I am Kera, a Saiyan Warrior Princess

Chapter 41

Piccolo:

Cell let another shock wave hit them. Piccolo and the others were thrown away from Cell. Cursing, Piccolo spun in the air and tried to catch himself, but the ground came faster than he expected and he slammed down so hard that he couldn't breathe for a moment. To his right and left he heard Yamcha, Krillin and Tien Shinhan also coming down hard. Groaning in pain, they remained lying there.

Enraged, Piccolo slammed his fist on the ground. He had no strength left. He could barely turn his head and saw only Krillin in his field of vision. He seemed to feel the same way. They all had no strength left and were just waiting for the end.

Then a flash of energy lit up the horizon. Vegeta had come down from the rock. He was hovering over Cell and had hit him with a very large energy ball. Breathing heavily, he stared at the two fighting.

Gohan took advantage of Cell's brief inattention and put the last of his strength into the Kamehameha. His attack drove Cell's energy ball back to the convict.

Captivated, Piccolo watched the two wrestle. "Come on, kid! Just a little more!" he tried to shout, but all that came out was a whisper. He didn't even have enough energy left to speak. He wished he could stand beside Gohan. The boy just had to make it. He had trained so incredibly hard and still had dreams he wanted to fulfil after the fight. Piccolo had promised himself to always support him in this. Together with Kera.

Piccolo had to close his eyes. The energies of the two attacks combined. It became dazzlingly bright. He heard a loud scream that became quieter and quieter until it finally fell silent.

Only hesitantly did he open his eyes again. The light of the Kamehameha had gone out. He first looked forward to where Cell had been standing, but he was no longer there. Then his gaze slid to the right to Gohan, who looked exhausted, but smiled and looked over at him briefly. Then his hair colour changed back to black and he slumped to one side.

Piccolo searched for Cell's energy with all his senses. He no longer felt it. Cell's energy was nowhere to be found.

Cell was defeated. The Cell games were over. Gohan had done it.

With a suppressed groan, Piccolo rose from the dusty ground and walked slowly to Gohan. Yamcha and Tien Shinhan were already with him, talking at him. Yamcha had slightly straightened Gohan's upper body. Obviously the little boy was too weak to hold himself up on his own.

Then Piccolo noticed something else. He didn't see Kera anywhere. He reached out to her with all his senses. He felt nothing. He called her name loudly and mentally. It remained silent. Panic seized him. He took a few steps in one direction, turned and then went back again. As he did so, he called her name again and again. His mental calls seemed to be swallowed up by a black silence. Was that it? Cell was defeated, but he couldn't share the joy of it with Kera? His thoughts became more sombre.

"Piccolo, over here!" Krillin's voice brought him back to the present. He stood halfway between Piccolo and the others and beckoned to him. The Namekian quickened his steps and came to a skidding halt beside Krillin.

Kera was lying on her stomach, her left arm stretched forward as if she had wanted to reach for something. Her head rested on her right arm, her left cheek pointing upwards. She had her eyes closed. Dust and soil covered most of her body, so that she was only recognisable on closer inspection.

Gruffly, Piccolo pushed Krillin aside and knelt beside Kera. Gently, he stroked her cheek, wiping away some of the dirt.

"Her pulse is very faint," Krillin said beside him. Piccolo put two fingers to her carotid artery and was relieved to feel the faint pulsing. Krillin patted him encouragingly on the shoulder and went to join the others.