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1[[quoteright:213:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/HonorTripCoverExample_7058.jpg]]
2[[caption-width-right:213:One of the illustrated covers for ''Honor Trip''.]]
3
4->''"A path of life, in all its glory, need not be predetermined."''
5
6''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4746383/1/Honor_Trip/ Honor Trip]]'' is a Fanfic written for ''Anime/DragonballZ'' by American Vigor, edited by Genescritor, and with amazing art drawn by Ruga-Rell and colored by [[http://ryunoohi.deviantart.com/ RyunoOhi]] ([[IHaveManyNames a.k.a.]] @/{{Roketto}}). The story features an alternate reality scenario in which Cell gains the opportunity to overcome his malicious evil and pursues a path of redemption. He becomes one of the Earth's greatest heroes in this epic twist of Dragon Ball reality and ends up assisting the Z-Warriors following the events of the Cell Games.
7
8Disclaimer: The Dragon Ball franchise is the property of Creator/AkiraToriyama, Creator/ToeiAnimation, Creator/FUNimation, Fuji TV, and other entities that have created or broadcast or otherwise disseminated official content for the franchise.
9
10The sophisticated writing style and frequent updates have made Honor Trip a tremendous success in the fanfiction community. Word of God has it that a spin-off ''Honor Trip'' revolving around Frieza may be in the works. As of June 2013, ''FanFic/SaviorOfDemons'' is the spiritual successor to ''Honor Trip''.
11
12----
13!!''Honor Trip'' includes the following tropes!!
14* AbsentMindedProfessor: Dr. Briefs, at times, and Professor Ignai, almost all the time.
15* AChatWithSatan: Done metaphorically, and literally, between [[spoiler: Cell and Future Cell,]] while one has absorbed and possessed the other.
16* AGodIAmNot: Cell can create [[spoiler: Temnizziv, the Dragon of Space and Time]], but he explains that despite his intelligence and other abilities, he can't [[spoiler: bring the remains of Namek (and the Namekian [[MacGuffin Dragonballs]] with them) out of a black hole.]] [[spoiler:Temnizziv]] himself, when asked if he is a god, responds that he is not, but is an "entity of great capability".
17* AliensAreBastards: Played straight, subverted, and generally turned on its ear with [[spoiler: the Arcosians]] - turns out they have every reason to be wary of other races.
18* AllYourPowersCombined: A heroic example. At the end of Season 3, Cell reads the minds of many different people in order to [[spoiler: create a new set of Dragon Balls.]] He is also able to learn Namekian healing, as well as gain immense knowledge of time travel from Bulma.
19* AlternateUniverseFic
20* {{Angrish}}: [[spoiler: Future Cell]] does this a LOT when he's losing.
21* ApologisesALot: Cell suffers this early in the story, especially the first few chapters. Justified in that he'd just come to his senses and realized the suffering he had inflicted on the Earth.
22* ArmorPiercingQuestion: In chapter 2, Gohan delivers this one to Mr. Satan:
23-->"My friend, the world deserves truth for so important an event as this," Gohan said. "Are you really willing to stick by your story? After all you've seen today, are you really going to take as much credit as you are for defeating Cell?"
24** In this case, it's a DefiedTrope, as [[FakeUltimateHero Mr. Satan]] foolishly decides to take the credit anyway.
25* TheAtoner: Cell and Broli.
26* BadIsGoodAndGoodIsBad: Due to his programming never receiving the PercussiveMaintenance treatment that his counterpart suffered, [[spoiler: Future Cell]] is doomed to always perceive the world this way.
27* BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind: A big part of the fight with [[spoiler: Future Cell]]. Cell tries everything in his power, including TalkingTheMonsterToDeath, and [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments harassing his captor]] [[ItMakesSenseInContext by beat-boxing a taunt]].
28* BigDamnHeroes: When Goku [[spoiler: comes from otherworld and rescues Trunks from Future Cell just before the latter kills him.]]
29* BornWinner: Due to being created and not born, Cell may be this. In any case, LamarckWasRight when it comes to inheriting the strength and abilities of his genetic 'parents'.
