“Wh- what did you say?” Blurts Cell as it stares at the Saiyan Prince in shock, “Super..., Vegeta?!”
Vegeta looks as the repulsive creature smugly, “Figure it out I’m not going to explain it to you baka!”
Gero’s creation hisses in displeasure at the insult.
“Instead you should be worrying about your own survival.” States the Prince, “Not that you have any shred of hope.” He chuckles evilly.
Above Krillian gazes at the two combatants in awe. “Geesh! That's VEGETA!?” His eyes widen as he senses the outpouring of the Saiyan Prince’s power. “That special training at Kami’s must have really worked!”
Then he feels another huge but still leashed ki nearby and spots Trunks, “Him too! I wonder if he’s as powerful?”
“For sure, they’ve both gotten bigger!” He keeps looking around expecting the others, “I wonder why Goku and Gohan aren’t here?”
“How dare you!” Cell growls then screams, “THIS CAN’T BE!”
Furious, the monster’s tail zips around like a cobra in an attempt to strike and spear Vegeta on it’s point.
The Saiyan Prince easily evades the attack with an skywards leap. Then he pivots in midair turning it into a right kick of retaliation, that knocks Cell backwards.
In desperation, Cell takes the opportunity to change his trajectory into all out flight, attempting to escape from Vegeta.
The Prince is after his fleeing foe in the blink of an eye and catches Cell with almost deceptive looking ease. He administers another kick to the monster’s midsection then follows with a right punch to the chin that flings the creature headlong into the ocean.
As he floats above the island Krillian searching for his best friend and son, a slight flicker of movement off to the side, draws his attention away from the combatants. He spots the two androids hidden in a kind of rocky alcove.
“They’re hiding here?!” He notices that the young male android is missing. “Huh? He glances back at Cell, “Then that’s what’s caused the difference in Cell’s appearance. It must have already absorbed 17.”
He glances back at the action, “But nobody seems to have noticed that those two are down there!”
Krillian is taken aback, he knows exactly what he has to do now. Shut down 18 and then destroy her. But the little monk has been agonizing over the idea of doing that task ever since Bulma gave him the remote. He’d even been a bit relieved when he thought that he wouldn’t have to do it because Cell had already absorbed her.
Now he’s reluctantly facing the completion of the onerous task once again.
He knows it has to be done, to stop Cell from getting any stronger. But Dammit! Why does it have to be him?
Bulma’s instructions echo in his thoughts. He needs to get within 10 meters.
He slowly starts to descend, stealthily.
Cell climbs out of the water wearily and back onto the shore, badly shaken up. Panting heavily he stares up at Vegeta as the Prince lands on the cliff top over shadowing him like a omen of doom. He watches the Saiyan warily as he continues to huff and puff.
Vegeta grins down at the creature and decides to rub it’s face in it’s imminent defeat. “You want to know something else that will shock you? That boy over there, my son Trunks. Well he has almost as much power as I have Cell.”
The creature glances at Trunks, who is staring stone faced at him. The monster extends his sensing abilities and cringes when he realizes that what Vegeta says is true. He’d be no more of a match for this Trunks as he is for Vegeta.
Something has gone terribly wrong. In Cell’s own past when he was still quite weak, he had easily slain Trunks, after the youth had returned from this trip, in what should still be this boy’s future. By rights, since he has now enhanced and increased his strength by his absorption of 17, the youth should pose no threat to him at all! Cell’s should now be overwhelmingly stronger than the younger Saiyan prince. But for some reason that is not the case!
Puzzled beyond his capacity to understand, Cell turns his attention back to his more immediate problem, Vegeta!
Vegeta frowns, he had hoped for a greater challenge to his powers. “I guess this is the best you can do. What a disappointment! I thought you were supposed to be so incredibly powerful! It’s almost a waste of my time to even bother dirtying my hands killing you.”
Cell stares in amazement at Vegeta, how can this be happening? Dr. Gero had created him to be the most powerful warrior in the world, in the universe. Unbeatable! Unstoppable! Instead he’s been thwarted at every turn, first by that three eyed piece of human trash and then by not one but two Saiyans, both who should have been dead by now, plus the additional threat of the dratted purple haired demi-Saiyan.
Cell actually starts having a temper tantrum, as he screams out in frustration, “AAARRRGG!!!! NO! No, no, no, no! This can’t be, it’s impossible!”
He clenches his fists, literally bent over in anger, “If only I was complete, this would not be happening!! I’d never be defeat by the likes of them!”
Vegeta glares down at the pathetic whining creature with complete distaste.
Cell continues his childish ranting and raving. “Damn it all! It shouldn‘t be like this! What in the hell has happened?”
The Prince floats off the cliff and lands on a small upthrust promontory next to Cell and gazes down at him.
Then the Saiyan Prince asks, “So let me get this straight, Cell. You’re saying that if you became complete, that you could defeat me?”
Cell stops in mid-fit and looks up at him in surprise, ‘Is Vegeta just toying with him?’
Vegeta just smirks.
“YES!! I’d become invincible!!!” A sudden hint of hope, “I’d become faster, more powerful, my mental abilities as well as physical strength would increase. Once I am completed, I will become the ultimate warrior. I will attain my total perfection of power, complete in every way. The computer guaranteed it!!!”
Suddenly Vegeta reacts, kicking Cell in distain, infuriated at the wretch’s pathetic claims. It sends the creature flying again across the landscape, shattering another upthrust of rock.
Krillian lands and then starts to creep up on the two androids unaware, muttering to himself, “Ten meters.”
But he’s continued to be troubled by the conflicting thoughts running through his brain. He can see 18’s delicate figure as she and 16 watch the battle.
She’s so lovely and even innocent looking. Why had 18 been so nice to him? Why did she have to kiss him back there?
It would have been so much easier if she hadn’t done that. He could have clung onto the belief that she was a soulless monster, just like Trunks claimed.
But now he can’t do that anymore, somehow Krillian feels like she’s not that way at all. He can still feel her soft lips on his cheek from that gentle kiss and her sweet voice saying those two soft words of “Good luck.” To him. The little monk sneaks closer. “10 meters, almost there.”
If she had been as bad as Trunks claimed she wouldn’t have done that, said that. Would she?
And even Trunks has said that things have changed, things were different, history had been altered. Couldn’t these androids be different too? Maybe they had been changed too.
They could have easily killed them all during that first battle but they hadn’t, they’d just left the others incapacitated.
In Trunks’ world, Vegeta had been killed the very first time he fought with them! They had all been! Why didn’t that happen this time?
Sure the conflict had been intense and hard fought, but 18 hadn’t gone as far as murdering Vegeta. Not even when she had the perfect chance, when he was helpless and totally at her mercy, lying unconscious at her feet.
Even after Z fighters had broken their parlayed agreement with 17. When Trunks had broken the uneasy truce and provoked an all out battle as he rushed to Vegeta’s aid! Even after all that, 17 had held back from killing anyone!
