by Amazon and Masquerade
Chapter 4
As the day rolled on and the z warriors trained on the lookout, Tansei and Aria finished their day long training within the chamber.
"Woo...you're getting good, Aria," Tansei complimented her friend, "You almost hit me that time."
Aria chuckled.
"Yeah. I think I'm getting good too. I don't mind flying up so high anymore."
Tansei giggled.
"Nope...considering you're at least a mile off the 'ground' right now..."
Aria smirked.
"Nah. This is nothing. I
think I can go higher."
"Well, we can test that
out soon enough. We leave in a little bit. Our day is almost up."
"Okay, lemme get my stuff
all together." Aria nodded.
"Good idea," Tansei agreed.
Within minutes the two girls were ready to leave.
"Well, we came in at 21 and
20 and we're leaving 22 and 21."
"A little weird." Aria admitted.
"A whole year without one new cute boy's phone number...."
Tansei laughed.
"Oi...Aria, you'll never
change..." She opened the door to the outside and walked through,
flipping her lengthened hair over her shoulder.
"Not in a million years,
Tansei." Aria grinned. "That collection of mine means a lot to me."
Tansei laughed again as she walked out of the room completely, waiting for her friend.
"Hurry up, Aria!" she chimed
"Coming!" Aria called, following
her friend out. "Well, how is the world looking today?"
"Not bad...," Tansei replied,
walking out to where the z fighters were training.
She stopped mid step out, seeing them all.
"What the...." Aria blinked,
seeing the z fighters outside. "Hey, who are all these guys?"
"That's what I'd like to
know," Tansei said furrowing her brows.
"You! Girl! Get out
of my way! You've already taken enough of my time!" Vegeta huffed
as he passed them without a second glance.
"Take a chill pill, buddy."
Aria scoffed. "We're mov---cute guy!" She took out her notebook.
"Hey, can I have your phone number? You're a jerk, but dang, you're a hunk!"
"Hn...pathetic human females.
I'm mated," Vegeta replied without turning and continued on to the room.
Aria's face fell flat.
"Oh well, he wasn't that
cute...."
"So these are the girls...."
Trunks muttered to himself.
Tansei raised a brow.
"Purple hair?" she asked.
"Huh?"
Aria looked around, then spotted who Tansei was looking at. A grin slowly crept across her face, and before Trunks knew it, Aria was doing laps around him. Tansei slapped her forehead.
"Wow. Wow. WOW! This is one
sexy baby! Lookit those muscles! Lookit those abs! Lookit that FACE! Ooooh,
this one's a must have!" She shoved her notebook in his face. "I've got
to have your number!"
"Er....." Trunks squeaked.
"Okay...."
"That had better not be
the child of a kaio...." Piccolo huffed.
"No...that would be me,"
Tansei replied, "And you are?"
"Piccolo." the Namek introduced.
"And you are hoping to defeat Cell?"
"I will defeat Cell.
I fought him not too long ago and we ended in a draw. Now that I've
boosted my power, I'm confidant that I can and will defeat him."
"Yes, I can see that your
ki is notable. We welcome the help. May I ask for your name?"
"Kibito. Tansei Kibito."
"Nice to meet you." Piccolo
nodded.
"Well, we're off.
Right Aria?" Tansei called, hoping to pry Aria off the purple haired boy
by words alone.
But Aria was not around Trunks. Trunks pointed an annoyed finger in Piccolo's direction before following Vegeta into the chamber. Aria was trying to scratch at Piccolo's shoulder.
"Dude, what's with the body paint?"
Tansei sweat dropped.
"That's not body paint."
Piccolo answered.
"Huh?! Oh well. Can I have
your phone number anyway?"
"Somehow I don't think he
has a phone, Aria."
Piccolo turned his head away and decided to ignore Aria.
"Fine." Aria huffed. "I guess we can go, Tansei."
Tansei nods.
"We'll see you all at the tournament. May the best fighter win," Tansei addresses and takes off, waiting for Aria to follow.
Aria waved to the others.
"I'll get all your phone
numbers at the tournament. Bye, guys!" She took off after Tansei, heading
back home.
"I can't use the phone....."
Goku muttered nervously. "Chi-chi usually takes all the calls....."
Piccolo watched both girls leave, not sure what to think of them.
"Man, Goku...," Krillin mutters.
~*/|\*~
Tansei zooms ahead and calls over her shoulder to Aria.
"I'm going to check out the
arena for the tournament. You coming or going back home to relax
a bit?"
"I think I'm going home."
