Dragon Ball © Akira Toriyama, Shuheisha, Inc.

Chapter 32: Cell's First Transformation

The day went on peacefully as they waited for Vegeta and Trunks to finish their training. Though they were in the middle of the war, Tenten still appreciated small moments like this when she could bond with her family. Though it was weird to have her brother younger than her and she had to be the one to explain things to him.

That was until they sensed Piccolo's Ki suddenly skyrocketing. Because they couldn't sense any other energy than Piccolo's, they assumed that he was fighting the androids. Gohan insisted that they should help Piccolo, but Goku scolded him as they wouldn't be any help with their current power. But that wasn't the only thing. Goosebumps were spreading all over their bodies when they sensed another Ki presence approaching the spot.

It belonged to no one but Cell.

They couldn't tell what was going on as they could only sense movements based on Ki. The green creature seemed to join the battle as its Ki was skyrocketing. However, it didn't take long until Cell's Ki wavered while Piccolo seemed to have the upper hand as his remained big. They were overjoyed, only for a short moment…

Until Cell's Ki immensely rose to the point of sending shivers down to all the warriors' spines.

One of the androids seemed to be absorbed, though they couldn't tell which one. Goku scowled deeper as the table turned in Cell's favour. Judging by the Ki, it seemed that Piccolo could no longer put up a fight against the green monster. Fortunately, Tienshinhan intervened in the fight to save Piccolo and continuously used the Energy Cannon.

"Otō-san, you have to stop him! He could die at this rate!" Tenten pleaded.

Goku made an affirmative nod before disappearing. It didn't take long until he returned with Piccolo and Tienshinhan on his shoulders. Tenten rushed to their sides to heal them both. She could heal Tienshinhan but when she tried to heal Piccolo, his wounds were more severe than they thought and he didn't have enough Ki to heal himself.

"G-Goten, please open your eyes! Please stay with me, Goten! Please!"

Her eyes widened upon the shifting of Piccolo's figure to Goten, helplessly sprawled on the ground, basked in his blood, dying… Yet she could do nothing to save him. Her breath was ragging when she lifted her hands, to see both of her palms covered in blood.

Suddenly, the colour black was dripping all around her, covering her world in the most suffocating hole that was sucking her life out of her. Around her were the bodies of the deceased warriors. She couldn't stare at them long but she couldn't help but have her eyes fixated on a glimpse of purple.

Why she was so weak?

Her father's touch on her shoulder pulled her back to reality. Seeing her father made her sigh in relief that she realised how she had been holding her breath for God knew how long. She almost couldn't hear her father's words but she immediately understood what he was going to do as he held the Senzu Bean to be given to Piccolo.

What if they didn't have the Senzu Bean?

Tenten glanced at her palms then tightened her fists as she thought of the worst outcome of her incapability to save people.

"Are you alright, Tenten?"

"Huh? Y-yeah!" She quickly forced a smile. "I'm glad we could save them in time, Otō-san! I'm glad we have… you." Goku frowned upon noticing how her voice derailed. Before he could say anything, Mr. Popo announced that both Vegeta and Trunks had completed their training and had come out from the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.

All the warriors could immediately sense the sudden surge of Kis coming from both of the men as they made their way out. But that wasn't the thing that surprised Tenten the most. Trunks smiled upon seeing her and walked towards her. The closer he got, the more she had to crane her head as he grew inches taller than before. His hair was now longer that he tied some of them behind while Vegeta remained the same as before. However, both of their clothes were ruined.

No words came out from both of them as their eyes met. It was a weird feeling for Tenten to see someone change so much in a day while for Trunks it had been a year since he saw her. He gazed at her so lovingly, holding back his desire to hold her because he was already too used to seeing her every day.

"Hey there," he greeted her.

"Is it really a year inside the room?" Tenten scrutinised him up and down.

"Aren't you going to say you miss me?" Trunks spread his arms, inviting her to hold him. "It's been a year."

Tenten raised an eyebrow and let out a mocking smile. "Well, good or you. It's just a day for me." When no one was looking, she accepted his invitation and held him tight. "Welcome back, Tiger" She then quickly released his hold. "You seriously have to take a proper bath."

