A/N: It's been a while since I last wrote fanfiction, especially the Dragonball Z kind. Stuff has happened in my life, and for a while I also got bored with DBZ altogether. Until I got my hands on some episodes, that was. Watching those has sparked my love for the fandom again, and though there's a good chance I'll still finish some of my older stories one day, I would like to make a fresh start. So, once again… onward!

Sanne-chan

Chapter one: Kameko Roshi

Piccolo growled, narrowing his eyes at the strange creature in front of him. His powerlevel was low… way too low for him to be so cocky. That monster was definitely hiding something, and the Namek wasn't sure if he wanted to know what it was.

His gaze shifted to the now empty business suit on the ground. It was all that had remained of the monster's hostage. "You're next, Piccolo", the creature had rasped after draining the poor man of his life with that gruesome tail. The Namek had always scoffed at Goku's ridiculous fear of needles, but needless to say, he was beginning to feel more compassionate towards the Saiyan with each passing second.

"Afraid, Piccolo?" the monster taunted, his eyes flashing menacingly.

"I don't know how you know that name," he smirked, "but it seems you are mistaking me for someone else. I am… the Namek!"

The monster's snake-like eyes widened and Piccolo prepared to show that beast the power-up of his life, until suddenly…

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!"

Two high-pitched screams echoed through the abandoned streets. They seemed to be coming from everywhere at once. Was this another trick from that disgusting creature?

"Left, Oolong! Left!" a female voice screeched.

"I'm trying!" a second voice squeaked.

"Try harder!"

"Can't! I… oh no, we're going to crash! Kameko! Hold me!!"

"Ack! Let go, you pig! Grab my chest again, and I'm going to have pork chops for dinner!"

Piccolo looked at the creature, but it seemed to be just as surprised as he was. Suddenly the air between them started to shimmer and out of nowhere, a strange vortex appeared. The screams grew louder and then…

"AAAAAIIEEE!!"

A loud explosion blew both the monster and Piccolo away. Groaning, the Namek got back on his feet and his jaw dropped when he laid eyes on the contraption that had crashed into the street.

"No…" he heard the creature mumble. "How can this be?"

In between them… stood a time machine.

Forgetting their fight, both of them curiously inspected the vehicle. Piccolo expected it to, again, be a copy of Trunks' machine. It seemed to be all the rage these days. However, this one looked different. Smaller, sleeker, more robust.

Suddenly, the dome opened and a cloud of smoke briefly blinded him. Piccolo saw a humanlike figure exiting the pod. Was it friendly? Was it hostile? The Namek balled his fists, preparing for the worst. Through the smoke, he could see the monster do the same.

Piccolo growled. Everything seemed to be going wrong today, and with his luck, this new visitor would probably be a 17 feet monster with razor-sharp fangs, poisonous tentacles and thousands of slimy…

"Whoa, what a ride! Let's do it again! Can we? Can we?"

A female figure climbed out of the time machine, a sandal-clad foot stepping onto the asphalt. Letting his eyes travel over the rest of her body, he saw white shorts, a lime green Hawaiian shirt, a head full of wavy red hair and two brown eyes that gleamed with mischief. He had seen that look before, but the Namek couldn't put his finger on it.

"Ugh… I'm going to be sick…" another voice groaned from inside the pod. Piccolo felt like he was hit by a ton of bricks when something small, pink and round set foot on the street. "Let's just find that creepy egg and destroy it, before… Uh oh."

Only now did the strange duo notice that they were not alone.

"Oolong?!"

"H-Hi Piccolo," he grinned sheepishly. "Long time no see."

"Oolong…" the creature rasped, making the pig squeak and scurry behind the girl's legs.

"Kameko!" he yelped. "He's hatched! He's hatched! We're too late!"

"No shit, captain obvious!" the girl gulped, then looked at the monster.

"Hey, Cell! How many people have you absorbed already? Just this town, right?"

The creature's eyes widened and he bared his fangs.

"How do you know my name?" he hissed, a hint of panic in his voice.

"That's not all I know about you… android 19!" she smirked triumphantly while pointing at him, but her smile faded when the monster named Cell chuckled.

"Math is not your strong suit, is it girl? Or you would have known that I am in fact number 21."

