DRAGON BALL NEXT

Episode 3

Pan's Fight!!! Another Mystery Fighter - But what is his intent!?!

Zapping out of existence to any human eye, Pan launched herself towards the tall, eerie fighter who was now her opponent. In full Super Saiyajin mode, she streaked like a golden comet with her fist drawn back. Surprisingly, her opponent wasn't even moving.

What the hell?, she thought, this guy can't even see me!

Her right fist punched the fighter full on the spot where his nose should be, if he had one. The hit produced a sonic boom that rocked the whole dome.

With a finally full stomach, Akira paced happily out of the cafeteria, patting his much inflated belly. He was licking his fingers, when he felt Pan's ki flaring like a star, felt her attack intentions, and then the execution of the attack. He zipped to the front, just behind Vejiita, and what he saw left him slack jawed.

NO WAY!!!, he thought, or more like cried out in his head. The huge rasta fighter Pan was facing had taken the powerful blow in the nose without even flinching. If anything, he was actually smiling. Akira scowled deeply, and could almost see that Gohan was doing the same, for his whole frame was trembling, overrun by concern for his only daughter.

It wasn't just fear that Pan might lose the fight, and Akira knew it. He, too, felt the ki that her opponent emanated, and which had risen to opaque Pan's like a torch that had been moved close to a matchstick. And it wasn't just huge, it was EVIL!!! Akira had never felt such evil intent in his life! His scowl deepened even further. That guy had better not hurt Pan, or else...

The mystery fighter flashed a grin full of sharp teeth at Pan from behind her fist, delighted at the sight of her shocked face framed in golden hair. Only a half-second had passed since she'd struck to no effect, but to them, it had been an eternity. Pan quickly recoiled and sprung back to her starting point, falling back into fighting stance. Though she tried her best to hide it, her face still showed signs of surprise. I hit him with everything I got!, she thought, closely examining her opponent, who hadn't moved from his spot. His ki was now flowing from him like a dam that had just broken loose, frightening in its intensity. Pan pushed back her feelings. Fear wasn't going to get her anywhere.

-Is that all you got, little girl?-, the fighter chuckled. Pan screamed and charged again. Her ki rose even further in response to the rage she was feeling. Her fists became like a meteor rain, seeming to become a hundred at the same time.

-Pathetic-, the fighter muttered, dodging all of the blows. Finally, he grabbed her right wrist and jerked her to himself. Pan was taken by surprise by this move, and almost blacked out as she felt absolute pain engulf her body.

The fighter was delighted as he felt the young saijayin gag after the powerful knee-thrust he had just dealt her in the stomach. But he wasn't satisfied just yet. Still pulling her by the wrist, he hauled her over his head and punched her in the face with his free hand. Pan flew upwards, between consciousness and blissful darkness, only to half-see her opponent zip into her vision and hit her over the head with both his hands.

As Pan rocketed to the surface of the ring, Gohan could slowly feel the grip on his restraint slip away. The only thing that was keeping him from flying to the bastard who had just hit his baby and beating him into a pulp was the knowledge that Pan would never forgive him for interrupting her fight and treating her like a child. That, however wasn't going to hold him for long if he even thought the guy was going to put some serious hurt on her. He'd already seen it once, when Videl had fought against Babi-di's minion, Supopo-Bitchi, and been badly injured. He wasn't about to let another member of his family get hurt again, no matter if later they hated him for it.

Gohan's concern came too early, though. As she fell to the ground, Pan quickly turned in the air and fell on her feet, crouching on the floor and looking at the fighter, who was still hovering above her, once more his arms crossed over his chest and grinning evilly.

She wiped a line of blood flowing from her broken lip. I'm not getting anywhere with brute force, she thought; I'm too weak already, and I could drop out of SS form soon. It's time to start playing smart.

In a blurry of movement, she raised her arms over her head and extended them. -MASENKO!!!-, she screamed, and shot a golden beam of energy from her palms towards her opponent.

The fighter shook his head and chuckled. Did she really intend to take him down with such a simple technique? He extended one palm and took the blast full on. The beam exploded harmlessly with a bright flare that blinded everyone, including him. Quickly recovering from the flash, he spotted out of the corner of his eye the fast-flying outline of the girl rushing towards him.

So that was it, he thought. With a savage howl, he launched a fist in her direction, only to find the air.

