CHAPTER 1

Up in the rocky mountains of Mount Paozu - Gohan was exhausted. He had never been pushed to train so hard before. Piccolo was attacking from every angle, urging for the boy to become stronger. Even though it was tough, Gohan knew that in order to help save the world from the androids, he must keep up with his previous mentor.

"Come on Gohan, you can do this, just focus!" Piccolo exclaimed, throwing a few punches at him.

"Right!" Gohan concentrated, taking in everything Piccolo was telling him, while blocking his attacks and throwing in a couple of punches and kicks of his own.

"Come on, you can do better than this! Remember what I taught you back when the Saiyans were coming to Earth!" Piccolo was now fully testing Gohan, delivering constant blows to the boy, deliberately pushing him to the edge, forcing his true potential to unleash itself. Gohan was now attacking full force. "Yes, that's it. Now, fight harder!" Piccolo was constantly nagging at the boy to reach his limits and beyond. Gohan finally screamed and swerved around Piccolo, delivering a quick blow to his back, causing Piccolo to fall a little, but it wasn't enough for him to fall completely to the ground. Gohan couldn't help but smile at his achievement. He was improving. "He he, good. But not good enough!" Piccolo quickly shot laser beams out from his eyes, which struck Gohan, causing him to crash to the ground. Piccolo immediately flew down and stood over Gohan, arms folded and unimpressed. The poor boy was static, burnt with smoke rising from him. "You need to learn from your mistakes Gohan, and don't get caught off guard just because you struck your opponent with one measly shot. It will be your downfall." Piccolo flew away, leaving Gohan to bask in the unsettled dust.

"Ow..." was Gohan's only reply. He slowly sat up, feeling extremely dizzy... and hot (no wonder)! He was somewhat upset for disappointing Piccolo, but he was used to it. Gohan knew though, that he had to learn, and quickly. Piccolo was counting on him. They had both developed a special bond that no one else could understand back when they first met, and have remained close friends ever since. Piccolo was trying to unlock the hidden potential Gohan had inside in order for him to become stronger, but Gohan had always failed him. Gohan took this into consideration as he jumped to his feet and began punching and kicking the air in sheer focus. Now was the time to get serious. To train harder than ever before!

xXxXxXxXx

Goku took a break from training. Usually, he wouldn't have considered taking a leaving to what he loved to do most, but when it comes to his stomach, he had to leave right away in order to appeal to his appetite.

"Hey, Chi-Chi!" Goku yelled, walking towards his front door, his usual childish grin plastered on his face. "Boy, am I starving. What's for lunch?" He entered the house. The hall was the first room to approach; a small walkway with wooden floorboards, a couple of doors on each side and bare walls that hung a few pictures of Goku's family and friends. Goku walked through the hallway and turned left, which led him straight to where Chi-Chi was standing in the kitchen; a homely room which connected to the living room. It was small, but it bared the essentials.

"Oh, Goku!" Chi-Chi exclaimed, happy to see her husband return home. "Uh, where's Gohan?"

Goku was startled. He forgot how Chi-Chi would react if she knew Gohan was with Piccolo, but he didn't have time to think of a good lie to say to his wife. " Ha ha ha ha ha, uh..." was all that escaped from his mouth. Goku felt like such an idiot, scratching the back of his head, but he couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Goku!" Chi-Chi shouted, unamused "Where is Gohan?"

There was nothing left to say. He knew he had to tell Chi-Chi the truth "Ah, well, you see..." Goku said sheepishly. This made Chi-Chi suspicious "...he decided to, um... stay and train with, ah, um... Piccolo, but..." he was cut off. He knew what was going to happen next, seeing the fear in Chi-Chi's eyes.

"You mean you left my little Gohan out there with that monster?" Chi-Chi was now freaking out, nearly fainting in the process. "How could you Goku? Gohan still needs to catch up on his studies. You promised me he would stick with you. Bring him back here now!"

"Aw, lighten up Chi-Chi, I'm sure Gohan's just fine. Ha ha ha ha..." Goku realised he should have kept his mouth shut.

"Lighten up? Don't tell me to lighten up! I am constantly worried sick about my baby's well being, and you act like you don't even care! I knew it was a bad idea to give Gohan some recreational time! I try and make him as smart as he can possibly be, filling his brain with sweet knowledge, but you, you always find a way to degrade him, filling his brain with your gruesome fighting tricks! Well, no more!" Chi-Chi stopped to stare at Goku, expecting him to reply, but to her surprise, he twitched. He was in fact a little scared, her glare pushing and taunting him. "Fine! If you don't go out and find Gohan, I will! I am fed up with this Goku!" Chi-Chi stormed out of the kitchen, not daring to look back.

"But Chi Chi, what about lunch?" Goku started to panic, noticing no prepared food was in sight. His appetite was his top priority at the moment.

"Make it yourself!" Chi-Chi screamed, slamming the front door shut behind her.

