A/N:

As promised here is the next chapter. I'll try not to go on any more hiatus' with this story. Not long now guys, we're close to the finish line.

Chapter Twenty Nine: Empress

When Yang had first set foot in the Room of Spirit and Time, her thoughts were as blank and empty as the space she occupied.

Gohan had forewarned her that the time chamber was a ruthless place to stay and train in. It was the ultimate test of endurance, strength, and sanity. It was a never-ending white void that stretched on far beyond her sight. The air was heavy, as was her body. Her first step out onto the transparent ground had her knees buckling under the sudden strain of increased gravity. She managed to adjust quickly, but it was an unwelcome shock. Still… all her friends managed to survive an entire year here. If they could do it, so could she.

Minutes turned to hours, then to days, and soon… to weeks. The flow of time really started to mess with Yang more-so than it did with Gohan. She understood why though, seeing as he had already spent a year inside this hellish place. Not only did he train in here, but he did so alone. Yang wasn't even sure she could go a week in here by herself, let alone a year. The isolation would drive someone like her completely insane. However, one look at Gohan told her exactly how he had managed it.

It was the same steely look in his eyes.

The same ones she had fallen so deeply in love with.

There was a fire in his eyes that burned with a ferocity of an inferno on brimstone. It was a fuel that raged throughout his very soul, exerting confidence and control that Yang never saw in any other person in her life. Not her father, Qrow, Summer, or even someone as strong as Ozpin. All of them lacked the unbreakable determination that she saw in Gohan.

Not once did it break as she trained with him.

They pushed their bodies far beyond their limits, and even further beyond that.

Luckily they had a giant hourglass to keep track of time. Days blurred into each other and soon, so did the weeks. With no sun or moon, the two of them had to rely on the grains of sand that slowly trickled down. In time, as the two continued to mercilessly train themselves, they estimated they had only a month left.

With the threat of Cell looming over both of them, time did not seem to flow slowly. In fact, Yang found herself rather surprised that a year had almost gone by. Eleven months of solid training that had her strength grow beyond what she even thought possible. A little over two years ago, she was still just a fresh green— wet behind the ears— huntress, applying for a spot at the prestigious Beacon Academy. Now she was…

Honestly, the sunny blonde didn't really know what she was. It was much more than a huntress that's for sure. Grimm barely held a presence in her mind compared to Cell. After this was over, assuming they were all still alive, what was her life going to be? Where was it going to lead from here? Would she spend the rest of her days killing Grimm and doing menial jobs, helping to restore Remnant to its former glory?

What about Gohan?

She paused in thought, ceasing the stirring she happened to be doing.

Gohan had called it rather early today in their training session, saying that the remaining month should be focused more on technique and skill training than strength and power gain. While she was quick to disagree, Gohan was adamant that he knew what they should be doing. So Yang didn't push it much further than that.

She called dibs on the first bath and Gohan happily gave the okay, heading off to meditate on the steps of the time chamber. Once out, she started cooking their dinner while the half-Saiyan went to take his turn soaking the day's grime away. Yang couldn't help but allow her thoughts to wander in silence like this. It was hard not too, given that the chamber was so quiet when she and Gohan weren't interacting. If only not to go completely insane, allowing her thoughts to aimlessly wander helped ease the tense feeling of the upcoming battle.

Still… what was going to happen to her and Gohan if they survived this encounter with Cell?

Earth was Gohan's home. He belonged here, not on Remnant. She belonged on Remnant, not on Earth.

"I suppose I can ask Ruby to teach me Instant Transmission… but even then, we're living on two completely separate planets, cultures even. Would it work?" she mused sadly as she continued preparing the meal. The thought had never really occurred to her before. Not one since they had come to Earth. What was going to happen to her and Gohan once this was all over? Would their relationship stand the test of such a long distance?

The thought of not seeing the half-Saiyan on a regular basis had the blonde somewhat concerned with how everything was going to play out. Granted, they had to kill Cell first to even start worrying about stuff like that, but Yang couldn't help but entertain the thought. Living on the more hopeful side and looking towards a brighter future. Even with Cell gone, would that future be as bright and happy as she imagined it would be?

Finishing up the cooking, she turned around to set the table just in time to see Gohan stroll out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. Gohan's physique hadn't changed all that much. He was already at peak fitness when he came in here. His muscles and body were just as defined as before. Although, he did get much taller. He now stood a few inches above her, much to her dismay. They used to be around the same height, but now it seemed the boy had gone through more of a growth spurt and turned into a man.

"Smells familiar," Gohan commented with a smile, pulling up a chair. "Where did you learn how to make that?"

"Stole the recipe from your mom," Yang winked as she laid the food out on the table. "Couldn't help myself. Chi-Chi is a good cook."

Gohan only nodded with vigor as he began digging in. Yang just chuckled as he began tearing through the food she had made like a wild animal. She had made sure to make extra portions as usual. After the first few weeks in the time chamber, it became very apparent that Gohan had absolutely no idea how to cook. Luckily for both of them, Taiyang had made sure to teach his lovely daughters the ways around the kitchen.

Even now, watching him devour his dinner, Yang couldn't help but go back to the thoughts that had been plaguing her earlier. She ate slowly, making sure not to rush things like her beloved half-alien warrior across from her. She may be different from the humans of Earth, but that didn't mean she ate as Gohan did. Controlled mouthfuls, allowing her the time to organize her chaotic thoughts.

"Hey… so, have you thought about what's going to happen after we kill Cell?" Yang asked with a hesitant edge to her voice. Gohan looked up from his food innocently, giving her a look that displayed complete ignorance. The girl couldn't help but shake her head knowingly with a smile. It was so typical. Gohan had a one-track mind after all.

"Not really," Gohan said, finishing up his second dish before moving onto his third. "Haven't really given it much thought. Cell's too much of a priority to think about what comes later," he reasoned as he continued to chow on the beautiful cuisine that Yang had so graciously made. The blonde looked rather saddened at his explanation, causing the half-Saiyan to pout with his mouth full.

"I don't mean to draw attention away from what really matters," she said seriously. She folded her arms and leaned back in her chair, having cleared most of her plate. "I'm trying not to live with all the doom and gloom, ya know? I look past Cell, knowing that when we beat him— and not if— what comes next…? For us?"

"What do you mean?"