-WHAT!!!-, the fighter exclaimed, losing balance. He felt the girl's ki at his both sides, and a half second later he realized his mistake. Twin Pans met behind him and fused back into one. The once again whole girl put two fingers to her forehead.

-YES!-, shouted Gohan. He was amazed Pan had been able to divide at such high speed, and come up with such an advanced strategy in the middle of a fight. It was clear so many fights over the years had helped her mature into a shrewd fighter. His little girl wasn't quite so little anymore, he realized. And then he realized what she was about to do as her ki increased a hundredfold in a couple of seconds. Where did she...!?!

-SHIN MAKANKOSAPPO!!!-, Pan shouted. She extended her fingers and shot her own version of Piccolo's trademark drilling spiral of energy. This particular technique had the capability of charging energy well beyond the user's maximum power, and Pan knew it. The last thing she saw of her opponent before the flash engulfed them all was an expression of shock on his face.

The spiral hit, and the resulting explosion sent everyone with a power level below one million flying into the walls. The power level display on top of the dome read eighty million before it blew up. The bullet-proof windows of Bulma's VIP balcony shattered into a million pieces to it's occupants' horror. The very structure of the dome barely held on, its walls cracking severely.

Akira covered his eyes, and when he could see again, he was amazed at the havoc Pan wreaked on the dome. The ring was hidden by a huge cloud of smoke and dust, while the walls were all encrusted with confused or unconscious people. With a quick glance he checked that the people on the VIP balcony were okay, and he saw Vejiita and Gohan doing the same. He could also feel the growing respect for the young woman in the z-fighters, even in Vejiita, and himself. However, she was obviously not very experienced with her last ki attack, for she had put everything into the blast and it had completely drained her energy; he could feel her ki weaken by the second.

Indeed, Pan was now barely able to remain in flight. She dropped out of Super Saiyajin mode, her hair returning to black and her eyes to their sky shade of blue, as opposite to the cobalt blue tone they took when transformed.

-Heh... gotcha...-, she chuckled. That's when she saw the muscular outline amidst the smoke. Oh, no---

-YAAAAAHHHHH!!!!-, a voice howled from the cloud of smoke, which was pushed away with a vengeance as the mysterious fighter's ki exploded. The man's clothes were now a collection of tatters, and his skin was covered with small burns and bruises, courtesy of Pan's final attack. His face was a mask of rage, sharp teeth gritted in an expression completely devoid of the amusement it had shown before.

-You fucking brat...-, the man muttered-, how dare you hurt me... you just made the BIGGEST MISTAKE IN YOUR LIFE!!! YOU'LL SEE WHAT IT MEANS TO HURT THE GREAT SAMBA!!!

Sweat ran down Pan's face, both warm from her exertion and cold from her fear. She couldn't believe her attack had barely hurt that monster. Think fast, Pan, thinkthinkthinkthink ...

-Gohan, you gotta stop this! That creep's gonna hurt Pan real bad!-, Goten said, looking at his brother's concerned face. He stopped from saying any further when he saw Gohan's clenched fists trembling, veins bulging out from the force he was using.

I get it, Goten thought. Pan is like dad... she wouldn't forgive us if we stopped her fight... but...

-Feh. I hope Samba doesn't kill that brat right out-, a voice at their side said. All of them, Akira included, turned to see who had just spoken. They were shocked to see a fighter looking exactly like Pan's opponent standing beside them. The only difference between them was that the color of his clothes was a dark shad of red. He flashed them a grin full of sharp teeth. -You see, Samba has a really bad temper. He tends to get a little antsy when he feels pain, and doesn't stop to think of the consequences of his actions. In this case, getting himself thrown out of the tournament.

-He doesn't stop to think about other consequences, as well-, Trunks said, scowling deeply and turning to look at Pan again.

-Oh? And what would those be?-, the man asked, an amused tone to his voice.

-If he kills Pan, I'll kill him... slow-, Gohan answered, locking eyes with the man. After a second, the fighter stepped back, cold sweat running down his forehead. He was still smiling, though it was a forced grin.

-Well met, warrior. My name is Tango. Since I passed on to the finals, I guess we will face each other eventually. Let's save our energies until then, eh?

-We'll see-, Gohan whispered, and turned back to the fight.

Samba put his palms together in front of his face and concentrated. His fingernails began to glow with an eerie, purple light that intensified until they became little purple lanterns. He extended his hands to both sides.

