Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Unholy Crusade: Act 1 ❯ The Hunt Begins ( Chapter 5 )

Unholy Crusade

Act 1: Reign of Fear

Chapter 5: The Hunt Begins

In the last chapter of Unholy Crusade…

The whole city seemed to have vanished in an instant. She was sure she was in that building for at least two minutes, and the whole city was completely wiped out. She didn't think Cell was so fast and so deadly.

Did he do this all by himself? Nothing is so fast…

This creature cannot be allowed to live…

I made up my mind.

I will not rest until I have hunted down and killed the creature known as Cell!

She continued running down the street, headed back to the hotel, with Krillin right behind her. Selena kept confident that Cell didn't find Sakura, but if he did…

Either way…

He's a dead man!

^

Selena headed straight to the hotel lobby, and down the stairs to the laundromat. The lights were off, so she quickly fumbled for the switch and flicked on the lights. She looked around. The room was quiet, and there appeared to be nobody there.

"Sakura?"

She walked to the counter and looked behind it. She saw the cashier's limp clothes crumpled on the floor with a stab hole in the back.

Cell was down here.

"Sakura-chan!" Selena called, frantically looking through the whole room for the little girl. "Oh God, please be alive! Sakura!"

She couldn't find the little girl, or her clothes. She clutched a fist in sorrowful frustration.

"Cell…if you even touch her, I will break every bone in your body before I kill you."

"Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm…"

A very low chuckle echoed through the room. It was Cell's voice. Selena looked around the room, but didn't see him.

Where is he? There's not very many places for him to hide in here…

"Seleeeeena…"

Cell's taunting voice hovered in the air. She looked over the room again, and still saw nothing. She unsheathed her staff, and began prowling towards possible hiding places. When she took one step…

"Seleeeeena…"

"Where are you?!" Selena roared in frustration.

"Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm…" Cell chuckled again. Selena could hear him loud and clear that time. She had missed one very big hiding place.

She looked up at the ceiling…

…and he jumped on top of her!

^

Krillin heard her screaming, and ran to the doorway with stairs leading down into the laundromat.

"Selena!" he called, running down to the scene. He powered up an attack in one hand as he ran. When his foot touched the bottom level floor, he immediately aimed at the giant, green monster holding Selena in the air by her throat. "Hang on!" He called out in warning. Without moving his head, Cell held his hand out to the attack, and froze the energy beam in mid air. Nervous, Krillin backed up a few steps. Cell flexed his hand, and Krillin's attack flew right back at its origin, exploding on Krillin's chest.

"Krill…in…" Selena coughed, trying to shout under Cell's tight grasp. She grabbed Cell's wrist to keep from loosing air, and kicked her feet desperately.

"Relax." Cell soothed, looking at her desperate face. "You won't die…yet."

"Why…" Selena gasped for air as her face slowly turned blue. "Why…do you…let me live? Why?"

Cell smirked at her.

"Because I have a long way to go before I'm done with you."

Suddenly, he let her go. She fell to the ground, gasping and coughing. Cell walked away from her. He headed for the stairway. Krillin backed away from the approaching monster, whimpering.

"Wait." Selena stopped. Cell stopped as his foot landed on the first step. He froze as she slowly got up. "What have you done…to Sakura? Did you…"

"I haven't seen her." He admitted. "She isn't here." He glanced at her over his shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll find her for you."

"NOOOOO!" Selena yelled. Cell cackled and dashed up the stairs. Selena lunged foreword, but stumbled with lack of breath and fell to the ground. Krillin ran to her.

"Selena!"

"Go…" She coughed, trying to get up. "Go…get Sakura…"

Krillin hesitated for a minute, then helped her up.

"C'mon." he urged. "We better go together."

^

They ran up the stairs to the lobby. It was extremely quiet, and the rumpled clothes of the once living people littered the ground. A couple of them were hanging limp on the reception desk. After fully catching her breath, Selena dashed up the stairs, checking the ceiling to make sure Cell wasn't clinging to it. Krillin followed her.

