* * * * * *

~Capsule Corp: Nina's Quarters, 2:05 AM~
Vegeta pulled back the covers and placed an exhausted Nina into her bed, then he lifted the blanket and layed it delicately on her body. She yawned heavily and then turned over on her side as she curled up under her blanket. Vegeta smiled at how she slept, so peaceful and less agitated than usual. He would've called it a night nearly 3 hours ago, but the young Saiyan girl insisted that they continued because she wanted to get it right. Nina wanted to get the transformations right, that way it wouldn't take 2 hours just to do 3 tranformations, and she did a pretty good job so far. This time she narrowed it down to just half an hour for all 3. Now 3 was all she was going to do for now, because that's all that seemed to really do the trick against the enemy.
Vegeta was about to leave the room when he felt a slight flicker of a ki energy. He couldn't tell whose it was because it turned off so fast. He heard Nina groan in her sleep, for she had felt it too. She turned over on her other side and felt the sweat form on her brow. Vegeta grabbed a small footstool and pulled it towards the side of Nina's bed, then he sat on it and watched the Saiyan girl sleep. Then he let his eyes fall to the floor and contemplated over the events that had happened recently. Taliyah, Jutus, the enemies from different planets, and of course Nina. The Saiyan with mystical powers beyond anyone's comprehension, the one who could control the full power of now 3 Dragon Tears.
Just then Vegeta heard a light tapping on the window pane. He looked up and saw that it was Taliyah. She was carrying a rectangular suade box and to his surprise, she wasn't wearing a scouter. 2 days ago was the first time he had ever seen her without her scouter and he always believed that she slept with it on too. Although Vegeta never quite understood why she always wore one when she never needed it. He guessed it was because her mother had been in charge of developing the best scouters for the Saiyan Elite. Ignas was not of noble blood, but many of the Saiyans did respect her.
Taliyah gave a friendly smile, a smile that Vegeta had not seen in many years since he was a kid himself. She pointed at the window latch and he immediately rose to unhook it. She hopped off the ledge and landed on the floor, her sneakers eminating not one sound. Taliyah and Vegeta punched fists quietly, then she placed the suade box on Nina's nightstand. She then grabbed a pen and scribbled a little not on a piece of paper for her daughter to get her message.
Taliyah looked at her youngest child, 18 years of the making and not one of those years did she get a chance to raise her like a child should. She sighed. "My young Nina." she said to her. Taliyah leaned over and kissed her gently on the forehead, turned and looked back at Vegeta. "Beautiful isn't she?" Taliyah asked him.
Vegeta crossed his arms and gave a small smile. "I suppose, but she doesn't look anything like you or Jutus, unlike your other 2 kids." he commented.
She smiled and placed her hands in her pockets. "I guess that's what makes her so special, because she's different." She then looked at the clock and decided to go home. "Well, I guess I should get going. I only came by to give Nina her present. I don't know if it'll make up for 18 lost years, but it's a start I suppose."
Taliyah walked back to the window and opened it just as a silent breeze came and brushed her banes aside. The moon was out and it turned her dark purple eyes into a beautiful light violet, mysterious and so full of youth. She stepped onto the ledge and placed both her hands on the sides of the frame, then turned her head to look back at her childhood friend and rival. Vegeta walked up towards the window, looking up at her and he smiled. Taliyah returned the gesture and turned her whole body around to face him, leaned over and kissed him tenderly on the lips. Vegeta was shocked and yet he didn't pull away, but it was only a quick kiss, a kiss of gratitude.
She smiled at his unawareness. "Thank you, my friend." Taliyah then turned back to face the sky, but gave a quick glance back towards him. "Thank you for everything Vegeta. Consider that my belated gift to you from the past, something I owed you from long ago." Then she took off into the sky back to her home.
Vegeta touched his lips as a smile formed on them. "My pleasure Taliyah."
"You loved my Mom, didn't you?" a voice asked from behind.
Vegeta whipped his body around quickly and saw that Nina was upright in her bed. How long has she been awake? he asked himself.
"I woke up the moment Mom gave me a kiss on my head." Nina answered, as though she had read his mind. "Well, in any case, I know you did love my Mom." she continued.
Vegeta blushed slightly, but she couldn't see him in the darkness. Nina sighed. "Y'know, I think she loved you too Vegeta."
His eyes widened in disbelief, but still he did not reply. She twittled with the stones around her neck. "But one thing's for sure, I know this. You love Bulma more than you do my Mom now, just like she loves my Dad more than she does you."
