Book 4: The Dissonance of The Earthling Saiyan (Dragon Ball Z)

Chapter 21: What it means to stick together! Power comes in numbers!

Chapter 21 Plot:

Chapter 21: "What it means to stick together! Power comes in numbers!" The deadline is due to end! The warriors all brace themselves, taking in the training they endured to heart. But Kakarot isn't too shaken, and neither is Raditz. It's questionable, but the two brothers always seem to know what is going on. Knowing how powerful Cell is, they should be at least a little nervous? After what occurred for the last few days, Prince Vegeta finally came to a conclusion. And Prince Tarble seems to come to some agreement. There is no reason to play around anymore. Everyone has the dreadful feeling that not all of them will walk from the upcoming fight alive.

WITH THAT IN MIND…

During their period in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, the warriors are left with their own thoughts and conflicts that begin to surface. How will they tackle these in the upcoming fight is the biggest question. They may seem like hardened warriors on the outside, but in the inside, they have endured several years of living hell.

A/N: Espeon804 here with another great chapter!

PUBLISHED: SEPTEMBER 19, 2021! (bruh)

WORDS: 20,954

ONE. WHOLE. YEAR. HOW?

If you are reading this, I am so very sorry for keeping you waiting for this long. I literally have no excuses. I just lost interest in writing this series for a long while. I was slowly losing it for years, if…you couldn't tell from the published gaps.

Good grief, in a few months I'll be 23. What the heck is going on anymore?

I feel so old.

A lot of things in my personal life happened. The heaviest being losing another close family member, but I don't want to go into details about that. After getting some concerned comments, I stumbled across this document and told myself that I should at least finish it.

Would you believe it if I tell you I wrote the majority of this chapter this month? Sad.

Considering there are about 8 chapters left, I shouldn't abandon this project. Regardless, you may notice a change in my writing style, or not. I'm not sure if it changed at all.

What books have I read? Let's see. I'll list them here I guess.

*Strong Hearts are Mandatory, by Teelia Pelletier

*Warriors: Into the Wild (again since middle school.), By Erin Hunter

*Shadow and Bone, by Leigh Bardugo

*Mistborn, by Brandon Sanderson

*A Song of Ice and Fire: "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

Still have a lot more to read. I've always been practicing on characterization and other stuff. This series is a hot mess as is, but the idea of abandoning it kinda sucks.

Sorry this note isn't as energetic as usual. I just wanted to put that out there.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN DB, DBZ, DBGT, DBZKAI, OR DBS! Akira Toriyama does!

Key:

"Talking"

"Foreign Language"

'Thoughts'

'Telepathy'

Sometimes I wonder how many people really enjoyed this series. I appreciate the support.

-Espeon804

- Chapter 21: What it means to stick together! Power comes in numbers! -

The very moment she stepped inside, her instincts informed her that something was amiss.

No. They don't just inform her. They screamed.

But, she can't figure out why.

Below her feet appears to be marble, is it? Kauli can't exactly tell, never truly being interested in the details of what material makes a building. But, this appears to be part of the palace, or perhaps an extension?

The further she walks in, the more her eyes struggle to take everything in. She nearly loses her breath once she finds herself in the living room.

"Holy shit…! I'm sleeping like a baby tonight!"

She's surrounded by high-quality furniture, and the shelves are packed with supplies that would keep her entertained—or so she hopes. Perhaps there are a few books Kami had been kind enough to leave behind.

Kakarot walks up beside her, placing his fists near his hips. He shares her interest, nodding a couple times. "He really outdid himself, didn't he?"

It's too bad she hardly got to know the guy. Not that she really wanted to, but to meet someone and hear they are gone… it's somewhat surreal.

"If we are gonna live like this for a year, I sure ain't gonna want to go back," Kauli says honestly, as she presses her hand against one of the couches. "Did he put memory foam in here or what?"

"Memory foam?" Kakarot echoes. His confused tone only causes Kauli to roll her eyes. "Does it make you remember things when you eat it?"

Kauli glances at him, giving him a funny look. "Please don't be stupid today."

"What?" Kakarot is nearly offended. "It was just a question!"

"A very dumb one. Don't ask that when we get out of here." Kauli shakes her head as she walks over to the shelving.

"Why is it called memory foam then?"

"It's the material used inside," Kauli answers. "Look. I would love to give you a better insight, but we are on a time frame. I'm the one who's supposed to be asking questions, right?"

"Hm…" Kakarot nods, agreeing with her. He decides to limit his own questions. He's been around ChiChi and Bulma enough to know when a woman is about to lose her patience.

Or maybe that's just them?

He gives her a bit of distance to do a bit of his own exploration. It appears a lot has changed inside since the last time he was here. Either that, or his memory of the inside has been foggy.

Kauli is looking at a few books. Hardly any of them grab her attention yet. She begins to wonder if Kami's choice of reading is just as bland as he looked to her.

This entire place is more like a vacation home than a time chamber. She was expecting… endless floating hourglasses. A childish imagination…

The clatter of dishes tears her from her thoughts. Turning her head to the source, she isn't surprised to see Kakarot already looking through the kitchen. Her thoughts shift to Raditz for a second, and she frowns. "They told you not to eat up everything."

"I was just checking the place out," Kakarot says as he opens the fridge. A flick from his tail is a signal of interest. He leans closer, almost chuckling. "He really packed this place!"

"Get out of the damn fridge," Kauli says, crossing her arms.

"Huh?" He looks at her strangely. "Why should I—"

"I said, get out. We ain't eating right now. K?" Kauli raised an eyebrow at the last word, almost testing him. "Aren't you supposed to be teaching me how to fly better and whatever?"

"But, I'm hungry—"

"No you ain't. You just wanna eat because you see it."

"No! I really want to—"

"Get your big head outta that fridge!"

Kakarot closes the door and sighs. "Fine… geez. It's like having another Raditz in here. No fair…"

He pauses, noting her expression not changing.

"... Shouldn't you be resting anyway? We have an entire year anyway. We can start training tomorrow," Kakarot says. He quickly adds, "Not because I want to eat! You still look exhausted. You know… you drained yourself saving Nappa. Your eyes are still sorta grey-looking…"

Kauli opens her mouth to say something against it, but after thinking it over… she realizes he isn't wrong. How should she expect to perform well after that? Her father always criticized her to not overwork herself. Maybe she should remember to take his advice. He's not around to remind her anymore.

"You know what? Go for it," she finally says. "Maybe I should eat a little something anyway. Just don't overdo it."

Kakarot grins before he heads back to his favorite room. Already he is working hard on making a quick meal. Hopefully, he will take her request seriously.

Kauli can only wonder how this fool could possibly teach her anything. But, she has seen him when he gets angry. She witnessed his ugly side before. That's when he's serious. But, as a teacher?

A part of her begins to regret agreeing to this. Perhaps Tarble would have been a better teacher? Then again, everyone has a few screws loose.

She shakes her head before leaning back against the couch. She'll just have to tolerate this for an entire year.

An entire year with Kakarot.

"Damn…" It just sunk in. "I gotta deal with this fool for a whole year? A part of me wonders if him training with his own son would be a better idea. They really need to fix their relationship…"

Tarble has his reasons for arranging things the way he did, but there are some questionable pairs.

"It's gonna be so weird, not seeing Vegeta's ugly mug everyday, or hearing all that bickering. I probably could get used to this…"

Still, something feels missing.

It's too quiet here.

- 0000 -

A lone capsule is tossed in the middle of the Lookout. Bursting in a cloud of smoke, a long table coated with food is now present. Hungry eyes are glued on the contents, but they snap free as clapping is sounded.

"Looks like ChiChi was kind enough to pick up my slack," Gine says, pleased with the results displayed before her. "I'd say I outdid myself, but she is just as great as a cook. Though, she didn't have to trouble herself. I don't want her to work so hard while carrying her baby."

Raditz chuckles at what is offered. The food choices almost seem endless, enough to feed an entire city, perhaps. "Don't forget I put my hand into this as well. See the grilled bull over there? My speciality."

"Yeah, but you got lazy," Turles says, crossing his arms. "Mom did most of the cooking this time. Missing the old days or what?"

Raditz growls at his comment. "Don't start. You don't want to annoy me when I'm hungry."

"Oooh. I'm so scared. You're going to go Super Saiyan and beat me to shit? That's bullying, and you know how much mom hates that." Turles is grinning now, challenging Raditz to try the stunt.

"... You never changed," Raditz grumbles. "I'm not going to let you tempt me. That trick only worked when we were kids, and I do not want my tail tied in a knot because of you."

"Now, now, boys. Let's save the talking for after we eat," Gine says, as she begins to pass out plates. "No one can train on an empty stomach. You'll be immobilized before you know it if you keep getting sidetracked from what's in front of you."

"That's just your sons who have that problem," Nappa points out. He is already studying the options. "I don't know any other Saiyan who can't move when starved."

"The upper-class were always well fed, so that doesn't surprise me," Gine says. "Now then, has everyone washed up?"

"Are you kidding? Who has the time to wait?" Vegeta rudely pushes her aside before serving himself large portions of food. He sees the angry glare from Gine. "Honestly, I shouldn't even be serving myself! How incompetent are you low-classes?"

Gine bites back a snarl before turning away. "Inconsiderate…"

Tarble crosses his arms. "Now, now, Vegeta. She went through all the trouble to assure that we are fed well. There is no need to be so rude. Such troublesome behavior is exactly why we are hanging by a rope as is. They shouldn't have to wait in line."

He snatches the serving utensil from his brother's hands, and he hands it to Broly, who turns it in many angels out of curiosity.

"Hey!" Vegeta growls. "You're telling me I should have to wait?"

"I'm asking you to stop being a prick and wash your hands as she asked," Tarble says, narrowing his eyes. "Don't be a bully. Broly doesn't like them."

The mentioned Saiyan turns to Vegeta. He doesn't seem to be very fond of the attention he is getting at the moment.

"I will also have to arrange some sort of strategy to convince Broly to lean on the idea of combat," Tarble says, monitoring how much Broly is serving himself. "He's not so willing to help us yet."

"So, he basically refuses to fight," Nappa says. "I honestly can't blame him. But that's no good against the likes of Cell."

"If we try to force Broly to fight Cell… we'll only end up killing ourselves," Tarble says. "It's unfortunate, but what else can we really do other than slowly introduce him to the idea?"

It's exactly why Gine is fine with the idea of Tarble handling Broly. Everyone else can only hope that the younger prince doesn't try to take advantage of it. Hopefully Gine is right that he wouldn't consider it too much.

Vegeta clearly wants to make a comment, but he doesn't seem to want to waste his time on it. Instead, he waits—rather annoyed—for everyone to serve themselves before he is allowed to have his own portion.

'This is ridiculous!' he thinks to himself. 'I shouldn't have to be last in line! I swear I will strangle that Tarble to sleep once Broly is far from his sight!'

"Hey. What gives?" Raditz waves his hand inside the apparently hollow fish. "Why are we being served this? There is nothing inside, mom!"

"Huh? Really?" Gine takes a closer look. "That's strange. It wasn't like this before. There's no way the humans could have eaten this up back at the ship… well, unless…"

"That's not the slightest bit possible," Turles says.

"Well, your baby nephew is with ChiChi, right?" Gine asks Raditz.

Raditz has the thought. For a few seconds, he is in a bit of disbelief. "You're telling me the squirt actually ate the entire fish?"

"He's teething," Gine says. "A lot."

"Oh, that's just perfect." Raditz groans.

- 0000 -

"The first thing to remember is to always be aware of your surroundings. Though, I'm pretty sure you know that already. The army taught you all the basics, huh?"

Kakarot didn't imagine he would ever be a teacher. It sounded fun and interesting at first, but he was never informed how difficult it would be to teach. He forgot just what sort of student he is dealing with.

Kauli has far less patience than his wife, which says a lot. She'll grow too bored or tired quickly and want to lay down. It's a bit of a killjoy. He will just have to find some way to peak her interest. Otherwise, how else will she get stronger? His own son is far stronger than her! Then again, didn't Vegeta once mention it had something to do with his Human half?