"Selena, where are you…"

"SHHHHHHH!" Selena hissed harshly, stopping where she was and turning her head sharply to him. Krillin stopped and whispered.

"Where are you going?"

"To my room." Selena whispered back. "I just wanna check." She resumed running up the stairs and heading to her hotel room.

The door was closed.

She was pretty sure she had left it open.

Trying to take Cell by surprise, she kicked open the door, and pointed her staff around the room.

Cell was nowhere to be seen. Nothing was out of place. All of Selena's stuff had been put back into it's proper capsule before she had gone looking for Cell earlier. However…

…the window was smashed. Selena lowered her staff and walked to it. Krillin followed her through the door, not wanting to close the door and trap them inside the room.

"What's up?" he asked quietly, not quite whispering.

"I dunno." Selena sighed at normal volume, certain that Cell wasn't in the room. She turned her head towards the bathroom door, and saw nothing inside. "She's not here. I hope he wasn't lying."

"Huh?" Krillin wondered, looking up at her.

"Cell could be lying." She feared. "Maybe he did find her, and…oh man." She groaned, leaning on the windowsill.

"Hey, don't give up." Krillin gave her a little hope. "Maybe he wasn't lying. Maybe Sakura is still in this building. Let's go check the laundromat one more time. She might be there somewhere."

"I'll never let that girl out of my sight again…" Selena groaned about to turn back to the door.

CREEEEEEEEEEEEEEAK-CHT!

The door to the room slowly and noisily shut. Both Selena and Krillin slowly turned their heads to the door. They saw Cell, who was hiding behind the door slowly close it with one hand and trap them in the room. He was grinning ear to ear in satisfaction.

Before Selena could mutter a certain four letter word…

^

…she found herself and Krillin blown out the window with an energy blast. Selena panicked in free fall, thinking she was going to die. Krillin managed to get a hold of himself and took Selena's hand. He gently floated down to the ground and set Selena on her feet.

"Are you okay?" he asked, hovering so that he was at eye level. Selena blinked at him in surprise.

"What the hell did you just do?"

"You do know how to fly, right?"

"Fly?!" Selena squeaked.

Suddenly, Cell crashed out of the window above, and lunged for the two on the ground. Selena prepared herself for attack while Krillin cowardly jumped out of the way. Cell attacked Selena, snaking his tail ahead of him for the strike. She jumped out of the way as the tail hit pavement instead of her. Then she drew her staff as Cell thrusted a punch. She blocked with the thin wood as though it were a shield, and blocked other punches Cell flung at her in the same manner. Keeping her eyes on his fists, she was barely able to keep up with his fighting speed. She was only able to block most of his punches, some of them hit her with great force, but holding off against him seemed to become no problem anymore.

"Krillin!" Selena shouted to her friend, not looking away from Cell's attacked. Krillin watched in attention. "Go get Sakura! She's still here somewhere! Go find her, now!"

"Right!" Krillin nodded, taking to the skies. Selena kept blocking, until Cell managed to find an unguarded side of her chest, and jabbed it hard. Selena faltered, and Cell took the opportunity to launch a hard kick that sent her flying to the other side of the street. She skidded on her back to a hard stop at an intersection filled with stabbed clothes and some crashed cars. She lifted her feet, and brought them down hard to hoist herself up to a crouch. She quickly stood up as Cell ran after her. Looking at the cars, she quickly thought of a defense.

Cell suddenly fanned out his wings and lunged for her with a flexed hand. He was going to claw her as his first attack. Just before he could touch her, she jumped onto one of the cars, and pointed her staff at him. She quickly fired a Tamashii no Ya at him, and it hit him at point blank. She powered up one more of her trademark attack, and fired it again into the cloud of dust she had already created. She waited for the smoke to clear. As it did clear, she didn't see the monster within it. She smiled, thinking she had eliminated him.

