'? What are you talking about?"
"I'd like to know why is it you don't plead for your life when faced with danger," he answered calmly and patiently, "You obviously fear me, and yet you talk to me in civilized conversation and won't beg for me to spare you. Why is that?"
She was nothing short of appalled. Was that really such a big deal to him? "I don't know... because I like to think I don't freak out like everyone else? Who knows... maybe I'm not afraid of death." She shrugged, but then paused thoughtfully. "Not that I'd like to be killed, thank you."
Cell didn't just chuckle this time - he outright laughed. Comet looked up at him, startled, wondering what was so funny. But he apparently wouldn't tell her, for his laughter just died away without an explanation. "Is that a plea?" he asked, his tone of voice taunting.
She narrowed her eyes, and then, just to spite him, replied; "No. A request."
Cell paused, contemplating this Earthling female. She was truly unique - very different from any other female he had come across. She was beautiful, yet powerful - with an internal fire and quite the temper. What other secrets about her were hidden beneath that pretty face? He didn't know, but at that moment decided firmly that he would make it his job to find out.
Comet didn't quite like the look slowly unfolding on his face as he gazed at her, and cleared her throat slightly to break the silence. Cell's eyes focused on her own again. She met his gaze steadily, and then folded her arms across her chest. Was she... mimicking his stance? Mocking him!? No... there was defiance in her gaze, but not the mischievous glint that came with mockery. He knew - he had mocked plenty in his lifetime.
"What?" she finally asked, irritably. He smiled slightly, amused with her plain annoyance at his silence. Finally, she gave a frustrated groan and abruptly spun on her heel, turning her back to him. He raised his eyebrows as she stalked to the edge of the arena and sat down, dangling her legs over the side. Her back hunched as she rested her elbows on her legs and her chin in her hands, gazing off into the distance. He watched her, mildly puzzled with her odd behavior, and then - satisfied that she wouldn't try and escape - he lapsed back into his trance.
Comet stared blankly at the plains around the arena. There wasn't another city, nor another person for miles. She heaved a sigh, swinging her legs slightly. So here she was, stuck with a murdering monster, for seven days until her friends could come and hopefully save her.
Would she even live long enough to see that day?
---`---,---@
Apparently, Comet had been unconscious for a day and a night, as Cell as said, but also for the morning and a good portion of the afternoon of that same day. For sunset came faster than she expected. Cell was silent all afternoon, deep in meditation, while Comet wandered listlessly around the arena, kicking rocks, contemplating her fate or watching the scenery. Cell snapped out of his trance just as the sun was starting to sink below the horizon. Directly in front of him, once again seated on the edge of the arena, Comet was sitting with her back to him. At first he wondered if she, too, was meditating - and then he realized she was watching the sunset.
But, being an Android, he couldn't figure out why. He watched her, silhouetted against the gold turning scarlet rays as the sun sank lower, and she watched intently, hardly moving. The sun had reached a position that it threw its orange light across her. Her hair flowed down to her mid-back area, in soft, shiny waves. Chestnut streaks were just visible amongst its rich, dark chocolate color, and they seemed to stand out even more in the sun's glow. He was certain that if he ran his hands through it, it would be the softest thing he had ever felt, silky to the touch. And then he was wondering why he was thinking these things.
Comet, meanwhile, oblivious to his musings, only watched the sunset, in some sort of trance. She wasn't gazing directly at the sun, but at one position slightly above it, to save her eyesight. Had Cell been able to see her face, he would be lost in the mysterious way her bright emerald eyes sparkled, or how soft and creamy her skin looked in the sunlight, modestly tanned from days of training outside. The look on her face was of content attention, as she watched in some kind of silent and calm happiness, in awe at the beauty.
Eventually, Cell's curiosity got the better of him - as it did at times. A part of him hated to snap her from her trance, for she seemed somewhat content, but he was too puzzled. "What are you watching?"
