Right folks, this is it, the last Chapter….
In a Cell
Cell woke up in more discomfort then usual. As he opened his eyes he was able to quickly come to a conclusion as to why. This without a doubt had to be the worst hotel he had stayed in yet. There was no carpet, the bed was practically a steel slab and the he could see the bare bricks on the wall. Why it was looked like a prison cell. Cell mentally cursed Ernie and rolled over. It would be over soon, tomorrow was the day of Pepsi Presents the RBC Cell Games Powered by Ford and Association with Wal-Mart, rats now even he was saying it. Anyway tomorrow was the day he got to destroy the world, after he won his tournament of course. Eventually when it became apparent that he wasn't going to get back to sleep Cell got up. He looked out of the window to see what the weather was like. Unfortunately all he could see though the iron bars in the window was a court yard surrounded by other buildings. Something suddenly clicked in Cell's head. This was a prison cell!
It is a well known fact that prisons are incapable of holding even the most insignificant of super villains. It is how most superheroes are kept busy. So what made anyone think that a minimum security prison could hold the evil Android was anyone guess. The prison guards didn't even jump when the cell door was booted from its hinges.
"Looks like Cell's up," one of them muttered under his breath. The furious Android marched over to him.
"You!" he bellowed, "I demand to know what I'm doing here!"
"Of course you have a right to know the charges brought against you Mr Cell" replied the prison guard calmly flipping though a file. "Are yes here we are, you are charged with fraud!" Cell stared at the man blankly.
"What!" he said in a state of shock. "I've wiped out the population of umpteen cities, threatened to destroy the world and you idiots arrest me for the one crime I DIDN'T COMMIT!"
"Yes well we can't arrest you for the destruction of those cities," said the prison guard.
"Why not?" asked Cell.
"No evidence!"
"The empty streets and me claiming responsibility are kinds of evidence." pointed out Cell.
"Yes but the descriptions of the culprit don't really match up," explained the guard, "and as for claiming responsibility, well for all we know you could just be a compulsive confessor. You've certainly been acting like one with your little publicity tour."
"Well what about destroying the world!" asked Cell a little peeved at being denied official credit for some of his achievements.
"Yes there's a small problem with arresting you for that," said the prison guard.
"What?"
"You haven't done it yet!" he replied coolly, "And in this country we don't arrest people for crimes they haven't committed. Well white people any way."
"Aren't you the cynical one!" grumbled Cell. "Well why have I been arrested for fraud then?"
"Doggy book keeping apparently," said the Guard glancing at Cell's file. "You know, secret accounts in Cuba and all that."
"But I didn't keep any of the books," protested Cell, "Ernie did all that."
"Well you should have kept a closer eye on him," said the guard showing absolutely no sympathy.
"Fine then" said Cell angrily taking off, "I'll go do that right now!"
"Wait" called out the guard, causing Cell to stop just before he smashed though the wall. "I don't think escaping and beating up your accountant would help your case very much! The authorities might think you were trying to silence him."
"Oh I'm not going to silence him" said Cell calmly, "I'm sure people will hear his screams for miles!"
"That will probably be even less helpful!"
"I don't have time for this man!" bellowed Cell "I have a tournament to run and a world to destroy!"
"Yes about that," said the guard picking his words with care, "there might be a tiny problem with that."
"Like what?" asked Cell running out of patents.
"Like the police impounding your ring as part of the investigation!" Cell stared at the guard blankly. "They will have taken away all the rest of your assets too," he finished.
"Well we'll see about that!" said Cell determinedly preparing to leave.
"Wait that…" began the guard.
"MIGHT NOT HELP MY CASE!" shouted Cell, "I GET IT. IF YOU'RE SUCH AN EXSPERT ON MY CASE WHY DON'T YOU TELL ME WHAT WOULD HELP IT!"
"Well" said the guard trying to sound helpful. "Why don't I get your accountant in to see you and then you can discuss your case with him. He'll know what to do next."
Cell sighed, Ernie always seemed to know what to do next, and it was never quite what Cell wanted to do. But it had worked out fine so far, except from the prison but Ernie should be able to sort that out. At the very least it would allow him to kill Ernie sooner!
"Fine get me Ernie Becclestone," he said grudgingly.
"Will do," said the prison guard cheerfully, "would you like a dirty magazine while you wait?"
"Why would I want one of those?" asked Cell
"I don't know really," said the prison guard, "its just that's what most prisoners seem to want. I'll go call Mr Becclostone"….
"Well Cell this is a bit of a pickle isn't it," said Ernie almost cheerfully when he entered the room.
"Those aren't the words I would use to describe it" said Cell holding back his anger. "Now can you get me out of here or not?"
"Of course I can get you out of here!" said Ernie happily, "but we might have to delay the Cell games a little." Cell sighed deeply.
