Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ. I swear.

Towards Tomorrow

Chapter 21 - You Know What Day It Is?

And when I touch you I feel happy inside
It's such a feeling that my love
I can't hide, I can't hide, I can't hide
yeah, you got that something
I think you'll understand
When I say that something
I want to hold your hand

- The Beatles (I want to hold your hand)

Bulma still hadn't got used to flying. She would haven taken her helicopter but Vegeta forbade it, maybe as a last attempt to convince her to stay, but Bulma again managed to talk Goku into carrying her. She wouldn't had expected Tarble to do that, even if he maybe was stronger than he looked like.

The sun hadn't risen yet, so the sky was still dark as ink except for a small streak of pink close above the horizon. Bulma wasn't strong enough to say goodbye to her parents, so she let them sleep. The image of her mother and father crying was too much for her, no, she wanted to remember them just like they were. There was a chance that she would see them again, so it was better that way. Her parents would not worry to much and even if Bulma would die, they could not blame themselves for it because they didn't have the chance to stop her from going. They could remember her as the happy woman she was

''We're almost there'', Vegeta informed them.

And indeed, they flew like three more minutes and they could make out four figures standing on a small hill. A shiver ran down Bulma's neck. Her instincts warned her of possible dangers and this time she would have gladly listened to them, but her brain told her to stay and not to run away like a coward.

Soon she noticed that something was different. The ground was cobbled and there were a few sitting facilities, all in all it looked like a small version of a fighting arena.

''Ah, the special guests have arrived! Vegeta, Tarble, Goku and Bulma! It is so nice to see you again!'', Frieza greeted them as they landed a few meters away from him. No one intended to reply.

Behind Frieza stood three men, two of them Bulma recognized as Nappa and Raditz but one was unfamiliar. He was rather tall and good-looking, with long and sleek green hair and a bluish coloured skin. He was wearing the traditional Saiyan armor but combined them with like underpants appearing pants and gauntlets which reached over his knees. Like all the present fighters he was very muscular. He was smiling at Bulma.

''Oh, right! Some of you don't know Zarbon, yet! Zarbon, let me introduce you to Goku, someone our dear prince Vegeta met on earth,'' he guided the handsome man to Goku and they shook hands, even if this Zarbon was his enemy, Goku was just Goku,''and this is Bulma, the reason for all of this. Isn't she beautiful?'' With that, he guided Zarbon to Bulma who stood motionlessly a few feet apart from Tarble, Goku and Vegeta.

''She really is. It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Bulma'', Zarbon said in a sugery sweet tone of voice, took Bulma's hand in his and gave her a gentle kiss on it. Vegeta reacted quickly, rushed to her side and kicked Zarbon's hand away from hers.

''I can see Vegeta, she really means nothing to you'', Zarbon said and laughed quietly, petting his hand, ''tell me, is she your mate? Ah, yes. I can feel it in her ki. Also... If I'm not terribly wrong, there is another very very small ki inside of her, isn't it? Don't tell me she is expecting a child? Oh Vegeta, you should have told us!''

Vegeta growled dangerously in response.

''Well, that brings this tournament to a whole new level! How exciting'', Frieza announced, ''and now let us begin! You might already noticed, I was diligent the last four weeks and arranged a small but mighty arena and even some seats for the spectators. Hasn't it turned out wonderfully?''

No one really showed some signs of astonishment not to mention amazement.

''Alright then, I developed a way to draw by lot who will fight against whom. If you take a closer look to your right, you find two opaque bowls filled with small balls. Each ball has a number written on it. The left one contains balls with even numbers and the right with uneven. If you get the ball with number one, you fight in the first battle with the one who got number two. If you get number three you fight with the one who got number four and so on. I hope it is not too difficult to understand'', Frieza explained, ''Now please stand in line and draw a number, so we can start. Team Vegeta gets the right bowl and my team the left one.''

They all formed a line behind the bowl and one by one took a number. Bulma accompanied them, even if she wouldn't draw a number, but it felt wrong to just sit down and watch them.

