All around the world the Z fighters prepared themselves for the upcoming tournament. Piccolo meditated high on Dende's Lookout, Krillen trained alongside the beach with his wife and kid watching, Vegeta and Trunks trained superfluously in the gravity chamber, and Goten and Gohan ran through the mountains in the early morning air to find the perfect spot for their morning exercises.
Gohan skidded to a stop as he lost sight of his little brother. The rocky mountain area a perfectly secluded spot, but lacked his little responsibility. "Goten! Where'd you go?" Rubbing the back of his head, Gohan wondered if he went too fast for the little guy. He knew Vegeta trained with him and all but he hadn't seen just how far he and Trunks were along. After all, normally when they were out playing he was inside studying.
He heard the laughter first, his little brother's belly full and his voice loud. "Goten!"
"Over here Gohan!" He managed between giggles. "I'm being attacked by a wild dinosaur." When Gohan peeked his head behind the large boulder he spotted Goten on the ground with a baby dinosaur licking his face. "Come meet my new friend. He reminds me of Icarus."
Icarus... now that was a name he hadn't heard of in awhile. While his mother was lost in space he had met a new friend, a large purple flying dinosaur that loved mischief and play. His old friend had migrated a few years ago in order to raise his own little family.
"Help! Gohan it tickles!" Gohan laughed as Goten's new friend practically pinned him down now licking his face like a lollypop. The wild burst of laughter coming from his brother reminded him a lot of their mother. She found many things to laugh about, and according to Chichi had been a lot like Goten as a girl.
"Hey Goten, I'm gonna get started. I'll see you in a little bit!"
The morning practices didn't go as smoothly as he had hoped. His little brother was cute and he didn't really mind him, but he always managed to get distracted by the simplest things. Deciding that it was best to keep him occupied he let Goten help him on a little exercise.
"You want me to hit you with the rocks?"
"If you can, but you can't cross this line." Gohan made a line in the dirt with his foot. "This is a great exercise. It helps sharpens your reflexes, and teaches you how to react when you don't have time to think."
Goten picked up a stone studied the weight in his hand then looked at his brother. "Aren't I a little too close?"
"Nah, it's fine. In fact it may be a little far back."
"You must be really fast. Wowie." Goten tossed the rock up and down then grinned. "Okay I'm gonna throw as hard as I can."
"That a way. Do it." Gohan bent down readying himself, but nothing could have prepared him for the speeding bullet that zipped past his head barely missing him. The mountain behind him had a hole zipping all the way to the other side. Well hot damn! Even in super saiyan form Gohan had barely gotten clobbered by his brother's pitch.
"Wow, you really are fast." Goten laughed and started picking up more stones. "Let's do it again!"
"Whoa! No, no, no hold on a second Goten." Actually afraid of his life Gohan moved the line back a few more feet and stared at his little brother. "That's quite an arm you've got there."
"Okay whatever you say." After getting into position Goten let the stones fly. Gohan zipped and dodged feeling his body move naturally. Fighting had always come as a second language to him, something instinctive more than a study like his books. He loved it, and had missed it a great deal.
"You can move in closer now!" Gohan said while still dodging. The rocks stopped and he looked up to see his brother studying him closely. "What a matter Goten?"
"Well, since Chichi's not here, is it okay if I can be like you now?"
"Huh, what do you mean like me?"
"Well you know, the gold hair, and the super strength, I wanna be a super saiyan." Gohan had to laugh a little at his brother's declaration. It reminded him a little of Vegeta the way he just wanted it, of course Vegeta would never voice it out.
"Maybe when you're a little older. It takes years of training to be a super saiyan. I'm sure your dad told you that." Goten pouted and dropped the rocks. Moving to prove himself Goten flared his energy until suddenly it just happened. Like a light turning on Goten's hair stood up straight and gold and his power went through the roof. "G-Goten! You're a super saiyan? Oh my gosh this is unbelievable!" His mother would flip! Imagine her son, the youngest super saiyan in history! "When did you learn to do that?"
"I don't remember." Goten said putting his hands behind his head. "It just happened."