-WIND OF DEATH!!!-, he howled, and swept with his shining claws towards Pan. The light seemed to become solid, and arced towards the hovering girl like bright, purple whips. Straining with her exhaustion, Pan managed to turn Super Saiyajin again, and twisted in the air to avoid the lines of light. As they passed her by, the rays cut through the roof of the building like hot knives through butter, causing much of the ceiling to fall. The few people who had decided to watch the fight instead of running as far away as possible scattered to avoid being crushed by falling masonry.

-DIE!!! DIE!!!-, Samba howled as he swept his hands in the air over and over again, sending new arcs of light towards Pan, who could barely stay ahead of the deadly rays. She then remembered a move her uncle Krilyn had taught her a long time ago. Using all her speed, she started to move closer to Samba as she avoided the lines of light. She put one of her hands over her head.

-KIENZAN!!!-, Pan shouted, creating a large disk of yellow light over her palm and launching it towards Samba. As it flew, the disk spun over its center like a round saw. Samba swept with his hands again. The lines of light clashed against the disk, and after a brief struggle, the disk broke through.

-WHAT!?!-, Samba cried. As the disk approached, he barely ducked under it, letting it pass harmlessly above his head and into the floor. It went right through the concrete and into the earth until it was out of sight.

The huge fighter couldn't savor his luck, though, for suddenly Pan appeared under his jaw, hands cupped at her side, blue light shining between them.

-KAMEHAMEHAAAAA!!!-, she cried, and let loose the azure blast into Samba's abdomen. The explosion caused what was left of the ceiling to collapse completely, and the walls of the dome to reveal in several parts the thick, three-foot-wide steel beams that supported them.

A cloud of smoke formed in front of Pan as she dropped out of Super Saiyajin mode. She was now breathing hard, and barely stayed on her feet. Damn. That took all the energy I had... if that didn't do it---

As if on cue, Samba materialized if front of her. Pan's face barely showed surprise before his large fist struck her stomach, knocking all the air out of her. As the girl doubled over in pain, Samba brought both his fists over her back, causing her to rebound off the floor and two yards over ground level. He then field-kicked her higher into the air, about ten yards up, and materialized again over her. In the cup of his right hand he formed a purple ball of energy, which he released into her back with a savage howl. Another explosion ensued, and Pan was rocketed towards the floor. She crashed against the platform and didn't move again.

-PAAAAANNNN!!!-, Gohan roared. He could barely feel her ki at all. Samba looked at him, and smiled evilly as he floated down and landed beside Pan. He picked the girl up by the back of her shirt, and held her over her head. He brought a knee up.

-NO!!!-, Trunks, Goten, Uubu, and Tenshinhan cried, realizing that the green fighter meant to break Pan's spine. Gohan started to power up.

Then, suddenly, the grin disappeared from Samba's face, to be replaced by a look of pure horror. He slowly brought Pan down, sweating profusely and gritting his teeth.

-Huh?-, Gohan said, confused. He hadn't powered up enough yet for Samba to become scared, yet the fighter seemed to be completely terrified by something.

-Heh... It's your lucky day, brat... -, Samba muttered, and threw the girl out of the ring and into her father's arms. Gohan cradled his daughter and set her down on the floor. She was badly bruised and her face was twitching as if she were having a nightmare. Her ki was very faint, and getting weaker by the second. Gohan turned to face Samba, his face a mask of pure fury, which caused the fighter to step back in fear.

-You better hope we don't see each other in the finals, Samba, because you won't be leaving here alive...-, he said, venom in his voice. Samba looked at him for a second, then turned back and left, followed by Tango.

-Gohan, we had better take Pan to our infirmary, quickly-, Trunks said.- Mom had a regeneration tank installed specially for this kind of thing.

Gohan nodded and picked up his daughter gently. He followed Trunks out of the wrecked building. Uubu and Tenshinhan followed, and as Goten started to walk out, he saw Vejiita looking at Akira, who was himself looking at Samba and Tango.

-Hey! Akira! Vejiita! You comin'?-, he called out. Akira turned to him, and his face lightened up. He walked towards him. Vejiita took a second before he followed suit.

-Well, it seemed you have been growing brains, little brother-, Tango said as he and Samba walked out of the dome and into the outer yard.- At least you had the sense to stop from killing the girl and getting yourself thrown out of the tournament.