It was a simple question, but it aggravated the blonde a little too much. Gohan wasn't dense and actually proved to be very intelligent, but from experience being with him, his life had been nothing but warfare and strife. He lived and breathed conflict not for himself, but for the sake of others. Gohan was someone that Ruby would describe as a hero. He never used his powers for personal gain, not even once. He only ever fought for the sake of others, never once thinking of himself.

So it made sense that he wouldn't be thinking of the future… their future. Instead, Gohan's thoughts were preoccupied with what it was going to take to beat Cell. How many lives could he save? How much death could be prevented if he just got a little bit stronger… a little bit faster. Every punch he threw during training, Yang could see he was bettering himself so that he may be the shield for the weak.

He was quite literally the embodiment of what most huntsmen and huntresses spent their whole lives trying to become. It was an absolute selfless mindset, and Yang would be lying if she said that she was also like that. Sure, she cared about the innocent lives that Cell threatened. She was angered by those he had slaughtered in his mad pursuit for perfection and power, but at the end of the day, she looked past the monster, hoping that after all the fighting was over, she could get the happy ending she desired.

One that didn't seem to be all that realistic anymore.

"You're home now, Gohan," Yang said softly, turning to look at the time chamber's entrance. "Once Cell is beaten, you're going to want to come back to Earth, right?"

"I— oh," his words died in his throat as the realization hit him. Yang shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, knowing that he had just now come to the same conclusion as she did. "To tell you the truth, I really hadn't thought about that. I never really thought about what would come next… back when I was fighting the androids years ago, I didn't feel like it was worth thinking about. I had to live in the moment because if I didn't I might falter."

"What happens to us?" Yang continued, pushing the subject a little further. "With you on Earth, and me on Remnant… can we survive? Our relationship? Can it even continue to work?"

"Well with Ruby, she can—"

"I don't want our relationship to depend on Ruby," Yang snapped, a little heated by his answer. She allowed a moment to cool her head before she continued. Gohan remained silent, watching her carefully. He understood that when Yang got like this, there was rarely any point in arguing with her. She was too hot-headed and often lost her cool in arguments, even though they happened very infrequently. "It's not fair on her, and it's unrealistic to expect that our relationship could survive that. Even if she taught us the technique, traveling between worlds all the time just to sustain our relationship?" she shook her head.

"I'm sure we can figure something out," Gohan said softly. "Besides, it's not going to matter if we're all dead," he finished with a chuckle. Yang cracked a small smile at that remark, but once again, it all depended on whether or not they killed Cell. She didn't like leaving this to the unprepared. It didn't sit right with her. She once preferred to live her life in the present and roll with the punches, but with everything that had happened to her… for once she'd like to know what came next and be able to control it.

"I could stay here," Yang said, shocking Gohan slightly. "With you… on Earth. Ruby could come and visit every so often and take us to visit Remnant. Could be every other week, ya know?" she chuckled at the idea. "Come to think of it, that's not so bad."

"You're not even going to ask me to stay on Remnant with you?" Gohan asked, a little surprised. "Just jumping right to that?"

"I couldn't ask that of you," she replied softly. "You've been through so much. Earth needs you back home. Your mother… I saw how much she missed you. The people here need someone like you around. Remnant's got Ruby, Pyrrha, Weiss, Blake…" Yang trailed off, turning back to Gohan and meeting his eyes. He looked happier than he usually did, which brightened up her mood quite a lot. "How about it?"

"I think I'd like that…" Gohan paused for a moment. "Are you sure about that though? I mean, Remnant's your home. Should you be making such a rash decision so quickly?"

"It's not like I'll never see it again," Yang waved off with a laugh. Then her face flushed as her right hand started to fiddle with some blonde strands of her hair. "B-Besides… I love you, remember?"

"Well, if you didn't, you wouldn't make me such delicious food!" Gohan laughed. Yang groaned, the blush disappearing from her face as her elbows hit the table, her hands running through her hair in despair. The half-Saiyan just burst out laughing at the girl's exasperated features.

"You. Are. The. WORST! You know that!?" Yang growled indignantly.

"Relax, you know I love you too, right?"

"Almost as much as you love food," Yang scoffed, losing her fire almost immediately and slouching back in her chair. Gohan chuckled weakly as he finished the third and final dish. "By the way, we're still following the plan, right? I'm going to fight Cell first, then when he proves too much, you can step in."

Gohan's gaze hardened almost instantly at the mention of their little plan to deal with Cell. Right now, Yang had displayed more strength and potential than any of the other humans from Remnant. All of their powers still wouldn't be enough to combat Cell, but with their training in the time chamber, Gohan was more than comfortable to let Yang take the first crack at the bio-android, despite how badly it went last time they all fought him.

Besides, Yang had strong-armed him into that decision, much to his dismay. There was absolutely no way Yang was going to sit back and let Gohan clean house when Cell had murdered her little sister. Ruby may have been revived and alive now, but that haunting event was still burned into Yang's memory, hanging around like a curse. She was too weak then to do anything, and Cell didn't let her forget that.

"You don't have to—"

"Forget that," Yang snapped. "I'm getting my crack in first. I can take him. I may not be able to kill him, but I'll make it for damn sure that he wished I could."

"The moment Cell proves to be too much, I will step in," Gohan argued. "I won't stand there and watch you get pummeled to an inch of your life."

"We both know that won't happen," Yang said with a smirk. She raised her hands and looked at them as an almost divine golden fire blossomed in her hands. "Besides… with how I am now? He won't know what's coming for him."

=/=

=/=

The flames of hope had started to dwindle the moment the first of them fell.

It only continued to weaken everyone's resolve as more of them started to crumble in defeat, their enemies having beaten them. They had been foolish to come here so quickly, and for everybody that fell victim to Cell's cruelty, the passionate determination that fueled every single one of Remnant's fighters slowly started to dimmer.

That was until Blake fell. The moment the new Guardian of Remnant fell, from her defeat, rose a light so great it blinded all present.

Mystically transcendent light radiated through the darkness clouding Vale, blasting up from the arena floor, reaching as high as the sky itself.

Everyone felt the sudden eruption of raw energy as the pillar of blinding white power blitzed into the sky, clearing all the dark clouds and revealing the star-filled night above. Ruby and Raven, the last two who were standing against Cell's minions were almost blinded, shielding their eyes from the explosive display. The tiny spawns of Cell were frozen in shock, all of them staring wide-eyed in the direction of the giant pillar of light.

They all felt it, even Cell.

