The Saiyan Heritage and the Loneliness of the Warrior

LETTIE

Chaos erupted on the plane following Goku's sudden appearance.

Krillin became so overwhelmed by his best friend's unexpected arrival that he literally jumped onto my brother's neck, causing them both to fall with a crash that made the aircraft drop a few feet in altitude.

Everyone laughed. Gohan and Krillin openly cried tears of joy, each competing to hug him tighter. For a moment, no one remembered the existence of Cell or the Androids.

Only Goku mattered.

"How are you feeling, my dear?" It was my turn to hug him tightly. "How's your heart?"

"My heart is great!" Goku smiled. "It's my stomach that's the problem. I'm starving!"

"That means you've recovered from your illness." Piccolo gave him an amused glance, walked to a supply box in the corner, and pulled out three sandwiches. "Here, take these. Chi-Chi made them for us. I doubt they'll be enough for you, but they'll have to do for now." He then squeezed Goku's shoulder. "Welcome back."

"Oh! Thanks!" my brother replied, already devouring one sandwich. "By the way, from now on… should I call you brother-in-law, Piccolo, Kami, or…" He chewed thoughtfully for a few seconds. "KamiPiccoBro?"

Everyone exchanged confused looks.

"Um… Goku?" I approached him carefully. "How do you know that Piccolo fused with Kami? And…" I exchanged shy glances with my fiancé. "How do you know that he and I…?"

My brother suddenly became very serious. "I know everything that's happened, Lettie."

Silence.

How was that possible? Hadn't he been bedridden and unconscious all these days?

"While I was sick," Goku continued, "everything was revealed to me through dreams. A Voice spoke to me."

"Who was it, Dad??" Gohan asked.

"I don't know…" Goku shrugged, biting into another sandwich. "The Voice called itself a Friend. That's all I know. I learned about the existence of Androids 16, 17, and 18; that Piccolo fused with Kami and proposed to my sister; that another dangerous creature named Cell appeared… And that now you're chasing him before he wipes out the entire world population."

No one said anything for a long moment. But I looked at Piccolo, whose eyes were already on mine, reflecting a single question:

So, Goku also spoke with our… "mutual Friend?"

Interesting… Very interesting.

"So, what's next, Goku?" Tien voiced our shared concern. "Do you have a plan? Because until now, we've just been running in circles chasing Cell, and the Androids are out there looking for you… to kill you."

Goku put the last piece of sandwich into his mouth, sighed, and said, "Yes, I have a plan. We're going to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber."

"Huh? Time Chamber?" I echoed. "What's that?"

"It's a place where we can train for a whole year in just one day."

Surprised murmurs filled the aircraft.

"Where is it, Dad?"

"At Kami's Lookout. Well, I mean, Piccolo's Lookout. Or rather, my brother-in-law's Lookout." Goku clicked his tongue and pouted. "Aw! I don't know what to call you now!"

"Just Piccolo." My fiancé rolled his eyes, visibly annoyed. "I'm still the same person. Ugh, just what I needed…" He began muttering like an old lady. (I hid a giggle.)

"Oh, thank goodness!" Goku said cheerfully. "Anyway! As I was saying, I'd like to train in the Time Chamber because in my current state, I can't defeat the Androids or Cell. I'll bring Gohan with me, and…" He turned toward me with a gentle smile. "I wanted to ask if you'd like to come too, little sister."

"M-Me?!" I pointed to myself, blinking rapidly.

"Of course!" He nodded. "See, I need Yamcha, Tien, and Krillin to keep tracking Cell. Piccolo has already fused with Kami, so he's raised his power level significantly. I thought this might be a great chance for you to train with the Saiyan gang, especially since I plan to invite Vegeta and Trunks to join us. What do you say?"

I felt everyone's eyes on me and shrank a bit. Piccolo stared at me anxiously, especially after learning my brother's plan included Vegeta. Even though the Time Chamber was spacious enough for Saiyans to train comfortably, the thought of being confined near Vegeta terrified me. After moistening my lips nervously, I stammered for a moment and asked, "It would be… for an entire year?"

"For us, yes," Goku explained. "But for everyone here, it'll only be a normal day. That's the beauty of the Time Chamber."

I hesitated, unsure if I should ask what was really on my mind. But it was better to voice my concerns than leave my fiancé worried, "Listen, Goku… Will Vegeta really join us?"

"Yes. But only two people can enter at a time. So, he'll probably go in with Trunks. Ready?" He took Gohan's hand and offered me the other, prepared to teleport us.

"W-Wait! I…" I glanced nervously at my fiancé. "Can I speak quickly with Piccolo first?"

