A/N: Well, this is it… the final chapter of "Eye of the Turtle". It's been over a year since I wrote the first chapter and time has really flown by since then. I apologize for leaving you all hanging for over a month, but seeing as this is the 'grand finale', I wanted to make sure I got it right. I hope you'll enjoy this extra long chapter and that I'll see you again when the second story arc begins. :)

Chapter 42: Death and Rebirth

Goku looked at the Saiyan prince, blinking in disbelief.

"A spirit bomb?" he gawked. "That's your brilliant plan?! Even with everyone wished back, there's no way I can gather enough energy to destroy Buu!"

"Not if you only take a little energy," Vegeta said. "But you're going to take a lot more than that. You're going to take as much energy from the Earthlings as you can without killing them. We've saved their planet more than once and it's high time they did their share of the dirty work."

A pained shriek rang across the grassy field as the good Buu was mercilessly pummeled into the ground. Hercule was desperately trying to get to him, but King Kai held the champion back, knowing he would only get himself killed again.

"The fat one won't last much longer…" Piccolo growled. "Goku, start building that spirit bomb! We'll keep kid Buu off your back!"

"Stay alive you guys," the Saiyan nodded, raising his hands to the sky.

"People of Earth!" Vegeta called out. "I know you can hear me. Listen up! First you must know this is not a dream. You were killed by a vicious monster called Buu and then brought back to life again. However, that life will soon be cut short if you do not aid us in our struggle. Raise your hands to the sky and donate your energy! Give up as much as you can spare! You'll feel tired at first, but food and bed rest will help you recover eventually. As long as you hold back enough energy for yourself to keep your heart beating, you will be okay. Now do it! Raise your hands NOW!!!"

"Not much of a people person, are you?" King Kai sweatdropped.

The battle on his planet was turning more grim by the second. One by one, the Z-fighters were beaten within an inch of their lives by the horrible pink beast. Pan healed as many warriors as she could, only to have to rush to their aid again a few minutes later. She had already dropped out of Super Saiyan, her eyes lifeless and her face pale as death itself.

"Pan, it's not that I'm not grateful, but you can't keep up this pace!" Kameko urged after the Saiyaness had finished healing her punctured lung. "You're using energy faster than you can recover! Take a break, before you kill yourself!"

"No…" the woman groaned, pushing Kameko away. "I still have to heal Yamcha's broken hip, and Trunks can't fight with a dislocated…"

Her eyes rolled back in her head and the woman swayed on her feet. Just at that moment, Cell crashed into the ground next to them, his lower body missing.

"That little cretin," he growled. "He attacked me from behind with Frieza's deathball! He must have seen me do it and learned it instantly!"

"Hold still, I'll heal…"

"Don't be absurd, woman. You barely have enough energy left to stay alive."

With a grunt, Cell sprouted new legs where his old ones had been. Though the android looked okay at first glance, he was sweating profusely and panting heavily.

"And you're saying I'm losing energy?" Pan grinned weakly, though worry was visible in her eyes. Just like her, Cell was running on fumes and wouldn't be able to fend the monster off much longer. She glanced up at her grandfather's spirit bomb, her face paling when she saw its size… or rather, lack thereof.

"People of Earth, raise your hands!!!" Vegeta yelled. "Do you want to get killed again?!"

("Who does that guy think he is, threatening us like that?") answered an insulted voice.

("Yeah, that's no way to ask for a favor,") a second voice joined.

("You know what? I bet he's in cahoots with that Buu character!") a third voice suggested.

("I dunno… what harm could raising our hands do?")

("Linda, don't… oh Kami! Look, she's ill!!! It's a trap!")

("I knew it! Don't raise your hands anyone! They steal your energy!")

"SPECIAL… BEAM… CANNON!!!" Piccolo yelled, firing his signature attack. It went right through the creature, dislodging a piece of tissue. It floated in midair, twisting and warping into a pink snake that wrapped itself around the Namek.

"PICCOLO!!!" Gohan cried out, rushing to his mentor's aid. The pink blob was squeezing the life out of him, and it took all of the young Saiyan's force to free the Namek from its deadly grasp.

"Thanks, Gohan…" Piccolo panted. "That was… close…"

Buu cackled insanely, bringing two fingers to his forehead.

"Don't tell me…" Krillin whimpered.

With an inhuman shriek, Buu fired a piercing ray from the tips of his fingers that missed Yamcha and Videl by little more than a hair.

"He learned Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon!" Gohan exclaimed. "He just has to see an attack once to copy it!"

"Alright, that's it! That annoying little twerp is going down!" Kameko yelled, powering up as high as she could.

"TORTOISE TORNADO!!!"

"BURNING ATTACK!!!" Trunks joined her.

"DODONPA!!!" Tien roared.

The three attacks struck Buu at the same time, exploding on impact. The blast was enough to make the planet shake, but the creature was, once again, unaffected.

"Kami… Kami damn it…" Tien groaned, his eyes glazing over. They fell to the ground, no longer having the strength to stay afloat. Buu cackled madly and dashed at them, the three warriors too tired to move.

"ENERGY'S LAST!!!"

Caught completely by surprise, the monster was literally blasted aside. The Supreme Kai hovered in place, his breathing labored and his eyes clouded. With a groan, he too plummeted to the ground.

"That's it… I've given all I had… I'm done for…"

If this was meant as a graceful surrender, Buu was not buying it. He had instantly forgotten about the rest of the Z-fighters. Perhaps it was a remainder of Bibidi's instructions from millions of years ago, or perhaps he had just decided he was done playing and Shin was simply the first on his hitlist. Whatever his motivation was, it made Buu rush at the fallen Kai, moving in for the kill.

"You… you guys… we have do something…" Krillin groaned, his face down in the dirt. "He's gonna… he's gonna pick us off one by one…"

"I wish I could do something… but I can't move…" Yamcha answered weakly. "I can hardly… even breathe…"

"We're going to die…" Kameko gritted her teeth, trying to hold back tears that were welling up in her eyes. Her fingers dug sharply into the dirt, clutching on clumps of bloodstained mud and bruised, battered grass. "No… it can't end like this!"

"Hang on, you guys! Please hang on!" Goku pleaded desperately. "The Spirit Bomb's not big enough yet!"

"Earthlings!!!" Cell yelled out angrily. "What are you blithering idiots waiting for?! A handwritten invitation?! Raise your hands to the sky now or you're all going to DIE!!!"

For a second, it stayed utterly quiet. Then:

("That voice… AAAH!!! IT'S CELL!!!")

("MONSTER OF NICKYTOWN!!!")

("IT'S GOING TO EAT US!!!")

("EEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKK!!!")

The android muttered various obscenities under his breath, pulling his hand down his face as countless of frightened telepathic screams rang through their heads.

"Nice going, Cell," Videl remarked dryly. "That'll make 'em trust us."

Buu, in the mean time, paid no attention to the humans' panicked cries. With a hysteric cackle, he swooped down, his gaze locked on the helpless Supreme Kai. Seventeen and Eighteen tried to stop him, but the twins were swatted away like flies, not even slowing the monster down. Though their stamina was infinite, they were not invincible and no match for what was, without a doubt, the very embodiment of evil.

"Curse us…" Piccolo growled, pounding his fists on the ground. "I curse our powerlessness!"

Kameko understood the Namek's despair. Having merged with the guardian of the Earth, he had a special spiritual connection with the deity. Still, there was one person who was even closer to the Supreme Kai. A lone woman, the last of two races in her time.

"Father…" Pan whispered hoarsely, a spark of life returning to her eyes.

"Stay down kid, there's nothing you can do," Tien ordered grimly. "Shin wouldn't want you to give your life for him."

The Saiyaness didn't seem to listen, her gaze fixated in the horrible scene in front of her.

"Papa Kibito…" she growled softly, her black eyes flashing green and brimming with tears. "I wasn't strong enough to save him… I was too young, too weak, always one step behind, always having to watch as that monster murdered everyone I cared about."

Pan began to growl louder, her entire body trembling with white-hot rage. The woman balled her fists so tightly her nails drew blood from her palms, but she didn't seem to feel the pain. She could only look on, anger boiling up inside her like a volcano ready to erupt.

"I can't lose papa Shin too…" she hissed through clenched teeth. "I won't lose him… I WON'T LOSE HIM!!!"

Buu approached the fallen deity, picking him up by the collar of his garb and powering up a ki-blast in his free hand. Kameko could sense something stirring inside the warrior woman, like a soft breeze that began to evolve into a roaring tempest.

Suddenly, Pan began to scream. Her eyes turned green, her hair turning blond again.

"But… she was out of energy! How can she even stand?!" Yamcha exclaimed.

"Because true power is born from a need, not a desire," Vegeta grinned weakly. "I knew it was possible… I knew it all along… I only wish it could have been me claiming ascension first."

Pan howled, the entire planet shaking. Raw, untamed power crackled around her like lightning as she went Super Saiyan… and beyond.

Her blond hair stood upright, defying even the increased gravity of King Kai's world. Her eyes turned emerald green, their human warmth and kindness replaced with nothing but cold, Saiyan fury. Tears still flowed down her face, but were vaporized by the woman's sheer aura before they could hit the ground.

"Her power… it's amazing… I never knew such a transformation was even possible…" Trunks uttered.

"Well, she is Gohan's daughter," Piccolo grinned, making no attempt to hide his pride.

Even Buu seemed slightly startled, forgetting about Shin and eyeing the transformed woman with mild interest.

"Put. Him. Down." she hissed, murder in her emerald eyes. Buu was not impressed, grinning wickedly as he held the ki-blast in his hand closer to Shin's head. But as he was about to fire, he suddenly found his other hand empty. Only a split second later, a slender foot crashed into the back of his head, sending the monster skidding across the grassy fields. Pan touched down gracefully on the ground, carrying her wounded father in her arms.

"Pan… look at you… my little girl…" The deity smiled, tears streaming down his face. "I'm so proud… so very proud…"

The woman smiled back, closing her eyes. The aura around her began to glow brightly, then dispersed into smaller orbs of energy that gently floated over to the fallen fighters, healing them on contact.

"Wow, awesome! Who needs Senzu beans?!" Kameko grinned, getting back to her feet easily now.

"Stand back you guys," Pan said grimly. "You too, dad."

"What are you planning?"

Her eyes narrowed in pure hatred.

"I'm going to kill Buu."

Without awaiting an answer, the newly transformed woman stormed at the monster, pummeling him into the ground. Buu tried to block, but his movements seemed sluggish and clumsy compared to Pan's lightning speed. He got up, growling at the Saiyaness. The creature took a clump of tissue from his stomach, hurling it at the woman. She blasted it to pieces with ridiculous ease, glaring daggers at the monster. Faster than their eyes could track, Pan disappeared and reappeared behind Buu, grabbing his arm and flinging him into the air.

"KAMEHAMEHA!!!" she yelled, firing a bright blue beam at his form, seemingly destroying it. Unfortunately a few atoms survived and regenerated, but the creature no longer appeared as gleeful as he used to be. With an angry shriek, Buu launched himself at the woman, Pan flying up to meet him. The two locked in a heated aerial battle, fists flying and kicks being exchanged at impossible speeds.

"Monsters… they're both monsters… one good, one evil," Tien shuddered.

"But can she win?" Yamcha asked.

"Of course she can!" Kameko said. "Just look at her! She's awesome! She unstoppable! She's…"

"Going to bite it," Seventeen finished grimly.

"What, are you blind?! Pan's way stronger than that wad of bubblegum!"

"And Piccolo was stronger than me when we fought, but he still would have lost if Cell didn't show up. Power isn't everything, turtle girl. Pan outmatches Buu in the area of brute strength, but she lacks his infinite stamina and is already running on fumes as it is. The second her rage wears off…"

"Dammit, the android's right!" Vegeta growled, looking up to face his former rival. "Kakarot, hurry up with that Spirit Bomb! Your grandkid is strong, but she won't be able to hold that thing off forever!"

"I'm trying, but no one is giving me any energy!" Goku panicked. "So far I've only gotten a little from Bulma and our other friends and the people on New Namek. It's not enough!"

Suddenly the Spirit Bomb grew considerable. The good Buu had raised his hands, donating as much energy as he could spare. Severely weakened he fell to the ground, unable to get up.

"BUU!!!" Hercule cried out, finally managing to squirm his way out of King Kai's hold. He ran over to his fallen friend, shaking his shoulders.

"Take mine too!" Krillin shouted at Goku, lifting his palms to the sky. "It's not like I'm gonna use it to fight anymore. Pan's the only one who can hold her own against that monster, I'd only get in the way."

One by one the Z-fighters raised their hands, donating as much ki as they could spare. One by one they fell exhausted to the ground, even Seventeen and Eighteen, who's internal power sources couldn't keep up.

Kameko slumped to the ground, lightheaded and on the verge of passing out. She had donated every scrap of energy she could miss to the Spirit Bomb and now lacked even the strength to stand up. Next to her, Cell collapsed on the ground, his eyes rolling in their sockets.

