Humanity (Trunks x OC)

Part 25

Their gang watches worriedly as Vegeta decides it's his turn to have a round with Cell. They both stand facing each other, looking smug.

"You can't let the energy you detect from Cell fool you." Krillin warns his two friends. "It's all just a front. His real power is a whole lot bigger. He's hiding it, like you." Krillin states, looking at Trunks who in turn looks back at him surprised.

"You mean you know?" he asks in wonder, to which Krillin nods.

"You've been holding back haven't you?" Julliet asks Trunks. "Because you don't want to hurt your dad's ego." she continues, to which he looks back at Vegeta guiltily. "You're stronger than him." she finishes in realization.

They all turn back to Cell and Vegeta for a moment as Vegeta springs into action first. Cell easily defends as Vegeta test the waters so to speak before jumping back. "Well, it's nice to you you've become a little stronger. Maybe this time, I will actually break a sweat."

Cell smirks before Vegeta jumps in again, sending a barrage of attacks towards him. Cell looks to be unimpressed and though Vegeta tries not to let it show, it vexes him greatly.

"Trunks. Sometimes you care to much about what your dad thinks of you." Julliet tells him, continuing the conversation. She doesn't want to say it, but he could have ended Cell before, but he didn't.

Trunks frowns. "I know. I want so much for him to accept me. I want to wait for the right time to show my power so he will. But I just wish he just took care of Cell before he transformed. I'm an idiot for letting my father hold me back and he's an idiot for letting it come to this." he says through gritted teeth, feeling guilty.

Meanwhile, Cell seems to be playing around with Vegeta. Vegeta is too annoyed and still underestimating Cell to fight him properly. This goes on for a while until Vegeta's anger reaches a breaking point.

He sends out a barrage of blasts towards his opponent until it leaves him momentarily out of breath. They all wait for the result as the explosions die down.

As soon as Vegeta realizes that Cell has come out unscathed, he rushes back at him. Cell however, has become too fast and dodges his blows with ease. Especially now that Vegeta hasn't got his head on straight. Angered, he dissipates the dust cloud with a burst of power, but when he's done, Cell is gone.

He doesn't realize that Cell is watching him with amusement from a distance while Vegeta looks around frantically for him. When he finally spots him, he wastes no time in going in for another attack, but there is no real result. It's like a game of cat and mouse.

To make matters worse, Cell tells Vegeta he is only just warming up. That can only piss off Vegeta further and he dares Cell to finally fight back and Cell seems only happy to oblige.

The first kick to hit Vegeta is effective enough to send him flying way back, though air and rock. He manages to stop himself from going too far, before falling into the waters just off the shore. He painfully manages to drag himself back to dry land before collapsing, trying to catch his breath.

Cell feigns mock disappointment in Vegeta's powers, amused to have crushed the man's pride so easily. Trunks strains to hold himself back for as long as he can. He wants so badly to cut in and fight, but not before his father loses consciousness.

"I don't think you realize how much honor means to my father. It's the only thing that keeps him going. It's what makes him a warrior." Trunks starts after Krillin urges him to go. "Oh sure. Some might see it as arrogance, but I think, down at the core, it's much more noble than that. I believe that's what my mother saw in him and I see it too." he explains, effectively shutting Krillin up.