Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Dragonball Z: The Android Threat ❯ Chapter 11 ( Chapter 11 )

In the past two weeks I've seen some intense stuff, but nothing compared to the fight between Goku and Cell. The two were moving at a pace that made them invisible to the untrained eye and the power that was radiating from them was mind-blowing. Goku had powered up to his maximum as a Super Saiyan which had created a huge explosion of glowing red and gold energy. They faced each other with confidence, and Goku even had the nerve to walk up to Cell so they were practically nose to nose. Anything that had happened between the two before this moment had been a mere warm up.

 

The fight ensued, with Goku knocking Cell into the air with a few sharp blows. However, Cell gained control of his body easily, spun, and landed lightly on the ground. The two flew at each other at high speed, meeting in the middle of the ring where they blocked, punched, parried… move after move, blow after blow… yet neither even seemed to be making an effort from what I could tell. Still, everyone who was stood on the sidelines were already awestruck with what we'd seen so far… and I had the feeling this was only the beginning.

 

X

 

Cell had not been lying when he claimed to have cells from all the Z fighters and their techniques. He'd used Tien's ability to split his body into four entities, as well as Krillen's Destructo Disc. But the real shock came when he used Goku's own trademark move against him at point blank range, yet Goku had managed to deflect the Ka-me-ha-me-ha wave into the sky and avoid any damage to both himself and the Earth.

 

The force of the blast had caused all of us to either back up, or end up on the floor. Unfortunately I was one of the latter. I pulled myself to my feet and rubbed my sore rear with a frown, but soon my annoyance was replaced with fear when I realised the fight had continued… and Cell had caught Goku off guard. He was now pummelling him quite effortlessly, not allowing my uncle the chance to get back his balance in time to launch an attack of his own.

 

Then he was gone. His speed was even greater then we'd though… but worst of all, he was faster then Goku. My uncle had lost his only advantage, having already admitted that his strength was no where near the level of Cell's. The two took the fight out of the ring and into the sky, disappearing and reappearing in an attempt to gain the advantage over the other.

 

“I've lost them, I just can't keep up!” Krillen cried in frustration.

 

I turned to look at Gohan and was surprised to see his eyes darting around effortlessly, obviously he was the only one still able to keep up. All I could see were the explosions of their colliding energies, often accompanied by a thunderous roar.

 

I began to bite my lower lip as my nerves started to set in. Goku wouldn't be able to keep this up, he'd tire soon and loose all hope of stopping Cell. Then it would be the end. Not one of us stood a chance against such a power…

 

Well, maybe one of us.

 

With a sudden flash of realisation my head snapped to my young cousin and my mouth fell open in shock. Could it be…? Goku's confidence didn't stem from his own abilities… but his sons!

 

“Hey! Get away from the ring! Now!” Goku's sudden shouts snapped me out of my shock, Cell was aiming his hand at us! No… the ring… he was going to destroy it!

 

With not a moment to loose I grabbed Gohan by the back of his cape and forced him back, keeping my eyes covered as dirt and concrete flew into the air. When the rumbles subsided I cracked them open to see just how much damage had been done, and gaped as I stared into a huge crater only a hundred feet in front of us.

 

“Whoa!” I breathed.

 

“What's going on?” Yamcha cried as Goku and Cell landed on the ground.

 

“They've abandoned the rules” Piccolo explained, “Now… it's a fight to the death”

 

A fight to the death indeed. My heart leapt into my throat as I heard the familiar sound of my uncle powering up a Ka-me-ha-me-ha attack… and he was aiming it directly at Cell who was stood calmly on the ground. If Goku unleashed that attack he'd take out Cell and probably half the planet at the same time! Had he gotten that desperate that he wasn't thinking clearly?

 

All of us gasped and cried out in shock and horror, confused by Goku's actions. Suddenly, with a fully charged attack waiting to be released in the ball of his hands, he disappeared from sight, only to reappear once more only a few feet from where Cell stood. With a smirk he set free the mass of energy from his hands and let the full force of it engulf Cell's entire body.

 

“Did you see that?” Yamcha stuttered.

 

All of us had retreated to the cliffs which meant that, yes, we'd all witnessed the blast which had surely eviscerated Cell.

 

“There's no way Cell could survive an attack like that!” he continued.

 

Even though, as the clouds created by Goku's attack began to clear, I was able to see what was left of Cells body (which was pretty much just his legs and lower half of his body) something was crawling beneath my skin that screamed at me to be weary. Cell was not so easily beat.