"Goku… we… we've given you all we could…" Shin breathed. "Anymore and we won't survive…"

Their energy floated up and joined the sphere above the Saiyan's head. It grew in size, but still wasn't big enough.

"People of Earth… please… give me your strength! Please!!!" Goku begged while he watched the raging battle below him. Pan was still furious and hammering down on the creature with viciousness only a Saiyan could display. But those who looked closer could see beads of sweat rolling down her forehead, her breathing growing slow and labored. Buu was getting trashed, but he simply kept regenerating after each beating.

"We're doomed," Vegeta said grimly. "The Earthlings won't trust us, and without their energy, Kakarot doesn't stand a chance. The minute Gohan's spawn runs out of steam, it will be the end of the universe."

Hercule listened to the Prince's dark words. In his head he could still hear the people of Earth argue and voicing their distrust. Anger boiled up inside him when he saw his granddaughter being slammed down into the ground, her blond hair flickering black for a single, heart stopping second. It was happening at increasing intervals and the champion knew that, sooner or later, it would no longer turn back to gold…

"WHAT ARE YOU BUMS WAITING AROUND FOR?!" Hercule exploded. "WHAT IF MISTER SATAN HAD YOUR ATTITUDE?!"

For a moment, there was silence. Then more and more voices began to chatter excitedly.

("Hey, I know that voice! Isn't that Hercule?")

("You mean Mister Satan? The martial arts champion of the world?")

("But wasn't he killed by the monster of Nicky Town?")

("Hercule?! Hah, as if that thing could even touch him! He won the Tenkaichi Budokai two times in a row!!!")

("That was him? Yeah, now I remember! Hey, I bet he's the one fighting Buu for us!")

("But what about Cell? Didn't we just hear him threaten us? If mister Satan couldn't even kill him, how's he gonna stand a chance against that pink monster?!")

Hercule's mind feverishly raced for a way to please his hesitating audience. Before he knew it, the words had left his mouth:

"We teamed up! Uh… the enemy of my enemy is my friend, and merciful and forgiving as I am, I agreed to let Cell help me beat Buu! Don't worry, when this is over, I'll make sure to keep an eye on him so he won't cause anymore trouble."

if looks could kill, Hercule would have been nothing but a smoldering pile of soot. Cell was weakened from donating his energy, but had enough left to lift his head and glare daggers at the champion.

"Don't give me that look, I had to say something to win their trust! It's for the good of the universe!" Hercule sweatdropped, grinning sheepishly. "Besides that, if they think I have you under my thumb, they might leave you alone. Don't you want to live in peace with your girlfriend?"

Kameko and Cell exchanged glances, both thinking the same thing. When the battle was finally over, what were they going to do? They could fight together in the heat of combat, but could they live together in times of peace? Would love alone be enough to make it work? Or would the android's violent nature dash all hope of a shared future? They didn't want to think about it, but they both knew the problem could not be ignored forever.

("Alright, Hercule! Show that thing who's boss!")

("You can do it, mister Satan! If anyone can beat that monster, it's you!")

("Go Champ! Go Champ! Go Champ!!!")

Millions, no billions of tiny energy spheres approached the Spirit Bomb, each donation making it bigger and bigger.

"Yes! It's growing! It's growing!" Goku cheered. "Keep going everyone! Raise your hands!"

More and more energy poured into the giant sphere, until it was bigger than King Kai's planet itself. Suddenly a large, black ball of energy joined the Spirit Bomb, increasing its size even more.

"Hey, where did that one come from?" Krillin asked.

("We in the underworld send you our energy too,") a smooth, almost feminine voice spoke in their heads. ("Not that most of us would mind if you got killed, monkey, but we'd rather not have that thing wander into the HFIL and wipe our souls from existence.")

"I should have known," Goku grinned. "Well, this oughta do the trick. Take cover everyone! I'm going to…"

The Saiyan's face paled when he saw his granddaughter plummet from the sky and crashing into the ground. She struggled to get back to her feet, but Buu swooped down and mercilessly struck her spine, paralyzing the quarter-Saiyan from the waist down.

"PAN! GET OUT OF THERE!!!" Goku panicked, but the woman couldn't move.

("Don't worry about me, grandpa,") she ordered telepathically. ("Fire the Spirit Bomb while Buu's still distracted.")

"But you're on death's doorstep as it is! You won't survive the blast!"

("But if you don't fire, Buu will kill me instead and then he'll come after you! Please grandpa, I've already lost you once…")

"But… Pan… No, I can't do it! I can't kill my own granddaughter!"

("DO IT!!!") The woman yelled, but Goku didn't move, unable to sacrifice his own flesh and blood, even it was to save the universe. To make matters worse, Buu had listened in on their conversation and was now flashing a bloodcurdling grin. The monster reached down and grabbed Pan's neck, squeezing it slightly. His latest transformation had rendered him unable to speak, but his message was clear nonetheless: destroy me, and I'm taking your granddaughter along for the ride. With his free hand he powered up a blast, aiming it at Goku. But as he was about to end both the Saiyans' lives, a blue blur suddenly shot over the planet's surface, kicking the monster square in the jaw.

"NOW, GOKU!!!" King Kai yelled, running away with Pan slung over his shoulder and quietly whimpering "I can't believe I did that!" over and over again.

"Thanks, King Kai! I owe you one!" Goku grinned widely, straightening his arms and moving them forwards.

"GO!!!" he shouted, releasing the massive blast. Slowly and sluggishly it moved towards the monster, bathing the entire planet in a bright blue glow. Buu growled and prepared to chase after the deity, when he suddenly noticed the enormous energy sphere that was headed right for him. It's sheer size made it impossible to dodge, and the creature soon found himself fighting to push back the blast.

"Go, Goku! You can do it! Just a bit more!!!" Krillin yelled.

"What are you waiting for, Kakarot?! Finish him off!!!" Vegeta barked when the younger Saiyan continued to struggle.

"He's… He's too s-strong…" Goku groaned, his entire body trembling from the strain. "I… I can't make it detonate!"

To their horror, Buu slowly but surely managed to push back the sphere. Millimeter by millimeter, Goku was losing ground to the creature, who grinned at them with renewed devilish vigor.

"Oh no you don't!" Cell glared, flying up to meet Goku and extending his palms. The blue glow that surrounded the Saiyan, now expanded to the android as he took a share of the burden that was controlling the Spirit Bomb.

"Thanks Cell! For a minute I thought it was going to slip out of my fingers," Goku said. "I didn't know you could this?"

"Of course I can. I possess your DNA, do I not?" the android answered. "Just don't expect too much, Saiyan. I gave most of my energy when you formed Spirit Bomb, I don't have much strength left to help you fire the damn thing too."

