Chapter Forty-eight (Interlude)

Two figures flew high above the ocean before landing on a small, remote island in the middle of nowhere. One of them stepped up and began shouting.

"Master Roshi! What's wrong? Why did you call?"

"Yeah... It's surprisingly out of character..."

"Yamcha. Tien Shinhan... I'm glad you came. I was a bit surprised you weren't at the tournament."

"I had an important match, sorry!" Yamcha apologized.

"And I'm busy leading the New Crane School.

That doesn't leave me with much free time.

Why? Don't tell me you participated."

"Nah. Let the young'ins do it. Buuuut I did see something interesting which I think you should know. There was an Earthling on the Universe six team."

Both warriors stared at him with eyes wide open. Tien with his three eyes focused on the old man then started questioning him.

"Well there's a surprise. But why is that important? I assume he was like Krillin... a fill."

"Eh... Not exactly. I got some good news and some bad news. You eh... you might wanna sit down for this one."

"Oh great..." Yamcha sighed. "There is always a bad news, isn't there?"

"Oh quit whinin'! This time the two are... inseparable." That got their attention.

"Ya see Yamcha... You just sled down the totem pole... again. Now you aren't even the fourth strongest human."

"Oh come ooon! That's not fair! WHY ME?!"

"I mean... We are surrounded by literal Gods!"

Tien replied. "Compared to the average Earthling we are still incomprehensibly strong... But I admit this IS pretty funny."

"I wouldn't laugh if I were you Tien. The same applies to you too."

"WHAT?!"

"Yeap... Four fighters dropped out just so they could take down Goku and Vegeta. Then this new guy showed up and mopped the floor with Krillin... And Piccolo... And Gohan."

"WHAT?!" They shouted at the same time.

"Yeap. He whooped their asses alone. And I suspect he hasn't revealed his entire hand."

"You mean... He beat them... While holding back?"

"Oh no no no. He fought quite seriously. He just didn't have to use everything in his repertoire, methinks. Gohan observed through Piccolos and Krillins fight to figure him out but in the end he still had plenty of tricks in the final round. Aaaand... I think that's enough for you to know."

"Great!" Yamcha complained. "Now not only am I irrelevant! But also weak AND irrelevant!

At least I had the consolation that I was in the uh... top... ten? Definitely top twenty!"

"And yet the bar just keeps getting raised...

This is ridiculous."

"Chin up!" Master Roshi calmed them down.

"I said I have good news as well... And that they are connected with the bad news. Ya see... This fella was a really nice sport. He showed something... remarkable during the tournament. A transformation of sorts."

"H-Huh?"

"You mean-"

"A transformation unique to humans. It was quite wild and nowhere near as powerful as a super saiyan but still impressive in its own right. And he was kind enough to show me how he did it."

"Soooo...."

"Yeap. Buckle up kids. 'Cause I'm about to tell you how you might get back in the game."

=========

Hell... The place where those who are "worthy" of its blessings are sent so that they may enjoy a very special type of punishment made exclusively for them. Depending on the severity of ones sin the magnitude of the punishment can increase or decrease as seen fit. Only one thing is common amongst all of them: It's always the one worst thing the "guest" could experience.

One particular resident of this lovely place has been stuck in there for decades now.

Every waking moment he sees the one who killed him. A raging child, taunting him. He had it, he succeeded. He was perfect. Now he's nothing.

He even lost and regained... everything that mattered to him. Only to loose it one final time. Truly comedic.

And seeing how he wanted nothing more than perfection, every time he has the audacity to withdraw into the safety of his dreams he's greeted by nightmares where he's anything but. A mere maggot running away from everything.

This day started out just like all the others. He woke up in a cold sweat as he was about to be stepped on by one of those miserable monkeys. Only this time he did not reawaken to the same, endless nightmare he's doomed to for the rest of eternity, oh no. As Hell had cooked up something... special for him this time.

*gasp* *gasp* "Hu? Wha- Is that a... a TV?"

A horned little devil wearing business suit walked up to him with a remote in his hands.

Oh if Cell could move, he'd snap the little demons neck in an instant and eat him but alas the coccoon imprisoning him is unbreakable. "Indeed it is Mister Cell!"

"MISTER PERFECT CELL!"

"I don't think you're worthy of that name anymore Mister Cell."

"GAH!"

"Now now... There is no need to be angry Mister Cell. Here, how about watching a little TV instead to calm your mind?" The device is turned on and something appears on the screen.

"What's this?"

The image comes in and Cell can't believe his eyes.