30* ByronicHero: In the beginning, Cell's new lease on life might make him similar to this trope.
31* CardCarryingVillain: [[spoiler: Future Cell]]. Specifically, he's a combination of Type 2 and Type 3, trying to corrupt the hero while reveling in destroying the Earth.
32* CelestialBureaucracy: This being a ''Anime/DragonballZ'' fic, Enma, Kami, and the variously ranked Kais appear, and play important roles. The "bureaucracy" bit is actually addressed by Cell himself in later chapters, when [[spoiler: he complains to Kaiou-sama and Enma about the fact that less-important souls (e.g., Bulma) have spirit tails instead of their whole bodies.]]
33* ChronicHeroSyndrome: Cell essentially states that his new-found purpose is to help others, turning him into this.
34* ContinuityPorn: American Vigor seems to have taken it upon himself to explain away the main shows major inconsistencies regarding time travel, otherworld and many other continuity errors that Dragon Ball Z seemed to have. Whether this is a good choice in terms of the narrative is up to the reader.
35* CoolSword: For Kaji, it's his ''faishin'' sword, which is a cross between a this and a [[MacheteMayhem machete.]]
36* CrackPairing: [[invoked]][[spoiler: Launch and Future Broli hook up at the end of Season 3!]]
37** Counts as BirdsOfAFeather if you consider their personalities.
38* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: WordOfGod says that [[ThePrankster Hufeh]] is this. He's second only to [[TheLeader Kaji]] [[LightningBruiser in the speed department,]] [[FatBastard despite how he looks.]]
39* CurbStompBattle: What transpires at Enma's Check-in Station after [[spoiler: Future Cell]] is finally killed, and decides to refuse his punishment. Cell, Broli, and Trunks show up to put him down once and for all, and it is awesome.
40* DarkAndTroubledPast: It would be an understatement to say that Kaji has one, what with [[DoomedHometown his home destroyed by the Saiyans]] [[WarIsHell at the beginning of their war,]] [[HandicappedBadass leaving him with a limp and]] [[ScarsAreForever some very prominent scars]].
41* DeaderThanDead: [[spoiler: Goku sacrifices his freaking soul just so that Trunks will have enough power to kill Future Cell. Good Cell asks his newly formed dragon if he can bring Goku back based of the dragons' knowledge of space, time, and different dimensions, but ultimately states that it is impossible.]]
42** Also a sort of AbstractApotheosis, as [[spoiler: Goku's sacrifice]] represents hope.
43* DescriptionPorn: Author American Vigor is known for this.
44* TheDeterminator: Notably [[ImplacableMan Cell]], [[ICanStillFight Trunks]], and [[OnlyAFleshWound Gohan]], although the human characters get their time to shine as well.
45* DimensionalTraveler: Cell and Trunks.
46* DirtyCoward: Future Cell, full stop.
47* TheDogBitesBack: [[spoiler: Future Cell's Cell Jr.s]] in Chapter 48.
48* DoesNotKnowHisOwnStrength: Broly is fully aware of his strength, but he still manages to send Krillin flying straight off of King Kai's planet with a fistbump.
49* DontMakeMeDestroyYou: Invoked by Cell against [[spoiler: Future Cell.]]
50* DyingRace: [[spoiler: Arcosians]] came from [[JustBeforeTheEnd a dying planet]], settled on a new one, and then promptly had a war with the Saiyans, severely reducing their population. They're understandably a bit xenophobic.
51* EscapedFromHell: [[spoiler: Future]] Cell tries to in Chapter 49. [[AlmightyJanitor Enma Daimaou]] ain't having it! [[spoiler: Future Cell doesn't particularly care about that, though it buys time for Cell, Broly and Future Trunks to show up, and deliver a thorough ass-kicking.]]
52* EstablishingCharacterMoment: The first lines introducing Kaji in the Arcos Special Chapter have him scowling, and annoyed at having to wait. The next paragraph is a flashback detailing the [[CurbstompBattle brutal]] NoHoldsBarredBeatdown he gave to a fellow soldier. Similarly, the other Arcosians are introduced in ways that reflect their personalities.
53* TheExile: Kaji, of course.