The silence tells Kakarot that she isn't even listening anymore. He looks at her, the woman laying across the couch with her tail waving against the armrest. She looks a bit too comfortable, as if she could fall asleep at any given moment.

"Hey! Kauli! C'mon! We are supposed to be training, but you're just laying there!"

"Sorry. It's just, you're standing there talking so much. It's putting me to sleep." Kauli rolls her eyes before laying her head back, tapping her knee as she stares at the ceiling. "You're a terrible teacher. You suck."

"That wasn't very nice."

"Ain't nobody ever told me I have to be." Kauli almost snorts. "Look. I ain't trying to be a burden, but I thought you Saiyans like to fight and all. You haven't even lifted a finger with me yet."

"Well, Turles was worried that I might kill you," Kakarot says in defense. "He would never let me go if that ever happens. He likes you a lot."

A ring of laughter echoes through the room. Her tail beats the armrest as she throws her head back, completely amused. "Turles? He worries about me? That's cute. What's next? Vegeta comes to me and says he is sorry? You've got to be shitting me."

"Turles isn't all that bad. Once you get to know him, he's pretty nice. If it makes you feel better, he told me he wished I was never born when we first met."

"I… don't think that's something that would make me feel better. That just makes me feel bad for you."

"Oh. Sorry."

"No, no. Don't apologize. I hear you. I'll try to take your word for it, that Turles is a little concerned. Yeah, yeah." Kauli finally sits up, stretching out her arms against the cushions. "You gave me a good laugh, though. So, you have my undivided attention. Don't kill it. If you think I already know something, don't tell me."

That's a tough one. What does she not already know? The basics are pretty much out of the way.

Wait. The basics are out the way, aren't they? They have an entire year to get stronger, right?

Without wasting another second, Kakarot lunges from where he stands, knocking over the table all while throwing a fist towards her.

"YO, WHAT THE—"

His attack is blocked by crossed arms. Kauli bites her tongue, only to gasp as the couch leans back. She screams once it flips over.

"Oops. I think I went overboard there," Kakarot says. "It wasn't even that hard!"

A single arm wraps around the down couch. Kauli pulls herself up, her eyes burning. Opening the palm of her hand, blue light gathers into a compressed sphere.

Kakarot smiles. "Hey! You can manipulate energy better now! You're not so bad anymor-AAAH!"

She slams the sphere directly on his face, and it bursts into an explosive impact that sends him flying back.

- 0000 -

Upon entering the time chamber, it felt very much like one of the few planets Nappa had conquered in the past. Standing in the heightened gravity isn't an issue. The breathing part is what annoys him. It's a nuisance, really. It will take some time to grow used to.

Karot on the other hand… the child is on his hands and knees, looking as if he could pass out at any second. The poor child has never been exposed to anything like it before. He's the most sheltered and unsheltered Saiyan child Nappa has ever met.

"Focus, and slow your breathing. Too much strain on your body will make you lose consciousness." Nappa tries to give the kid a tip. Whether or not he takes it, he can't control that. Karot has been a stubborn case for quite some time. On the plus side, Nappa knows just how to deal with it.

"I… I can't." Karot is wheezing, struggling to do as much as get back on his feet. "I really can't. It's so hot. Was Kami trying to kill us?"

"If he managed to do that, this planet would be done for, kid."

Karot shuts his eyes, fighting to get his breathing under control. "So, this is just a way to test the body's endurance…. How does this not bother you?"

"Planet Vegeta was similar to this," Nappa admits. "Now that I think about it, have you ever tried to go to the training room? It has a gravity amplifier in there."

"It's not the gravity that's bothering me alone. I just said that… but, I'll be okay. Don't worry about me. I'm just… a little rusty. That's all."

'Kid tries too hard to be tough. Then again, this kid has been trying to stay tough since I first met him. He's very different from back then. A little harder to figure out but—'

The general steps back as yellow aura engulfs the child. Karot's energy level spikes in an instant, surpassing Nappa's own. Having taken the Super Saiyan forms, Karot rises to his feet with ease.

Karot stretches his fingers before hopping to one foot. After a couple more tests, his turquoise eyes shift over to Nappa's direction. "I just realized… you're not much of a good teacher to me anymore, are you?"

"What?"

"You're not even a Super Saiyan. How am I supposed to get stronger against an opponent who is weaker than me?"

Those words were like taking an energy blast through the heart. "Y-you… aaagh…!"

Karot isn't laughing. There's no smirk, not even the tiniest of smiles. His expression is colder than ice, allowing his flowing aura to highlight those features even more.

He wasn't mocking him at all.

"Why did I listen to that grandmother of yours…? Raditz would had been a far better—DAH! Don't say that out loud!" Nappa grips his head, feeling a further sting in his own pride.

'What kind of world am I living in, when Raditz—who was once an insect compared to me—is far more superior in strength? To make matters worse, his own kid is stronger than me! It's like I have no place here!' Nappa's angry thoughts are clattered by his grinding teeth. 'Damn it all! I've tried my best to ignore it until now, but this kid just had to point it out, and I'm stuck with him for a whole year!'

Karot is already walking away, having lost interest with him. With no other option, the child begins sparring the air.

'I was once the second most powerful Saiyan among them all! I've been slacking off! While I could have been the next Super Saiyan, all I did was help Tarble achieve such power! Am I really just a lapdog? A babysitter? Those people are left behind to eat nothing but dust!'

His energy engulfs him as his self hatred continues to course through him. No matter how much he powers up here, it will never be enough.

Something about this kid is far more than meets the eye. The more he watches him, the more it dawns on him.

'This kid… even if I do tap into this Super Saiyan power, a part of me is starting to think he'll still be trouble.'

In that case…

"Hey! Kid!"

Karot stops his sparring, giving Nappa his attention.

Nappa raises a shaking fist. "If you can't get any good training out of me, then I want you to come at me with everything you got! I want you to fight me like you're going to kill—"

WHAM!

The air is knocked right out of his lungs. Heavy and deep seeping pain sinks into his stomach, forcing out a heavy and salvated cough. His feet touch the ground, and he stumbles back, pressing his arms against his abdomen. His mouth gapes open like a fish out of water.

Karot lowers his fist. "Just so you know, I held back on purpose."

'Impossible…!' Nappa can only stare at this golden child, who nearly brought him down to his knees.

"The next time I attack you, it will be to kill you." Karot turns away. "So please. Pull yourself together, and get stronger first!"

He can't fathom…

'Just how much was he holding back…?'

- 0000 -

It has been a very long time since Future Trunks had a mentor. He is already counting down on how long it will take until he gets a beating for getting the steps wrong in a training exercise.

Already, he made sure to step out of Turles' way so he could have room to step inside the time chamber. Future Trunks is careful to assure he doesn't step in his path, either. Despite how heavy and thick the air feels around him, he is far more concerned with the Saiyan who will be his mentor for the year.

"Huh. So this is the infamous time chamber Kakarot wouldn't stop blabbering about." Turles takes a good long look around. "Talk about getting the short end of the stick. This place has seen better days. Kakarot must have lost his mind and ate all the good food from us."

Now it's Trunks' turn to take a look. It's not all too bad. Just some misplaced furniture, a couple of holes in the wall…some food wrappers left laying on the floor. Nothing else, really. It looks far better than the home he grew up in.

"Well then. Now that we are here… I suppose we should get started."

Before Trunks could register what was just said, he finds his face slamming into the ground. Rolling on the floor, he narrowly misses getting stomped on. The third attack he blocks with his forearms, showing the boot off as he scoots back.

He kicks himself to his feet and slips into a fighting stance.

Turles growls, slashing his thumb across his neck. "Cell would have killed you by now! Don't you dare lower your guard!"

He vanishes.

'He's fast!' Future Trunks crouches closer to the ground, his eyes shifting in every direction in efforts to keep track of him. With every passing second, Turles seems to gain more and more speed. Was Cell this fast, or was he anticipating Turles to be a lot slower than he really is?

Turles appears from thin air. Trunks throws a hand in front of his face, catching the fist that would have knocked into his skull. The impact pushes him back until he grounds his feet. He blocks the next punch and begins to push back, allowing his energy to flare.

Twisting his body, Turles lands a roundhouse kick across the side of Trunks' head. The teen is sent staggering to his right until another kick against his chest sends him back to the ground. A heavy stomp against his chest keeps him pinned there.

"Come on, kid. I've seen you do far better than this. What distracted you?" Turles forms a sphere of energy on one hand.

For a second, Tarble stands right where Turles should be.

Trunks gasps and violently twists his body, nearly throwing Turles off balance. All it does is annoy him, and Trunks is pinned harder against the floor. The energy sphere is aimed right for his face.

Now, he can really see Tarble.

Like an intense chill, his energy soars through every part of his body as he transforms into a Super Saiyan. The sphere is unleashed, and it grinds against Trunks' palm. A harsh squeeze stops the rotation, and he retaliates by sending the attack right back.

Turles tilts his head back. The sphere whizzes past, only catching a few loose strands of his hair. The blast makes impact in the distance, exploding and shaking the entire area. He is shaken off of Trunks, but he keeps his footing, watching the teen slip into an offensive stance.

Trunks' eyes are locked into Turles and Turles alone.

Lunging forward, the take-off leaves a dusty cloud behind. A heavy punch ripples the air and lands a shattering blow against Turles' crossed arms. His pride will not allow him to make a sound. Each blow is heavier than the last, and Turles is struggling to do as much as hold his breath.

Turles ducks his head, dodging the next punch that maneuvers Trunks' body right past. A heavy blow against the stomach makes the teen's body nearly fold in half.

Trunks forces himself back, landing on the ground in a heavy crouch. His burning eyes are locked on the target, one who will kill him if he does as much as hesitate to take action.

Turles is not amused in the slightest. "Did you seriously let me land that attack on you? I thought a Super Saiyan is supposed to be a lot faster than that!"

He vanishes again. Trunks searches his surroundings again.

Behind him?

Trunks spins around in time to see Turles' form solidify. Wearing a maddening grin, he forms a pair of energy spheres in each hand.

He's not trying hard enough!

'Teacher is going to kill me!'

In a heartbeat, Trunks forms a quick energy attack and slams it against Turles' waist. The pressure causes the sphere to lose shape and burst, blowing them both back. Recovering is easy as Trunks flips back to his feet.

The smoke settles, revealing Turles standing still, his body shaking with pain. He looks at his waist, seeing the midsection of his tail completely burned.

Looking at it was clearly a mistake

Turles bites back a scream, spinning around and grabbing his scorched tail. Future Trunks takes several steps back, feeling his entire body turn cold and lock in place. His Super Saiyan forms drops, allowing his lavender hair to fall back in place.

He did it again…! He got carried away and hurt the most sensitive part of a Saiyan's body!

"I… I'm sorry! I really didn't mean to do that!" He covers his mouth, watching Turles pluck off the charred fur from his tail. "I just lost focus and it flew off on its own. I'll be more careful next time—"

"Spare me the apologies, kid. What has you all worked up?" Turles doesn't even look at him as he dusts his tail off. He flicks the limb a few times, testing the mobility. "It's not that serious. It's expected. Besides, you are supposed to aim for your enemy's weak spots the last time I checked."

Trunks doesn't understand this. It doesn't make any sense.

Turles finally looks at him, and his expression morphs into confusion. "Didn't you hear me, or are you deaf?"

"I-I thought you were going to get angry with me," Future Trunks says, his voice almost meek. "Why didn't you hit me?"

The startled look on Turles' face only confuses Future Trunks even more.

- 0000 -

The blazing hot flames consuming the field dance wildly, guided and gently pushed by the wind that feeds it. The smoke is almost a deep black, suffocating the air, and anyone unfortunate to be nearby. The crackling of the flames do not mask the distant sounds of screams and sobs. It does not mask the sound of children screaming for their parents.

Boots steadily crunch through the charcoal grass, sending small embers flying. All the lushness is non-existent. It will be barren for miles, if the flames ever do go out. Scattered like litter, scorched bodies of all sizes are almost unrecognizable. They are stepped over, or kicked aside to make room. Despite all the flying embers, the waving brown and furry limb of a monkey that trails behind the footsteps does not catch fire.

