AN. And now, to introduce a whole lot of familiar faces. Now remember, I've messed with the ages (as I said at the start) so it's not canon. That's why this is an AU. Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter Ten

Tien tried to control his nausea, repressing the swirling feeling in his stomach. Two days had passed since Shen had found him and Chiaotzu, and he hadn't eaten once in that entire time. He had not been allowed to see Chiaotzu at all, and it was slowly spreading ice through him. They had arrived in Papaya Island that morning, landing in Papaya Airport and taking a taxi directly to the stadium. They were still in the taxi now, the bundle containing Chiaotzu held loosely on Shen's lap.

Tien glanced over at it, biting on the inside of his cheek. His heart clenched as he noted the complete stillness of it, the utter lack of movement. He didn't want to know why Chiaotzu was so still, why he hadn't moved, not just during the taxi ride, but during the trip in the plane as well. That had been a ten hour flight, and yet Chiaotzu had not moved once.

"We're nearly there," Shen said. His eyes narrowed and Tien recoiled slightly. "Park a little way away."

The taxi pulled to a stop two hundred metres away from the entrance. Shen opened the door and easily got out, handing a few notes through the window to the driver. Tien got out as well, his eyes widening as Shen carelessly tied the bundle containing Chiaotzu around his back again.

"Come, Tienshinhan," Shen said. "They are there. It is time for you to meet your adversaries."

Tien nodded, his arms held rigidly at his sides as he followed Shen, his eyes fixed on the bump that was Chiaotzu. It was only because he was watching this so diligently that he knew when to stop.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Turtle Hermit," Shen said coldly. Tien kept his eyes fixed on Chiaotzu, his face blank.

"Still alive, are you, Shen?" the voice of another old man said congenially. "What a surprise."

"Where are your students, Roshi?" Shen spat. "This is a fighting tournament, not a garden party. Those three won't stand a chance against my student."

Tien lightly bit the inside of his cheek. Three against one didn't bode well. Maybe these students were as dishonourable as Shen, and would team up on him the minute he got inside. That would suck, and Chiaotzu would probably pay for his weakness.

Then again, he was pretty strong now. Maybe he would be able to defeat them. It was always a possibility.

"Is this your student then?" the other old man asked, sounding coolly surprised. "Well, he's quite formidable, isn't he? Seems a little bashful though."

Remember, Tienshinhan. He will pay. Shen's voice was cold in Tien's head, sending ice shooting through. Again, Chiaotzu's voice echoed in his mind briefly, his terrified wails quietened to a frightened whimper.

Tien…

Tien lifted his head, forcing a smirk onto his face. He took in the short old man (presumably the Turtle Hermit Shen had been complaining about earlier) and the three men behind him. They were all dressed in suits that looked both uncomfortable and out of place. Two of the men were tall, the other short, though Tien knew they were all a little older than him. The short one was bald, the six dots on his forehead marking him as a previous student of the Oniji monastery. One of the taller two had long black hair tied back in a loose ponytail, a scar crossing his cheek and traversing over his eye. The other had spiky black hair and was staring at Tien with wide innocent eyes.

Tien forced himself to maintain his smirk, meeting eyes with each of them in turn. With the exception of the spiky haired student, he was met with hostility and anger. The spiky haired man stared at him with honest confusion, but no animosity.

"Tienshinhan will crush your students," Shen said coldly.

"Tienshinhan?" the scarred man asked, his eyes wide. "I've heard of him! He's a legend! He fought in all these tournaments and won every single one! Then he just disappears, not to be seen again for sometimes weeks at a time."

Tien's eyes flitted towards the bundle, but he forced them back to the scarred man.

"That's right," Shen said, smirking. "His training has been quite varied. I sent him to fight in tournaments, then kept him at the dojo for a while to do other training."

Tien bit the inside of his cheek hard. He tasted blood and bit harder, determined not to say anything.

"Yamcha, Krillin and Goku are quite formidable in their own right," the Turtle Hermit said placidly. "I'm sure we'll be in for a great fight, not matter when they go up against each other."

"I think it's an unfair fight," Shen said coldly. "These buffoons against Tienshinhan. We've got the advantage, I'd have to say."

"Shut up," the short bald student spat.

"Calm down, Krillin," the scarred man said. "This guy just talks big."

"Yeah, but his student hasn't said a word," the spiky haired man said thoughtfully.

Chiaotzu's voice rang in Tien's head, a quiet, terrified whimper. Tien, I'm scared…

"Master Shen has said everything that needs to be said," Tien said coldly, though his stomach clenched. "You don't stand a chance against me."

"Cocky bastard aren't you," the scarred man said, his anger just noticeable in his voice. "You're definitely the Tienshinhan I've heard about. Only a fighter who's won as much as you have would be that confident."

"Not to mention the third eye," Tien said, his smirk widening, sickness sinking into him. "That's what I'm best known for. Or are you blind as well as weak?"

"You son-of-a-"

"Yamcha," the Turtle Hermit said. "This isn't productive."

Tien flicked his gaze to the third man, waiting for him to say something, anything that would make fighting him a little bit easier. He wasn't in luck this time. The man, Goku by the process of elimination, blinked at him, his eyes wide and strangely perceptive.

"Come, Tienshinhan," Shen said coldly. "Let's leave the rabble to rot."

He turned sharply, Tien's view of Chiaotzu's bundle blocked briefly. Tien forced himself to make a small noise of scorn before he turned and followed, lowering his gaze again, his superior smirk falling away. His hands clenched into fists as he walked, his teeth digging into the inside of his cheek. He was very proud of his acting; he had never tried it before and he had done very well at convincing the others he was a heartless bastard. They couldn't know that Tien was being forced to do this, had to think that he was doing this of his own free will. It added another level of difficulty to his predicament, but he would persevere, for Chiaotzu's sake.

AN. Oo, Tien's a surprisingly good actor. Well, when it counts. How will he cope? I know, but you'll have to wait to find out. Please review XD