Then she heard an annoyed growl a small distance away. She looked up the street, and saw that Cell wasn't destroyed, but blown to the other side of the street. His arms were crossed in an X before him in the block and he was sitting on his rear. His tail thumped the street angrily. He lowered his shield and glared at her like he was being punished. Selena blinked at him curiously as he stood up.

"You…" he said slowly, "you knocked me across the street…" Suddenly, he smiled in amusement. "Not bad. Your ki attacks are much stronger than your physical attacks. I'm amazed you don't know how to fly yet."

"Any reason why I should fly?" Selena growled, powering up another attack.

"Until you do," Cell began to purr, "I have the advantage." Then he waited for her to attack. Selena powered up her ki to its possible strongest, intending to blow Cell to pieces. Then, she remembered what happened last time she did this. Cell knocked the attack away with one hand. The only reason he didn't knock it away earlier was because she took him by surprise. She looked him up and down from her perch and recalculated her odds.

He's expecting me to attack again.

If I'm going to win this fight, I need to rely on the element of surprise.

It's the only way to end this.

She powered down her attack, and sheathed her staff on her back. Cell blinked in surprise, wondering what she was planning. Suddenly, Selena turned around, hopped off the opposite of the car, and started walking away. Cell blinked a couple more times, then smirked.

You little fool.

What did you mean by you were smarter than me?

He lunged for her, jumping over the car, and poising his tail in front of him. Selena suddenly took off running, and Cell followed on foot. Selena kept quickening her pace, leaving the space between her and Cell growing wider and wider. Cell watched her in surprise.

Oh my God…

How can any human run so fast?

He quickened his pace, running at about forty miles per hour. He found himself closing in on her. Selena didn't look behind her once. She could hear his heavy footsteps running behind her.

KT-KT-KT-KT-KT-KT-KT…

Her footsteps were going just as fast.

Tk-tk-tk-tk-tk-tk-tk-tk-tk-tk…

Cell couldn't believe his eyes.

This is impossible!

How could she be faster than me?! It doesn't make any sense, I am the perfect warrior, and she is just a mere human!

Time to end this!

He fanned out his wings, and jumped into a flying lunge. He drew back a fist as he approached her fast. Selena just barely had time to look behind her when a very hard punch in the back immobilized her, and flung her into another crashed car, causing it to explode. She bounced on the street a few times like a skipping stone across water, then skidded to a stop on her side and landed on her stomach. She didn't even have the strength to stand up. Cell landed on his feet next to her.

"You never cease to impress me." He said to her from above. "That'll end when you're dead."

"You won't kill me." Selena moaned, clutching a hand into a fist to help quell her pain. Cell frowned at her as she continued. "You're letting me live. If you wanted to kill me, you would have done that a long time ago."

"Hmph." He huffed. "Perhaps I am letting you live. Perhaps I decide that I will not be the cause of your death." He pointed the tip of his tail at the back of her neck where she could feel it. "I can change my mind whenever I want, my dear."

"No, you won't." Selena believed, using her fist to wipe away the blood at the corner of her mouth. "You won't."

Cell stared down at her for a moment, absolutely impressed. He was amazed how much will and strength the young woman possessed. In a way, she reminded him of the Namek. He began to contemplate the connection between Piccolo and Selena. He knew her, she used a fighting style similar to his, and she even had his determination. The only way she could have those traits was if…

"Kienzan!" a cry from above yelled, and Cell felt a large burst of ki. He looked up to see a disk of ki with razor sharp edges headed straight for him. He quickly gathered Selena in his arms, and jumped out of the way of the attack. The Kienzan attack sliced a whole building in half, causing it to tumble to the ground in a huge cloud of dust. Hovering a safe distance in the air, Cell turned his head to Krillin. Krillin glared down at the monster from a much higher spot in the air. They stared at each other for a while Selena hung limp in Cell's strong grip.

