A/N: I should get an award for how sparsely I update things. If I could write as much as I draw...

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, or Dragon Ball Super. All aspects of the Dragon Ball franchise belong to Akira Toriyama.

Chapter 2 ~ Innocent Desire

His fingers eloquently glided over the ivory and ebony keys, creating a melodious tune that filled the house with warmth and brightness with each chord he struck carefully. Every now and then, his concentrated orbs would glance to the music sheets he had splayed out in front of him, then as quickly as they did, they swooped back down to the keys. A few more measures he played until a C chord ended the piece, the notes reverberating in the otherwise peaceful air.

Leaning back slightly, pressing his palms on the seat to balance himself, Goku Junior huffed out thoughtfully, craning his head back to look at the ceiling fan. "Huh… I wonder if I could be a music teacher?" he wondered aloud. The boy smiled. "I don't see why not!" Goku Jr. cracked his knuckles, wiggling the small appendages in anticipation, and he came down upon the ivories again—

TWONG!

"Grk?!" Goku Jr. abruptly jerked his hands away from the piano keys, and he peered at them incredulously, blinking. Curiously, he took his left index finger and pressed down onto the low E flat. It did not sound like an E flat at all! His poor ears cried. Just to satisfy another theory of his, Goku played the next note down—a D; the key was stiff and it did not make a sound.

"Aw, man!" he groaned, "Broken again!" His forehead comically planted itself onto the piano, and another horrid symphony of grotesque chords screeched out. Music teacher extraordinaire.

A more musical sound hit his eardrums. Grunting, Goku raised his head in confusion. Who could be at the door?

He stretched his hearing, trying to decipher whatever sounds would follow next. He heard his dad answering the door, and Goku arched an eyebrow when his father's voice rose in happy greeting. Okay, who was here? Glancing at the clock hanging conveniently on the wall, the hybrid soon realized it was four o'clock—in other words—

Goku yelped and promptly scrambled off the bench. In a hurried frenzy of flailing limbs, the young boy bolted his way towards the front door to greet the guests that had arrived at the Son household, expected guests at that. He couldn't believe he forgot!

"Please, come in, everybody!" Gohan said pleasantly with a small gesture towards inside, a friendly smile adorning his face. "Videl just left to go get some groceries—"

"Daaaaaadddd!"

"Oh, well, Goku's here," Gohan sweat-dropped, laughing slightly. The boy in question skidded to an abrupt halt in front of the trio at the door. As a habit, he started bowing repeatedly, in both "hello" and in apologies for not being there sooner.

A little girl squealed with delight at the sight of her friend, and she dashed from her mother's side to tackle the boy, crying, "Go-kun!"

Goku grunted slightly from the impact of the girl's hug, but returned the embrace eagerly, replying, "Hi, B-chan! I missed ya!"

"I missed you too!" Bulla giggled, leaping out of his arms. She trembled with excitement as she began to plan out their entire weekend adventure, "This weekend is gonna be so fun! First, we're gonna go exploring, and then we're gonna make jewelry, and then we're gonna play house, and then we're gonna watch movies, and then we're gonna tell scary stories, and then—"

"BULLA!"

The blue-haired girl suddenly lost interest in explaining the weekend escapades (as well as the boy she was explaining it too) when another girl's voice intruded, bubbly. Her blue eyes glimmered like two beautiful cerulean stones as she sprang from Goku's hold and raced over to her best friend. "PAN!" The two girls squealed and chattered away with each other, hugging and spinning around in greeting.

"Ano… that sounds fun, B-chan?" Goku Jr. offered lamely, standing up. He turned his attention from the celebratory children to the other two guests in the doorway, amused by the scene. "Trunks!" he called out, springing from his spot to greet his friend. He latched onto the tall man's leg, laughing in utter merriment at seeing the lavender Saiyan after so long. The teenager ruffled his palm-like hair.

Trunks grinned down at him, "Hey, sport!"

Aside from the boys' conversation, the azure woman of the Briefs family observed the home, whilst talking to Gohan. "Gohan, have you done something different with the place?" she asked, her observant-self catching something amiss.

"Yeah, we painted recently," the Saiyan replied. "Do you want me to take your coat?"

Bulma nodded in approval, "It is a nice color, Gohan—oh, no, thank you. I'm a bit chilly still…"

"Alright."

Goku dragged Trunks further into the abode, towards the living room. "C'mon, Trunks! C'mon! I got this new game I wanna show ya!"

"Okay! Okay! Whoa, slow down!"

