The rain poured from the gray sky as lightning danced across the low clouds. The winds howled, helping the ocean to unleash its fury. The Tai clan remained in their huts, doing their best to keep warm and dry. The men patched up leaks while the women kept the fire going. The children sat near the fire. Some of the boys would help their fathers. This is how the Tai clan spent their time during storms.
When he was younger, Ubuu would help his father plug the leaks. Usually his hut was the driest. But now that Goku was there, Ubuu would spar with the saiyan during the storms. At first Ubuu was reluctant; his speed was what kept the house dry. But Goku assured him that it would be all right. After the first storm with Goku, Ubuu noticed that no water came into the huts, or any of the huts for that matter. Ubuu could not understand how, but he was pleased.
His thoughts were no longer on the huts. With each battle, Goku's blows came faster and harder. He dodged Ubuu's jabs easily and blocked his kicks, feeling no pain. But Ubuu also noticed that he too was becoming faster and tougher. Even with the weights that Goku added, he was doing better. Ubuu believed that he really was becoming stronger.
But Goku knew the truth. Ubuu may have become stronger, but what was really happening was Buu's powers were being unlocked. Though the evil had been eliminated, the demon's spirit still possessed all its strength. Though Goku wanted to explain this to the boy, he knew he could not, for it would disappoint the boy as well as frighten him. It's not everyday your told you're the reincarnation of a demon that destroyed hundreds of worlds, killing billions.
After a few minutes of hard punches and swift kicks, Goku called for a time-out. Ubuu stopped in mid-air. He was glad his master had taught him this so soon. He loved it when he could see his entire island at once. It was a beautiful place.
Goku was standing on the ground. The rain was coming down hard, yet it could not move Goku's wild hair. The saiyan stared at the boy for a while, who was catching his breath. Then he lifted a finger into the air. He swung his entire arm down.
And lightning struck Ubuu. He yelped, more from surprise than from pain. Goku was able to recognize that. That pleased him. But the fact Ubuu was his disappointed him.
"You should be faster than that." He said as a numb Ubuu stood up, "You should have felt that coming and moved out of the way." He pointed to the sky again. Ubuu looked and the bolt coming. He jumped out of the way. He looked again and then turned to his right as another bolt sizzled passed him. Another bolt came. He dodged it but before it hit the ground, it u-turned and headed for the boy. He started to fly backwards. That's when he felt the skin on the back of his neck crawl. He ducked and a streak of lightning passed over, colliding with the other bolt.
"Very good!" Goku said from fifty feet below him. "You're starting to feel, not see. That's what I want." Ubuu smiled, but it quickly vanished as he sidestepped another bolt. Goku's hands were still at their sides. The bolt started to track Ubuu. Then another. And another. Pretty soon Ubuu was zigzagging through the sky, avoiding eight bolts. As avoided one of them, he realized he trapped himself. The lightning had surrounded him. Wondering what to do as the bolts drew nearer, Ubuu realized Goku never said he could fire back. He screamed and energy erupted from his body. The lightning struck the protective wall and exploded. The boy was cloaked in smoke. It quickly covered Goku and made its way towards the village. But it dissipated before reaching the Tai clan.
When the smoke had cleared, Ubuu was standing erect, a smug smile on his face. Goku also smiled, but his was filled was satisfaction. The boy had come a long way in a year. So the next step was obvious.
"When the storm clears," Goku said, "Pack some things and tell your parents that you're going on a journey with me."
"I shall obey if you tell me the destination." Ubuu said.
"Tenkaichi Budoukin." Ubuu's eyes widened.
"We're going to the tournament!" he exclaimed.
"We're going to be in it."
"You're kidding me!" Gohan cried. He slid down the ladder that he was on. He had been placing some new books he had collected into his personal library. That's where Goten and Trunks found him.
"I thought you guys didn't want to participate anymore." He continued once he was on the floor.
"We heard some interesting news." Trunks said.
"You know Rick?" Goten asked. Gohan nodded, "Well, he's participating."
"Ah, I see." Gohan said, chuckling, "This is about payback." The other two shrugged.
