Chapter Text
Flashes of golden light illuminated Namek's sky as Gohan and Cellera raced across the planet's surface, Piccolo's unconscious form draped carefully across Gohan's shoulders. The distant explosions marking Goku and Frieza's battle grew fainter with each passing moment, though their light still painted strange shadows across the landscape below.
"I can't believe it," Gohan said, breaking the heavy silence between them. "You and Dad both becoming Super Saiyans in the same day..." His voice carried equal parts awe and lingering shock from everything they'd witnessed.
Cellera gave a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yes, though I wish it could have been under different circumstances." Her transformed state still radiated golden energy, but the initial rush of power had settled into something steadier. Her gaze drifted to Gohan as he glanced back toward another distant explosion, the flash briefly illuminating the worry etched across his young features.
"Your father will defeat Frieza," She said with quiet certainty. "Then he'll come back to Earth." The words He has to remained unspoken, but the slight tremor in her voice betrayed her thoughts. One child losing a parent was already enough today.
Gohan nodded, adjusting his grip on Piccolo as they flew. The weight of their mentor seemed to grow heavier with each passing moment, a constant reminder of how little time they had. "We need to hurry," Hesaid. "I can feel Piccolo's energy getting weaker."
Another explosion lit up the sky behind them, and this time both children turned to look. Through the golden glow of clashing powers, neither spoke the fear that haunted them both - that these glimpses of their last hope against Frieza might be the final time they saw Goku alive.
"Gohan," Cellera called, pulling slightly ahead of him. "Continue to the ship. I'll get Bulma and meet you there."
Gohan nodded, understanding the urgency in her voice. They couldn't risk Piccolo's condition deteriorating further. As he adjusted course toward their escape route, Cellera veered off toward the ravine where they'd left Bulma.
The sudden explosion that followed made their earlier glimpses of battle seem dim in comparison. A blinding white flash consumed the horizon, its shockwave powerful enough to halt Cellera mid-flight. Her transformed state barely helped her maintain stability as Frieza's power skyrocketed beyond anything she'd felt before.
The planet itself seemed to react to the surge in energy - the ground cracking, waters churning violently as geysers erupted across the landscape. Understanding hit her with sickening clarity: Frieza wasn't just fighting anymore. He was trying to destroy Namek itself.
Cellera pushed herself faster, golden aura blazing against the chaos erupting around her. Please let Gohan have reached the ship. Please let Bulma be alright. The desperate thoughts drove her forward as the planet continued to tear itself apart.
She spotted the ravine just as a massive boulder nearly crushed Bulma, who scrambled backward with a terrified yelp. Another chunk of rock began breaking loose directly above her.
"Bulma!" Cellera shouted. "Raise your hand!"
Without waiting for questions, she dove toward her friend, remembering at the last second to reach with her unbroken hand. Their fingers clasped just as the rock crashed where Bulma had been standing moments before.
"I promised we'd come back," Cellera said, pulling them both to a safer height.
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" Bulma's relief quickly gave way to panic as she took in Cellera's transformed appearance. "Why is your hair GOLD? WHAT IS HAPPENING? Where's Goku? Is he-"
"I'll explain everything once we reach the ship," Cellera cut her off, already flying them toward their escape route. "Right now, we need to move. I think..." She swallowed hard. "I think Frieza's about to destroy the planet."
"WHAT?!"
Bulma's scream echoed across the fragmenting landscape as Cellera pushed them faster through Namek's increasingly unstable atmosphere. Behind them, another massive explosion lit up the sky, and Cellera could only hope they'd reach the others in time.
As they raced toward the ship, darkness suddenly eclipsed Namek's sky. Cellera looked up, nearly stopping mid-flight at what she saw.
"That's... that's Porunga!" she exclaimed. "But how is that possible? I thought once the creator of the Dragon Balls dies, they cease to work."
"That's exactly how it's supposed to work," Bulma confirmed, clinging tighter to Cellera's hand as another tremor shook the planet.
Before Cellera could consider the implications, multiple energy signatures suddenly sparked to life around them. Among them, one particular presence made her breath catch in her throat.
"Father...?" she whispered, her grip on Bulma's hand loosening for a fraction of a second before she quickly tightened it again.
Then everything changed. An odd weightlessness overtook her body, followed by a tingling sensation that seemed to spread through every cell. She blinked—and suddenly found herself in an entirely different place, surrounded by unfamiliar scenery.
Her Super Saiyan form flickered violently, golden energy sputtering like a dying flame as exhaustion finally overwhelmed her defenses, and her adrenaline lowering. She barely managed to descend and set Bulma down safely before her transformation slipped away completely, her legs nearly giving out beneath her as her power abandoned her.
"Are you okay?" Bulma steadied her with concern. "And... where are we?"
Cellera looked around, taking in their new surroundings. Green grass swayed in a gentle breeze, trees dotted the landscape, and above them stretched a pristine blue sky. *Earth?* she wondered. But that didn't explain the crowds of Namekians gathered around them - the same people she'd watched Frieza systematically murder, save for the village her father had...
"Piccolo!" Gohan's cry cut through her confusion. She turned to see him and Dende hovering over Piccolo's prone form. Dende?
"Dende!" she called out, rushing toward them despite her exhaustion. The young healer had just finished with Piccolo when she reached them.
"Cellera!" Both boys' faces lit up at her approach. "Cellera, you're okay!"
She stared at Dende, questions crowding her mind, but before she could voice any of them, his eyes fixed on her injured hand.
