Updated as of 12/04/2024
I noticed how bad the first 4 chapters are now that I know what I'm doing. In all honesty this fic started out as purely self-indulgent and now its grown into my baby...and I got a beta reader to help me keep stuff in line
Planet: ?
The alien world's two suns cast long shadows across the desolate landscape. Three Saiyan warriors stood amidst the ruins of what had once been a thriving civilization, their armor gleaming in the dying light. Cellera's thumb pressed against her lip as she surveyed the destruction, that telling gesture of analysis her father had both encouraged and come to expect.
"Hmph. These weaklings weren't even worth the effort," Nappa growled, crushing a piece of alien technology beneath his boot. His casual destruction drew a subtle eye roll from Cellera, another habit she was still learning to control.
Vegeta stood with his arms crossed, scouter blinking as it processed the planet's remaining power levels. Beside him, Cellera mirrored his stance not through conscious thought but ingrained survival - every gesture calculated, every response measured against his expectations. Her shoulder-length dark hair swayed in the wind, her eyes carrying the same sharp calculation as her father's.
"Six hours," she noted, her voice carrying the crisp pride her father demanded. Her tail tightened slightly around her waist as she continued analyzing. "We could have cleared this planet in five if we'd split the sectors more efficiently." The words came automatically now, the tactical assessment he'd drilled into her since she could walk.
A small smirk crossed Vegeta's face at his daughter's analysis. "Always looking to improve our efficiency, aren't you, Cellera?" But sometimes..." He raised his hand, gathering energy for a final blast, "...it's worth taking one's time."
The energy blast illuminated their faces as it destroyed the planet's last standing city. Cellera watched with practiced detachment, though her eyes lingered momentarily on a falling structure in the distance. Her tail coiled tighter around her waist - that tell of internal conflict her mother had warned her to control.
While she enjoyed fighting as much as any Saiyan warrior, she didn't take joy in dragging out her opponents' pain and suffering. Unlike Nappa, who seemed to savor every scream, or her father, whose methods grew more brutal with each passing year, she preferred giving quick deaths to those too weak to defend themselves. Her father called it weakness, but something in her refused to abandon this one remnant of her mother's methods.
"Speaking of efficiency," Nappa interjected, adjusting his scouter, "Raditz should be reporting back about Earth soon. Think he's handled Kakarot?"
"We'll know soon enough," Vegeta replied. His scouter suddenly beeped, catching all their attention. "What's this? Interesting...Raditz's power level just dropped significantly."
Cellera stepped forward, her own scouter confirming the reading. Each new planet brought the same routine: analyze defenses, calculate power levels, determine optimal attack vectors. But something about intercepting Raditz's transmission made her usual assessment falter. "Either the scouter's malfunctioning, or..."
"Or Kakarot has proven more interesting than anticipated," Vegeta finished, a dangerous gleam in his eyes. Cellera recognized that look - her father only showed such interest when something challenged his expectations.
"I'll tap into the coms on his scouter and have it set for us to hear as well," Cellera said, adjusting the settings. Unlike Nappa's brute force approach to everything, she'd mastered the technical aspects of their equipment rather quickly. Another small victory in proving the value of her analytical nature to her father.
"No, you die alone." A gruff, unfamiliar voice echoed through the scouter.
Cellera's ears perked at those words, her small frame tensing instinctively. Die?! While Raditz wasn't nearly as strong as the three of them, he shouldn't have fallen so easily. Even at five years old, she knew his tendency to underestimate opponents often got him into trouble.
"Goku won't be gone for long. I'm guessing his friends will see to it that he'll be back within the week." The gruff voice continued.
Her thumb returned to her lip, brow furrowing in concentration - a child's gesture that mirrored her father's analytical scowl. Two fighters down: Raditz and this 'Goku' person. Could they really mean Kakarot? And what did they mean by "coming back"? Before she could piece together this puzzle, Raditz's strained voice cut through her thoughts.
"What? That's impossible! Tell me how!"
"Gladly. On this planet we have something we call the dragonballs. When all seven balls are gathered together, they have the power to grant any wish and that includes bringing the dead back to life. So you see, it's Goku who will have the last laugh."
Cellera's eyes widened at the revelation, her young mind already racing with possibilities. Magical orbs that could grant wishes? Her tail unwound slightly from her waist - a tell of childish excitement she quickly suppressed when she caught her father's sharp glance.