"21? No way…" she blinked, then started counting on her fingers. "There's android 17 and his sister 18, so that makes you…"

An energy blast cut her off mid-sentence. The girl yelped and flew up, barely dodging the attack.

"Kameko! Watch your back!" Oolong shouted. "He's more powerful than he looks! That attack was a lot stronger than it was supposed to be!"

"Don't sweat it, if this town is the only one he managed to get his hands on, I should be able to take him," the girl smirked, then turned back to the android. "Wise guy, huh? I wanted to play it safe and destroy your egg before you hatched, but you're still no match for me! I've done some training just in case, and it will be more than enough for the likes of you!"

She turned around and looked at Piccolo with a perverted, fox-like grin on her face.

"And when I'm done with this guy, wanna give me your number? Your muscles, my camera and maybe a little…"

She was cut off by a punch to the back of her head. The girl let out an insulted yell and whirled around with a swift kick to his chest. As the two engaged in a heated aerial battle, something in Piccolo's mind seemed to click. The tacky Hawaiian shirt, Oolong's presence, the perverted comments…

"Kais help us," he sweatdropped. "You're Roshi's kid…"

Kameko sucked a sharp breath through her teeth. She was determined not to show it, but the android was a lot stronger than she had bargained for, and she didn't like it one bit. This was nothing like the simulations she had ran back home. Would her training be enough? And what was the deal about him being number 21? How was he able to tell her this nonsense at all? He wasn't even supposed to hatch for another month, and even then he still had to spend at least four more years in his larval state! Not waltzing around in his first form, absorbing innocent people!

Kameko couldn't help but glance down at the heaps of empty clothes that lay discarded throughout the city. She felt her stomach turning and a shiver running down her spine. Her gaze shifted to his deadly tail. His beak twisted into an evil grin and Kameko shuddered involuntarily.

Don't let him know you're afraid! she sternly told herself. He couldn't have absorbed more than one town, 15000 people at most! You're still stronger than him, and he'll never get the chance to do… that…again.

She briefly held her left shoulder, brushing her thumb over the scar that was hidden under her short sleeve, and winced at the memory.

"Kameko!" Oolong yelled from the ground. "Look out!"

"Special… Beam… CANNON!!"

The girl snapped out of her thoughts and stared at the blinding ray of energy, caught like a deer in the headlights of a truck. Move! her brain screamed, but her body refused to listen. The sheer power that attack radiated, paralyzed her with fear. How could he be so powerful already? After just one absorbing one single town? The simulations had never been this strong, not even with the powerlevel set at maximum! Something was terribly, terribly wrong!

I'm going to fail again… flashed through her mind, when a strong pair of arms grabbed her waist and yanked her out of harm's way.

"Thanks, Piccolo…" she said shakily. "You are Piccolo, right?"

"You seem to know about me," the Namek spoke gruffly. "Care to return the courtesy?"

"I am Kameko Roshi," the girl nodded, then glared at Cell. "And I'm here punch your lights out, creep!"

"Oh, I doubt that, my dear," the android snickered.

"O-Oh yeah? Why's that?"

"Your hands are shaking."

Kameko flushed red and quickly hid them behind her back, scolding herself for not being more brave. He was still weak… he hadn't absorbed that many people yet. She should easily be able to beat him, so why did she feel like she was staring death itself in the eyes?

"What are you?" Piccolo barked. "Why can I sense my own energy from you? And Frieza's and Vegeta's?"

"Because Cell is an android, created by Dr. Gero," Kameko answered him. "Composed of the cells of the greatest warriors ever to walk this Earth, he has all of your best attacks and abilities. Saiyan strength, human cunning, Namekian regeneration." She continued to tell about Dr. Gero's tracking device, Cell's absorption technique and how he hijacked Trunk's time machine to find the other androids…

Both Piccolo and Cell listened with growing amazement. The android stood frozen, shocked that this strange girl somehow knew about his origins. He had never told a single soul! Well… none who lived to re-tell the tale, that was. The less the Z-fighters knew, the better, and this wench had flung his secrets out in the open! Blowing his cover, ruining his element of surprise and no doubt even further fuelling their desire to destroy the androids. Oh, she would pay dearly for her insolence! This, he silently vowed.

Watch yourself, girl. Sleep with one eye open. I promise you that the only peace you will ever know from now on, will be death at my hands.