Samba scowled at him as they sat on the floor.

-You moron... I wasn't gonna kill her, just break her back so she'd never step on a ring again...-, he muttered. Tango looked at him puzzled.- But then I felt something... It was like nothing I've ever felt, a power only short of... -, he looked around-, ... you know... And it was aggressive! A million images went through my head in a second, and in all of them... I WAS DEAD!!! DEAD IN A POOL OF BLOOD!!!

Tango was utterly shocked. After a second, he shook his head dismissively and smirked.

-You must have been tired, Samba. I didn't feel any---

-IT'S TRUE, DAMMIT!!!-. Tango shook his head again.

-Well, I know for sure the father hadn't powered up that much. So that leaves the magical being and the saiyajin. Maybe they-

-No, the magical one hadn't powered up yet. And though the saiyajin would be the only one with enough spine to project such murderous thoughts, he wouldn't have interfered.

-Then, who?-. Samba couldn't answer.

The z-warriors plus their families were gathered around the regeneration tank in which Pan was placed. As the girl floated in an orange fluid, still unconscious and given air by a breathing device, Videl cried in Gohan's arms. Chi Chi, more accustomed to seeing members of her family beaten even worse, tried to keep the spirits up.

-Videl, honey, don't worry-, she said, caressing the younger woman's hair.- This is nothing! You should have seen Gokuu, Gohan or Goten come back from one of their fights, almost dead, and be back to good health in a day or two!

Videl looked at her, her make up all messed up because of the tears. She looked a little bit more calm than before.

-I know, Chi Chi, but... this is my little girl... I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to her...

-Chi Chi's right, Vid-, Bulma said, sitting beside her.- I've seen Vejiita and Trunks the same way a hundred times --- hell, Vejiita's even died a couple of times --- but they always spring back up.

Videl turned to her, and her eyes told Bulma her words had effect. She blinked at her.

-It's in those saiyajin genes, honey. Trust me.

Videl's face lightened up. She nodded and smiled at them.

-Thank you-, she said. Gohan smiled too, relieved at Videl's recovery, and held her tighter to himself. Then he looked at Pan floating in the regen tank, and his smile disappeared.

I'm gonna make that bastard pay... BIGTIME!!!

Goten yawned. All the excitement had caused his stomach to act up. Then he noticed Vejiita outside the balcony of the room, and Akira standing beside him. They were talking, and Vejiita seemed very interested in the conversation for once.

-Hey, Trunks-, he said. His lavender-haired friend turned to him. Goten nodded towards the duo on the balcony.- Since when did your dad become so talkative around other people?

-Since today, it would seem-, Trunks said, amused at the thought of his dad becoming best buddies with a "worthless human", as he called them.

-Very interesting, the way you handled that-, Vejiita said in his coolest tone. Akira, resting his hands on the rail of the balcony, turned to him, a puzzled look on his face.

-What do you mean, mr. Vejiita?

-Don't "what-do-you-mean-mr.-Vejiita" me, runt! The others may not have noticed, but I was so close to you it damn near ran me over! I felt how you concentrated your ki so that only that Samba creep could feel it, or so you thought! It was you who scared him halfway to death! Tell me, how does a human gather enough power to scare a being more powerful than a Super Saiyajin like that?

Akira shrugged. He frowned and looked to the horizon. The sea was painted in orange and blue colors from the tropical sunset, and the breeze was warm and filled with the smell of the ocean.

-All I'm going to say is this: anybody who hurts Pan, or anyone else in this group for that matter-, he turned to lock eyes with Vejiita-, will answer to me.

Vejiita raised his eyebrows in surprise at the young man's tone, but didn't turn away. After a brief moment, Akira turned around and walked to the glass door. Before reaching for the handle, he turned around, his face bright with a big smile, like one of those Kakarot used to give him that managed to annoy him so much.

-Besides, whaddaya mean by that "saiyajin-are-more-powerful-than-human" remark, huh? I train all the time, you know?

With those words, Akira joined the others inside the room and closed the door. Vejiita turned to look at the ocean. Slowly, a smirk creeped up into his face.

This kid's not all he seems to be - or maybe I should say is more than - and I think I know what it is. He chuckled to himself. This could prove to be the most interesting thing in the last six years. Yeah.