"Uh… okay." Goku frowned, confused. He probably didn't have these types of interactions with Chi-Chi.

Piccolo, on the other hand, had already caught my signal and was waiting at the back of the aircraft, ready to talk as if we'd been married for years.

The problem was that the entire following conversation happened in desperate whispers (mostly from my fiancé's side):

"I really don't like this!" he said through clenched teeth.

"I don't either… But Goku didn't exactly give me a choice."

"Don't even think about entering that chamber with Vegeta!" Piccolo shuddered. "Just imagining it gives me chills."

"If you're getting chills, imagine me! Vegeta is literally a topic in my therapy sessions," I raised a finger. "I'd rather go in alone!"

"Oh, Lettie…" He dropped his arms by his sides, looking miserable. "The worst part is that's very likely. I hate the idea of you spending an entire year by yourself."

"Why do you say that?"

"Like Goku mentioned," he explained, "although the Hyperbolic Time Chamber is huge, it can only accommodate two people at once for training due to the amount of energy inside. Vegeta will definitely go in with Trunks, your brother will go with Gohan, and you... you'll probably end up alone."

"Oh, sweetheart..." I shrugged. "It is what it is, right?"

"No." He shook his head. "It's not fair. You know what we should do? Go to the Lookout, have Mr. Popo marry us, and then both enter the Time Chamber together. There, it's settled!"

I crossed my arms, narrowing my eyes and giving him a mischievous little smile, "Piccolo, do you want to marry me right away because you love me, or because you're eager to make love with me?"

"Yes."

My eyes widened, stunned for a second, but I quickly recovered, pressing my fingertips together, "My dear… If we enter the Time Chamber as a MARRIED couple, I think the last thing we'll be doing is training. There's a good chance I'd come out carrying the twins, given we'll spend an entire year in there. Or... at the very least, I'd leave there pregnant."

"Oh… You won't get pregnant now," he murmured grumpily, pouting slightly. "Given Naíma's age in my dream, the twins won't be born for a few years yet, so don't worry. But…" He sighed. "You're right. It's not wise for us to go into the chamber together. I've already elevated my power. Now it's your turn—even if that means you'll have to be alone for a while."

"True. But maybe…" I stared down at my feet. "Maybe during this one year of training… I could finally become… a Super Saiyan?"

My gaze remained fixed on the floor, unable to look Piccolo in the eyes after admitting something that had troubled me deeply. But then he gently lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze.

"Don't let those kinds of thoughts belittle you," he said firmly. "I… I don't want you to go through what I've been through."

My heart tightened. Piccolo was right. He was living proof of someone who had been enslaved by an Enemy who filled his mind with lies for so many years, nearly leading to catastrophic consequences.

"Thank you." I squeezed his hands tightly. "I… I'll try."

"Train hard," Piccolo gave me a sweet peck kiss. "See you in a few days."

"And I…" I sighed sadly. "I'll see you in a year. I'll miss you."

After that, we rejoined my brother.

We said goodbye to everyone, and then Goku took Gohan's hand and mine.

"Bye, guys!" he said cheerfully.

"Bye!" the others responded.

"See you soon…" I whispered to Piccolo, a lump forming in my throat.

"See you…" he whispered back.

Then, the world dissolved around me, and in the next second, we stood in the middle of a desert surrounded by rocky formations.

"All right, we're here!" Goku announced, releasing our hands.

Gohan and I exchanged dizzy, slightly nauseous glances after our first experience with Instant Transmission. But our attention quickly turned to Trunks, who sat nearby, startled by our sudden arrival.

"Mr. Goku?!" he exclaimed.

"How's training with your dad going, Trunks?" my brother asked.

"Terrible!" he answered with an annoyed expression. "Look at him over there!" Trunks pointed at a figure standing motionless atop a pointed rock about a kilometer away. "My father says I'm a nuisance, and no matter how much I ask to train with him, he just tells me I'm a distraction and to get lost. And you know what? He hasn't even started training yet. My father's just been standing there since we arrived, not moving an inch. I'm glad you guys showed up."

"Typical Vegeta," my brother sighed. "Looks like he's trying to figure out how to surpass the powers of a Super Saiyan."

We stared at Goku in surprise, but before we could ask him more, he floated off toward Vegeta. What was he planning now?

Oh, what I wouldn't give for Piccolo's super hearing right now!

Anyway, while Goku spoke with Vegeta, Gohan and I filled Trunks in on everything that had happened over the past few days. By the time we finished, Goku was returning, Vegeta trailing behind him.

