Chapter Two: A Place to Train Alone
It is a gorgeous day in the city, the population still buzzing from the news released yesterday, walks around in a haze of anxiousness waiting for a battle to determine the best of the best.
Hercule, the great World Champ, will be stepping down, and handing over his title to the winner of the next World Martial Arts Championship. A single elimination tournament held every few years allows fighters all over the world to find out who the best really is. However, the world's greatest is only a figure head, and he knows it well, usually acting injured when it comes time to fight one of the 'special' warriors...the Z fighters.
On several occasions in the past, Hurcule would fake illness, to avoid a confrontation before the cameras. However, Bulma has made this option a moot point. Offering the World Champ five times the amount of the total prize purse, the false champion is given the perfect opportunity to bow out as a hero, and he was quick to grab and cash the check.
Meanwhile, across town, at the Capsule Corp compound, the large gravity dome in the back yard is getting some serious work.
"GETTING SOFT...AM I?" Vegeta barks across the room at his Namekian brother in war, finally enjoying the rush of a good fight.
"I sure missed the good old days." Piccolo replies, and quickly both charge each other.
A barrage of punches, kicks, elbows, and knees are thrown in fierce anger, all being met by the countering block of a superior warrior. A near stalemate of power, all the while in ten times normal gravity. Both warriors smile at each other, seeing no clear victor in this exchange and knowing they must take the level of sparring higher.
"Computer!" Vegeta barks, followed quick by a series of beeps, letting him know to input his next command. "Increase gravity to twenty g!"
Another quick series of beeps ring out, and both fighters feel the strain of their own weight increase. However, at twenty times earth's gravity, they are still finding it as only a distraction.
"Shall we continue, Mr. Softie?" Piccolo remarks, adjusting his weighted gear for comfort, but leaving it on for an extra burn during this workout.
Vegeta surprisingly says nothing, but looks over at his son and smiles. He can see Trunks is still trying to continue his push ups in twenty g, even after doing a thousand in ten g. A boost of power fills the Sayian warrior, watching him suffer out one last push up.
"Watch what you say, Namekian...or I will let my son take care of this short work!"
"SHORT?!" Piccolo barks, staring at the Sayian warrior three feet smaller than him. "I guess you're as blind as you are SOFT!"
Vegeta gives a good laugh, and the two exchange another fierce volley of physical attacks. The warriors continue to press each other, never pulling a single punch, hoping to strike the jaw of a respected friend.
"You have changed, Vegeta..." Piccolo remarks, noticing a different style of fighting. "...you have control of yourself today...it actually worries me...slightly!"
Vegeta balks for a moment, thinking he is showing emotion, which he is. It is not love or even real friendship he is feeling, but a sense of brotherhood with Piccolo that is truly keeping him from being aggressive. However, trying to cover his slight show of emotions, the Saiyan Prince quickly makes an excuse for this lack of killer attacks.
"I don't want to hurt you before the tournament, Piccolo..." Vegeta replies smugly, catching the left arm of his opponent, and sending him hard into the wall with a boost of anger. "...this way when I beat you, I won't hear any of your pathetic whining!"
Piccolo lowers to the ground, removes his weighted gear, then cracks his neck to the left.
Now there's the Vegeta I know...not much different as I remember, he says to himself, looking up at the Super Saiyan's smiling face. However, a sudden bit of laughter from his right takes the Namekian's attention to a small room, where the machine's effect on gravity is not felt.
A rest area, filled with provisions needed after a fierce workout, has two occupants waiting their turn to battle alone. A husband and wife, ready to test each others power, but for now relaxing together watching the large flat screen TV.
Krillin, with remote in hand, laughs again, and Piccolo shakes his head. He returns his attention to the short Saiyan prince hovering above, and returns to the battle again.
"I really wish Professor Briefs would have made this a sound proof room..." The bald-headed Z fighter remarks to his wife, and the android-human hybrid slightly smirks. "...I can barely hear this idiot making a bigger fool of himself."