"No," Raditz's voice cut through again, "I'm afraid you're wrong, green man." He took a struggling breath before continuing. "This device on my face it's...it's also a transmitter. My Saiyan comrades heard every single word. The three of them...they'll come. I know they will." He sputtered and coughed before continuing, "And once they arrive, you'll be powerless to stop them. They'll seek out the dragonballs and destroy everything in their path. You and every living thing on this planet will be wiped out. They'll destroy you all."
She watched the power level on her scouter steadily decrease, amazed that Raditz could still talk so much while dying. Her father had taught her that a true warrior should face death with dignity, not waste their final moments on threats.
"When? When will they come? How long will it take them...to get here?" A third voice demanded, sounding just as pained as Raditz.
"One year. And the funny thing is," Raditz gave a weak chuckle, "They're much stronger than me. Even the youngest one. She's about the same age as your own brat over there, Kakarot."
"Oh good. So he is aware." Nappa chuckled. Vegeta remained focused on the transmission, his expression calculating.
She would normally have joined in mocking Raditz - it was expected, after all - but something about their dismissal of another fallen Saiyan made her stomach twist uncomfortably. Instead, she focused on the mention of another child her age. Her tail swayed with poorly concealed interest. Maybe he had helped bring down Raditz? The thought of fighting someone her own age, someone who might understand what it meant to be different, made her forget her usual careful control.
"Father," she started, then quickly tempered her eager tone when he glanced her way, "do you think Kakarot's son really helped defeat Raditz?"
"We'll find out soon enough," Vegeta replied, though something in his tone suggested he'd noticed her unusual interest.
"So enjoy this little victory of yours today. It means...it means nothing! You're as good as dead. Don't look so upset...We can't all have the last laugh." Raditz's final chuckle faded into silence.
The young female Saiyan studied the blinking zero under Raditz's name before disconnecting the communication line, her expression matching her father's analytical focus despite her small features.
"Raditz stinks." Nappa said nonchalantly.
Cellera turned to see the two older warriors already settling around a fire, consuming one of the planet's native creatures with casual indifference to their fallen comrade. She understood their dismissal - between serving under their mysterious benefactor and clearing planets regularly, death had become commonplace. Still, something about losing another piece of their heritage nagged at her tactical mind.
"He's a complete disgrace!" Vegeta snapped, aggressively tearing into his meal. Her father's casual dismissal of their dwindling race troubled her, though she kept her expression carefully neutral. "How could he let himself be beaten by men with such low fighting power?"
"Well, we know for sure that there were two Saiyans. Maybe Kakarot's son helped fight him, it's not impossible." Cellera's analytical nature pushed past her usual caution. Her small arms crossed as she added, "I mean, even I can beat Raditz in a spar."
"Yes, but you are my and your mother's offspring. You've had special training." Pride and warning mixed in Vegeta's tone as he held out a piece of charred meat to her. "I doubt that Kakarot's son's power holds even a candle to yours, let alone Raditz's."
She accepted the food and settled onto a boulder beside him, her legs dangling as she ate. These small moments of almost-normalcy were rare, making her careful to maintain the proper balance of respect and capability her father expected.
"Perhaps it's time we paid a visit to Earth ourselves and teach those Earthlings a lesson." Nappa's suggestion carried his usual bloodthirsty grin.
Cellera's expression remained carefully neutral, but her eyes brightened with poorly concealed curiosity. Another young Saiyan, one who might fight differently than Nappa's brute force or her father's calculated cruelty...
"A waste of time..." Vegeta cut in, spitting out a piece of gristle. But then a familiar calculating smile crossed his face. "Then again, I am curious about those Dragon Balls the earthlings mentioned." He stood, walking to the edge of the tree line where their Saiyan pods waited. "Just think of the possibilities, if we can get our hands on them, then we can wish for anything we want." He turned, looking straight at his daughter. "Anything at all."
Cellera gave a grin in return and hopped down from her boulder, taking one last bite before joining her father. Despite her youth, she recognized the implications in his tone. "I say that alone is worth the trip."
"You guys kiddin'? Yeah! Let's go!" Nappa agreed with a laugh, joining Vegeta as he walked to their pods a couple of yards away, still in their craters from landing.
Cellera cast one final glance at the devastation they'd wrought before catching up to overhear Nappa's question to Vegeta.
