"Gohan! Don't turn up the music too loud!" Chichi's stern voice rang out over the blaring sound of music playing from the radio and Goten's laughing. Chichi and her sons had been stuck in traffic for an hour on their way to the Ox King's palace. Gohan reduced the volume of Cruise by Attom. The twelve year old laughed, scratching the back of his head, mimicking his father. The royal felt a pang at his actions.

It was a week before the coronation and final preparations were being made to welcome the Queen-to-be. The widow had yet to pick Goten's outfit for the occasion and a comfortable pair of shoes for the event. Chichi couldn't help but feel nervous about going back to the village where she grew up. Would she succeed? Would she fail? What if she embarrassed herself and Gohan so badly that her father would demand never to see her again?

Come on. Lighten up.

Well, it's not everyday you fight your father to become a Queen, she grumbled to her subconscious; the young, teenage side to her that had clung to her mind since she had married Goku.

If I didn't know better, I'd say you were related to that Saiyan Prince Vegeta. Look at your attitude!

Shut up.

You shut up. We're never going to get to see Daddy now!

If you shut your beak, maybe we will get somewhere!

The trio would have arrived at Chogong village hours ago had the traffic not been so appalling.

Rough, calloused hands gripped the steering wheel in annoyance. "This is outrageous!" Chichi cried. "We left home an hour before traffic could start, and we've been here for almost two!" Gohan peered into the side view mirror. "There's a long line behind us, too," he added. "At this rate, we'll be there at sunset." His head swerved round to the back seat to observe his brother, who was nodding off to sleep.

"Uh, mum, Goten's falling asleep."

"Screw this, we're flying." Chichi's patience had worn thin at the little improvement of traffic and her last nerve wasn't going to last. "Get out of the car, Gohan. Take Goten as well." On her word, the Son trio were soon flying through the air, leaving behind stunned drivers. Some people even got out of their vehicles to get a glimpse of the supernatural events occurring. Screams of "What the hell is that?!" and "Someone call the police!" rang in the ears of the group.

The eldest grandson of the Ox King glanced down at the sea of cars and ant-looking humans below them. "I feel sorry for them. They're going to be there forever." He turned his attention to his brother, beginning to tickle the toddler's stomach. Goten giggled in delight, his bronze-coloured appendage waving in the air. His sleepiness seemed to have vanished from his features.

"Well, Goten's not tired anymore," Chichi sighed in relief, tucking the encapsulated car into the pocket of her dress.

"Yep. If he did go to sleep his tail would wrap around my arm for ages. Not that it's annoying, but he gets more heavy."

The trio carried on flying in silence for fifteen minutes before the view of city roads and buildings turned into small suburban homes and dusty roads. Chichi's eyes squinted in recognition. She suddenly spotted a large, golden palace tucked away by several oak trees. A small, but larger than average speck of a human sat on the front lawn.

"There it is!" Chichi exclaimed, pointing at the palace. She began to land, beckoning Gohan to do the same. The man sat in quite a large armchair, reading a book. The sound of landing feet made him look up. "Chichi!" he bellowed. "And my lovely grandsons!" the burly grandfather rose from his seat and brought his daughter and grandsons into a large grip.

"I missed you too, dad." Chichi hugged her father back. She was in no pain from the crushing grip and she seemed to be used to it, compared to Gohan who was struggling for air.

"Grandpa... let go... can't... breathe..." he rasped.

The Ox King released his relatives, startled. "Oh sorry, Gohan, I didn't notice my strength for a second, he laughed. "Oh dear, where are my manners? I didn't give you a proper welcome." The monarch snapped his fingers, and before the group lay a velvet red carpet leading to the door, with several maids and butlers on either side.

"Welcome Princess Chichi, Princes Gohan and Goten, to Chogong Palace," they chorused happily, excited to have the family of their king for a visit.

"Thank you!" Gohan bowed. The servants did the same. One butler walked to Chichi and bowed once more. "Your Highness, do you have any baggage we could carry inside?"

"No thanks, I encapsulated it. It's nice of you to ask."