"Is that... Frieza? And Goku? In Hell?" He then smirks as he wiggles around to look at the demon. "Quite interesting but you're very clearly running out of ideas to torment me-"

"Oh I assure you Mister Cell the image you see is not fabricated in any way. Watch."

He stares at the screen as Goku cuts down Frieza, letting him loose. He can not believe his eyes. But shortly, he won't believe any of this. "W-What is he doing? Why is he asking Frieza of all people for help?"

"You see Mister Cell, the Tournament they talk about is the Tournament of Power. Nasty business. All universes enter, only one wins, only one survives. Soon our pleasant little time together will come to an end. We'll both cease to exist. Isn't that something? You will die... again. And this time nobody will even remember you. Thrilling isn't it?"

Cell began to chuckle.

"HmmmHmmmHmmm-Hahahahaha!

You're very amusing little Devil! However... you take me for a fool! Why would Goku enlist Frieza of all people... instead of me?"

"Oh dear me... you're right Mister Cell!

Unless-" The devil then switched channels to show that time when Frieza resurrected and attacked Earth. "You see, I seem to have forgotten to tell you but... Frieza was resurrected recently and while he was running amock he became substantially more powerful than you. In fact, so did everyone else! Unfortunately you ended up NOT being the greatest challenge the Earthlings have faced. Just a footnote which is slowly being forgotten."

"No... NO! NOOOOOOO! RESURRECT ME YOU DUMB ANIMAL! ME! I HAVE FRIEZAS DNA! I CAN DO IT TOO!"

"Oh I'm afraid he can't hear you Mister Cell... And even if he could, why would he revive you? It took Frieza months to get to the level he's at right now, that is to say, above you.

And they need the aid now. Sadly... you are insufficient."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"I'm sorry it turned out this way Mister Cell.

But for what it's worth you can rest easy! Soon... none of this will matter. Either we both get erased or you fade irreversibly into obscurity. Have a good day."

And as the Devil left... Cell received no further punishment for that day. The silence, the isolation and the knowledge that the demon bestowed upon him hurt more than anything else they could do...

========

After his victory in the Tournament but before his match with Vegeta, Eric was busy grilling his MEAT when he had an... awkward encounter.

"Oh. Hello Gohan."

"H-Hi!" The boy was sweating bullets from the palpable tension. He was holding an empty plate in his hands, like a dog bringing his bowl to a master that just beat him up.

Of course Eric had little issue with it, after all he's a chef and it's his job to feed people.

But he still understood Gohans reservations. Luckily they received outside help to resolve this little issue. "Oh come on! Don't be like that!" Gohans wife stepped into the fray.

"Hi! My name is Videl! I'm Gohans wife!

And this is Pan!"

Eric then reached in and shook the little babys hand. "Well aren't you just the most adorable little cinnamon bun!" Lyn then tugged at his side. "Right after mine!" His daughter smiled.

"So... what will you guys have? I got beef, pork... some chicken. Maybe some grilled vegetables?"

Videl then looks over what's on display and finds herself spoiled for choice. "Wow. These all look really good! Better than what our chefs usually make!"

"Chefs? Wow. I had no clue you guys were so well off."

"Well... My dad is the current world martial arts champion. But in truth he's nothing compared to Goku or anyone else here."

After his wife managed to smooth things over Gohan finally gathered his courage, adjusted his glasses and attempted to initiate some conversation. "Erm... Congratulations. You... deserved that win."

"Thanks?"

"I mean- I didn't even see that coming.

Tell me, how much were you keeping in reserve?"

Eric shook his head. "Let's just say that I only start tossing around attacks I myself can't take if I have no other options."

"I see... But tell me... how did you do it?"

Eric raised his finger and above it a little portal opened up. "Like this."

"Incredible! You can create stable wormholes?"

"Yes. I can bend space and poke a hole through it."

"I've... only ever heard of such a thing once! Incredible! But wait! Do you meant to tell me you can manipulate both time AND space?"

"Yeap. Pretty freaky huh?"

After a couple of minutes of smalltalk they arrived to this. "So you have all of this media in both movies, books-"

"And games, don't forget the games."

"Depicting what... I'm sorry what was it called?"

"Science-Fiction."

"Incredible! Why don't we have that?"

"You jelly?"

"I'd DEFINITELY have that over... having the actual things depicted in it."

"W-What do you mean?"

"You see Krillins wife? 18? She's an android."

"Are you fucking with me?"

"No. She's a mechanically enhanced human with a perpetual motion engine powering her.

She and her brother tried killing father some years ago because the crazed scientist that made them hated Dad."