"For how long?" he asked.
"Not very long" said Ernie "Only about four to five years."
"FOUR TO FIVE YEARS!" screamed Cell!
"It's not that long when you think about it," said Ernie encouragingly.
"Nine years ago you told me nine days was a long time!" said Cell angrily.
"Nine years…." Said Ernie slightly confused "That was only nine days ago!"
"Oh so it was" said Cell innocently. His voice suddenly turned threatening. "It must have just seemed like nine years!"
"Don't get at me!" snapped Ernie. "I've hired the best lawyers to deal with this case, your really luck to have a chance of getting as little as five years, after all the illegal activity in your account!"
"You were the one who fiddled my account!" protested Cell, "I didn't even know I had an account!"
"Fine then," said Ernie huffily, "don't thank me for granting you a little finical security. Like you haven't thanked me for anything." Ernie suddenly took an offensive and accusing tone. "I've worked really hard to promote your Dell Games, I have produced merchandise, arranged tours, build stands and even got you on TV all in less than nine days. Do you think it was easy, do you think anyone could have done it! But do I even get a thank you! Noooo. All I get is whinge, whinge, whinge form you! Well quite frankly I've had enough of it. Now either you can apologise now or I'm afraid our relationship will have to end here, and we know what that will mean for your tournament!"
Ernie finished his threat and looked up expecting to see, the now familiar, look of defeat on Cell's face. However the Android's face was very calm he, looked like he was thinking about something very intently. Finally he spoke.
"What did you just call my tournament?" he asked. Suddenly Ernie realised his slip up.
"Err well." He said quickly, "I had been thinking that while we were in court we could change your name to Dell. You know like the computer company. They would be willing to pay a lot for you to do it." The Android listened but didn't reply, he merely swung his chair around to face away from Ernie.
"It wouldn't really be a major change," persuaded Ernie cautiously, "effectively it would just change the name to Pepsi Presents the RBC Dell Games Powered by Ford in Association with Wal-Mart." There was another pause. Then Cell suddenly swung round.
"You know what?" he said wearing a look of hate that not even Gohan would get to see, "I think I like The Cell Games better."
Loud screams suddenly emerged from the room where prisoners met their lawyers. Outside in the, finest traditions of fictional law enforcement, the prison guard buried his head deeper into his dirty magazine. A few minutes later the screaming stopped and Cell opened the door.
"What was that about?" asked the guard.
"Lets just call it the straw that broke the camels back, shall we." Replied Cell calmly. The prison guard looked round Cell into the room from which he had emerged.
"It looks like you did more then just break his back" he said innocently.
"Yes it dose doesn't it," agreed Cell admiring his handy work. "Well I don't have time to chat, I have a world to destroy you know." And the Android turned to leave.
"You can't leave," protested the guard. "I won't get my Christmas bonus if anyone escapes."
"Its May," pointed out Cell.
"Yes but the system has long memories," retorted the guard.
"You know" said Cell raking on a high and mighty tone, "I've learnt something these past few days. You always humans focus on the money or fame you will get for doing something. And you will willingly go though immense suffering to achieve these goals. However I've found nothing will bring you happiness quite like the prospect of a small fighting tournament to decide the fate of the world with a few people who hate you for what you are. You know what I'm saying. You should go spend some time with the people who matter to you today; because the world will end tomorrow and you can't take it with you."
"You know what," said the guard, "your right, I'm going home to my wife and kid. Thanks Cell."
"No problem," said the evil Android. "Do you have a young child?"
"Yes, and five year old Girl," replied the guard. Cell reached down by his side and handed him a Cell cuddly toy.
"Give her this" he said, "something to remember me by." And with that the Android flew through the prison wall and off into the distance.
It didn't take long for Cell to undo all the damage Ernie had done. First he recovered his ring from the police without too much trouble. Then he dismantled the stands and advertising boards which surrounded his ring ad buried them near by. Finally, after a lot of scrubbing, he removed the sponsorship logo painted on his ring, returning it to the brilliant white it had been originally. With that done Cell was at last able to do what he had hoped to do for the nine days in the first place. That was, of course, standing in his ring looking supremely confident.
"Only one day to go." He thought to himself, "Only one day to go."
After a few minutes he got board and started twiddling his thumbs…..
The End
Well I hope you all enjoyed that, I though it was pretty good, but I would love to know what you though of it. Any constructive criticism would be really welcome if you have any too.
Anyway I have a few more story ideas in the pipe line but they need a little refinement, still I hope to start a new story too.
I would also like to thank, Secret Identity, Aluminumboat, SuperSanne and You Have Been Reviewed for reviewing. My brother for proof reading and being a scapegoat for my spellings, Akira Toriyama for creating Dragonball Z and everyone who has read this story. I would thank you all individually but you know who you are…. I hope.