Hey everybody! Today is Wednesday and as promised, here's Chapter 2! Enjoy!

Chapter 2: How to Train Without Moving a Muscle

Chapter Summary: Cressa introduces Goku to a weird new technique where they sit around and stare at each other all day. That's very boring. (Points if you catch the movie quote!)

Cressa led me to an empty field a ways away from the main training area and slid into a fighting stance. The second I followed suit, she launched herself at me and we exchanged a flurry of blows, then she did something that surprised me.

She struck up a conversation with me telepathically. I had used it some, but I wasn't the best at it. As we sparred, she explained to me those mind manipulation techniques revolved around telepathy and that I had to master that before going on to anything else. Mastering telepathy was harder than I thought. She landed a lot of good hits on me, since focusing on having a conversation and sparring weren't something I had really done before. I got it quickly enough – after only one session, in fact.

Then it was onto mind manipulation. She explained she wanted to teach me how to guard against it first in case Purunga called me before our training was over, figuring I'd be more help to Chichi in battle if I at least mastered defense first and just figured out attacks on the fly.

I sat on the grass in a small, shallow valley between two hills, Cressa in the same position in front of me, miles away from any of the other warriors. It was perfectly silent – not even echoes from the main training area reached us. The only sound was the light breeze whispering over our ears as it pushed small, puffy clouds slowly through the sky overhead.

That next part of my training was like nothing I had ever endured before. She was training my mind. My mind. She was teaching me how to fight with my mind and how to defeat enemies without even landing a blow. I had never experienced anything like that before. It was unreal, but really cool – and painful at times. My Saiyan instincts urged me to master that like any other fighting technique.

The breeze helped keep us both cool as sweat dribbled down our faces. We hadn't moved in hours, yet we both looked like we had just finished one intense workout. It was amazing to me how not moving an inch could be so tiring. Using my mind like that – and keeping it up for hours on end – was a lot of work, but my Saiyan blood loved the challenge.

I winced in pain as my mind was bombarded mercilessly as she commanded I concentrate and throw her out of my head for what felt like the fiftieth time in the hours we spent sitting in the grass.

My headache was rapidly getting worse and concentration became harder and harder and it was frustrating but I managed. I had to. With King Kai's help, we called on the Namekians to be ready to summon Purunga as soon as they gathered the Dragon Balls. I was going to be brought back after all, and I had to be ready because that could happen at a moment's notice. I had to master this technique quickly.

I drove her out with enough force – driven by my own will power to not give up – that she hissed in pain. I felt her slam up her own walls in defense and I would usually back down at that point because I was still only learning defense. Instead, I decided to try my first attack.

I shoved against her wall and she snarled in frustration when I found a weak point and I concentrated hard on exploiting it. I was so focused on that weak point that I left myself open, but didn't realize my mistake until it was too late.

She shoved into my head with no holds barred, quickly seizing control of me like she had on the mountain peak, and then withdrew almost immediately – leaving me dizzy – but not before two words that weren't my own entered my head: Nice try.

After I got my bearings, I opened my eyes and saw her standing over me, a hand extended out and I let her help me up.

She started walking away and I followed. "You're making good progress. Let's take a short break. Now that we have some time, I'd love to hear more about how my daughter is doing. Tell me how you two met. I want to hear all about Gohan, too!"

As we walked, I started from the very beginning and told her everything, from how Chichi and I met as kids to our last week – or at least what I thought was our last week – together before the Cell Games.

I told her all about Gohan and how proud I was of him. How I had no idea what being a dad really meant when he was first born, but that I learned fast and loved every minute of being with him. I told her about how strong he was and all about our training together, how much Gohan loved school, and how smart he was. I ended with the battle against Cell and the very last time I saw him.

She laughed in some places of my story and got teary eyed in others and asked lots of questions. She wanted to hear every detail.

She stopped walking and stared at me with wide eyes. "You mean you planned for Gohan to fight Cell? He was eleven years old! Eleven!I know you said he got stronger than you even though he didn't seem to know it, but… he was still so young!"

I stared at the grass at my feet and crossed my arms. "Yeah, but he had to fight. He was the only one who had a chance of beating Cell. It was close, but he did it. I wish it could have been me, but that was just how things played out."

She nodded. "I see. What do you think Chichi thought about this? You said she was willing to let you train him, but I don't think she wanted him to fight."

You have no idea, Cressa. "You're right about that."

"You said the battle was televised so she probably saw it then and got the full story from Gohan when he returned to her. I'll be blunt: She's probably going to be pretty pissed at you for having him fight. It's only been a month."