The Ultimate creation of Dr. Gero stood calmly, gazing with anticipation as power crackled around the arena. He felt a new player enter the fray, one that felt different and strange. Although familiar, he couldn't place his feelings as to why this was. Was it a new fighter rising to challenge him? If so, why did this energy feel foreign with a slight familiarity?

Blake managed to lift her head to witness the event, as did Pyrrha. The former had fallen right before the explosion of mystical power. She had believed herself to be on the verge of death, having failed to best her opponents. All the training she had gone through, only to fail regardless. It made her angry, but it all evaporated as the warm sensation of light washed over her, its power almost calming her.

All attention was drawn towards this phenomenon, all fighting ceased in favor of the anticipation felt from watching who had caused this eruption of power.

Then, like a curtain being slowly pulled aside, the light revealed a figure standing in the middle, radiating with potent energy. The sight of this newcomer caused everyone's breath to hitch in shock. The woman's eyes opened, revealing pale blue orbs that burned with cold fury.

She stepped forward out of the light, her eyes narrowed intensely on the large green bio-android. Every click of her white and red boots against the tiles had the Cell Juniors eager to fight this new opponent, without really knowing anything about her.

"Cinder…?" Pyrrha mumbled, slightly confused as to what she was seeing.

For all intents and purposes, the person that had strolled out of the light was indeed Cinder. Physically, she was as tall and shared the same physique as the woman, however, there were some very notable differences. Hair and skin as white and pale as Winter's snow. Her iconic red and golden dress was now white and light blue respectfully with the Schnee symbol on the back of it. She also sported Weiss' combat boots.

Blake couldn't get a read on this girl's energy.

"Weiss? No… Cinder? Wait—!" she stopped herself, her eyes almost bulging from their sockets. "Is— Is this what happened if they let the Maiden's power overwhelm both of them!?"

The woman had a frosty flaming aura about her, a burning pale blue that covered her body, very much like Gohan's golden Super Saiyan aura. However, there was one notable difference. Flickers of small magical cyan lights flashed around her peacefully. The lights would twinkle, giving off a nearly divine presence. It was enough to leave anyone speechless.

"And who are you supposed to be?" Cell mused aloud. A quick look at his children had them moving off Ruby and Raven, who were both now significantly battle damaged. The two showed signs of slight relief to have a break from fighting, but the looks of concern were evident on their features as their opponents turned to face down the much more obvious threat. "You appear to be similar to that girl who got her arm cut off earlier."

The woman crossed her arms over her chest, both appendages very much still intact.

"Me?" she questioned snidely. An arrogant smirk crossed her face. "I guess you could say I am the true Fall Maiden, born through the union of both Cinder Fall and Weiss Schnee."

"A unification?" Cell hummed in curiosity. A look of intrigue crossed his face as he stared down this newcomer. "How interesting. I wasn't aware you humans possessed such a unique ability. Once again, you have surprised me. I hope you will be more interesting than the rest of the tripe that has fallen," Cell goaded. The woman's features hardened as her gaze drifted to all those around her.

"My friends and family," she murmured aloud, memories of both Cinder and Weiss intertwining and giving birth to a new identity. She returned her glare toward Cell who continued to analyze her from where he stood. "You hurt all of them. That is not something I am willing to forgive."

"Really," Cell murmured malevolently. "And who are you to declare such a thing?"

"I have no name," she responded honestly. The woman flexed her power, her feet leaving the ground in favor to hover in the air. The pristine blue aura that surrounded the woman, gaining an intensity that even had Cell unfolding his arms in preparation for an attack. "But, for now, you can call me your Empress, you revolting insect."

"Hm," Cell scoffed, giving the silent order for his little spawns to attack. "We'll see about that."

The last five Cell Juniors raced towards their new target, leaving Ruby and Raven in the dust. Empress hovered, glaring at the oncoming threats. Their speed was staggering to any normal individual. She remembered what it was like to face these things as Weiss and Cinder. She remembered the pain, suffering, and embarrassment they had made her endure. With a scowl, she clenched her fists.

This would not stand.

She phased through the first attacker, punched the second and blasted away the last three within a single moment. In a show of magnificent power, she threw her hands to the sky and blew away all of her enemies. Her energy acted like a tidal wave, washing away the mini-Cells and sending them in the walls that surrounded the arena.

She waited, watching all her enemies with sharp eyes, pale blue just like Weiss'. Each one impacted the walls of the arena hard enough to create craters. Empress allowed a smile of satisfaction as each one crawled out of the rubble, looking angrier by the second. They shook off their stupor and took to the air with renewed vigor. Empress stood in the center of the arena, waiting for one of them to make the first move.

"It's only fitting that insects like you get crushed under my heel," Empress taunted in a relaxed manner. "Come on then, stop wasting my time and fight."

Each of the Cell Juniors answered differently, charging attacks that had been shared with them from their creator.

One answered with a Kamehameha. Another with a Galick Gun. A Tri-beam, Special Beam Cannon, and lastly, a Masenko. They all squealed viciously as they fired their attacks in unison, all raging toward Empress. She stood confidently as the attacks converged on her, landing and erupting into a cloud of smoke, ash, and fire. There was a tense silence that hung in the arena as everyone waited for the smoke to clear.

"Why did she just stand there?" Raven hissed, looking towards the cloud of destruction. Ruby, Pyrrha, and Blake remained as calm as they could. This new ally seemed to know what she was doing, and the confidence she exerted when she took on all those attacks didn't waver once. What had she planned?

"I can't sense her," Blake murmured. "Where did she go?"

"No way is she dead," Ruby promised with absolute certainty. There had to be something more to what had just happened.

"She's… THERE!" Pyrrha gasped, pointing at one of the Cell Juniors. Everyone followed her gesture to one of the floating spawns of Cell. Hovering behind one of their attackers, Empress appeared having sustained no damage whatsoever. There was a look of utter disdain on her face as she raised a hand and pressed two fingers against the back of the monster's neck.

It squawked in surprise, too scared to even move.

"Begone from my sight."

On command, black glass burst out all over the Cell Junior in varying degrees. It screamed in pain for only a second before it's entire body was turned inside out by the black glass. It fell to the arena floor, shattering into a million different pieces. Even Cell looked slightly bewildered by the display of brutality. The brothers of the brutalized Cell Junior looked on in various states of horror, two of them even shaking in fear. Empress didn't waste any time turning her attention directly to the last remaining four.

