Chapter 12: The 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai!
Age: 756

It was pouring. The group stood next to the walls of the arena where the next Tenkaichi Budokai was being held. The old man turned to the blue-haired woman beside him, "Hmm, they better show up soon its getting close to the end of signing up,"

"Do you think they forgot it was today?" Launch asked.

"They've been training for this for the past three years, I doubt they forgot," the Turtle Hermit answered.

"Then where they hell are they?" Bulma complained.

"My balloon!" a girl shouted from nearby the group.

Bulma felt a tug at the bottom of her dress. She looked down seeing a small little girl, tears filling her eyes. "Miss, could you help me get my balloon?" the girl told her.

The little girl pointed toward a nearby tree where a balloon was stuck. "Okay," Bulma answered with a smile on her face trying to console the girl.

"I've got that for you Bulma," a voice said from a few feet away.

Bulma was handed the balloon, and she looked in front of her trying to see who the figure was. An umbrella covered the man's face, he was clad in a blue gi with yellow pants and black boots. 'Who the hell is this?' Bulma thought to herself. "Do I, know you?" she said.

As he moved the umbrella revealing his face, wrapped in bandages of some kind, he began to speak, "Oh come on Bulma its me,"

'It couldn't be...' Bulma thought to herself thinking about who this strange man could possibly be. "S-Son?"

The man began to remove his bandages and the entire group of Master Roshi, Launch, Oolong, Puar, and Bulma looked on wondering who this mysterious man might be. When he finished removing the bandages, they all knew who it was. Only one person they've ever seen had that hair.

Tears began to form at the corners of Bulma's eyes. A large smile filled all of their faces upon seeing him. "Goku is that really you?" Oolong snorted.

Goku let out a chuckle, "Who else would it be? I don't think anybody else has this hairdo," he admitted.

The whole group let out a hard laugh upon hearing from their friend for the first time in three years. "Hey Bulma did you get shorter?" Goku said as he inquisitively pointed at the woman with his back slightly hunched.

"No you just got a lot taller," she answered.

"Ooooh," Goku pausing before continuing to talk, "WAIT OH MY GOD BULMA YOUR LIPS ARE SWOLLEN!" he yelled.

Bulma let out a small sigh, "Its lipstick Son,"

"What's that?" he asked confused at the word.

She just looked at the man for a second, 'Still the same Son,' She thought to herself before answering, "Don't worry about it,"

As the elderly man stepped up Master Roshi began to speak to his student, "Goku you ought to go sign up for the tournament,"

"Alright," Goku said as he began to survey the surrounding area, "Are the others here yet?"

The group just shook their heads. Seeing this Goku walked up to the table with the tournament staff member. "Excuse me is this where the sign ups are?" he asked.

The small man looked up at Goku, "Yes, are you competing?" he asked.

"Yeah," he answered.

The man looked down at his clipboard and grabbed his pen, "What is your name?"

"Son Goku," the young man calmly said.

The staff member's eyes widened as he looked up at Goku, "Oh you're competing again this year, I bet it'll be another great tournament," he said with a smile.

"Aw thanks," Goku said with a chuckle and the signature Son grin.

Goku then left the table going back to stand with Master Roshi and the others. "I hope they get here soon," Puar lamented.

Goku looked out into the distance, "Trust me they'll be here," Goku stated.

The rest of the group stared at him as he continued, "They've been training for the past three years for this tournament, they're going to make it,"

Out in the sky two figures could be seen zooming above the earth below. "Why are you getting cold feet now?" Chi-Chi complained.

"Because I'm not sure if its the best idea for me to join this tournament, what if I mess time up too much because of this," Trunks explained.

"I am sure you are going to be fine Trunks, its just a tournament," She told him.

'I hope so' Trunks thought to himself. "How do you think you're going to fair at the tournament?" Trunks asked turning to the young woman.

Chi-Chi radiated warmth, and her face was filled with a large smile. "I've gotten so much stronger I think I might win," 'All thanks to you' She thought to herself.

Trunks just smirked looking at her, 'Yeah, yeah you can,' Trunks pondered.

"That looks like Papaya Island down there," Chi-Chi said pointing to the tournament stage below.

The two began to float down towards the ground, before finally touching down.

They turned forward and saw a table with a petite tournament staff member sitting there shivering. The duo walked up and the man's shaking only got worse and worse. "Y-you...… flew... in the sky... above *gasp* oh kami,"

Trunks blushed slightly and began to stutter, "Um, uhh …" before being cut off by Chi-Chi, "Oh yeah we did, sorry about frightening you at all," she said with a bow.

"Um well *gulp* what are your names... exactly," the man managed to say.

"Chi-Chi and Trunks," Chi-Chi said with all the politeness she could muster in her voice.