Seconds turned into minutes as the beamstruggle raged on. Cell's support had evened out the battle, neither side now gaining or losing terrain. For a moment it looked like there was hope for the universe yet, but then…

"Oh no… Look!" Piccolo growled. "They're getting tired!"

Slowly but surely, the sphere started moving away from Buu, and towards its creators.

"They need more energy!" Gohan stated, trying to raise his hands. Trunks stopped his future mentor just in time, pushing his arms back to the ground.

"Gohan, no! We already gave as much as we could spare! Anymore, and you won't survive!"

"But we have to do something!"

"Then let me sacrifice myself! I haven't been wished back yet and I came to this timeline to save you. It's the least I could…"

"Hey, it looks like there's no need!" Krillin piped up. "Check it out you guys! Goku and Cell are winning!"

Surely, the energy sphere that held the hopes of the universe, slowly made its way back towards the creature. Buu struggled to keep the blast at bay, but was finally overwhelmed by its sheer force.

"Goodbye, Buu," Goku smiled. "You fought a good fight, all on your own like that. I hope you'll come back one day and be reborn as a good guy. Maybe we'll even have a little one on one, but as friends rather than enemies. See ya!"

"Someone hand me a bucket," Cell muttered next to him. Together they pushed with all their might for one last time, making the Spirit Bomb finally hit home. Buu's startled shriek was quickly drowned out by the ear deafening explosion that ravaged the already devastated planet. Every last molecule, every last atom was erased, and this time, they knew the monster would not return.

"They did it! They did it! We won!!!" Yamcha cheered, pumping his fist in the air. The others laughed and danced around, for as much as their exhausted bodies allowed them.

"Hey, but let's not forget to thank Trunks," Krillin grinned, slapping the boy from the future on his back. "After all, if he hadn't donated his energy…"

"I didn't," the demi-Saiyan shook his head. Krillin blinked in surprise.

"Huh? You didn't?"

"I was going to, but then suddenly Goku and Cell started gaining ground again and defeated Buu before I could act."

"Well, if you didn't sacrifice yourself, then who did?"

"Why don't you ask the girl with the halo?" Seventeen suggested dryly, pointing at someone behind the monk.

"Sorry, you guys," Kameko said sheepishly when they turned around, the happy mood fading instantly.

"Kameko… oh no…" Krillin sighed defeated as their eyes rested on the halo above her head.

"You didn't have to do this," Trunks said.

"Yes I did," she smiled sadly. "You came back to save the past, but I came back to save you. One of us had to fail their mission and it wasn't gonna be me."

"We'll wish you and Chiaotzu back as soon as the Namekian Dragon Balls revitalize," Tien vowed, lowering his head slightly as a sign of respect.

"You mean if Captain Cockroach doesn't go berserk and fries us all," Eighteen remarked, cocking an eyebrow.

Kameko looked up at the sky, where the two unlikely allies were still floating and catching their breath. Cell looked down, his eyes wide in shock and horror as his brain struggled to register what they were seeing.

"Cell…" Kameko reached out to him, but suddenly the android put two fingers in his forehead and vanished without a trace.

"What the… CELL!!!" she exclaimed, looking left and right for the android. She couldn't see him anywhere, nor could she sense his powerlevel. Goku touched down on the planet's surface and was immediately tackled by a distraught Kameko.

"Goku, where did he go? Can you sense him? Did he say anything?!"

"Wherever he is, he's suppressing his ki," the Saiyan shook his head. "I don't think he wants to be found."

Kameko slumping to her knees, her hands grasping the battered grass.

"He… he didn't even say goodbye…"

"Neither did you," Shin remarked. Tears welled up in Kameko's eyes as she looked up at the deity.

"What…?"

"Think about it, daughter of the Turtle Hermit. Despite his programming, despite even his deepest of instincts, he risked his life to save yours. For the first time in his artificial existence, he fought for someone other than himself."

"And won the battle, only to find out he had risked it all for nothing because I threw his sacrifice away," Kameko groaned, putting her face in her palms. "Oh Kami, he'll never forgive me for this. Cell is going to go back to his old ways, destroy the universe, and I don't even want to blame him. What have I done…"

"I don't think he'll cause trouble. He knows Pan can beat him in a heartbeat once Dende heals her," Goku tried to rationalize.

"Will Pan also make Cell hate me less?" Kameko snapped. "Kami, I blew it… I was so close to getting him back, so very close… and in a single, failtastic moment, I blew it."

"Cell doesn't hate you," Shin smiled. "Cell hates himself, for not knowing how to cope. With love, with loss, with you. Give him time, Kameko. Things will work themselves out."

"How would you know?"

"The future has many paths, many different outcomes," he said cryptically, his piercing eyes betraying millions of years of celestial wisdom. "I can see some of them, and even communicate with a few. Have faith, Kameko."

"Communicate…?" Kameko asked, but the Kai did not elaborate. Then again, perhaps she didn't want to know.

"Hey, those without halos should leave now," King Kai warned. "Staying in the afterlife puts a strain on your lifeforce. Linger too long and you might not be able to return to the world of the living."

"But you're still alive, aren't you?" Krillin remarked.

"Yes, but I'm a Kai, so I'm not bothered. Neither are Seventeen and Eighteen, seeing as their energy is infinite. You two can stay here and train if you want?"

"No thanks," Eighteen scrunched her nose. "This planet is small and I've spend enough time in cramped places."

"Same here," Seventeen said, folding his arms. "I think I'll retreat to the mountains and lay low for a while until they summon the dragon. I want to see that thing with my own eyes."

"You're not going to fight me?" Goku blinked, but the android just scoffed.

"As if I'd even stand a chance. Besides that, seeing as he was the one to sic Cell on us, I've had it with doing Gero's bidding. If the old fart wants to kill you that badly, he can do it his damn self."

"But he's dead… you killed him."

"Yeah… I did, didn't I?" Seventeen grinned evilly, and the Saiyan wisely shut up after that.

"How about you guys?" King Kai said to Chiaotzu and Kameko. "You two are welcome to stay here until the Namekian Dragon Balls regain their power. You're both stronger than me, but I might be able to teach you a new trick or two. Especially you, Kameko. I never had a female student before; you could be the first woman in history to learn the Kaioken!"

"Really?" she perked up. "Awesome! Count me in!"

A month has passed since that eventful day. The Z-fighters had saved the world, but paid the price. The blue-haired scientist rested her head on the cool pillow, looking sideways at the empty space where her husband should have been sleeping. Thank Kami he hadn't died that day, but was only doing some midnight training and would return soon. Not everyone shared his luck.