I've dealt with Chichi's wrath on the subject many times. What terrified me was pregnant Chichi's wrath. Not just pregnant, but half-Saiyan.

Oh, crap.

She might actually hurt me.

Cressa giggled. "Judging by the sweat rolling down your forehead, your wide eyes, and pale face, it looks like there's going to be Hell to pay."

I grunted.

I stayed quiet for a while longer as I tried to figure out what to say to Chichi – or if there was anything I could say to her.

I suppose I'll just lay low for a while when I go back and wait for her to cool off. That's worked before, was my hopeful thought to myself.

Somehow, I doubted that would work.

"Goku."

My head snapped up at my name and I glanced at Cressa to let her know I was listening before I continued to stare at the ground.

"There's something huge you haven't mentioned yet, but that I found out about when I was in your head."

A small grimace found its way on my face. I knew what she was talking about and it was the only thing that had yet enter into our conversation. I didn't like where that was going. I watched Cressa nervously out of the corner of my eye, but didn't say anything.

"She's pregnant."

The worst part was there was no emotion in her voice at all. When Chichi got like that, I had about three seconds to duck and cover. Cressa's emotions were hard to read – as closely guarded as her mind was – but I didn't have to wait long for her explosion.

I gave her a small nod as I grimaced, still not willing to meet her eyes.

"YOU LEFT HER PREGNANT AND YOU STAYED DEAD!?"

My grimace grew as I cringed.

There very much was emotion in her voice that time, her piercing tone somewhere between shock, anger, and terror. The shrillness put my ears in some danger of bleeding.

After a moment she calmed down. "One of my enemies is back to seek revenge against me by going after my daughter and she's pregnant!? Oh, my poor sweet Chichi!"

Then, she slugged me in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me a little bit. "You IDIOT! You need to go back! Right now!"

I cringed smaller as I finally faced her. "But… I can't go back yet. I have to at least master defense… You said so yourself."

Her eyes narrowed so dangerously that if I weren't already dead, I'd fear for my life. When Chichi wore that look, it was usually promptly followed by a wallop from her frying pan. At least Cressa didn't have one of those, but that didn't stop my eyes from darting around nervously.

She huffed out a breath. "You'd be no use to her if you went back right now. In fact, you'd only be a danger to your family in the battle. If that traitor managed to take control of you…"

She shuddered as she trailed off.

I did, too.

She resumed walking, but there was a stomp to her step that was identical to Chichi's. Chichi definitely got her temper from her mother.

I hustled to catch up to her, biting my lip.

After a long period of very uncomfortable silence, the stomp in her step faded and when she spoke, her tone was even. "Well, the good news is – with this technique – she can attack from a safe distance. I taught her a little of it, but I don't know how much she remembers, as she was very young the last time we went over this. You'll have to help each other figure out attacks because I'm afraid we don't have enough time here to cover offense, as well."

"We'll figure something out. Whatever time we have to train when I'm alive again and home, we'll put to good use."

Thinking about training and strength as Cressa and I walked got me wondering. I supposed I should have seen something from Chichi in all the years we've been married. Granted, we've been apart a lot in that time, but I still should have seen something more than normal human strength from Chichi. Why haven't I?

Then again… maybe I have seen more than normal human strength out of her. I didn't know any other human women who could pick up an entire couch like it was nothing or survive the times I accidentally hurt her – like that time I hit her through a wall of our house because I didn't control my strength.

That still didn't explain why I hadn't sensed anything beyond a normal human ki out of Chichi.

"Say, you never did explain why I haven't sensed Chichi's power in all this time."

Cressa winced. "Well, I guess I can explain that to you. After the traitor was driven away, the elders decided all surviving members of the tribe must have a Block placed on their Saiyan powers, which also resulted in blocking their Saiyan ki signatures. The elders thought the safest thing for all involved and for protecting the humans in their new families, was to forget their heritage and all surviving members agreed. Of course, now this block is probably unnecessary since most of our enemies are likely gone now – accept one."

"I'm guessing Chichi has this Block put on her, too. How does it work?"

She nodded slowly. "Yes, as does my husband so he would forget where I really came from and about my power. It's very complicated, but the Block was intended to disguise Saiyans as humans by blocking both their knowledge of ki and their power and memory of where we came from, replacing those memories with others, while their Saiyan blood remains. While one Saiyan placed the Block, healers came by and rid us of the scars left over from when our tails got removed. What I want to know is how many others on Earth were affected?"