Finally, the feet stop, and the tail gently sways. Studying the field, perhaps it could have been worse. The destructive radius is a lot smaller than anticipated. Then again… attacking a highly populated area was never the easy part. The endless crying afar...

"I never liked that sound."

Click. Click. Beep-beep-beep.

Hardened eyes shift left and right as yellow digital characters constantly change on the green lense. The characters become still, and the beeping is rapid for only a second, signalling a lock-in. It points towards a distant building, somewhat spared from the damage. The others hardly touched it, clearly. It's another reason why the scenario is one not to be so fond of.

"They chose to gather inside the same building. I just don't get it. Don't they realize just how much danger that puts them in…?"

Terrible.

"Why did I have to come across this? Why not them? Urgh… I swear, they do this on purpose."

The boots gently rise from the ground, dropping due to lack of support. The air ripples due to the sudden take off. Rocketing through the air, reaching the building takes less than two minutes. Landing on the foundation, small bits of rubble are here and there. They are kicked like the rocks they are. Entering the darkness of the inside does not raise the tiniest ping of fear.

Observing the area, a few heavy attacks won't knock it down if one is careful. Doing the job enough times makes it easy to calculate. The sound of collapsing buildings, the sight of massive dust clouds, and yes, the screams. It's all too normal at this point. It's almost entirely desensitized. But the sobbing from tiny lungs, it still stings. It always did. Coming here… it's a reluctant decision.

Walking further inside, the cries start to cut out, almost too abruptly. Perhaps the intimidating presence was detected. Or maybe… the smoke got them at last? No. Such an unrealistic idea is childish.

It's merely wishful thinking.

Pushing forward, the room is quite large. Perhaps it was a lobby once, but it's just as empty as the outside. The atmosphere feels grim, chaotic, and all sorts of wrong. With every step, the scent of fear is stronger. They are here for certain.

But the feeling of boots sinking to the floor is just enough to send a jolt down the spine. Looking down, eyes are wide as flames spark before bursting from the cracks as a massive explosion, swallowing the entire lobby, but never touching the walls. The explosive boom is deafening, and gravel shoots in all directions like bullets. What remains rains down as a cloud of smoke flutters apart.

Deep within the core of it all, pink light illuminates the smoke. As more of it clears, a moving smooth-like surface is revealed, shaped like a massive dome. A pair of hands had been pushed forward, holding it steady.

"If that didn't kill you, it would have left you mortally wounded." The deep booming force identifies the possible ambusher. They step from the darkness, swinging the smoke away with a single arm. A soft gray and furry face studies the shield that made the explosives useless. A long and thick tail slithers on the ground as their bright eyes match the hardened pair staring back. "That's an impressive forcefield. Somehow, you manipulated the atoms to do such a thing."

There is no thank you. The eyes do not move. They should never look away from the target.

"The Ferocious Warrior… with a fury that is described as sangunairy and diabolical... I heard so much about you. I knew it was a Saiyan, but I didn't expect it would be a woman. Especially you. You look far too kind. What's your name?"

"Why does my name matter to you?"

"I like to know all the names of the people who come to my planet… regardless of their intentions. One of us won't walk out of here alive. It's only fair to know. My name is Ugar. Now, you go."

She nearly pouts at this. She might as well entertain this. It's stalling a bit of time. "It's Gine," she responds. "If you were wise, Ugar, you would guide your people far away from here."

Ugar is a bit surprised. "You're sparing us?"

"I'm saying you should have fled," she corrects him. "Planet Mineral is to be exterminated of all native residences… to be sold."

Ugar doesn't appear too shocked by those words, at least. For a moment, he is quiet, searching her face, trying to find a trace of remorse. Either she's good at hiding it, or she feels none. However, glancing at her tail, the creature notes how it sways in an unsteady manner. "... You're reluctant."

Gine doesn't protest against those words. "Reluctant." She repeats it, somewhat distasteful. "A lot of hesitation and regret brought me here."

"You follow the orders of that Tyrant King Cold. How would you know he cares about the likes of you?"

"There is no compassion. The feeling is mutual," Gine answers. "But he does value us. We are his most powerful soldiers, making up more than half of his army."

"You say this like you were brainwashed. What if he's been lying to you?"

"Whoever said I trust that monster?" Gine narrows her eyes. "The last time I did, he did something to me that cannot be reversed. It's a curse, one I wish that killed me that day. That's why I cannot afford to debate with you. I hate to say I will have to kill you quickly. It will hurt the both of us a lot less, wouldn't you agree?"

"Perhaps it would. Or perhaps it will hurt you even more. I don't know why I feel it… but you're not a killing machine as most Saiyans are. You have gentle eyes… but your hand is forced, isn't it? You look mentally exhausted."

She hates being called out this way. Why must so many of her targets pity her? It's an insult that opens the wound even more, and that alone infuriates her.

Her commander once told her that if an enemy takes pity on a Saiyan, then that Saiyan has already lost.

She can't afford to lose. Her crew is waiting for her.

"Before you decide to kill me, Ms. Gine, I have a final question to ask you."

The sudden formality almost catches Gine off guard. She doesn't say a word, studying him carefully. Is this a trick? Several of her targets tried such pitiful tactics. She doesn't take chances anymore.

Facing the palm of her hand towards her target, static jumps across the palm, coiling around her fingers. Her eyes harden as she waits. She'll give this creature a moment. She'll be kind enough to let them speak.

She has already detached herself.

Ugar seems to recognize their position. They don't protest at all. Instead, they ask carefully; "Have you ever fought for the sake of others?"

Her target's face splits at the center and peels like a blooming flower. Green slime oozes from the cracks as the skin folds back further, tearing off the green and spotted shell underneath. The body grows and rises from the goo, their eyes glowing a crimson red as their lips part into a sharp grin.

Their voice—Cell's voice—cuts through the air in a hiss.

"Have you ever fought on your own will?"

"GAH!"

The flames and static had all vanished in an instant, replaced by the cool breeze of the wind.

Gine sits up, her fingers clamping the ground. Her heart pounds against her chest, the sound booking through her eardrums. Her entire body feels stiff.

What was that?

She's not on the planet anymore. She hasn't been for nearly two scores. Where is she…? The time chamber, right? That's where she sits at this very moment.

Lowering her head, she rests it against her sweating hand. The brush of her own tail is the only assurance that what just happened was a chaotic illusion.

"It was… just a dream…"

Just a dream…right?

"A very… very weird dream."

Her mind wanders back to whatever it was, but as soon as she tries to recall what she had seen, they are torn from her thoughts in a heartbeat. Everything feels fuzzy. She can't recall much of anything, except that she was in a burning battlefield.

The idea of war still bothers her. Now, she's back in it. She made a promise she would protect her sons before returning to the afterlife, but why does she have doubts that she would make it back? Does it have to do with anything that recently took place?

What if she snaps again? She won't be able to stop herself.

"Stop lying. Just admit that you were afraid of fighting knowing what you are capable of."

Tarble's words. They sting. They really do sting.

Her mind flashes memories of her fight against Paragus… how she practically fried him with every swing of her arm. Her mind wanders to every battle she had before Planet Mineral, and the fresh scent of stinged bodies.

BA-THUMP!

Gine grips the fabric of her shirt, feeling her thundering heart as she fights to catch her breath. Her mind… it wanders towards Cell. Perfect Cell. How many opportunities did she have to strike him down before he got too strong? Why did she hesitate so much?

"You lied to everyone here. You had the power to kill Cell before he reached his perfect form."

"Is that true? If you could have stopped this, why didn't you?"

Raditz… he looked so disappointed.

"I didn't… I…" Gine shuts her eyes. Her heart feels as if it could tear right out of her chest. Her tail twitches behind her, the fur starting to stand on end. It was her fault that Androids 17 and 18 were absorbed. It was all her fault that Vegeta set them both up. It was her fault that Cell obtained her perfect form, all because she did the bare minimum.

"If you weren't so lazy, we wouldn't be in this mess right now, wouldn't we? Stop running away will you?"

Feeling a snarl tear through her throat, her tail lashes as she punches through the ground. Her fist is swallowed with purple static bolts that run through her arm for several seconds, forcing her hair to stick out, untamed. It almost makes her feel numb.

She could have stopped all of this…!

No one ever told her what was the best course of action. She stopped fighting because of what she was capable of, but she could have fought for the same reason. She stopped to protect her children, but she could have fought for the same reason!

The ground sinks further. Her throat feels as if it's on fire.

The bolts grow bigger, jumping and leaping across her body. She squeezes her eyes tighter, but she can still see those horrid images. She can still see the bodies. She can still see Cell reaching for her children… her small three innocent children…

A hand settles on her shoulder.

She snaps her head as she swings her elbow back. The blow is blocked and caught, and she meets the concerned dark eyes of her eldest son.

"You're still having those dreams, aren't you?" Raditz isn't intimidated. He was anticipating this again. He shouldn't have to, but he does.

Gine takes a deep breath, soothing the rising heat from taking hold of her entire being. The static settles to nothing, and her hair lies flat once more.

"We'll try again." Raditz takes a seat behind her. "Meditation, until it doesn't plague you anymore. Then, we can really get into things."

Of course, this was her idea. She knew she would be so conflicted about the battle that is fast approaching. Raditz agreed to it without a problem. He just understood.

He doesn't say anything else. Perhaps, that was all she needed to hear.

- 0000 -

It was an agreement that after the final group left the chamber, everyone would meet up at the ship by sundown. The plan was for the group to head out to the tournament ring tomorrow.

Karot had decided to bring a fish on the way back, but he didn't go alone. Kauli insisted on joining him. When asked why, she irritably answered that his father wanted her to learn to catch food for herself as a final test or something. She looked too bothered to get into the details.

To Karot, while her appearance didn't change like his own did, she does feel stronger. If Kakarot really did teach her well, she might be suppressing her energy as well. Whatever her true strength is—while it may not be as impressive as the others—it should be a massive improvement.

Karot hasn't said much to Kauli, and that seems to work out for her. She was never much of a talker. Trying to hold a conversation with her would lead to sly remarks. It's a wonder how she made any friends back when she was a Resistance Army soldier…if she had any friends at all.

The walk back to the ship is quiet, with both Kauli and Karot dragging their catches along. While Karot has a gigantic tuna to trophy, Kauli's catch isn't all that grand. Not bad for a first catch. How she caught it was a deep dive and an underwater fight. She made it very clear to Karot that there was no way she would use her tail as a fishing rod.

A few more steps in, and the distant sound of a running engine makes Kauli stop in her tracks. She doesn't need to say a word to the kid. It's easily a recognizable sound. A motorbike.

Now, who is foolish enough to ride one in a place that is obviously off-limits?

Karot drops his tuna on the ground and begins to walk towards the approaching sound. A hand snags his wrist, and it summons a growl as he shoots daggers at her with a heated glare.

"Wait."

Kauli is focused. Her eyes follow a distant object as it grows closer and louder, until the sound begins to assault their eardrums. Her teeth are bared now as she stares at the very soldier riding the vehicle.

They skid to a stop a decent distance away, kicking up the kickstand as they step off. Karot begins to wonder why he is being denied permission to deal with the intruder.

But the intruder speaks.

"Hey, lil' sis."

That voice is the last thing Kauli needs to hear.

The biker removes their helmet and shakes their hair free. Sitting on the vehicle is a woman who nearly resembles Kauli in every way. Her eyes are just as blue, but far more menacing.

"Look, Aqua. I ain't got the time to deal with you today. Can't you bother me some other time?" Kauli asks.

"Oh, don't worry," Aqua says. "I know about your situation, Ice. You're getting ready to fight Cell. Did you know they are gonna broadcast that shit? How stupid can people be, am I right?"

Well, Karot now knows where Kauli gets her manners from.

Aqua chuckles. "The only reason I'm tolerating it is because it gives me the opportunity to see your traitorous ass on the ground, dead. I can't wait to see you screaming. I'll be like music to my ears, far better than what you can dish out."