"Let me heal that for you," he said, already reaching toward the broken bones.
As warm healing energy flowed through her hand, she finally found her voice. "How are you here? Frieza killed you..."
"Allow me to explain," a familiar voice interrupted. Cellera's head snapped up to see Grand Elder Guru - who should have been just as dead as Dende.
"You are all on planet Earth," Guru continued, his gentle voice carrying across the gathered crowd. "My time is short, as I will soon return to the afterlife, but I shall explain what has transpired."
Through coordinated effort with King Kai, Guru explained, they had used Earth's Dragon Balls to restore life to Frieza's victims. Then, with the revived Namekian Dragon Balls, they had transported everyone from Namek to Earth's surface.
Father really is alive, Cellera realized, her heart leaping at the thought. But her moment of joy shattered as a Namekian villager stepped forward.
"Grand Elder," he said urgently, "we cannot locate anyone from Elder Tsuno's village."
"That must be the village that I wiped out."
Everyone turned to where Vegeta leaned against a tree, arms crossed and a familiar smirk playing across his features. "The wish was to bring back those killed by Frieza's men, sadly for you I'm not one of his men."
Cellera watched the Namekians' faces darken with anger, but something in her father's tone caught her attention. While his words carried their usual edge, they lacked the cruel satisfaction he typically took in such moments. His expression showed no remorse, his voice held no sympathy, yet he stated it almost like a simple fact rather than the boast it could have been.
Perhaps their moment before his death had changed something. Her eyes met his across the gathering, both of them understanding that neither would acknowledge those final vulnerable moments aloud. Despite everything - their arguments, their different paths, the weight of what they'd witnessed on Namek - he was alive. She offered a small smile, feeling tears of relief sting her eyes.
Vegeta gave her a brief nod - his own subtle acknowledgment - before looking away. What Cellera didn't see was how he averted his gaze to avoid watching her cry again, even if these were tears of joy rather than grief.
A series of heavy thuds drew everyone's attention as the stone Dragon Balls dropped near Guru. The Grand Elder looked down at them with gentle understanding. "It seems the Dragon Balls have followed us to Earth as well." His voice carried the weight of final words as he continued, "My time grows short. From this moment forward, Muri shall serve as your new Elder."
Cellera's eyes widened slightly as she recognized Muri - the Namekian elder from the village where they'd rescued Dende, the one she'd watched Dodoria kill. Another death undone by the Dragon Balls' power.
"Use these Dragon Balls wisely," Guru said, his form beginning to fade. "May Namek forever have its peace." With those words, he vanished completely.
"Rest in peace," Piccolo murmured. Beside him, Dende's eyes lit with sudden comprehension.
"I understand now," the young Namekian said. "You merged with Nail, didn't you?"
Piccolo answered with a knowing smile, confirming what Cellera had suspected since noticing the dual nature of his energy signature during their battle with Frieza. Although, now it seems that they have settled into one energy now.
"Wait a minute," Bulma cut in, looking around the gathered group. "Where are Goku and Krillin?"
"King Kai instructed us to wish everyone except Goku and Frieza to Earth," Dende explained.
"Dad stayed behind," Gohan added quietly. "Krillin was killed by Frieza, and he wanted to avenge him."
Cellera pressed her thumb to her lip, considering this new information. "But if everyone killed by Frieza and his men was brought back, why isn't Krillin here?"
"The Dragon Balls can't revive the same person twice," Gohan said, his voice carrying the weight of this limitation. "And Krillin was already brought back once before."
Dende tilted his head in confusion. "Is that how the Dragon Balls work on Earth?" When they nodded, his expression brightened. "The Namekian Dragon Balls are different. They can revive anyone as many times as needed, so long as the death wasn't natural."
"Really?" Gohan's face lit up with hope. "Then all we have to do is wait for another wish, and we can bring back Krillin and Chiaotzu and everyone else!"
"What about Goku?" Piccolo's sharp question cut through Gohan's excitement. "Has he completely lost his mind? He should know how superior Frieza's strength is." His eyes narrowed. "Does he have some kind of death wish?"
"You're wrong!" Gohan's voice carried absolute certainty. "Dad will win - he became a Super Saiyan just like Cellera!!"
The words hung in the air as Vegeta's head snapped toward his daughter, shock and disbelief warring in his expression. Cellera met his gaze steadily, though she wished she could show him. The power that had erupted during his death remained frustratingly out of reach now that the moment of crisis had passed.
"Everyone!" Bulma's voice cut through the tension. "I'm talking to Yamcha through King Kai - Goku did it! He defeated Frieza!"
Stunned silence gave way to excited chatter as the news spread through the gathered crowd.
It's over. It's finally over. The realization hit Cellera with stunning force - years of living under Frieza's boot, of watching her father and the remaining Saiyans serve as his puppets, had finally ended. They were free to choose their own path. She turned to her father with almost childlike excitement, but his expression stopped her cold.
"I don't believe it... Frieza beaten by Kakarot?" Vegeta whispered, his voice tight with too many emotions to name. His eyes never left his daughter as he added, "And you..."
Cellera recognized the complex mix of pride, jealousy, and wounded ego in his stance. Her father had sought the legendary transformation for so long, and now not only had Kakarot achieved it before him, but his five-year-old daughter had as well. She opened her mouth to explain, but before she could-
"Oh no..." Bulma's voice cut through the celebration. "Goku got caught in Namek's explosion. He... he didn't make it. Pretty crazy, isn't it?"