I rubbed my chin as we walked, trying to come up with a solution. "When I get back to Earth, I can stretch my senses out and try to find any unusually strong and unfamiliar energies. With any luck, maybe they'll help my family, friends, and me. I'll contact King Kai when I know how many and he can tell you if you want."

She stopped walking again and was quiet for a moment – seemingly lost in thought – and then looked up at me. "That… might work. I'll warn you, Goku. After being followed and their numbers decimated, those with a breakthrough will be very secretive. I would be very interested to hear if anyone else had their Blocks lifted, but I don't think it's too likely you'll find them."

We continued in the direction we were going and we walked in silence.

After a while, I looked around. Without me realizing it, she had led me in a wide circle and we ended up back at our secluded training spot between the two grass covered hills.

She smirked at me as she sat down. "Ready to get back to work?"

I sat down cross-legged in the same spot as before. "Yes!"

The second I replied, her mind slammed into mine. I squeezed my eyes shut as I pulled up my defenses and effortlessly threw her out and launched a counterattack of my own. I made a little headway in crumbling her wall, but she was quick to throw me out.

She blew out a breath as I opened my eyes. "Nicely done! Now we're onto the next stage of your training."

Excitement coursed through me. Awesome! More new techniques!

Her eyes crinkled and her lips quirked up in a small smirk. "King Kai? We're ready now."

King Kai and Pikkon walked over the crest of the hill behind Cressa. "Already? Well, that's Goku for you! He's always been a quick learner when it comes to any kind of fighting techniques. Pikkon?"

I stood up as my face contorted into a grin. "Pikkon? Am I going to spar with him now?"

Cressa stood up as well. "Yes. You are going to spar with Pikkon. This won't be like any sort of sparring match you've had before. You will need to deal with me as well as him."

I smirked. "Fighting off two warriors at the same time isn't too hard."

She laughed lightly and crossed her arms. "Not like that. You see I'm not leaving the ground. In fact, I'm not leaving this spot – at least not right away."

A familiar, deep voice reached my ears. "Goku! Get your Saiyan butt over here and let's do this! You owe me a match after skipping out on the last one!"

I rubbed my neck. "Sorry, Pikkon!"

Pikkon and I lifted into the air and flew a short distance away and landed. We slid into our fighting stances as my heart raced at the prospect of picking up where we left off.

Pikkon smirked at me. "Something tells me I'm going to like this more than you will, Goku."

He launched his first attack: a right hook aimed for my face but I blocked it easily and countered with a fist aimed for his stomach. Once my fist slammed into its target, Pikkon slid back several feet but recovered from the blow quickly and never lost his footing.

He flew at me and set himself up for a kick aimed for my kidney and I blocked it, but the power behind it almost knocked me off balance and – aware of my opening – I Instant Transmissioned myself behind and a little above him and caught him off guard with a foot aimed for the side of his head.

He must have sensed me because he ducked at the last possible second and countered with quickly flipping himself up to land a kick in my stomach and I barely blocked it and lost myself in our sparring match, exchanging blow after blow with him when – with no warning – a searing pain tore its way into my head and I was on the ground scrabbling at my head for several moments before I realized what was happening.

I pushed up my defenses and the pain lessened considerably and I got back up, being sure to maintain that wall and launched my own counterattack against Cressa but hadn't yet left the ground.

I was careless. That shouldn't have happened. I was lucky we were just sparring.

I sensed Pikkon behind me a half second before he appeared, spun around and barely blocked his elbow aimed for the base of my neck and I countered with a left jab to his face and found my mark and he careened a short distance away before recovering.

That was all the time I needed. I launched myself back into the air, and flew at him, intending a feint for his stomach and disappeared at the last possible second and reappeared behind him with my elbow aimed for the base of his neck.

All the while, I felt attack after attack slam into the wall in my head and exchanged many more blows with both of my opponents, and I realized – with a fair amount of satisfaction – I was getting good at that.

From then on, our training matches consisted of another warrior, a human by the name of Olibu, Pikkon, and a few others ganging up on me while I fought off Cressa in my head. That was certainly one of the most unusual challenges and training regimes I've encountered in my short time in Other World and I loved every minute.

"Son Goku."

In the middle of a particularly intense session about a month after Cressa found me on Grand Kai's planet, a deep, ancient, booming voice reverberated throughout my entire body, and caused my very bones to vibrate from the force of it.

I froze. That voice must have been addressing all of us, because not just my head snapped up.

"Porunga?"

"Yes. You are being summoned, Son Goku. Do you wish to return to the world of the living?"

After all that training, I was ready. "Yes."

