Author's Note: Thanks so much for the reviews. It took a while, but I think this story is finally catching on. I was seriously so close to deleting it but my friend told me not to and I'm glad I listened. Well, I don't know what to say except that this chapter takes place during the World Martial Arts Tournaments. Only I added my own miniature moments to it, along with some extra dialogue. I hope you like and don't forget to review!
Chapter 4:
Tournament Time
"So both of you can turn Super Saiyan? AWESOME!"
Charisma walked with Goten and Trunks through the crowds of people. It was the day of the World Martial Arts Tournament and naturally, the gang was bound to join. Vegeta, Krillin, Android 18, Piccolo, and Gohan decided to join. Trunks and Goten also decided to join in. Even Goku was going to participate, using the one day he earned to come back to Earth. Charisma had to beg her parents endlessly day and night, until they finally agreed to let her fight. After all, martial arts wasn't something they had planned for their only daughter to become involved in. Her parents couldn't make it to watch her fight today, but she was under the watchful eye of Bulma.
"Gohan was surprised," said Goten with a grin. "He thought he was the only person who could become a Super Saiyan kid!"
"My dad was shocked, too," added Trunks with a slightly smug tone. "But I know that he was impressed, too."
Charisma sighed and looked to the ground. "You guys are so lucky. I wish I could become Super Saiyan, too…" She was interrupted by the loud happy screams of the people around.
Almost instantly, they ran off and disappeared in the distance, shouting, "Yay! It's Mr. Satan!"
"Who's that?" asked Charisma.
"Some jerk," Trunks grumbled, crossing his arms. "He's not important. I could beat his butt with my hands tied."
"Gohan is friends with his daughter," said Goten.
"Cool!" said Charisma with her usually perkiness. "Didn't I hear Gohan say that your Dad is coming, too?"
"Yeah! He is!"
Charisma looked around. "I wonder where he is. I'd really like to meet him…"
"Hey guys," a bright voice said.
"Goku!"
Most of the gang began to tear up when they realized that it was really him. It had been a long seven years since he had gone, and many things had changed on Earth. After meeting and greeting, the group finally moved on to register. The enrollment process was quick and easy. Trunks, Goten, and Charisma were unexpectedly place in the Junior Division. Trunks didn't like that at all and protested, but nothing could be done. Bulma thought it would be a good idea anyway.
Finally, it was time for the contestants to make their ways to the waiting area. The group bid each other farewell before departing and the fighters made their way to the main building. It was a long walk and many other contestants were showing off to the cameras and crowds. The three young friends walked slightly ahead of the others, Charisma being the most talkative of them all.
"Hey Goten," Trunks deadpanned. "Your dead father looks a lot like you…"
"Huh?"
"Yeah!" Charisma agreed, looking back at Goku and then back at her friend. "That's true! There's no denying it!"
"You think so?" Goten asked, as they all looked back at Goku, who was talking with Gohan and Krillin.
"Yup," Charisma bobbed her head up and down jovially.
"I don't think he looks all that tough," Trunks snorted, looking forward again. "I bet my dad can beat him no sweat."
"But Gohan says my dad was the strongest in the whole universe," Goten protested.
"I guess we'll see soon enough," said Charisma with a sigh. "But I really wish Misa could've been here…"
"Huh? I thought she was coming," said Goten.
"She was," answered Charisma, with a pout. "But then she asked her mom and her mom said 'no.' …Whew…Mothers…"
"Yeah," Goten agreed. "My mom can be like that, too…"
"And mine, too. But hey, at least my dad understands!" Charisma cheered up. "Too bad they're not gonna be here either…but they promised to watch me on TV…"
"That's if you even make it to finals," scoffed Trunks.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded with her hands on her hips and scowl.
Trunks turned to look at her. "I mean, you're a girl. I'll be surprised if you make it to the finals, past the first round even."
"Hey, listen," she growled. "If I can spar with you guys and hold my own, then I'm sure I can handle some regular muscle headed Earth boys, no sweat."
"That's true," agreed Goten, putting a friendly arm around the girl. "You are strong, Charisma."
"Yeah!" she chirped and patted her friend. "Thanks! At least some one here knows how to be friend!" Trunks snarled and looked forward.
"Whatever…" he muttered.
After a few more minutes of walking, they finally reached the main building where they were interviewed and then directed toward the locker rooms. Charisma stared at all of the contestants.
"Am I the only girl participating here?" she asked to no one in particular. Her voice faltered slightly off its usual cheerful tone.
"Videl is going to fight, too," informed Goten. "You're not alone…"
"Well, it feels like I am," Charisma said discouragingly. "I don't know why they didn't send me to the girls' locker room…" She grabbed Goten by the wrist and dragged him with her. "Let's go to the corner. Cover me, okay?"
They stopped at the corner and Charisma opened a locker and put her things in there. She picked up a towel and gave it to Goten.
"What's this for?" he asked.
"So you can cover me," she said. "Now hold it up so that I'm completely covered, except for my feet. Can you do that?"