And the androids had known all about the senzu beans too. But they hadn’t prevented him from using them to help his friends. They had even been the ones to remind him to give the beans to the guys! Those weren’t the actions of cold blooded killers, were they?
Krillian finally reaches the rock he selected to hide behind. “This is close enough.”
He peers around it and glimpses HER again. His hands begin to tremble. Her beautiful face is in profile, her golden hair just brushing her shoulder and she looks..., frightened?!
Someone who is supposed to be invincible should never be able to look so vulnerable, so frightened! He stares at her perplexity knitting his brow.
Cell is flat on his back again as Vegeta strides towards him ominously. He clambers back to his feet growling in frustration.
Vegeta glares at the wavering creature before him, “You’re pathetic, even after this evidence of your inadequacy, how can you still insist that you could match my power let alone defeat me if you’re ‘completed’?”
Cell glares back at the Saiyan, trying to catch his breath.
“Why do I have to keep repeating this?” Spits out Cell between pants, “If this is the full extent of your power then if I were to reach my finished form I would destroy you easily!!”
“Oh really?!” Says the Prince dryly.
The watching Trunks begins to get an uneasy feeling. “Oh no. I hope father isn’t thinking what I think he’s thinking.”
Krillian who is still hesitating also suspects what's going through Vegeta’s mind. The Saiyan Prince is taking far too long to destroy Cell. “If I don’t shut 18 down with the remote now and destroy her, Cell will absorb her for sure!”
“This is my one chance, I have to do this!” He inspects the two androids critically, “16 looks practically inoperative.”
The monk stares at Dr. Gero’s two constructs, then clamps his eyes shut in a quandary of indecision, trying to steel himself to depress the button, but all it does is bring back the image of 18’s face as she kissed him. The sweet curve of her lips, the butterfly’s wing feeling on his cheek as her lips brushed against it, he can even hear the dulcet tones of her voice bidding him goodbye.
Realization hits Krillian like a ton of bricks, he can’t do it, he could never bring himself to hurt her. He... , he’s fallen in love with her. He drops the remote. Looking at 18, with a helpless, hopeless look of longing in his eyes.
Hearing the clatter of the device hitting the ground 18 whirls, and stares at him.
“I know you.” She says recognizing him immediately then she sees the remote on the ground at his feet and instantly knows what it is.
‘A suspension controller! Where did that come from and what is he doing with it?’ Her eyes widen as she stares at the tableau. She raises her eyes to his in perplexity.
Cell narrows his eyes shrewdly, then chuckles, “You’re intrigued Vegeta. I can see it. A true Saiyan couldn’t help to be. You are member of a warrior race after all. You revel in the glories of combat, the lust for battle courses through your veins. The stronger the foe the greater the excitement, you hunger for the ecstasy of all out conflict.”
Vegeta glares at him silently but his curiosity is piqued, and his heart begins to beat just a bit faster.
“You know I’m right.” Wheedles the monster seductively, sensing the Prince’s growing interest, “You’re curious, you really want to test yourself against the best. Against the strongest foe possible. Even now, you’re wondering about it. What would my strength be like, if I were actually complete?”
Vegeta looks at Cell speculatively, “So creature, now you’ve become so pathetic that you’re trying to entrap me with words. Well, you do know your Saiyan psychology, I’ll give you that.”
The elder Saiyan Prince smirks down at Cell, “Well you’re right about one thing. Beating you as you are poses no challenge to a warrior of my caliber. So I think I’ll let your little attempt to ‘trap’ me succeed. Go on, I’ll give you the time you need to find you little android doll and absorb her.” Vegeta crosses his arms, “But it better be worth the wait. Right now defeating you would just be embarrassing!”
The creature grins and leaps skywards.
“NO!” Trunks shouts in denial, “Dad! Don‘t!”
Krillian and 18’s eyes are locked, without breaking eye contact with her, the little monk steps forward and crushes the device under his foot.
Krillian mutters, “I’m sorry Bulma and after all that work, all the time you spent building it. But I just can’t do it.”
He stares at 18, “Go, get outta a here while you can 18! Don’t let Cell get the opportunity to catch you.”
Even after spending a year with Vegeta, Trunks barely believe what has just happened. “Don’t do this father!”
The young man stares in shock at his enigmatic sire. “Stop him! Cell is too dangerous to be allowed to complete himself!”
When Vegeta remains immovable, the adolescent demi-Saiyan leaps up arms widespread blocking Cell’s escape.
Trunks stares angrily at Cell, “You may have convinced dad to let you go, but not me! I have no compunctions about stopping you in your tracks right now!”
“MMM!” Muses the Prince in surprise, “Perhaps I misjudged the boy. He may be more Saiyan that he seems if he’s wanting to test his own powers.”
18 stares at Krillian in astonishment. “B-but why? Why did you destroy that...? You could have shut me down! The remote was you're only hope of defeating me. Of really stopping Cell!”
Krillian looks back at her, “er.. Well .. that is....,” he shakes his head, “never mind! You shouldn’t be here! You gotta get away right now!! If Cell finds you we’re all doomed!” Cell calls back to the Prince, “Hey Vegeta, how about doing something about this. If he stops me from completion you’ll never get the chance to fight me in my perfect form.”
Vegeta stares at the youth blocking Cell, then shouts, “Let him go Trunks!!” With a gruff commanding growl.
As he half turns to look back at Vegeta, Cell spots something on the ground below. His jaw drops open in surprise, ‘It’s them! I’ve found 18! She must have been hiding here right under my nose all along!’
Trunks notices that Cell is no longer concerned with him, in fact the creature is practically ignoring him! He looks over in the direction that it’s looking, trying to figure out what has caught the monster’s attention.
When he catches sight of what Cell is gazing so raptly at the young demi-Saiyan jerks around in shock. It’s the androids and Krillian too! And they don’t realize Cell has spotted them!!
Trunks shouts a desperate warning at the top of his lungs, “Look out!! 18! Krillian! Cell’s spotted you!!!!”
Everyone below is startled by Trunks warning cry. Krillian and the two androids whirl to see Cell and Trunks hovering up in sky a little ways off staring down at them.
It also startles an amazed, “WHAT!?!” from Vegeta’s lips then he grins, “How convenient, I won’t have to wait to test my powers after all. I see they were here all along.”
“Oh man it’s spotted us!!!” Cries Krillian in dismay.
A strangled sounding, “OH NO!” bursts from Krillian’s lips as Cell suddenly dives down aimed straight for them.
Trunks shouts in furious protest, “No! I won’t let you!” The youth’s power explodes, matching that of his father’s, “You’ll never complete yourself Cell! Not if I can stop you!” He streaks after the monster.
Catching Cell, the young warrior swivels in mid-flight to kick the monster off course and then begins firing his own version of his father’s repetitive Gallic gun at Cell, which has little effect on the creature. He follows the energy salvo with a larger ki blast.
Cell dodges up evading the bigger burst, but Trunks charges into the bio-construct hitting it with a shoulder straight into the mid-section. The younger Saiyan prince floats in front of Cell, about half a torso lower and begins pummeling the monster mercilessly, leading with right uppercuts to the chin alternating with left crosses to the stomach.