Hours later they were all called to pick the ballots that would decide who would fight who. Gohan and the gang glared at Samba and Tango all the while, and the duo just returned the glares with evil smiles. Only Vejiita and Akira seemed impervious to the tension between sides.

In a minute, the fights were set. The first fight would be between Goten and Gohan. The second would match Uubu against Trunks. The third faced Akira against Samba. And the final fight would be between Vejiita and Tango.

Suddenly, the skies opened up and it started to rain, which caused the fights to be postponed until the next day. So, the z-gang decided to take their troubles to a bar, by Trunk's suggestion. They hauled themselves over to the Papaya Cantine, which was the closest, and Gohan bought the first bottle of whiskeyfor everyone.

-Goddamit, I can't believe I won't be fighting that Samba bastich!-, Gohan yelled after a couple of hours, his face already red with drunkedness. He slapped Akira on the back and put his arm around his shoulder-, Akira m'boy, you better give that sunbich a REAL good beatin', you hear!?!

-Uh, sure thing, Gohan! Psst, hey, Goten, how many drinks has he had?-, he whispered to the younger Son. Goten held up three fingers.

-Feh. Boy can't handle his drink.-, Vejiita said, gulping down a full half bottle of his own booze.- Hell, in my day, saiyajin warriors could drink a full gallon of booze without blinking. And that was real Vejiitasei brew, not the weak stuff they make on Earth!

Trunks was really surprised to see his dad so talkative. Apparently, Akira was having a really big effect on him. That, or he wasn't as impervious to liquor as he believed. Still, it was a chance he wasn't about to let pass. -Really, dad? Was that brew any good?- At his son's question, Vejiita just let go a loud, roaring laugh that startled even the tough-looking bikers at the bar.

-ANY GOOD!?! Boy, it's my fault for letting Bulma raise you here on Earth! That sissy stuff you call tequila is tap water compared to Vejiitasei brew! Hah!- he took Gohan's bottle from the table- This crap called whiskey can't even tickle the tongue after you've tried your race's liquor, son!

-Surely, mr. Vejiita, you are exaggerating-, Uubu said.- I mean, I don't know much about alien barmanship, but I believe our sake is--

-Ah, don't give me any o' yer saiyajin supremacy crud, Vejiita!-, Gohan yelled, standing up. - Any Earth drink will beat yer sissy Vejiitasei booze any day!

-Bah! Do you call me a liar, runt!?! I said NO FRIGGIN' DRINK IN THIS THIRD RATE PLANET IS WORTH A RAT'S ASS!!!-, Vejiita roared, and threw the whiskey bottle over his shoulder. The sound of glass breaking followed, and a huge biker came over with ten of his friends to the table and stood behind Vejiita, who didn't even turn. Trunks hid his face behind his hands in embarrasment. That's when he noticed that under his dad's side of the table were a pile of twelve bottles of tequila. Oh, crap, pop's drunk!

-WHY YOU LITTLE, GOOD FER NUTHIN' MIDGET, I'M GONNA--!!!!-, the biker said, reaching for Vejiita.

A wicked smile crossed in the saijayin prince's lips. Trunks sunk under the table.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

At the hotel restaurant, Bulma and Chi Chi were having a couple of drinks themselves. Bulma couldn't help but think of how old they looked these days. Their hair was mostly grey already, and their bodies were reflecting the passing of time more all the time.

-It's strange isn't it, how for all of the boys time doesn't mean a thing, but for us it's as hard as for everyone else?-, she said. Chi Chi looked at her.

-Yeah. But I'm actually glad, you know?

-Huh? What do you mean?-, Bulma asked, concerned at the melancholy in her old friend's tone of voice.

-Well... after all, I have done all that I ever wanted... I married the man I loved, I raised two strong, smart boys, and I have a beautiful granddaughter, who happens to be as strong as any man on Earth! Besides-, she gulped down her martini- ever since Gokuu went away, life just hasn't been the same for me...

-Whoa, girl, you sound like you want to die!

Chi Chi threw her head back and laughed hard. Bulma was startled at this sudden outburst from her normally extremely polite friend.

-Oh, no, nothing so dramatic! But, I really miss him, though. Despite all the times he's just walked away without thinking twice, despite always thinking about the fights more than about his family... I know he always meant well for us... I really wish I could join him, wherever he is...