"How are we gonna find the Dragon Balls? And once we get the Dragon Balls, what are we going to wish for? To bring Raditz back to life?"
Vegeta scoffed. "No, that would be a wasted wish." He pressed the button to open their pods, the doors in their cylindrical spheres sliding open. "Raditz was a weakling and a fool."
Her father's casual disregard for death didn't surprise her anymore. Two years of watching his methods grow increasingly brutal had taught her what to expect.
"Father, what will we wish for then?" Cellera inquired, maintaining her composed demeanor.
"I have something far more grand in mind," Vegeta announced. "Tell me, how does the idea of eternal life sound to you both?" Her father's eyes gleamed with that familiar intensity that usually preceded unnecessary bloodshed.
"What? Living forever? That sounds great." Nappa grinned, settling into his pod across from Vegeta's and Cellera's shared one. "If we can't die that means no one'll ever be able to defeat us...So what the heck would we need Raditz for?"
"Yes, 'what for' indeed," Vegeta chuckled while settling himself into his pod next to his daughter. The dark amusement in his tone made Cellera's tail tighten unconsciously around her waist.
"That means complete victory," she said carefully, watching her father's face for reaction. She'd learned early to phrase things in terms of power and conquest rather than questioning methods.
"We'll be the greatest fighters in the universe. And we will ascend to our rightful place, among the Saiyan warriors of legend."
Cellera recognized her father's reference to the legend he'd told her countless times - the ultimate warrior their race could produce, one who surpasses all limits. The way his expression shifted when discussing such power always caught her careful attention.
Nappa's voice carried eager recognition. "Do you mean..."
"That's right. We will become Super Saiyans!"
Though outwardly still, Cellera's analytical mind was already processing the tactical implications of their mission. They could obtain the information about the Dragon Balls without destroying the planet - it wasn't a formal purge mission after all. Yet something in her father's tone suggested he had other plans. She'd noticed how his methods had grown more extreme over the years, each mission bringing new displays of unnecessary force.
She couldn't explain it, but something felt different about this mission—perhaps because they were hunting one of their own, or perhaps because her tactical mind sensed this journey would alter their path irrevocably.
The pods' doors sealed with a hiss, and three streaks of light shot into the alien sky, leaving only ruins to mark their passage.
The journey through space stretched on in silence until Nappa's voice crackled through their pod communication system. "Hey Vegeta, my scouter's picking up some civilization on that planet coming up. Looks primitive." His eagerness was palpable even through the static. "Could be a good chance for some... entertainment before Earth."
Cellera studied the readouts on their pod's systems. A detour would only waste time - the power levels were negligible, the technology primitive. Her father had taught her to evaluate every potential battlefield, and this one offered nothing of value.
"Father," she said quietly, careful to keep her voice from carrying through their pod's communication system, "this is beneath us. His idea of 'entertainment' will only delay our mission." She paused, glancing sideways at him in their cramped space. "And waste resources we might need for Earth."
"A warrior should never waste an opportunity to train," her father responded through the main channel, though the slight nod he gave her suggested he shared her assessment of Nappa's true motives.
"Their average power level is 1,000," Cellera reported, keeping her voice even. "We could clear the entire planet in under an hour if we split the sectors properly." The implied criticism in her suggestion wasn't lost on either adult Saiyan.
"Such precision from my daughter," Vegeta commented with that familiar mix of pride and warning. "But perhaps these insects might prove... amusing."
Nappa's eager laugh filled the communication channel. "Yeah! Been a while since we had some real fun!"
Cellera's tail coiled tighter around her waist as their pod changed course toward Arlia. She'd seen enough of Nappa's idea of "fun" to know what was coming - the drawn-out deaths, the unnecessary torture, the waste of time and energy that could be better spent preparing for Earth. But she'd also learned when to stay silent, especially when her father chose to indulge Nappa's baser instincts.
Planet: Arlia
The barren landscape of Arlia stretched endlessly before them as they emerged from their space pods. Her nose wrinkled at the stench of decay that permeated the air, her mind already noting the crude defenses in the distance. Another display of Nappa's brutality for her father to observe with dark amusement.
Cellera kept her expression neutral, though her tail tightened around her waist - a tell her mother had often warned her about. She remembered Rhuba's words: "A quick death is its own kind of mercy, little one. We're warriors, not torturers."
