Unmei 運命: A Dragonball Story
Setting: The 25th Tenkaichi Budokai
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball/Dragonball Z. All rights go to Akira Toriyama and any affiliates. This applies to my story in its entirety.
Chapter 1: Reunions
A young adolescent girl with dark brown hair and pale skin walked out of her small house just outside of West City. Her skirt billowed in the midnight air.
She made this skirt just like her's…
Tears began to silently leak from her steel-blue eyes. Her fists were so tightly clenched that she was sure her nails were drawing blood from her ghostly white palms. Her mind was empty. Her life was over.
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Piccolo stood underneath a tree in the center of the Tenkaichi Budokai stadium grounds. His arms were characteristically crossed, while one of his long legs crossed the other. The wind ruffled his cape and he closed his eyes, feeling the various energies being given off by the people and animals walking past him. I remember when this tournament was only a few hundred strong…how times have changed. A familiar voice brought him out of his reverie.
"Piccolo! You made it! It's great to see you!" Son Gohan approached him, dawning a rather peculiar outfit topped off with a pair of sunglasses that reminded Piccolo of the Turtle Hermit.
"Gohan," Piccolo acknowledged while trying to make sense of his new look, "How have you been?" Gohan had to be looking for his father. Son Goku had recently died and was being admitted back into the world of the living for one day to compete in the tournament with the rest of his friends and family.
"Have you seen my dad around? We just got here." Just as Gohan finished his sentence, a light tap of feet sounded a short distance away. Piccolo glanced beyond Gohan's bandana-adorned head to see Son Goku's halo-adorned one. He smiled softly.
"Son," acknowledged Piccolo with a nod.
Gohan turned sharply around and met his father with a running hug. Tears welled in his eyes for the first time in years.
"Dad! I can't believe you're really here! It's been so long!" Goku laughed heartily and hugged his son back. In an instant, a mob of friends and family came forward, all hailing Goku's presence. Chi Chi, Goku's wife, sobbed as she embraced her husband. Krillin, Goku's best friend, wiped away a tear as he realized how much Goku had missed in the past few years. Krillin had since gotten married and had a child in his friend's absence. After all the commotion was over, Goku finally met his second son, Goten. Son Goten was the spitting image of his father as a boy.
"You're like a little me, son!" Goku joked as he hugged Goten for the first time.
After the reunion was complete, those who planned on competing in the tournament went on to the registration booth. Gohan and Goku chatted excitedly about Goku's experience in the afterlife. He had been able to retain his body and train to make his spirit even stronger than it was at the time of his death. Piccolo followed behind them, listening to their conversation in silence. The Saiyan Prince Vegeta took up the rear, keeping to himself as usual. He purposely blocked Goku's conversation from his focus.
I don't care how much training you've been through, Kakarrot. I'm still going to defeat you.
After Goku and Gohan registered, Piccolo stepped up to the podium and stated his pseudonym "Ma Jr.". He withheld his real name to avoid causing a panic amongst the crowd. His father, Piccolo Daimao, terrorized the Earth on two occasions, only to be ultimately defeated by Goku. Piccolo himself had been guilty of following in his demon father's footsteps, only to alter his character for the better.
Just as Piccolo finished registering, Vegeta grunted loudly. Piccolo began to turn around to ask what his problem was, when suddenly a barrage of water droplets hit him in the face. He let out a loud grunt as well, while simultaneously blocking his eyes with his large green fist.
"What the hell?" he growled while slowly opening his eyes. He looked in front of him to see that a woman with sopping wet hair tied back in a long pony tail had cut the line to register. She was frantically murmuring to the attendant at the podium. Piccolo squinted at her and bared his teeth.
The insolence!
Vegeta was obviously sharing Piccolo's thoughts. He grunted again and pushed his way in front of the girl, who was completely soaked from head to toe. Her heavy overcoat was dripping water all over.
"Move out of the way! I was here first!" Vegeta scowled at the woman, who wasn't paying him any mind. Vegeta gave the attendant a harsh stare and demanded that he be able to give his name so he could get on with his preparation for the tournament. When the attendant's attention was pried from her, the woman stopped talking abruptly and turned to stare at Vegeta. She furrowed her brow slightly, but said nothing. Vegeta met her gaze and frowned at her.
"What are you staring at? Have you got something to say to me?"
The woman continued her piercing stare. Piccolo locked his eyes to hers. They were a metallic steel blue. Her face was flushed pink, as were her lips. She stunk of salt.
Strange… He thought.
When Vegeta was left without a reply from the girl, he gritted his teeth and left the podium after leaving his name rather rudely. Piccolo followed him, watching the girl as she went back to conversing with the attendant.
A public announcement sounded loudly through the air, "All contestants, please register within five minutes. I repeat, registration will end in five minutes. After registering, please report to the locker rooms and/or preliminary area. Thank you."