"Sure," he agreed. Charisma quickly dressed up in black shorts and a sky blue tank top.
"OKIES!" she took the towel and offered to help him cover as well.
"Don't worry, I'm fighting like this," he said grabbing onto his orange and blue gi. "I like looking like my dad."
Charisma smiled and nodded. "That's great!"
"Let's go!" Trunks called to them, already heading out the door with his father.
The gang headed down the narrow alley toward the ring area of the preliminaries. Charisma, Trunks, and Goten eagerly ran toward the exit and stopped when they saw how many contestants there were. Many were showing off or warming up and others just stood there talking. Upon looking at them all, Charisma's shoulders fell. "I am one of the only girls here…"
"Relax, Strawberry," Goten chuckled, coming up to her side and addressing her by her nickname. "You're definitely gonna kick butt!"
Charisma giggled and nodded her head. "Thanks Goten!"
The loud cheering of the crowd startled them. Mr. Satan showed up and naturally, the blind crowd went wild, immediately swarming him for autographs and pictures. After all the commotion began to settle down, the announcer informed the crowd that only 15 of them would be allowed to the finals. The strongest would move forward, with their strength determined by a punching machine. Charisma, Trunks, and Goten were sent somewhere else to prepare for the Junior Competition. The humans faired between 90 to 100 points, while the Z fighters blew all of them out of the water. Vegeta even blew up the machine with a single punch, causing a massive amount of wide eyes and jaw drops.
Elsewhere, the three friends were inside the main building, propped against a wall and waiting for further instructions. Charisma's eyes darted across the room, studying her competition. Her shoulders dropped and she shook her head, looking at her friends. "Guys, I don't think I want to fight anymore…"
"Why not?" asked Trunks looking down at her. He was leaning against a wall and completely bored.
"I don't know…what if I'm not strong enough?"
"You're very strong, Charisma," Goten said with a smile. "For a girl, I mean…right, Trunks?"
"Yeah," he agreed with a shrug. "I guess you're pretty strong…stronger than these babies here. You have nothing to worry about."
Charisma giggled and nodded her head. "Okay…I'll fight, and hopefully, I'll get to fight one of you guys! It'll be fun…"
"I don't want to fight you, Charisma!" Goten whined with a frown.
"Aww, come on, Goten. Lighten up…it'll be fun."
"If we have to fight, Charisma, don't expect me to go easy on you," warned Trunks. He was really sounding like his father.
Charisma stared up at him. "Sure…I wouldn't think that you would. It's not like you, Trunks." She turned to Goten. "So if you win, what are you going to do with the money?"
Goten looked at her and chuckled. "Toys, I guess!"
"You're such a toddler," Trunks snarled with a roll of his eyes.
"What about you?" Charisma asked him.
"I'm not sure what I'm gonna buy," he replied, looking up to the ceiling.
"Yeah," Goten replied with his everlasting smile. "I guess when your family is the richest in the world, there aren't many toys that you don't have."
"True," agreed Charisma. "Aren't you lucky?"
"What about you?" Goten asked her.
Charisma stared back him blankly. "Me? Hmm…" she thought for a moment with a finger to her lips. She giggled and shrugged after a few seconds, brushing off the question. "I really don't know…maybe Misa would know what to do…"
Trunks gnarled and looked down at her. "No way…she'll just tell you to buy jewelry and make up and stuff…"
"That's a great idea!" Charisma said with a big grin and clapped her hands. "You're a genius, Trunks!"
"Whatever…" Trunks said, turning to Goten. "I can't decide what to buy…maybe I'll buy you better looking hair cut…"
"A hair-what?" Goten asked slowly. Before Trunks or Charisma could respond to that, a hotshot teen boy and his two goonies walked up to the trio.
"Hey, half-pint," the tall blond-headed boy exclaimed. "You're going to be my first victim!" After a few more seconds of incessant trash talk, the boy swung a fist at Trunks, stopping right before his face. Trunks didn't move at all. He knew better.
"Don't you flinch?" the boy growled.
Goten and Charisma slowly stood up. "…Not from…weaklings…" Trunks replied with a slick smirk. "You'd best walk away…"
"WHAT?" the boy growled. "How dare you? You just sealed your fate! I'll knock you so hard, you'll have a concussion!"
Trunks turned away, still grinning. "Sounds fun…" Charisma and Goten looked toward each other and shrugged.
…
After a few more minutes of waiting, the Junior Competition was finally ready to begin. As the announcer explained the rules, the 36 young fighters stepped out to the ring. Unlike the adult division, this competition required no preliminaries. Each child would be pitted against the other until one reigned victorious. Charisma loved being in front of the hundreds of people. She smiled brightly, probably the only child up there with such a grin. The crowd cheered wildly as the competition went underway. The rest of the children watched from indoors. Trunks, Goten, and Charisma were bored out of their minds.
"I can't wait till we go up," Charisma sighed as she clung onto the edge of the window.
"Me, too," Goten agreed.