Trunks chuckled. "Well, can't help it, My Lady. I only have this one with me." He tucked some of her hair behind her ear. "So, did I miss anything?"

"A lot. That stupid insect has absorbed one of the androids and now he got stronger."

Trunks rolled his eyes. "Stupid insect? Do you mean Cell?"

"Isn't he insect enough to you?" Trunks chuckled in response. "Whatever. Do you think you can beat him this time?"

"Well…" Trunks glanced at his father. "He can do it."

She chuckled because she was expecting a different confirmation. "I meant you, Tiger. Can you?"

Before Trunks could answer, a whirring noise of the plane wings echoed around the place. Bulma came with her plane, and cheerfully greeted them as she parked her plane at the palace. She emerged from the plane donning a navy blue long-sleeved shirt with a pair of trendy denim jeans that wrapped her figure perfectly. No one could tell that she was already a mother of one. She announced that she came directly after Krillin informed her that they gathered in the God's Palace.

"Being cheerful and positive even in this kind of situation is the quality that I admire from your mother," Tenten said with a smile.

Trunks sheepishly laughed. "That I admire of her as well."

"Wait a minute! Aren't you Trunks?!" This made Trunks jump on his spot.

"Y-yeah…"

"Why is your hair all different!? Is this a wig? And you've gotten taller!" she said while measuring his height, clearly remembering that he was only fifteen centimetres taller than her before, but now he was a head taller than her.

"There's an odd room here where you can spend an entire year in the span of one outside day. Father and I were training in there," he explained.

"But Vegeta's hair didn't grow out any," she said as she observed her husband.

"Pure-blooded Saiyans have thankfully spared the grotesque of 'hair growth'," Vegeta coldly replied.

"I don't know whether or not I should be grateful to be spared from that 'grotesque' capability." Trunks scratched the side of his face.

"Not for me." Tenten shook her head. "I would like to see myself in longer hair once things get calmer." She then glanced at his chin area and rubbed that part. "You definitely have to shave a bit after this. You can peel carrot with that."

Trunks chortled as he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her as they walked towards where Bulma popped a capsule that revealed a box container. "Yes, My Lady. As you wish."

The box container revealed several sets of Saiyan battle suits Vegeta had requested before. The Saiyans immediately donned it, including her father and brother. Tenten touched the material, amazed by how the materials was light and adjusting but strong at the same time. However, it was the fashion she frowned upon.

"How do I look?" Trunks showed off his new battle gear. Though he wasn't on a good term with his father, it was clear that he was proud to wear the same thing as his father.

"You look—" with heavy heart, Tenten continued, "—awesome, Tiger."

Shaking his head, Trunks chortled as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "You disapprove, correct?"

"Yes," Tenten answered immediately, "it's too tight for my taste." This made Trunks laugh. "But it's our people's battle gear." She smiled. "Wear it with pride and save this world from that insect, Tiger."

"I'll do my best." Trunk took out something from his pocket and tucked her hair as he pinned it with the bird hairpin she gave him before he entered the room. "Now they're a pair again."

"Nu uh uh!" Tenten took it off again and gave it to him. "Now you're still going to return this one after your fight with Cell. I want this in a piece because this is my treasure."

He chuckled in response. "I'll be going now then." He leaned down and quickly pecked her lips when everyone wasn't looking. They stared at each other until Vegeta announced his leave. "I'll see you later, my lady."

Tenten held both of his hands, caressing them with her thumbs. "Please be safe, Tiger."

Goku stopped Trunks and gave him Senzu Beans just in case. Before departing, Trunks waved at everyone and threw her one last look before he took off. Tenten ran towards the edge of the palace until his figure disappeared completely among the clouds.

Would Vegeta and Trunks be able to defeat Cell this time?

Before she drifted into her thoughts, her father announced that he and Gohan would enter the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, telling her that he would train her afterwards.

"Tenten." Piccolo approached her with his arms folded and said, "How about you enter the room with me? I might have an idea to improve your ability."

Tenten widened her eyes at this. "Really?! Y-you know how to improve my ability, Piccolo-san?"

"Not me. It's the God I merged with."