Generally treating Cell as if he were nothing more than a punching bag. Trunks finishes the attack with a complete head over heels spin flip, that brings the entire impetus of his body’s strength weight and might down on top of Cell’s head in a double fisted blow. Propelling the creature headlong into the ground, completely burying it in rocky debris.
Trunks looks down at his handiwork, staring searchingly at the rubble. Waiting for Cell to break free of the pile of boulders and charge back up as him. But as long seconds pass and to his growing dismay the Saiyan youth realizes his mistake, “He’s masked his energy.”
Trunks shouts another warning to Krillian and the androids, “Look out it may be tunneling underground! You need to get 18 away far away from here, Krillian!”
The little monk glances around worriedly, scanning the now dangerous ground beneath their feet, “Come on 18 we gotta get you away from here!”
18 turns to her fallen comrade, “Let’s go 16!” She stares in dismay at the motionless behemoth. “16 are you still here?”
“You must go 18, save yourself.” States the other android emotionlessly. “Don’t concern yourself about me. I’m almost done for, my circuits are severely damaged, but you must escape Cell. If he absorbs you, nothing will be ever be safe.”
Impatiently Krillian shouts, “18 hurry up Mr. Grumpy could pop out anytime!”
She sends one last despairing glance at 16 then she and Krillian begin racing away.
Suddenly Cell explodes out of the ground right in front of the them, knocking them off their feet.
Trunks charges towards the suddenly revealed Cell, ready to attack the creature once more.
Vegeta who had been watching the action silently comes to a decision, “I can’t let the brat ruin this opportunity.” He chases after Trunks.
“You will not interfere in this, boy!!” He catches up to the young Saiyan just as the youth reaches out to grab Cell. The Prince knocks his son from the future away from Cell with a tremendous kick, sending him into a nearby cliff. It collapses under the impact of the demi- Saiyan's body, burying him under tons of fallen rock.
The creature grins over at Vegeta, “Thank you, children can be so headstrong sometimes.”
Cell returns it’s attention back to 18 and Krillian, beginning to glide towards them.
“It is time 18, time to join with me just as your brother has, in the complete perfection that Dr. Gero envisioned for us.”
“Maybe it’s perfection for you but not for me!” Spits the girl defiantly. “I’d rather die that become part of a monster like you.”
“But it was our creator’s ultimate plan.” States Cell eagerly.
“Well I could care less, I hated Dr. Gero for what he did to me and so did 17. Gero took our humanity away from us and tried to make us into a pair of mindless puppets!” Says 18, “We despised him for it, so much so that when we finally got the chance we killed him in revenge.”
Cell touches down in front of them.
Suddenly 16 looms between them, Cell gazes at the badly damaged android in amusement and starts to laugh evilly. “Do you really think you have any chance at stopping me 16? You already know how much stronger I am than you.”
“I must still try.” States 16 unemotionally. “I cannot stand by and watch you destroy everything.”
Cell chuckles in distain and with a single brush off blow flings the damaged android out of it’s path.
Knowing he’s outclassed Krillian still darts in defensively between it and 18.
But Cell knocks the little monk aside as well and starts slowly advancing on the beautiful female android.
The battered 16 manages to clamber back to his feet and tries to once more step towards Cell.
“Blast you Cell!” Cries Krillian helplessly.
“Don’t try anything 16,” Cell sneers shooting a sidewise glance at the damaged behemoth, “you’re barely functioning as it is.”
“Besides Vegeta wants me to become complete now too,” states the creature, “so unless you’re ready to be terminated I wouldn’t try to interfere.”
Krillian glares at Cell, “How stupid can Vegeta get!!”
16 disregards Cell’s words and starts to punch him to little effec.t
Trunks struggles free of his rocky confinements, his teeth gritted in a fury almost matching one of Vegeta’s worst. “This is wrong Father! You can’t let this happen! Don’t let it do this!
“Are you a coward boy?! Don’t you want to see how strong it can get?” Says Vegeta, “Test yourself against it’s full power?”
“NO!! I don’t! What if it becomes too strong for us to defeat!!” Shouts the youth shaking his head in emphasis.
“But that what makes it thrilling, the anticipation of the unknown.” Answers the Prince still trying to waken the boy’s Saiyan blood.
“But that’s just it, father! It isn’t an unknown to me!!! I’ve lived through one hellish version of the future. That’s why I came back here in the first place! To change it, to stop it from happening! I will not stand by and let this timeline turn into a just different version of that same hell!” Shouts the determined young man angrily. “I’ll do what ever I have to. Even..” Trunks grimaces with grief, “..,even if it means I having to kill you, Dad, to stop it from happening again!!!”
Vegeta glances down at him in disbelief, “You? Kill me!?” The Prince chuckles in amusement, “You don’t have the balls for it boy, not to kill me! You’re too weak, your human side will prevent you from even attacking your own.., dear.., father!”
Trunks anger explodes and he fires!!! Straight at Vegeta‘s disdainful smirk!
The Saiyan Prince stares in shock at the oncoming blast. A single thought flashes through his mind at the energy sphere bears down before engulfing him, ‘The boy is more Saiyan than I gave him credit for.’ Vegeta’s heart swells with pride in his son.
It impacts the Saiyan Prince leaving only an expanding cloud of glowing plasma and smoke where he had been, violently flinging him miles away into the ocean.
Trunks turns and dives back towards Cell.
Cell is stalking 18, toying with her. Like a cat plays with a mouse before the kill. His tail comes up over his shoulder and as he moves towards her, the point expands into the cup shape he used to swallow 17. She fires repetitive blasts at him, pushing him back but Cell shrugs them off and just keeps inexorably striding towards her.
The sudden attack from Trunks catches Cell off guard as he hits the creature from the left side, knocking it away from the female android, just before it reaches her. Trunks pauses to stop in front of 18 and frantically orders her to, “Get out of here!”
She stares at him in shock. Then the demi-Saiyan warrior whirls to continue his attack on Cell and starts battering him.
Cell fights back, desperate once more, in this still incomplete form he’s knows he’s no match for either one of the Saiyan princes, father or son . When one of Trunks blows sends him flying he adds to the impetus and keeps going, trying to escape until he can find a solution.
Needing no more urging 18 turns to her damaged companion, “Come 16 let’s get out of here.” She slips his left arm over her shoulder.
“That’s right, let’s get you guys out of here.” Says Krillian as he comes over and takes 16’s other arm.
18 stares at the little human in shock. “Wh-why are you helping us?”
His answer is only a sheepish grin at her.
Vegeta is floating on his back in the ocean. He raises his hand to wipe the moisture from his lips and blood stains his white glove. He gazes at it with a smirk. “Well boy, very good you actually did it. I didn’t think you had it in you. Unfortunately you still have a few things to learn.” The Prince blasts up out of the water and heads back to the center of action. “Like who’s side you’re on!”