She opened her eyes and looked down at the ground below. She didn't panic, she wasn't afraid of heights, but did faintly wonder how she could be hovering in the air. She could feel a faint amount of ki holding Cell up in the air. She could also feel the same for the nearby Krillin. So, that was all she had to do? Use a faint amount of her ki to stay aloft?

As she wondered, Cell smiled up at Krillin with a cruel intention in mind. Krillin tried to stay unaffected, but Cell was just too creepy. Suddenly, Cell released his arms, and Selena fell to the ground. Krillin panicked, and dove down to catch her. Meanwhile, Cell made his getaway, flying away from the scene. Selena tumbled downward through the air, the wind whistled harshly in her ears. Krillin was rushing down to try to save her.

"Selena!" he called down to her. "Hold on!"

However…

Concentrate your ki…

Let it push you off the ground…

Selena gritted her teeth, powering up her ki. A white aura burned around her body like painless flames. Krillin watched in amazement, blinking a few times. Cell slowed his escape to look behind him.

Just inches from the pavement and her death, Selena stopped her decent and hovered above the ground. She stayed in place, and caught her breath. Concentrating again, she slowly lifted her body in the air with only her ki. She kept her feet together and her arms spread out to her sides and rose into the air. Krillin was amazed, and he started smiling.

"I'm sorry." He apologized to her as she righted herself like she was standing. "I thought you didn't know how to fly."

"I just learned how." Selena sighed, keeping her arms stretched out to her sides. She looked ahead of her to see Cell stopped in mid air, looking back at her with frightened admiration.

Incredible…

It wasn't her ability to fly with the major leagues that frightened him…

It was her aura.

A pure white light that shone bright and dim, like a twinkling star, but kept the same glow as the full moon. The aura that spread across her arms was much more fuller and broader. It gave the illusion that she had wings.

Like…an angel…

Keeping his findings to himself, he flew off. Selena watched him go, and mentally smiled to herself.

Yeah, go ahead. Fly away, you coward.

No matter where you go, I will be right behind you, every step of the way.

^

Krillin guided Selena to a building top where Piccolo stood. Sakura was huddled in his arms. Selena was so glad to see the little girl safe and sound, she leapt onto the roof of the building, and hugged Sakura tightly. Piccolo lifted the little girl into Selena's arms.

"She cried herself to sleep." He assured. "I got her out of the building before Cell could get her."

"Oh, thank you so much." She sobbed, hugging Sakura tighter and tighter. The little girl didn't wake up. Selena looked up at Piccolo. "Thank you. I don't know how else…how else I can repay you."

Piccolo glared at her.

"Get as far away from this part of the world as you can." He ordered. "I can see the creature is following you. Why, I don't know for sure. Just run far away from here." Selena looked into his eyes. She couldn't see any trace of Kami in the young brute before her.

"If he's following me…" she deducted, "then there is no where I can go. I must fight to stay alive." Piccolo narrowed his eyes at her. Any likeness of Kami that could have existed was gone.

"No! I forbid you to fight him!" he snapped. "You can't possibly fight a power like him!"

"I've lived this long, right?!" she argued, harshly to the man who was no longer Kami. "I can fight him. I can beat him. You just have to believe I can. I know I can."

"You are an idiot!" Piccolo yelled.

Krillin looked between them, not believing what he was seeing. Selena sure did have guts. Starting an argument with Piccolo was as dangerous as starting a fight with Vegeta. He was also amazed that Sakura was still asleep through all the shouting. Trying to keep out of it, he took a seat by the edge of the building top, and looked out at the dead city.

"There's nothing you can do!" Selena snapped at the Namek. "I will hunt down that son of a bitch, and I'm gonna kill him! That thing doesn't deserve to live!"

"I refuse to let you anywhere near it!" Piccolo shouted back at her. "It won't hesitate to kill you if given the chance."

"I doubt that."