After about five fights, Trunks was finally up to face the trash talking boy from earlier in the day. "Now, for the next fight!" the announcer bellowed into the microphone. "Eight year old Trunks and fifteen year-old Adaza!"
Naturally, everyone in the audience doubted Trunks' chances of winning. If he had been a normal full human child, he probably wouldn't stand a chance. But his family and friends knew that he wasn't just some ordinary boy.
"Go get him, Trunks!" Charisma and Goten both cheered, only to be rebuked by Adaza's goons.
"Keep dreaming," the first one said. "Your little friend doesn't stand a chance!"
Charisma growled and turned to him. "We'll see about that, you big fat moron!"
Goten chuckled and pointed at the goons. "Morons! Morons!"
"We'll see you in the ring!" the second goon screamed, with steam pouring out of his ears and nose.
"YOU'RE ON!" Charisma retorted with a blast of confidence. "I can beat these babies no sweat, Goten," she told her friend.
"That's the spirit, Strawberry!" The two friends turned to watch the match.
Adaza lifted his fists and prepared to attack Trunks. Trunks just stood there as if nothing. Before the human boy could take notice, Trunks squatted down and tripped him. While in mid-air, Trunks then kicked him super hard and sent the poor big mouthed boy about 8 feet into the atmosphere.
Already aware that it was over, Trunks promptly made his way back to the main building. Adaza hit the ground and was out cold. This shocked the entire audience out of their boxes, except for the Z warriors, of course. Charisma and Goten greeted him with toothy smiles.
"That was great!" Charisma laughed. "You showed him!"
"You ended that match really fast," added Goten.
Trunks sighed with annoyance and crossed his arms, looking back towards the ring. "You see why I wanted to fight with the adults?"
Goten and Charisma both bobbed their heads. They understood very well. The only real fight here would include these three, pitted against one another. Only time would tell what would happen and Charisma's turn to fight was up next.
"Now let's welcome 14 year-old Jiro against 8 year-old Charisma!"
"Yay! Me next!" Charisma turned to her friends. "Wish me luck!"
"You won't need it," answered Trunks. "Believe me!"
The blond girl enthusiastically ran onto the ring with the boy trailing behind her. Like any other hot headed tough guy, he believed that he had this match in the bag. Charisma waved toward the cheering crowd.
"Aww, isn't she cute?" the announced bellowed. "It looks like this girl's got the makings of a superstar!"
'I like this!' she happily thought to herself. Jiro walked up to her and she turned around. He smacked his fists together in the typical tough-guy manner.
"Girly, don't think I'll go easy on you. I'm here to win, not to make friends with little kids." Charisma simply smiled at him and giggled cutely, tucking her hands behind her back. "Your little cutesy isn't gonna work on me!" he exclaimed exasperatedly.
Charisma nodded and closed her eyes. "I see…You think you've got the advantage over me…because I'm a girl?"
"Pretty much," he cackled. "Not just that, but you're way too puny. Signing up for this tournament was a huge mistake, girly. Now enough talk, let's fight!"
Without another word, Jiro charged toward Charisma with a punch, only to realize that he swung at thin air. Baffled, he turned around to find Charisma standing behind him with that same endearing smirk.
"Girly, enough games!" he growled, swinging punches blindly, only to miss every time. Finally feeling fed up and humiliated, he launched a dynamic kick. Surely if she were a regular human, Charisma wouldn't have been able to take it.
Then again, she wasn't a regular human. She grew up with two boys, two semi-Saiyans, no less. From here on out, she promised herself that she'd get strong. She might not be able to turn Super Saiyan or even be half as strong as Goten or Trunks, but she'd be the best super human she could be.
Jiro's kick brushed against the wind, causing it to howl. He stopped and barked like an angry dog. "GIRL! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" He turned around to find himself face to face with her. He didn't even realize that she had been levitating off of the ground in order to see eye to eye.
"One more thing, Jiro," she said sweetly before her eyes narrowed angrily and she went ballistic. "SO WHAT THAT I'M A GIRL?" She grabbed him by his arm and tossed him like a raggedy Barbie doll toward the ground, where he bounced off of the edge of the ring and landed on the outside.
"Mom-mi…" he painfully called for his mother teary eyed.
"Whoa, looks like she's more than just a cute face," the announcer shouted excitedly into the mic, with spit flying everywhere. "Jiro is out, and Charisma advances!"
Charisma hopped up and down happily and ran to join her friends. "Did you see that?"
"That was great, Charisma!" Goten said gleefully. "I knew you had nothing to worry about!"
"I knew you could do it," agreed Trunks, with a bold yet friendly tone. "You're definitely one of us, Strawberry."
Charisma stared at him with huge, sapphire round and shiny eyes. Trunks sweatdropped and took a small step back. Before he knew it, Charisma glomped Trunks and nearly sent him to the ground. "You haven't called me Strawberry in ages, Trunks! It took you long enough, dumb head!"
Goten chuckled but was interrupted by the announcer. "I guess I'm next…"
Once again, thanks a bunch for the reviews. The next update will be coming very soon. Please stick around and review for me again.