As he returns to the island he sees his son chasing Cell and starts after them.
Cell is heading skywards when the solution to his problem presents itself to him as he squints from the glare, of course, the sun! The monster grins.
Cell streaks upwards straight into the blinding orb then whirls around and raises his hands to either side of his face yelling “Taiyo-ken!!” The solar flare flash, backed by the brightness of the sun itself is even more blinding than normal. The dazzling burst even affects Vegeta, who is nowhere in the direct line of attack.
Sunshocked no one can see anything, but they can still hear Cell’s ominous laugh of triumph.
Trunks groans as the bright flash pierces his eyes like needles of flame.
16 raises his hands to his and yells, “My eyes!”
“I can’t see!” Cries 18 raising her arms before her face in a too late useless shielding effort.
Krillian squints his streaming ones, blinking blearily, “Damn! Cell knows Tien's techniques too!” He fists his eyes futilely trying to clear his vision.
Cell lands in front of the trio, hearing the beast’s feet hit the ground Krillian yells, “Don’t! I can’t let it happen!” As he vainly leaps to 18’s defense, raining a flurry of futile blows on the creature.
Cell nonchalantly knocks the little human aside and advances towards 18, she screams a challenge as she charges Cell. It laughs at her punches as she strikes at him repetitively.
The tail rises languidly and expands, then strikes down engulfing the girl whole, the cup contracting in a sinister embrace as it clamps her arms down to her sides.
Even as it swallows her, she continues to struggle fighting and protesting against it.
“Stop it!!” Cries Krillian desperately as he struggles to his feet still trying to clear his vision.
But the tail is relentless, gulping her down like a parody of a snake swallowing its struggling prey. Until not even a lump remains in the length of the hideous appendage.
At the sudden lack of her voice, 16 protests uselessly, “NO 18!”
Cell laughs triumphantly, “AT LAST! I will be complete!!!”
The monster’s body begins to glow, rising form the ground it floats as light begins to glimmer on every edge then the light changes to a blinding glow as it expands into a ball that surrounds his now shimmering form.
As their vision finally begins to clear the others realize that they are witnessing Cell’s final evolution. Vegeta looks down, “Well, well, well. Cell’s starting to transform.” The Saiyan Prince smiles in anticipation. “Now we’ll see if his boasts have any basis in fact! It better not disappoint me.”
Krillian's eyes clear he scans vainly for 18. With the realization that she is nowhere to be seen.
his voice is fills with the sound of his grief as he shouts, “OH NO!”
Trunks stares in dismay at Cell’s wavering shape glowing inside the ball. Then charges towards the metamorphosing creature, “No I’ll stop you! I won’t let this happen!” But the youth’s furious attacks are repulsed by the energy field surrounding Cell.
Then the ball expands forcing the boy even further back. The sky darkens, as Cell’s transformation sucks all the ambient solar energy in the atmosphere into the process.
Darkness engulfs the planet, wind and lightenings are drawn into the spherical vortex above the orb. It siphons the gathered energy to spiral down into Cell’s glowing cocoon. Only after the golden energy orb collapses, does light and warmth return to the Earth.
Vegeta smirks down at the new apparition, as the final form of Cell is finally revealed. “Ahh, fresh baked from the oven!”
On the lookout Piccolo and Tien feel the change in Cell. Piccolo makes the dreadful pronouncement. “It’s happened, Cell is complete!”
“WHAT?!” Burst from Bulma’s lips.
“Didn’t Krillian get there in time with the remote I made?!” She exclaims.
Piccolo shakes his head, “He got there in time but he didn’t use it, he destroyed it, intentionally!”
“What!” Screeches the girl. “But why?”
“I can’t tell you.” Says the newly sensitive Piccolo, “But he had his reasons. And they were very good reasons from his point of view.” The now fully telepathic Namek had sensed all of the little human’s conflicting emotions and his final realization of the feelings he had for the beautiful young android.
Piccolo glares earthwards, “Vegeta.., why? Why do you let your pride make you so stupid sometimes? You’d better be able to settle this now that you’ve let it happen!”
Cell floats serenely, he settles gently to the earth floating as lightly as a thistledown. His right toe touches the ground and with a single tiny flex of it’s tip, he bounces upwards again then settles firmly back to earth on both feet.
Trunks glares at the newly revealed creature, in fury as fierce as that of his father. His righteous anger gleaming from flashing eyes, his aura swirling with enraged fiery flames about him.
Cell’s final form is slightly smaller than the previous one, more gracile revealing the influences of 18’s absorption. His burnished beetle wings have returned, and are now fully developed, his tail and stinger have retracted up, to nestle neatly under the central divide of his back carapace. His face has become more human like with an actual nose and slim girlish lips that give his features a slightly effeminate cast. The radiated evil of his menace has increased and is now overwhelming.
His shoulders and upper chest have changed, the green spotted camouflaging turned to a solid blue black color, all the segmentation on his torso is compressed or gone.
Vegeta stares down at the new form of Cell sneering, “So much for it’s vaunted completion I think it’s actually gotten smaller.”
Cell seems oblivious to them all. It flicks it’s wings. Then raises it’s hand and examines it minutely, front and back flexing it’s slim fingers.
Krillian loses the last of his control, “Y-you murderer!! You killed her!!!”
Trunks shouts at him “No! Krillian!”
But the little grief-stricken monk charges Cell and begins to attack it from the rear. Raining blows and kicks onto the heedless monster’s head.
Only stopping when he realizes they are having no more effect on the creature than the buzzing of a fly. “Oh.. Kame!” The small man stares in shock at the monster, the power of the sensations he feels emanating from the creature are terrifying!
Cell suddenly throws some practice punches into the air, testing his speed, the rapidity of them is such that they are only blurs of motion. Then with a grunt of a laugh he swings a backwards kick into the small human behind him.
The blow impacts Krillian in the neck, his head bends in an unnatural angle as the delicate vertebra are shattered, the blow also crushes his larynx, cutting off the life giving supply of oxygen and tosses him across the already ravaged landscape to plow helplessly face down into the ground to lie twitching helplessly in the grip of death’s rapid onslaught.
Trunks shouts Krillian’s name in shock then streaks to his side. All thoughts of opposing Cell fled from his mind by the sight of Krillian’s needful plight.
Cell watches the youth rescue attempt with a smirk.
Reaching Krillian’s side Trunks gently rolls the smaller man over as he pleads with him, “Come on you gotta hang on.” The youth pulls out one of the senzus that Goku had given him. He slips the bean between his fallen friend’s lips. “Here eat this senzu, you need to take it and swallow!”
As Trunks labors over his injured friend trying to succor him, Vegeta descends to confront Cell his distaste fully apparent.
“So this form is supposed to be an improvement?!” Says the Prince in disbelief, “I don’t see any so far. Your disgusting character certainly hasn’t improved at all. Does it give actually give you pleasure to crush an ant? There’s no warrior pride or honor in doing something like that and I don’t see any significant change in your power level.” Vegeta crosses his arms.