 

My stomach writhed in horror and disgust when Cells legs jumped up from the floor and began to convulse. It reminded me of something from a horror movie I'd once watched with Gohan. As everyone paled in revulsion or asked themselves how it could be happening I shot a glance at Piccolo, who was looking infuriated. Because of course, Cell has learnt this little regeneration trick from Piccolo's cells. It was an ability of the Namekians and made them very difficult to injure, except if their heads were destroyed, only then would they loose the ability to re-grow the damaged or lost parts of themselves.

 

The cheers from Yamcha and Tien, who had been convinced Cell was finished, quickly subsided as a head covered in a revolting slimy substance sprouted from the mass of green flesh. I swallowed hard to keep from vomiting.

 

“Cell's indestructible!”

 

I turned to Krillen who was looking just as close to vomiting as I felt, “No he's not. Concentrate, his power level's taken a big dip even if that attack didn't kill him”

 

“But is it enough” Piccolo pointed out, never taking his eyes off the pair.

 

For a short time, I began to think it might have been. Cell had the advantage over Goku for a short while, but soon the tables turned as Goku took control of the fight and fired blast after blast of energy at his attacker. Cell disappeared from site amongst the smoke and light created by Goku's fervent attacks, but I didn't let my eyes deceive me… Cell's energy might be weaker then when he began, but it was still as steady as ever. Goku couldn't touch him…

 

A sudden outburst of energy threw us all off our feet, Cell had grown tired of Goku's assault and formed a ball of purple light to surround himself and throw back the energy blasts. My uncle hung in the air, no longer with the same calm, confident aura he usually possessed. He was exhausted. Too exhausted to continue.

 

“You're right Cell” his voice echoed over to us as he replied to something the creature had said, “I can't beat you”

 

I gasped, was he giving up?

 

“That's why I forfeit”

 

“No way!” Krillen yelled.

 

Everyone exclaimed their disbelief in one or another, Piccolo growled loudly, Vegeta let loose several obscenities, Yamcha and Tien began to ask whether Goku had gone nuts…

 

I looked to my left. Gohan's eyes were wide with shock, his father had never given up hope on anything before so no wonder the kid looked so confused.

 

“You can't just give up!” Cell argued.

 

“Sure I can, I can't beat you”

 

“Then you leave the Earth and everyone you love to be destroyed by me!”

 

“Actually… no”

 

I froze. What the hell was he planning now?

 

“Explain yourself” Cell demanded.

 

“I can't beat you. But I know someone who can”

 

My hands began to shake as a sickening knowledge entered my mind. Were my suspicions right? Surely Goku wouldn't ask this of someone so young, so gentle…

 

“Guys” Goku turned his back on Cell to face us, “I can't win this fight, so I need someone to take over… and that someone is you, my son”

 

My stomach plummeted and a hand automatically grasped Gohan's shoulder protectively as the, possibly insane, Saiyan floated towards us.

 

“Goku, you can't be serious!” I pleaded, “Gohan's just a boy”

 

“She's right Goku, think about what you're doing”

 

It had been a long time since Piccolo and I had agreed on something, which surely said a lot for the situation.

 

“Gohan has a hidden power deep within him, haven't you noticed how he's been keeping up with us all so easily since he was just a child”

 

“Look Goku,” Krillen said as though speaking to someone who had just gone mad, “No one here is denying that Gohan is strong for his age. But you're asking him to fight with Cell!”

 

“I know. But I also know that when I was his age I wasn't half as strong as he is now”

 

I swallowed. Could that be true? If it was then Gohan might someday reach a level of strength beyond what any of us could imagine!

 

“What do you say son?”

 

With one curt nod I knew that somewhere Chi Chi's head was exploding. Gohan was really going to take his fathers place in the fight.

 

A sudden uproar sounded from everyone, save Vegeta who merely glared at Gohan, no one thought that he should be down there. Yamcha was suggesting Goku take a sensu bean and resume the fight, but my uncle shook his head slowly.

 

“This is up to Gohan now, there's nothing more I can do”

 

“You knew you wouldn't win Goku, so why…” I began, only to stop when I realised just what his plan had been, “You were showing Gohan what Cell could do weren't you? So he'd be ready to take over from you. You planned this!”

 

Goku nodded with a smile.

 

“You might want to ask Cell to finish you then, because Chi Chi is going to kill you”

 

He laughed, “I might go into hiding when this is finished then. Cell's got nothing on Chi Chi's frying pan!”