"No worries, Miss." The man smiled and stepped back into line. The servants once again bowed as the royals made their way into the gleaming building. Gohan was left gaping in awe at the masses of servants scurrying around the place, bowing as they saw the royals, as well as the many paintings, statues and marble hallways once he stepped in.

The hybrid stopped at a particular picture, seven feet in height. The Ox King, younger, larger and burlier, sat grinning proudly on his golden throne, donning robes that symbolized royalty. An enormous green-red axe sat at the foot of the throne. A beautiful chestnut haired lady, who Gohan assumed to be his grandmother, wore a pale blue Chinese dress similar to his mother's, smiling, looking as radiant as the sun, standing on the steps to the throne. Finally, his eyes rested on a little girl with gleaming black eyes, dressed in a blue and white chestplate, completed with a billowing blue skirt. She wore a golden tiara despite the fact that she had a blue helmet tucked under her arm. She also stood on the steps, opposite her mother.

"Wow..." he trailed off.

"That was painted a few months before your grandmother passed away," the Ox King sighed.

"Oh... I'm sorry..."

"Don't be," Chichi sighed, closing her eyes. "Anyway, I grew up in this village as a little girl. Do you like it?" Chichi asked.

"Like is an understatement, Mum. It's amazing. You have so many people waiting on you hand and foot! And the portraits are amazing." the preteen turned to his mother. "How come you never told me about this place before?"

The Ox King spoke up. "Oh, Chichi did bring you here before, but you were a tiny baby," he sighed happily, thinking of a bygone time. Before the Saiyans, Androids and Cell, a peaceful time when the newest Prince had been born and every member of the royal family, including close friends, were excited about the arrival. "Everyone was here. Do you remember Bradley?"

"You mean my Brad?" Chichi hadn't seen much of her cousin at all after Gohan's birth, thanks to her motherly duties and housework. Despite the two being first cousins, they felt a bond siblings would normally have. "He must miss me after all these years. I bet he has a beard!" she giggled at the image.

"He constantly shaves, honey." the Ox King chuckled. "He insists he doesn't want to look like his old man, or his "Odin-looking Uncle Daniel (me)."

"That sounds like him alright. I can't wait for you to meet the rest of my family Gohan," the princess announced, placing her hands on her firstborn's shoulders. "You'll love them. It'll replace the need to meet more relatives after... Raditz..." she hissed.

Gohan flinched at the mentioning of his estranged uncle, the man who had turned his life upside down and yet made some of it better, in terms of strength and survival. Forcing the horrifying memories out of his mind, he turned to a pair of silver double doors, so grand and elaborately detailed that he thought it was to magnificent a piece of art to be used as a mere door.

"Those are beautiful doors," he praised to his grandfather.

"That's nothing compared to what they lead to."

Gohan stared at his grandfather in confusion as the double doors slowly creaked open, to reveal the most baronial building of a treasure vault. Mountains of coins and golden artifacts towered above the quartet, gleaming and shining in all their glory, stretching so far down it was almost impossible to see the floor. For that reason, the Ox King had ordered a a few bridges and stairs to be built to explore the huge vault thoroughly.

Chichi could not believe how wide her son's eyes were, and how close to the floor his gaping mouth hung.

"How... what... when..." he stuttered. The Ox Princess and King chuckled at his immense confusion and utter shock.

"If you're wondering why I used to say we were struggling with money," she began, "It's because Dad never told me about this basement of money he had hidden here."

"Master Roshi's Kamehameha caused a lot of wreckage on the surface, but I made sure the vault was underground. I also thought it would be best to keep it from you until you were ready to accept your inheritance, Chi," he confessed, calling her by her childhood nickname. The monarch looked at his eldest grandson. "We're almost as rich as Boxer with this money!"

"Who?"

"Boxer Briefs. My school-friend."

Chichi wrinkled her nose in confusion.

"Bulma's father?"

"Ohhh."

"Next week, if your mother is worthy, she will inherit all this, and more, and so may you, Gohan." That statement broke the hybrid from his reverie. He blinked at his grandfather, shocked again. "Me...I... will get... all of this?" he whispered, pointing to himself.