Cellera cringed at Bulma's tactless delivery, her eyes immediately finding Gohan. The boy stood frozen, his earlier joy shattered.
"Dad didn't make it...?" His voice came out small, disbelieving.
"But hey," Bulma rushed on, "the Namekians are here with their Dragon Balls! And they can bring people back no matter how many times they've died before, right?"
The confidence drained from her face so suddenly that Cellera stepped forward. "What's wrong?"
"Krillin and Goku..." Bulma's voice shook. "They can't be wished back."
"W-Why can't dad and Krillin be brought back?" Gohan's question carried desperate hope that there must be some mistake.
"You come back to life wherever you died," Bulma explained gently. "They died on Namek, but Namek doesn't exist anymore. And it's not even in King Kai's jurisdiction..."
Silence fell over the group as they grappled with this seemingly insurmountable problem. Cellera pressed her thumb to her lip, mind looking for a solution, when her father's voice cut through the heavy atmosphere.
"Why don't you idiots try using your heads for once?"
Cellera narrowed her eyes at his tone, but Vegeta ignored her look entirely. "Ask for their souls or whatever they are to be brought to this place, and the rest of it is simple..." He gave a dismissive shrug. "Or at least it should be."
Bulma's face lit up with sudden understanding. "Of course!" She spun toward Gohan, practically bouncing with renewed excitement. "That's a great idea!"
Gohan stepped forward, a genuine smile lighting his face as he extended his hand to Vegeta. "Thank you very much!"
Vegeta slapped the offered hand away, causing Gohan to cradle his wrist in confusion. "Don't get carried away," he snapped, causing Cellera to roll her eyes at his childish behavior.
"Excuse me, my earthling friend," one of the Namekian elders stepped forward, addressing Bulma. "While we wait for the Dragon Balls to regain their power, might there be somewhere we could stay until we find a suitable world to relocate to?"
"Of course!" Bulma replied with characteristic enthusiasm. "You can all stay at my place. It's huge, so there's plenty of room." She glanced at the gathered Namekians. "Plus we'll need to use the Dragon Balls again anyway, and it would cause quite an uproar if people saw you all walking around."
Her next words caught Cellera completely off guard. "Why don't you two come along too?" Bulma turned that warm smile first on her, then her father. "Why don't you drop the arrogant tough-guy act and just relax! You're actually kind of cute!"
"V-Vulgar woman! Keep your voice down!" Vegeta sputtered, his usual composure completely shattered.
Cellera couldn't help but stare in amazement. Bulma truly was an enigma - not only finding her father attractive despite everything he'd done, but speaking to him with such casual disregard for his status or temper. She'd never seen anyone throw the proud Saiyan prince so completely off balance.
Completely ignoring Vegeta's command, Bulma continued cheerfully, "Unwind a little and see what life has to offer you!"
The words struck something in Cellera - echoing Bulma's earlier advice about taking breaks, about there being more to life than constant struggle. Now, with Frieza gone, maybe they could both learn what that meant.
"You'd really let us stay with you? In your home... and here on Earth?" The words tumbled out before Cellera could stop them, her usual composed demeanor cracking with childlike hope. After years on Frieza’s ship, the idea of a real home seemed almost too good to be true.
Bulma planted her hands on her hips with that confident smile that had somehow survived encounters with Saiyans, space tyrants, and the end of worlds. "Of course! I'm sure Goku wouldn't mind either."
No, he wouldn't , Cellera thought, remembering the eager glint in Kakarot's eyes when he'd spoken of sparring with her father when he had first arrived to help them on Namek.
As Bulma headed off to make her call, Cellera found herself drawn to the stone Dragon Balls. The objects that had started this whole journey in the first place. "So, even though a new Grand Elder has been established, why haven't they returned to their original state?"
Gohan came to stand beside her, their shoulders almost touching - a casual closeness that would have been unthinkable just weeks ago. "Once the Dragon Balls have been used, you have to wait a year before using them again."
"Actually," Dende's voice carried barely contained excitement, "the Namekian Dragon Balls only need 130 days."
Watching Gohan's face light up, Cellera felt something warm unfurl in her chest. "It seems we'll be able to wish your father and the others back sooner than expected." She allowed herself a small smile. "You'll all be reunited as a family once again."
The sudden panic that crossed Gohan's features was so unexpected she almost laughed. "What's wrong?"
"I just remembered," he cringed, looking far more worried than he had facing down Frieza, "mom is going to ask about my homework."
"What do you mean?" Cellera tilted her head, still amazed that amid all they'd faced, Gohan's greatest fear seemed to be his mother's reaction to missed schoolwork. "We finished the majority of it. Surely we can complete the rest before she arrives."
"Yeah, but everything was blown up on Namek."
"Not everything." She pulled out the capsule with perhaps a touch of her father's usual proud tone. The look of sheer relief on Gohan's face made the extra effort of packing it worthwhile.
"When did you...?"
"Bulma gave me a quick lesson before you arrived with the Dragon Ball." She couldn't quite hide her own excitement as she clicked the capsule's top. "Told me to help pack up." The puff of smoke cleared to reveal what looked like half a library's worth of books and papers.
Cellera studied the capsule in her palm with newfound appreciation. She'd seen technology that could destroy planets, but somehow this simple device felt more magical than any scouter or attack pod. Judging by the wide-eyed looks from the Namekians, she wasn't the only one impressed by Earth's unique innovations.