Bulma sighed. It was hard not to miss Gokuu. She'd known him longer than anyone else alive, and he'd come to be one of the beacons in her life: whenever there was danger no one could beat, you could be sure Gokuu would come to save you. He had become so powerful it wasn't even funny, and the only thing that saved him from being scary was his unblemished innocence and childish love for everyone. She'd mistaken it for weirdness, but that's what happens when you encounter something that is on a whole different level. And that's what Gokuu had always been: a whole different level, all by himself.

-Besides, I have had my share of adventures to last me three lifetimes!-, Chi Chi said, bringing Bulma out of her thoughts.- I guess you can certainly relate, huh?

-Oh, Yeah-, Bulma laughed.- Ever since I've known Gokuu, it's been one wild ride after another. And when I met Vejiita, it got a LOT weirder. I got taken to outer space, met demons from other dimensions, heck, I met the Earth's Kami when he was only a little kid! I'll tell you honey, with these guys, you never know when something's gonna blow--

A large explosion rocked the hotel down to its basement. Everyone rushed to the windows. Bulma and Chi Chi just stayed on their tables. Fire burned in Bulma's eyes.

-I'll be damned it Vejiita doesn't have something to do with this.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

-Jeez, dad, calm down, will ya!?!-, pleaded Trunks amidst the scorched ruins of what once was the Papaya Cantine. Only the z-warriors were standing over the rubble, while all the other customers were running away from the site. Vejiita was hovering over the wreck, his arms crossed over his chest.

-I AM CALM, DAMMIT! THOSE HUMANS SHOULD CONSIDER THEMSELVES LUCKY I PULLED MY PUNCHES, OR ELSE THEY WOULD BE NOTHING BUT DUST NOW!!!

-As it is, they're already in Earth's orbit now...-, Goten mumbled. Akira nodded vigorously.

-AAAAGH!!! C'MON!!! WHICH ONE OF YOU TWERPS IS GONNA GIVE ME A GOOD SCRAPE!?!-, roared Vejiita, pointing at the group.

-Chill out, mr. Vejiita! You'll get to beat up somebody tomorrow, remember?- , said Akira apologetically.

-Yeah, Vejiita, I mean, if we fight each other now, we'll be disqualified from the tournament!-, said Gohan, a little bit more sober now. Vejiita roared into the air.

-GRAAAAHHH!!! DAMMIT! KAKAROT! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!?! NONE OF YOUR IDIOT OFFSPRING IS ANY GOOD!!! AIN'T NOBODY IN THIS PIECE OF GARBAGE ROCK CAN GIVE ME A GOOD FIGHT!!!

-AND JUST WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?!-, a familiar, feminine and indignant voice shouted from the street. Vejiita turned to see Bulma standing with Chi Chi, her face the very mask of fury.- VEJIITA, YOU COME DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!!!

-SHADDAP, WOMAN!!! I'LL COME DOWN IF I WANT TO, OR I'LL STAY UP HERE ALL YEAR LONG!!!

-WELL, I HOPE YOU LIKE IT UP THERE, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T COME DOWN RIGHT THIS INSTANT, YOU'LL BE SLEEPING IN THE AIR ALL YEAR LONG, YOU HEAR!?!

-AAAAAARRRRRGHHH!!!!!-, yelled Vejiita, facing the sky with his arms stretched, making the windows crash all over the city. When he finally stopped, he dropped his arms, yet continued facing the sky. It was a full moon.

-Dammit. I wish I had my tail.

Slowly, he floated to the ground in front of Bulma. His face was such a mask of grief that his wife decided against giving him a hard time.

-C'mon, tough guy, let's get you into bed-, she said, taking his hand and leading him to the hotel. Vejiita just followed like an obedient puppy, oblivious to the crowd of curious people that had gathered and watched the whole scene.

The z-warriors said nothing. Trunks was the first to speak.

-I better follow up. Dad's hangovers are a real pain, as scarce as they are- , he said, and went to the hotel.

-Well, I guess it's just us five now, huh?-, said Gohan, grabbing his brother and Uubu by the shoulders. He was still severely wasted.- Whaddaya say we go crash some other party, eh?

-THAT'S JUST WHAT YOU THINK, MISTER!-, another feminine voice yelled. Gohan and Goten froze. Chi Chi's voice continued wailing.

-YOU TWO ARE COMING WITH ME!!!