"What?!"

"Alright, alright, lemme think for a minute…" Selena decided for a moment, staring at the ground. A small compromise came into her head. Bringing her head back up, she disguised her compromise as a done deal. "I know a place I can go where Cell will never be able to set foot. I'll be safe there, you can count on that." Piccolo looked at her in suspicion, then sighed through his nose in small defeat.

"Fine." He decided. "Go there, and waste no time. The longer it takes you to get there, the more likely you'll die."

"Glad we understand each other." Selena nodded, using a free hand to reach for a capsule. Piccolo turned his head to Krillin.

"Krillin, I want you to go with her."

"HUH?!" Krillin gasped. Selena smiled.

"I get a bodyguard, eh?" she chuckled, taking out the capsule for her swoop. "Great. I also get the one who runs away the first sign of danger."

"I didn't run away!" Krillin protested as the swoop appeared in a large cloud of dust. "He took me by surprise."

"It's okay. I was just kidding around." She chuckled, sitting down behind the handlebars and strapping herself and the sleeping Sakura into one seatbelt. "I dunno if I have room for one more on here…"

"That's okay." Krillin insisted. "I'll fly." Selena gave the nod of approval, and started up the engine. She took of in a huge burst of speed, and Krillin followed behind her in mid air. Piccolo watched them leave until they were but spots in the distance. He lowered his head and sighed sadly.

"Shikimi…" Kami mourned deep in his heart.

^

Selena didn't have much trouble keeping an eye on the road, but tried to focus. Her mind was on Kami. The old Namek with the biggest heart she had ever had the pleasure of knowing. The man who taught her how to defend herself, how to be brave, and how to be wise. He was her greatest teacher, her best friend, and the only father she had left. And now he was gone…

…taken away by the young, stupid, foolish brute named Piccolo.

Selena felt like crying, but tried to be strong. She gripped the handlebars of her swoop in suffering as she steered. She would cry when the time came to stop.

Krillin, flying beside her swoop, looked over at her sorrowful face. He had seen that kind of face before. Years ago, Bulma wore that face when Yamcha died in the hands of Vegeta and Nappa. Back then, her eyes were horrified, her face frozen, she tried not to cry. Selena wore that face now. He flew just a little closer to her.

"Hey, are you alright?"

"Yeah." Her voice denighed, a little cracked, as though it was parched and needed a drink of water. Krillin half smiled in understanding, and he put a hand on one of hers.

"He's not dead, Selena." He comforted. "He's still the man he once was…there's just…more of Piccolo in him then Kami…"

Selena just sighed heavily.

"But it feels like he's gone now." She sobbed. One small tear dripped onto Sakura's head. "And he'll never come back. Anyone whom I've ever considered family is dead, and now Kami joins them. It's just not fair."

Aw, poor kid… Krillin frowned in his head. I wish I could say I know how she feels…Anyone that I've known that died was wished back to life with the dragonballs.

"It'll be okay." Krillin tried to comfort, patting her hand while Sakura turned around in her seat and gave Selena a great big hug. Selena smiled.

"Thanks guys." She sniffed, patting Sakura's head with one hand. "Although, I'm not exactly sure how things can get any worse than they are now…"

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZUM!

"Heads up!" Krillin shouted, looking behind him. Selena looked too, and saw Cell flying right behind them, matching the speed of her swoop. She gritted her teeth.

"Right when I say it, things got worse…" she muttered, taking off her seatbelt that tied her and Sakura to the chair. "Krillin, take Sakura!"

"Okay!" Krillin agreed, helping the child out of Selena's lap and clutching her in his arms. Sakura reached out to Selena desperately.

"Selena-san!" she screamed, trying to get back to Selena's security. Selena looked behind her one last time, and noticed that Cell was neither gaining on her nor loosing speed. She sensed he had some sort of plan. She thought of a plan of her own to thwart him.