"You're such a natural, look at you. Mom and I had to work really hard to become super saiyans. Jeez and your dad, what a case he was." Gohan put a hand to his chin then grinned. "Hey, how about you become my sparring partner for the tournament?"
"Hey, yeah! I'd love that!"
"I take it you know sparring form since you trained with Vegeta."
"Yeah, but he wasn't the one who taught me. Chichi did."
"What? Chichi? Really?"
"Yep, Chichi, , and I would go outside to have training sessions while you were inside studying. Then she sent me to dad so I could spar with Trunks." Goten paused and frowned thinking of the last time he had trained with her. He had been dodging Chichi's attacks and had transformed by accident knocking her down. She had been surprised at first then had balled out crying.
"What's the matter Goten?"
"Well, it's just the last time we trained together I turned into a super saiyan and she called me a monster." That had Gohan laughing.
"Don't take it to heart Goten. She's always been like that about our saiyan heritage. Now come on, let's get to training."
Gohan was surprised by the progress of his little brother's fighting skills. Vegeta had trained him well and it gave Gohan enough of a challenge to really get into the spirit. He also had to thank Vegeta for teaching Goten how to fly, otherwise they'd be dodging rocks left and right.
The sound of a plane interrupted their sparring match and Gohan looked to the side spotting a capsule plane. Inside was Videl Satan. Her long black hair tugged into pigtails on either side of her head, her ice blue eyes staring off into the distance, and her hands gripped tightly on the controls of the plane. "Oh no, I forgot! I'm supposed to give her flying lessons! Time out Goten! We're heading home!"
Videl landed in front of the quaint little house in Mt. Paos. She spotted a little girl reading on the porch, and an older woman hanging laundry. "Hello! Excuse me, I'm looking for Gohan."
"He's not here." The little girl answered not looking up from her book. "He's out with his brother." Chichi looked up from her laundry and quickly walked over.
"Whatever you're selling we don't want any."
"I'm not selling anything. I'm looking for Gohan. Do you know where I could find him?"
"If you're looking for a date, then you're looking in the wrong place. What manners do you have coming over unannounced, and without even a phone call. Shame on you."
"Look lady, I don't want a date. I'm not here for a date." Videl tried to explain without losing her temper. She watched Chichi's face change and look off over her shoulder. Videl turned and spotted Gohan and a little boy she could only assume was his little brother. "There you are!"
"Well hi there Videl, how did you find my address?"
"Simple, I looked you up in the student directory." She said matter-of-factly. "Now then, don't think you can back out of our deal by taking a leave of absence." she stood a bit on her toes to look him in the eye. "You're going to teach me how to fly."
"That's fine." Gohan said trying hard not to get distracted by her pretty face. "I gave you my word and that's that."
"Now hold on, you can't train her Gohan! You have your own training to do, you have to prepare for the martial arts tournament."
"Hey, come on, Videl's the one who talked me into the competition. If it wasn't for her I wouldn't have even thought of competing."
"Well fine, teach her, but let me give you some advice missy." Chichi raised a hand to Videl. "You keep your manhandling hands off him! He has now time to be distracted by a hussy like you!"
"I'm not a hussy!" Videl yelled back her face red with anger and embarrassment. "We're training in martial arts, not eloping! Love and fighting don't mix!"
"My mom and dad fell in love while fighting." Goten said. Gohan smacked a hand to his head. "In fact, my dad said that it was my mom's fighting spirit that he liked most about her. Isn't that right Chichi?"
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks and Chichi sighed her temper calming. "Yes, in their case."
The ice was broken, and Gohan found it a lot easier once Videl and Chichi had become better acquainted, minus the fact she kept pushing at the marriage button. She was especially excited when she found out just how loaded Videl's family was.
"And you're planning to marry this girl?" She had shouted at the lunch table. He had choked on his rice. Marriage, girls, dating? No, no, none of that... yet.
Gohan thought he would never find another woman who was as pushy as Chichi. However, he found himself with his hands full of Videl's broad curiosity and savvy mouth. The hardest part of teaching her to fly was to believe in her energy, and to control it. Once she had that down she was flying no problem.