You can imagine what happened after that. Finally, the city got some peace for the night, except for the screaming and yelping in the Sons' hotel room.

The next day...

The main arena sure has changed too, Goten thought as he walked inside the fighters' waiting room, where a window allowed sight of the structure. The place was now almost completely made out of metal, with huge pillars and beams to support the structure. The place was now built like a huge stadium, only this one seemed to be made for testing nuclear warheads.

-Like what we did to the place, Goten?-, Trunks said, joining his old friend beside the huge circular window.- Mom said she'd had too many scares sitting by the ring with nothing between her and our crazy attacks but air. So she decided to build this. The seats are all behind a three feet, super resistant, kamehame tested glass. And the metal's no piece of garbage, either. It's made from the same stuff as Juhaachigou's skeleton. It should hold out for the aftershocks of the battles, if we don't get too carried away.

-Heh, I'd worry more about Mr. Let's-destroy-the-planet, aka Your Dad.-, Goten chuckled. Trunks slapped him on the back of the head.- Hey, what's your problem!?!

Behind them, the other fighters were preparing themselves, on their own ways. Gohan was doing vertical-body pushups on one finger, while Vejiita cracked his joints and Uubu did some yoga. Gohan noticed out of the corner of his eye the green twins, Tango and Samba, leaning on the wall opposite them. They were wearing their same glasses and wicked smiles. Gohan repressed the sudden urge to make them swallow their own teeth. Then he saw something on the other side of the room, and he almost fell on his head.

Akira was stretching. It wasn't the fact of the stretching that troubled Gohan, but the way he was doing it. He stretched his legs first, one at a time to the sides, then his knees, then did a little bounding. After he finished, he seemed happier than ever.

Creepy. That's almost as if dad were preparing for a fight, Gohan thought. He shook off the feeling, calling it nostalgia, and resumed his warm-up.

Back at the window, Trunks and Goten were still flapping their jaws.

-So? You nervous?-, Trunks asked. Goten looked at him, puzzled.

-About what?

-About fighting Gohan, dumb-ass! You know, after all this training, you're finally gonna see if you're tough enough to beat him!

Goten shrugged, giving Trunks a brief smile of lightness.

-Oh, well, it really doesn't matter, you know? I mean, it's Gohan we're talking about. We fight all the time! It's the same thing as fighting you. I don't think about beating you, I just enjoy the fight!

-Goten, my man, you really should give some thought about seeing a shrink.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

The VIP balcony for the main event was located in a dug-out box right in front of the fighting ground. The families of the fighters were already in there.

-How's Pan holding up so far?-, Bulma asked. Videl gave her a reassuring smile.

-Great. That tank of yours is a real wonder! Pan's almost ready to come out. I think she could be ready by the third fight!

-Probably sooner, what with those Saiyajin genes in her. You know, I really wish I could get my hands on some of those Senzu beans of master Karin's. Now those things are a wonder! I'd make more money than I could count.

-Bulma, dear, you already make that much!-, Chi Chi laughed.

-Hey, look, it's about to start! -, Videl said. Their eyes all turned to the platform, out of which the old announcer came. He was still wearing his old suit and sunglasses, but his head was mostly bald now. He walked with a slight limp, and every step revealed his old age.

-I can't believe it! That guy is still around!?!-, Chi Chi said.- He was old when I was young, for Kami's sake!

-When you were young? Heck, he was old when I was young!-, Bulma laughed.- But, it seemed like a shame not to start the new Budokai without him. It doesn't matter. I already signed with another guy, one who can keep up with the fights. He's only here to open the games.

-A new guy? Much younger, I presume?-, Videl asked.

-Actually,- Bulma said, lighting up a cigarette-, much older.

-Huh!?!-, the Son women exclaimed. Bulma flashed a sly smile. A microphone lowered from the above screen display to the center of the platform.

- LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO THE *TH TENKAICHI BUDOKAI!-, the announcer said. - BROUGHT TO YOU BY CAPSULE CORP ENTERTAINMENT!

The crowd cheered loudly. A lot of them were flashing large foam hands with the legend "FIGHT!!" on them.

-SADLY, I WILL NOT BE PRESENTING THIS EDITION OF THE TOURNAMENT. HOWEVER, I FEEL NO REGRETS, AS I HAVE WITNESSED FIRST HAND THE BEST FIGHTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE BUDOKAI! BESIDES, I FEEL VERY PLEASED WITH THE REPLACEMENT OUR SPONSORS HAVE PROVIDED! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I AM VERY PROUD TO PRESENT...