"So now she hangs out with you?"

"Yeap. About half of our friends actually tried killing him or us at some point. Mister Piccolo, Vegeta, 18, Lord Beerus, Tien- The list goes on. She specifically had a change of heart because something far worse than them came along which threatened... all of us basically."

"Sounds shit." Eric reached for the cooler.

"Another beer?"

"N-No thank you! I don't drink much."

"Suit yourself!"

"But let's change topics for a moment.

I don't like talking about things like these, especially when I got the chance to talk with someone from another universe!"

"What? You want to write a thesis on me Professor?"

"Nononono! I wouldn't... But tell me more about these... Video games you have!"

Eric then grinned wider than he ever has before.

========

This... was the one thing they didn't want to do. When they were in the tank they planned how they'll destroy planet Plant the moment they are born. After they left they swore that should they ever return they'll do it to destroy it.

But now here they are. Kamin and Oren were asked, not ordered, ASKED to come back.

For god only knows what.

They had to be discreet when landing too. Due to the raging civil war the entire planet is engulfed in flames and chaos. Anti air guns were scouring the skies 24/7, ready to shoot down ANYTHING that wasn't theirs. But they managed to get through and landed where the message originated. To their shock they were given as warm of a welcome as possible under these circumstances.

"Welcome back." The leader greeted them.

He... He didn't exactly have many augmentations. Just what seemed to be necessary to keep him alive. The rest? Removed. Quiet violently, judging by all those scars. The twins contemplated whether the man ripped them out with his bare hands or not. "We understand you didn't exactly want to come back... But I'm afraid this is about more than you... or us."

"Cut the crap!" Kamin ordered them. "Tell us why we're here or we'll resolve this little conflict of yours in an instant!"

"Yes. My sister and I aren't exactly itching to help you out. So if we find out you tricked us... we'll destroy this garbage heap of a planet."

"I assure you. This is no trick. And we wish no harm to you. We just... ran out of options."

"And why does that concern us?"

"It doesn't. This war, this situation has nothing to do with you. And it's for the best. But what we are about to show you is-" The cyborg hesitates. "You know what? I'll just let it speak for itself. Please come with me. We haven't much time."

They were lead through corridors of exposed pipelines and wirings spewing sparks all over the place. The kids recoiled at this disgusting side and did not bother to hide their revulsion.

"Sad... Isn't it?" Their guide spoke up.

"This is our legacy. Rust and broken machinery. Even if we win this war it's likely that we'll never recover. Not the planet, nor our people. We've done too much."

"Yes yes. You are doomed. We get it.

But I'll ask again, why should we care? You wanted to turn us into weapons!"

"True. What we've done to you... what we wanted to do to you is unforgivable.

Perhaps the Tuffles should die out... But we won't go out without a fight. We'll fight tooth and nail, we'll give all that we got to restore our planet. If that's not enough then... so be it."

The man pauses for a moment before he continues. "But... I was from the first generation of new Tuffles. I was born into this system. I did not choose it. I served the collective with all I had up until now. But now? Now I feel like I've been betrayed. I don't want to be a part of this anymore... So tell me... If I didn't make this choice... Don't I deserve another chance? Doesn't our race deserve a second chance?"

The kids exchanged a glance before responding. "You keep saying "Our". But we are not part of "Your race"."

"True. You are more. But you are still Tuffles on some level... And so is she." The man pointed up and the twins jaws fell to the ground.

"W-W-W-What is that?"

"Hope... Hope for a new beginning. Our second chance." He placed a hand gently on the tube as he started explaining things.

"We pooled everything we could spare into her. The... The central intelligence gave up its own biomatter so she could be made.

We used your design but removed all weapons and the indoctrination protocols.

She's pure... As pure as we could make her with our hazy memories. One Tuffle untainted by our sins. Your sister."

The twins approached the floating little girl and found themselves, for the first time, lost.

Finally they snapped out of their trance and looked at the man. "What do you need?"

"Take her... Take her as far away from here as possible! Do not let the flames of war burn this fragile little flower!"

"We'll do it. We... know a safe place."

"Thank you!" The man smiled as much as his decayed and atrophied flesh let him.

The kids did not care much about the Tuffle ideals, about their race, their planet or their fate. But they knew what this girl would go through if she stayed. After all, it was their fate originally. They didn't wish that for anyone. They cared... for her.

And after the capsule was unsealed the little girl saw Them first. "W-Where am I? Where is daddy?"

"Don't worry little sister! You're in good hands.

We'll get you somewhere safe!"