Nina got out of bed and walked towards the still blushing Vegeta. She came close to him until they were less than an inch apart. He started to back away but she suddenly embraced him, clinging to his neck as her head rested on his chest. Vegeta was unsure of these actions and felt himself step back, a bit afraid of this girl's gestures.
She sighed heavily. "But the love you 2 have for eachother will never die. I know this too. Our 3 days time will soon be up once dusk has fallen, and the night battle will begin. Vegeta, pray that I win. Not that I live, but that I win. I don't care if I die Vegeta, I never cared about dying. But just pray that I win, defeat the enemy so that the others, you and my parents, Trunks and Goten...everyone, I want everyone to live. Please show compassion just once to the others and pray that I win, for their sakes." Nina requested.
Vegeta let her words sink in first, closed his eyes and smiled, then he put his arms around her to hug her back. "Alright kid, but you do this one thing for me." he said and could see that she had looked up at him. "Don't die alright? You've got such a long life ahead of you and you're not even halfway through."
Nina nodded happily and gave a small laugh. "Deal!"

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~Tuesday: Son's House, 5:00 AM~
Goten grumbled to himself as he heard the door being knocked on. He gave a huge yawn and rubbed a hand through his wild hair. It was so early in the morning and he wished that he didn't have to go to school. But his mom was just like Bulma. "I Don't Care If You're Supposed To Be Saving The World! You're Going To School And That's Final!" He heard his mom's words echo in his brain up and down all over the place. Goten never understood why Chi-Chi always nagged him about schoolwork, it was so stupid. He would rather be hanging with his friends and having a good time rather than working on some math problem any day.
Goten gave another great yawn and placed a hand on the doorknob, turned it and slowly opened the door. "This had better be important because I'm hungry." he muttered and let the door open all the way.
Behind the door was Nina, Trunks and Lei standing behind the doorway, smiling with their backpacks and workout bag. Obviously they had their clothes for tonight's battle to change into after school. Nina walked up to him and gave Goten a big hug and a small peck on the cheek, followed by Trunks who punched fists with him and then Lei who kissed him on the lips. He shut the door behind them and followed them into the kitchen where Chi-Chi was preparing breakfast.
Nina placed her bookbag on the floor and pulled up a chair. "Hey Chi-Chi, how're you?" she asked.
She turned and smiled at her. "I'm just fine kids, how are you all?" she asked in return.
Lei pulled up her a chair and sat down while Goten sat next to her. "We're fine I suppose."
Trunks flopped down next to Nina and smiled. "I guess we're a bit worried about the upcoming fight Chi-Chi." he explained.
Goten nodded. "Yeah, they're right Mom. I'm a little bit nervous, but I know we'll win for sure!" he said confidently.
Chi-Chi laughed and flipped the fish sticks on the pan. "Well that's good to hear Goten. I know you'll do just fine." she said reassuringly.
Nina felt a ki approaching and her body tensed up, but then she relaxed when she felt who it was. "Hiya Goku. How was your night?" she asked rather loudly.
Everyone stared at her confused and then looked around. Goku was nowhere to be seen, but then they heard footsteps coming down the stairs. He leaned down to look around and saw Nina waving to him at the kitchen table. He returned the kind action and continued his descent down the stairs. Goku walked up towards everyone and sat down at the head of the table, looking down the left at Lei and his youngest son Goten, then down the right at Nina and Trunks.
He smiled. "Hi everyone." Goku said cheerily.
Chi-Chi placed a kiss on his cheek and then set down his large bowl of rice, plate of fish, meso soup, and a mug of warm tea. "Hello my husband. Hope you don't eat everything!" she warned, then laughed.
Nina snapped her fingers. "Oh Chi-Chi! Look at this!" she called to her as she pointed to her bracelet.
Chi-Chi turned around and squinted. "Is that a bracelet? Looks beautiful. Can I get a better look dear?" she requested.
Nina suddenly vanished and then reappeared next to Chi-Chi who was now preparing extra food for 3 more people. Goku smiled at how well she had learned he Instant Transmission technique in a matter of weeks. She held out her arm towards her and Chi-Chi examined it carefully.
"Wow. It's simply stunning. Where'd you get it?"
Nina smiled. "A gift from my Mom. She made it for me."
Chi-Chi's eyes widened. "She made this?! But it looks like an antique!"
She nodded, then flipped the yin-yang symbol up. "That's not all it's for. Watch this."