Staring at Hurcule on the large screen TV, Krillin starts to get angry as he mentions his only reason for retirement.
"I think it's just time to move on, Dave..." He remarks to the late night host of a pretty good show, then smiles at the camera. "...I can't think of any other reason to leave."
"I can think of about Twenty Million reasons!" Krillin squawks, watching the Champ continue to milk the moment on TV, doing a dozen interviews to proclaim his humbleness in laying down the title.
"Is that what Bulma's paying him?" His wife asks, turning to look at the same program with complete indifference, but even as an android, understanding this guy's smugness is ridiculous.
"It's amazing that he can sit there straight-faced and unload such a think layer of sh..."
"HONEY!" Krillin barks, seeing Trunks standing by his wife, and stopping her from using some new words he has been trying to teach her.
"What?!" She remarks, her face showing an expression of puzzlement. "Was I not about to use the word correctly?"
"No, that's not it." The short bald husband of Android 18 replies, pointing his finger towards Bulma's son. "You just can't say those words in front of everyone...that's all!"
18 glances at Trunks, who shows a very innocent smile, before returning her attention to Krillin.
"Why...I've heard him use this word several times in class!" The newest teacher in his junior-high school replies calmly, and a loud voice is heard in the background.
"WHAT?!" Vegeta barks with anger, overhearing Android 18 in mid-fight, then quickly leveled by a kick from Piccolo while distracted.
The Saiyan prince is knocked out for only a second or two, but as he comes around he is surprised by the smiling face now hovering above him.
"Wow, Vegeta..." Goku remarks, appearing in the gravity chamber by way of Instant Transmission. "...I hope you plan on getting more training before we spar!"
The smiling Saiyan warrior annoys Vegeta with his taunt, knowing it will incite him to begin a new fight. However, as Vegeta just stands up and looks at his son with anger, Goku can feel that strange sensation he felt before.
"I'll be with you in a minute, Kakarot," The short Saiyan prince replies, never breaking eye contact with his son, then walking towards Trunks with anger in his stride. "First, I must teach my foul-mouthed son about proper manners when speaking!"
Trunks cowers in fear, as Vegeta comes closer, grasping him by the shoulder, and pulling his ear to his mouth.
"AND...If I ever hear anything like that again..." He whispers sternly into the young boy's ear, scaring the gold out of his Super Saiyan hair. "...you will be grounded for a year. Do we understand each other?"
Trunks is surprised that his father's rage is only expressed in words, not with force. Vegeta has never really hit his son for being bad, but when he shows this type of anger, it is anyone's guess.
"I'm sorry, Dad!" The young son replies quickly, then looks at Android 18 with the same sincerity. "And I'm sorry I used such language in your class, Ms. 18. I'll never do that again, I promise."
"I will not have my son be looked upon like his father!" Vegeta whispers softly, making sure only Trunk's hears his words, and the young Saiyan warrior lowers his head.
No one looks down at you, Dad. He says to himself, but just nods his head hearing the pain in his father's voice, knowing now is not the time to disagree with him.
"Yes sir!"
"GOOD!" Vegeta barks, patting his son hard on the rear towards the gym. "I want you to do a hundred laps, right now!"
"But, Dad," Trunks says with caution in his voice, stopping before the door, knowing the strength of gravity in the room. "It's twenty g...I can't do a hundred laps in twenty g!"
Vegeta smiles and looks at his son with a bit of smugness.
"Computer," He barks, and a ring from the system lets him know to input a new command. "Increase to twenty-five times gravity!"
Trunks eyes open wider, and he can see his father's smile get wider as well.
"DAD!"
"Shall I make it thirty!"
Trunks show a bit of anguish, but then straightens his posture and returns to his Super Saiyan form. A large smile crosses Vegeta's face, as Trunks begins ripping a fast pace around the base of the gym, trying his damn hardest to do the impossible task his father laid out.
That's my son! the proud father says to himself, feeling a boost in strength, given from his son's determination.