Bulma sighed, staring at the ceiling and listening to the pouring rain outside. She tried to imagine what it would be like to walk in the shoes of her future self. To lose everyone, including your only son, but gain a daughter instead. She never married Master Roshi (Ew! Ew! Eeeew!!!), but from what the scientist understood, she was the closest thing to a mother Kameko had ever had.

We'll wish you back, girl, she vowed in her mind. Just 100 more days and the gang will be complete again. Well… almost complete.

Bulma sighed again. Cell, the monster that had killed her son in the future, had switched sides and joined the good guys. Not that she was that shocked: Vegeta's track record made the android look like a boy scout, and he had been tamed by the right woman… eventually. Why not Cell? Unfortunately, the android had not taken Kameko's death well, and bolted before anyone could react. Had he acted out of shock? Anger? Fear perhaps? All Bulma knew was that it had broken Kameko's heart, and she could only hope that Cell would find the courage to show up at her resurrection. Or at least refrain from returning to his old ways and destroying the world…

Then again, if he really wanted to do that, she would have been dead thirty times over by now. A month was plenty of time to go on a killing spree, but Cell had disappeared without a trace after the battle with Buu, and no one had seen the android since.

There was the sound of knocking on the front door of Capsule Corporation. Bulma cursed under her breath and crawled deeper under the covers; that dumbass husband of hers had probably forgotten the keys again an was now expecting her to leave her comfy bed to let him in. Well, his royal highness could forget it!

The knocking continued, louder and more insisting this time. Bulma realized it couldn't be Vegeta, because the impatient prince would never knock twice when he could also plow right through the wall.

"Whatever he or she wants at this ungodly hour, it had better be important," the woman muttered, sliding into a pair of fuzzy slippers and putting on her robe. Grumbling under her breath, the scientist made her way trough the cold halls of Capsule Corporation. Outside, the storm still howled, the sound of thunder echoing through the building and making Bulma wish even more she had stayed in bed. With an angry yank she opened the door, opening her mouth to give their midnight visitor a piece of her mind.

The words never came.

Lightning briefly lit up the sky, illuminating the tall, shadowy figure standing in the rain. Bulma let out a shrill shriek and lost her balance, falling flat on her butt.

"Goodnight to you too, Miss Briefs," Cell said dryly, cocking an eyebrow. The woman recovered remarkably fast, getting back to her feet and fixing her nightgown with as much dignity as she could muster.

"It's you…" she said, eyeing the android with apprehension. His face was almost impossible to read, and if Kameko's death had indeed made him return to his evil ways, her chances of seeing daylight again were nonexistent. Why, of all nights, did Goku pick THIS one to suffer from insomnia and challenge her husband to a midnight spar?!

"You can be at ease, Miss Briefs," Cell said as if reading her mind. "I assure you my intentions are not hostile. There is merely… something I wish to discuss."

"C-Come in then," Bulma smiled as friendly as she could while trying to keep her voice from shaking.

"Do you want a drink?" she asked as they entered the kitchen. Cell shook his head.

"I am an android. I don't 'drink'."

"Neither do I, but this seems like a good time to start."

"I told you my intentions aren't hostile, did I not?" Cell said, slightly insulted.

"Then why have you popped up at my front door after disappearing for a whole month?" Bulma inquired, grabbing a chair and joining the android at the kitchen table.

"I… needed some time alone to process recently acquired data."

"You mean Kameko, right?"

"… Yes…"

They talked deep into the night, and well after the first rays of sun shone through the kitchen window.

"I think I understand…" Bulma mused, sipping on what had to be her tenth cup of coffee already. "Well, I have to say, Cell, your idea is rather… unorthodox."

"But can it be done?"

"Well… in theory it should work, but I'm a scientist, not a magician. Even if you survive the procedure, you will be left with significantly less power, and there is no way to predict what the end result will be. Are you sure you want to risk it?"

"Yes," the android nodded. "But can I count on your assistance?"

"Are you kidding?" Bulma grinned, jumping up and grabbing his arm. "As if I would pass up a challenge like this. To the lab!"

The gang stood on the soil of New Namek, seven orange spheres lying on the bluish grass in front of them. They all wanted to be there to welcome back those who had given their lives in the battle against Buu, and the time to revive them had finally came.

"So these are the Dragon Balls," Seventeen said. "More like Dragon Planets…"

"The Namekian Dragon Balls are more powerful than those on Earth and therefore larger in size," Dende explained.

"And these things can really grant three wishes?" Hercule asked.

"As long as they are within the guardian's power," Goku answered.

"Well, this I have to see," Eighteen put her hands on her hips. "What do you think, Sixteen?"

Next to her, the large android smiled as he ignored her question and played with some of the local wildlife. It had taken Dr. Briefs months to rebuild his body, but thankfully, Videl had managed to save his personality chip from destruction. Her father was still eyeing the balls nervously when a chubby, pink hand tapped on his shoulder.

"Clown and red-haired girl only take two wishes. Can Buu use third wish for candy?"

"Sorry Buu, but I doubt even an immortal dragon could satisfy your sweet tooth."

"Aww…"

Next to Krillin, Chi Chi suddenly gasped and held her stomach, which curved in a significant bulge.

"Chi Chi! You alright?" the monk asked alarmed.

"I'm fine," the woman smiled. "Little Goten is kicking again."

"Already!? But you're only about a month pregnant!"

"That's because Saiyans have evolved for battle," Vegeta explained gruffly. "In fact, a pureblooded Saiyan's gestation only takes three months from conception to birth, so the mother can more quickly return to combat."

"Gohan only took five months to be born," Goku grinned, putting an arm around his wife's shoulders. "Of course we didn't know I was an alien at the time, so you can imagine our surprise when Chi Chi went into early labor and the little tyke came out just fine."

"You know Cell, that's something you should probably keep in the back of your head, now that… hey, are you even listening?"

Bulma sweatdropped when she looked at the android, who was biting his lip and fidgeting with his fingers.

"Kami, will you relax?!" she exclaimed. "You're driving me nuts!"

"I can't help it!" he protested. "I'm very… what did you call this emotion again?"

"Nervous?"

"Yes, that was it… What if she hates me?"

Behind him, Yamcha, Krillin and Oolong snickered. Cell quirked an eyebrow.

"… What? What's so funny? Come on, guys, tell me!"

Oolong failed to stifle his laugh, almost falling on the ground.

"I'm… I'm sorry, Cell…" he choked, holding is aching sides. "But it's just… well, seeing you like this… and I'm not just talking about your new look."