An odd, indescribable sensation lanced through me. I heard gasps and looked at the warriors around me with my eyebrows raised. They pointed over my head and I followed their gaze.

My halo was gone. I was alive. I was about to go back to my family after only being dead for two months. I thought it would be a lot longer than that before I saw them again.

Cressa ran up to me, shortly followed by King Kai.

She hugged me and tugged down my head so she could peck me on the cheek. "You've done extremely well with your training. You are ready. Practice as much as you can with Chichi and Gohan."

I nodded. "I plan on it!"

Her eyes crinkled. "It was so great meeting you, Goku. I can't tell you how much joy it brings me to know my daughter married such a kind, compassionate, and strong man. I am proud to call you my Son-in-Law."

I rubbed the back of my neck and felt heat rush to my cheeks as I stared at the ground and murmured, "Aw, thanks…"

"If you can, will you pass along some messages for me?"

I looked back up at her. "Of course! It's the least I can do!"

She smiled, but her eyes were tight and shining with tears. "Tell Chichi I love her and miss her. Tell her I'm extremely proud of her and the woman she has become. Tell Gohan someday, when the time is right, we will meet but hopefully not for a very long time. Tell my husband I miss him and love him so much and I will see him again, but with any luck not too soon. Tell them all I will be watching over them and that I love them very much."

I nodded as I carefully memorized every word.

I grinned as an idea struck me. "My Grandpa Gohan – my son's namesake and the man who raised me – got to come back to Earth for a day when I was a child. Maybe you can do the same! Thank you! For everything, Cressa! It was great getting to know you."

Her face lit up with so much joy, her smile shined with the intensity of the sun.

I felt a tap on my forearm and looked down to a familiar, smiling light blue face. "You have about a month until this Saiyan arrives. Train hard with your family. Good luck, Goku. Cressa and I will be watching and cheering you all on. Now get going."

I waved as I prepared for my Instant Transmission to the Check-in Station, but my eyes lingered on one face in particular. A pretty face with tears rolling down her cheeks despite her smile.

I dropped my hand from my forehead as I tried to figure out something else I could do for her. Then, I had the perfect idea.

I grabbed her elbow and pulled her a little ways away from the group.

"Goku?"

I dug into my pants pocket in search of something in particular to give her.

A second later, I found what I was after.

I carefully pulled out the small, crinkled image. I looked at it one last time, the smiling faces of my wife, my son, my Father-in-Law, and myself gazing up at me.

I held the picture out to her and spoke quietly. "This was the last picture taken of all of us just a day or two before the Cell Games. Chichi's pregnant in this picture even though she didn't know it at the time. I want you to have it. Just… don't tell anyone about it, okay? It might get taken away."

She gazed down at the picture, running light fingers over each of our faces, as more tears spilled down her cheeks. "Goku… I don't know how to thank you for this."

I put a hand on her shoulder for just a minute before I pulled back and stepped away with a wave. "See ya later!"

I put two fingers to my forehead, transported myself to the Check-in Station to check out, and – once King Yemma stamped something in his log book and waved me off – I concentrated on the ki I wanted and opened my eyes a second later to find myself twenty feet away from Chichi.

I decided to suppress my power so I could have a few minutes with her before Gohan sensed me.

I took a minute to do a sweep of most of the planet with my senses to check for any unusual powers like I promised Cressa I would, but found nothing. I told King Kai as much and he passed the message to Cressa.

I was a little disappointed with not finding even a hint of anything unfamiliar, but my disappointment was short lived as the wind shifted a sweet, very enticing scent in my direction, pulling my attention back to the beautiful woman meditating with her back to me several feet away.

Her smell was different – stronger, almost. Not just stronger, but there were new notes of something else in it.

I bit my lip, trying to figure it out.

There were notes of some kind of irresistible sharp, spiciness in her smell that weren't there before. Maybe that was because of the Block being lifted. Whatever it was, I loved it, but I couldn't let it cloud my mind – at least, not right then.

It wasn't just her smell that had changed, but her energy had, too. Her power was much bigger even as relaxed as she was in her meditation. Still felt like Chichi, just… bigger. I probed her energy a little further, in search of something – or someone – much smaller and then I sensed it: A faint hum harmonizing with Chichi's own unique hum of energy, but still separate from hers and distinct.

My lips tugged up into a small smile.

I probed that tiny energy as I stared at my wife. Her long hair was down – waving softly in the cool, light breeze – and I was content to just watch her as the familiar mountain smells filled my nose and the sun shown high in the cloudless sky.

I was home.