When Bulma returned with news that her father would arrive soon, Cellera found herself oddly reluctant to break the peaceful moment that had settled over their small group. She, Gohan, and Dende had fallen back into their study routine from Namek, the familiar rhythm of turning pages and quiet discussion feeling almost surreal after everything they'd faced. It was strange how something as simple as homework could feel like an anchor in a world that had changed so dramatically.
A shadow passed overhead as a massive yellow airship appeared on the horizon. "Hey, that's them!" Bulma called out, waving her arms to guide the ship's descent. As the rear hatch transformed into a ramp, a blur of motion caught Cellera's attention - a woman in a purple dress and orange scarf practically flying down the ramp with single-minded determination.
"Where is he?" The woman's fierce demand sent several Namekians stepping backward. Her eyes swept the gathering like a tactical scan before landing on their small group beneath the tree. "Gohan, it's you!"
Gohan looked up from his workbook just as his mother reached them. "My son!" she cried, scooping him into an embrace that lifted him clear off the ground. The workbook tumbled from his lap, but Cellera's quick reflexes saved it from hitting the grass.
That's when she felt it - the full intensity of Chichi's gaze turning on her. In that moment, Cellera understood with perfect clarity why her friend had always spoken of his mother with such nervous respect. Like Bulma, Chichi radiated a fierce spirit that needed no ki to make itself felt. Are all Earth women this formidable? she wondered, or just the ones crazy enough to marry a Saiyan?
A new kind of nervousness crept through her as she remembered Bulma mentioning how some fortune teller had shown them the battle on Earth. The way Chichi held Gohan, protective yet fierce, told Cellera everything she needed to know - this woman would face down Frieza himself to protect her child. She could see why Kakarot had chosen her as his mate.
Just when the scrutiny became almost unbearable, Chichi's eyes dropped to the workbook in Cellera's hands. Her grip on Gohan loosened as her expression softened into an unexpected smile.
Her whole demeanor transformed as she took in the scattered textbooks and neat rows of completed homework. "Well! At least there's one young fighter who understands the importance of a proper education."
"Mom," Gohan piped up, seizing the opportunity to get Cellera into his mother’s good graces, "Cellera helped me study whenever we had downtime in the cave. She even saved all my homework when everything else got destroyed on Namek!"
"Really?" Chichi's eyes sparkled with approval. "Oh, I'm so glad my Gohan finally found such a nice, adorable friend his age!"
Both children's faces flushed red - Gohan from his mother's typical enthusiasm, while Cellera struggled with being called 'adorable' from someone other than the Ginyu’s.
Thankfully, Bulma's voice cut through the moment. "Alright everyone, time to board! We've got quite a crowd to transport!"
As they approached Capsule Corporation, Cellera couldn't help but stare at the massive dome-shaped building sprawling before them. Even her father and Piccolo seemed impressed by the scale of it, though both tried to maintain their usual stoic expressions. The gathered Namekians whispered among themselves at the sight.
"It may not be the Taj Mahal," Bulma announced proudly, "but I think you'll all like it!"
"What's a Taj Mahal?" Cellera whispered to Gohan, her natural curiosity getting the better of her.
"Oh! One of my study books has a picture - I'll show you later," he replied, already falling into their familiar pattern of sharing knowledge.
Before they could even properly take in their surroundings, a blur of blonde hair and endless enthusiasm descended upon them. Bulma's mother practically bounced up to Vegeta, invading his personal space with cheerful disregard for his imposing presence.
"Hi! Are you the one who helped Goku save my beautiful little girl from those horrible men?" She beamed up at him, completely unfazed by his thunderous expression. "You should get a medal! You're a hero!"
Cellera pressed her hand against her mouth, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter as she watched her father - the proud Saiyan prince who had faced down the galaxy's most fearsome warriors - completely short-circuit in the face of pure bubbliness.
"I... I uh..." Vegeta stammered, taking an unconscious step backward.
But Mrs. Brief had already spotted Cellera. "Oh my! Aren't you just adorable? Is that man your father? I can obviously see some resemblance between you both! It seems good genes run in the family!"
Now it was Cellera's turn to freeze, her earlier amusement vanishing as she found herself on the receiving end of that overwhelming enthusiasm. Between the Ginyu Force, Gohan's mother, and now Bulma's mother, she might as well accept that 'adorable' was going to follow her across the universe. Though, she supposed, it was better than being like some of Frieza's soldiers - ugly inside and out.
Gohan watched his friend's face cycle through various expressions of shock and resignation, unable to hide his own grin. It was strange seeing Cellera like this - the same girl who had fought so fiercely on Earth, who could maintain perfect composure even facing down Frieza, now completely undone by Mrs. Brief's friendliness. She seemed more like a normal kid now, not the calculated warrior he'd first met. Though she still had that look in her eyes, like she was trying to figure out how to tackle this new challenge just like she did in battle. It made him happy to see this other side of her, even if he wasn't quite sure why.
"A ship?"
Vegeta's voice drew Cellera's attention to where he stood examining a spherical vessel on the Briefs' sprawling lawn, one that looked very similar to the one Kakarot arrived on Namek in. She caught Gohan's eye, gesturing that she was going to investigate with her father.
As she joined him at the ship's base, a man with lavender hair approached - his casual brilliance marking him instantly as Bulma's father. "She's a real beauty!" he declared proudly. "Advanced supertronics, self-generating laser powered reactor, and a stereo system that will bring the house down!"