"Don't even entertain the idea of fleeing," she spoke serenely, her tone carrying a chilling edge to it. She floated harmlessly towards her next target. It shook in fear as she approached. It fired off a couple of blasts, only to have them effortlessly battered away by the fused maiden. "You'll all be dust before you make it out of this arena."

She flashed forward and embedded her fist so hard into the Cell Junior's stomach it doubled-over in agony. She uncurled her fist and released a blast that railed the little monster, turning its insides to dust. Then, to finish it off, she spun and slammed her foot into the side of its face, removing its head from its body in one fell swoop. It was far beyond dead before its remains landed on the arena floor.

Three left.

"Incredible," Blake said breathlessly. "She's picking them apart. Look at them!"

The remaining three Cell spawns were so utterly terrified they had retreated to one another, forming a triad group. Gone was their maniacal cackling, replaced only by chilling fear. Empress was angry, it was plain to anyone that watched the fight. Furious with these mini-Cells for causing so much pain. She intended to make short work of them before moving onto the main threat here.

Cell maintained a look of intrigue and confidence as he watched with a stone-faced visage. His eyes followed the maiden's every move. He didn't miss a single beat. The woman possessed power unlike any of the humans. He'd even go as far as saying she was displaying more power than Gohan did when they last fought. This new being… Empress…

He allowed himself a small sinister smirk as she hovered in the sky above the arena, facing down the last of his children.

This was the fight he had been waiting for.

"Is that really Weiss and Cinder?" Ruby questioned with a worried expression. Her silver eyes had dulled a bit since her fight against overwhelming odds. She had since powered down and allowed Empress to fight in everyone's stead. It didn't seem like the woman was having any trouble regardless. Ruby only hoped it would be enough to hold off Cell until Gohan and Yang got out of the time chamber.

They couldn't be long now. Ruby still needed to recover some of her energy before she could make the Instant Transmission back to Earth to pick up Yang and Gohan. For now, all their hopes lay with the fused fighter.

"To think those two were capable of something like this," Raven mumbled as she turned to the others. "We should probably get out of the arena while we still have the chance. We'll only be in the way. Ruby, get these two out of here while I get Qrow and Sixteen out," Raven said, gesturing to Blake and Pyrrha. Ruby swallowed as she gathered what was left of her energy.

"Right!"

As the two began to retreat with their fallen comrades, Empress watched out of the corner of her eye. Her friends vacated out of the arena and towards the broken stands where the audience once sat. Arriving at the top, the group huddled to watch the rest of the fight from a safe distance. With Raven and Ruby still somewhat capable, they should be able to protect the group from any stray blasts.

"Playtime is over," the woman declared, turning her attention back to the three remaining Cell-spawns. "It's time I disposed of you disgusting creatures!"

Empress turned up the heat, her power erupting into an elemental maelstrom. Fire, ice, and lightning responded to her magical command as her aura once again intensified. The corners of her eyes burned with a blue flame as her sapphire orbs shone like a neutron star. She let out a scream and her power responded in tow, shaking the very foundations of —what was left of— Vale.

The fused maiden lifted a single hand directed to her enemies, each fingertip lighting up. Hundreds of Schnee glyphs appeared all around the remaining three mini-Cells. Protruding from the glyphs, shards of black glass quickly appeared. Then, simply by closing her fist, they shot out like bullets from a gun. Bombarding the floating blue monsters, she heard their screams as they attempted to dodge, but failed miserably.

However, she wasn't about to let them perish so easily. The pain they inflicted would not go unpunished. Every strike she made was ensured to be non-lethal, only to prolong their suffering. She drank in their fear and screams, delighting in their terror.

With a casual wave of her hand, Empress ceased the barrage and dismissed the Schnee glyphs. Charging forward through the air, she slammed into one of the Cell Juniors, sending him barreling into a wall. Turning, she grabbed the remaining two by the throat and dragged them back down to the arena. Choke-slamming both of them into the tiled floor she pulled them both up and blasted one away with an open palm.

She directed her attention to the remaining one still in her grasp. She smirked in deadly satisfaction as she superheated her hand. The Cell junior tried to scream as its body became a living furnace, the magical power of the maiden incinerating it in an instant. The ashes slipped through her fingers as the wind whistled through the arena.

She turned to the blue monster she had blasted away and noted it was staring at her in horror. A quick glance showed that the one she had kicked into the stands earlier was still trying to climb out, despite its injuries. Empress turned back to the one in the arena with her and began stalking forward.

It back-peddled in terror.

It turned around to flee, only to stop dead in its tracks. It lost the ability to breathe as blood poured from its neck. Glancing down in deathly horror, a Schnee glyph formed right behind it, a black spear having shot right out of it and into the little monster's neck. The bloodied glass spear that had railed its target disintegrated, letting its victim fall helpless to the floor.

"Fool," Empress snarled as she blasted the remains of the Cell Junior. She didn't even need to look, but the last Cell-spawn had seen the impalement of its brother and had turned to flee. It squealed in horror as it took to the skies in an attempt to find some way to escape the slaughter. Empress, all while glaring directly at Cell, extended a hand in the fleeing monster's direction.

Fire, lightning, and ice swirled in her hand before a ball of energy formed. Effortlessly mixing magic and ki, the ball of energy took on many different colors, casting a multi-colored shadow across the arena. Before she even had a chance to fire, a thin purple beam of energy shot towards the fleeing mini-Cell. It didn't even have time to scream before the surprise attack railed its chest. It fell harmlessly, having died before it hit the ground somewhere out of sight.

The power in the fused maiden's hand dissipated as she glared at Cell in disgust. The bio-android casually lowered his finger and returned his attention to the fighter in front of him.

"Cowardice has no place in this arena," he said without a care in the world. The unified huntress scowled, not even bothering to try hiding the hate written on her face.

"So you kill one of your own children?" she drawled, venom lacing every word. "You really are just a distasteful insect."

Cell didn't bother to answer, but simply readied himself for battle. His hands clenched as his body rippled, power slowly brimming to the surface. His green outer shell started to glow and shimmer. The fused maiden mirrored his actions, calmly increasing her own energy to match his. At any moment, the battle would begin in earnest.

"They're all gone," Ruby whispered in disbelief.

"She dismantled them with ease," Raven said, mildly disturbed by the finesse in which the fusion displayed. Cinder's cruelty definitely was present within this form, mixed in with Weiss' grace and technique. A deadly combination to be sure. "Now all that's left…"

"Cell," Pyrrha finished for the woman. "Could this be enough to beat him?"