At first, it didn't seem she had heard him. She didn't move, or look around at him, just kept the same pose. Eventually, however, she responded quietly, in an awe-struck voice. "The sunset."
A frown flitted across his face. He should have been more specific - "Why?"
She did move this time, turning to look over her shoulder at him, a frown of her own present - a frown of confusion. "What do you mean, 'why'? Look at it!" Her exclamation was soft, as she turned to look back at it. The sky was starting to go back into its rich shade of blue, melting into orange and scarlet and then hitting the sun itself. "It's beautiful..."
Cell's frown deepened, his annoyance rising with confusion as to why she was so taken with something as simple as the sun, "It's there everyday. It happens everyday - what's so special about it?"
Comet looked back at him again, but this time her face was shining with... pity!? She was pitying him!? "You don't understand true beauty, do you?" She sighed, not waiting for a response, "I suppose you wouldn't... otherwise you wouldn't be a murderer..."
'Oh, I understand beauty well enough...' he found himself thinking, gazing intently at her face. But he mentally kicked himself, forcing himself back into reality. Out loud, he responded, "I don't need your pity - I can live well enough without understanding 'true beauty'."
Comet shrugged lightly, turning back to watch the last bit of the sunset, "Have it your way."
His annoyance lifted somewhat as he continued to watch her. He was still somewhat puzzled, but more or less indifferent to the exchange that had just taken place. So, humans thought sunsets were beautiful? What about other things, similar things. Was all of nature beautiful to them, or just to some of them? But it was of no matter - these thoughts didn't gnaw away at his curiosity as she had. Interesting. Only she served to leave him puzzled.
Cell drifted back in a half-consciousness, somewhere between alert and meditation. He lost track of time as it steadily became later. He was only dimly aware when, a good deal after sunset had passed, Comet finally moved - but not far. She drew her legs up back into the arena and stretched out on her back, this time staring with similar interest at the darkening sky above. The midnight hues were darkening with each passing minute, and eventually the clouds gave way to a cool, clear sky as the stars began to come out.
He came back to attention when she whispered something. It was so quiet, he was certain she hadn't meant for him to hear, but with his excellent hearing he managed to catch it.
"The first star."
Distracted from his meditation, Cell looked over at her. It was almost as if he could see the midnight sky reflected in her brilliant green eyes, wide with amazement. Why was she so taken with the sky, just as she had with the sun? Was this more of her 'true beauty'? The Android raised his head to gaze at the stars as well, straining to find what caught her interest so well. Indeed, there was the first star, shining brightly in the southern sky.
Soon afterward, the other stars made themselves visible. A short ten minutes later, the heavens were carpeted with a glittering layer. Mildly frustrated he hadn't been able to see what she found so fascinating, he glanced again at her for some sort of clue. For the first time, he saw a faint smile curling her lips.
He didn't speak for a few minutes, staring at it. Her smile... there was something more to it, as if she was hiding it on purpose just to tempt him. It was sweet and innocent, but alluring, with a sense there was more than met the eye. A hidden mischievousness, perhaps?
"Do you find the stars as beautiful as your sunset?"
She seemed startled by his sudden question, the first words in a long period of time. Her head flicked over to glance at him, and then slowly rolled back to continue staring at the sky. "Yup," she replied. He felt a smile of his own forming. For one afraid of him, her speech was so casual.
He longed to question it further, to see if he could find out how, but he knew her answers would be as meaningless as those regarding the sunset. She just knew she liked it, and even though she didn't know why she was content with only that as her reason. Perhaps she knew something about the stars and the sun that he didn't, something he couldn't come to appreciate.
Instead of interrogating her, he merely tilted his head back in a vain attempt to see her 'true beauty' of the stars. They both sat in silence for an hour or longer. Cell lost track of time, staring blankly at the heavens above. He felt that perhaps he was getting somewhat close when he noticed a change in his female companion's breathing.