So that's where Bulma gets it from , Cellera thought, following her father into the ship's interior. While he gravitated toward the control panel, her attention was caught by something else - a machine unlike anything she'd seen in Frieza's fleet. Her eyes widened as she read its specifications: gravity manipulation up to 100 times Earth's normal pull.
This must have been how Kakarot had grown so powerful. Training under that kind of pressure... Her mind raced with the possibilities, already calculating what such conditions could do to Saiyan biology. She recalled how he was able to take down Recoome, Jeice and Burter with such ease and the confidence he held.
Mrs. Brief's cheerful voice shattered Cellera's calculations. She caught her father's hand freezing over the control panel, clearly contemplating permanent residence in the ship rather than facing that relentless enthusiasm again. She couldn't entirely blame him - while she'd grown used to Gohan's gentle nature and even Bulma's forceful personality, Mrs. Brief's endless cheer was like staring directly into one of Namek's suns.
Their eyes met for the first time since Gohan had revealed her transformation, the unspoken weight of it hanging between them. To break the suffocating tension, Cellera gestured toward the gravity controls. "It seems Kakarot may have had an interesting form of training on his way to Namek. This machine allows the gravity to be magnified up to 100 times that of Earth's."
As her father moved to examine the device, she saw that familiar darkness cross his features - the look he wore when his pride took another blow. Kakarot had surpassed him yet again, not just in achieving the legendary transformation, but even in his method of training. And now his own daughter, his five-year-old child, had somehow reached the power that his royal blood had failed to grant him. Both of them sharing that same "weak" ideology he'd fought so hard against.
"Vegeta! Cellera! Are you two okay in there?" Mrs. Brief's voice carried an edge of genuine concern that somehow made it worse.
"Best we go now or she'll keep at it," Cellera said quickly, already heading for the exit. She didn't quite run from the ship, but her retreat was swift enough to make Nappa's tactical withdrawals look dignified by comparison.
-
-
The evening brought a whirlwind tour of Capsule Corporation, with Bulma proudly showing off amenities that made even Frieza's flagship seem austere by comparison. The Namekians were particularly drawn to the massive greenhouse, while the indoor golf course prompted puzzled but interested discussions about Earth sports. Each guest room seemed larger than the quarters Cellera and her father had shared on their missions.
As the group returned to the building's entrance, a flash of gold caught Cellera's attention. A familiar cloud - the same one that had saved Gohan from Nappa - swooped down at the boy's call.
"What is it?" Cellera asked, reaching toward the strange construct before catching herself.
"Nimbus," Gohan explained. "Master Roshi gave it to my dad. Mom and I use it to travel between cities." He hesitated before adding, "Though only people with pure hearts can ride it."
Cellera let her hand drop, understanding the unspoken message. After everything she'd done under Frieza's command...
"Thank you," Gohan said suddenly, "for everything. The homework, helping us on Namek-"
She shook her head. "I should be thanking you and Kakarot."
Before Gohan could ask why, Chichi's voice cut in. "You're welcome to come study with my little Gohan anytime!" Chichi beamed. "Though he'll be quite busy catching up after all this gallivanting through space. Extra homework, extra study hours..."
Cellera caught Gohan's barely suppressed wince and felt a twinge of sympathy. His mother's enthusiasm for academics clearly wasn't shared by her son, though he bore it with the same quiet determination he showed in battle.
Mother and son climbed aboard the golden cloud, waving as it carried them into the darkening sky. The gathered crowd returned their farewell - all except Vegeta, who leaned against the building's entrance, watching his daughter uncross one arm to wave at the departing half-Saiyan.
His eyes narrowed as he studied the boy who had faced down Frieza without hesitation, who had somehow worked his way past the walls Vegeta had helped his daughter build since Rhuba's death. Twice now he'd witnessed Cellera smile the way she used to when her mother was alive - first during their image training on Namek, that startled laugh he hadn't heard in three years, then again today as she worked alongside Gohan with those endless books. Kakarot's son. Gohan. Yet another reminder of how far the mighty had fallen, another crack in his royal pride.
Two weeks had passed since their arrival on Earth. While the Namekians had begun settling into their temporary home, Vegeta remained a ghost in the halls of Capsule Corporation, emerging from his room only for meals. The gap between father and daughter that Cellera had hoped would heal after their moment on Namek seemed wider than ever. Each time she caught his gaze, she saw the same wounded pride, the same unspoken judgment about her Super Saiyan transformation.
Bulma had noticed Cellera's growing withdrawal - how the young Saiyan spent most of her time in her own room, venturing out only for brief conversations with Dende or moments of fresh air. It wasn't hard to guess the cause. Today, she'd decided enough was enough.
"You can't keep wearing battle armor around town," Bulma declared, steering them through West City's shopping district. She wasn't wrong - Cellera had noticed the strange looks her Saiyan gear drew from passing humans. "If you're going to be staying on Earth, we should get you things that make you feel comfortable. Make it feel more like home."
Home.
The word stopped Cellera mid-step. Such a simple concept, yet one she'd never truly known. Planet Vegeta had been destroyed before she drew her first breath. Frieza's ship, with its cold metal halls and constant tension, had been a prison dressed as a sanctuary. But here...
"Cellera?" Bulma's voice carried gentle concern. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she shook her head, forcing a small smile. "Just lost in thought."
With each swipe of Bulma's card, Cellera's discomfort grew. "Are you sure all this is alright?" she asked for what felt like the hundredth time.
"Trust me," Bulma waved off her concern, "my family's technology makes us one of the richest on Earth. This is nothing."