"Let's hope so," Blake said hopefully, her thoughts lingering on what the Guardian had shown her not too long ago. He had claimed Remnant's days were numbered. When they had fused together, she saw what he meant. The world was burning, and two titans of strength faced one another in Hell. Hopefully, they had done enough to prevent that reality from coming to pass.

The two fighters stood alone in the battle-scarred arena as Remnant's strongest looked in mild relief. Brushing aside a loose strand of hair, the lone woman summoned a throne made of black glass, much to Cell's chagrin. The maiden crossed her legs and gave the monster a smug look. The bio-android's interest had been piqued. She had destroyed his remaining children with ease, without so much as taking a scratch. Now here she sat, drinking in his annoyance like it was a fine wine.

"Well, look at you," she grinned as Cell starred on in annoyance. "What's with the glare? Don't tell me you thought they'd be capable of laying a finger on me," she laughed. "Don't be so upset. This is a tournament after all. You and I are about to dance, are we not?"

Cell wiped away the annoyance on his features and allowed himself to chuckle at her words.

"So you bested my children and now you think of yourself as my better? How woefully ignorant," the android drawled. Empress responded with a simple shrug causing Cell to frown. "You best prepare yourself before I—"

His words were cut off as Empress summoned a Schnee glyph behind her and fired off a single glass spear that Cell dodged with a head tilt at the last second. The ultimate android lifted a finger to his cheek, having felt the projected weapon barely cut into his skin before he had moved. There was a tiny cut, enough to draw even the smallest drops of blood.

"Oops," Empress mocked innocently. "My finger must have slipped. It's awfully hard to control all this power raging through my body…" she trailed off laughing. "You'd know of course, wouldn't you?"

The cut on Cell's face healed almost instantly thanks to Piccolo's cells, and the android wiped away the blood with a look of utter disdain on his face. He had to remind himself that he was dealing with a stone-hearted human here, not an honor-bound Saiyan warrior. Someone like Goku would have never made such a strike before a battle had truly begun. The Freeza part of Cell was screaming to destroy her, but he squashed that desire. It would be sated soon enough.

He wanted to enjoy what this human had to offer.

"Hasty are we?" Cell smiled. "If you were so eager to start the match then perhaps you should have just ASKED!" the mechanical android boomed as he blitzed forward, throwing a punch at the seated woman. Empress dismounted her throne and flipped over the android in time to watch the glass shatter into a million pieces.

Quickly forming energy blasts in each of her hands, Empress threw the tennis ball-sized attacks at Cell's back. The android didn't even bother trying to defend himself, the attacks exploding on impact. When Empress landed, Cell was already flying out of the smoke cloud her blasts had caused, straight towards her. He threw a punch straight towards her face, only to have her effortlessly dodge, his attack striking thin air.

She countered with a leg sweep, only for Cell to foresee this attack and act accordingly. The two traded empty blows, missing each other with every counter. Their expert footwork would be enough to make any masterful fighter flustered at the sheer skill.

Electricity flashed around the two combatants as they both worked to land a hit on their opponent. Cell could admire the skill and power this "Empress" was displaying. It was more than he was expecting any of the Remnant humans to be capable of, so it was a welcome surprise that one was managing to challenge him in his perfect form. However, he was barely breaking a sweat. He wasn't even close to using his full power.

This was just the warm-up.

Finally, their fists met, each one countering the power of the other. The pristine floor around them exploded from the sheer force of the blow. Cell and Empress both remained composed, floating above the crater that had formed. Bits of debris fell all around them, but neither fighter took their eyes off of their opponent. In fact, they were smirking at one another, almost as if they were enjoying their bout.

"You're good," Cell complimented, retracting his fist. Empress mirrored his movements until both fighters were standing with their hands to their sides, only two meters apart. "Your power and skill is a far cry from those whelps. I'm surprised the weakest among them managed to form such a formidable fighter."

"The fact you continue to underestimate our species is a surprise to even me," Empress grinned. "Do you think us unworthy, just because we are not Gohan or his father? If you ask me, Saiyans are overrated."

Cell was about to retort but gasped as Empress disappeared from sight. He doubled over in pain as a force slammed into his midsection. The smirking woman reappeared with her fist embedded in the android's abdomen. She extended her fingers, channeling her semblance. Cell roared in pain as the sound of tearing flesh permeated the arena. Protruding from his back, a black glass spear smeared with the bio-android's blood rested.

"Nice move," Cell growled as he lifted a leg. Before Empress could react, he swung up and nailed her in the jaw, sending her airborne. She recovered quickly, twirling and landing on her feet a couple of meters away, skidding slightly as she landed. Rubbing her jaw, a look of anger crossed her features as Cell ripped the glass from his body. Tossing it aside, the android flexed his insect-like body, regenerating the small hole instantly. "You don't waste any time going for the kill."

"I'm not interested in dragging this fight out any longer than it has to be," Empress stated before another grin appeared on her face. "I'd derive much more enjoyment from seeing your lifeless body at my feet."

"A shame," Cell drawled as he flexed his muscles once more, increasing his power to a new level. "I was hoping we'd be able to fully explore our powers, but it seems that won't be happening," he said, raising a hand and firing off a simple blast at her. The fusion reared her hand back and smacked it away, only to see Cell already up in her face.

She crossed her arms just in time to block a devastating punch from Cell, enough to make her arms throb. She could have sworn it would have broken bones if she hadn't been on guard at that moment.

The android pushed her onto defense, attacking her relentlessly without pause or hesitation. The maiden found herself quickly losing ground as she tried to find an opening in the monster's attacks. She grunted every time Cell slammed a part of his body into her defense.

"What's wrong?" Cell laughed as she managed to block a kick to her side. "Having trouble keeping up? Should I slow down for you!?" he mocked, increasing his speed even further. Empress furiously fought to regain the ground she had lost, but it seemed like Cell wasn't going to give her an inch here.

The observers of the fight could only watch with nervous anticipation as Empress defended against the ruthless onslaught.

"Damn, he's fast!" Raven hissed, trying to keep track of the high-speed battle. Her eyes were darting all over the arena as Empress and Cell moved at speeds she couldn't even dream of reaching.