He went to write down the names on his clipboard shivering all the same. Trunks then let out a sigh of relief, "Are you alright?" Chi-Chi said with a slight giggle.

"Yeah I just, I don't know, didn't really know what to tell him," he informed the young princess.

"Oh wow you guys know the Bukujutsu technique huh," Goku said as he walked up towards the two.

The pair turned towards the full-blooded saiyan. 'Oh kami, its Goku I didn't think that we'd see him so soon' Chi-Chi thought with a small smile. 'OH KAMI, ITS GOKU I DIDN'T THINK WE'D SEE HIM SO SOON!' WHAT DO I SAY?! Trunks yelled internally.

"Yes we do know how to fly, its good to see you again Goku," she said bowing.

Trunks stood next to Chi-Chi, 'What do I do? What do I say? WHAT DO I DO?' Trunks worried.

The other members of the dragon team walked up to Goku and the couple, "Do you know these people Goku?" Oolong asked him looking at the teens.

Goku turned and looked down at the pig replying, "Apparently," he said before pausing.

'Wait he doesn't remember her' Trunks said with shock.

'The hell do you mean apparently!?' Chi-Chi bemoaned gritting her teeth and clinching her fist.

"Wait I think I remember!" Goku exclaimed before continuing, "Are you... a member of the Crane School," he softly spoke.

Chi-Chi whispered to herself, "I really wanted to marry this man,"

Trunks let out a small chuckle, and Chi-Chi then shoved her elbow into his arm with a scowl on her face. "You guys can fly so you guys are members of the crane school who didn't make it to the actual tournament," Goku explained.

Chi-Chi let out a sigh before going on to say, "No Goku I'm Chi-Chi," she corrected.

Goku stared out for a second before saying, "Who?"

'THIS is Goku?' Trunks asked himself.

Looks of confusion filled Goku and his friends' faces. This was until Master Roshi stepped forward saying, "Wait you're Ox King's daughter,"

Chi-Chi let out another sigh, "Yes, yes I am it is good to see you again Master Roshi,"

Goku cuffed his chin with his hand thinking about who she could be before stating, "Oooooh, I remember you now, sorry about that its been awhile,"

Chi-Chi stopped for a moment before answering, "Yeah, I guess it has hasn't it,"

Bulma walked up to the two looking at Trunks said, "Who's your cute friend?"

'Oh, oh that's gross' that's really gross,' Trunks thought to himself. Chi-Chi turned to Bulma, "This is my boyfriend, Trunks,"

"...Oh," Bulma said disappointment in her voice.

Puar floated by Bulma yelling, "Oh hush Bulma! Yamcha will be here soon and I'm sure he'll be just as cute!"

"Yeah, yeah I know," Bulma replied.

Master Roshi looked up and saw oranges and reds all across the sky. "What's wrong Master Roshi?" Launch asked.

"The sign up time should be ending soon, those boys need to hurry up," he explained.

Then suddenly Goku, Chi-Chi, and Trunks turned to look behind them. "What's happening?" Bulma asked.

Goku smiled, "They're here,"

Oolong, Puar, Launch, and Master Roshi looked around the area in an attempt to see the rest of their group. Far in the distance the subtle sounds of movement could be heard, and it got ever closer and closer. The sound got louder bit by bit until suddenly it stopped. There they were. Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, and Krillin were standing before the group. Bar Chi-Chi and Trunks large smiles were visible on each and everyone of their faces. Before any of them got a word in the old Turtle Hermit instructed them, "Go sign up for the tournament your time is running out,"

Tien and Chiaotzu nodded in response while the two newly arrived turtle students let out quant chuckles. They then walked over to the staff member's table, signing up before walking back to the group. "You guys look really impressive I'm looking forward to the tournament," Goku said with a smile.

Seeing his friend for the first time since his death, tears overflowed from Krillin's face and he dashed forward hugging Goku. "Its good to see you man," Krillin told his friend.

Goku smiled as he looked down seeing his bald buddy. "Good to see you too Krillin,"

Yamcha walked up to Bulma and Puar to greet them before Bulma turned away from him, "Oh no don't even try it, you haven't said one word to me IN THREE YEARS!" she yelled.

Yamcha let out a small laugh, "Never changes,"

Yamcha just looked at the young woman for a moment before she moved her eyes to meet him letting out a murmur, "Its nice to see you too,"

Out of nowhere gunfire could be heard going off within the group. The calm mannered girl with dark blue hair was gone, giving way to a more violent blonde haired one. She held her gun in the air continually firing at nothing. "TIEN!" she yelled.

The former assassin in training turned to her, "Um, yes?" he asked.