Cell glances towards the Prince, “Sorry my tastes in entertainment don’t agree with yours, but my power won’t disappoint you, Vegeta. Care to help me warm up?”
“Of course,” replies the Prince confidently, “but I’ll be ending it before you can begin.”
Cell smirks back at him, “Perhaps.”
Suddenly Krillian gasps explosively as he starts to breathe again and then begins panting heavily drawing much needed oxygen into his starved lungs. He rolls over onto his hands and knees, sucking in deep breaths of air.
“You’re alive!” Trunks grins in relief, “Thank Kami! That was close! I though we’d lost you!”
Krillian climbs unsteadily to his feet and turns to stare in horror at Cell and Vegeta confrontation.
“Trunks we gotta stop this, or Vegeta’s gonna get killed!!” Says the smaller warrior with deadly intensity.
“W-what?!” Exclaims the son of the Prince turning to look at Cell and his father. “Dad.., killed?”
Krillian glares at the monster that is confronting the Saiyan Prince, “I know I’m nothing compared to a Saiyan when it comes to strength and power, but even Goku admits that I can sense hidden energy levels better than most of you.” Says the small man earnestly, “Cell’s sandbagging, Trunks! I felt his true energy for just a split second when he hit me. He’s insanely powerful. What he did to me was a love tap compared to what he can really do.”
“But I can feel his power too.” Says the young man, looking more closely at Cell.
“It’s only what he’s letting you sense. There more, lots more! He’s concealing his true level.” Krillian shakes his head in denial. “What you’re sensing is nothing, just the tip of the iceberg. Cell’s got way more power, hidden deep inside.”
Krillian pauses and looks at the young man beside him, “Just like you have..., Trunks.”
The youth’s eyes cut over to Krillian in shock. “Y-you know!?”
The monk gives a curt nod. “Vegeta probably hasn’t noticed, you know how single minded he can get.”
Krillian looks at Trunks searchingly, “But I can see how you’ve been kinda deferring to him. You broke through to another level that Vegeta couldn’t reach, didn’t you.”
The look Trunks gives him is all the confirmation Krillian needs.
Vegeta is standing in front of Cell and android 16, the Prince crouches, taking a defensive stance. Cell raises his hands, fanned open vertically wrists together, and extends them out in front of himself.
The Saiyan Prince attacks like lightening, kicking out at his taller foe. Then brings his elbow against Cell, who blocks the blow with his arm. The two start exchanging blows and blocks faster than the eye can follow.
Trunks and Krillian watch the fray, as the youth explains to the small human, “Dad did overcome the limits of the Super Saiyan form. He broke through the ceiling, very quickly then surpassed it and gained a incredible level of power.”
“I watched and learned from him by example, then kept pushing until I did it too. But then later on a day while he was off training alone, far away from me. I went even further, to yet another level. I realized then that, that level was what Goku had talked about.”
Trunks shoulders droop, “B-but I couldn’t tell father. You know Vegeta’s pride. It’s bad enough I showed up as a Super Saiyan before he managed transform himself.”
Trunks clenches his fists railing, “Why didn’t Dad kill Cell when he had the chance?!!”
The two combatants have circled around as they fought until now 16 is behind Vegeta. The Prince is furious. Cell is barely fighting at all, only blocking blows.
“Get serious you scum!” Growls the Prince.
“But I told you I was just warming up Vegeta.” Replies Cell casually.
“Fight me for real you insect!” Roars the Saiyan. “I can feel your latent power! Stop holding back!!”
16 stares in shock, even his machine like impassivity is shaken. “What!” To him it had seemed as if Vegeta was the superior in power. But the Saiyan Prince spoke as if Cell had not yet revealed his full potential.
Cell grins. “If you insist.” Then suddenly it phases out and reappears behind Vegeta.
The Saiyan warrior’s head snaps towards his right rear as Cell materializes there. “Wha-!” But he doesn’t hesitate for an instant, whirling to bring his left foot around to administer a vicious kick to the creature’s head. Then falls back staring in disbelief at his unruffled foe.
Cell hadn’t even bothered blocking it, instead he starts chuckling, “Heh, heh, heh! ‘Super Vegeta? Huh? A bit grandiose sounding isn’t it?”
Krillian frantically asks, “Aren’t you gonna even try to save him?”
Trunks shakes his head, “I can’t, it would just humiliate father. For him, for a true Saiyan warrior, it’s worse to be rescued that to be defeated.”
“So you’re just going to stand by and watch him get killed?” Asks the smaller man.
“Krillian you can’t understand. And I.. I barely do but I can’t even begin to try and explain it. But..., I won’t take his honor away from him, Vegeta’s pride is all he has!” Trunks clenches his teeth.
Cell looks at Vegeta, arms crossed mimicking the Prince’s classic stance. “What happened Vegeta? Where did your cockiness go? I don’t hear your laughter anymore?”
Vegeta is thunderstruck by the power that’s spilling from Cell. Sweat drops form on his high brow.
Suddenly Cell strikes out! Leading with a blurred, sight defying left kick, that flings the Saiyan Prince backwards.
Vegeta’s body hurtles through a rocky ridge demolishing it into gravel.
The Prince finally regains control, gasping and coughing to regain the breath that was knocked out of him by the impacts. He hangs floating upside down staring back at Cell.
The creature calls to him mockingly, “What was it you said? That is was boring to fight when the difference in power is so great. I think I see what you meant.” Cell smirks at Vegeta.
Trunks is trembling with suppressed rage. The demi-Saiyan’s fury at Cell’s distain of his father rips at him, with knife edged claws. But he remains rooted to the spot.
Krillian pleads “Trunks why? Why aren’t you doing anything?! Cell’s gonna kill Vegeta! You gotta save him!”
“I can’t do anything!” Growls the youth through gritted teeth, “Not until Dad’s knocked unconscious. Then I can help him. Then he won’t see that I’ve surpassed his strength!”
“Well I hope that happens soon,” says Krillian quietly, “before Cell kills him.”
16 has been watching it all, slowly he raises his hand and takes a step forward.
“Tempting futility are we 16?” Asks Cell without turning. “I’ll just dispose of you like the piece of junk you are if you try it.”
Vegeta suddenly rights himself and throws open his arms, gathering up his power. He screams with the effort and the energy within him explodes outwards. His muscles bulge even bigger as Vegeta reaches for the level above ascended Super Saiyan. The level he had reached unbeknownst to Trunks and rejected as anything but a weapon of last resort! All the power he needs is there but it’s only good for one sure blast since the form itself is too bulky making it far too slow moving and clumsy for normal fighting techniques.
Vegeta knows it will greatly diminish his speed to react but if he taunts the creature enough maybe he can goad Cell into remaining stationary. Sting it’s pride enough that it will remain in one spot so he’ll have the single good clear shot he needs for it’s destruction! The Saiyan Prince brings his fanned hands together wrist to wrist, his fingers clawed as he prepares to fire his most devastating blast of power, the planet destroyer. Vegeta’s aura grows bigger and brighter, the flames of his ki swirl around him like a whirlwind. Lightenings of energy crackle within the flames. The muscles of his body actually begins pulse, swelling larger with each beat of his heart.
