Gohan had left her near the rest of the group to go look for Videl, at least that was what he had said. Jade didn't doubt that he wanted to see his "girlfriend" but she knew he was also running from this blond guy chasing him all the time with a camera. She also knew why he was chasing her brother, he wanted to know who the real Intergalactic warrior was, nobody but their group and Videl, of course, knew he was actually Gohan. Now that she thought about it, Jade seemed to remember see him at the door of the Orange Star Institut, along with Videl, a friend of her and Gohan himself.
'Quiet a surprise his friend would have if he knew it was Gohan under that stupid costume.' - continued thinking Jade. But not for long.
'Did you see Gohan?' - asked her Goku.
'No, not really. He was just here a minute ago.' - she answered - 'I think he went to look for his girlfriend.'
'So Gohan has a girlfriend? Who would tell. And does your mother know about that?' - continued asking Goku.
'Yes.'
'Of course she does, she never misses a thing. Although it surprises me. I never thought your mother would accept an out coming girl. She definetely changed a lot.'
'Maybe, I wouldn't know. I didn't know her before, while you were here with her, but I don't think she has changed that much. The only reason why she likes this girl is because she's rich.'
Goku laughed.
'No, you're right, that's my ChiChi!'
Jade made a shy smile.
'Now about you, why aren't you entering the tournment anyway?' - her dad asked.
'I don't like it that much.' - Jade answered.
'Well, it's a shame because I heard you had a nice shot to win it.'
'I don't think so.'
'They told me you were a mighty fighter and I believed them.'
'You never saw me fighting... you wouldn't know.'
'Sometimes we don't need to see to believe.'
'I rather doubt it.'
'Then show me...'
Jade didn't know what to answer. She had trained a lot wainting for this moment to come and now she didn't know what to say. Part of her wanted to show her dad she could do it but another part told her to remain where she was. The thruth is that she didn't like tournments that much, especially the kids one. For some reason she didn't like to be with another kids, only Gotten and, in rare ocasitions, Trunks; she rathered spend her time with grown ups, that was why she was always at her auntie C-18's house.
Jade looked up. Her dad was smiling still waiting for an answer.
'Maybe some day.' - she said at last.
Goku smiled.
'Come here.' - he said and he held her up. - 'I'm very proud to have a daughter like you. We don't know each other very well yet but I have the feeling we're going to get along.'
Jade smiled.
'Would you like to come with me to the rest room to wait for my turn to fight and see the rest of the fights?' - Goku asked - 'I'm sure your mother won't mind.'
'Okay.' - she answered.
Goku smiled.
'Well, it had come to my attention that you don't like to be called Jadie...' - he said while they were leaving.
On the other side of the stadium Gotten was ready to his fight. Trunks had just won his with absolutely no trouble so Gotten expected nothing less than a simple victory. Besides, if he kept this way soon he would reach the final. But the fact was that neither Trunks or Gotten were very happy with their own victories. The competition was lowsy and all their trainning was being wasted. Their only hope was to fight each other in the final. They still didn't know it but it was about to happen...
Goku put down Jade when they reached the rest room. There Piccolo, Krilyn and Vegeta were watching the kiddy tournment.
'Your son just won his match and his now in the finals with Trunks.' - said Krilyn to Goku.
'Good!' - he answered.
Jade sat on one of the seats at the bottom of the room. Near her two weird fellows with purple skin and dressed in a weird clothes whispered to each other.
Jade stared at them and the younger one looked back at her and smiled. Jade swallowed dry.
He walked towards her and when he was sufficiently close Jade felt an aura as deep and strong it seemed you could cut it with a knife.
'May I seat next to you?' - he asked.
Jade nodded. He had to be really strong judging from his aura. He was probably the most powerful guy she had ever seen.
'Aren't you a but young to enter the championship?' - he asked Jade.
Jade said nothing.
'Not very talkative, hein?' - he insisted.
'Just that my mother always told me not to talk to strangers.' - she said.
'Then let me introduce myself. This way I won't be a stranger anymore. I'm Shin.' - he said.
'Jade.' - she answered.
'Nice to meet you, Jade. Are you from here, Jade?'
'You mean, from this town?'
'No, from Earth.'
'Yes.' - she answered. She felt like asking why in hell did he think she could be from outta space, but she didn't say a word about it. She knew there were some more habitated planets, like planet Vegeta, but she thought it was better not go and tell everything about it to a weird guy like the one she had just met.
'Are you here alone, Jade?' - Shin continued.
'No.' - she answered. - 'I'm here with my mom, my dad, my two brothers, uncle Vegeta and auntie Bulma, Piccolo...'
Suddenly Goku looked back.
'Who are you talking to, Jade?' - he asked - 'Come here.'
Jade got up and joined her father.
'Stay here with me, okay?' - he asked.
'Okay.'
'Don't wanna see talking to strangers, okay?'
'Okay.'
'Now, lets see Gotten fighting Trunks.'
Jade nodded and held Goku's hand.
The fight and the fighters were presented and within two seconds the two friends began battlig each other.
At a certain moment Jade could not avoid looking back to the strange "man", Shin. He remained sat in the seats and when she looked back he smiled at her.
At a safe distance Piccolo watched the scene. He too was curious about the purple skin men.
'Who d'you think will win?' - Goku asked Jade when he realised she was looking back to the stranger.
'Uh... I want Gotten to win but if I had any money to bet I would bet it on Trunks.' - she answered.
'Why d'you say so?' - asked Goku.
'Well, Gotten's a bit lazy and Trunks probably trainned more.'
'Trainning is not everything...'
'But still, Trunks is cleverer.'
'Ah...' - Goku smiled. - 'But I bet you would beat Trunks.'
Jade smiled and her dad smiled back.