It's been about two months since Joey first came to Capsule Corp. Vegeta was still Joey's mentor and he took his adoptive dad's advice very seriously, he had a lot of good points to make, and this lesson was no different.
"Joey it's your 19th birthday today, this marks the last year of your life as a teenager. Don't waste it, use it fully and enjoy it because you'll never been a teen again." Vegeta was saying.
"I know, it's scary." Joey replied. "I still remember being 13 and 17 like yesterday."
It was his 19th birthday and everyone was coming over to Capsule Corp. for another of Bulma's infamously popular BBQ's. It's been five years since the gang's been together and a lot's changed since then, now they could all catch up. The first to arrive were Tien and Chaitzou.
"Hello" Chaitzou smiled when Joey opened the door.
"Hey, if it isn't the birthday boy. Here ya go." Tien gave him a card as he went inside.
"Hey thanks man." Joey smirked up at him. "I hope it's not a gift certificate to JC Penny!" He joked and Tien couldn't help but laugh. There was a knock at the door.
"I got this one." Trunks walked over with his little sister Bulla.
"Hey Trunks, how you doing?" It was Krillin.
"Wow, long time no see. Hi Eighteen." Trunks smiled at Krillin's wife.
"Marron!" Bulla ran over to Krillin and Eighteen's pre-teen daughter, Marron who was twelve, she'd often baby sit her so they were good close friends.
"Come on Bulla, let's give you a makeover!" Marron smiled and Bulla giggled.
"Oh Marron, you be careful with her!" Eighteen called.
"They'll be fine. Come on in." Trunks let them in.
"Can't get me!" Bulla screamed as Marron chased her around the two Nameks who made their way up the sidewalk.
"Cute." The younger one said, it was Dende the 24-year-old guardian of the earth.
"Well, well, if it isn't Piccolo." Krillin turned around.
"Krillin, it's been a while." Piccolo shook his hand. "Your hair looks good at least."
"Hey come on, stop." Krillin laughed, rubbing his head.
"Hey Dende, I guess this means guardians are allowed at parties?" Trunks joked.
"You still remembered that after five years?" Dende laughed, he was about 9 years older than Trunks but he somehow always got the better of him.
"Trunks!" A familiar voice called and Trunks looked up into the sky.
"Well if isn't my best bud!" Trunks ran over to greet Goten.
"Oh man, it's been so long." Goten smiled, he was a young teenager now too.
"I know, let's see the last time we saw each other was about what a half year ago? Yeah it's been REAL a long time." Trunks laughed. "Hey where's your mom?"
"Right here." Chi-Chi's voice made them turn.
"Oh my gosh, Goku's actually here and not out training?" Eighteen gasped.
"Yeah, surprised aren't you? To tell you the truth, so am I." Goku smiled with a laugh.
"Hey, where are Gohan and Videl and Buu and Hurcule?" Krillin looked around.
"They should be here any time now." Goten was cut off by a speeding car that swerved into the driveway. "Oh, there they are."
"Sorry we're late, I shouldn't have let my dad drive." Videl scowled at her dad, folding her arms sternly across her chest as she got out.
"I'm sorry, it's just that I don't get out too much with this horsepower." Hurcule blushed.
"Ah, Buu go fast!" Buu cheered as he got out of the car. "Buu want candy now."
"Don't worry Buu, there's plenty of candy inside." Trunks smiled.
"Ah, candy!" Buu let out a cry of joy and flew into the backyard.
"Hey wait, save some of that for me!" Gohan burst out of the car and began to run.
"Gohan!" Videl yelled, he turned around slowly and sheepishly. "Aren't you supposed to be on a diet?" Gohan sighed but them smirked and rubbed the back of his head.
"Yeah, but the key word is "supposed ta" ha, ha!" Gohan laughed and ran after Buu.
"Gohan!" Videl called angrily but stiffened and let out a groan of frustration.
"Oh that son of mine." Chi-Chi shook her head. "You've got to work harder Videl." Gohan was almost 23 and had been married to Videl, also 23, for two years now.
"I know, but it's hard." Videl sighed, slumping a bit.
"And long. How did you think I was able to mold his father…." Chi-Chi began.
"Hey Gohan, don't forget about your old man now!" Goku ran after Gohan.
"You were saying?" Videl couldn't help but laugh, but Chi-Chi just growled.
Everyone was having a great time hanging out with each other. Marron and Bulla were going over the makeover as Dende watched with Krillin and Piccolo as they hung out by the punch bowl, talking about old times. Tien was challenging Hurcule about another world tournament as Puar and Chaitzou helped themselves to the snack table. Trunks and Goten joked and laughed at each other while they spared. Under the trees the ladies, Videl, Chi-Chi, Bulma and Eighteen, sat on the grass with drinks to chat and admire the flowers. Buu, Gohan and Goku fought over the food, especially the sweet, sweet candy. As Vegeta went to get a drink, but something caught his eyes.
"Hmm? Hey kid!" Vegeta called, off in the corner all alone was Joey.
"Huh?" Joey looked up to see Vegeta walk over with two drinks. He sat down by him.
"Here ya go." He handed an orange soda to Joey.
"Thanks." Joey took it and set it down, he sighed as he stared at it.
"And it's not a beer."
"Aw come on."
"I don't know how your parents both took a liking to such stuff."
"So what, Saiyans didn't have bars or drink?"
"No of course we did, our version of beer is far more, superior than yours."
"Better huh?" Joey got a sly glint in his eyes. "Meaning you can't handle it."
Vegeta sputtered but then came to say what was originally on his mind, "Look mopey, what's the matter? It's your party, why aren't you having any fun?"