The distance and power vortices mask the less obvious changes in the Prince’s appearance from Trunks and Krillian, but they can feel Vegeta gathering power.
The young Saiyan cries out, “D-dad?!!”
“W-W-WHAT!” But Krillian who had seen the Prince oppose Frieza recognizes what the gathering energy heralds, “He’s not gonna do that?!!”
Vegeta shouts tauntingly at Cell, “Can your complete form take this head on? Is your power great enough to face my greatest weapon, CELL!?” The Prince laughs mockingly, “I doubt you have the courage. You’re nothing more than a big cowardly cockroach!”
Cell stares back at Vegeta, scorn evident, anger growing. He’ll show this monkey the full terror of what he’s facing. The invincibility of his perfection! Cell stiffens and glares at the Prince. “Bring it on Vegeta!”
Which is exactly the reaction the Prince had hoped for!
“D-dad’s taunting him, provoking Cell so he WON’T even try to dodge!” Trunks stares in perplexity, “Why?”
“OH NO! He can’t. Vegeta wouldn’t fire that!” Gasps Krillian “Not on Earth!!”
Realization suddenly breaks through to Trunks as it dawns on him what Krillian is worried about.
“NO DAD! DON’T!” Shouts the youth in desperation, “The planet can’t withstand....”
Krillian screams “It’s Too Late! Trunks RUN!!!!”
With a single barked laugh of triumph Vegeta releases the gathered energy of his entire being into - “FINAL FLASH!!!!”
The blazing light bursts forth from the palms of the Reigning Prince of all Saiyans. It’s fountain of outpouring power vindicating all his sins in the effort he puts forth to redeem himself and save his new home. This is his proof. This will show them all, that he too, can become a hero! And that he is indeed the most powerful warrior on this or any other planet in the universe!
Far away watching eyes crinkle sparkling behind a pair of dark round rimmed glasses, blue lips twitch upwards into a small smile. As long antennae quiver with excitement. “Well, Bubbles I think this proves my faith in the Prince. Vegeta is progressing along quite nicely. If he keeps this up he’ll redeem not only his race but himself. All he needs now is to overcome that headstrong pride of his. But I do believe the Saiyans will survive on the great stage of life after all.”
Cell sees the raving blast and suddenly knows his mistake. This blast stronger than he realized. The energy in this beam could annihilate him completely, blasting away every last molecule of his being and erasing all trace of his existence. The creature’s eyes widen and he attempts to dodge it at the last split second.
The raving blast from Vegeta’s palms impacts on Cell, then keeps going, gouging a great gash in the ground until it reaches the shoreline then blasting into the ocean, it continues onto the edge of the world and shoots off into space.
Trunks and Krillian are stunned to still be alive. Vegeta had been meticulous with his control of the energy beam.
“Dad controlled it! He narrowed the beams radius!! Pinpointing it onto Cell!” Trunks stares in awe at the ditch that grows shallower as it heads towards the shore as the seething ocean waves rush in to replace the disintegrated water. “And he controlled the angle aiming it off into space!!”
Vegeta reverts back to just a Super Saiyan, huffing with immense effort he had put out and grinning ear to ear. “I felt it hit, Cell’s done for!”
The smoke clears revealing Cell’s half blasted body writhing in the air. The creature’s right arm and half his upper chest are gone. Blasted into nothingness.
Cell stares down at himself, the shock and horror of what has happened grips him. Then the pain sets in and he screams. “IT.... HURTS...!!!”
Cell’s scream becomes a moan colored with his pain, as he protests “This isn’t happening! I’m supposed to be invincible! This isn’t possible, no one should be strong enough to even scratch me, let alone injure me so severely!” He doubles over in agony then shouts. “Curse you Vegeta!”
Vegeta is laughing manically in relief. Cell’s power level upon completion had startled and worried the Saiyan Prince just a bit but now he knows that he wasn’t over confident after all. He had gauged his own power potentials correctly. It will not take much to finish the creature off. Which is fortunate because the Prince is now close to his own limits. He won’t be able to hold his Super Saiyan form much longer, but it will be long enough to destroy the threat.
“Give up, you're done for Cell.” Says Vegeta between guffaws, his laughter echoing against the cliffs.
Trunks looks at the results of his father’s enormous earth shattering display of power. “Dad did it! He actually did it!”
“That Vegeta’s sure is something else, but he came through in the end! He beat Cell.” Nods Krillian in agreement with the youthful Saiyan, “We’ve actually won!”
On the lookout Tien is almost as stunned as Trunks and Krillian. “That Saiyan bastard actually did it! We’ve won.”
Bulma stares a the two warriors, she can feel her mate’s triumph but she still needs verbal confirmation of the exact events, "Who did what? What happened?”
The triclops looks over at her, “Vegeta just blasted Cell apart!”
Bulma smiles in satisfaction and looks down at the little bundle in her arms. Baby Trunks is fast asleep. She glances at Mr. Popo and he nods gently taking the child, he carries little Trunks into Kami’s palace. Placing the child in a cradle he had thoughtfully prepared. The rotund little genie smiles down at the purple haired infant, and gently rocks the cradle, humming an ancient lullaby.
Bulma having given her sleeping son over to Popo’s watchful care, glances back over at Piccolo. She’s suddenly troubled by the look on the Namek’s face. The emerald warrior is still frowning.
“What’s wrong?” She steps towards him. “Did Vegeta win or didn’t he?”
“Vegeta did blast Cell apart, but it’s not over.” The Namekian is well aware of all Cell’s inherited abilities. “Not yet!”
The green warrior pleads, “Hurry up, Vegeta finish him!” But even as he says it, Piccolo suspects it’s already too late!
Shuddering, Cell suddenly feels a new sensation, he grins wickedly, he had forgotten and so had the others obviously! He is still invincible after all!
The creature straightens, now is the time to mess with the Saiyan’s head. He smirks impishly at Vegeta, “Just kidding!!” And then starts to chuckle as his wound begins to throb visibly.
The Prince’s laughter is halted in mid-sound.
“Did you forget something, Vegeta? I possess Piccolo’s DNA too. So I can regenerate just like that Namekian slug does!”
Vegeta stares in shock at Cell as the creature pulls another miracle out of his bag of tricks. The throbbing mass of rent flesh has stopped bleeding and now is actually coagulating and growing! Suddenly at arm and wing shoots forth from the grievous looking shoulder remnant, moistly dripping with goo. The missing flesh on the torso has also been completely restored, shining repulsively with the thick mucus.
All of the onlookers are stunned.
Cell flexes his restored hand, the crack of his knuckles audible. “Surprised? Or disappointed?”
“NO WAY!!” Cries Krillian in astonishment. Trunks is speechless staring at the regenerated apparition.
Cell swings his restored arm around in a circle a couple of times testing and loosening up the joint. He glances over at Vegeta and states grimly, “Now laugh this off Saiyan.” Before striding purposely towards Vegeta.