"We'll split up!" she shouted to Krillin. "Either he won't know who to follow, or he'll follow me!"

"Why you?" Krillin wondered, "what if he follows me?"

"It's me he wants, not you guys!" she theorized. "I'll meet you in the next town, alright?!"

"I'll be there!" Krillin nodded, flashing her a thumbs up. She gave him a thumbs up as well, then found herself approaching a T section in the road.

Perfect… she smiled in her head. She took the left road, so Krillin banked to the right. Selena looked behind her, and saw Cell stop in the middle of the crossing, look both ways in a split second, then fire a ki blast in Selena's direction. Not able to steer her swoop away fast enough, Selena jumped off her vehicle. The blast hit the swoop, causing a loud explosion. Selena fell to the ground, shielding herself from flying debris.

That moron owes me two swoops now… she growled to herself, looking around. Cell was still at the crossing with one hand outstretched in her direction. Suddenly, he drew it back, fanned out his wings, and flew in the direction Krillin was headed.

Selena panicked.

NO!

^

The words "Oh crap!" zipped through Krillin's mind several times when he sensed Cell right behind him.

I knew it! I knew it! I knew he would follow me and not her! Why does this bull always happen to me?!

Sakura screamed when she saw Cell flying right behind them. Krillin tried to soothe the girl while coming up with a plan of escape.

"Calm down." He said to her. "Don't panic. Don't panic." He looked behind him again just in time to see Cell disappear from his pursuit. Krillin looked ahead of him, and went bug eyed seeing the monster flying in front of him and straight at him in a collision course.

"PANIC!" Krillin began screaming, trying to stop flying. "PANIC!" He failed. Cell flung a hand palm in his face, ripping Sakura out of the monk's arms in the process. Krillin was flung right into a lamppost, bending it in half. Sakura shrieked and screamed for help as Cell held her securely with one arm. He fired an energy blast at Krillin to finish the pint-sized warrior off.

Selena suddenly appeared on the scene, standing in front of Krillin and getting in the way of the blast. Afraid of harming the girl, Cell directed the blast up into the air just before impact and it ached into the air and landed in a distant part of the city. Selena remained motionless during the whole scene. She smiled at the monster.

"So you are letting me live." She deducted.

"Psh." Cell hiss through his beak. "I believe you have sworn yourself to hunt me down. You said that I 'didn't deserve to live.' How could you hunt me down if you're dead?" Selena blinked a few times.

"You heard all that?"

"Not much escapes these ears of mine." Cell smirked, tightening his grip around Sakura. "And if it's a hunt you want, it's a hunt you will get. I caution you, my dear, at any time I can decide that I won't let you live any longer."

"I don't think that'll happen anytime soon." Selena shook her head, pointing her staff at him. He pointed his tail at Sakura, who started screaming again. He put a hand over her mouth to quiet her. Selena started walking towards Cell angrily. Cell took one cautious step back.

"What are you doing?"

"Put her down."

"Why?"

"Well, it wouldn't be easy for you to fight me with your hands and tail full, now would it?"

Cell looked over Selena for a moment, wondering what exactly she was planning. Seeing nothing suspicious with the events so far, he smiled and dropped Sakura to the ground. The little girl ran to Selena and hugged her with all her might.

"Selena-san! Selena-san, don't ever leave me again!"

"No way." Selena agreed, prying the girl off her hip. "Go to Krillin and make sure he's alright, okay?" Sakura took off for the little, bald man. Selena refixed her gaze to Cell. He smiled into hers. He parted his feet and lowered himself into a defensive position, stretching his arms before him and flexing his hands and fingers, the left one directly behind the right. He remained smiling in confidence and excitement.

He had no idea what this battle could bring.

He waited for Selena to make her move.

^

Selena gripped her staff tightly, and lunged for Cell, ready to smash the jewel tip into his head. Cell was ready for it, and he ducked his head out of the way easily enough. In the few brief seconds Selena hung in the air in her lunge, Cell brought his knee up into her stomach hard, then punched her head hard enough to send her flying back the way she came. Catching herself, she raised her ki to slow her tumble, and flipped herself around so that she landed on her feet.