"Come on, Weiss," Ruby whispered under her breath. She didn't even realize she was clutching the torn length of her skirt with white knuckles. Pyrrha and Blake were in the same boat of anticipation. They watched with bated breath, knowing that if Empress fell, there wasn't going to be enough time left to get Gohan and Yang. They had to hold out just a little bit longer!

"Hang in there, Cinder…" Pyrrha prayed.

Cell laughed as he kicked the woman away, watching her upright body skid once more across the tiled ground. She had sustained mild damage due to her impeccable defense, but even against Cell, she wasn't hardy enough to shrug off his blows.

"Come on!" Cell beckoned. "Show me more of your power! Surely this can't be all of it!?"

Empress grunted as she took a familiar stance. Hands by her side, she let her power explode outwards, reaching deep into the pits of her soul and pulling out all the power she had. If she was going to put Cell down, she needed to stop holding back the dam that contained her strength!

"That's more like it!" Cell boomed, looking on as Empress' aura took on a more solid pale blue color. Her entire body radiated energy only Cell was familiar with. He couldn't help but look on in slight awe as the fusion seemingly had mixed her energy with the magic of the Fall Maiden to a flawless degree. He was so awestruck by her power, he didn't even have time to react as she vanished and slammed into him.

Burning with power, Empress unleashed a torrent of physical attacks on the android that he was completely incapable of defending against at his current level of strength. Cell gaped, watching in shock as her attacks were a blur to his eyes. He felt his body pummeled, his strong outer shell cracking as she carried him through the air.

"This good enough for you!?" Empress roared, delivering an uppercut that sent the green monster airborne. She wasted no time rushing after him, bursting with power and leaving a sparkling trail of blue energy behind her. Charging a blast in both her hands, she rushed Cell, closing the distance and unleashing a blinding energy wave point-blank. "TAKE THIS!"

The white energy attack lit up the sky and stretched far beyond the planet's atmosphere, disappearing into the cold reaches of space. Everyone watched with anticipation as the light vanished, leaving a damaged Cell hovering in the sky. He was missing a piece of his insect-like wing. The green bug-crown the android had was cracked and bleeding, but that was the extent of the damage.

"Dammit, still in one piece?" Empress muttered under her breath. Cell was breathing heavily, but there was still a smile on his face despite the damage he had taken.

"Impressive!" he called out, causing the woman to scowl. "You have astounding power, but that won't be enough! Not to kill someone like me! You are up against the ULTIMATE WARRIOR!" Cell's energy intensified as thunder roared overhead. Lightning cracked all around and Vale in its entirety started to shake violently. The humans observing the fight looked around in shock as abandoned buildings crumbled to the ground. The ground in the fallen Kingdom split and fire started to pour out.

"Gods above," Pyrrha gasped, not believing the sheer destruction being caused.

"Remnant won't be able to sustain this kind of power," Blake said shakily. Fire and molten lava started to spew from the crevasses formed in the earth in Vale's destroyed remains. All eyes turned to her as her gaze fell to the metal foundations she and the rest of them were rested on. "Our planet is unstable. If more of this kind of power gets released and thrown around, there won't be a planet to save!"

"What!?" Raven exclaimed.

"But the people…!" Ruby's face lost all color. She looked around, extending her senses over the rest of the planet. There were still millions of people in Mistral and Vacuo. Even Atlas still had a population in the millions, despite Cell having leveled the Kingdom. "What do we do!?"

"Beat Cell," Blake stated simply. "We have to pray and hope Remnant holds out long enough to get rid of Cell."

"How is our planet unstable?" Pyrrha asked, hoping Blake knew the answer. The cat-faunus grimaced when her mind arrived at the answer.

"This power was once used to wage warfare across the entire world, long before any of us were born. Remnant sustained irreparable damage. The previous Guardian made sure that when that era passed, the knowledge of Ki was hidden away so that this would never happen again, so that our world and our people would continue to thrive."

"B-But the Grimm—!" Ruby started, only to have Blake shake her head sadly.

"We've been dealing with those monsters without ki for generations. Ki is far too dangerous to be public knowledge."

"Even a fool could blow up the planet," Raven added, her voice cold. "Even I saw the dangers of it. I wouldn't ever consider teaching it to my tribe."

"Because eventually, we'd end up in the same situation," Blake said, glaring at Cell, who had since clashed with Empress once again. The two fighters were even for the time being, but it was only a matter of time before Cell increased his power more. He had yet to climb to the heights he had showcased against his fight against Goku. "With a maniac too strong for us to deal with. Someone crazy enough to destroy our entire planet."

Silence hung over the group as the sonic booms of the two fighters clashing echoed throughout the now abandoned Kingdom of Vale. The arena that Cell had recreated was now in shambles, and the two fighters were airborne, blitzing one another with as much power as they could muster. Empress was operating at full-power, while Cell wasn't.

Still, the fused fighter was achieving what they had set out to do. Buy time for Gohan and Yang, while protecting all the lives they could.

"Ruby," Raven turned to the girl, summoning a portion of her energy in the form of a crimson ball. The silver-eyed girl turned her mother's teammate, staring at the energy in her hands. "Take this and get back to Earth," Raven commanded, directing the crimson energy she had summoned into Summer's daughter. Ruby shimmered with power, the sudden increase in energy uplifting the girl.

"And leave you guys here!? I—"

"GO!" Raven cut off the girl. "If you leave now, there won't be a chance for Cell to get to you if Cinder and Weiss' fusion fails. The sooner you get back, the better chance we have of getting Gohan and my daughter back to Remnant," Raven turned her gaze back to Empress who was starting to struggle now. Despite the girl's astounding power, Cell was a titan of strength. "It won't be long now. She can only hold out for a little while longer."

Ruby turned and looked at the fight still occurring. Weiss and Cinder were working together to buy as much time as possible with their new fused power. If Ruby squandered it here by just watching, Weiss would chew her out for something so inane. The reaper-huntress then steeled her resolve, turning to her weakened friends. Her uncle was still out cold and Android Sixteen was silent, staring on and watching the fight between Empress and Cell without uttering a single word.

"Go, Ruby," Blake said. "We'll be fine."

The leader of team RWBY raised two fingers to her forehead and gave her cat-faunus teammate a brave nod.

"I'll be back!"

Then she vanished.

"Just a little bit longer," Raven murmured, looking to her fallen brother. She then turned back to the fight, a pensive look covering her face. She hoped the fusion between Weiss and Cinder was able to hold for more time. If she fell before Ruby got back, then there was no telling how many of them would be killed. "Hang in there… for all our sakes."