"I guess the procedure did change my personality more significantly than I expected," the android sighed.

"Don't worry, Cell, you're still you," Bulma assured him, patting his shoulders which she could reach easily now. "Just a bit more… laid back."

"The Dragon Balls have been gathered, are you ready to summon Porunga and make your wishes?" Moori, the Namekian elder, asked.

"Yup," Goku grinned. "Let's wake him up!"

The Namek approached the seven spheres, uttering a string of words only Piccolo and Dende could understand. The sky turned pitch-black and a ray of light exploded from the balls, forming into a dragon that made Shenlong look like a meager worm.

"Oh… Oh my…" Pan gasped, clasping her hands over her mouth.

"The universe holds many miracles indeed," Shin nodded approvingly.

"You have awoken me from my slumber," Porunga boomed. "I shall grant you three wishes and three wishes only, as long as they are within my power. State your first wish."

"We wish for the one called Chiaotzu to be brought back to life and for his body to be restored on this planet," Tien said. "Can that be done within one wish?"

"It is within my power to restore and relocate him with a single wish."

"Alright, then that's what we want!"

Moori translated his request in Namekian and Porunga's eyes began to glow. Before them, a small form flickered into existence, the halo above his head gone.

"Tien!" the clown laughed, flying into his friend's arms. "Oh, Tien! I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too, Chiaotzu," Tien smiled, embracing the small emperor.

"Your wish has been granted," Porunga bellowed. "State your second wish."

"For our second wish," Bulma shouted at the dragon, "we want the same as our first wish, only replace the name 'Chiaotzu' with 'Kameko Roshi'."

"Kami, you're lazy…"

"Shut up, Oolong, before I wish for some marinade and a barbeque."

The wish was translated and a second, taller form appeared before them, staring confused at her surroundings..

"Whoa…" she blinked. "That was weird…"

"KAMEKO!" Oolong cried out, nearly tackling her to the ground.

"Hey, easy there! I've just been wished back!" she laughed, hugging the pig.

"It's good to see you again," Goku smiled. "Did you train with King Kai?"

"Sure did!" Kameko grinned. "He taught me this move called the Kaioken and even gave me back my old clothes to replace that lame 'Maiden of Darkness' dress Babidi made me wear. Don't I look awesome?!"

The gang sweatdropped as Kameko twirled around on her slippers, showing off a pair of white Bermuda shorts and a Kami-awful green Hawaiian shirt. You could say a lot about Babidi, but his fashion sense certainly was better than that of some deities they knew…

Kameko stopped and let her eyes pass over the gang. Her face fell.

"I guess Cell didn't want to come, huh?" she sighed. "I sort of hoped he… but I guess I was asking too much."

"I'm right here," a familiar voice said. Kameko jerked her head to the right, only to be disappointed.

In front of her stood a young man, not much older than she was. He was dressed in simple trainers, a pair of blue jeans and a loose fitting, eggplant colored shirt with the Capsule Corporation logo printed in white on the front. His hair was bright green with messy tufts sticking out at all angles, and on his pale face was a broad grin that strongly reminded her of Son Goku. A distant cousin, perhaps?

"I don't know who you are," Kameko said coldly, "but if you think that voice trick is funny, I can show you something else that is just absolutely hilarious. It's called a fist in your…"

"Look closer, my dear," the young man smiled, pointing at his eyes. Kameko leaned in, warily doing as he said. She stared long and deep into his two magenta orbs, clasping her hands over her mouth in shock when she realized where she had seen those eyes before.

"Oh, Kami…"

"Do you recognize me now?"

"Oh, Kami!" she uttered again, completely stunned. "You're… you're human!"

"Human-Saiyan hybrid, actually," Cell grinned. "What do you think?"

"But what… and when did… but how can you be…?!"

"It wasn't easy," Bulma said. "About a month after you died, Cell came to me with the request to remove all Namekian and Ice-jin DNA from his system. I didn't think I was able to do it at first, but he had stored almost all of Gero's research in his head. And once I learned how Gero had fused all those different cells together, it was possible for me to device a way to separate them again."

"Of course, to compensate for the loss of DNA, some of my remaining genetic material had to be made more dominant," Cell said, flashing a smile that almost made him and Goku look like identical twins. "And it wasn't possible to extract Piccolo's and Frieza's DNA completely without destabilizing my system. I'd say I'm about fifty percent human, forty percent Saiyan, and ten percent of whatever Miss Briefs couldn't remove."

"He won't be able to breathe in space anymore, but he can go without oxygen for a very long time," Bulma said. "And though Cell will need more than just his head to recover, he should still heal at a rate that is far above human."

"But the best part, and my main reason for doing this, is that I'm no longer hindered by Frieza's genetic lack of empathy. Now that I don't have the urge to kill everyone who even slightly annoys me, I can function in human society."

"Your personality has changed a lot, hasn't it?" Kameko said, then smiled and cupped his face with her hands. "But when I look in your eyes, I can see it's still you in there."

"So… you forgive me for running off then?"

Kameko didn't say anything, but threw her arms around him and pressed her lips firmly on his own in a passionate kiss.

"Oh dear… Gohan, honey, don't look!" Chi Chi said, quickly covering her son's eyes.

"Hey! Come on, mom! What are they doing? Lemme see!"

"Not until you're thirty!"

"I'd hate to break up your… uhm… reunion, but Porunga wants to know your last wish," Moori said, pointing at the dragon that was still towering over them.

"State your third wish now!" he boomed impatiently.

The gang looked nervously at each other. It was only now that they realized they only thought of two wishes, and the third one was still up for grabs.

"You know," Yamcha began hesitantly, "my girlfriend has been eyeing this diamond ring she saw at that fancy jewelry store in Parsley Town and I was thinking maybe I could…"

The others collectively glared at the desert bandit, who quickly swallowed his words.

"Hey, come on, guys! I was just kidding! Of course we're not going to use the Dragon Balls to wish for a diamond ring! Ehehehe…"

"But what are we going to wish for then?" Trunks asked. "We've already revived Majin Buu's victims."

"But the good Buu will never be able to live in peace as long as people keep hounding him," Hercule protested. "I've had to keep him hidden from the outside world for over four months, because if they find out he's still alive, all hell will break loose!"

"Though Majin Buu has done wrong in the past, I realize now it was through no real fault of his own and he has more than paid his debts by helping us fight his evil self," Shin said. "Let us use the third wish to erase humanity's memories of Buu, so that he may start life anew."

"You really believe they will accept him?" Videl asked.

"I believe he deserves a chance," the deity smiled.

"You heard him, Moori," Goku said. "Tell Porunga to erase everyone's memories of Buu, except ours."