"That is awesome Videl." He complimented her as she floated down from the treetops. "no one learns how to fly on their first day."
"Is that a fact?" Videl crosses her arms and glances up at Rika and Goten who were playing tag games in the air. He hadn't known that 17 had taught Rika how to fly, but then again he hadn't known a lot of things revolving around this particular subject.
"They're an exception. They've been flying for awhile."
"In that case I'll be back tomorrow."
"Huh? What for? I taught you how to fly, all you need now is a little bit of private practice."
"I want to learn more about this. Unless, of course, my presence is a burden on you." She glared back making Gohan twitch uncomfortably.
"No, not at all."
"Good it's settled then." She turned and popped open her capsule plane. As she walked towards it he looked at her hair as the wind made it fly about her face.
"Oh, hey Videl, I was thinking." She paused to look back at him. "About your hair, it might look better short." He thought of his mother when fighting, and how many times her hair had been used against her either flaring about her face or yanked around like some kind of rope.
"You mean you like short hair, on girls Gohan?" Videl blushed as she said it and Gohan found himself stammering. "Well, I never really thought about it, but short it'll be less of a hassle and it won't be tempted to pull on and..." he trailed off seeing her anger swell and braced himself for the angry shout.
"WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE ME AND MY HAIR ALONE YOU BIG DUMMY!" She flew off, and left Gohan standing befuddled.
The next day she showed up as promised, but with her hair cute short. Why were girls so gosh darn complicated?
At Capsule Corps, Vegeta and Trunks spent their quality time together in the gravity chamber. While Vegeta did his usual exercises in SSJ form Trunks hobbled around trying to push his body to get used to the high amount of gravity.
"Perhaps you should rest, son, 150 times normal gravity is a man's training level. You're clearly still a child." He put the most pressure on Trunks, for he was the oldest, and unlike his brother he was only half saiyan.
"Goten called me last night. He says he's going to be in the tournament. Now I want to." Trunks grit his teeth and stopped panting hard. Pride filling him Vegeta stopped and gave a small snicker.
"Well, what are you going to do about it?"
"Guess I'll go super." Before Vegeta could react Trunks let his Super Saiyan power fly and bounced around in the gravity as if he was as light as a butterfly.
"D-Did I miss something?" Vegeta stared at his son watching him bounce around. "When was that the legendary transformation of t he saiyan race was reduced to a child's plaything?" determined to get some answers he stopped Trunks in his tracks. "Come here son."
"Yes, dad?"
"Can your brother also transform?"
"Yes."
"Grr, yes naturally it's a super saiyan bargain sale." Life just wasn't fair. He struggled and strife over the transformation and was outshined by BOTH his sons. He didn't know whether to be proud or to whack them both upside the head. "Try to hit me." Vegeta demanded.
"Why would I do that dad? You know I'm not strong enough."
"You wanna play like that?" Vegeta put up his fists. "If you can land a punch in my face, I'll take you to the park for an hour."
"Wow, you mean it?" Suddenly pumped up Trunks let his power flare and he burst into action letting his fists fly. With amazing speed and agility Trunks kept his eyes on the prize his fists flying everywhere. Vegeta found himself overwhelmed by the small fists and he felt the sting of connection. He smacked Trunks to the floor.
"Ow!" Whimpering Trunks held his face and tried to hold back the tears. "You didn't say you'd hit back dad."
"Well I didn't say I wouldn't now did I, Trunks?"
"No, but..." he sniffled. Caught between fatherly affection and agitation Vegeta crossed his arms.
"Dry your tears, we're going to the park now." Trunks' beaming face lifted his conscience. "Before we go, who is stronger? You or your brother?"
"Well," Trunks thought about it. "I don't really know. We've always broke even."
Even huh? Vegeta thought with a sneer. His sons were different, but they both held a sense of pride in them. Trunks was his first born but he was only half saiyan, but out of the two of them he could tell Trunks was most like himself, proud and arrogant. Goten was a full blooded saiyan, but he was more like his mother, full of life, laughter, and a love of fighting. If they were even in fighting capacity then it was high time he'd have to do something about that.