"So… you're telling me you brought your behind way out here just to tell me that?" Kauli's face twists as she tries to make out what her sister really wants.

Karot looks between them both. They don't seem ready to fight, which only confuses him even more. It's not until Aqua unclips her gun from her bike that Kauli decides to get into a defensive stance.

"You finally told them your special power?" Aqua taps the muzzle of the weapon, waiting for an answer.

"Don't change the damn subject."

"I asked a damn question. Answer it."

Kauli isn't sure what Aqua is trying to do. She refuses to lower her guard in case the woman has intentions to kill her. "What of it?"

"You trust the Saiyans more than you trusted us. I don't know how to feel about that," Aqua says. "I mean… wow. I thought it would take another two years, but from the lack of blue in your eyes that day… you recently sung a little song."

"And?"

"I don't like it. I just don't get it. Why did you even stay with them?"

"Why? If I tried to stay among the Humans, they would kill me for being a Saiyan. Did I want to stay with the Saiyans? Hell no. I was practically taken to them against my will by Goku. Anything else you wanna know?"

"You're not happy there, are you?"

That was a question Kauli didn't expect to hear. She stares at her adoptive sister, only breaking eye contact as she answers. "When am I ever happy? My entire life was a mess. I'm not looking for comfort. The only reason why I stayed with the Saiyans is, because I was sure they would kill me if I fled. I also had nowhere else to go. You would kill me. It's true I wanted nothing to do with the Saiyans at first, but being around them… as stupid as they can be… I learned a lot more than I did when I was stuck with that ass of a leader."

"Oh, you poor thing," Aqua says with false sympathy. She tilts her head with a mischievous smile. "I still hate you."

"The feeling is mutual." Kauli's lips pull back. "So, what now? Are we done? You're gonna shoot me? I don't think you wanna do that, especially out here where that would be picked up by the others so easily."

She pauses.

"Actually, go ahead and shoot me. I dare you."

"We aren't kids anymore, Ice." Aqua laughs at this. "You think I'm stupid? I ain't gonna shoot you. That's a one-way ticket to the Otherworld, and I don't want to go there now. I still got a lot of work to do. This whole Cell thing is just the thing I need to keep you busy while I'm at it."

Kauli scoffs. "You can't be for real. You're still experimenting? How much did that bastard Chille rub off on you? You saw what he did screwed him up! You'll follow right behind him!"

"Since when are you so damn worried about me?" Aqua squints her face. "You're not afraid of me anymore. What the hell happened? Did you get hit with stupid or what?"

"No. I'm just not your average Saiyan warrior anymore."

Aqua shakes her head, visibly angry as she stands her bike back up. "You're starting to sound more and more like them everyday. I can't wait to see you die."

"Touché. Fall off a cliff."

Aqua kicks her bike off, and she rides away, leaving a massive cloud of dirt and raining gravel. As the sound of the engine begins to soften, Karot looks at Kauli, more confused than concerned.

"You let her go?"

"It just clicked that she can't hurt me anymore," Kauli answers. "I ain't afraid of her."

"Why were you so afraid?"

"Long story. In short, she used to hurt me a lot. It's only recently that I decided she ain't my sister anymore. If you hurt someone several times and don't apologize for it, you ain't family anymore. Family cares for one another, even after they made a massive mistake. You get what I mean?"

Karot opens his mouth, but he can't find any words.

Kauli's eyes… they appear glossed in the sunlight. "It's all… my fault that daddy died."

No more questions are asked after that. They walk in silence again, only it feels heavier. A few times Karot does want to say something, but he holds it down. It's not his business to look into her feelings. There are more important things to be worried about.

Eventually, the ship comes into sight. Everyone is outside, talking in their own personal groups. It's the sight of the fish alone that makes those groups merge into one.

"Sweet! You caught yourself a nice one!" Kakarot praises Kauli in no time. He laughs, walking over to her to pat her on the shoulder. "You can have that one all to yourself."

"Really?" Kauli looks at her catch. She could probably eat it all herself. A part of her wants to check Kakarot's mental state again. The day he gives away food is the day the entire universe falls apart.

Gine happily takes the catch from Kauli's hold. "I'll cook that for you, if you don't mind."

"Oh, not at all. Thank you, I guess." Kauli watches the woman go.

"And wow! Gohan! You grew quite a bit, didn't you?" Kakarot smiles. "Your hair is going out of control. We may have to cut it again, huh?"

Karot walks past, ignoring his father's eyes. He can't bring himself to have a real conversation with him yet. Every time he looks at him, he only sees a bad memory.

But, is that really selfish to think like that, after everything Kakarot put him and everyone else through? Things escalated after he met that demon monkey. He's supposably free from it now, but there's bound to be influence left behind, right? It's the one reason why The Crown of Restraint is still worn on his head.

Karot is not the only one with doubts about those around him, of course. There's Future Trunks, and his perspective towards Prince Tarble. After Tarble's recent outburst, Future Trunks appeared more timid than usual, but almost accepting. It's like he knew this would come eventually. He warned them, but it's still surreal to see it actually happen.

Future Trunks… where is he?

Peaking past Kauli, ChiChi and Gine stand by the teen's side. Future Trunks who… looks quite different from what he did before. He didn't gain much height, but his hair speaks a different story. They have grown past his shoulders.

"Oh, wow…" Kauli is impressed. "Both of these kids grew up. Now that I think about it… ain't it strange how my hair didn't change at all?"

"Saiyan hair stays the same from when they are children. They only grow as the body does," Nappa explains, joining the growing crowd. "It seems in the case of half-breeds, all it did was slow that growth down."

Karot touches his own hair. Should he cut it?

"So, everyone is here now, yes?" Tarble arrives, with Broly right by his side. It's a wonder on just what exactly took place when the pair of them trained. It's a miracle that Broly didn't lose composure and destroy the Hyperbolic Time Chamber from the inside out. Now, the biggest question is if he did something to Broly's head.

Seeing how the massive Saiyan is distracted by a passing butterfly… probably not much.

"It looks like everyone is here." Nappa takes another look around to make sure.

"Not everyone. Where's Piccolo?" Future Trunks looks around for the cloaked Namekian.

"If you expect him to be anywhere near us when a fight is about to begin, you're wrong." Krillin shrugs. "I'm pretty sure he's tired of breathing the same air as us."

"He's probably at the ring already." Future Trunks sighs. This may be a while until they have the greenlight to follow suit.

"As for everyone who isn't fighting, they are going to stay inside the ship," ChiChi says.

"As they should. They would be no use to us anywhere else." Vegeta leans against a tree, keeping his distance from everyone else.

"It is quite a shame we aren't allowed to use weapons within the tournament," Tarble says. "I felt kind enough to upgrade everyone's weapons. It was until the short human reminded me that they would be forbidden. Would have been nice to have known sooner."

Krillin wants to say something, but he keeps it to himself.

"A Human would need a weapon since they lack physical strength," Vegeta grumbles. "A Saiyan should never consider using something primitive. It's an insult to honor, something you Earth-raised disgraces don't understand."

"I decapitated Cell's head with my own weapon. I wouldn't call that a disgrace," Kauli says. "Moving on, I think we should be thinking about a way to survive this whole thing?"

"Oh, we've been thinking alright," Raditz says. "For an entire year at that. We should have plenty of ideas.

"Some of us here don't think," Turles reminds him.

"I actually did think of something," Future Trunks announces. "Earlier, I asked Nappa about the idea of Karot and I fighting Cell near the end."

"Near the end? Whoever said you got to pick the turn order?" Vegeta asks.

Future Trunks seems to sink at those words. "Well… I just thought about it while I was training with Uncle Turles. I'm not saying we should save the best for last or anything. I already know we aren't the strongest fighters out here."

He glances at Karot. 'Although…'

Future Trunks clears his throat, trying to push the thought aside. "We'll let some people go before us, and we'll watch Cell carefully. That way, we'll have a good idea on how to handle him." He looks at the general, who appears somewhat impressed by his plan.

"Good. You had this well thought out, kid," Nappa says. "But I have a good hunch on why you and Karot would prefer to not fight right away—well, aside from the fact that you don't crave battle like we do."

"Why is that?"

"Well… let's just say we learned a thing or two from observing Karot all these years, starting from when Raditz met Kakarot all grown up." Nappa says. "The kid was very timid due to his Human half getting in the way of his Saiyan half. But it turns out the blood mixed together brings out some power a pure-blooded Saiyan can only dream of. You two… are a lot stronger than you think."

"Really?"

"Hey. It's hard to believe, but it's true. You two have a lot of potential. It's a bit scary."

"Don't boost their ego, Nappa." Vegeta sends him a warning. "They'll only kill themselves if they end up with too much confidence."

"Look at who's talking," Kauli grumbles.

Vegeta glares at her. "What was that?"

"I said, look at who's walking. Don't mind me." Kauli is on the move, waving in a lazy fashion. It brushes Vegeta's attention away from her. A smooth play, perhaps.

"I honestly don't get that woman." Vegeta closes his eyes, possibly an attempt to get some rest in.

A soft breeze picks up, filling the air with the sound of rustling trees and cool temperatures. Soft discussions fill the air. It's as if there is no certain doom to face.

"It's a lovely afternoon, isn't it?" Tarble sighs. "It's a shame it'll go to waste. I was growing fond of this day."

"I sure wasn't." Kauli rolls her eyes as she circles around a tree, almost hiding herself from the crowd. She still keeps an eye out, not bothering to attempt a quick nap.

"By the way…" Raditz looks at ChiChi. "My kid. Where is he?"

"I'm right here." Future Trunks calls. It takes a second for him to realize what his father meant. "Oh, right. Baby me. Sorry."

"The baby is down for a nap, believe it or not." ChiChi smiles, looking as if she had tackled the most difficult task of all time. Perhaps she did. Raditz looks stunned to hear it. "I don't wish to wake him up. He hasn't slept so well in such a long time."

"Ehhh." Raditz waves her off, not wanting to hear her gush over him for another second. His eyes turn back to his son's future counterpart, who is crouched on the ground. "What are you doing?"

"Look." The teen holds up a crippled butterfly for his father to see. "I almost stepped on it."

"Okay? So? It's just an insect."

"That's the thing. It's… just an insect." Future Trunks stares at the frail creature. It hasn't moved once. Only the push of the wind would nudge its light body occasionally. "Something small and easy to miss. Something that is seen as irrelevant to several people, when it exists for a reason. Maybe to you, it's nothing special, but it means a lot to me. I've never seen one up close before."

"What? Really?" Raditz is interested. "You mean to tell me this entire time you haven't seen a single winged insect in person? Have you been living under a rock?"

"A basement, actually." Future Trunk's casual answer catches Raditz off guard. "I was hardly ever allowed outside. By the time I was, everything was pretty much dead. Smoke and ash were normal sights to me. The Androids never stopped tormenting us. Everyday was basically a gamble on whether or not we get to live or die."

"You poor thing." ChiChi frowns.

"That's sad. You really never saw a real-life butterfly?" Krillin can't see the possibility. No one can, really. Either that, or they don't care much about it. Vegeta simply scowls at this, not fond of the story at all.

"Well, when you think about it, the flowers were all burned down, so the butterflies had nowhere to go," Kakarot says.

"Yeah. That's about it." Future Trunks sighs.

"Well, that's a nice story I suppose… but don't bring that thing anywhere near me." Turles has his eyes glued on the insect.

"Idiot. It's dead. What can a dead thing possibly do to you?" Raditz shakes his head.

"Dead or not doesn't change the fact that I do not like them!"

Future Trunks cups the small insect in his hands. The palms glow a faint white, which envelopes the small creature. Within seconds, it fades out, and the teen remains still.

A wing twitches, followed by a few legs. The butterfly suddenly flutters itself to its feet, and it leaves his hand in a heartbeat.

"What the…?" Raditz blinks.

Turles is dumbfounded. "Did you seriously just… revive a bug?"