The fused fighter and Remnant's predator clashed once more, delivering simultaneous punches to one another's faces. The resulting blow sent both of them tumbling in opposite directions. To the injured audience watching, both recovered at the same time, with Empress choosing to hold her ground defensively, while Cell burst back into action, eager to re-engage.

"YOU'RE MINE!" Cell roared as he closed the distance. The fused woman straightened up and smirked. With a flick of her hand, Cell found himself slowed almost to a halt. His dumbfounded expression became evident as a silver light shone from below him. It was as if his body was moving through mud, but he could still feel his momentum at maximum. "What… is… this…!?" even his words were slowed.

Empress stood, a smug grin plastered all over her face. She gestured to below his slowed hovering form. The Schnee glyph he had seen her fight with earlier was spinning madly below him. It was golden, showing the visage of an old clock, the hands spinning wildly in a counter-clockwise direction.

"That's…?" Pyrrha muttered in confusion, only to have Blake answer her unasked question.

"Weiss' time dilation!" Blake almost cheered. "I didn't think… I never even thought that it would have been of any use against Cell!"

The fused fighter glided forward, slamming a knee into Cell's chest before kicking upwards into his chin. She allowed her momentum to carry her movement, back-flipping, and landing in a combat-ready stance. Cell's rag-dolling body had yet to recover, so she decided to take advantage of his momentary weakness. Bringing forth some more energy, glass swords appeared in her hands, the trusty weapons of Cinder Fall.

Taking aim, the maiden threw the weapons, turning them into projectiles. She created as many as it would take to hurt Cell. Watching Cell get turned into a pin-cushion brought her immense satisfaction, and when he landed and glared bloody murder at her, Empress could only smirk.

The bio-android had a glass sword sticking out of both his arms, one leg, and another had found its mark in his upper chest.

"You asked for my full-power," she taunted. She raised a single fist and clenched it, a massive summoning circle appeared to her left. It burned with power as the maiden's aura exploded around her. "Now stay still and let me put you out of your misery."

"This fight is far from over," Cell bit back with calm, controlled anger as he slowly rose from his knelt position. His amusement was long since gone and now it seemed like he was on the verge of unleashing some serious power. However, the amount of power the fused maiden was generating was enough to give everyone watching pause. The large Schnee glyph grew in power, but slowly something started to emerge from the center of it. "What kind of parlor trick is this?" the biomechanical monster growled.

"Who is…?" Blake trailed off, but now it was Pyrrha's turn to answer that question.

"No way…! Is that Freeza!?"

Rising from the Schnee summoning circle, the late Emperor of the Universe rose in a glimmering pale blue ghostly form. Unlike his last appearance though, this summoning did not talk. All it did was walk to its summoners side, and stand ready for battle. Cell glared at this ability with confusion in his eyes. From his data, he knew this form to be Freeza. The Remnant humans had fought him briefly and won while he had waited patiently for the chance to achieve his perfect form.

How had this girl summoned him?

"Not yet!" Empress scowled as she concentrated more of her energy. To her right, five more summoning circles appeared, each spawning a copy of the Cell Juniors she had vanquished earlier. The look of astonishment on Cell's face couldn't have been more prevalent. Each of them held a ghostly appearance, pale blue and flaming with power. Although the power from them was not as impressive as the originals Cell had spawned. "Go, kill him!"

They all launched at Cell. The android scoffed as he allowed his power to sky-rocket. The familiar Super Saiyan golden aura exploded around the ultimate android as the glass swords inside his body turned to dust under his immense power and his wounds healed.

"You dare mock me by sending these puppets to fight!" Cell batted away the Junior-lookalikes with ease and delivered a kick to the ghostly mute Freeza. "You will suffer for this, that I promise!"

Cell took to the air and divided his attention between all the puppets that were mindlessly following him. There was no difference in their battle strategy. It was clear they were just drones with fluctuating power. However, that didn't make them any less annoying. Not a single one of them came close to touching him, for if they were to do any kind of damage, it would be beyond insulting. His pride would be more damaged than his perfect body.

All while Empress stood, watching, her magical aura coating her body. The observes looked on, clearly confused as to what was happening.

"What is she doing? Why is she just standing there?" Raven glowered at the still fighter. Quickly the answer came to her the moment Blake pointed out what was happening. Everyone saw it at once, while also hoping that Cell wouldn't notice.

"She's using time dilation again!" the new Guardian of Remnant exclaimed. Pyrrha's eyes switched between the fight with Cell and the ghostly apparitions, then back to her fused friend.

"On herself? But why?"

"Her power is increasing dramatically," a stoic voice stated. Everyone turned to the source of the voice, Android Sixteen held a grim expression as he observed the new Fall Maiden. "My scanners have detected a massive surge in power. It's increasing at a rate that shouldn't be possible!"

"She's accelerating her own power?" Pyrrha gasped, as she looked back to Cell. The android didn't seem to have any problems destroying the summons one by one. Out of the six that were summoned, only three were left and not a single one had landed an attack on the monstrous android. Then the maiden's plan struck her like lightning. "Her summons were just a diversion! She's—"

"Her power has surpassed Cell's!" Sixteen exclaimed in alarm. Raven stepped back in shock.

"It's still rising!"

Empress' aura had become a raging storm, power and magic circling her like a tornado. Her eyes were locked onto Cell as the power she was channeling suddenly burst to life in her hands. Two multi-colored balls of energy swirled in her unfolded palms, and only continued to grow in size. She watched as one by one, her summons were picked apart, the power she had sacrificed to summon them returning to her in droves, fueling her attack.

All seemed too good to be true until the green android turned his head to see his real opponent gathering strength. He scowled, smacking away another ghostly summon without even looking. The energy he was sensing was far beyond normal. In fact, it was so large it would force him to use more of his power if he was to be hit by it.

But… the thought of having to summon that much power just to defend himself against a mere human was sickening.

"Oh no you don't," Cell snarled, raising a hand and firing off a blast directly towards the fused maiden. She didn't even flinch, watching as the blast thundered towards her. At the last second before impact, the Freeza summon sped to its master's rescue, shielding her from the blast. Cell cursed at the failed attack before turning his attention back to the remaining summons. "Curse these throwaway pawns! You dare to use these pests as distractions!? Face me yourself!"

"Hypocrite," the fused maiden thought sourly, not rising to the bait that Cell had cast out.