Cell took his turn to lunge to her, and Selena took the defense. Cell began flinging split-second punches at her, but she blocked every single one with her forearms, matching his attack speed exactly. She found a very small opening in a split second, and took the gamble. She landed a punch on his face, causing him to stagger back a few steps with a surprised growl. Selena dodged for the attack, and it was Cell's turn to dodge.

With incredible strength and speed that seemed to lay dormant until now, Selena launched several fast attacks on Cell. The monster could barely keep up with such speed, he found himself taking damage and a good lot of it. Selena finished off her lightning quick punches with a hard sidekick to Cell's neck. Cell tumbled to the side, roaring in pain. Selena landed before he did, and followed up one more kick to the other side of his neck. Cell fell in the other direction and landed on his stomach. Selena immediately pounced on him like a pro wrestler, and wrapped her arms and legs around him to keep from moving.

Cell struggled to free himself, squirming and turning over several times. Selena started laughing triumphantly as Cell tried to pry at least his arms free.

"I'm not letting go, bastard!" she cried in victory as he rolled around trying to crush her into the pavement. "I've got you now!"

"Alright Selena!" Krillin and Selena cheered on the sidelines, happy that Selena was winning.

"Ride 'em, cowgirl!" Krillin shouted during the hollering. Selena smiled at that as Cell tried to arch his back.

"Yee-hah!" She cried out like a western rodeo star. "Howdy, howdy, howdy! Howdy, howdy, howdy!"

"Let go!" Cell cried, not believing it was happening to him. Selena just squeezed tighter, keeping his arms pinned to his side and his legs out of the fighting picture. Even his tail was having trouble reaching her. Selena just kept laughing.

"I finally got you right where I want you," she yelled at him as he struggled, "and I'm not about to let you go! If I'm gonna let you go, it'll be when the Namek blasts you into itty-bitty pieces!"

"You'll be dead before then!" Cell promised, coming up with a plan. He quickly pushed himself up to a bow on his knees, but Selena still held onto him. He began bending back ward, but Selena kept her grip as strong as ever.

"You're not winning this battle!" Selena shouted as she was bent backward against her body's will. Her bear hug shifted up Cell's body a bit, stopping at the shoulder. With his elbows free, he bent one forearm up and grabbed Selena's left arm.

"You may be the winner of the battle…" he growled, prying the arm off him and closer to his face, "…but the war is mine!" With that, he bore his fangs and bit down on her arm. Selena screamed in unimaginable pain. Cell began biting so hard on her arm, the bone broke in half in his jaws. A pink fluid absorbed itself into her blood, causing her to feel like her arm was on fire. She screamed louder, eventually letting go of Cell. Free at last, Cell took his mouth off her arm, and flung her across the street, further breaking the bone out of place. She skidded to a stop by a stop sign, almost touching it with a toe. With her good arm, she pushed herself up to her knees and held her broken arm. The two bite holes went right through her arm, streaking red down to her hand and fingers. Cell wiped some of the pink fluid off his mouth with the back of his hand, and looked up into the sky.

"…" Selena glared at Cell, ready to fight again if she must. Cell looked at her with some indecisiveness. He turned his head to look at Sakura and Krillin. Sakura was clutching Krillin with fear. Krillin kept one protective arm around her and one free hand for a defensive ki attack. Cell looked back at Selena, who hadn't moved or changed her facial expression at all. He smiled at her, like she was an old friend. Selena sighed heavily out of her nose, and clutched her broken arm tighter.

Suddenly, Cell clapped his heels together once, then bent over fifty degrees down with one polite hand over his chest. He was bowing to her! Selena's expression changed to a strange breed of confusion and surprise. He remained frozen in that position for a full thirty seconds, then lifted his head to look at her. Seeing her face, he smiled and straightened himself before flying away.