"Insects don't live very long, often having lifespans that range under a year. I honestly don't see the point in…" ChiChi's voice trails off. Trunks isn't listening to anyone. His eyes are transfixed on the flying creature.

"Maybe we should leave it alone," Yamcha suggests.

Vegeta is nearly startled as colorful small butterflies flutter from his feet. He looks around him as more butterflies seem to appear from the ground or the trees around them. The prince is without words, apparently just as lost as everyone else.

The numbers go from hundreds, then thousands. Countless butterflies flutter around the warriors, circling around them, leaving a pretty display of colors. Raditz nearly jumps as one lands on his nose for a quick rest before retreating back to the air.

Future Trunks is laughing.

Overjoyed by the sight, he turns back to look at his tail, which holds at least a dozen resting butterflies.

Karot points and laughs. "You look so stupid! They think you're a tree branch! Ahahaha!"

"Y-yeah! They really do, huh?" Future Trunks laughs along. It's enough to startle the butterflies from their awkward resting place, fluttering past him and towards the skies. The two young fighters look in every direction, looking very much like children in dreamland.

That's when it hits them.

This teen… through his entire life… he must have never seen anything as tranquil as this. He was busy trying to stay alive his entire life. He spent his childhood hidden inside a building, and his other years training and fighting…

His world had already fallen to despair. He never saw so much life before.

As for Karot… while he is familiar with life from his earlier childhood, it has been such a long time since he enjoyed it.

When they are not fighting, they are very… innocent.

This is something they all should be fighting for.

"There's so many of them! I've never seen so many before!" Karot begins to run, scaring several more from the ground. A fresh wave swarms from his feet. "They might have migrated here from a cold place!"

"R-really? That is so cool!" Future Trunks shouts. "I've read about them when I was a kid, but I didn't think they would gather into groups like this!"

"Just wait until you see the monarchs!"

As the two young Saiyans chase the insects around, Broly is a lot more gentle, reaching out to the swarm with a child-like curiosity. One lands on his hand, and he slowly pulls it close for a closer look. The faintest of smiles spread across his face.

Vegeta snorts and leaves the tree, swatting at the butterflies that come close. "This is pointless! I'm heading inside!"

Nappa shrugs. He was probably counting down on how long the prince would tolerate this.

"Zhanshitao would be having a party if he were out here. It's too bad he's not so fond of the sun when the skies are this clear." Gine sighs. "I guess I'll try to catch a few for him."

"He's sleeping." Raditz points a finger at his head. "Somewhere in here."

"Oh? He still likes to hide in there, doesn't he?"

"Bleh!" Turles' shout snags attention. The Saiyan jogs through the field, swatting at the butterflies like a madman. It summons laughter from everyone else. "Shut up! There is nothing appealing about any of this! They are disgusting and everywhere! Vegeta is right! All of you are insane! I'm not staying anywhere near these things!"

"Come on, Turles! They can't hurt you!" Kakarot shouts.

"You don't understand, Kakarot!" Turles shoots a glare at the laughing Z-fighters. "Do you want to die?! I'll kill all of you!'

"Relax, dumbass. They have a point," Kauli says.

Turles sneers and marches over to her. "You think you're funny."

"I thought that a year away from me was the very break your simple mind would need." Kauli doesn't bother to look at him. If she does, she might just have the sudden urge to punch him. She will need him to have every ounce of strength for when they face Cell. He's terribly lucky.

Turles snorts. "An entire year without hearing your annoying voice? Hah. I thought you would be overjoyed to be far away from me for that long. How was it?"

"Your brother was hell on wheels."

"Congratulations. You've recognized just how much of a more painful idiot he is. You still want to call me a Goku-wannabe?"

"You're still a pain in the ass, so yes. That ain't going nowhere."

"You think you're funny, don't you?"

"I'm just being honest."

Kauli watches as Gine in the distance decides to chase a few butterflies on foot. She manages to catch one in her hands, and it fills the woman with joy. The Saiyans like to mock the humans for finding simple things enjoyable, but they don't seem all that different.

"We won't be able to enjoy things like this once we face that overgrown roach," Kauli says, folding her arms. Her eyes trace the fluttering insects, almost as if they are a nuisance. Glancing at Turles, her annoyance morphs into a small amused grin as he continues to swat at them all. "Well, maybe not all of us. Shame on you."

"I can't fathom how you Earthlings find these six-legged freaks cutesy or whatever you call it! They are all the same! Pests with wings!" Turles swats one from the air. He is knocked back by a punch across his head he didn't see coming. "Why you—"

Kauli lowers her first. "Shut up! Those are our pollinators, you ass! Don't go around killing them when they can't even hurt you! There is only one bug you should be focused on squashing! Got it?!"

"You care that much about a winged insect?" Turles can't even stay mad at her. He's more curious than anything now.

"Just… sit back and watch them, alright? It ain't gonna hurt no one."

"Humph."

Kauli sighs as she leans against the trunk of a tree, watching the storm of insects ride the winds. Her anger is extinguished as her mind wanders on the very insect she will be forced to face within an hour. A foul creature everyone around her will face. A part of her is curious on how well she will fare, but deep down she knows she's not as strong as everyone else. Deep down, she feels like someone might just die.

Someone is going to die, aren't they? Why does the idea bother her? When she was in the Resistance Army, it was no problem at all. Sure, she had a few friends, maybe. Actually, her only friend was Oister, but he betrayed her. She'll never forget that. Now that she thinks about it, did she ever have a real friend? Even now, she doubts it. Aqua has a point. They are just people who are from the same planet as her.

So, why does she trust them?

Somehow, she doesn't want any of them to die. Even Vegeta? After all he did? Or maybe…

"You're thinking about what could happen, aren't you?" Turles' words snap her from her thoughts. "We Saiyans storm into the battlefield everyday in our lives, never anticipating death, because dying is part of it. If we do die, so be it. We weren't strong enough to stay alive, but we died fighting. That's all that matters to us. You have a lot to learn."

Kauli huffs. "I still don't get Saiyan culture, or half of the dumb mindsets y'all have. I can't accept that you'll be okay with dying tomorrow. Not when there's so much to live for."

"You're referring to me?" Turles raises an eyebrow.

"Your mother freaked out thinking you died before. I don't think everyone is okay with the idea of dying. Especially when young. Y'all are stupid."

Kauli feels his eyes following her as she walks from the base of the tree. She can care less about what he thinks, but staying here pondering is doing her no good. She'll have to motivate herself to fight to her best ability, because sooner or later, she will have to face Cell one on one. That may just be the most terrifying experience in her entire life, putting her first encounter with Kakarot in second-place.

"Then again, what the hell am I on about? I ain't got nothing to look forward to, except being stuck with a bunch of dumbassess and know-it-alls. I can't stand y'all."

Her weight is restrained as she feels a hand clamp around her arm. She bites back a snarl and glares back, meeting Turles' disapproving scowl. His eyes are elsewhere, studying his surroundings.

"Don't start now. I ain't in the mood for your—shit!" Kauli bites back a yelp as her weight leaves the ground. Almost flying, she lands in a stagger, feeling pressure against her back. It takes a second for her to realize she can't move. "What the hell…"

She really can't move.

"You hear that?" he asks. "That's what it sounds like when you're not nagging. Take it in a bit."

The soft breeze blows against her hair, pushing the gliding butterflies past. Her mouth tries to form words as she is forced to look at his smug expression. Her tail nearly whips the ground beneath her, lashing in a heated anger. She just can't find the right words to express it, instead balling up a fist as a growl climbs her throat. It's stopped short as a strong arm pulls her against his body. Her tail is halted by the soft brush of his own wrapping around the tip.

She feels herself freeze up, her mind and heart racing all at once. Her body is sending mixed signals through her, sending everything at standstill. "What… are you…?"

Words are caught in her throat as he lightly touches her chin, before pulling her into a kiss.

Frozen in place, a swirling heat of emotions flares in her chest like the butterflies that surround her, reaching her face. Anger, embarrassment, confusion, excitement? She can't pin anything down. The blistering sensations are almost too overwhelming. The only thing that keeps her down to earth is the light squeeze on her tail.

As soon as it begins to click what is happening, his soft grip is loose, and she nearly drops. Completely flustered, she steps back to gain distance. Her eyes search his face, but he's already turning his back, his tail curling behind him.

"There you go. Fixed your damn problem."

As she watches him head inside the ship, her mind is trying to set itself straight. What just happened?

She frantically looks around, but everyone else is distracted. No one saw that? Not a single pair of eyes?

And he has the nerve to walk away confident?!

- 0000 -

Raditz tilts his head, standing with his arms crossed, with Future Trunks by his side. Kakarot is the most curious among them.

Turles has been sitting at the corner with his knees tucked against his chest. A tiny black swirl spins above his head.

"He's been like that all morning." Future Trunks looks at his father. "Does it have anything to do with the butterfly swarm?"

"Maybe he's hungry," Kakarot says.

Raditz shakes his head and sighs. He walks over to his middle brother, and he kicks his legs to grab his attention. "Stop sulking."

Turles grips his head and sinks. His face has gone pale. "Why…why did I do that…?"

"Do what?" Kakarot is curious. "Did you eat all the leftovers?"

"Is your mind always on food?" Future Trunks is genuinely concerned.

Raditz stares at the troubled Turles a little longer before he looks back. To his surprise, Kauli is in the same situation, only she stands in the corner with her head pressed against the wall.

How interesting.

Strolling across the room, he's careful about reaching her. Tapping her shoulder nearly sends her flying through the ceiling from how big she jumped. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Huh? What?" Kauli is alert, her features brightening. She shuts her eyes and strikes her head a few times. "N-nothing. Don't worry about it. My mind ain't straight right now. Just give me a moment."

From the way her tail is twisting, Raditz can instantly pin down she's a nervous wreck. She hasn't been afraid of Cell like this before, so what is bothering her so much?

Unless…

He looks at Turles, then back to Kauli.

"Wait. Did you actually—AGH!" Raditz bites his own tongue as pain surges through his spine. It's not enough to make him collapse, but it still hurts. He's forced to face the burning eyes of the angry Kauli. She looks as if she might kill him.

"Get your mind out of the damn gutter," she hisses, her words almost like poison. The vice grip on his tail only tightens more. "If you utter a single word about this to anyone, I will tear off your tail and mount it to my wall."

She means business. Raditz raises both hands in surrender. "Okay, okay…! I hear you! Just let me go, damn it! I'm not trying to pick on you!"

He's freed. He didn't think she would actually let him go.

He's still curious, but prying too much proves to be painful. She doesn't seem all too happy about it.

"He…he just caught me off guard, okay?" Kauli looks away, embarrassed. "Probably had a dumb moment or something. I don't know. I just…I don't really want to talk about it right now."

"Don't worry. I'll leave it alone." Raditz can promise that. Just seeing her face, it almost reminds him of himself around a year ago. How he always toyed around with Bulma before he lost his mind.

'This is the most confused I have ever seen her. She clearly didn't read him all too well. She's not as observant as I thought.' Raditz looks at Turles. 'He most likely acted out of impulse, the moron. Couldn't that wait until after the match? We don't need feelings getting in the way!'

Stepping away to give Kauli space, Raditz sighs, feeling his hair. It's a minor problem, but an annoying one. Somehow, he isn't all that surprised.

'Then again, they haven't seen each other for an entire year. They remind me of how mother and father can be when they are seperated for that long…'

Raditz glances at his mother, who is talking with ChiChi near the kitchen area.

'That makes me wonder… is mother doing well? She's been away from father for a year too. She didn't mention him once while we were training…'

"Alright everyone! May I have your undivided attention?" Tarble's loud voice could be heard a mile away. "Come gather around the control table if you will! Nappa would like to discuss our battle plans."

Nappa didn't expect to be put in the spotlight. His expression makes that clear.

Everyone gathers around the Saiyan general. He slams a heavy hand on the table's surface. "The battle plan is simple. It's obvious that Cell is the strongest opponent we have ever faced, which is why Tarble, Vegeta, and I came to this conclusion."

"What? You three actually worked together?" Turles finds that hard to believe.