The lights on top of the stadium started flashing with different colors. Four different spotlights focused on the center of the platform.

-... ONE OF THE LIVING LEGENDS OF OUR TIME... MARTIAL ARTIST EXTRAORDINAIRE... T.V. CELEBRITY... AND TRAINER OF THE BUDOKAI'S MIGHTIEST WARRIOR, SON GOKUU...!!!

-NO WAY!!!-, Videl and Chi Chi shouted in unison. The same thing was mirrored inside the fighters' room.

-... LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I GIVE YOU...- Fireworks exploded on the four corners of the platform. The spotlights focused on a figure jumping from the video screen.- ... KAMESENNIN MUTENROSHI!!!

The crowd exploded into cheers as Master Roshi, dressed in a tuxedo and complete with a rainbow-colored turtle shell on his back and silver-tipped wooden cane, dropped to the center of the platform. As he dropped he flashed v-signs on his free hand, made a few battle poses, and finally fell on his feet.

-PEACE AND LOVE!!!-, he yelled into the microphone, flashing v-signs. All of the z-warriors fell flat on their heads.

-THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANKS FOR THE INTRO, M'BOY!!!-, the elderly master said, patting the announcer on the back. The old man (younger than Master Roshi, but less active) bowed deeply, and walked off the platform. He went into the VIP balcony, where he was warmly received.

-Hi, mr... Announcer-guy!-, Chi Chi said, smiling at the old man. - Remember me?

-Oh, but how could I forget! That lovely girl who married Son Gokuu in the Budokai so many years ago!

I could continue to describe the chatter and reminiscing that went on in the VIP box, but I'm bored already myself. So let's get with the good stuff!

-LADIEEES AAANNND GENTLEMEEEENNNN!!!-, Master Roshi shouted. - LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLEEEEEEEE!!!

The crowd once again burst into a roaring frenzy. The scent of beer was already dominating the air.

-TODAY'S FIRST FIGHT BRINGS BACK TWO OF THE TOP FIGHTERS IN THE WHOLE UNIVERSE!!! THEY'RE THE CHILDREN OF THIS TOURNAMENT'S GREATEST FIGHTER, SON GOKUU!!! ON THIS CORNER... THE YOUNGEST OF THE BROTHERS...!!!

-That's my cue!-, Goten said. As Trunks gave him the thumbs up, the youngest Son walked onto the platform.

-... TRAINED BY THE GREAT SON GOKUU, THE DEMON KING PICCOLO, AND HIS MOM... (Goten nearly tripped at hearing this)...LET'S HEAR IT FOR SON GOTEN!!!

Cheers went up for Goten, as well as wolf whistles and screams from the ladies. Goten waved.

-(Psst! Hey, kid, good luck!)-, Master Roshi whispered at Goten, who nodded respectfully.- AND ON THE OTHER CORNER... SON GOKUU'S FIRST SON, THE DEMON KING'S FIRST DISCIPLE, AND FORMER SUPERHERO GREAT SAIYAMAN... SON GOHAN!!!

Gohan walked onto the platform and waved. The cheers were just as loud as Goten's, if not louder, but the whistling was definitively louder.

-(Yo, Gohan! Good luck, sonny!) ALRIGHT KIDS, YOU KNOW THE RULES!!! ANYBODY WHO IS UNCONSCIOUS AT THE COUNT OF TEN, GIVES UP OR FALLS OFF THE PLATFORM LOSES AND GOES HOME CRYING FOR HIS MOMMY!!! NO WEAPONS ARE ALLOWED!!! THAT MEANS NO FLYING CLOUDS, EITHER!!! NOW LET'S GET IT ON!!!

The old man walked off the platform, put on a soldier's helmet, catcher's mask and bulletproof vest, and stood facing the fighting brothers.

-Don't expect any quarter-, Gohan said, smiling. Goten smiled back.

-Same to you. Show me what you got!

Both fighters blurred out of existence, and the battle was joined.

SON VERSUS SON!!! THE BATTLE OF THE AGES HAS STARTED!!! WHO WILL ATTAIN VICTORY!?! FIND OUT ON EPISODE FOUR OF DRAGON BALL NEXT!!