"The castle appears to be the power center," she offered instead, pointing to the distant structure. "If we-"
Her analysis was cut short as several of the planet's soldiers approached, their crude weapons raised. Nappa stepped forward eagerly, but Cellera noticed something in their stance.
"They're afraid," she observed quietly. "They know they can't win."
"Then they shouldn't have come to die," Nappa laughed, raising his hand to blast them.
"Wouldn't it be more efficient to gather intelligence first?" The words left her mouth before she could stop them. "Find out if there's anything worth knowing about this rock before we destroy it?"
Vegeta raised an eyebrow at his daughter's suggestion, a calculating look crossing his face. "Interesting thought. Very well - we'll play along with these insects. For now."
As they allowed themselves to be "captured" by the Arlians, Cellera caught her father studying her. She kept her face impassive, wondering if he had seen through her attempt to prevent needless slaughter. Sometimes she wasn't sure if her strategic suggestions made him proud or suspicious.
Either way, she had bought the Arlians a few more minutes of life. Whether that was wisdom or weakness, she wasn't quite sure anymore.
Arlia's Prison
The Arlian prison reeked of decay and desperation. As they were led to their cell, her eyes took in every detail - the structural weaknesses, the guard positions, the other prisoners' conditions. Her father had trained her well in assessing potential battlefields.
"Keep moving, outsiders!" An Arlian guard jabbed his spear threateningly.
Nappa growled, but Vegeta's slight head shake kept him in check. She noticed her father's amused smirk - he was already treating this like a game. She recognized that look. It usually preceded unnecessary bloodshed.
Nappa growled, but Vegeta's slight head shake kept him in check. Cellera noticed her father's amused smirk - he was already treating this like a game. She recognized that look. It usually preceded unnecessary bloodshed.
"These chains are a joke," she muttered, quiet enough for only Saiyan ears. "The metal's corroded. One burst of ki would-"
"Patience, daughter," Vegeta interrupted, that dangerous amusement still playing on his face. "Let's see what entertainment these insects provide first."
They were shoved into a cramped cell already occupied by another prisoner - a battle-scarred Arlian who introduced himself as Atla. While Nappa immediately began complaining about the accommodations, Cellera observed their cellmate with interest. Unlike the guards, his bearing spoke of actual combat experience.
"What did you do to end up here?" she asked, keeping her voice neutral despite her curiosity.
"I spoke against King Moai's tyranny," Atla replied. "He takes our people, our women, for his twisted entertainment."
"Touching story," Nappa sneered. "Want me to put you out of your misery now, bug?" He raised his hand, energy gathering.
"We might need information about the arena setup," she said quickly. "Local fighting techniques could be... instructive."
Vegeta shot her a sharp look, but nodded. "True enough. Though I doubt these insects have much to teach Saiyan warriors."
"My wife is in the king's harem," Atla continued, either missing or ignoring the threat in Nappa's stance. "I failed to protect her, but I won't stop fighting until-"
"Spare us your tragic tale," Vegeta cut him off. "We're not here to solve your little rebellion."
Cellera watched Atla's mandibles click in resignation. Something in his willingness to fight despite overwhelming odds stirred a memory of her father's stories about past battles, but she pushed the thought aside as heavy footsteps approached their cell.
"These three for the arena!" a guard announced. "King Moai demands entertainment!"
"Finally!" Nappa cracked his knuckles. "Some action!"
As they were led out, Cellera glanced back at Atla. The way their prisoners protected each other, sacrificing themselves for the weaker ones - it was tactically inefficient, yet something about their unity made her pause.
"Focus, girl," Vegeta commanded, noticing her distraction. "Show these insects what true Saiyan power looks like."
Cellera straightened, pushing away her observations. She was a Saiyan warrior, after all. But as she followed her father into the arena, she found herself hoping these fighters might prove strong enough to at least die with honor.
The arena erupted in jeers as the three Saiyans stepped into the light. Cellera's eyes immediately tracked possible attack vectors, escape routes, structural weaknesses - all the things her father had drilled into her since she could walk.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" The announcer's voice grated against her sensitive hearing. "Today's entertainment - three alien warriors against our champions!"
"This ought to be good," Nappa sneered as two massive Arlian fighters entered the arena. Their armor was more elaborate than the guards', but Cellera's scouter confirmed they were just as weak.
"Brothers and sisters!" one of the champions bellowed. "We'll crush these invaders for your entertainment!"