Kauli claps her hands. "Oh, good job! Someone give these three a sticker!"

Raditz would usually say something, but he leaves it be. It must be her way of trying to distract herself.

"Don't do that." Tarble sends her a warning. She complies, shrugging her shoulders. "As Nappa was saying, it isn't much, but we figured that since each of us will take a turn fighting Cell, we should begin with a heavy force, and end with a heavy force. Since the majority of the fighters here cannot go Super Saiyan, we agreed to let them have a turn first."

"Hold on. You're just going to throw us out there?" Yamcha asks.

"We wouldn't send you first. That's basically taking out the trash," Vegeta says.

"H-hey!"

"What Vegeta is trying to say is, we don't want to strictly start from the weakest fighter and end with the strongest. We are sure Cell anticipated this, which would make things far too predictable for him," Tarble explains. "That is why we came to an agreement to let Nappa enter the ring first."

"Many of you are underestimating what I can do. But, that's not why I wanted to go first." Nappa stands tall. "My specialty is heavy and explosive damage. We need to wear down Cell as quickly as possible without revealing our best fighters too soon. Cell is aware that I don't stand as the strongest Saiyan, but he knows I don't stand weak, either. He'll be constantly watching me without a doubt, but he won't go all-out either. He will have to preserve his strength."

"I get it now!" Gine speaks up. "The idea is to push him to go all-out as close as we can to wear him down. That way, when the weaker fighters move in, they can chip him down just enough for the stronger ones to finish him off!"

"Not bad. You read this perfectly." Nappa is impressed. "Must be the old Gine talking."

Gine rubs her arm as she looks away. "I would rather not be called out that way."

"But, he's right." Tarble nods. "We are all ears for a time. I know there is something you would like to add, Gine. Don't hold back on us. Not like you did last time. We need this plan to be efficient. This is survival we are talking about."

Vegeta huffs. "Seriously? Taking advice from a low-class? How far have we fallen?"

"Would you like me to have Broly share a few words about that opinion, dear brother?" Tarble raised an eyebrow.

Lemo and Cheelai look at the mentioned Saiyan. Broly has no idea what is going on.

"Tch." Vegeta looks the other way.

"Ignore him. He can't hurt you." Tarble nods towards Gine. "This plan so far feels lackluster. Carry on."

Gine isn't fond of being the center of attention. Her fingers squeeze her arm tighter. Her tail snakes around her leg as she keeps her eyes on the ground. The gears in her head are turning, evident from the squint on her face. She might be able to think more clearly if she wasn't thrown into the spotlight so unexpectedly. "Well…"

"Y'all are really just gonna do her like that?" Kauli throws a hand in the air, letting it drop. "She already looks uncomfortable—"

"Shhhh!" Launch leans close to her.

Kauli balls a fist, snarling. "Shush me again, and I'll knock the blonde out of you!"

A loud smack on the table makes them both jump. Nappa is glaring at them both. Silence takes hold.

"It's okay, mom. You don't have to force yourself to—" Raditz is cut off as his mother raises a single finger. Her tail swings from her thigh, whipping a beat. A lightbulb would have lit above her head from how quickly her expression changed.

"That would work, but there is a problem." Gine rests her finger underneath her chin.

"And what could that possibly be?" Vegeta challenges.

"When do you plan to toss the Human fighters into the fray? Somewhere in the middle, I am assuming?" Gine asks.

Tarble nods. "That's right. They won't be as vulnerable that way."

"Raditz will be jumping in at some point long after. In that case, you will have to let me in before the Humans."

"And why is that?" Nappa asks.

Gine spreads the palm of her hand, allowing her plasma energy to concentrate there. "Tarble gave me the idea, actually. While the Humans could chip down Cell quite well, I'm afraid that will be difficult to do on its own. That is why they will jump in once I had my turn with him. Cell sees I cannot go Super Saiyan, so I'm at a clear disadvantage. However, battles are not determined by strength alone, something Cell has failed to realize as of late."

"Get straight to the point. What value are you to come in before them?" Vegeta asks.

"I already gave my answer," Gine says. "Cell will underestimate me, and that will be his mistake. He will let his guard down and find himself stunned on the floor."

Vegeta bursts out a loud laugh. "Did I hear that right? You really think that you can defeat Cell simply because he'll underestimate you? Next you'll tell me the bald midget can do it! If that's the case, even Raditz's dumb spider can take Cell down without needing to transform!"

"You misheard me."

She vanishes in a blur, and all heads rise in alert as they try to search for her.

Gine reappears right behind Vegeta, her hand crackling with intense energy. Just as the prince turns his head around, she slams the palm right against the center of his back. "Sorry in advance."

Lightning bolts spew from her hand, illuminating her and the entire room with flashing purple and pink light. Vegeta's body locks up and twitches as the bolts run right through him and the floor. After several seconds, Gine pulls her hand free. Vegeta stands, smoking and charred, and he topples over to the ground.

Baby Trunks laughs and claps his hands. He has watched all this from his highchair.

"V-Vegeta!" Nappa's mouth hangs open before he glares at Gine. "Why you—"

"He's not dead." Tarble cuts in before the general could start seeing red. "That was hardly strong enough to kill him even with his guard down. Though, it could easily fry an average human. Might stop the heart of one of our Human fighters here."

Krillin takes a step back.

Gine lowers her hand, staring at the stunned and twitching prince. "It's a technique that focuses on targeting every nerve in the target's body instead of their vital organs. Attacking the center directs the blunt of the attack through the spine. That is where it is most effective, as you can now see."

Kakarot slams a fist on the palm of his hand. "Oh! I remember! You used that against me once!" It's somewhat hazy in his head, but she used something like that on him once when he had her in a death grip.

"Wait. She did?" Raditz doesn't remember seeing that.

"Well, yeah." Kakarot tilts his head. "But, it wasn't as intense as what I just saw. She directed it from her body that time. It still hurt though."

"That was actually Tuesday Thunderstorm, and it was an entirely different attack altogether. That one is quite draining," Gine says. "I'm surprised you remembered, considering at the time that demonic creature still had a hold of you."

"So, what attack did you just use on Vegeta?" Kakarot asks.

"Dismaying Thursday."

Kauli snorts. "How original."

"What…?" Raditz's jaw hangs open. "Wait a second! That's an attack designed to stall vehicles like an EMP! I didn't know—why didn't you show me that while we were training?"

"You never asked," Gine says. "You already mastered the technique. Extend your knowledge from what you already know. You've done it before with my Single Sunday, didn't you?"

Raditz seems to understand now.

"Now, you learned it's just as effective on stalling mass vehicles as it is on stunning people."

She crouches down on the ground, pressing her palm against it.

"If I had unleashed it like this, all of you would be stunned in a heartbeat. It's just a lot more effective on a single target, since it can actually do damage. However, it's greatest weakness is that it is most useful when the target has their guard down. If your target braces themselves for it, it will merely tickle and slow them down a bit. That's why it's more of an ambush attack than one used in close combat."

"Crazy…" Future Trunks whispers. "I need to learn how to do that!"

Nappa takes another glance at Vegeta. "That's some incredible ki control."

"That… that was amazing!" Kakarot laughs. "How come you never used it so much before?"

"Because, I don't like using it." Gine waves a hand towards Vegeta. "And now, anyone could easily land some critical damage on him at this very moment if they wanted to. They might just bring him to the brink of death. He's defenseless."

"Oh, wow… that's scary." Yamcha gulps.

"Somehow, this doesn't surprise me," Krillin admits.

Turles steps forward. "So… you used this a lot before you retired, didn't you?"

"It's… a long story." Gine glances towards the ground. "I don't like to talk about it…"

"I'll tell them, when the time comes… if that is okay with you." Raditz won't forget the time he spent in the chamber with her. The day she decided to sit down and tell him some of her war stories… he couldn't believe half of them were influenced by her.

"You may do that." Gine frowns. "Well, does that work for you, Prince Tarble? Is that what you need?"

Tarble snaps from his own thoughts, blinking. "O-oh! That's quite the clever technique you got there. One that would have been a lot more useful when we were facing Imperfect Cell. All that wasted potential."

Gine looks at her hands again. She seems to grow more and more devastated the more she stares. Her mind must be wandering back to her battle against Paragus. Even after her time in the chamber, she still can't get her mind off it.

"Stupid wrench…"

The muffled voice of Vegeta is all they need to know he wasn't knocked unconscious.

"You're going to pay…" His arms shake as he plants his hands on the ground. "For humiliating me the way you did…!" Pushing his own weight from the floor seems to be a daunting task as his body prepares to collapse upon itself. He manages to get to his knees. With Nappa's assistance, he's leaning on his own feet.

"It was merely a demonstration, Vegeta," Tarble says. "She was kind enough to apologize before she struck you, or do you not recall?"

"You wanted her to do that, didn't you?" Vegeta is seething.

"Oh, of course not. I never asked her to do such a thing. Though, I will admit I find the demonstration entertaining, even if I can't see it." Tarble ignores his brother's rising temper as he turns his attention to everyone else. "So, after Gine stuns Cell and deals a great amount of damage, then the Human fighters can step in to weaken him even more. That leaves the strongest warriors to finish him off."

Future Trunks nods. "This might just work. All the Super Saiyans, like Gohan, Goku and myself can step in and deal the final blows."

"That's the idea." Nappa places his hands near his waist. "Now all we have to do is make it work."

"The real question is if we can actually pull this off well enough to make it work," Kauli says." Knowing how large the group is, someone is bound to mess up."

"Of course you will have to look at the negative light of things," Turles grumbles.

She glares at him. "I was just being realistic—shut up! Don't… don't talk to me! You have no reason to talk to me!" She turns her back while crossing her arms. She's biting her lip as if to hold back any words that are fighting to surface.

Turles looks the other way, scratching a non-existent itch on his head. For once, he doesn't appear annoyed. There is a tinge of regret on his face. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything.

Everyone else is left puzzled. That was… the quickest argument they ever had.

'That's weird. Usually they would go at it.' Future Trunks can't help but notice. 'I guess the entire Cell thing has everyone feeling off today.'

"So…you're going to be on your way now?" ChiChi finally speaks up after taking everything in. She appears shaken, but it's understandable.

Kakarot smiles small, rubbing the back of his head. "We don't really have much of a choice. If we keep Cell waiting, he might just blow up the entire planet. I don't think he cares all that much about the people who live here at all."

Vegeta shakes Nappa off him. "We better get moving. I don't feel like hearing him complain if we get there any later than we already will."

Puar and Oolong keep their distance as the Saiyan prince crosses the room to reach the door.

"Please… be careful." ChiChi takes Kakarot's hands into hers. "Don't be reckless. I want you to come home safe. I'll make a big dinner for you."

Kakarot smiles shyly. "I… can't make promises. This fight… it's unpredictable. I'll try to stay alive the best way I can."

ChiChi's smile slowly fades, as the reality sinks in. She pulls him into an embrace, holding him firmly, as if she's afraid of letting go. She probably is.

"Uh… ChiChi…?"

"Mom."

ChiChi turns around, meeting the concerned face of Karot. She immediately pulls him into her arms, with tears streaming down her face. Both husband and son are left somewhat confused, but they don't fight against it. They know she needs a moment.

"Ugh. Humans and their emotions." Raditz rolls his eyes. He can't help but think about Bulma. Where is she lurking at this moment?

Tarble sighs as he heads towards the door. "We shall be on our way now. There's little time for tears. We are in a timeframe, remember?"

Yamcha pats Puar and Oolong on the head. Tien says his goodbye to Chiaotzu and Launch. Krillin exchanges a few words with the group, promising that he will go all-out like everyone else.

"Just promise you won't be reckless." ChiChi looks at everyone as they gather towards the door. "Don't let Gohan get too hurt! He's still my baby boy!"

Karot shakes his head. "Come on…"

"Byyyye!" Cheelai waves along with Lemo as she rushes over to ChiChi's side to watch the warriors go. "Try to come back in one piece!"

"Take care of Broly for us!" Lemo says with a wave of goodbye. "Don't let him get too hurt!"