After arranging for their purchases to be delivered to Capsule Corp, Bulma insisted on lunch. Cellera found herself staring at a table piled high with food, acutely aware of the other diners' stunned expressions.
"Go on," Bulma encouraged with a knowing smile. "I figured you'd have Goku's appetite."
Cellera carefully unwrapped something Bulma called a 'burger', taking a tentative bite. Her eyes widened as flavor exploded across her tongue - nothing like the bland nutrition bars from Frieza's ship. She dove into the second bite with considerably less restraint.
Bulma laughed. "I knew it! You should have seen Goku at his first tournament - after making it to the finals, he ate 57 full course meals and still asked for seconds!"
"It's our biology," Cellera explained between her third burger, no longer concerned with the staring humans. "Saiyans need massive calorie intake to maintain our power levels. Our metabolism runs much faster than most species."
After finishing her third burger, no longer concerned with the staring humans, Cellera's curiosity got the better of her. "How long have you known Kakarot?"
"Goku? I've known him since he was twelve," Bulma's eyes lit up with memories. "We've been on tons of adventures together. I'll have to tell you about them sometime."
"I'd like that," Cellera replied with a small smile, surprised to find she meant it.
"You know," Bulma said as they gathered their shopping bags, "it's nice having another girl around. All that testosterone gets old after a while." She winked at Cellera. "We ladies have to stick together."
The words settled warmly in Cellera's chest, another small piece of belonging falling into place.
Back at Capsule Corp, Cellera found herself humming softly as she arranged her new belongings. She lined the freshly assembled bookshelf with her purchases, most bearing titles that made Bulma's eyebrows rise in surprise.
"Geometry? Principles of physics? Calculus?" Bulma peered at the stack. "These seem a bit intense for..."
Cellera busied herself with straightening an already perfectly aligned book. She wasn't about to admit how much she'd enjoyed working through Gohan's math problems, the satisfaction of numbers falling into precise patterns.
Later, heading to join Dende, Cargo and Lians for a poker lesson from Dr. Brief, she passed her father in the hallway. Two weeks ago, the weight of his disapproval might have crushed her newfound lightness. Today, she simply offered a polite nod. "Father," she acknowledged, continuing on her way without breaking stride.
Vegeta watched his daughter's retreating form, noting how she'd traded her battle armor for what the Earthlings called 'jeans'. The sight should have irritated him - another sign of her embracing this weak planet's ways. Yet something in her lighter step, in the quiet confidence she'd shown by acknowledging him without seeking approval, reminded him sharply of Rhuba.
His daughter was changing, finding her own path just as her mother had. And like Rhuba, she was doing it with that same quiet certainty that made his usual tactics useless. The thought twisted something in his chest that he refused to name.
Kakarot. His son. This insufferably cheerful planet. They were all stealing what was his - first his chance at legendary power, and now his own child.
Two months into their stay on Earth, Cellera paused outside her father's room, catching fragments of conversation with Dr. Brief. Her eyes widened at his request for a 'gravity room' for training. The words seemed impossible - her father, who had always insisted his elite status granted him natural superiority, who relied on battle damage and zenkai boosts for power, was actually seeking structured training?
She shook off her surprise, focusing on her own destination. She'd promised Gohan a visit weeks ago, and today she'd finally worked up the nerve.
The flight to Mount Paozu took barely 10 minutes at full speed. She spotted the small cottage by the river exactly where Bulma had described it. As she landed before the door, a flutter of nervousness made her want to laugh at herself. She'd faced down Frieza in his final form, yet here she was, hesitating to knock at a friend's house.
Before her knuckles could touch wood, the door flew open. "Cellera! I knew I sensed you!"
Gohan couldn't contain his excitement at seeing his friend. The past two months had felt strange without seeing her after being together on Namek. While his mother's intense study schedule kept him busy, he missed having someone who understood both worlds he lived in - the warrior and the student. He noticed she seemed more relaxed in her Earth clothes, though she still carried herself with that familiar Saiyan pride.
Gohan's hair had grown longer since she'd last seen him at Bulma's. His battle armor and Piccolo-inspired gear had been replaced with a striped shirt and overalls that made him look properly Earth-like. She caught him taking in her own transformed appearance with similar interest.
"I have grown to like what you refer to as ‘jeans." she said a bit awkwardly. "They're comfortable, though absolutely useless for combat." That drew a laugh from both of them.
"Gohan?" Chichi's voice carried from inside. "Who are you talking to?" She appeared in the doorway, her stern expression softening at the sight of Cellera. "Oh! Come in, come in. I'll make you both some snacks while you study."
Chichi ushered them toward Gohan's room with the efficiency of a drill sergeant. Cellera hovered uncertainly in the doorway until Gohan settled naturally at his desk, picking up where he'd left off in his workbook as if their last study session had been yesterday instead of months ago.
"So how's it been at Bulma's?" he asked, pencil moving across paper.
"Different," Cellera replied, gradually relaxing as she found a spot near his desk. "Bulma took me shopping in town. Got things for my room, clothes..." She gestured at her current outfit. "And I've been learning this game called poker with Dende and some of the others."
Her voice took on that familiar edge that Gohan had come to recognize - the same tone she'd used explaining mathematical concepts on Namek or when he'd taught her to sense ki. "It's fascinating actually - all about calculating probabilities, maintaining emotional control, making strategic decisions based on limited information..."