The boy promptly dragged the teenager into the living room, his deep, black eyes mirroring bedazzled jewels upon his pink face, and explained the entirety of the game to the elder of the two. "Trunks! We gotta play this after supper! You can have up to eight players—can you believe it? And the versus matches are totally cool! Whenever Goten comes over and we play, I always beat him, no joke!"

Trunks, bemused by the fact that the quarter Saiyan seemed so fascinated by this game and that Goten (who had gotten pretty good at such games) was sorely beaten by the kid, sniggered slightly with a slight furrow of his purple brow. "Ah, yeah, I believe you, Goku."

"Whaddaya say, Trunks? Once we all eat, me, Goten, and you can play it!"

The demi-Saiyan thought about the unparalleled destruction that would come about if he and his friend—a fairly competitive duo they had become!—were to add the young Saiyan into the mix, being related to Goten and the roughhousing they had surely partaken in over the years must have influenced him in some way! What a scary thought!

But, then again… "Well, of course!"

"Boys! You can play that later!" Gohan called out, his head peering around the corner. "Goku, Mom is back, so you have to help her with supper."

"Okay, Dad!" Goku practically flew out of the living room to the kitchen. Trunks scratched the back of his head and laughed a bit.

…

"I can't believe they sent us to bed early…"

"Well, you shouldn't have started yelling at me when you kept losing."

"You were cheating, Trunks!"

"I was not, Goten!"

"You were the one that swore, Trunks…"

"Hey! Don't you take his side!"

Goku Jr. flopped back onto his bed, huffing in defeat. He should've known that this would happen, honestly. But, when else would he have the chance? Bulma had casually implied that Trunks was banned from having the two Sons over for a few weeks from last Tuesday due to a similar event—only, it was all Goten's fault! Really, it was… He closed his eyes. "C'mon, guys…"

Goten let out a snobby hmph. Trunks let out a growl. Goku sweat-dropped. Ah, he wondered what it was like growing up with someone his age. He assumed he and his hypothetical best friend would end up like the pair before him. Well, maybe he'd be a bit nicer…

The boy sat up and glanced lamely at his two comrades, both having their arms crossed tightly against their muscled forms and both glaring crossly at the ceiling. I thought I was the child here… "You two are fighting like," he remarked, "an old married couple…"

"Oh, puh-lease," the purple hybrid sneered. "Don't be ridiculous—like I'd married him. I have a girlfriend, after all."

The ebony-haired teen muttered, "Wouldn't surprise me if Mai-chan dumped you…"

"HEY!"

Both of them leaped into position, their Saiyan blood boiling—their skin itching for a fight. Goku Jr. almost fell off the bed at such a drastic swing to defensive moods. He wondered—was it a full moon…? Had to be. The ¼ Saiyan watched dumbly as the two demi-Saiyans swapped scornful words, spit practically bubbling at their lips as they spat at each other. Huh, no wonder Bulma had this ban put in place. Goten and Trunks could certainly—

A distinct spark of yellow caught his eye first, then the sharp glow of emerald from their enraged orbs. His charcoal eyes widened with shock and awe as he gazed, transfixed, at the blazing aura illuminating his bedroom, casting the walls and furniture in a dazzling, yellowed hue. The boy's jaw unhinged, gasping quietly at the display. No longer was he baffled by the temperamental teenagers, but instead, he was fascinated by the power they exuberated. This was…

"GOTEN! TRUNKS!" came the loud, shrill snarl from his grandmother Chi-Chi, startling the two teenagers abruptly, their teal orbs rounding with fear. The door soon swung open, revealing the aging woman, and her sharp, unwavering gaze sent chills of dread and terror down their spines. Goku Junior didn't bother slipping back under the covers to play innocent in this situation—Grandmother wouldn't blame him for the hybrids' unruly actions. "I thought I told you two specifically to go to bed! And now you're decidin' to fight again in front of my poor, sweet grandchild?! Do you to have no sense of decency in yourselves?! You'll surely corrupt him with your bullheadedness!"

"Um, sorry, ma'am," the pair said in unison, bowing their heads in shame as they fell out of their Super Saiyan state.

"You better be! And Trunks, since Bulma heard you too, ya won't be able to have Mai over for another week."

"Uh?!" Trunks swallowed loudly, visibly displeased with this turn of events. "B-But—"

"Nah-ah! None of that! Bulma's word is final, and so is mine. Now, go to bed!" Chi-Chi then closed the door, shutting the light off.

"Aw, man…"

"Hmph!"

Goku Junior blinked. Aside from the fact he had been totally neglected from the conversation, which he didn't mind, he was silent as he mulled over the two demi-Saiyans' temperamental transformation—the glowing hair and eyes fascinated him—the power they emanated was enchanting and tantalizing.