"You better stay alive!" Launch shouts. "Fight! And keep fighting, no matter what!"

"I'll bet my bacon that Cell won't win against all of you!" Oolong shouts through his cupped hands. "Show that insect what you're made of!"

"Go do it, Yamcha!" Puar cheers, waving both paws. "Please don't do anything that will hurt you! Everyone else, do your best! Keep the Earth alive!"

Icarus roars out his own words of encouragement, jumping around and almost flying.

The Z-Fighters, Kakarot and his family, Kauli, and Tarble all turn their heads back and wave back at the crowd. The words of encouragement sink in. Nappa simply chuckles as Vegeta crosses his arms with a scoff.

"Whatever you do, don't let that creep live beyond today!" ChiChi takes a few steps forward. "Please! Don't do anything stupid! Don't let anyone die! We want all of you to come back alive, no matter how impossible it seems!"

"Yeah, sure." Turles waves a hand without turning back.

"Remember what you trained for!" Oolong shouts. "We are counting on all of you!"

"Daaaaa!"

Raditz halts, and he turns around. Baby Trunks waves his little arms, floating towards him while reaching for his father who is well out of reach. His travel is cut short as ChiChi grabs his legs. She fights to keep him from slipping free of her hold.

"I'll see you soon, little squirt." Raditz turns back to the group and follows them out the ship. Voices behind him shout their goodbyes.

It's such a strange mix of a support system they have. To think before the Androids came along, they wouldn't even be under the same roof.

- 0000 -

"So, this is where the fateful battle will take place."

Raditz stares down at the stone-built arena stationed on the ground far below. The comfort of the midday breeze and the few clouds in the sky make it seem as if it's the perfect day for a picnic.

If only it was.

Standing at the very center of the battlefield is a tiny green body, one Raditz is sure is smiling right at them with unwavering confidence. Looking to his right, Kakarot and Turles have locked eyes with their soon-to-be opponent. At his left, Gine appears uncertain, with her lips pressed tightly as she studies the foe.

All around Raditz, the Saiyan warriors and Z-fighters are bracing themselves for what will be a battle of life or death. The tension in the air is rising. Not a single word is spoken. It's as if everyone came to a silent agreement.

The sound of a flying jet grabs some attention. The source is Piccolo, who soars towards the group with his cape flowing behind him. Once he is close enough, he stops and hovers in the air. "It's about time all of you arrived."

"We don't run on your time, Namekian," Vegeta says.

"Maybe not, but we are on his." Piccolo down at Cell.

The Namekian's presence is a reminder that there are no Dragon Balls to erase what will take place in the near future. Every moment will count. This is what they have been training for. This is what they came together for.

This is why they will have to put aside their dissonance.

One more look at Gine, the mother appears tense, resting a single hand against her chest and breathing deeply through her nose. She looks at her eldest son, and she gives him a reassuring smile.

"I'm okay," she says. "I have mentally prepared myself for this. Don't fret over me too much."

"Hm." Raditz nods his head. Strangely, unlike everyone else, he doesn't feel all too concerned. He can't exactly fathom the reason why. Just looking at Kakarot, he appears completely unbothered as well. Does he have the same idea?

Just looking at the half-blood children… they appear more nervous than anyone here. They heavily underestimate their own abilities. If only they knew just what they are capable of. There is something brewing underneath them that they can't see yet.

There's something brewing underneath everyone's skin. Now, it's time to find it.

Without needing a signal, Raditz allows gravity to take hold of him, and he drops towards the ground. The wind whistling in his ears will be the last soothing thing he will hear for some time, so he decides to take it all in.

At the last moment, he concentrates his energy to slow down his fall. His boots touch the stone surface with a soft clack. All around him, the warriors drop in. Standing just a leap away is their host, their opponent…

Perfect Cell.

He spreads his arms open, wearing a prideful smile as he lets loose a smooth chuckle. "Ah, welcome. Welcome! I was getting worried that all of you were getting cold feet. But, now that everyone is here, I can now confirm that this tournament can begin."

"Skip the fancy monologue," Vegeta sneers.

"Oh-ho. Easy there, prince. I am the host here, so I can talk for as long as I would like. You should be grateful I have given you this opportunity! Just be a little patient. Your redemption arc will come soon enough. All you have to do is wait your turn."

Vegeta clenches a fist, fighting the urge to leap right for his throat. He remembers that fight all too well.

Cell studies everyone else. "Prince Tarble. I've heard that you've obtained the ability to turn blonde. Tell me, how well will that hold up against me? I'm quite curious what it would be like to fight a target who can't even see what's going to hit them."

"Say whatever you like, Cell. When the time comes, I will gladly display just what I am capable of. Don't just assume I am rubbish you can easily cast aside. I'm not the same Table you knew before."

"Cute. I like that attitude. But, how long will you hold on to it?" Cell chuckles. His eyes trace over to the teenage warrior. "Aha. Trunks. You came, of course. My, my. I love the hair. Did you stop by an abandoned mall for some expensive hair growth product by any chance?"

"My hair isn't relevant right now," Future Trunks says. His eyes narrow as he tries to make out what Cell could be trying to say. It's hard to tell if he is mocking or not.

Cell chuckles as his eyes fall on Raditz. "Big brother Ridi."

Raditz felt a part of him die just now. "Don't call me that." Where did he even get that name from?

His response summons laughter from the foe. "I am going to have lots of fun with that one. Also, don't think I forgot the assault you put on my ears before. You, my friend, have some very mighty lungs there. I think I will make them my newest trophy when the time comes."

Raditz feels his hand brushing against his chest. Does he really mean that?

He can't let that monster get to his head. He's just trying to intimidate them. They are a lot stronger than before. Much stronger. How will it do against Cell, they will soon find out.

"Turles." Cell looks at the Saiyan. "Or should I call you Goku-wannabe?"

Turles wears a snarl.

"I'm just jesting. Good grief. Can't anyone take a joke?" Cell takes a look around at the frowning faces. After a few seconds, he huffs and smiles. "Well, just know I am looking forward to our match. I do hope you don't end up losing your arm again. The last thing I remember is that—oh, that's right—you can't go Super. Isn't that a shame? I hope you don't die quickly, because that would be boring."

Before Turles can say anything, Cell raises his voice.

"And speaking of Super! Nappa! The Saiyan general himself! My, aren't you getting old! How old are you exactly? I know you're in your 50's. In human terms you would be in a very bad position right now! Saiyan genetics are very interesting, don't you think? Built to be warriors, obviously. Though, what I don't get is why the very same Saiyan who raised their prince can't even go Super Saiyan yet. Does the transformation have favoritism? Then again, I doubt it would make much of a difference for you anyway. You don't have any hair."

Nappa growls and steps forward, but Vegeta pushes back his shoulder.

"Oh, and the humans! Hi! I didn't see you there." Cell gives them a sinister grin. Yamcha takes a step back as he continues. "Forgive me, but it's so hard to pay any mind to insects."

"Look at who's talking!" Yamcha shouts. "Have you looked in a mirror?"

Cell smiles. "Oh, everyday actually. I can't go a single day without admiring myself. This perfect body is the best thing that has ever happened to me—once again I thank you Vegeta."

Vegeta growls.

"Which… does bring me to the question. Why are you three even here? I mean…" Cell laughs at their expressions. "I can understand Krillin, maybe Tien, but Yamcha? You're just throwing your life away at this point! You died to a suicidal Saibamen for crying out loud!"

"Don't let him get to you, buddy." Krillin pats Yamcha's chest. The insulted man is close to seeing red.

"Earthlings aside… hello there." Cell bows down to meet Karot's level. The child stiffins, glaring at him with hardened eyes. "You grew up a lot. Did you hit a growth spurt? You're not the tiny brat I once knew. You still haven't dropped the attitude yet, but you might just need it this time when I start to tear apart daddy right in front of you. Hm?" His eyes shift over to Kakarot, who seems unbothered by those words.

Cell looks over to Piccolo.

"Right. The Namekian—"

"Don't even think about it." Piccolo's eyes narrow.

Cell frowns. "I was just about to say—"

"I don't care. Drop it. I'm not going to tolerate your childish analysis."

"You really are boring."

"How long is this going to take?" Kauli has grown impatient. Her irritated words grab the insect's attention, enough to make her reconsider her choice.

"Ice Phlounder. You go by the name "Kauli" now. I didn't forget." Cell is amused. "I am very curious on just why you are even here. The last time I checked, you could hardly fire an energy blast, let alone fly. You're worse than the Humans at this rate, and they mean nothing to me. Says a lot."

"You're going to eat those words," Kauli hisses through bared teeth. "I ain't no pushover. Watch me."

"I like you. You're hilarious." Cell smiles. "I'm going to miss you when you're bloody beneath my feet."

Kauli simply pushes her hair behind her ear. There is a level of confidence behind her. It's a wonder what she learned while training under Kakarot, or if it's just a face she is putting on.

"Gine! It's been a while." Cell takes a few steps forward, and Gine nearly moves back, but she stands her ground. "Mother of The Relentless Brothers. While I was waiting for this day to come by, I felt such an explosive power radiating from you afar. Your energy was poisoned with such sadistic aura. I know it all too well. You've been hiding something from me."

"Regardless of what your perspective is, you'll see it when it comes." Gine clenches her fists, her tail still behind her. "I made a grave mistake not leaping into battle when I had the window before. I won't let it happen again. There will be no holding back from me."

"Oh, please. You can't even go Super Saiyan. You won't last that long against me." Cell brushes her off, ignoring her snarl. "You won't even see your family in the afterlife if you die. I don't know how to feel about crushing a talking spirit, but maybe my mind will change."

Raditz takes notice of her tightened fists crackling with tiny purple bolts. She's well aware of the risks she is taking being here, but she's stubborn. She won't leave no matter how much they beg her to. He didn't realize it until now, but when her mind is set on protecting her sons…

… it's like she's an entirely different person.

"Oh? And who might this be?"

All eyes fall on Broly. The giant burly warrior stands somewhat slump, in a timid manner. He speaks quietly. "It's… Broly."

Cell scoffs. "Speak up, won't you? I can hardly hear you!"

"I am Broly." Broly is much louder this time, almost flinching at his own words. It's a wonder if Tarble really did anything with him at all. To bring him here… is it truly a wise decision? His eyes lack confidence. If Cell spooks him too much, it could turn chaotic.

"Broly, huh? I don't remember anything involving you. You came from nowhere." Cell seems irritated. He can't find any way to pick at this Saiyan, which is a relief. It was getting tiresome. "Well then Broly. I have a question for you. Can you turn Super Saiyan?"

"Yes. I can." Broly nods.

"Wonderful! I might just have another challenging opponent then!" Cell squints his eyes. "You aren't lying to me, are you?"

"I do not lie."

"Good! I'm looking forward to seeing whatever it is you can do! Come on, stop looking so down! We are about to have a fight that determines whether you live or die! Show me some spirit!"

'Oh, he has spirit alright.' Raditz's thoughts are just as angry as his face. 'Take a good long look at his demeanor. Once you do fight him, he's nothing like what you see now. Just you wait.'

Cell steps away and counts his fingers. "Let's see. That's just about everyone except, ah, yes. Of course, of course. I saved the best for last."

All attention falls to Kakarot.

"Son Goku. I have so much to say about you. Where should I begin? Your betrayal to the very planet that raised you? Your torment upon the inhabitants of this sad world? Your mentality? Actually, I won't dwell too much. After all, I do have a schedule to run."

"He has a schedule?" Kauli tilts her head.

"I look forward to our battle the most, Goku. You had quite a handful of tough opponents in your days. Battling you will be exhilarating! After all, dear old dad sends his regards. He wants you to die, obviously. You've been a nuisance to this world long enough. Do not disappoint me."

Cell distances himself from the crowd, spreading his arms again.

"Now, with that out of the way, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Cell, and I am the most perfect being you have ever laid your eyes on. But, you already know that, don't you? I just want you all to have one last good look before you face your timely demise."

"He is so full of it…!" Future Trunks grits his teeth.

"Duh. His Vegeta is showing," Kauli says. It earns her a glare from the prince, but she doesn't care.