The memories of the people she lost in the future flashed before her. Clenching her fists, she nodded and then bowed. "Please take care of me, Piccolo-san." Though she kept herself calm and composed, her heart was thumping at the possibility for her to save more people.

"Good. We will be waiting for you to finish then," Piccolo said to Goku. Noticing from Goku's eyes that he wanted to talk, Piccolo walked with him towards the chamber.

"Do you know something about her power, Piccolo?"

Piccolo looked down. "I can't say for sure but there's a possibility that she shares the same ability with the Dragon clan."

Goku widened his eyes. "W-what? How?"

"It's a possibility. Which is why I want to train her to see it." Piccolo frowned deeper, recalling the moment when she displayed her healing ability and was shocked by the trace of the Dragon Clan's Ki hinted in her Ki only when she used the power.

"I'll leave her to you then. Please teach her well, Piccolo." After that, Goku made his way to the chamber with Gohan.

Piccolo turned around to see the girl in question. She was definitely Goku's daughter and there was no indication that anyone from her mother's family had the special ability as they were ordinary humans—even though they weren't that ordinary either. She created a small barrier in the shape of a bird, then a cat while sitting on the edge of the Palace. Piccolo positioned himself beside her as he looked down to see whatever happened with Vegeta and his upcoming battle.

"Piccolo-san." He glanced at her. "Thank you so much for your willingness to train me."

"No need. I'm curious about your ability so I might find out something if I train you."

"I appreciate it still," she replied with a smile.

Though she couldn't see anything, she still looked at the direction Piccolo was looking at, not knowing that Piccolo still had his eyes on her.

Who are you, really?

Swinging her legs, Tenten glanced at Piccolo once in a while as she waited for any comment because Piccolo stood there like a statue and no words had come out from him ever since. It was like that for hours that Bulma had left and then back to the castle again. The moment she emerged from the plane, she buoyantly waved her hands towards Tenten.

"Hey, Tenten! You're still here! Do you want to come with me to my house?" Bulma cheerfully beamed as she strode in Tenten's direction.

"I will, Bulma-san. But I'm still waiting for my turn to train in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber."

"Hmm, I wouldn't expect less from Son's daughter." Bulma sat on her side and patted her back.

"Because it's Saiyan's life purpose to train and fight." She didn't hate it herself but if she was given the preference, she'd rather have normal practice in a peaceful time. "What brings you back here, Bulma-san? I thought you said you want to feed baby Trunks."

"I'm on my way home. I just gave the suspension remote I created based on the schematics you retrieved back in Dr. Gero's lab to Krillin."

Tenten felt like she had lost some colours of her face. "Y-you give it to Krillin-san?"

Bulma nodded. "I saw him on the way so I gave it to him. I can't be the one to deactivate the android because you have to be less than ten metres away from the target."

"Piccolo-san. Can you tell me which one of the androids Cell had absorbed?"

"The male one. He was called #17 if I'm not mistaken. What's wrong?"

The moment when she witnessed what had happened during Krillin's first encounter with the female android flashed in her mind. Though Krillin never directly admitted it, she knew that Krillin felt something towards #18.

Slowly, she rose from her position, glancing down in the direction where Piccolo was looking, thinking at the possibility of Krillin having to press the button that would stop the female android forever.

Which one would he choose?

The world's peace…

Or the woman he loved?

AN: Greetings, lovely readers! You might be wondering why I've been doing frequent updates recently when I was on hiatus quite a while before. I was so busy and hardly had the time to really sit down and write but recently, I just found a good time to properly write so there you go! This story was first published 8 years ago. Yes, 8! Can you imagine how long it has been?! It was the first time I tried to write something and after reading the old draft, I realised how the story flows without dynamic.

Back then, I didn't improve Bulma and Chichi's characters while I believe that these two were supposed to be as important as their husbands because they have their own 'fights' as their supporters. Then, old readers might notice that I improved Krillin's role and involvement because I realised that he has the thing to affect Tenten's character development.

Actually, I received some criticism that these readers prefer the previous version and asked if it's possible for me to just reupload the old one and I want to say that I want this new one to be my official release. Back then, Tenten's character was almost as if she was not affected by the loss of her family at all and didn't have any emotional dynamic so I changed that in this version.

Please tell me which version you like! Reviews and votes are love!