54* {{Exposition}}: Loads and loads of it.
55* ExpositionBeam: Cell masters this and uses it often to transfer and receive information instantaneously.
56* EvilCannotComprehendGood: [[spoiler: Future Cell]] is presented as this.
57* TheEvilsOfFreeWill: [[spoiler: Future Cell]] laments this about his now-good counterpart as they're fighting.
58* EvilTwin: More like "evil counterpart from another universe who [[GrandTheftMe hijacks the hero's body]]".
59* FaceMonsterTurn: Done to ''horrifying'' effect to the main protagonist.
60* FatBastard: [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] by Kaji's word-for-word exclamation when he first meets [[ThePrankster Hufeh]], but subverted when he decides that Hufeh's more of a FatIdiot...turns out, [[ObfuscatingStupidity he's]] [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass neither.]]
61* TheFarmerAndTheViper: Cell learns the hard way that you shouldn't forgive someone who is ''programmed'' to be an OmnicidalManiac.
62* FightingFromTheInside: Made all the more {{tearjerk|er}}ing when [[spoiler: Future Cell kills Bulma]].
63* FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling: [[TheComicallySerious Hagala]] and [[ThePrankster Hufeh]], to emphasize their SiblingYinYang personalities and appearances.
64* ForWantOfANail: If Gohan applied JUST enough force into an attack aimed directly at Cell's head... who knows what kind of mental trauma he might have inflicted without causing Cell to regurgitate #18?
65* FriendlyRivalry: Future Trunks and Broli. When last we see them before Cell returns to his timeline, they're setting up to have a sparring match in honor of their comrade's bravery and their recent victory.
66* FunctionalAddict: Some of Ignai's conversation implies that all Arcosians are addicted to wine, as it's a big part of their culture - to the point that his former comrades couldn't function without alcohol in their system. He invented a machine to address this problem & "restore social balance".
67* GadgeteerGenius: Who else but Bulma?
68* GeniusBruiser: Cell and Gohan, notably, though everyone in the story can sound like this from time to time due to SesquipedalianLoquaciousness.
69* GetItOverWith: Invoked by Cell in the first chapter to Gohan, after which he refuses to defend himself from Gohan's Masenko...needless to say, the coup de grace never comes, due to Gohan's better judgement of Cell's personality change.
70* GoodIsNotNice: Practically ''everyone'' when it comes time to lay the final beatdown on [[spoiler: Future Cell.]]
71* GrandTheftMe: The source of most of the drama for the past story arc; [[spoiler: Cell]] has been hijacked/absorbed by [[spoiler: Future Cell]], and his allies are desperately [[IKnowYouAreInThereSomewhereFight fighting the bad guy]], while realizing that [[AndIMustScream their friend is alive and conscious of the atrocities he's being made to commit.]]
72* GuiltFreeExterminationWar: Perpetrated on ''both'' sides in the war between [[spoiler: the Arcosians & the Saiyans.]]
73* HairTriggerTemper: Kaji. His default personality is annoyed, and his moods only get less friendly. Of course, [[SurroundedByIdiots he has to constantly deal with Hufeh's shenanigans]], which would test anyone's patience.
74* HaveYouTriedNotBeingAMonster: Cell uses this and other, more logical arguments to try to persuade [[spoiler: his evil counterpart from the alternate future]] from being, well, evil.
75* TheHermit: Broli is living on a remote planet, far away from civilization when the heroes find him.
76* HollywoodTourettes: [[AvertedTrope Averted]] with [[AbsentmindedProfessor Ignai]], who the author acknowledges is based on fellow fanfic author Davidstarlingm. He displays tics of the physical variety.
77* HotBlooded. Everyone, once they get going.
78* HumiliationConga: [[spoiler: Future Cell]] is summarily {{Curb Stomp|Battle}}ed, killed, and suffers a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown in Otherworld, before finally the heroes literally kick him into Hell.
79* ICantBelieveImSayingThis: In Gohan's case in the second chapter, "I must be crazy for doing this".
80* IronWoobie: [[invoked]] Future Trunks, who hails from a [[CrapsackWorld doomed alternate universe]] where [[DeaderThanDead literally ALL the heroes are dead]]. He rarely, if ever complains about this fact.
