Vegeta could be paired with Ike. Both are strong - willed and prideful characters. They would initially clash due to their similar personalities, but as they face a powerful enemy together, they would come to respect each other. Vegeta's Saiyan power and Ike's swordsmanship would make for an interesting combination in battles. They could also have some great banter as they compare their respective power levels and combat philosophies.
One idea could be to combine the power - up mechanics of Dragon Ball Z with the strategic battles of Fire Emblem. For example, characters in the fanfic could gain new abilities similar to Super Saiyan transformations during intense battles in the Fire Emblem - like battlefields. They could use these new powers to turn the tide of the fight against the enemy forces, which could be a mix of both Dragon Ball Z villains and Fire Emblem antagonists.
The plot might involve a villain who has the ability to steal both ki and chakra. This forces Goku and Naruto to team up. Goku, with his Super Saiyan forms, provides brute strength, while Naruto, with his various jutsu like Rasengan and his Sage Mode, offers strategic combat skills. They would have to combine their powers in unique ways to defeat this new threat.
Another theme is friendship. Since both Naruto and Dragon Ball Z have strong themes of friendship, when they cross over, the fanfics often explore how Naruto and Bulma can become friends. They come from different worlds but end up having to rely on each other, which is a great way to show the power of friendship across universes. In some fanfics, they also make new friends together from both universes.
One possible plot could be that Thanos somehow gets his hands on the Dragon Balls. He wishes for the power to snap away half of all life in the universe even more easily. The Z - fighters sense this great imbalance and travel to the Marvel universe to stop him. Goku, being the most powerful Z - fighter, tries to fight Thanos but quickly realizes his strength is different from what he's used to. Vegeta might have to team up with Iron Man to come up with a technological way to counter Thanos' Infinity Stones while Goku trains to reach a new level of Super Saiyan to take on Thanos directly.
One alternative is to focus on character backstories. You could write about the early days of Piccolo, how he came to be the way he is. Another option is to do crossovers with other non - sexual universes. Maybe a story where the Dragon Ball Z characters meet characters from a magical anime world and they have to work together to solve a problem. Also, you can write about the relationships between the characters in a platonic way, like the deepening of the friendship between Gohan and Krillin.
Some 'Dragon Ball Z Fanfic' worth checking out are 'The Lost Saiyan'. This fic tells the story of a Saiyan who was lost in space and finally makes his way to Earth. 'Piccolo's Secret Training' is another one. Here, Piccolo undertakes a training that could change the balance of power. And 'The Dragon Ball Hunt' is an exciting fanfic where characters are on a quest to find all the Dragon Balls for a very different reason than in the original.
Many Dragon Ball Z Cell fanfics might explore alternate timelines. For example, what if Cell had successfully absorbed all the Androids before facing Goku? This would have made him even more powerful and could have led to a completely different outcome for the Dragon Ball Z universe. It's exciting to think about all these different possibilities.
First, familiarize yourself with the Dragon Ball Z world, its characters, and their personalities. Then, come up with an engaging story that fits within that framework. Pay attention to the action sequences and power levels to keep it consistent with the series.
A common theme is the exploration of different power systems. Like how the martial arts in Ranma 1/2 compare to the ki - based powers in Dragon Ball Z.