Aria decided. "I wanna show mom and dad that I can fly now, and that I'm
not afraid of heights anymore."
"Okay. I'll see you
there," Tansei waved.
Aria waved, and flew off for home.
"See ya, Tan-chan!"
"Later, Ari-chan!"
Tansei flew off toward where she sensed Cell's ki.
~*/|\*~
Cell's closed eyes snapped open when he felt a familiar ki.
"Oh, it's just her."
He closed his eyes again and waited for her. Tansei came to a stop, hovering a couple hundred feet above the southeast corner of the ring. She lowered herself to stand on top of the pillar at that corner.
"What brings you here, young
lady?" Cell asked her, not facing her or opening his eyes.
"Merely wondering what you're
doing to train for the big event. Perhaps ask you a few questions
as to your origins. It's always best to know your enemy before any
battle."
"That's true." He turned
to her and smirked. "I train once in a while, preparing for my opponents.
As for my origins...... You can ask the Namek, Piccolo. I told him everything."
"He's not as talkative as
you may think. I've met him...and the others," she replied, gracefully
leaping off the top of the pillar and landing a mere two feet before him.
She straightened herself and flipped her long silver black hair over her shoulder.
"Besides, I'd prefer to hear it from you. Your voice is slightly more pleasing."
Cell grinned.
"Is that so? Flattery will not work on me, young lady." He paused before adding: "....But you do not know the story yet, so I will tell you."
He launched into Dr. Gero's plans and ended with his goal to destroy Goku, sounding proud with every word. Tansei found herself smirking unconsciously, his enthusiastic pride rubbing off on her.
"Interesting....," she replied, her scientific side going on a holiday with the concept.
She looked him up and down, appraising the end result.
"So, you understand why I
am holding the tournament?"
"I do," she replied and
continued her appraisal, "Hmmn. Compared to your previous form, this
one is definitely more aesthetically and auditorily pleasing. I remember
I sensed you a while back. And according to your story, you must
have been in your first form at the time. So I can also say your
physical capabilities have improved dramatically as well...."
"......"
Cell kept quiet, hoping he wasn't blushing. Unfortunately, he was. His cheeks were turning a mix of purple and red. Tansei failed to notice his blushing as she continue to appraise him, circling him slowly and taking note of his structure.
"You've also obviously been
programmed to have a higher intellect than most living beings...meaning
your tactical strategies are well thought out in the least amount of time
possible."
"Very observant, I must
say..." He had to complement her.
"Thank you," she replied,
"Like I said, it's always best to know your enemy before a battle.
I now know your motive, your reason for being, your goals, and at least
part of your capabilities. Very useful information."
"You make it sound like
you will use this information against me." Cell noted.
Tansei laughed.
"Perhaps, perhaps not...You're quite the gentlemen for allowing me this observation, Cell-kun. Your an amusing individual. Perhaps after I win the tournament we can divulge ourselves with some intellectual conversation," she said flirtingly.
Cell frowned.
"If you win the tournament?
Your offer is interesting, but what makes you think you will win?"
"I don't just think.
I know," she replied confidently, smirking.
He smirked back.
"Well, we shall see in due time, won't we?"
Tansei tried to hold back a smile but couldn't.
"I look forward to it. And please, Cell-kun, drop the 'young lady' business. Call me Tansei," she said, laying her hand softly on his shoulder as she walked past him, "I'll see you in 9 days. You know how to find me if you want to get to know your enemy." She flew up and away quickly.
Cell smiled to himself.
"Perhaps, I will, young la.....Tansei."
~*/|\*~
A few days pass as Tansei continues to train mentally, using meditation, in her backyard. Aria is over for the day, also meditating. Tansei sat cross legged, floating, in the air. Aria also sat cross-legged, but she was on the ground. Aria suddenly sensed something that broke her concentration, then looked up at the sky.
"Hey, Tansei? Do you feel something?"
Tansei uncrossed her legs and stood on the ground.
"Come to think of it, I do,"
she replied turning to the source, "I think Cell is on his way here."
"What?" Aria gasped. "Wh-what's
he doing over here?"
"I invited him, in a way...,"
Tansei replied, shrugging her shoulders.
As Aria looked at Tansei like she was crazy, Cell came to a halt in the air and hovered over the two girls. Tansei looked up and smirked, shaking her head.
"Welcome to my home, Cell. You know Aria," she said.
Cell nodded, then dropped to the ground and landing on his feet.
"I wanted to take up your offer. So, tell me more about yourself, Tansei."