A few tense minutes passed—Goten attempting to fall asleep, but probably fretting over making his mother angry, while Trunks peevishly was texting his girlfriend the sour news. "Um, Trunks?" the quarter Saiyan called out unsurely after a few minutes of silence.

"What?" came the clipped reply. Clearly, he was not in the least bit pleased. Goku Junior briefly wondered if he, in the distant future, would be aggravated by not seeing his girlfriend for another week. Teenagers were so hormonal…

"That…that was Super Saiyan, right?" he asked, crisscrossing his legs and leaning forward slightly. Curiously, the quarter Saiyan did not receive a response right away, only the soft ding of a cellphone and the clicking of keys filling the uncomfortable void. "Y'know, the yellow hair and the green eyes?"

When Trunks shifted to place his phone next to his futon, his soft, mauve hair shielded his eyes—and yet, Goku Junior could still sense his discomfort. "Yeah. What about it?" The teen's voice was guarded.

"Well, I was thinkin', y'know? How," continued the young child as he scanned the two forms blanketed by comforters, "does it feel to have that power coursing through you?"

Ding! The lavender hybrid swiftly snatched up his phone again and hastily texted a reply to Mai. Goku Junior frowned. "Trunks."

"I don't get what you mean, Goku," Trunks muttered. "You're a Saiyan—you have that power in you as well."

"But, Trunks," the boy protested further, peachy hands gripping his blanket tighter, "you know that's…" He huffed, trailing off. "…Mom and Dad won't let me train, you know that."

This time, the faint pull of cloth came from the adjacent futon, a head of scruffy black hair slipping slightly further under the covers. If he squinted, Goku Junior could see Goten tense up slightly. "Guys?"

"Yeah. I know."

A pause. "…And…it's cuz of the accident, right?"

"…Yeah."

"…Was it really that bad?"

"…Dende had to heal you…"

Goku Junior pursed his lips in thought. Feeling a deathly itch on his tailbone, he reached behind to scratch it, hissing slightly when his nails scraped across the sensitive area.

"Ah—don't worry about it so much, Goku!" Goten's voice finally cut into the thick silence. "I'm sure they'll let you train more when you're older—maybe yer power will be more stable then."

"…How can you be so sure?"

Trunks eventually groaned with obvious exasperation, dropping his phone to the side and roughly turning over to hide his face into the soft, plush pillow. "For Dende's sake, Goku, can you just go to bed and drop it?"

Instinctively, Goku Junior was taken back by his friend's clipped statement but then thought better of it. Trunks was always the most temperament out of all of them, so he shouldn't have been surprised. And yet, avoiding the subject like this…

"…Okay."

Slipping deftly under his mountain of blankets, Goku Junior snuggled himself deeper into the solace of linen and wool, but his brow furrowed the longer sleep danced in front of him, mocking him.

Super Saiyan. Super Saiyan. Super Saiyan…

He didn't remember it happening—but his family could not forget. The only reason that he even knew of the events that transpired that warm summer day—just before his birthday—was that they told him softly one summer eve a year or two ago.

'Daddy! Daddy!' a small, 4-year-old child squealed, staring up excitedly at the man sifting through books. Beaming up at the young father, he started again, 'Show me it!'

Gohan blinked and thereafter peered down at his son. A pair of black glasses framed his even blacker eyes, a scholarly look that fit the demi-Saiyan. 'Show you what?' he inquired, pushing the leather-bound book he held back into its slot.

'It!' Goku Junior yelped, clapping his hands. 'The cool, glowy form!'

'Glowy…? Oh,' he realized. 'You mean, Super Saiyan?'

The grin that met his answer screamed yes. Gohan chuckled softly, sliding down the ladder—that he didn't really need—to stand next to his son. His lean form towered vastly over the boy's chubby being. 'You know, Goku,' stated Gohan in a playful, matter-of-fact tone, 'Daddy doesn't even need Super Saiyan to be all cool and strong!'

Goku Junior's eyes popped with colorful awe. 'You c'n make yer hair red?!'

Gohan froze. 'Ah, no…?'

'Huh?'

'Um, you see, Goku, when Daddy was younger, he got this power-up that nullified Super Saiyan—'

'But, Mommy said y'c'n still go Super Saiyan!' the toddler cried, stamping his feet. 'I wanna see that!'

'Okay! Okay! Daddy'll show you Super Saiyan. Let's go outside though…' Gohan relented.

'YAY!' Goku Junior cheered, and he skipped towards the front entrance, tail trailing behind him.

With his boy's back turned, the scholar slumped forward, whining inwardly. Aw, man! Why doesn't anyone find Old Kai's power up cool anymore?