With a bow of his head, Cell smiles. "I welcome all of you to the official Cell Games!"

Silence hangs in the air. His voice is carried over by the wind.

"The rules are just like any other tournament rules. Both sides fight until one side is either knocked from the ring, throws the towel, or… their heart gives out. You take it as you like." Cell raises a finger. "Just remember. I will take no breaks between each fight, so feel free to come at me with everything your puny hearts desire. Fight like your life depends on it. I don't want to sound like a broken record, but… it does."

Silence comes again. Cell must find this hilarious.

"On that note, the Cell games… have officially begun."

"So, you're finally done boasting then? Good. I was wondering how much longer I would have to endure your annoying voice before my ears begin to bleed," Vegeta says. "I don't care about whatever fancy layout this tournament has. You've stalled quite enough, Cell."

"Force of habit." Cell agrees.

"In that case, I'll go up first, Vegeta." Nappa steps forward, fully entering the ring. "I'll make sure to wear him down if I can't kill him."

"Whoa-there." Cell pushes out a hand, stopping the Saiyan from taking another step. "Whoever told you that you get to go first?"

"What?"

Cell takes a look at the group, and he laughs. "That's rich! Did you actually think you would get to choose the order?"

"Wh-what?" Vegeta growls. "What are you—"

"You clearly didn't do your research, Vegeta. The tournament fighters don't get to choose who they fight or when they fight. That's for the tournament host to handle… which is yours truly." Cell sticks a thumb towards his chest. "Although, while I find the offer flattering, I am not the slightest bit interested in fighting Badly just yet."

"B-baldy?!" Nappa clenches a fist.

Kakarot slaps a hand on his forehead. "Crap! I completely forgot about that!"

"You're telling me you knew of this the entire time?!" Vegeta snaps.

Everyone else groans, excluding the Z-fighters, who appear just as stressed as Kakarot.

"Oh, man. That's right…" Yamcha says. "How did we let that slip out of our minds?"

"Maybe because it's been a while since we had a tournament," Tien says.

Raditz glares at them. "Are you stupid?! If we knew this before, we could have come up with a strategy for each of us!"

"It's easy to forget when a tournament is the last thing on our minds when everyone is trying to live, you know!" Krillin shouts.

Piccolo snorts. "I suppose the tournament we had taught you nothing."

"That's not what I—"

"No need to fight among yourselves. You'll need the energy for a chance of survival, remember?" Cell has everyone's attention again. "Now then. I had a very good look at each and every one of you earlier. I think my mind is made up on who I will fight first."

A wave of fresh tension sweeps through the crowd. Everyone is still watching, as the foe walks along the line-up, tracing each warrior he passes.

His eyes fall on Gine. Raditz feels his breath getting caught in his throat. 'No. She's not ready yet. I don't want to doubt her now but… she needs a moment to brace herself, which is why we originally planned for her to fight later on. This isn't good.'

Gine leans back, fully aware of his staring. Still, she takes a deep breath, fighting to keep her composure.

Cell grins. "Jesting."

Gine loses hold of her breath, staggering back.

Is he toying with them?!

Cell is amused by their expressions. After leaving the tension long enough, he seems to have finally made his choice.

"My first opponent… is that teenager right there."

A single finger points directly at Future Trunks, who is frozen like a deer in headlights.

This… was not planned at all.

BONUS: "Do NOT read a fanfiction called "OTES". (A parody of something familiar.)

Do not read a fanfiction called "Of The Earthling Saiyan".

Man. This shit is so wrong, in so many motherfking levels, yo.

I was talking to one of my friends, and he sent me 4 of these shits only labeled "OTES".

I said to this dude; "What's this shit?"

He just giggled and said; "Just read it, and make sure NOBODY is around when you are reading it."

Then I thought it was some weird fanfiction or some shit, but I read the first chapter, and I was like;

"Yooooooooo. What the fk?"

Then I continued, and I was like; "Yoooooooooo!"

And they got in the motherfking planet, and then I said; "YOOOOOOOOO!"

I couldn't fking believe what I just read! It was like Satan gave me his fking fanfiction collection!

The shit was so messed-up and yet…

...I COULDN'T STOP READING IT!

Then, it was chapter 24 of book 2, and there was two of them! THAT guy… yo! THAT GUY!

And then the woman was killed and YOOOOOOOOO!

Then that Saiyan took the head and YOOOOOOOOOOOO!

It was like your girl wanted to sleep with you, but she wanted to do something "DIFFERENT!"

And it was so fked up and so creepy and... you just kept watching it, and that is what I fking did!

Then, I saw book 3.

3 people!

Threeeeeeeeee!

IT WAS THREEEEEEEEEEEE!

*inhales*

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

And Youzi was his name, man! YOUZI was his motherfking name!

Oh my god! I ain't going to heaven, man! I already sold my soul to Lucifer!

So, I just want to tell you right now;

DON'T read a fanfiction labeled "OTES"!

Don't do it, man!

It's like TOXINS!

Remember what I am saying to you guys!

A/N: Finally finished!

A little funfact. The butterfly scene sparked in my head a year ago when I was listening to "Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon". Take a listen to PSMD's "Partner's Theme". It's such a wonderful theme.

Anyways, I am so glad to get this chapter done after an ENTIRE YEAR. Like whoa! How the heck did I let that much time pass by? That's horrible!

I wonder how many people I surprised with the update notification? Probably not as many people who dropped the book. Haha.

Possible Questions:

PQ1: Will this book ever finish?

A: To be fair, the only reason why I finished this chapter was because in the last few months, I've been getting concerned comments. So I took the time to review what I wrote so far to finish this chapter.

A lot, and I meant a LOT has happened recently. I really don't want to go too deep into details. You've seen some of it in my author's notes. I don't like to trouble people with my personal life.

PQ2: Will the other Saiyans obtain their Super Saiyan forms?

A: That is a question that has been brewing in my mind for a very long time. It would be unrealistic for me to just go; "Oops! All Super Saiyans!" with everyone who has Saiyan genetics. Each transformation will need a meaning. It makes me wonder if anyone here was theorizing how each character would snap.

It is true that Super Saiyan allows them a better survival rate against Cell. However, strength alone doesn't win every fight.

PQ3: What relevance will Aqua have to the story?

A: She pops up every now and then, doesn't she? Pretty sure a handful of people would want her to face the same demise as Chille and the rest of his late crew.

While she's hardly a threat on her own, she's not to be brushed aside either.

PQ4: Hyperbolic Time Chamber training?

A: The training scenes are lackluster, I am fully aware. However, those are just samples of what I have to show. I have my own way of showing more of the training scenes soon to come.

PQ5: Yo what the heck?! Turles?!

A: To be fair, I had this planned for quite a long time. Ever since 2017, actually. I just like the dumb idea of teasing things. Ironically, I hate romance. Too cheesy for me.

If you're asking me if Kauli shares the same feelings, I left that for y'all to decipher, for now.

PQ6: Now we are in The Cell games. How different will it be from canon?

A: Considering the fact that there are a lot more fighters… very. How I will handle this fight is a thing that's been on my mind ever since I started the book. It's going to be one heck of a thing to write, second to the battle against Frieza.

Question Time:

Q: The wait was SO worth it as always, this story here is my JAM. I think I found it around 2017 and silently binged it till around the time book 4 was brand new, then fell off around 2019 because exams n shit. I used to read lots of db fanfic lmao, but this series is both what got me into fanfic to begin with, and what pushed me to come back to reading when I had more free time. No matter how long this goes, I'm...

...never gonna give you up. Never gonna let you down. Never gonna gonna run around and desert you. Never gonna make you cry, never gonna sAy goodbyE, never gonna tell a lie, and hurt you-

A: Did… you just Rick Roll me in the review section?

Also, I appreciate you taking time to read this series, despite how much of a mess it has been. The downside of slow updates is when I do get back into the story, I find myself dying a little inside each time I read the older chapters.

(Also Together Forever by Rick is such a good song. You should listen to it.)

Q: What's the quote on the fanfic cover under Gohan? I can't tell what it is. Actually, can you say all of the quotes for each book cover since I can't see them well?

A: Oh boy. I used to know them all by heart. As far as I knew, the quotes under each book is a random line from the book contents. Just know the quotes are spoken by the character on the cover.

I'll be honest and say I cannot read book 1's. I have no idea why I thought it would be a good idea to type that in red.

Book 2 is harder to read. "You destroyed our home planet after everything we did for you. For that… I will never forgive you!"

Book 3: "In my time… I am the last Saiyan alive."

Book 4: "I'll show you… you'll regret crossing my lines like this!"

Pretty sure one day book 1 will click back in my head.

Q: I absolutely love this story! I been reading every chapter of every book every day I can't get enough! Please update this story! I need to k ow what happens next!

A: Thank you! I hope this update is what you've been waiting for! Of course, I completely understand if you lost track. Forgive me for taking so long to update!

Next Time:

*Insert DBZ Kai's "episode preview theme" here*

Future Trunks: (firm) This is Trunks speaking. Long time no see.

Future Trunks: (disbelief) I never anticipated this happening! I was not supposed to fight Cell this early!

Cell: (laughs) You privileged fools. How naive are you? If I allowed you to go as you want, that would make things less exciting for you and I both! You should be thankful! You have the honor of facing me at my full strength!

Nappa: (angry) Arrogant bastard! This may be a setback, but it's not enough to stop us all together! To underestimate these kids will be your gravest mistake!

Nappa: Next time on; "The Dissonance of The Earthling Saiyan"! Chapter 22: "Show us your power, Trunks! The Tournament has begun!"

Raditz: (shouting) Don't you let that freak get to your head, Seleriak! Fight with everything you've got!

REVIEW! REVIEW!

To be Continued in Chapter 22!

Upcoming Chapters: (Read at your own risk!)

Chapter 22: "Show us your power, Trunks! The Tournament has begun!" The Cell games has finally started, and who is Cell's first pick? It's Trunks! No one ever said Cell would do the picking, but there can't be any complaints. No weapons means no swords, but the half-Saiyan warrior proves he doesn't need it to fight! It's clear on why Cell wanted to fight Trunks first. And it's also obvious on why he would want to fight Kakarot last. Maybe this was all due to personal grudges?

Chapter 23: "Human warriors, prove your worth! It's time to go all-out!" Cell so far shows little signs of being taken down. The hope next lies on the Z-Fighters who most of the Saiyans find a bit… unhelpful. However, Kakarot knows they aren't to be underestimated. The Humans learned a lot since their defeat five years back! Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien work together to fight that terrible threat! It seems they truly learned a lot. Humans learn from their mistakes better than anyone else, after all!

Chapter 24: "Time for the elites to take the floor! Incredible display of power!" Cell had decided to make things more interesting. After his battle against the Humans, he finds a thrill to fighting more than one opponent. He demands all three of the "higher ranking" Saiyans to take a stand. Surely, they can overwhelm him… right? It's hard to say, but they didn't train for nothing. The only concern is of Vegeta and Tarble can even work together properly during this intense fight!

Chapter 25: "Relentless Brothers, do your best! A reason to stay alive!" Cell has finally made to call to battle Kakarot, but sooner than expected. Seems he decided to bend his own rules due to his own boredom. Fight like Saiyans, he says! Go all-out, for the sake of Planet Earth! It's not a good sign when combined efforts doesn't do as much as hoped. Cell has all the techniques. He knows every counter. They can only keep their fingers crossed. Just how powerful is he? When things seem to turn sour, one Saiyan is terrified of losing it all. Their action leads to an unseen consequence!

Chapter 26: "The situation turns bleak! Don't lose your determination!" Every effort seems to fall. Perfect Cell is just to… perfect! There appears to be no flaw in anything about him. Kakarot and his brothers reluctantly agree to allow Karot to fight Perfect Cell on his own, which seems to be a huge shocker for most! Future Trunks feels the need to step in, afraid of losing Karot twice! Perfect Cell decides that since the Saiyans sent their children to fight… why not send his… own? Oh boy. This is… not an ideal playdate for anyone.