The Namekian elder translated the wish and Porunga's eyes began to glow bright red.

"Your wish has been granted. Fare you well," the dragon said before vanishing in a flash of light, the seven magical spheres flying off to the far corners of the planet.

"I can't believe it's over," Pan smiled. "We couldn't save our universe, but at least I now know there is an alternate reality, one where Buu is no longer a threat and the younger me can be born in an era of peace."

"You're welcome to stay if you want," Chi Chi said. "It sounds like you can't go back to your own timeline, and you've really flourished since you got here. You're even speaking out loud again rather than just using telepathy."

"And that Super Saiyan 2 thing you did was really cool!" Gohan grinned. "Can you teach me?"

"Me too!" Goku joined in.

"Oh no, Kakarot! If anyone native to this timeline is going to ascend to the next level, it will be me!" Vegeta warned.

"Hey, come on, Vegeta! I don't see why there should be a limit. We could all learn to ascend!"

"You couldn't ascend your way out of a wet paper bag!"

"Alright, knock it off you two," Bulma came in between. "I'm sure Pan is willing to teach all of you. That is, if she and Shin want to stay on Earth. How about it?"

"Well, it is true we can't return to our own time. And I can't assume the position of Supreme Kai as long as my present self is still alive," Shin mused. "But to stay in this timeline could cause complications once Pan is born."

"You're right," Trunks nodded. "Mom warned me not to hang around too long in the presence of my past self. There is no immediate danger, but as the years go by, it could potentially destabilize the fabric of time."

The demi-Saiyan seemed to be in deep thought, then suddenly looked as if he had an idea.

"Hey, why don't you guys come with me? It will be a tight squeeze, but I think my time machine is large enough to hold all three of us if we're a bit creative with the seating. Pan won't be born in my timeline and I could use a hand protecting the Earth."

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Shin smiled. "What about you, daughter?"

"It sounds great, though I'm really gonna miss you guys."

"We'll miss you too, Pan," Hercule said, hugging his future granddaughter. "But you can always visit every now and then. I'm sure Buu won't mind sharing his room."

"I'll do that," she nodded, returning the hug.

"But how are we going to get home?" Kameko sighed. "My time machine is a more efficient model and was build to hold only one person. Oolong and I had to take turns breathing on our way here, and there's no way Cell can fit in with us."

"I'm way ahead of ya," Bulma winked, taking a capsule from her pocket. She tossed in on the ground and from a cloud of smoke, emerged a time machine.

"Hey, wait a minute…" Cell narrowed his eyes. "Isn't that…?"

"Yup! It's the same time machine you used to come here, and she's good as new," the scientist grinned proudly. "I fixed her up and recharged the batteries. I left the destination coordinates alone, but changed the return coordinates to Kameko's timeline. All you have to do is press the homing button and you guys are off!"

Kameko smiled at the thought of going home, but the sight of the contraption gave her an uneasy feeling. Her face paled when she realized why.

"Oh… crap…"

"Kameko? What is it? Is something wrong?"

"Cell, do you remember just how exactly you got your hands on that time machine in the first place?"

"Well, I killed… uh oh."

"'Uh oh' is right," she groaned, putting her face in her hands. "How on Earth am I going to explain this?! 'Hi, aunt Bulma! It's good see you again! How my mission went? Well, I know was supposed to destroy the murderer of your only son, but I kinda started dating him instead. No hard feelings?'. She'll never want to see me again!"

"Don't worry, Kameko, I'm sure my future self will understand how you feel," Bulma tried, but the girl didn't appear to believe her.

"You're not her, Bulma," Kameko sighed. "She went through hell and lost everyone to Gero's creations, including Trunks. You would forgive me, but you're still sleeping next to Vegeta and holding your baby in your arms. I appreciate what you're trying to do, but you can't speak for her. No one can."

"I… I don't feel well," Cell said, his face a sickly shade of green. "My head is pounding… my stomach aches… and my eyes are watery. What is this emotion?"

"Humans call it 'guilt'," Piccolo answered, an ever so subtle hint of smugness in his voice. "It's what those with empathy feel when they regret hurting other living beings."

"Now I understand why Gero decided to make Frieza and his father's genes dominant in my design," the android said. "If I had felt like this every time I absorbed someone, I wouldn't have gotten very far."

"You are not the same person you were when you came here," Shin said. "You can no longer be held accountable for the actions of your old self."

"Tell that to aunt Bulma," Kameko worried, not seeing the small, almost mischievous smile that crept on the deity's lips.

"Well, we might as well go and face the music," she sighed. "I just hope she won't hate me too much."

Cell stepped first in the time machine. Kameko wanted to follow, but Bulma grabbed her hand.

"Hey… don't worry, okay? It'll be alright. Maybe I'm different in the future, but I'm still me, and I forgive you."

"Thanks Bulma… that really means a lot to me."

"Oh, and just to let you know; since I managed to remove most of his asexual Namekian DNA, you might want to use birth control if you ever… you know…"

Kameko flushed at least five different shades of red. Had she really heard what she thought she had heard?

"You mean Cell has…" she whispered.

"He does now," Bulma winked cheekily and Kameko's face turned even redder.

"Well… uhm… thanks for the warning," she mumbled, quickly hurrying inside the time machine and climbing onto Cell's lap. The android looked at her curiously.

"Kameko? What are so flustered abou…"

"Later," she blushed.

"Alright, move over!" Oolong said, curling up on Kameko's knees. The three only barely fitted under the glass dome, but they managed. Cell hit the homing button and the machine began to shake as it started up.

"Bye Kameko! Bye Oolong! Bye Cell! Come and visit us sometime!" Goku waved as the machine lifted off the ground and rose high into the air.

"We will!" she shouted back, waving back as much as her cramped position allowed. "Bye, you guys! Take care!!!"

In a flash, they were gone.

Epilogue

Gently the contraption touched down in an alley next to Capsule Corporation. The building showed signs of age and marks of the androids' reign of terror were still visible, even though they had been defeated twenty years ago. Still, it was home, and Kameko wouldn't change a thing.

"I never thought I would return here one day," Cell said as they stepped out of the time machine.

"Just remember the plan, okay? You're name is Seru, we met in Ginger Town and you're fully human."

"I still don't believe it is right to lie to Miss Briefs," the android hesitated.

"We're not really lying, we're… merely delaying the truth," Kameko said. "We'll tell aunt Bulma about your true nature one day, but I want her to get to know you first, and see your good side like I have. Maybe then she'll understand why I couldn't leave you behind. Oolong, you'll back us up, right?"