"YOU BETTER NOT LOSE EARLY YA HEAR!" she said.

Tien's face turned a deep scarlet as he looked at the ground not making eye contact with the criminal, "Oh okay..." he managed to reply.

Chi-Chi turned to Trunks, "Do you have any idea who that-"

"No, no I have absolutely no clue who that is," Trunks admitted with his head a bit tilted at the oddity of this rag tag group.

The four new arrivals turned to Trunks and Chi-Chi with looks of confusion, "Who are you guys?" Chiaotzu asked.

"Oh sorry about that we didn't want to interrupt your moment with introductions, this is Chi-Chi , the Ox Princess, next to me and I'm her boyfriend Trunks. Pleasure to meet you," he said.

"And they know how to fly," Goku added.

"Really?" Tien said with shock looking at the two, "Where did you learn how to do that?" he asked.

"I'm self-taught and then I trained Chi-Chi," Trunks fibbed.

"Oh?" Tien replied. 'How did this guy teach himself a technique so advanced? I'll have to keep an eye out for him in the tournament,' The Crane student thought to himself.

"Oh and Yamcha," Chi-Chi stated.

'How does she know me?' The desert bandit pondered before speaking, "Yeah what's up?"

"I appreciate your offer for marriage, but I have a boyfriend so I'll have to decline," she politely said.

Bulma turned to him, the hatred of the devil himself seemed like nothing compared to the hatred in her eyes, at least for Yamcha. "WHAT!" She screamed.

Yamcha turned to his girlfriend putting on a happy face trying to calm her down, "I said that a really long time ago, I don't even remember saying it I swear, it was before we got together,"

'My girlfriend almost got with my mom's ex. My life just gets weirder and weirder,' Trunks thought to himself.

"To be honest we should probably head to our hotel rooms if I'm being honest its getting late," the Turtle Hermit admitted, "Its been a pleasure to see you again Chi-Chi I'm glad the Ox King's daughter has developed into such a fine young lady and its a pleasure to meet you young man. We'll hopefully see you both in the tournament granting you make it through the preliminaries,"

"Pleasure to meet you," Trunks said at the same time Chi-Chi replied to the old man, "Pleasure to see you again as well,"

The dragon team left the two teens, beginning to talk amongst themselves as they walked along. "You know Goku, its really not fair you're so much taller than me," Krillin complained to his friend.

"Hehe, suppose not," Goku said with a smile.

"Hey Goku what kind of training did you do at Kami's anyway?" Krillin asked.

Goku looked forward as he answered his friend, "You'll find out when the tournament starts," 'And so will you Piccolo, and I'm ready to see what you've been doing for the past three years,' he continued in his mind.

"Uh huh," Krillin said in response. 'Keeping it vague figures,' the monk went on to himself.

Tien was walking next to Master Roshi and began talking to him in a whisper so no one else could hear the two, "Master Roshi, is there going to be an appearance by Jackie Chun this time?" Tien asked.

"Afraid not, you all have outgrown me, each and everyone of my students have surpassed me. This is the time for a new age of martial artists to take hold and time for old timers like me to sit back and watch," the sage answered.

Further back in the entourage Yamcha was walking with Bulma hoping he could calm her down. "Hey Bulma?' he said.

"Yeah what is it," she said in an aggravated tone.

"Don't you think it was weird that Trunks guy had a capsule corporation jacket?" he asked.

"Oh don't try to diverge from the fact that you-," she said before pausing a moment, "Wait why did he have a capsule corp. jacket?" She pondered aloud. 'Maybe I can try to find more about that cute Trunks guy before the tournament ends,' Bulma thought.

Yamcha let out a sigh of relief, 'Oh thank kami she doesn't seem mad at me anymore,' he thought.

In the back of the group Chiaotzu floated next to Oolong and Launch, who was back to her blue state. "So how do you think you're gonna do in this tournament?" Oolong asked.

Chiaotzu had a wide smile, "I think I'm going to do even better than last time, I can't wait!" he exclaimed.

"Aww that's great Chioatzu," Launch commended.

In another part of the island, the couple was going to their own hotel. "You know you seemed really weirded out by seeing all of them, even more than I was. Are you alright?" Chi-Chi questioned.

"Yeah, I'm okay just, its odd seeing a young version of your mom call you cute," Trunks admitted.

Chi-Chi was at a lost for a moment with her mouth at a gasp. "That... that is very uncomfortable, any other special parents that you want me to know about?" she asked with a giggle.

Trunks was just quiet for a second, 'I never could think of a way to say, well actually I'm the son of an alien prince of a planet that no longer exists,' Trunks thought. "No not really," Trunks told her.

The two walked into their own hotel ready to go to sleep so they could be ready for the upcoming tournament.