"Oh, boy..." Goku collapsed on a wooden chair by the dining table, his rumbling stomach breaking the awkward silence. He was starving, but any food not made by Chi-Chi would surely not please Goku's appetite, unless of course, he flew to Bulma's, but he felt too weak to even move! Goku started to feel drowsy from the fearsome event that had just occurred, focusing on what Chi-Chi had said to him, her words haunting him. She was screeching repeatedly over and over in his mind. It's not that Goku didn't try to listen, but it was enough to give him a headache, he couldn't take anymore (as if he didn't feel any worse)! He loved Chi-Chi so much, but when it came to times like this, he couldn't help but think why Chi-Chi wasn't in a mental hospital. With that thought, Goku smiled... but his smile soon turned in to a yawn, as Goku eventually dozed off –

Goku dreamt about the important conversation he had with future Trunks only a month ago -

"Yes, Vegeta was right. Only he, yourself and Gohan have Saiyan blood, and I got mine from him." Trunks quickly glimpsed at Vegeta. "He's my father." he stated, making it clear as to why he was able to turn in to a Super Saiyan.

"What? You're kidding! You're absolutely sure that Vegeta's your father?" Goku was completely thunderstruck. Vegeta, a dad? How could that be? Goku could not believe it!

"Yes. I'm half Saiyan, half earthling."

"You're serious. Vegeta's son... my gosh!" Goku turned around to look at the pink-shirted Saiyan standing in the distance. "Yes, yes, I can see the resemblance."

"I'll be born two years from now."

"Ha ha ha, no kidding! Vegeta's going to be a daddy! Man, who would've ever thought..." Goku was cut off.

"Goku, I didn't come here to tell you that. I have to talk to you about something." The tone in Trunks' voice startled Goku. He was now completely focused on the teenager from the future, eager to listen to every word he was about to say. Trunks went into a deep conversation about how two supposedly sadistic cyborgs will come to life under the hands of the evil Dr. Gero, and cause nothing but terror to the world, destroying everything that will cross their path. He then dropped a bombshell which left Goku completely stunned. "Three years from now, the Earth's special forces will be gone. Vegeta, Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, Chiaotzu, Piccolo. They're all going to lose their lives to the androids in a horrible battle! There'll be only one survivor. That's my master and best friend Gohan. He narrowly escapes from that battle, but then, thirteen years later, they finally get him!" The fear in Trunks' eyes as he revealed this concerned Goku, making him wonder how strong these androids must be, but like the battle-hungry Saiyan he was, he would not back down from a challenge, even if the odds were stacked against him, but something didn't quite add up.

"Wait a sec. Hey Trunks, what happens to me? Do I die in the battle as well?" Goku couldn't help but ask. He wondered why his name wasn't mentioned.

"Uh uh. You die before it. Not too long from now, you're going to catch a new virus that attacks the heart. You're going to die from it." Trunks hated to say it, but he knew he had to answer Goku's question. He made the Saiyan hero feel completely useless, knowing that he wasn't even going to be around to fight the androids, because apparently, not even a Super Saiyan can stop the virus. He left Goku completely in awe, as was expected when you tell someone that they're going to die. Luckily, Trunks was prepared and gave Goku a bottle of medicine that was the only cure to stop the heart virus. "There's no cure now for that nasty virus, but in my time, there is. Take this when you get sick and you'll be fine." Goku took the medicine from Trunks, feeling much better... no, excited knowing that he would get a chance to fight the androids after all. He was thoroughly grateful. "You can make a difference Goku. My mother told me that you could, and now I believe her."

"You're mother knows me?" Goku was now utterly confused. "Oh wow, that's bizarre. Does she live by me or something?" And at that very moment when Trunks pointed towards Bulma, Goku fell to the ground in a fit of hysterics. "Wow, Bulma and Vegeta huh? Unbelievable!"

With that, Goku woke up. He surveilled his surroundings. No one was in sight. Chi-Chi must have still been out looking for Gohan, which meant Goku didn't sleep for very long. Either that, or Chi-Chi was having a hard time searching for her son. Goku denied that because he knew his wife's voice was loud enough for any animal to hear within a 5 mile radius. He sat up in his wooden chair, deep in thought over his dream. Goku didn't know how strong these androids were going to be, but if what Trunks had said was true, minus the future possibly becoming altered, he had better be prepared. As Goku stood up in determination, knocking the chair over in the process, a familiar grumbling noise interfered with his wit. Goku nearly forgot. He hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, but Chi-Chi wasn't home yet. There was nothing Goku could do but wait. He pulled his chair up from the floor, and collapsed back in it in exhaustion. Apart from the androids, Goku began to mull over another topic that Trunks was not so keen talking about; Bulma and Vegeta. How on Earth could that happen? How will it happen? Wasn't Bulma with Yamcha? Why did they split up? And Vegeta. He only cared about himself. He was willing to kill everyone on Earth, along with Bulma not that long ago. Vegeta never showed any kind of remorse to anyone. He never let anyone touch him, so what caught him off guard? Goku was curious. There were too many questions.

"Whoa, what am I doing?" Goku quickly sat up again, flabbergasted. Why did he just endure this? He never went deep into thought about anything before, unless, of course it was fighting tactics. Goku quickly calmed down, reasoning with himself that he was just temporarily off guard. He figured it was because he cared for Bulma so much (hell, she was his first friend) that he didn't want to see her get hurt. When it came to Vegeta, Goku wouldn't be surprised if something tragic did happen. With that, he let out a sigh of relief. "Yeah, and besides, I'll think of anything right now that doesn't involve food." Grrrr "Oh, where are you Chi-Chi? I'm starving."