''Nappa, what have you gotten?'', Frieza asked.

''Six.''

''Raditz?''

''Two.''

''Zarbon then has four, is that correct?''

''Yes, my lord.''

''Fabulous. Tarble?''

''Fife.''

''Goku?''

''One.''

''And Vegeta then got three, am I right?''

''Hmpf.''

''So we have round one; Goku against Raditz, round two; Vegeta against Zarbon and round three Tarble against Nappa. How wonderful!''

Nappa laughed happily, it seemed he was very content with his lot. Tarble on the other side appeared rather scared. Goku smiled confidently, eager to fight with what seemed to be a worthy opponent. Raditz kept a straight face. Zarbon leaned casually against the bowl and talked in a quiet tone with Frieza who didn't seem to pay attention at all.

''Does Tarble stand a chance against Nappa?'', Bulma whispered into Vegeta's ear.

''Tarble has trained a lot. Maybe he can make it. With a lot of luck'', he answered.

''And Goku? Can he beat Raditz?'', she asked.

''I think so. Even though it is going to be a hard match'', he answered.

''What about you? Zarbon is not that strong, is he? You can defeat him, don't you?'' Bulma was a little concerned. You shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

''Kids' stuff'', he replied. Bulma wasn't sure if he was just over-confident, if Zarbon was really such an easy opponent or if he just didn't want to worry her.

''Hopefully'', she said.

''Now please, the one's who haven't got to fight yet, please take a seat and enjoy round one; Goku against Raditz. Just a short reminder, every fight is a duel to the death. Only if one fighter is dead, the other one gets declared as the winner'', Frieza declared.

Tarble, Nappa, Zarbon, Vegeta and Bulma walked over to the sitting facilities and sat down. Goku seemed to warm up, he stretched some muscels and did a few push-ups. Was he really enjoying this? To Bulma's confusion, he was smiling. He always liked a good fight and he liked adventures but was he really so sure of his strengths that he had no fear of losing at all? Or was it rather that he was just not allowed to lose. If he lost, his son would grow up as an orphan and ChiChi would be a widow and his home planet would be destroyed. Maybe he just told himself that there is no other way but winning. He simply can't lose because then everything would be lost. So maybe he was just trying to make the best out of it. He was really one of a kind. And such a good and loyal friend. Some may just had packed their things and would have left this planet, he definitely has had the possibility to do so, surely Bardock would have taken him with himself, ChiChi and Gohan, but no, he stayed and he was willing to fight. What if he lost this battle? How would it be without him being around? Without his laughter and stupid thoughts and ideas? How should Bulma ever be able to confess to ChiChi that her beloved husband had passed away and Gohan that his wonderful father had died? Bulma started to hyperventilate.

''What is it, woman?'', Vegeta, who sat next to her, asked.

''Do you remember what day today is?'', she asked still breathless.

''It is your birthday'', he replied.

''Can I wish for something, just this one time?''

''Just this one time.''

''Please hold my hand until it is over'', she begged. Vegeta knitted his brows. After some moments of thinking he closed in and behind their backs, so nobody could see, his hand glided down her arm and folded over her hand, his fingers laced with hers and their palms kissed. His closeness really helped her to calm down. His warmth and his familiar smell soothed her tension immediately.

''Are you ready?'', Frieza asked. Goku stood up and positioned himself on one side of the forward area and Raditz on the other side. Both nodded.

''Alright. No rules, no disqualifications. Start fighting!''

Author's Note: A cliffhanger... Sorry! I have to admit, this is by far not my best chapter. Somehow I couldn't write it right. Next chapter will be better, again. For each fight one chapter, so I splitted the fight and this kind of introduction in two parts, so this chapter is really short. In the upcoming chapter you will read about Goku versus Raditz. A fight as old as time; brother against brother. You can imagine why I put it that way ;) I hope you liked it, even if it was quite short. Have a nice weekend, Jefferson :)