Tansei nodded.
"Aria, go inside and make sure mom's doing okay. Cell and I are going for a little walk."
Aria stood up.
"All right. Just be careful, Tan-chan. I don't fully trust this guy." She gave the android an "un-trusting" look before heading into the house.
Tansei smiled at her friend's retreating form and turned back to Cell.
"Follow me, there's a quiet spot not too far from here, in the woods," she said.
He nodded in agreement. Tansei led Cell into an open area in the woods behind her home. She sat on a tree stump and motioned for him to begin his questions. He stood by a tree next to her, and looked down into her eyes.
"I suppose the biggest question
I have should come first. How did you learn to use ki?"
"It wasn't too long ago
that my father came back to the earth. When he visited he saw that
I had potential and he stayed a year to teach me how to fight and manipulate
my ki. After that, I merely practiced and experimented."
"Your father? And who was
he?"
"His name is Kibito.
He's the right hand man to the Supreme Kai."
Cell didn't expect to hear that, naturally he was surprised.
"Right hand man to......
So, your father is a kaio?"
"Yes, that's right.
I'm half kaio, half human."
"Interesting...." Cell muttered
to himself.
Tansei smiled and crossed her legs, leaning back on her elbows on the large stump. Her long hair splayed behind her like a cascade of silk, the darkness becoming the light. It was then Cell noticed the silver in Tansei's hair. He couldn't help himself, he reached down and took a few strands in his fingers.
"Would your father be responsible for this as well? Or is this artificial?"
Tansei shivered slightly at his proximity.
"Yes, he would. I've always had silver tips in my hair for as long as I can remember," she replied looking into his eyes, cerulean against magenta.
Cell stared into her eyes a moment, before he remembered staring was rude and he backed away while clearing his throat.
"Is your father too busy
to live with you? What does your mother have to say about it?"
"As a kaio, he isn't permitted
to remain with mortals for long," she replied sadly, "My mother...misses
him terribly, but she understands."
Cell nodded.
"Coming back to your use
of ki, what are you capable of exactly?"
"My ki manipulation ranges
from flight capacity to blasts, beams, and a special attack I've devised.
I can also project it to make heavy objects float towards myself."
He smiled in interest.
"May I have a demonstration
of that?"
"I suppose...," she began.
Tansei furrowed her brows a bit as a slight wind picked up around them both. Her eyes flashed a quick silver before she directed her ki around Cell, lifting him off the ground and making him circle around the stump before she set him down. She smiled and relaxed her facial features. After the small ride, Cell had to laugh.
"You never cease to amaze me, you know that, Tansei?"
Tansei brushed a lock of hair behind her ear attempting to hide the light blush over her nose and cheeks.
"Thank you," she replied, quietly.
Tansei cleared her throat and looked to him again.
"Anything else?"
Cell started blushing too, and quickly lowered his head to keep her from seeing.
"I learned what I wanted
to know. Is there anything else I should know about?"
"Nothing that I can think
of at the moment. So what are your observations to this point?" she
asks.
Cell walked in front of her, and looked her up and down. He put a hand to his mouth in thought, as well as to hide his still flushed cheeks. Tansei stood and crossed her arms comfortably, waiting for his reply.
"Well, there is certainly more to you than meets the eye. Your intellect was what interested me first, certainly able to match mine. Not very many humans possess such intelligence or the passion of wanting to learn so much."
Tansei's light blush became slightly more noticeable as she tried to hide it with her hair.
"Also, how could I not notice your skill and strength during our duel?! Not just anyone can match my own power, I can say that is true. Your father trained you well for battle, since you can handle yourself well and know what to do to make a battle turn in your favor. I commend that."
He crossed his arms and leaned closer to her, looking into her eyes.
"I can also sense an inner strength in you that I haven't seen in any fighter in my entire life."
She looked back at his own eyes and her blush increased as well as her heartbeat.
I've never seen anyone with that color of eyes before...it's so strange, yet... "Uhm...thank you," she whispered audibly, enraptured by his magenta gaze.
He smiled at her, but found he couldn't look away
from her this time. What is this? I know staring like this is rude,
but I can't seem to stop. She's just a human, nothing special.....right?
Disclaimer: We don't own DBZ or any related characters or entities. DBZ is © Akira Toriyama. The characters of Tansei Kibito, Ikuko, Aria, and Masaru are however our intellectual property and we reserve the exclusive right to use said characters.
Tansei Kibito, Ikuko, Aria, Masaru © Amazon and Masquerade, 2003.