 

Everyone looked dumbfounded, though I managed a small smile. This was going to happen, Gohan would fight and the fate of the world would rest on his young shoulders. Nothing we said or did now could alleviate him of that burden, as much as I wished I could take his place and protect him from what he had to do, I knew that this was the way it had to be.

 

I squeezed his shoulder tightly, “We're all behind you Kid” I said gently, “Give him hell from us”.

 

X

 

For once I found myself able to empathise with Chi Chi as I watched Gohan and Cell fight it out. No wonder she was so insistent that her only child didn't fight, my terror pulsed through me like hot lava, burning me up inside as I watched helplessly. Trunks had subtlety moved to my side and I was grateful for his closeness, especially when he grabbed my arm to stop me jumping in when we all believed Gohan to have been crushed after Cell threw him into a huge mound of rocks. But much to our surprise Gohan emerged as strong as ever covered only in dirt and a few gashes.

 

Cell was obviously just as shocked us we were. The two seemed to have entered a stand off as they stood only a few metres apart, until I realised they were talking. Or at least, Gohan seemed to be pleading with him. My breaths were coming in quick and shallow, I shouldn't have let Gohan go, I should have stood up to Goku instead of trying to make my cousin feel more confident before going to face certain death! My wandered back to Chi Chi as I recalled her visit to me after I'd fallen ill, how pale and tired she's looked. In two weeks she'd almost lost her husband, her niece and now she could loose her only son!

 

My fists were clenched tightly at my sides as Cell threw several attacks at Gohan who was forced to back flip and jump in order to avoid them.

 

“Careful Gohan!” Krillen shouted, “That's one of Frieza's finishing moves!”

 

Gohan flew to the side in an attempt to get around Cell, but the green monster was too fast and caught him easily, trapping him in an strong hold.

 

“What's he doing?” I cried, feeling tears of fear and horror fill my eyes as my cousins screams of pain reached my ears, “He's crushing him, Goku do something or he'll die!”

 

“No, just wait. You'll see, once Gohan's been backed into a corner with no way out… that's when he'll awaken his inner power”

 

I swallowed hard, giving up all pretence of calm confidence in my cousins abilities. He was eleven years old and about to die while we all stood here and watched! Piccolo's words did nothing to calm my thundering heart.

 

“You're a fool Goku! Do you want to know what your son is thinking right now? He's not thinking about strength or competition… he's asking himself why his father is standing there watching him die! Your son may be the strongest in the world… but he's also a scared eleven year old boy”

 

Those words finally made an impact on my uncle as he flinched, his eyes filling with fear for the first time today as he gazed down at his son.

 

“Krillen, throw me a sensu bean” he instructed.

 

Hope filled me, making me shake with relief. Goku was finally going to step in and end this. Everything would be-

 

“What's he doing?” Yamcha shouted, drawing my attention back to Gohan and Cell.

 

Android Sixteen had managed to sneak up on Cell and now had him in a tight grip.

 

“You should all evacuate immediately, I am going to destroy him by detonating the bomb within me”

 

A bomb? Of course, I remembered Eighteen threatening to do the same in order to prevent Cell from being able to absorb her! Cell had been worried then, but only as he'd loose his chance to transform. Would Sixteen's blast be enough?

 

 

Cell seemed to think so as he struggled madly. He was definitely worried. Sixteen began to glow and I could hear a strange high pitched whirring coming from him. My heightened hearing obviously allowing me to pick up on the goings on of his artificial body. But something caught my attention, a sort of empty clanging noise… and then the glow disappeared.

 

“You can't use your bomb against him Sixteen… because Bulma and her father had it removed!”

 

Krillen was clenching his fists tightly and I could see the shock of Sixteen's face from where I stood. Once again we had had one of our hopes snatched away from us.

 

“They thought you might use it to destroy Goku…” he continued.

 

Cell took the opportunity of the androids distraction to break free of his grip, and released a blinding ball on energy directly on Sixteen's chest, not just throwing him back but destroying his body entirely and sending the broken parts soaring though the air.

 

“He's a monster!” Yamcha said in shock.

 

Even I felt the loss of the silent warrior, never having really spoke with him I was surprised as my throat closed in a bit to smother the sob trying to escape. But there was something different about Sixteen, something which could have made him almost human… if he had just been given the chance to live.

 

Cell turned back to Gohan who was frozen as he knelt on the floor, staring at the remains of the fallen warrior. I brought a hand up to my mouth and tried to bring my breathing back to normal, finding myself growing rather dizzy.

 

“Don't!”