"Goten could do a hundred laps in thirty g...and not even break a sweat..." Goku suddenly remarks with a very odd smugness. Everyone in the room is floored by his candor, and more so as his next line is even more blunt.
"...I thought Trunks was older than him, why is he so weak?"
"WHAT DID YOU SAY, KAKAROT?!" Vegeta barks, and Goku smiles wider.
"I knew it was a good idea to take Goten with me. This way he wasn't hindered by your son's slow progress."
"GOKU..." Piccolo says with surprise, standing next to the Saiyan warrior, shocked at what he is hearing from the nicest guy in the world. "...What are you doing?"
"Watch this, Piccolo!" He says, seeing the build up of power in one very irate father.
Vegeta suddenly screams in anger, bolting straight at Goku and tackling him out into the open area behind. The two quickly exchange powerful punches to the face, allowing the other to sense their opponent's power level.
Goku stares back at Vegeta, rubbing his cheek from an impact he was not expecting to be so hard.
"That wasn't bad, Vegeta..." Goku barks, and looks at Piccolo with a smile. "...although, I'm sure Bulma can hit harder!"
Vegeta, now seeing his old rival was just trying to fire him up, gives a slight smile, and as long as he doesn't disrespect his son again, this sparring match can continue without prejudice. However, as Goku returns his eyes to the Saiyan prince, he can see a different look, one he has never seen from his long time enemy and good friend, showing almost an evil stare.
"In fact...I should start training Bulma too, she used to like seeing me without a shirt!"
"Holy Sh*t!" Piccolo remarks, completely stunned by what he just heard from Goku's mouth, as are Krillin and his wife. However, no one is more shocked than Vegeta, and his rage goes off the chart.
"HOW DARE YOU?!" The intense Saiyan hollers, taking off towards Goku, and slamming him across the face with an unseen kick. His hair blazes to gold, then spikes straight up, quickly ascending past a normal Super Saiyan. A continued barrage of feral punches and kicks throttle the taller Goku, and everyone watches in shock, as Vegeta takes the stronger warrior down to the ground hard.
"Holy Sh*t!" Krillin remarks with the same shock as Piccolo, seeing Vegeta manhandle the best fighter in the Universe. However, the battle is not over, as Goku, laying upon the ground, makes one more comment.
"To bad you didn't show this power...when Majin Buu killed her!" He says tauntingly, and Vegeta's gold hair flashes and lengthens as his power triples in a blink.
"HOLY SH*T!" Trunks yelps half way through lap seven, and quickly runs to his father. The young half-Saiyan son of Vegeta, regardless of the danger, slams into his dad with a tackling bear hug.
"DAD, NO!"
Vegeta is taken for a second, and raises his hand to strike the one who hit him. However, his eyes quickly focus on his son's face, and a strange calming sensation fills his angered soul.
"Trunks?" Vegeta calls out, completely unsure of where he is, as the power flowing through his veins was overwhelming.
"DAD...PLEASE...STOP!"
The powerful Saiyan Prince looks around the room, staring at everyone's expression of complete shock, all with the exception of Goku. He has an almost angered look on his face.
"This is not going to work, Vegeta!" Goku remarks, turning away from his friend, and walking towards the exit of the gravity chamber.
"I cannot train you...not like this!"
"What?!" The still shaken Saiyan warrior replies, but Goku is quickly out the door.
"KAKAROT!" Vegeta barks, then looks at his son with great concern. "What the hell just happened?"
Trunks shows concern himself, as he can see the complete look of confusion on his Dad's face.
"I've never seen you display that much power before..." Trunks says with astonishment in his voice, then looks back at Piccolo, Krillin, and Android 18. He can see the shock in their faces is still there, confirming that he was not hallucinating.
"...you were stronger than him, Dad...and I think he's worried!"
Vegeta smirks hearing the honest tone in his son's voice, then looks over towards Piccolo.
"Well, Namekian...is there any merit to that?" Vegeta asks an unbiased source, and still showing surprise in his expression, Piccolo just nods his head.