The Prince raises his hand opening his palm and fires a desperate blast towards his approaching foe. Thoughts of shock chase each other through his mind, ‘This shouldn’t be, I had it won! Cell was beaten, completely defeated!’ But still the defiant warrior, the battle hardened Vegeta continues to resist. He begins firing a continuous salvo of blasts from his Gallic Gun at the oncoming monster.
Dust, smoke and energy glare obscures the creature, hiding it from everyone’s sight. Until he steps forth from the clouds, bringing an unstoppable punch aimed straight into the center of the Saiyan Prince’s face. Flattening the elegant patrician nose.
Vegeta is flung back by the force of the blow, landing heavily on the ground. He pushes himself up to a sitting position with a groan. Then slowly climbs to his feet, rubbing at the bruises that are beginning to bloom around his eyes evidences of his shattered bridge. Streams of blood flow from his nostrils.
Unseen by the blinking, half blinded Vegeta, Cell is moving towards him again. Just as the Prince regains his feet, he is met by yet another blow. This time a vicious kick to straight into the gut that sends him flying once more. His folded body soars like a football aimed at the goal post for the tie breaking game points.
But Cell is not standing idly by, instead he phases out and streaks ahead of the body of his helplessly hurtling foe. He phases back in, just ahead of Vegeta and greets him with an elbow to the middle of the back, the force of that blow meeting the oncoming inertia of the Prince’s already uncontrolled trajectory, is the final straw.
Suddenly the demeanor of the audience on the Lookout changes, Bulma clenches her fist bringing it to her heart as she bites her lower lip, she can feel something has gone wrong. Vegeta’s triumph has vanished, he’s wracked with pain and fighting desperately. “Piccolo what’s wrong!!?!”
“Cell regenerated. And Vegeta’s nearly exhausted. He used everything he had against it but it wasn't enough!” Spits the Namek.
“B-but Trunks is there, can’t he do something?” Asks Bulma fearfully.
“I don’t know what Trunks is up to, he’s just standing there watching.” Replies the Namek.
The impact form Cell’s last blow is too much for the battle wearied and nearly exhausted Saiyan. Vegeta plummets to the ground and loses his grip. First on his power, his aura flickers out and the golden flame over his brow turns dark once more as he the reverts back to his primary form. Then his consciousness begins to fade, as he slips into the all encompassing darkness of insensibility, he can hear dimly, as if from a great distance, Cell’s remark on how hard he is to kill, followed by a promise put him out of his misery.
The fading sound of Cell’s voice is answered by the even more whispery sound of Trunks scream of fury as he ascends raising his power level to maximum.
A final thought slips through Vegeta’s darkening brain as he loses consciousness. ‘Be careful boy, that level has hidden pitfalls.’ Then he succumbs to the all engulfing blackness.
Tien's shoulders slump. “Vegeta’s lost.”
Bulma glances from one to the other, she can sense that Vegeta has lost consciousness and her heart almost freezes with concern for her mate’s safety.
Piccolo’s statement of “Trunks is finally making his move.” Brings her only the smallest of comforts because of the Namek’s expression is still grievous as he stares down at the battlefield.
The Saiyan youth powers up beside Krillian groaning with effort.
The little human retreats from the overwhelming power that starts to emanate from the Prince and Bulma’s son.
Trunks screams as his body swells, muscles and then veins popping out. His aura brightens, then flares and pulses as crackles of miniature lightenings chase across it surface. His eyes are white pits, glowing, pupilessly,.... mindless, thoughtless.
Krillian recognizes that blank soulless look, it’s the same as the one that glows from the eyes of an oozura. The great Saiyan ape. He had seen those kind of eyes four times in his lifetime and that was four times too many.
Shakily he asks, “T-Trunks...are ... you okay?”
Cell who had been about to finish the senseless Saiyan Prince is suddenly distracted by the raw energy Trunks starts emitting. The creature turns to look at the youth, and is startled to see him glowing like a second sun.
“WHAT? Is that...TRUNKS?!”
Krillian is stunned by the power backlash flowing off of Trunks. “He hasn’t even braced for an attack yet and already he’s pouring out more ki than I’ve ever seen!” The monk shakes his head in astonishment, “I guess I’ll never get used to Saiyans, super or otherwise!”
The youth turns his fiery gaze to Krillian and with relief the short human notices that his eyes have regained pupils albeit blue-green ones instead of his normal blue irises. Trunks reaches inside his collar and pulls out the last senzu bean and calls, “Catch Krillian!” Tossing the tiny miracle to him.
The monk captures the flung bean.
“Good, now I need you to do something else for me.” Says the glowing youth.
“What ..., I mean of course anything.” Krillian as he glances down the contents of his hand.
“I need you to take my dad away from here. Get father someplace safe, then give him that senzu when the time is right.” Instructs the shining youth.
“Sure thing..,” Then Krillian pauses, “but wait, you still got another one of these, don’t you? You might need it.”
The look of assured self-confidence he gives Krillian is worthy of his father. Royal Saiyan pride has woke in the young prince’s breast.
“Don’t worry I won’t. I will prevail.” Then Trunks wafts downward, heading towards Cell.
Krillian clutches the bean in his fist, “Well Trunks isn’t one to boast but I don’t see how he can be so confident.”
“Amazing!” Cells stares at the landing demi-Saiyan, intrigued, “He had that much power buried inside him?! Why didn’t I feel it before?”
“Are you ready to die, Cell?” Asks the youth striding towards him, “It’s time to end this. I’m going to kill you.”
Without even sparing a glance at his previous foe that lies at his feet Cell turns to face Trunks. “Hmph! Quite a bold statement, lad.” Then starts toward him. “Especially from someone I've already killed once.”
They stop when barely a meter separates them. Cell towering ominously over T runks, power crackles around them like an aurora.
Cell kicks suddenly and Trunks leans over backwards, avoiding it.
Then youthful warrior answers with a blow towards Cell’s head which the creature avoids.
But the boy’s attack leaves him wide open and Cell punches him in the stomach, then kicks him again, this time connecting and flinging Trunks backwards.
Krillian stares in open mouthed befuddlement, Trunks is fighting as if he’s a mere novice.
Trunks lands heavily several yards further away. The fallen Saiyan glares back at Krillian. Then points towards his father’s motionless form with the hand concealed from Cell’s sight.
Suddenly Krillian recollects himself and nods at Trunks, “Now I get it, he’s luring Cell away from Vegeta!” With knowledge that Krillian is now doing what he wants, Trunks flips back to his feet . As he straightens he’s met by Cell’s fist in his face. Trunks continues to let the creature pummel him unopposed as he retreats, gaining Krillian even more room and the time. Both which he needs to retrieve Vegeta and make their escape.
Krillian streaks towards Vegeta’s fallen form, lands beside it and hoists the Prince onto his shoulder.
Finally Trunks sees Krillian give him the high sign just before departing with his unconscious burden of the Saiyan Prince.