She watched him fly off into the distance of the city. Then a large gust of wind blew down the street, scattering some of the loose clothes and blowing through Selena's brown hair. Selena didn't take her eyes off the place where Cell disappeared in the distance, not even when Piccolo and Tien came to her assistance.

"Shikimi! Are you alright?!"

To be continued soon…

**END OF EPISODE BONUS**

Masquerade: This chapter's bonus includes a scene that was axed out of Unholy Crusade at the last minute. It would have appeared in chapter six or seven. Roll it!

***

Cell lay on his stomach on a house roof while staring at the setting sun. He had just absorbed everyone in the city, and was slightly tired. He decided to rest in a nice and high place to keep from being discovered too easily. He had powered down about half an hour ago, so he wasn't in danger until he fed again.

He rested his chin on his folded arms and sighed. Then he quickly scanned the streets below; half-hoping Selena would show up. He saw nothing that alerted him of her presence. He directed his eyes back to the setting sun, trying not to think of that strange girl. He failed miserably.

Shikimi "Selena" Lawless…what a fascinating girl…

She is so much stronger and faster than I had ever expected her to be.

Something stirred in his memory that bugged him. Remembering Selena made him feel a strange case of déjà vu.

It's almost as though I have met her before…

He closed his eyes, picturing the girl in his mind. Medium sized, brown hair that stretched to the middle of her back, sapphire blue eyes (he admired her eyes so much), sun tanned skin, rather nice figure and bust size…

Her face…

The shape of her face was so hard and cold, but her eyes and full lips were soft and comforting…

I have seen that face before!

He remembered back to the future, to the ruined world destroyed by the androids. He could remember a woman with Selena's face, holding the very ki staff she had in her hands. He could remember her name…

"Sel…Selena…"

When had he seen that woman?

Yes, in a wrecked city just north of East City, some two months after he was born. He had salvaged as much life energy as he could, feeding off survivors of the android's attacks. He was following the android's path of destruction, one city at a time, at least fifty cities a day, stopping at night to rest.

He saw the woman attack him, like many other foolish humans had. He could see that she was a very skilled fighter, especially with the ki staff in her hands. He watched her eyes grow wide in fear when he broke her staff in two. He could remember her loud, high screams whenever she was knocked to the ground. He can remember chuckling to himself when she stood up for more. He could feel the triumph of finally cornering her battered and bruised body for the kill.

She had sneered at him.

"I don't believe this…" she had spat at him, "beaten by some punk who doesn't even know the first thing about fighting."

He had been insulted, but he didn't say anything. How dare she talk like that to the ultimate warrior!

"Who are you?" the woman demanded of him. He had refused to say. No one would learn his name until he was ready to make it known.

He pointed his tail at her to suck her life away. She didn't move, ready to accept her fate.

He could hear voices behind him, coming to the woman's aide.

"Selena!" a man called. "Hold on! We'll help you!"

The woman ignored them.

"Selena!" another man called. The woman ignored them again.

Then, another man cried out to the woman.

"Sel!"

Shocked upon hearing his name, Cell turned his head to the men. There were three of them, with the same ki staffs Selena had. They were members of the Four Guardians, protectors of the human race.

" 'Sel?' " the woman wondered. Cell turned his head to her, wondering how she knew his name. Suddenly, the woman smiled wickedly. "Cell." She said to herself. "Your name is Cell."

She had found out…

She had lunged for him.

"YOUR NAME IS CELL!" she yelled triumphantly. Cell immediately stabbed into her chest with his tail, and gulped away her soul.

He finally retreated from his memory, staring back down at the street.

So, it was her. She had figured out my name in the future, and now her ghost has come to haunt me.

He chuckled, his tail gently swayed back and forth on the roof like a clock pendulum.

Well, I have my own way of exorcising ghosts…

The End