 

My cousin's scared voice drew my attention back to him, Cell had left him kneeling on the ground and was now flying straight towards us! Piccolo jumped from his position and charged the beast, only to be dodged easily. Cell landed behind a terrified looking Krillen, raising his hand and snatching the small bag of beans from the mans grasp before taking off once again.

 

“I was too late!” Goku cried out in frustration. With no sensu beans and Cell back at maximum power after Goku insisted on giving him a bean to even out the fight, we were pretty screwed in my opinion. Damn Goku's merciful nature! It was going to get us all killed!

 

My eyes fixed on Cell, his tail now pointed and open. What was he up to? Was this some kind of attack we hadn't seen yet?

 

Suddenly I became are of another Ki, one almost identical to Cells. For a moment I thought he was replicating himself again, but then a small blue creature emerged from his tail… one that looked like a miniature version of its creator.

 

“This is insane!” I heard Vegeta stutter as Cell produced seven more of the creatures.

 

However we didn't have time to consider how he had made them, nor how utterly disgusting and disturbing it was, as the eight tiny monsters leapt into the air and came straight for us. Trunks shot out an arm to push me back and sent a Ki blast at the one headed our way, knocking it back only a few feet before it attacked once more.

 

Trunks powered up to Super Saiyan as I raised my own energy as high as I could, ready to fight. Within seconds we were all preoccupied with at least one of the demonic monsters each. What I lacked in strength I made up for with speed and flexibility, so I was able to dodge the attacks with some ease and retaliated only when I had an opening. I took every split second I had to glance around and see how everyone else was holding up. Yamcha, Tien and Piccolo were taking on several of the Cell-creatures at once as they protected a still exhausted Goku, Vegeta was holding out easily and I had caught Trunks distracting the monsters from myself on more then one occasion, leaving me with a mix of annoyance, frustration… and some other warm feeling I didn't have time to ponder on.

 

A sharp blow to my back had me skidding across the floor painfully, though I ignored it to flip on my back and throw a silver blast at the one that had struck me, somehow managing to hit it and sending it spiralling backwards. I leapt straight back onto my feet and resumed the fight, but it was no good. Soon Yamcha and Tien were lying on the ground, only twitching every now and again. Krillen soon followed and I found myself standing alongside Piccolo as we helped Goku defend himself. I was growing tired and I wasn't the only one. Trunks and Vegeta, in their Super Saiyan form, were the only ones who still seemed to have a chance, yet not even they had managed to destroy, or even hurt, any of Cell's creations.

 

Suddenly, a roar of anger and pain like none I've ever heard echoed through the vast empty planes. Crashing to the ground I coughed up a mouthful of blood and felt my vision blur.

 

“Don't pass out” I muttered to myself, over and over, fighting for consciousness. Shigeru's voice entered my mind…

 

“Don't let the bastard get to you Lani…”

 

I rolled to my side, vaguely aware of a sudden peak in Ki… more blood fell from my mouth as I felt my lungs filling with the same substance… and then… nothing…

 

X

 

For the second time in the past two weeks I felt the familiar bitter taste of a sensu bean being placed between my lips. I swallowed with difficulty, choking on the metallic taste of my own blood before opening my eyes cautiously. I looked up at the blue sky… no… it wasn't the sky I was peering into but a pair of eyes.

 

Trunks was leaning over me with a relieved smile on his face, “Hey, I need to give one to the others. You ok?”

 

I nodded stiffly and forced myself up, taking in the sight before me as I became aware of a huge Ki that did not belong to Cell. In fact, it outmatched him by a long shot.

 

“Is that Gohan?” I gasped.

 

“It's amazing isn't it!” Trunks replied as he helped Krillen to his feet.

 

Tien, Yamcha and Krillen all stood at my side, once they'd recovered with the help of the sensu beans, to gaze down the sight before us. Gohan stood in front of Cell with new confidence, surrounded by a golden aura that seemed to be punctured by blue shots of light.

 

“It's like… he's suddenly become a man…” Tien said in awe.

 

“You guys should get out of here” Trunks began, “I'll stay behind to give these to Goku and Piccolo. Go!”

 

The three men each floated back in turn, eyes still fixed on Cell and Gohan. I remained rooted to the spot I was in.

 

“Lani” Trunks said, tugging at my hand.

 

“I'm not leaving him” I said firmly.

 

“If Cell panics he might use you against Gohan like he did with those things he created”

 

I swallowed, suddenly realising that they'd all disappeared. I didn't need to ask who's destroyed them.