He looked over at her. Her green eyes had closed, her head leaning to the side to rest against her right arm - which was thrown lazily above her head. Her knees were still bent, legs propped up off the ground, and her other arm rested across her stomach. Her breathing was much deeper, a very soft version of snoring, through gently parted lips. She looked so peaceful and unafraid of anything, falling asleep under the stars she loved so much.
Ironic, how she could enjoy all this while in his company.
Cell spent the rest of the night staring determinedly into the heavens.
---`---,---@
Comet awoke the next morning as peacefully as she had fallen asleep and been throughout the night. She felt slightly damp and chilly, but the sun was already suspended in the sky so that she would dry fast enough. Already she could feel today would be a hot day.
It took her a few waking moments before the aching hunger overcame her, and as she sat up she clutched her stomach with a slight groan. Her memory flashed back to the previous days' events. If Cell was right in how long she had already been here, she would not have had anything to eat for two days straight. And she was paying for it now.
The second thing she noticed, gazing around in hopes of a meal appearing in thin air, that her 'captor' was gone. The evil Android had merely vanished without waking her. He was nowhere nearby, training or meditating, and he wasn't in the sky. There was no sign, other than his precious arena, that he had even been there.
Her heart lifted with a delighted realization at her opportunity to escape... but sunk with the memory that she was too hungry to fly anywhere or run very far. With a grumbled curse, she slumped back down, having no choice but to wait for him to return from wherever he had gone.
She didn't have to wait long.
"Ah, you're awake. I had the feeling you'd wake soon - you might have realized this, but you haven't eaten in two days."
"Thanks, Cell, I was aware of that," she replied dryly, watching without moving her head as the Android touched town in front of her, a small paper bag in hand. She raised an eyebrow, realizing it looked quite out of place in the hand of a serial killer. But her hunger didn't care what it looked like, as long as it was food. He gently tossed to the bag in front of her, and she cautiously peeped inside. "What's this?"
"Breakfast," he responded. "Your food services in the city are so slow... I had to quicken it up a little." As he spoke, she had eagerly pulled out the sandwich inside and started eating, but as he finished she gaped up at him. The evil smile had found its way back on his face, and her stomach seemed to vanish as she realized what he meant.
"No... you mean you... you destroyed another entire city!?" she gasped, her hands clutching the sandwich trembling slightly. When he raised his eyebrows, his smile telling it all, she uttered a low moan, staring at her sandwich and dropping it. "I'm... I'm not so hungry anymore," she whimpered.
Cell's smile faded slightly, and he raised one eyebrow. "Don't be foolish - you were ravenous only moments ago. Why the sudden change of heart - or should I say, stomach?" He chuckled lightly at his little joke, but Comet drew her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them, gazing miserably at the stadium floor.
"This isn't right... why should I be allowed to live, while all these innocent people are dying?" She stared up at him through tear-glazed eyes, "Why me?"
He cocked his head, watching her closely. "I believe we covered this ground before, Comet. I still have much to find out about you. As for now..." A frown crossed his face, "You must eat. You'll be too weak to do anything else if you don't."
She looked doubtfully at the food, but said nothing. Eventually, fed up with her lack of response, Cell walked to her. She tried to slide back, away from him, but he crouched down so he could look her in the face. She froze; he could feel her muscles tense, uncomfortable with being so close to him. He narrowed his eyes as he gazed into her's, and then his look softened. As if mesmerized, he slowly raised his hand and ran the back of it along her cheek. She shuddered, recoiling, seeming to snap him out of his trance. He moved his hand beneath her chin, gently supporting it so she was forced to stare into his eyes.
"Eat. You'll feel better," he said, but it was more of an order than a suggestion. After gazing at her a few more minutes, he stood and walked away, crossing the arena to stand at the other side, and folded his arms to fall back into his meditation. But out of the corner of his eye, he watched her.
She stared after him, blinking, too stunned to react right away. Finally, she took the sandwich and took a hesitant bite, glancing at him. 'What just happened?'
Satisfied she would eat, he closed his eyes and fell into his subconscious.
---`---,---@