Gohan couldn't help but smile as he listened to her come alive discussing the game's systems and patterns. It reminded him of those moments in the cave when she'd get caught up explaining some complex equation, her usual guardedness falling away in favor of pure enthusiasm for the logic of it all.
"Father and I aren't exactly on speaking terms again," Cellera mentioned, trying to keep her tone casual.
Gohan looked up from his work, brow furrowed. "Because you're a Super Saiyan?"
"It's all I can think of," she sighed. "Not that it matters much - I haven't been able to transform since Namek. I've mostly been training alone in the Capsule Corp courtyard, or image training when I can't sleep. Father's impossible to catch for any real sparring."
"Image training?" Gohan perked up, his face brightening. "You use what I showed you?" He peeked out his bedroom door, checking on his mother who was still busy in the kitchen. "Want to finish our best two out of three from Namek?"
A confident smirk - pure Vegeta - crossed Cellera's face. "Two months of studying hasn't made you rusty, has it?"
"Guess you'll have to whip me back into shape then."
They settled across from each other, legs crossed, eyes closing. In their shared mind's eye, they were suddenly airborne again, their casual Earth clothes replaced by the battle armour they had worn on Namek before their battle against Frieza. The white void around them shifted and warped until they floated above Namek's blue landscapes.
They took their stances mid-air, a heartbeat of stillness passing between them before they launched at each other.
Chichi walked in with the snack tray to find them both cross-legged on the floor, faces set in intense concentration. She recognized the pose immediately from Gohan's stories about Krillin's training methods. With a light roll of her eyes, she set the sandwiches on his desk. Her son had been diligent with his studies these past months - she supposed she could allow him this small break.
May 3, 763
Four months passed in what felt like moments. The day of resurrection arrived with all the ceremony of a festival - Namekians, Earth's warriors, and even Master Roshi gathering for the occasion. Grand Elder Muri had graciously offered the Earthlings first use of the Dragon Balls, insisting the Namekians had plenty of time to find a new home. Though watching her Namekian friends lounge in the Capsule Corp gardens, Cellera suspected they weren't in any particular hurry to leave Earth's comforts.
Once again, Dende's voice rang out in ancient Namekian, and darkness swept across the sky as Porunga materialized above them. The massive dragon seemed even more impressive against Earth's landscape than he had on Namek.
"He's enormous!" Bulma gasped, echoing Krillin's long-ago amazement. She quickly composed herself, turning to Dende. "Ask him to bring the souls of Goku and Krillin who died on Namek to this spot."
Dende translated the wish, but Porunga's response made everyone pause: "I HAVE SUMMONED THE SOUL OF KRILLIN, BUT I CANNOT SUMMON THE SOUL OF THE ONE CALLED GOKU."
Cellera's brow furrowed in confusion. Could Kakarot possibly be...?
"I CANNOT SUMMON THE SOULS OF THE LIVING."
"He's alive?" Gohan's whispered question broke the stunned silence before joy erupted through the gathered crowd.
"We should just summon him here," Cellera suggested, her tactical mind already analyzing possibilities. "His ship might have been damaged, forcing him to land elsewhere. That would explain why he hasn't returned."
"We'll save that for the grand finale," Bulma said with a wink. "Dende, let's bring Krillin back first!"
The wish was barely translated before Krillin materialized before them, still wearing his Namekian battle armor and looking utterly bewildered at his sudden resurrection. The crowd erupted in applause at his return.
"AS A SPECIAL CONSIDERATION," Porunga rumbled, "I HAVE RESTORED HIS DISMEMBERED BODY ALONG WITH HIS CLOTHING."
"Aren't you sweet?" Bulma blew a kiss at the massive dragon. "And here I thought you were just scary-looking!"
Their final wish seemed simple enough - bring Goku back to Earth. But Porunga's response left everyone stunned: "HE REFUSES TO RETURN. HE WILL COME BACK ON HIS OWN."
Cellera couldn't believe it. Kakarot was actually choosing to stay away? She fought back a groan - knowing him, he'd probably show up at the last possible moment of whatever crisis came next.
A quick glance at her father confirmed her fears. That familiar darkness was creeping back into his expression, his chance for a rematch with Kakarot slipping away yet again. She could practically feel his frustration radiating across the gathering.
"I know exactly why Goku hasn't come back," Master Roshi announced with exaggerated wisdom. "He's terrified of his wife! The strongest being in the universe isn't Frieza - it's Chichi!"
The sword appeared in Chichi's hands so quickly even Cellera was impressed. "Care to repeat that?"
"Just joking!" Roshi backpedaled rapidly.
Cellera shot the old master a withering side-eye. She'd already caught him trying to inappropriately touch Bulma during his first visit to Capsule Corp - now this. The man who'd trained Kakarot didn't seem particularly bright, especially when it came to enraging Chichi. After getting caught trying to sneak Gohan out for sparring practice last week, Cellera had learned firsthand why even Saiyans might think twice before crossing Son Gohan's mother.
"Let's focus," Piccolo cut in, his deep voice carrying across the gathering. "If Goku says he'll return in his own time, we trust him. For now, we should use our last wish on someone still at King Kai's." After brief discussion, they settled on Yamcha - Tien and Chiaotzu had insisted on returning together.
The sudden roar of engines made everyone turn. A familiar spherical ship rose above Capsule Corp, its launch shaking the ground beneath them.
"Isn't that your spaceship, darling?" Mrs. Brief asked her husband.
Dr. Brief watched his creation disappear into the atmosphere. "Well... it was."