81* JackOfAllTrades: Cell is fast becoming one, thanks to his ability to absorb peoples' knowledge and memories (with their permission, of course).
82* JadeColoredGlasses: When the heroes first find Broli, he's metaphorically wearing these, as his outlook on life and himself is understandably pessimistic.
83* JerkassWoobie: [[invoked]] Kaji is presented as this.
84* KickThemWhileTheyAreDown: In spades, in pretty much every CurbStompBattle. Mostly on the villains' side, but rarely, the heroes indulge in this a bit.
85* LargeAndInCharge: For the most part, since Cell is freakishly tall, he fits this trope, except when his group of companions/allies includes Broli, who is taller. Subverted with the [[FiveManBand Kaji's patrol unit]] in the upcoming Arcos Arc, as [[http://fav.me/d591wyw early character sketches]] clearly show him as the shortest member of the group.
86* LivingLegend: Broli is well-known for carving a swathe of destruction wherever he goes, which is why he [[TheHermit went into hiding.]]
87* MartialPacifist: Son Gohan, who is mild-mannered outside of battle, but does NOT hold anything back in his fights.
88* MemoryGambit: Naturally, the Z-Fighters think that Cell is attempting one of these. Fortunately, Word of God starts the story stating, "A path of life, in all its glory, need not be predetermined" and so the story's premise dictates Cell's new-found humanity.
89* MessiahCreep: Cell is starting to fill the position of universal savior, what with his new [[spoiler: Dragonball-creating abilities]].
90* MindRape: Attempted, with varying levels of success, by [[spoiler: Future Cell]] on Bulma, Enma, and a few others.
91* MrExposition: Usually Cell, but other characters get in on the act, too, especially when they're explaining the science behind some of what's taking place.
92* MuggingTheMonster: An indirect example - in this case it's Bulma being mugged, and Cell coming to her rescue and frightening away the hapless {{Stupid Crook|s}}.
93* MultiversalConqueror: [[spoiler: Future Cell's]] ultimate aspiration.
94* MundaneAfterlife: In chapter 51, Broly is surprised to learn that Hell isn't a fiery place of torture. Rather, as Kaiou-sama explains, "Hell itself is boring".
95** He goes on to say, "[[IronicHell An eternity of doing relatively nothing]] and not having much of any opportunities to truly further their knowledge, skills, or abilities, we thought, would be an appropriate punishment for entities who wanted to increase their status through harming others. Of course [[ValuesDissonance the denizens of Hell who retained their bodies and minds have the opportunity to fight each other]], but if they experience pain because of that, it's their own damn fault, not ours".
96* MusclesAreMeaningless: Reiterated again and again, by several characters.
97* MyFutureSelfAndMe: The story has this in the form of Cell (who is now a protagonist), and Future Cell, who is most decidedly ''NOT''.
98* NeuroVault: [[AlmightyJanitor Enma Daiou]] has a surprisingly labyrinthine mind that not even [[spoiler: Future Cell]] could crack to obtain knowledge of Otherworld's various barriers.
99* NiceJobBreakingItHero: If Cell would have just let Trunks [[spoiler: kill Future Cell in Gero's lab]] they both could have avoided a major tragedy.
100* TheNicknamer: Hufeh delights in giving his more serious brother demeaning, insulting nicknames, and also seems to have a nickname for everyone else in the group...except [[HairTriggerTemper Kaji,]] of course.
101* NonMammalMammaries: Emphatically [[AvertedTrope averted]] in female Arcosians and other alien species.
102* NoNonsenseNemesis: [[spoiler: Future Cell.]]
103* NotSoDifferentRemark: Cell and [[spoiler: his evil counterpart from the future.]] Cell even reflects that if Gohan hadn't inadvertently reprogrammed him, he would have been the same in his universe.
104* OneGenderRace: Averted with Frieza's race, the Arcosians.
105* OnlySaneMan: Poor Kaji, forced to constantly be in close proximity to [[ApologisesALot Hagala]], [[ThePrankster Hufeh]], [[AbsentmindedProfessor Ignai]], and [[GadgeteerGenius Kataba]].
106* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Taken seriously in the story proper, but ''completely'' inverted/played with/lampshaded in the special parody chapters.
107* OutOfCharacterMoment: Pops up occasionally, usually when author exposition puts big words or meaningful Technobabble in [[IdiotHero Goku's]] mouth.
108* OvershadowedByAwesome: In the Arcos Special Chapter, Kaji references this when he compares himself to Frieza. He's fairly strong for his age, and has the military rank to prove it - but when your leaders can blow up planets, you don't look so strong in comparison.
109* PaleFemalesDarkMales: Played straight with all of the Arcosians shown so far - females are not quite as bright & showy, while males display very saturated colors.
110* PerpetualFrowner: Kaji displays the "angry and angsty" variety, [[FrozenFace but he can't really help it.]]
111* PersonOfMassDestruction: This is a DBZ fic. The only ones who are not explicitly people of mass destruction are the non-combatants (like Bulma), and the general populace of whatever planet the story arc is focusing on.
112* PlanetOfHats: Arcos is, ironically, not a planet full of {{Physical God}}s or {{Proud Warrior Race Guy}}s. Their hat is probably closer to being [[ProudMerchantRace merchants/traders,]] exemplified by the Royals' position at the head of the Planet Trade Organization.
113* PoisonousCaptive: A rare heroic example in Cell, who is helpless other than his sharp wit and even sharper tongue at the hands of [[spoiler: Future Cell]], who thinks that he has effectively neutralized the biggest threat to his plans by incapacitating Cell.
114* PragmaticHero: Broli. Understandable, given that he's still got shades of his old bad habits.
115* ThePrankster: Hufeh is first introduced when he locks Kaji in a room and then nearly gets killed [[DisproportionateRetribution when the latter breaks the door down and almost kills him.]] Later, Hagala explains that his brother's antics are what got them on the expedition team in the first place.
116* PrecisionFStrike: At first these were [[TWordEuphemism bleeped out]], but in later chapters they were not.
117* PresentAbsence: Goku. He's either in another universe, [[KilledOffForReal dead]], or otherwise unavailable to aid in the major battles, but he's always talked about as a paragon of positive influence, hope, etc...
118* PresentCompanyExcluded: From Chapter 49:
119-->"Now, at last, all of those damn androids are dead."\
120Upon realizing exactly what he had said, Trunks turned to directly face Cell, and grinned. "No offense, of course," Trunks said.\
121"Of course none is taken," Cell said, with a humble grin as well.
122* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: All the Saiyans, and Cell by proxy, because of his [[LegoGenetics biological heritage]].
123* RageBreakingPoint: [[HairTriggerTemper Kaji's]] story begins with a flashback to another soldier egging him on and insulting him. He wouldn't have succeeded in getting to Kaji, [[TrashTalk if he hadn't first implied that Kaji didn't deserve his rank]], and then attacked his weak points. [[DisproportionateRetribution Also, Kaji probably wouldn't have beaten him to death.]]
124* ReassignedToAntarctica: Or, in Kaji's case, given the choice between a perpetual jungle trek...[[TheUriahGambit or]] [[PlaceWorseThanDeath PRAML.]]
125* RedemptionQuest: Just replace ''redemption'' with ''honor'' and ''quest'' with ''trip''.
126* RedemptionRejection: [[spoiler: Future Cell]] does this, in conjunction with an IgnoredEpiphany.
127* ReformedCriminal: Cell pretty much outright says he's this.
128* RightMakesMight: Cell is a good guy. He also spends a disproportionate amount of the story locked in violent combat. Even the other protagonists are quick to note that they're GladHesOnOurSide.
129* SacrificialLion: [[spoiler: Son Goku himself.]]
130* SenselessSacrifice: [[spoiler: When Master Roshi attempts to trap Future Cell by using the Mafuba. He succeeds, but collapses and dies shortly after. Cue Future Cell breaking out of the trash can that Roshi trapped him in.]]
131* ShutUpHannibal: "Oh, shut up, already," Cell said, interrupting [[spoiler: Future Cell]] and causing him to become even more livid. "Face it, [[spoiler: my counterpart]] – despite the fact you're already dead, you're screwed."