"Yeah, but you're gonna owe me big time for this," the shape shifter muttered.

"Kameko?" a female voice called out. "Kameko is that you?"

They looked up to see Chi Chi, Bulma and Master Roshi running down the alley to meet them.

"How did they know we were coming home?" Oolong blinked.

"Aunt Bulma!" Kameko called out. "Aunt Chi Chi! Dad!!!"

The three hugged the girl tightly until she almost ran out of air.

"Look at you, child!" Master Roshi said, holding Kameko by her shoulders. "You look older! Much older! And I can sense your powerlevel has gone through the roof!"

"It's a long story," she laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of her head. "Hey, dad, where's aunt Lunch?"

"She was going to wait with us for you, but well… you know Lunch. She sneezed and stormed off in her violent form about an hour ago."

"Well, it's the thought that counts…"

"So, how did it go in the past?" Bulma asked. "Is Cell gone for good?"

"Uhm… well… I guess you could say that…"

Bulma looked over the girl's shoulder at Cell, who sweatdropped nervously.

"Hey, who's your friend?"

"T-This is Seru," Kameko said quickly. "We m-met in Ginger Town and he t-totally doesn't have any alien DNA."

"Kameko, you idiot…" Oolong facepalmed.

Bulma narrowed her eyes at the young man, who looked more uncomfortable by the minute. Kameko suddenly had the horrible suspicion that her aunt was seeing right through their ploy and, any moment now, would call out the android for who he really was. The girl went limp with relief when the older woman smiled and shook Cell's hand.

"It's nice to meet you, Seru. You're welcome to stay here as long as you want. There's plenty of space at Capsule Corp."

"T-Thank you, Miss Briefs."

"Where? What did she… How many?!" Master Roshi exclaimed, holding a cell phone to his ear. "Alright, alright, I'm on my way. In the mean time, try to distract… I don't know how! Offer her a beer or something!"

He hung up and put the phone back in his pocket.

"Well, they found Lunch… robbing the West City bank."

"Again?! That's the third time this month," Chi Chi said exasperated. "Can't they just throw pepper in her face like last time?"

"She's wearing a gasmask," the Turtle Hermit shook his head. "Apparently, her violent side is learning to plan ahead."

"Oh, great…"

"Well, seeing as they can't make her sneeze, We'll have to go and take her out ourselves. Seru, would you mind lending us a hand? Lunch isn't strong, but she's armed to the teeth and things could get ugly."

"No problem," the android sweatdropped. As if he hadn't been shot by angry humans enough back in the old days…

"I'll come too," Kameko said, but Bulma held her back.

"You sit down and have something to drink first. You look exhausted!"

Chi Chi, Master Roshi and 'Seru' flew off to save West City from Lunch's destructive mood swings, while Bulma and Kameko went inside. The girl sat down at the kitchen table while Bulma poured her a cup of tea.

"So… you and that Seru character seem pretty close," the woman began.

"Yeah," Kameko blushed. "We… ah… we went through a lot together and I couldn't leave him behind."

"You really love him, don't you?"

Kameko nodded, blushing even harder.

"I do… and he loves me."

"Oh, I don't doubt that," Bulma said, closing her eyes and sipping her tea. "After all, Cell even gave up his perfect body to be with you."

Kameko choked on her tea, spitting it out all over the table. Her jaw dropped, eyes widening in horror.

"Oh Kami… you know?!"

"Know what? That you didn't destroy Cell's egg but instead decided to date him?"

"L-Look, I c-can explain!" Kameko stuttered, all color draining from her face. "I l-loved the s-simulation, and w-when I came to G-Ginger town, t-the real C-Cell had already h-hatched and I-I j-just couldn't…"

Bulma leaned over the table and put her right hand on Kameko's arm.

"Kameko, relax… I know what happened. Everyone knows. That there was more than friendship between you and the simulated Cell, that the real Cell had already hatched when you and Oolong arrived in the past, the Cell Games, Majin Buu's resurrection…"

"Shin told you somehow, didn't he? That little…!"

"The Supreme Kai didn't tell us to 'rat you out'," her aunt said. "He wanted to give us some time to get used to the idea. It was a favor for giving your life to save the universe."

"But if you already knew… why didn't you confront us earlier?"

"Because the poor guy was squirming under my gaze and I didn't want to make the situation more awkward than it already was," Bulma said, stifling a snicker.

They stayed silent for a while, their tea completely forgotten.

"Aunt Bulma… please… if you're going to kick me out, then just do it," Kameko suddenly pleaded. "I'm dating the killer of your only son and lied to you about it. I did it because I was hoping you could get to know him first like I have, but I understand if you hate me now. I tried to fight it, I even tried to kill him. But I just couldn't do it. I love him, aunt Bulma. I'm really sorry, but I do. And I can only hope that one day you'll be willing to forgive me."

"Honey, don't be silly," Bulma smiled, hugging the confused girl. "You're like a daughter to me, and I'll love you no matter what. And I know pursuing a relationship with Cell isn't something you decided on a whim or without regard to my feelings. Shin showed us everything that happened, and we're all so incredibly proud of you."

"Even if we might get married one day?"

"Well… I'm not saying I like the idea of having a mass murderer as my future son in law…"

"Oh, Kami…" Kameko groaned, putting her head in her hands.

"Let me finish!" the scientist said sternly. "I'm saying I don't like the idea, but I'm also saying I used to be sleeping with a guy who's actions make Cell look like a saint. Was my son more special, that I should accept someone who exterminated entire planets, but shun an android who only killed because his programming told him so? I've already lost so much to Gero, I'm not letting him make me lose my daughter too."

"So you forgive me?"

"Of course I do."

Kameko hesitated for a moment, but decided to push her luck.

"Do you forgive Cell?"

"No!" the woman snapped harshly, but when she saw Kameko wince, her face softened a little. "What I meant to say was; not yet. I'll need more time to wrap my head around all of this, but what I can do right now, is give him a chance. And perhaps one day, when 'Seru' has earned my trust like he has earned yours… I can find it in my heart to accept him."

A/N: And act one has come to an end! I could have split this into two, maybe three chapters, but I just kept going because I promised this would be the last chapter and I really felt like this was the time to end the first arc. I feel a bit empty, because I've worked for so long on this story, but there's still the second arc to look forward too and I'm very excited I can finally use all the ideas zipping around in my head and start writing the first chapter. I hope you'll join me again with "Eye of the Rabbit" in a few days, and maybe find the time to drop me a line. Positive or negative, I'm always happy when I receive feedback on my writing, and I don't think I could have finished "Eye of the Turtle" without your great support.

Thank you for reading!

Sanne-chan