Trunks clambers back up to his feet once more and is startled when Cell says, “So now that Vegeta’s been safely gotten away will you unleash all your power?”
“I-I didn’t think you’d let him go!” Blurts the youth.
“Why not? I lost interest in Vegeta after I defeated him. It’s your power that fascinates me now!’ Says Cell, “I want to test my power to it’s utmost limits, to discover just how powerful my complete form is!”
“Well then I’ll give you that chance Cell!” Trunks increases his power level yet again!
The youth smirks exactly like his father would, “This is my true power Cell!”
Cell looks at him “And what a magnificent power it is too. Far greater than mine by a wide margin.”
But Cell’s nonchalance seems to say he is less than impressed by Trunks display. “But power isn’t everything boy. Believe me.”
Trunks stares in puzzlement then grunts, “Nice attempt at bluffing.”
Piccolo is taken aback and his eyes widen, “What power, his ki! It exceeds even Cell’s! I-I thought Vegeta’s was huge... I never thought I’d see such power!”
“Who? What? Don’t just stand there watching! Tell us names, who are you talking about!?”
Shouts Bulma in frustration. “What’s going on down there!?”
“Who else would it be? It’s TRUNKS of course! ” Shouts Piccolo in irritation.
Bulma begins to beam in rearoused enthusiasm, “Okay, Trunks! Way to go! That’s my little boy!”
Trunks charges at Cell and the creature dodges the blow. The boy growls as he whirls and tries connect with a right kick. Again Cell eludes the attack with ease. The demi-Saiyan continues to strike out at Cell but the monster is never there when the blows should be landing. The youth frustrations grow with each miss, finally not connecting yet again, he shouts, “STAND STILL!”
Cell lands lightly and looks up at the winded Saiyan youth.
Trunks glares down at him, “Why can’t I land anything!?”
The look Cell gives him is almost sympathetic. “Are you actually that green boy?” Asks Cell curiously.
“This is impossible. How can it be?” Growls Trunks in angry annoyance.
“You don’t get it do you?” Cell gazes up at Trunks almost indulgently, “You said you’d would me your true power but all I’ve seen so far is nothing but brute strength.”
Cell suddenly expands and explodes with the same power Trunks is clad in. “Such a transformation is easy, but the bulky musculature slows you down. And without speed, strength useless. What good is raw power, enormous brute strength is worthless if you lack the finesse and speed to make it work. At this level you’re no better than a bull in a china shop.”
Cell slips back down to his previous level, “Even Vegeta knew better.”
Trunks stares down at Cell, “So that’s why father never took his transformation up to this level. He knew instinctively it’s drawbacks. Dad understood what would happen. Cell’s right I’m just a green novice, a total idiot.” The youth hangs his head in dejection.
Devastated Trunks powers down completely his golden halo returns to lavender locks as he settles back to the ground in front of Cell in dejection. “You’re right I have no chance. You’ve won, just kill me and end this!”
On a deserted island not too far away Krillian has landed with Vegeta, laying the Saiyan Prince out under the shade of a tree.
Suddenly he turns in the direction of the battle and gasps, “What just happened? Is it over already? Trunks power signature was overwhelming a second ago but now it‘s suddenly shrunk down to almost nothing. B-but Cell’s power is still huge!”
The little monk turns frantically to Vegeta, “Trunks was so sure he’d win! What could have happened?”
Worriedly he shoves the last bean into the Saiyan Prince’s mouth. “V-Vegeta come on!!! Wake up and swallow the senzu, we may still need you!!!”
On the lookout Piccolo’s face fills with shock..
Bulma mistaking it for astonishment, eagerly asks, “Has Trunks won yet?”
The Namek’s response stuns them all, “No he’s given up! Trunks is going to die!! The complete Cell’s power is far beyond anyone’s belief.”
Cell raises his hand to fire but then looks at Trunks speculatively. “Perhaps I should..., or perhaps not. You and Vegeta were a big disappointment. I thought you’d give me a bit more fun than you did, but I outclassed you completely. Neither of you were anywhere near my league. But I have to admit you did surprise me. You both improved yourselves dramatically in a very short span of time. So first answer me some questions.”
“What?” Responds the youth in fatalistic resignation.
“How did you do it?” Cell asks, cocking his head in honest curiosity.
Trunks just stares, he’s not about to reveal the existence of the time chamber on the lookout to a monster like Cell. He stands rigid tight lipped and silent.
“Not talking, hmm.” Says Cell, “Well, how about this one then. If given the chance, could you improve as much again?”
This startles Trunks and he answers slowly, “How should I know? I wouldn’t until after I tried. But why even ask?”
“So it is possible.” Says Cell with a nod, “Okay. Next question. Where is Goku? What’s he doing, why hasn’t he come to fight me?”
“Goku is training! He’ll come soon enough and defeat you. I’m certain he can do what we failed at doing!” Says Trunks defiantly.
“Good enough answer.” Then to Trunks surprise Cell lowers his hand. “All right then. I will give Goku, you and the others that extra time.”
Cell grins wickedly a thought occurring to him, “Time to prepare, for the greatest tournament of all time. But instead of a prize, the results will decide the fate of the planet.”
“W-What ..., a tournament?” Stutters the boy.
“I’ll be generous, let’s say ..
.,10 days from now.” Cell smirks, “That should give you plenty of time to get stronger.” “What are you talking about?” Asks the young Saiyan now completely perplexed.
“Oh you may not have heard. There used to be a martial arts world tournament where the world’s greatest fighters came to compete for the title of ‘Strongest Under The Heavens’. I think I’ll recreate it. But with one major difference, you all will have to fight only me. One on one, if I’m defeated by anyone, all Earth will be safe. But...., if I defeat every challenger, if I win the tournament hands down. I decide the fate of Earth. I don’t care how many come or who I fight but then at the end it will be winner take all.”
Cell turns to leave, “Go.., get stronger, make me happy. And watch the TV news for the location.”
“Wait Cell, what is it that you really want?” Trunks questions Cell’s back in confusion, “Why a tournament? Do you want to take over the world, the galaxy, or what?”
“I want for nothing. Material things mean little to me.” Says the monster conversationally, “I only wish to confirm my own complete superiority and spread fear. I was created by Dr. Gero to destroy Goku for him, but that is pointless now. With Gero dead, I have no real purpose. All that’s left is pleasing myself. Perhaps all I want is a bit of fun, and the greatest fun for me is to inspire terror. To see people’s faces contorted in fear.”
Trunks face twists, Cell’s words are far too similar sounding to others he heard long ago. He’s heard almost same explanation once before from different lips but with the same callous disregard for life. When he and his sensei Gohan faced the terrible duo in the future. Now it’s happening again but this time instead of two monsters there is only one, but an infinitely more terrible one, Cell!
Dr. Gero’s ultimate creation glances over his shoulder at Trunks’ face and grins, adding gleefully, “Just like that one.” Then Cell takes off leaving the Saiyan youth standing in the dust.
To be continued.....
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