Suddenly a flash of light blue energy emerged and it spread itself apart like a funnel. An image of a female angel appeared and it began to dance as a beautiful melody was played. A gentle musicbox tone that made it seem like the angel was dancing out of sorrow for a lost one. Giving proper respect to the ones in passing as they left for the spirit world above. Welcoming them to their new home in the skies. Lei, Trunks, Goten and Goku gathered round to see the holographic image dance and sway like a graceful bird. An angel she was, so sleek and flawless without a care in the world. She was dancing for all of them, giving them a sign of hope.
Lei gasped with awe. "Gosh Nina! That's so cool!"
Chi-Chi was about to comment when she looked at the clock and in 15 minutes they would have to be at school. She started shoving everyone back to the table. "Okay you guys! Let's get your breakfast down the hatch before you're all late for school!"
Then everyone sat down at the table and began to eat their breakfast as fast as they could, wolfing down their food in a normal, hungry, Saiyan fashion. All except Lei, who could only stare at how amazingly fast they ate and the quantity of food they were eating. It seemed like every 5 minutes she heard someone saying "More please." Amazingly, she heard the same voice 5 times in a row, and that voice belonged to Nina. She was on an eating storm.

* * * * * *

~Saki Highschool: 7th Period, 15 minutes before class dismissal~
Nina stifled a yawn as well as her other friends. They were all pretty tired because of the physical torment they had put on their bodies. But most of all they were bored of classwork. Study, study, study! It was all the same and they were tired of being brain wracked when in a matter of hours, everyone was going to either live or die. Nina hoped that everyone else would live, even if she did have to die. She twittled with the stones on her neck which were going to be her last resort in the upcoming battle. Hopefully there would be no casualties once night fell on Earth. Nina felt someone nudging the back of her head with a pencil. She rolled her eyes, knowing that it was Goten, otherwise someone's head would've been rolling instead of her eyes.
She turned around in her desk, making sure the teacher wasn't looking. "What is it Goten?!" she hissed at him.
He flinched at first, but then recovered his composure and placed his elbows on the desktop. "Man Nina, why do we put up with class anyway? We could leave whenever we wanted. We're starting to act like Gohan, having to bear this torture chamber like it's necessary!" Goten whispered.
Nina cocked an eyebrow at him, then shrugged. "I donno why either, I guess it's cause we have to learn!" she said sarcastically.
Goten ignored her attempts to get him peeved and instead poked his lower lip out in a pouty form. "Man! Gohan was such a little weenie! Back then he was the strongest guy in the world and he put up with Mom like that, 'specially about an issue like school!" he grumbled.
Nina's eyes narrowed as she smiled and then pinched Goten's hand, twisting his skin which caused him to yelp in pain but then he covered his mouth while he bit on his lower lip. The teacher turned around to see what had caused the noise, as well as the rest of the class. When his eyes rested on Nina, he saw her taking down notes as usual, glancing down in her book to copy some extra information that wasn't mentioned while he was talking. But when his eyes came to look at Goten, he saw him staring down at the book blankly, a pain-stricken look across his face as though the world was about to end in a matter of minutes. But Mr. Nanako decided to brush this little feature aside. He had a class to teach and so he returned to writing on the blackboard.
Nina checked to see if he was all the way around, then she turned to look at Goten as tears started to form in his eyes. "Don't call Gohan a weenie! Besides, if you don't have a brain, what makes you think you can support Lei when you grow up to have a family, hmmmm?" she asked, a sly smile written on her face.
Goten's eyes widened and his cheeks burned red. "W-what are you talking about?!" he squealed, then turned his head. "I like Lei, but not enough to marry her!" His face turned a darker shade of red and now covered half his face. He turned his head back to face Nina, hope shone brightly on his face as he gave a goofy smile. "Do you really think she likes me enough to marry me later on?" Goten asked.
Nina gave a quiet laugh and then ruffled his already messy hair. "Don't worry Goten, she's practically drawn to you like a magnet. You're gonna have cute kids too, twins." she foretold.
Goten wrinkled up his nose as he eyed her, confused. "Huh, how do you know that Nina?" he asked curiously.
She pulled her hand away, obviously bewildered by her own prediction. How did she know that Goten was going to have twins? I don't get it, how did I know that? But I did somehow, it was there in my mind. Plain as day, I saw 2 cute kids being held by Goten and Lei. she thought to herself as she twittled with the Dragon Tears. Then it came to her. That's it! It's these stones, they help me to see the future! How cool is that?! Nina concluded, then decided she had better not tell anything else about what's happening in the future.
She shrugged. "I just guessed. You look like someone who would be the father of twins." she lied, but it worked.
Goten rolled up his shirt sleeve as he smiled proudly. "Really? That'd be awesome! Twin boys, now that's what I'd like!" he said.