"Humph!" The Saiyan Prince grunts, then pats his son on the head, however, his eyes focus to the door Goku walked out of.
"Trunks..." He calls with an ordering voice, and his son's attention is all his. "...I may be going away for a few weeks..." His eyes refocus upon his young son, and a smile fills his face. "...make sure you take care of your mother...do you understand?"
"Yes, sir..." The young child replies, and hugs his father tightly, asking him the only question that is now bothering him "...but, where are you going, Dad?"
"To find myself..." Vegeta's eyes return to the exit, and a smile comes across his face. "...hopefully with the help of a friend."
Vegeta stands on his feet, and looks down at the young child that has a hold of his soul. He can see fear and anguish for his father, knowing that he is in great inner turmoil.
"If he won't help you, Dad...I will!" Trunks remarks, holding his father tightly, and Vegeta places his arm around his son, suddenly feeling another boost of power. Vegeta looks up at Piccolo, Krillin, and Android 18, and though he never shows his emotions in front of anyone, the rugged Saiyan prince kisses his son on the forehead.
"I love you, Trunks, and I would be nothing without you and your mother."
The Saiyan warrior suddenly turns to the door, and briskly leaves to find the one that can help him understand this new power within. However, as he leaves, he makes sure his son knows he is still in his right mind.
"We will also discuss your punishment when I get back."
"Punishment?" Trunks replies with a questioning voice, and Vegeta stops by the door, looking back to his son with a very smug smile.
"Holy Sh*t, Trunks..." He says, lowering only his left brow to show an annoyed look to his potty-mouthed son. "...I'm not deaf!"
Vegeta turns back to the door, trying hard to hold his smile as Trunks shoulders slump with depression. The proud Saiyan father knows he won't ground him, but can see this lesson may have been taught with one quick threat. However, his joy lasts only a moment, as Goku is just waiting at the door for him to come out. The taller Saiyan warrior strides up to Vegeta with an intense look of rage.
"Kakarot!?" He says, startled by a sudden face to face meeting, and everything that his normal gentle friend has done in the last three minutes.
"WELL!" The Saiyan warrior barks in Vegeta's grille. "I was asked to train you, not...help you with your son's pathetic feelings!"
Vegeta again balks at Goku disrespect to his family, not understanding how the nicest guy in the world, can suddenly be so cold. However, rage builds inside the smaller warrior, hearing another insult made towards his boy
"DO NOT TALK ABOUT TRUNKS LIKE THAT, KAKAROT..." He yells, grasping Goku's blue gee, and pulling him closer to his face. "...OR WE START THE MAIN EVENT...RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!"
Goku smiles, and places his hand upon Vegeta's shoulder.
"Good...you can call upon that anger in an instant..." The Saiyan warrior remarks with his normal tone of genuine caring, and Vegeta quickly calms as Goku backs down with his normal smile. "...I'm sorry I did that to you, Vegeta, but I had to find out where this power is coming from, and now I think we can finally start the right training."
The Saiyan Prince becomes a bit confused. However, Goku does not give him a chance to speak his mind.
"However..." The larger of two remarks, turning his eyes to the Capsule Corp mansion, and seeing Bulma emerge from the door after hearing her husband's outburst. "...we cannot train here, Vegeta. I need to remove these distractions!"
Vegeta turns to see his wife as well, and a deep feeling of contentment comes over his heart.
"SEE?!" Goku says, sensing his friend's drop in power. "I need you to stay focused, because this will be the hardest training you will ever endure."
"I understand, Kakarot..." He replies, lowering his head, feeling the same sensation that his friend felt in his power. "...meet me here tomorrow, old friend...I know of a place, where we can train alone!"
Well, Goku got Vegeta's blood boiling again, let see how much he decides to push him later, when they are all alone.
Thank you to NotMarge, Hanna, and Power Metal for reviewing. And to Tompolli91, Sportsfan64, and MythologyFreak123 for following.