…

In the vast greenery behind their abode, Gohan and Goku Junior stood face to face, both exhibiting placid expression—though the younger Saiyan's eyes shone with a fiery, bubbly light. 'Okay, Goku, I'm going to turn Super Saiyan now.'

'Yay!'

Gohan smiled at his son's enthusiasm. Eventually, the half-Saiyan allowed his ebony eyes to flutter shut, letting himself search for that primal, raw energy nestled deep inside his body. He could feel its tangibility, swirling and swirling in a whirl of gold. His brow knitted in concentration. All he had to do was reach for it, grab it, and hold tight. Gohan exhaled.

'HAH!' the Son bellowed loudly, ki exploding violently around him. Goku Junior, unprepared by such ferocity, was blown back, landing on his rear clumsily. He grunted when he almost squashed his tail. After the blinding light died down, there the seasoned warrior stood, hair a brilliant yellow and eyes a striking teal. Energy hummed and buzzed around him, his body tingling with the sensation of power—certainly, a spectacle to behold. But…

Gohan gasped when he noticed his son had toppled over. 'Oh my gosh! Goku!' He raced over to him frantically, ready to pick him. 'Are you okay?! I'm so sorry—'

The reaction, he wasn't expecting. 'That was so cooooool!' the child squawked.

'Eh?'

'So coooool!' he just repeated, grasping at the yellowed strands spiking up like a golden crown upon his father's head.

'Oh, ahaha, thanks, son…'

'I wanna try!'

Again, Gohan was surprised. 'You…want to try going Super Saiyan…?'

'Yeah!' chirped Goku Junior, waving his hands. 'I wanna glow like you, Daddy!'

'I mean, I don't know, Goku…'

'Plllleeeeeeeaaaaaassssssse?' the toddler begged, clapping his hands around his father's cheeks. 'I wanna do it too! I wanna be just like you!'

'I…' Gohan trailed off. If he logically thought about this…it wouldn't hurt, would it? After all, Goten had become a Super Saiyan at only the age of 7—as far as he knew—and Pan had flown effortlessly as a mere infant. Goku Junior, however, hadn't exhibited any solid proof of a high power level, nor the skills to harness energy. But, perhaps… 'I…I suppose it wouldn't hurt…'

For the billionth time that day, Junior squealed with utter joy, bouncing up to his feet. Readily, he copied his father's stance, blowing his already pudgy cheeks. The classic determined look as his round features was adorable. 'Okay, to go Super Saiyan, you need to feel the energy inside of you. Clear your mind and call to it, let it seep into your every pore and course through every vein…you might feel a little tingly sensation, but that's normal.'

'Mm,' Goku Junior grunted in understanding. His eyes closed.

'The common way we reached Super Saiyan was due to a need—a primal rage that set us off. Nevertheless, Goten and Trunks managed to reach it without that method—I believe the same can apply to you.'

'Mm'kay…'

'Don't be upset if you don't get it this time around. These things will take time.'

'Aa…'

'And when you do feel it, let it explode!'

Nature around them seemed to fall into deafening silence, as earth's creatures, too, wanted to catch a glimpse of the Golden Warrior's prodigy reach the form of legend. Gohan frowned slightly, and he watched his son's face turn red as the boy forcibly tried to push forth the power within. His monkey tail was stiff, straightened out as it bristled violently. Tentative, he stepped forward to ease his son that he shouldn't force it—

Wait.

It was like a sharp ping in his mind, the spiking of ki only elevating further with each passing second. Gohan gasped. Could it be?

A soft wind kicked up from underneath Goku Junior, the emerald grass dancing with the movement of twisting energy. A faint aura began to surround his small frame, tinged a faint gold, and with it, his hair gradually prickled like thorns—dimly shining with a color he assumed was blonde. Gohan felt overwhelming pride swell in his chest—but why did this Super Saiyan ki feel so different—?

KABOOM!

'AIEEEEEEEE!'

The explosion was abrupt and violent—even an experienced fight like Gohan couldn't have seen it coming. It blew the young man back, tumbling helplessly into a bush nearby. He coughed and hacked when he inhaled some dusty debris, but hurriedly scrambled to his feet to view the aftermath.

'GOKU!'

"Go-kun! Go-kun!"

"GAKK!" the ¼ Saiyan choked out when a weight abruptly crushed his gut, ripping him from his dream. "Wazza?"

The perpetrator responsible for this was a little cerulean-haired Saiyaness, flashing a cheeky and impish grin. "C'mon, Go-kun! Me and Panny are ready to play now!"

"Eh? Oh, right, right, 'M coming—lemme get dressed…"

What an explosive chapter.