Nina turned around to face the front, placed an elbow on her desktop and propped her chin in her palm. She smiled and shook her head, then crossed her eyes. "I bet you would." Nina muttered and closed her eyes. "But that's not what you're gettin'."
Just then the bell rang loudly, signaling it was the end of the school day. The bells chimed pleasantly as the students packed up their belongings and headed out the classroom, ignoring Mr. Nanako's words of homework that was due the following day. They simply went on with their idle chatter, cluttering up the halls as always. Nina wanted to be nice, so she didn't blow everyone out of her path. Instead she decided just to teleport onto the campus grounds elsewhere.
She turned to face her 3 best friends and smiled at them. "Well, I'll meet you guys out front." she said, then waved.
Trunks blinked several times. "What? What's that supposed to mean?"
Lei brushed her thick banes from her view. "There's no way you're getting through this mob."
But Goten knew what she was going to do. "Oh no you don't!" he growled, then grabbed her arm but she was already disappearing and so was he. But before Trunks and Lei could do anything they had completely vanished.
Nina appeared behind a tree, Goten clinging to her arm as his teeth were bared. He should've known she would do the Instant Transmission technique after she spoke. It's a pity Goten never took the time out to learn that trick, but he was just too stubborn and impatient to learn it. His dad told him it would be harder to learn if he didn't have patience because it took him awhile to learn it himself.
Goten looked at the ground, still holding onto Nina's arm. I guess Nina must've had alot of patience to put up with learning that technique. Then he looked up at her as she gazed down at him. "Nina, how long, exactly, did it take you to learn Dad's Instant Transmission technique?" he asked.
Nina placed a finger on her chin and looked up at the sky. "Hmmm, I'd say about 20 minutes." She looked back down at Goten. "Why?"
A large sweatdrop formed over Goten's head and he fell backwards, feet in the air. Nina just shrugged at him as he layed on the ground. Goten could be so silly at times. She looked up to hear someone calling her name and saw that Trunks and Lei were waving at her while trying to plow through a crowd of talkitive Juniors. Finally they both gave up and just shoved them off the stairway onto the ground. They began to bicker and complain, but the 2 fighters ignored their complaints and jogged over to where Nina was hiding herself while Goten continued his lifelessness on the grass.
Nina turned her back to Goten while Lei kneeled by his side. Trunks stopped in front of her and gazed down at his best friend to see his tongue lagging out, looking still as stone. He raised his eyebrows in bewilderment. "Nina, what's up with Goten? He's out like a light!"
She jerked her head and then threw her thumb over her shoulder. "He's just in a state of shock."
Trunks looked at her. "Why?"
"He can't believe that I learned the Instant Transmission in 20 minutes." she explained, then leaned towards Trunks and cupped her hand over her mouth. "But it really only took me 15 minutes. I just used the extra 5 minutes to completely master it. Goten can be such a dummy sometimes."
Goten shot up like a rocket and his eyes were narrowed. "I HEARD THAT!" he bellowed in his defense.
Nina fluttered her eyelashes and placed a hand on top of his head. "You know it's true. Besides, you can't stay mad at me forever Goten."
Goten blushed and placed a hand behind his head as he scratched his scalp. "Yeah, you got that right."
Lei elbowed him in the ribs and he cried out in pain. "Hmph! How can you just forget me Goten?!" she hissed.
He held his stomach and gave a painful smile up at her. "I'd never forget you Lei. You're way too important to me, at least..." He wrinkled up his nose in a contemplating manner. "I think so anway."
Fire blazed in Lei's eyes. "WHAT?!" she screamed and started to chase Goten around the campus grounds while Nina and Trunks just laughed.

* * * * * *

~Tuesday Night: Battleground, 10:20 PM~
All the Z warriors gathered on the battleground where they were to meet up with their enemies. Trunks and Goten sparred awhile as they waited for the fight to begin once the 3 assasins showed up. They all figrued that Nina was going to fight first since she had a better chance of winning. But Goku would not hear of this at all. He figured that everyone else should fight first to give Nina a strategic advantage. Once they could reveal the 3 mercenaries' moves it wouldn't be that difficult for Nina to defeat them once she knows their techniques and fighting style. So they all agreed that they would fight first and let Nina go last. But the problem was, who was gong to fight? Or were they all going to fight together? It was a hard decision to make.
Pan stepped up. "I think it would be best if 1 of us should fight at a time, then if that person should need help we all jump in except for Nina." she suggested.
Lei stood up and balled up her fists, then gave a rough nod in agreement. "Okay, I'll be the first to fight."