Cellera's eyes bored into the vanishing ship, fury and hurt warring in her chest. Again. Her father had abandoned her again . Her nails bit crescents into her palms as she clenched her fists, trying to maintain some semblance of control.
She understood, in theory - his wounded pride, four months of watching his daughter adapt to Earth life while he struggled to maintain his Saiyan dignity. But understanding didn't make it hurt any less. She was done making excuses for him, done trying to bridge a gap he seemed determined to widen.
At least this time he hadn't left her with Cui. A bitter laugh nearly escaped at that thought. Instead, she had Bulma's kindness, Gohan's friendship, even Chichi's stern but well-meaning oversight. She wasn't alone this time.
But as she watched the ship become nothing more than a point of light in the sky, that familiar ache of abandonment settled back into her chest. She wasn't alone... but it still hurt.
The bright flash of Porunga's departure startled Cellera from her thoughts. She hadn't even noticed them using the final wish, too caught up in watching that empty sky.
"Hey, did the dragon forget about Yamcha?" Bulma's concerned voice barely registered.
"Actually," a familiar voice called from around the building, "he dropped me in the koi pond." Yamcha emerged, dripping wet but very much alive.
"Yamcha!" Bulma and Puar rushed to embrace him, not caring about his soaked state.
Gohan watched as Cellera went through the motions of celebration, offering quiet applause with the others. But he noticed how her eyes kept drifting back to the sky where her father's ship had vanished. She was trying to hide it - the same way she used to hide her feelings on Namek - but he could tell. After everything they'd been through together, he knew what it looked like when she was hurting.
September 10, 763
After a total of eight months on Earth, and Cellera had found her rhythm. Her father's absence still ached, but Bulma's confident "He'll be back when he runs out of fuel" never failed to draw a small laugh from her.
Life had settled into comfortable patterns. Afternoons playing poker with the Namekian children, visits to Gohan where they'd sit cross-legged on his bedroom floor, eyes closed in shared mental combat while textbooks lay open nearby - a pretense that fooled exactly no one, though Chichi seemed content to let their "study sessions" include image training. She'd even attempted golf with the elder Namekians, though that had ended with a bent club and a new appreciation for why her father preferred destroying things to playing games.
As they gathered for Porunga's final summoning on Earth, Krillin sidled up to her. "So, how's Earth treating you?"
"It's... different," she admitted. "Staying in one place, having an actual home. But I like it."
"Has Vegeta..." He winced as soon as the words left his mouth, watching her face fall. She shook her head silently.
The sky darkened as Porunga appeared one last time. Tien and Chiaotzu's resurrection brought fresh tears and embraces, Chiaotzu practically hanging off his tall friend's neck with joy.
"It is time," Muri announced, nodding to Dende. The young Namekian turned to face them all, his expression already wavering.
"I... I have to say goodbye now." Dende's eyes filled with tears as he looked between Cellera and Gohan. "Thank you both, for everything. For helping save my people. I'll never forget you."
"See ya," he managed through his tears before speaking the final wish. As the Namekians began to fade, Gohan's own eyes welled up watching his friend disappear.
As the light from Porunga faded, leaving them under Earth's familiar blue sky, Cellera turned to Piccolo. "You didn't want to go with them? To New Namek?"
"Earth is my home," Piccolo replied simply. His eyes drifted to Gohan, and Cellera caught that look of quiet protectiveness she'd noticed when they first came to Earth. "I'm needed more here."
"Well," she offered, "if you ever need a sparring partner, I'm available. Chichi tolerates our image training, but actual combat is strictly forbidden." She rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Something about her 'precious baby' getting hurt."
A knowing smirk crossed Piccolo's features. "I'd be glad to. Been wanting to test that Super Saiyan form of yours anyway."
Cellera's shoulders dropped slightly. "About that... I haven't been able to transform again. I've tried, but..." She shrugged, trying to hide her frustration. "Nothing."
"The power's still in you," Piccolo said with that same certainty he used when training Gohan. "It didn't just disappear. You'll find your way back to it - though it might not be through the same path that first triggered it."
Before Cellera could respond, Krillin and Gohan joined them. "We should head inside," Krillin said. "Bulma's getting everything set up for the party."
"Just stay away from the golf clubs," Gohan teased, drawing a mock glare from Cellera that quickly dissolved into a smile.
While the night had ended in joyous celebration of friends returning, none of them would know that their hard-won peace was about to be tested once again.
Somewhere in the vast emptiness of space, Vegeta's stolen ship cut through the darkness. Another dead end, another planet without a trace of Kakarot. He'd lost count of how many worlds he'd searched, each failure feeding the obsession that drove him forward.
The ship's computer chimed with another potential landing site, and his hands tightened on the controls. Sometimes, in the crushing silence between stars, he'd remember the look on Cellera's face as his ship lifted off - so different from when he'd abandoned her on Planet 79, too caught up in his pursuit of power to notice her reaction then. He'd only learned of her fury later, when she'd thrown those words at him on Namek. This time, he'd seen the hurt directly, and the memory twisted something in his chest that he refused to acknowledge.
But the burning need to find Kakarot, to prove himself against the low-class warrior who'd achieved what he couldn't, overwhelmed everything else. Even if it meant leaving behind the only thing in this universe that truly belonged to him.
When I return , he told himself, I'll return worthy of being called the Prince of all Saiyans again. The thought rang hollow in the empty ship, but he clung to it as he plotted his course to the next world.