132* SignificantAnagram: Combined with a ShoutOut, [[spoiler: Temnizziv]] is an anagram of [[spoiler:[[TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering Niv-Mizzet]]]].
133* SlasherSmile: [[MadScientist Rats]][[EvilutionaryBiologist ura.]]
134* SpeechBubblesInterruption: Done [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments hilariously]] in the Valentine's Day 2013 Gag Strip featuring [[PrecisionFStrike Frieza's reaction]] to [[http://fav.me/d5v3ecf Cell and Isa.]] The WordOfGod reason for this is that the artist, Roketto, doesn't use profanity...but the joke practically wrote itself.
135* StartOfDarkness: We get a few tantalizing clues to Frieza's past in the Arcos Special Chapter.
136* StutterStop: Ignai tends to stutter and generally have trouble speaking when he's nervous or agitated, but speaks normally otherwise.
137* SuperpoweredEvilSide: Subverted. Turns out Cell fights better when he has friends and allies than if he just has megalomania and universal domination as his motivator.
138* SuperSenses: Everyone who isn't a normal human, but especially Cell, since he often draws attention to his heightened senses, especially his hearing.
139* SurroundedByIdiots: Undoubtedly, Kaji's initial impression of his companions.
140* TheSvengali: Foreshadowing in the Kaji Special implies that General Polaris is both this and a TreacherousAdvisor.
141* TearsOfRemorse: In the first chapter, this is what stops Gohan from delivering the killing blow to the now-changed, genuinely remorseful Cell.
142* TechnicalPacifist: Cell in the main timeline, due to his oath to never commit evil acts again.
143* ThatLiarLies: Vegeta's reaction in the first couple of chapters to Cell becoming reformed.
144* TragicVillain: [[spoiler: Future]] Cell.
145* TheFettered: Cell himself definitely counts.
146* TheMedic: This being a DBZ fic, anyone who has [[HealingHands healing powers]] or is carrying [[HealThyself Senzu]] counts.
147* TheyreCalledPersonalIssuesForAReason: Kaji invokes this when Ignai asks him where he was during the war.
148* TokenEvilTeammate: Cell is a mild example at first, and later Broli is introduced in this role.
149* UnfazedEveryman: Cell's lawyer, who seems to have rather quickly come to terms that he's defending a former OmnicidalManiac who looks like an insectoid human.
150* ViewersAreGeniuses: The author, American Vigor, loads an already good fanfiction with virtual science/math/physics porn to appeal to some genius fans who love debating about how things like ki and magic work in the DBZ universe.
151* VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler: Future Cell, obviously.]] Complete with profanity, SanitySlippage, and one final attempt at an EarthShatteringKaboom.
152* WalkingDisasterArea: Cell, through no fault of his own, tends to act as this.
153* WellDoneSonGuy: Elements of this, arguably, in [[spoiler: Future Cell's]] motivations.
154* WingedHumanoid: Bizarrely, Cell has large, insectoid wings in [[BishonenLine all three of his forms]], which couldn't have conceivably come from ''any'' of his [[LegoGenetics genetic donors.]]
155* WhatYouAreInTheDark: A big, overarching theme of morality and BlackAndWhiteMorality.
156* WhichMe: Both in the production of the story, and in-canon, it was quite a task distinguishing the two Cells, considering that technically, they are ‘both’ from the future.
157* YoungerThanTheyLook: Cell in all of his incarnations is much, much younger than you'd expect - even with all the time-traveling he had to do to reach a timeline where he could absorb the Androids, he's still only in his early twenties. Of course, it's hard to tell with someone who doesn't [[LegoGenetics physically resemble any of his parent/donor species]] and retains all of their memories and experiences.
158* YourApprovalFillsMeWithShame: Cell to [[spoiler: Future Cell.]]
159* YouCouldHaveUsedYourPowersForGood: [[spoiler: Future Cell]] laments this the entire time he's fighting Cell, and can't seem to wrap his head around why Cell would want to go against his programming.
160* YouHaveToBelieveMe: Cell, in the first chapter.

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