Cellera's tail twitched in irritation. "Their power levels are barely worth measuring. This isn't even training."
"Then make it quick," Vegeta commanded, stepping back to observe. "Show me you haven't forgotten how to be efficient."
The first champion rushed her with a flurry of strikes that might have impressed the crowd but left gaping holes in his defense. She could hear Nappa toying with his opponent, dragging out the fight with cruel laughter.
"What's wrong, little one?" her opponent taunted. "Scared to- URK!"
She struck once, precisely, severing his spine at the base of his neck. He was dead before he hit the ground, his face still frozen in mid-taunt.
"Clean kill," Vegeta noted, though she couldn't tell if his tone held approval or disappointment.
Across the arena, Nappa continued to torture his opponent, ripping off limbs while the crowd's cheers turned to horrified screams. Her face remained impassive, but her tail's grip tightened. Show no weakness. Feel no mercy.
"Pathetic!" Nappa finally finished his opponent with a blast that took out half the arena wall as well. "That's how you put on a show!"
"If you're quite finished playing," Vegeta drawled, "perhaps King Moai would like to demonstrate his own power? Unless he's as weak as his champions?"
Cellera noticed the king's mandibles clicking nervously in his viewing box. This whole exercise had been pointless - exactly the kind of wasteful violence that seemed to delight Nappa.
"Father," she said, keeping her voice clinical, "their technology level is primitive. There's nothing of value here. We're wasting time that could be spent preparing for Earth."
Vegeta's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Perhaps you're right. Time to end this little game."
King Moai's attempt at intimidation might have worked on lesser warriors, but to Cellera it just highlighted his desperation. His "ultimate weapon" - if one could even call it that - was just another waste of time.
"The Beast of Arlia!" Moai announced proudly as the creature emerged. "Your execution will be quite entertaining!"
Cellera's scouter beeped as it assessed the new threat. The reading was higher than the champions, but still pathetically low. She glanced at her father, recognizing the contempt in his expression.
"Nappa," Vegeta commanded. "Deal with this pest."
As Nappa engaged the creature with his usual excessive force, Cellera's attention shifted to the gathering crowd of prisoners being herded into the arena. Among them, she spotted Atla reuniting with who she assumed was his wife. Something about their courage in the face of certain death nagged at her.
The sound of Nappa's laughter snapped her back as he literally tore the beast apart. "Now this is entertainment!"
"Efficient as always, Nappa," Vegeta remarked dryly. His tone made Cellera wonder if he actually found Nappa's methods as tiresome as she did, though he'd never say it openly.
"What should we do with the rest of these insects?" Nappa asked, gesturing to the horrified crowd.
"We're done here," Vegeta declared. "This planet has nothing of value." He raised his hand, gathering energy for a final blast.
"We're done here," Vegeta declared. "This planet has nothing of value."
His blast illuminated the darkening sky, the explosion consuming the planet's surface in waves of destructive energy. Cellera watched, face impassive, as another world crumbled under her father's power. Her tail coiled tighter around her waist - these displays of casual destruction had become more frequent over the years, each mission bringing new examples of her father's growing brutality.
As they walked back to their pods, Nappa grumbled about missing out on more "fun," but Cellera kept her expression neutral.
"We're done here," Vegeta declared. "This planet has nothing of value."
His blast illuminated the darkening sky, the explosion consuming the planet's surface in waves of destructive energy. Cellera watched, face carefully impassive even as her tail coiled tighter around her waist. The sight of an entire world vanishing in an instant still stirred something uncomfortable in her chest, though she'd learned long ago to mask such reactions. At least their usual missions gave populations a fighting chance, futile as it might be. This... this was just destruction for destruction's sake.
As they walked back to their pods, Nappa grumbled about missing out on more "fun," but Cellera kept her expression neutral. Better to focus on their next target than dwell on another pointless display of power.
"Earth next," Vegeta announced as they reached their pods. "Let's see if Kakarot and his son provide more of a challenge than these insects."
The pods sealed with a hiss as they shot into space, leaving behind another world shattered by her father's power. As Earth grew closer, Cellera found her thoughts turning to their next target. A planet that had somehow produced warriors capable of defeating Raditz. Perhaps there, she'd find opponents worth testing her true strength against, rather than watching more worlds fall to mindless destruction.
Though she kept such thoughts carefully hidden behind her usual mask of Saiyan pride.