"Okay, Goten. I'm teaching you a new technique today. Are you ready?"

Eleven-year-old Goten stood before his father. The bleak scenery around them—stark cliffs jutting up to meet the sky—was the ideal place for training. No one ever came out here; no Earthling ran the risk of getting hurt when things started getting intense. No one would see the Saiyans' astonishing alien powers. They were safe in the midst of the mountain range they called home.

Goten took a fighting stance. "I'm ready!" he affirmed.

"All right!" Goku said with a grin. "First, I want you to show me your Kamehameha." Goten cupped his hands, preparing for the anticipated move. "Ka…" He concentrated on sending his energy to his hands. "Me…" It crackled like lightning, coming to life. "Ha…" He had harnessed it fully now, blue and glowing. "Me…" He pressed on it with his hands and his mind, forming it into a ball. There—it was done! "HAAA!" he cried, turning it on Goku with an impish grin.

Goku was caught off-guard, but he quickly reached out, caught the ball, and threw it back. "Right back at'cha!" he laughed. Goten moved aside in the nick of time to let the energy blaze past him. "Okay, you've definitely got that down," noted Goku. "Now, the next part is harder. Watch me closely." He rose into the air. "Kamehame…" Goten looked on, confused, wondering why his father was trying to teach him something he already knew how to do. His confusion grew as he saw the energy forming beneath Goku's feet. It became a large, impressive ball. "Haaaaa!" Goku finished, shooting upward like a cork from a champagne bottle. The Kamahameha Wave streamed out behind him, causing him to resemble a comet. He made a hairpin turn and came at his son like a bullet. Goten grunted from the impact as Goku tackled him. They rolled with the momentum, wrestling and laughing. Eventually Goku stood, dusted himself off, and said to his youngest, "All right now, you try." At the unsure look on Goten's face, he added, "I know this isn't easy, son. But I also know you can do it." Goten nodded and took to the air, hovering above his father's head. "Say the command the same way," Goku instructed him. "Feel the energy and push it down, to your feet. Ready? Go!"

Trunks, of course, didn't have it so easy.

He was struggling to dodge a furious barrage of chi raining down on him from his father, who was hovering above. "Go on the offensive! Attack!" bellowed Vegeta. In a small opening, Trunks located his father's exact location and vanished, moving faster than the speed of sound. But when he reappeared a split second later, Vegeta wasn't there. Trunks searched, trying to pinpoint his father's darting energy signal. But he was distracted by Goku and Goten's training nearby. He cried out as he felt a fist in the small of his back. "Focus!" Vegeta hissed in his ear before disappearing again. Trunks landed on the ground, deciding not to try to divide his attention between flying and searching. After a few moments, he honed in on the signal and raced to intercept it. Vegeta reappeared and met him head-on. For a full half-minute they sparred furiously, their movements mere blurs. Then Vegeta broke away and floated higher, commanding, "Attack me!"

Trunks set his jaw and rushed upward. He was a breath away from his goal when there was a burst of laughter, away off to his right. He faltered in flight, glancing toward the noise.

Vegeta's eyes became slits of irritation as Trunks made himself an easy target. An energy ball appeared in his gloved hands.

BOOM! The blast took Trunks completely by surprise. He fell like a stone and hit the ground headfirst. He could feel his face heat up as Vegeta landed next to him. How could he have been so stupid during training? He struggled to get to his feet. Vegeta wasn't about to give him a hand up, especially not after his embarrassing performance. "Hesitating like that in the heat of a real battle could cost you your life," his father growled, giving him a glare of such scorn that he had to look away. "If you can't even concentrate on our little pretend match, perhaps we should train somewhere else." Visions of his grandpa's gravity room came to Trunks's mind. He hated that place almost as much as the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.

"I can do it," he muttered under his breath. He risked taking a hopeful glance in Goten's direction, wishing they could play tag. Vegeta noticed it, and his scowl deepened.

"The purpose of your training is not to have fun!" he shouted angrily. "It's not so you can stay stronger than Goten and beat him in a match. I fight to increase my strength, to keep alive my Saiyan heritage—but most importantly, to defend the Earth. One day, you may have to put your life on the line to protect those you love." He made a noise of contempt through gritted teeth. "And you can't even pay attention during a training match? A real villain would tear you apart." He turned on his heel and flew away.

"Nice work, Goten!" Goku praised his son. "Yeah! You're doing it!" At first, Goten had struggled with moving the energy to a totally different place on his body—he'd continued, from habit, transferring it to his hands. But he was beginning to catch on. His new problem was that while the power was now gathering at his feet, he couldn't compress it. It remained wild and unpredictable. Even as Goku spoke, a fork of the blue lightning struck him on the shoulder, causing him to give a squeal of surprise. Goten, whose young face had formerly been screwed up with concentration, cast an anxious look at his father.

"Oh, no—did I do something wrong?" he blurted. "Are you hurt, Dad? I'm sorry!"

"No, no, it's all right, Goten," Goku reassured him soothingly. "I'm OK…but I think you're trying too hard. Relax a little. Feel the energy inside you and just let it out." Goten's gaze flicked beyond his father for a second before he closed his eyes. Goku turned curiously and spotted Trunks in the distance. He lifted his hand in greeting and Trunks did the same, smart enough not to call out. When Goku turned back, he saw Goten was tensing up again. "I think you're concentrating too hard on relaxing," he said, trying not to laugh when he thought how ironic that was. He regretted offering advice when Goten's eyes snapped open and—again—flicked to Trunks. Goku sighed inwardly with disappointment. Goten was so close to a breakthrough! But he'd never be able to concentrate with Trunks so close by. So Goku declared training done for the day. Goten looked surprised, but he wasn't about to question his free time. Goku followed him as he dashed off toward Trunks. "Don't go far, you two," he said as he landed next to them.

"We won't," Goten promised. Trunks uncharacteristically said nothing. Goku was surprised to see the look of quiet dejection on the boy's face.

"Huh? What's wrong, Trunks?" he asked, bending down to look into the young Saiyan's eyes. Trunks looked away with a scowl that seemed more like denial than anything.

"Race you to that big rock!" Goten challenged his friend, more oblivious than even his father. The two boys took off, Goku's hair rustling in the wind they left in their wake. The strongest being alive grinned fondly after his departing rascals, quickly found Vegeta's signal, and took off after him.