Goten stopped sparring with Trunks, grabbed a hold of her hand, his eyes narrowed. "No way are you fighting those monsters by yourself!"
She snatched her hand free. "Goten this is my choice. I've gotta do this, Nina's my friend."
Nina stood up, a gust of wind blowing her long black skirt against her, light brown skin being revealed. The skirt had 2 long splits on either side and underneath she had on short black spandex shorts. On her feet Nina wore black shin high boots with a white stripe down the front where the laces were cross-stitched. For her top she had on a green sleeveless turtleneck shirt that showed her stomach and on her upperarms she wore 2 black armbands to signify that she was in mourning. For her brother Jarvus. Her hair was in a loose ponytail held in the back and around her neck were the 3 Dragon Tears on a silver chain.
She placed a hand on Goten's shoulder and he looked at her, worry written on his face. She could tell he would rather fight first. "Let her do what she wishes Goten. We all have to contribute because we have to, not because we want to. In the end we'll all have to end up fighting them anyway, so let Lei show her stuff." Nina explained.
Lei smiled at her, gratitude for letting her have this chance to prove herself to everyone. She sighed. If only I could've learned some more offensive attacks. I could use the Ultra Sound, but that might hurt everyone else as well. she thought, then shrugged. Oh well, they're strong so I'm sure the others can take it. It's these assasins I have to worry about.
Suddenly she felt a whisp of ki energy and Lei began to search the sky. Obviously everyone else felt it too, especially Nina. Lei glanced over her shoulder and could see Nina's brows twitching angrily as she bared her teeth. A low growl escaped her throat and it sounded just like a tiger's. It made a chill go up Lei's spine for a moment, but she shook it off quickly as soon as her foes appeared.
Tessay was the first to descend from the sky, still clad in the same outfit she had on the previous nights ago, but this time her hair was tied in a low ponytail in the back. Her clothes had been mended from where Nina's Kamehameha wave had torn through and into her flesh. As soon as she spotted Nina, she reached up and touched her shoulder, baring her teeth in fury. Tessay hadn't forgotten what she'd done, and everytime minute, every second she spent inside the training room was to get her back for putting a scratch on her unscathed body.
Rowan wore the same outfit, but the cut on his hip had been mended, and he had on a different pair of jeans. A darker navy blue this time, but he still wore the same black t-shirt and a white longsleeved shirt underneath. His hair was worn the same and his double bladed sword was unsheathed at his side. He had definately give Nina too much credit, figuring that she might want to cross over to their side. Maybe there was still a chance to get her to switch sides. Rowan really hated having to see a worth fighter go to waste.
Cougar was very mad, since her last encounter with Nina. She planned on giving Nina the time of her life when they battled. She was going to pay for the wound right above her heart. The Earth was going to feel her rage, her anger, her power. It was a strength she was going to make the Earthlings never forget. They will never forget the night that Cougar, 1st class soldier of the Feilynx Military and Trained Assasins, was on Earth and how the planet would feel her fury.
Lei smiled and crossed her arms against her chest. "Well speak of the devil. It's about time you 3 showed up. Let's get things started shall we?"
The three fighters looked at her, wondering what she was planning to do. Tessay raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Surely you're not suggesting that you're going to fight us? All by yourself?" she asked, very amused.
Lei growled and threw a fist at them. "So what if I am?!" she snarled.
Tessay laughed at her answer. "You foolish human! Do you really think you can stand a chance against us, let alone one of us?!" she mocked, then brushed a braided lock of her banes out of her face. "That'll be the day! If that ever happens, I'll retire from being a Vlorian soldier and open up a flower shop!"
Lei's brows furrowed as she gave a smile, then rolled up her sleeves. "Well, I suggest you get the paperwork done for your retirement and start learning how to garden because I'm going to give you a fight you won't forget!" she stated, then pointed her thumb towards herself. "You'll feel my wrath, the power of humans that you seem to underestimate. But you'll eat your words soon enough."
Lei put up her fists, spread her feet apart and her smile continued to broaden. "Bring it on, if you think you're so tough." she dared.
Tessay held her arm in front of her two partners, closed her eyes and chuckled. "Let me handle this one you guys. Humans can be quite stubborn." She opened her eyes, half-lidded as her grin started to spread.
"Let the battle," she paused, then her eyes flashed wide open as an aura of pure fire surrounded her entire body, causing her green hair to fly up as well as nearly knocking off her hat. Tessay then charged towards Lei as she prepared herself for the mercenary's assault. "BEGIN!"