The Freeza puppet erupted in energy and blitzed back into the fight after defending its master, all while Empress continued to stand in place, her body brimming with power. Any second now… she'd be ready. This was an attack she had thought of and designed in the moment, purely for the destruction of her opponent.

"You want to play games with us? Test your power and your limits?" the fused maiden thought darkly. Gritting her teeth, she channeled even more power into her attack, slowly raising her hands to aim at Cell as he destroyed her second to last summon. "I'll make you regret thinking that we're just toys you can play with!"

Her eyes tracked the android as he disposed of the remaining summons, blowing away the Freeza summon with a wave of energy. Her hands crackled with the elements as she took aim. The two multi-colored ki spheres in her hands melded together to create one, frightening sphere of energy. Cell only had enough time to turn, to witness as the sky itself, along with the desolate ruins of Vale, were lit with a blinding light.

"Incredible…" Cell breathed as Empress' power detonated, unleashing that attack she had so carefully crafted just for him.

A swirling wave of color, designed to disintegrate and eviscerate all life in its path, rocketed towards the android. The moment the fused maiden had unleashed the attack, it had blinded nearly everyone in the vicinity. The broken arena below Empress' feet crumbled away and turned to dust.

The surrounding area was blown away by winds that would have ripped skin from the bones of any normal person. What was once the broken, crushed remains of Amity Arena, was now scattered to the winds, leaving only a flat wasteland of rock and dirt.

Cell had no time to react. With his eyes blinded by the magnificent light, he allowed his power to rise as he threw up his hands to intercept the attack. He felt the burning energy attack slam into his hands like a freight train, pushing him back and up towards Remnant's outer atmosphere. The pain in his hands was like agony, but the warrior inside of him would not admit defeat so easily. His power burned and flooded his perfect form, giving him a better grasp of control over his defense… but…!

"What's this!?" Cell roared as he still found himself being pushed back. "This is ridiculous! She's only human!" the android tried to reason with himself. Even with his increase of power, he was still unable to push this attack back. Was he… really going to have to take it up another notch to drive off this pesky woman? Another power-up and he'd be one more step away from using his true power!

"It's still not enough!? After all of this!?" the fused maiden thought furiously. Anger exploded as her patience ran out. She wanted this monster dead and there was no point in holding back now! "PERISH!" she roared as she unleashed the depths of her energy. She watched as the bulge of energy made its way up the energy wave until it slammed into Cell. She felt the resistance Cell had been giving, falling away as the blast burst into the sky and stretched far into the dark reaches of space.

The fused maiden gasped as she allowed the energy wave to die out.

From the side effects of the blast, a smoke cloud had formed from all the dust and debris that had been kicked up from the environment. Empress managed to clear the area with what little energy she had left before she tried to find what happened to Cell. Gazing through the smoke cloud, she took to the air, hovering to where Cell once was. Stretching out her senses, she looked around, attempting to find the android.

"Where are you…?" the fused maiden thought, watching as the smoke cloud started to clear. When she still couldn't sense the terrifying monster, a smirk started to form on her features. However, just when she was about to celebrate, the energy she was looking for exploded behind her. Before she could react, a blast connected with her back.

Stunned and in agony, Empress hung in the air, trying to regain her balance. Luck was not on her side, as the android appeared, rushing through the cloud of smoke, his energy bursting and blowing away the dust and smoke.

"Fool!" Cell boomed as he swung his leg into her side. The maiden cried out, bones cracking under the immense power from the blow. The android looked livid. His upper left torso was obliterated, but he was still brimming with energy and ready to fight. "I don't need both hands to put you down!" the android roared, lifting his right hand and hammering it down on the back of her neck.

Sent barreling towards the ground, she impacted brutally, sending rock and debris everywhere. Embedded in her own crater, the fused form of Weiss and Cinder spat out blood as the magical power coating her form disappeared. Atop of the crater, Cell landed, looking as hateful as ever. He watched on, not showing any of the pain that Empress desired to see, despite missing his left arm and left portion of his chest.

"How are you… still standing?" Empress forced out, her voice clearly pained and spent. Despite this, she crawled out of the hole she found herself in. Cell scowled as he took a stance. Glowing with power once again, a rasping scream had the android pushing out a fresh part of his missing body. Dripping with green fluid he flexed his new body part, much to Empress' horror. "No…! What kind of sick joke is this!?" she hissed in disbelief. "How many times are you able to do that!?"

"I am the ultimate warrior! I will not be bested by a paltry attack like that," Cell snarled back at the girl. Clearly the perfect android did not take kindly to the attack she had unleashed. "To have damaged me in such a manner, you have my respect, girl," he paused for a moment, lifting his new arm and pointing an outstretched palm towards her. "But our fight ends here. You are out of tricks, and out of power. It's time for you to leave, and I will see you to an exit of my own making!"

Cell didn't hesitate to summon the power needed to dispose of this woman. He blasted without remorse or care. After all the problems she had caused him, she deserved nothing more fitting than death. He had wanted them all to see their failure when he had beaten all of them, but he could make an exception for this one.

Empress raised her arms weakly to block the oncoming attack. The attack lit up her vision like an oncoming star. She shut her eyes and hoped she would survive the energy blast.

Then…

Sound of movement.

"HA!"

The energy wave was smacked away like it was nothing. Empress opened her eyes to a most joyous sight, but all she could do was smirk lightly, despite having been seconds away from potential death.

"Took you long enough," the fused maiden scoffed.

Cell looked down at the crater in shock, his patience once more being tested. This newcomer he knew all too well. He had faced her multiple times in the past, her face being ingrained into his memory. Out of all the Remnant humans, there wasn't a single one he wanted to kill more than this girl.

"The charade never ends," Cell mused, crossing his arms. "Yang Xiao Long."

Stepping forward, Yang allowed her power to erupt around her in a beautiful golden aura.

"Miss me?"

A/N:

Hope you guys enjoyed that! I've been looking forward to writing this chapter for a long time now. I really hope you guys love it as much as I did writing it.

Had a few complaints about power scaling. Look I get it. It's pretty scuffed and the power creep is insane, but there's no way to change it now without rewriting the entire story. I am completely aware of this, but at this point, I'm 3 years deep into writing this story and I'm willing to accept it as oversight and an overall error. However, to maintain consistency, I'm not about the change the scaling now. Hope this clears this stuff up.

Cheers for reading, I'll see y'all soon.