"All right, everyone!" my brother smiled. "Vegeta's agreed to go to the Time Chamber with us. Now the Saiyan gang is complete!"

"I have my doubts…" Vegeta looked me up and down scornfully.

Trunks silently urged me to ignore him, and I tried to, but his accusatory tone kept echoing in my head. Was I really a Saiyan?

"Hold onto me," Goku said, and we did as instructed.

When we teleported to the Lookout courtyard, we saw Mr. Popo watering the flowers in the garden at a distance. We greeted him, and I asked about Naíma. He explained she had gone to the bathroom because she'd snuck sweets from the kitchen and gotten a stomachache. Goku then detailed his plan for us to use the Hyperbolic Time Chamber to train against the threat of Cell and the Androids.

After Mr. Popo guided us through the side corridors of the Temple and stopped before a large, intricately carved wooden door, we heard a childish voice echoing behind us, "Mommy! Gohan! Uncle Goku!"

My brother and nephew were delighted to see her again. We had to explain that we were going into a "magic room," claiming only Saiyans could enter to train. However, I noticed Trunks wore a shocked expression as he gazed at my little daughter in my arms.

It was then that I realized he had lived alongside Naíma's adult version in his timeline. Seeing her now, so young, must have been quite a shock.

"Who's he, Mommy?" she asked curiously.

"He's a great friend of mine," I smiled. "His name is Trunks."

"Twunks?!" Her eyes sparkled. "What a cool name! Nice to meet you, Twunks!" She extended her hand. "I'm Naíma."

"H-Hi, Naíma…" Trunks smiled and gently shook her small hand. "The pleasure is mine."

"Can I also be your friend?" she asked hopefully.

Trunks blinked rapidly, eyes watering slightly, and replied in a choked voice, "Y-Yes… Absolutely. It would be… an honor."

Naíma smiled contentedly, then turned toward Vegeta. "Hi!" She reached out her hand to shake his. "My name is Naíma. What's your na—"

"NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, YOU DISGUSTING BRAT!!!" Vegeta slapped my daughter's hand away harshly. Naíma shrank in my arms, trembling from pain and fear.

She was only four.

He was an adult with a superiority complex.

"Vegeta?!" Goku exclaimed.

"Dad??" Trunks shouted.

Holding tightly onto Naíma, I jumped back, now shaking from head to toe.

Vegeta could think and say whatever he wanted about me. He could insult, belittle, and threaten me.

But he'd crossed a dangerous line—a line even his royal Saiyan status couldn't protect him from.

I stepped forward, but before I could act, Vegeta was hurled away.

Not by me. Not by Goku. Not by Trunks. Nor by Gohan.

But by Mr. Popo.

My daughter's caretaker had delivered such a powerful punch to Vegeta's face that he was launched through the air, right out of the Lookout.

I won't lie; we were in shock. Mr. Popo? Calm and serene Kami's assistant, delivering a punch to Vegeta? It was… a mix of disbelief, astonishment, and I must admit… satisfaction.

Still, I couldn't help but imagine what Piccolo might have done if he'd witnessed that scene. Honestly, I doubted there would have been anything left of Vegeta to tell the story.

Speaking of him, Vegeta returned about a minute later, his face completely purple—both from the punch and embarrassment. He stopped before us, unable to meet anyone's eyes.

No one breathed. Even the wind seemed too afraid to blow.

"Well then," Mr. Popo said, gesturing toward the wooden door as though nothing had occurred. "Who will be the first pair?"

"Uh…" Goku scratched his head. "It… would be Vegeta and Trunks."

"I don't want to go with him," someone said.

We turned around.

It was Trunks.

Goku looked even more confused. "Well, I… uh… It's just…"

"My father will go alone. After all, he doesn't need me," Trunks declared firmly. "And you'll go with Gohan, Mr. Goku. Ms. Lettie would be left without a partner." He turned toward me with determination. "I won't allow that to happen."

Wow. This was the first time Trunks had asserted himself so boldly since his arrival—especially in front of his father. He and Naíma exchanged sweet smiles, warming my heart.

On the other hand, Vegeta's expression darkened further. After hearing Trunks' words, he simply lowered his head and entered through the door that Mr. Popo had (perhaps ironically) opened with deep courtesy.

The door closed behind him, and the air felt lighter. There was nothing left to do but wait twenty-four hours until Vegeta returned.

The peak of stress I'd experienced due to that man soon faded as I spent the rest of the day surrounded by pleasant company. It felt as if we were simply spending an afternoon in the Lookout gardens, with no signs of threat from the Androids or Cell.