"Well just look at them all Vegeta." Joey motioned towards the big, happy crowd. Vegeta looked around as Joey spoke. "They all can have fun because they know each other, nobody knows me and it doesn't look like they want to. They're all to busy in their own lives to, even if it is my party. They must not like me or they'd be nicer to me."
"Well…." Vegeta began but was cut off.
"But I know they haven't seen each other in like almost five years, so I guess it's understandable. They're here for them, not me." Vegeta turned back to Joey. He sighed and turned away. Vegeta just didn't get it, why would Joey act like this, and on his birthday of all days? Why were teenagers always so depressed…
"Come on son, I'll go introduce you to the gang, you need to learn to mingle." Vegeta grabbed Joey by the arm and pulled him back over to the party. He dodged Marron and Bulla as they frolicked through the bushes. "Hey Dende."
"Oh hi Vegeta." Dende smiled and got up. "Wow, that Bulla of yours sure is something."
"Yes she is, I bet she'll sleep good tonight. Anyway, I want to you to meet somebody. This is Joey, he's Yamcha and Bulma's son."
"Oh yeah birthday boy, I heard about Yamcha. Sorry about that."
"It's okay." Joey smirked. A loud banging crash made them turn, a lot of things had fallen and it was creating a commotion.
"Sorry I can't talk, I'd better go help them out over there." Dende got up and ran off to see Bulla covered in food next to the fallen table, laughing while Marron cried out. "Girls…!" Joey sighed and Vegeta shook his head, maybe this party wasn't a good idea, Joey just missed his old friends even more now.
"Trunks, get over here!" Vegeta called and Trunks flew down to his dad.
"Hey dad, what's up?"
"Are you and Goten sparing again?"
"Yeah." He panted.
"Why don't you let Joey join in?"
"Dad, only two can spar, you know that. We're training for the next tournament."
Vegeta frowned, Trunks was just being difficult, "Well then let him face the winner!"
"That's okay." Joey walked off. "I can go find something to do at my party." Vegeta and Trunks watched him go.
"Wow, what's with him, is he like sick or something?" Trunks asked Vegeta.
He just snorted, "Probably." He walked off, why try.
Joey walked back into the back yard. He saw the people talking and laughing, they had so much to talk about and so many memories together. They were all friends and yet Joey knew none of them. He couldn't talk to Tien, he was busy, and Puar was eating. Even they knew other people here. They all seemed like nice people, but Joey wasn't rude enough to intrude on their lives. Joey sighed and walked up a hill. He lay down on the grass and rested his head against a bush. Then something laughing ran into his head.
"Ow, hey!" He growled, holding the back of his head.
"Oh, whoops, sorry." It was Gohan, even though he was a few years older than Joey he acted just as, if not more, immature.
"I thought you were eating with your dad and that big pink guy."
"Nah, dad went to go eat the rest of the food cause Buu finished the candy." Gohan licked the chocolate off his mouth. Joey sighed and Gohan sat down. "Hey you look blue, what's the matter? I mean you should be happy right? It's your birthday after all."
"But you all know each other and I know nobody. All I knew is back in the desert and everyone here is too busy to even pay mind to me. I'm alone, I have nobody here."
"I'm here." Joey looked over at Gohan and he stared back. Joey looked down, sighing.
"I thank you for being kind, but you wouldn't understand."
"You miss your dad, don't you?" Gohan's question was out of the blue. Joey looked up shocked and turned away before he could get overly emotional or blush. Gohan smirked at himself for saying that. "Hey it's okay. My dad's died so many times, it's pretty hard."
"Wait, wait, let me get this strait. Your dad died?" Joey nearly laughed. "Maybe you need glasses man cause he's right over there. What are you coping about?"
"You don't get it. All of us know each other because we all fought and worked together to save the world and defeat evil on other planets. I'm surprised you don't know about it, I mean, your dad was one of the Z-fighters too, the earth's special forces."
"What, he was?"
"Yeah, we all knew your dad. He's died before too, almost all of us have."
"Have you?"
"No, not really. I've come close a few times though. It's scary, but you're missing the point. All of our adventures are based on the Dragon Balls. They can grant you a wish, any wish. Whenever my dad or one of the Z-fighters or somebody died in battle, we could wish them back. How do you think if your dad died long ago, how do you think he lived until only a while ago?"
"So we can wish my dad back?" Joey grew eager.
"Well, I heard that if you die from a natural cause, it's not like dying from a fighting wound. Because he died of the heart virus he'd received from my dad, it doesn't work like that." Gohan wandered off in thought. Joey just stared blinking at him. "I guess we're a little alike, we do have some things in common."
"Well thanks anyway Gohan." Joey's words made Gohan look up. "Knowing about my dad makes me happy, I never knew all of that stuff before, I'm glad somebody told me." Gohan smiled back at Joey. "Gohan, you've been the nicest guy here today, you gave me a wonderful gift and as long as I have that I'm happy. I'm glad I have somebody to talk to about stuff, and so I can kinda get to know about my dad a little more now."
Gohan smiled back, confused, "Well I'm glad. Cause I'm flat broke, and so I couldn't buy you a gift anyway!" Gohan laughed and for the first time that day Joey laughed as well. The two smiled at each other, Joey was finally happy.
But, later that night…
"Hey guys, thanks again for the party, sorry I was acting like such a stick in the mud." Joey walked into the house after cleaning up outside.
Vegeta, Bulma, Bulla and Trunks were watching TV. Bulma was so loving and affectionate towards Trunks, it really did seem like she favored him. Joey sighed again but this time his face grew angry, he felt the jealousy build up inside, eating away at him. He forgot all about the joy he'd had that day, he was still so envious of Trunks. He couldn't have even given Bulma to him for just one day, his birthday. Joey growled as he went to his room, he didn't like Trunks the favorite anymore.