"And more."

"No way..." Gohan was speechless.

"Yes way, kiddo. At first I kept this from you because I wanted you to have a normal enough life as much as possible." Chichi lamented as they walked on. "But Goku's Saiyan heritage and the battles got in the way..." She paused to glance at golden and silver statues of previous monarchs.

"What else haven't you told me?"

"That you have an eighth of demon blood." Chichi confessed.

Gohan stopped walking. "Really?" the prince was stunned. He knew being a Saiyan made him strong and powerful, but... demon heritage? No wonder he got angry at Cell. "That makes sense, Mum...you told me your grandfather was the demon King Damorus."

"Correct." the princess nodded. "I have just twenty-five percent of it, while the other seventy-five percent is human genes." She pointed over her shoulder to her father, who was unlocking a glass vault. "Dad is half and half, really. A demon-human hybrid."

"But... you hid all this from me?"

"Mm-hmm. I regret it mostly. I should help you control your demon powers, should they choose to spiral out of control," Chichi smiled. Taking her son's hand, she led him over to her father. "Dad and I will help you control it."

Gohan nodded in anticipation and turned to the unlocked artifact. The weapon was similar in colour to the Bansho Fan, however there were noticeable differences between the latter and this new one.

"This is the Bansho Axe, Gohan," the Ox King confirmed. "Your mother told you about the Bansho Fan and how it did a lot of damage to my previous castle, right? Well this is a lot worse," he muttered. He picked up the axe, which formed a blazing purple frenzy of fire as soon as his flesh came into contact with the golden handle. The king grinned at his grandson's sudden interest.

Twirling the axe round in his hands, King Daniel began to speak. "I own this axe," he stated proudly. "When I don't use it, I store it here, for safekeeping, he said, gesturing to the open cabinet. He held out the axe slightly for Gohan to feel the smooth handle. "This axe has been passed down the royal family for generations. Only a worthy King or Queen can yield it." He ran his fingers over the pointed blade, examining the scratches from previous battles. Chichi decided to continue.

"The idea is the prince or princess must fight their predecessor before the coronation for the right to yield it. I will be fighting your grandfather for it next Saturday."

"If the heir wins, the axe will accept the person as its owner, causing it to set alight with purple fire, like it is now. If the heir fails, they won't be able to lift it because of their weakness."

"So it's kind of like Thor and Mjolnir from Norse Mythology?" Gohan queried.

"Yep." Chichi nodded. "I didn't even know you studied it. Now that I think about it, I don't think I ever set you a task like that," she thought, resting her chin on her hand, pondering.

"Dad told me he was training in Otherworld with this guy called King Kai." Gohan's tail swayed slowly. "I was curious about how Gods work and what they do. I just had to find out more." he added.

Chichi smiled, ruffling the boy's hair. "That's my little scholar. Always researching and finding out about the world," she praised, and Gohan couldn't stop his cheeks from flushing red.

The Ox King carefully placed the axe back in the glass cabinet. "My father fought his mother for the axe, I fought my father for it. And soon, Chichi will rise to claim it by fighting me," he concluded. "Maybe even you, Gohan," he praised.

Chichi placed her hand on Gohan's left shoulder, and the King's on the right. Both looked down at him with a sense of pride, affection and confidence. They were both sure he would succeed. For a moment it seemed like Gohan would become King and not his mother.

"You... think I'm up for it?" Gohan asked shyly.

"That's a question I should be asking Dad, really," Chichi grinned. "All this talk has made me hungry!" she exclaimed, stretching her arms, letting out a silent yawn. "And tired. I think I'm going to eat and then crash. Let's ask Magda to make her special!" She began to walk back to the door.

"Chicken noodle soup it is," the Ox King cheered. "I'm starving!" The monarch followed his heir to the dining hall.

"That sounds delicious." Gohan held the long-since sleeping Goten and followed. He was pretty sure his life was turning around for the better, and hopefully, his mother would be okay too.