Naíma, Gohan, and Trunks acted like lifelong best friends. While my brother and I enjoyed a hearty meal kindly served by Mr. Popo, we watched the three of them play freely in the Lookout courtyard, just like normal children.

Well, Trunks wasn't exactly a child anymore, of course. At first, he seemed hesitant to loosen up in front of Gohan and Naíma. To be honest, it felt like he was even… repressing his feelings, maintaining a stiff and reserved posture.

What had that boy experienced in his timeline that had affected him emotionally to this extent?

But soon enough, Trunks began to relax, smiling, laughing, and playing... Finally allowing himself to be a child again.

All that was missing for perfection was Piccolo.

At night, Mr. Popo prepared a beautiful campfire in the garden area. The sky was dotted with clouds and stars, the moon hanging high above them. Wrapped in warm blankets around the fire, we laughed, told stories, and shared our dreams.

"And you, Twunks?" Naíma asked from my lap. "What's your dream?"

Sitting beside us, Trunks gazed silently into the flames for a while.

"To survive," He pulled his blanket tighter around himself, deeply saddened.

Oh, how that hurt me... Especially knowing that the adult version of my daughter probably wished for the same thing and was waiting somewhere with Bulma, in another timeline, hoping for Trunks to return with a solution.

I gently rubbed his back. Naíma climbed off my lap, approached Trunks, and hugged him. He returned the hug affectionately, and we exchanged an amused glance. One more hug on his long list.

Naíma and I slept in Piccolo's room that night. The feeling was... wonderful. Because, apart from when I'd been unconscious, this was my first time sleeping surrounded by his comforting scent. I fell asleep hoping and praying that, soon, I would never have to sleep apart from him again. Never.

The next morning, we had a hearty breakfast and continued waiting. Finally, the door to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber creaked open behind us.

Vegeta stepped out.

Chest puffed out. Firm footsteps. Torn uniform. Cuts on his face. Dark circles under his eyes...

What had happened in there?

"Vegeta?!" Goku approached him. "Are you alright??"

Vegeta remained silent, fists clenched, his expression cold and grim. Yet his eyes seemed somewhat... distant. Was it just me, or was he deliberately avoiding looking at me, Naíma, and especially… Trunks?

"Vegeta???" Goku repeated, growing more concerned.

"I want to sleep," he announced.

Silence.

"Sleep?" Goku questioned. "Didn't you have a bed in there?"

"Of course there was a bed, you imbecile." Vegeta rolled his eyes. "But do you think I'd waste my time on something as trivial as sleeping?"

Nobody responded. Vegeta then turned toward Mr. Popo, "Hey, you…!" He suddenly shut his mouth and cleared his throat. "I mean… do you have a place where I can sleep in this dump?"

Mr. Popo simply nodded lightly and signaled Vegeta to follow. When he walked past us, Naíma hid behind my leg. After he finally disappeared down a hallway, Gohan asked, "Do you think Vegeta surpassed the powers of a Super Saiyan?"

"Hard to say…" my brother answered. "But I sense great power coming from him."

Yeah… I was forced to agree. I genuinely believed sleeping had been Vegeta's last priority inside the Time Chamber.

"Alright!" Goku clapped his hands, turning to me. "I guess now it's your turn and Trunks'. Are you ready?"

Trunks and I smiled at each other.

"Yes!" we answered in unison.

I said goodbye to my brother, nephew, and above all, my daughter—after all, I'd be spending a year without seeing them. Naíma had no clue why I was almost crying, covering her face with kisses and squeezing her so tight she could barely breathe.

But what could I do? A mother is a mother, no matter the timeline.

As I stood up, I faced the imposing door before me, a mixture of fear and excitement taking hold. What awaited me on the other side?

"See you soon, everyone!" Trunks kindly opened the door for me.

"I'll miss you all!" I blew a kiss to my family—the last thing I saw before the door closed.

When Trunks and I stopped at the entrance of the Time Chamber, we gasped in astonishment.

Before us lay a vast white chamber stretching endlessly. Directly in front of us, near the door, was a building resembling Kami's Lookout but sized just right to accommodate two people. Inside, there were two comfortable beds on one corner, a small kitchen area with a stocked pantry on the other, an attached bathroom, and even a little corner for reading and resting. Outside the structure, two large hourglasses filled with green sand stood at each end, and atop the golden dome, an enormous clock marked the passage of time. Every inch was spotless and orderly, as if professionally cleaned before our arrival.

Everything else was pure white and ethereal.

The perfect place for limitless training.

Trunks and I exchanged determined glances. For the first time in a long, long while, I felt the rush of adrenaline from my Saiyan heritage.

Let the training begin!