The sun was high as -
Goku, Piccolo, and Tien drifted down onto a mountain ledge, each of their faces etched with the somber realization of what they'd just witnessed.
They had scoured five cities, only to find emptiness and piles of clothes—the last remnants of 40 million lives, wiped out with chilling efficiency the creature menace was growing, and they knew their time to stop him was running out.
Goku closed his eyes, concentrating. His thoughts stretched outward, seeking out the familiar, calm presence of his brother, Kairos.
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Meanwhile, far below, Kairos and Krillin sped through the skies towards Capsule Corporation.
I glanced over at Krillin, curious. "Krillin, what do you think should be done with the androids?"
Krillin's expression grew thoughtful, his brow creased as he considered his answer. "I don't know… They look human enough, but they're so ruthless. But if they could somehow change—if they understood humans, maybe… Android 18 especially—" Krillin's cheeks turned a light shade of red, and he quickly looked away, mumbling his words.
I suppressed a smirk, reading his younger brother's feelings loud and clear. Sorry, Krillin, I thought, but Android 18 will be my wife. Hope you'll forgive me someday.
Just then, I heard Goku's voice in his mind, the familiar cadence of his brother's thoughts ringing clear.
" Kairos, we searched five cities but couldn't find the android. Forty million people… just gone".
My eyes hardened. Cell has been absorbing humans this whole time, I thought grimly. Estimating Cell's power must have already surpassed 100 million, but without ki, tracking him down was near impossible. Not even I could pinpoint the creature's location.
"Goku," I replied, my tone steady, "There's no way to locate that creature right now. We're heading to see Dr. Brief—he may have some way to help us track this creature. In the meantime, let's regroup. Gather everyone at the Lookout. I'll meet you there soon."
Hearing this Goku noded and his mental presence faded, and Kairos glanced over to see Krillin looking tense as well. Clearly, Piccolo had relayed the same dire news. With a shared understanding, they pushed their energy to the limit and streaked through the sky toward Capsule Corporation.
---
The familiar cityscape came into view as they approached the sprawling building of Capsule Corporation, gleaming with its sleek white dome.
As they entered, I couldn't help feeling a pang of nostalgia. The corridors, the labs, the endless white walls—it all looked exactly as he remembered, memories flashing back from his time studying alongside Dr. Brief.
He knew the doctor wouldn't recognize him in his current form, yet he couldn't help but smile as he walked through the doors of the lab.
Dr. Brief was hunched over a humming machine, his white lab coat smudged with oil and his iconic cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth. Krillin stepped forward, raising his voice just loud enough to be heard over the hum of equipment. "Dr. Brief?"
The old scientist looked up, startled at first, but then a warm recognition spread across his face. "Ah, Krillin! Good to see you, son. What brings you here?"
Krillin gestured to his companion. "This is my senior, Kairos. We came to talk about the creature that hatched from the egg. We think it might be linked to… well, everything that's happening right now."
Dr. Brief's brows knitted together thoughtfully as he turned to Kairos, giving a nod of acknowledgment. "Good to meet you, Kairos."
He then turned back to Krillin, growing more serious. "Yes… that egg. I've been analyzing it, but I told Bulma everything I know so far. There's nothing else."
I observed the lab, taking in every detail. Electrical wires snaked across the counters, connected to devices that hummed and blinked with mysterious lights. The faint scent of ozone hung in the air, mixed with the earthy smell of coffee grounds, a sign of Dr. Brief's countless hours of study.
"Anything unusual you noticed during your research, Dr. Brief?" I asked, tone thoughtful but probing.
The scientist paused, clearly deep in thought. "It's fascinating, really—this egg wasn't like anything from Earth. Its structure, its biological composition—it was clearly engineered, but the purpose behind it was… sinister." Dr. Brief's eyes shifted from Kairos to Krillin, his expression dark. "I suspect the creature's designed to evolve. It's a terrifying thought. If it absorbs more energy, it could be nearly unstoppable."
I nodded, careful to mask the inner knowledge he held. I already knew that Cell's growth was inevitable, and that the battles to come would be crucial in shaping his own power. But I couldn't share that yet.
I took a moment, then carefully withdrew the pile of Dr. Gero's research papers from his satchel. I handed them over to Dr. Brief, who adjusted his glasses with a keen interest before diving into the blueprints and data charts, mumbling to himself as he scanned the designs.
The laboratory was silent, save for the soft hum of machines and Dr. Brief's murmured observations.
Krillin and Kairos stood back, exchanging a glance as they watched Dr. Brief work, the old scientist lost in deep concentration. After about 30 minutes, Dr. Brief finally looked up, his face slightly pale, eyes wide with a mixture of fascination and dread.
"This is… remarkable. And terrifying," he began, rubbing the back of his neck. "These Androids, Krillin… They weren't always machines. They were human once, before Gero transformed them. Their original names were Lapis and Lazuli."
Krillin's face twisted in shock. "You mean… they were just regular people?"
Dr. Brief nodded solemnly. "Yes, these weren't typical androids from scratch—they were modified humans. But that's not all." He leaned in, his gaze troubled. "This green creature, the one you've seen on the broadcast—it's another android, named Cell. But it's different from the others. It's designed to be an ultimate lifeform, capable of evolving to a near-perfect state. And to reach that state, it's programmed to absorb Androids 17 and 18."
A cold silence settled over the room as Krillin processed this information, his expression one of horror and disbelief. "Cell… it's after 17 and 18 to complete itself?" He looked to Kairos, visibly shaken.
Meanwhile I , while calm, felt a surge of excitement at the confirmation, pleased he didn't need to carefully withhold information now. He watched as Dr. Brief continued, explaining how Cell's entire existence revolved around one primary objective: defeating Goku, regardless of the lengths it needed to go.
Krillin took a deep breath, his face now tense. "We have to stop him before he finds 17 and 18. If Cell reaches his complete form…" He trailed off, too horrified to finish the thought.
I nodded, aware that things were now set in motion and that the battles ahead would push all of them to new limits. He knew the fight with Cell would be like nothing they'd ever faced—but I am ready for it.