 

My resolve wavered slightly, he was right… but I couldn't leave him… he was still my eleven year old cousin. Trunks grasped my hand firmly and tugged.

 

“Come with me, Goku and Piccolo still need our help”

 

Reluctantly I took my eyes off of the fight and followed Trunks, taking one bean and placing it in Goku's mouth as he did the same to Piccolo. Somewhere nearby Vegeta was staring into the sky where Gohan and Cell were battling it out, the thunderous crashes reminded me of the earlier fight with Goku. And Gohan really did take after his father as he managed to move the group of earlier contestants from harms way, leaving Cell with his fist embedded in the ground where they had been hiding.

 

“It looks like watching your fight with Cell earlier really helped him out” Piccolo said to Goku with something like awe in his voice.

 

“I doubt that, Gohan's way past needing my help”

 

“You think so?”

 

“I'd say,” Krillen put in as the three men landed next to us, “I think… he's winning!”

 

Trunks made his way over to his own father, offering him a sensu bean. My mind was swimming with all this new power that Gohan was radiating. I felt both shocked at his transformation from the innocent child he had been not so long ago and admiration for his new abilities. But in the back of my mind I was also sad to see that boy go… turned into the fighter he was now, he seemed to much colder…

 

I reached up and wiped the blood from my chin with the sleeve of my shirt, which dropped back to my side as Cell made another terrifying revelation.

 

He had not been fighting with his true power.

 

“Where is he hiding all this power?” Vegeta growled.

 

“He's just bluffing, trying to scare Gohan” Trunks suggested.

 

But as Cell powered up, causing great clouds of dust and dirt to fly at us, we all knew the worst. He had not been bluffing. Cell's power was making the clouds fly across the sky at an unnatural pace, the ground was shaking beneath my feet and I was sure it would break from the pressure at any moment. My arms were crossed over my face to protect it not just from the dirt but Cell's excess energy, which almost blew me off my feet.

 

Eventually it subsided as Cell reached his maximum, and we were all left shaken by the new power we could feel being emanated from him. I tried to sense how much stronger he had become, was but my focus was quickly dashed when Cell leapt forwards and struck Gohan across the face. I gasped, but Gohan stood his ground. The only sign that he'd been hit was the fact that his head was now leaning to the side.

 

“His speed has increased with his strength, this is impossible” Vegeta fumed.

 

I almost cried out as he made to strike again, but there was no need. Gohan brought his fist back and forced it into Cell's stomach before knocking him back with an uppercut to the chin. Cell was now writhing on all fours on the ground, chocking loudly.

 

“I think Gohan may have just won this thing guys” Krillen exclaimed.

 

“Don't forget, it's not over `til it's over” Piccolo said.

 

I was silently praying that this was it, Gohan had proved he was stronger then Cell even after he'd powered up. But I had had my hopes raised and dashed too many times to let the hope overtake me. Though it seemed my stomach new no bounds for feeling disgust.

 

Cell retched and gagged several times, but this was more then just a reaction to the blow to his stomach. I brought a hand to my mouth and held back a gag of my own as he spat an unconscious figure onto the ground in front of him.

 

“That's Android Eighteen! She was inside him the whole time!”

 

With the woman now on the floor in front of him Cell was looking nothing short of terrified as his body began to shrink and writhe. He was turning back to his former self! “There's no way he can win now!” I beamed.

 

Cell was screaming in anger as his body returned to the shorter, stockier and much weaker self, “You insect, you made a fool of me!” he cried, diving for Gohan who dodged easily. Cell was attacking out of fury and fear, and it was making him sloppy.

 

“Destroy him Gohan, do it now!” Goku yelled at his son who was advancing on a cowering Cell.

 

But Gohan had other ideas, he wanted to Cell to suffer for what he'd done. What a mistake that was…

 

Cell suddenly powered up, but instead of their being an increase in his energy his entire body swelled up like a balloon.

 

“What's he doing?”

 

My question was soon answered as Cell laughed manically, “I can't defeat you, but if I'm going to die then the entire planet is going with me!”

 

He'd turned his body into a bomb, one that was powerful enough to take us and the rest of the Earth with him.

 

Gohan fell to his knees, realising he'd made a mistake that cost him the lives of everyone he loved. He'd wasted too much time trying to make Cell pay, and now there was nothing he could do. It was too late.

 

It was over.

 

X

 

Disclaimer: I own no rights to the series Dragonball Z or any of its characters/places etc. All right to Akira Toriyama.