"Makes my dad happy." Trunks said.
"And I'm sure our dad wouldn't mind." Goten added.
"No he wouldn't." Gohan said, "In fact he called me a few days ago. He wanted me to encourage you to enter. You saved me some trouble."
"There are no phones where he is." Goten pointed out.
"No, but in Caritas, a city five hundred miles northeast, there are."
"What's he doing there?" Goten asked, puzzled.
"He's taking the long way to the tournament." Goten's jaw dropped. "And he's bringing Ubuu." Goten and Trunks looked at each other in panic.
"Your house." Goten said.
"Right." They rushed out.
Bulma walked up the stairs to her daughter's room, her high heels clicking on the wooden steps. She was wearing a pale blue blazer, with a white blouse and a blue skirt that reached her knees. She had her purse about her wrist. She carried a tray, which she was careful not to drop.
When she reached Bra's room, the door opened. A blond hair girl with striking blue eyes stood there, holding the door. She was thirteen, a lot older than the two girls who were playing with dolls behind her. Well, one of them at least.
"I brought you all some cookies." Bulma said.
"Thanks Mrs. Briefs." The girl said, taking the tray.
"Well, I got to get going. Thank you again Maron for coming over to baby-sit."
"Anytime Mrs. Briefs." She said. Bulma walked over to Bra and gave a kiss.
"You play nice now." She said.
"Always." Said the little girl. Bulma smiled, then left the room, leaving the door open. As she went down the stairs, Maron took a cookie and offered some to Bra. Then she turned to the girl who was making the dolls fight with each other.
"Do you want a cookie Pan?" the girl looked up.
"Not hungry." She said. She continued to play with her dolls. Bra started to complain that Pan did not know how to play with dolls.
"They don't fight each other." She was saying. But Pan had stopped playing with the dolls and gazed out the door. Suddenly she jumped up and ran out the room and down the stairs. Maron had no idea why she did that, so she followed. When she reached the base of the stairs, she could hear Pan laughing. Then she heard a voice.
"Pen?"
"Pan." Was Pan's reply.
"Pon."
"Pan."
"Pin."
"Pan!" she yelled. Maron heard a thumb. Walking around a corner, she saw Goten on the floor and Trunks on the ceiling.
"Your louder than Veggie." Trunks said. Pan laughed. Goten sat up. That's when he spotted Maron.
"Hello there." Goten said, "How goes the business?"
"Pretty good." Maron replied, "But I thought you guys were going to try and get into a club."
"Number one: we don't need to try." Trunks said from the ceiling. "Number two: We had a change of plans. We decided to actually train for the tournament."
"Why the change of heart?" Maron asked.
"We don't want to be beaten by Ubuu." Maron gave a questioning look, "The boy that my dad left with last year."
"Ah."
"Is grand-pa coming back?" Pan asked, excited. Goten answered in the affirmative, picking Pan up. He handed her to Trunks, still on the ceiling.
"I bet my sister is making you play with dolls." Pan nodded, "Well, I'm stuck up here. If you can pull me down, we'll let you train with us."
"Really?" Trunks nodded vigorously. Without another word, Pan pulled at Trunks arms. At first, the going was slow. Then Pan put her heart into it.
"Holy sh-" Trunks fell to the floor. He looked to see a smiling Pan.
"What makes you think I'll let you come in here?" Vegita asked angrily. He was standing the gravity chamber. It was set to two hundred times Earth's gravity.
"Because I live here." Trunks said over the intercom.
"You know what the level is?"
"Yes."
"You still want to come in?"
"Yes." Vegita growled, thinking of way to keep his privacy. Then he saw it.
"She won't survive." He pointed at Pan. Trunks and Goten looked down at her. She looked up, disappointment apparent on her face. Vegita saw it too and his will wavered.
"We made a deal with her." Trunks said finally.
"She won't survive." His father repeated. Pan whimpered.
"Turn that thing off if you're not using it!" Trunks let go of the intercom. Vegita was silent for a moment. Then he surprised them all.
"You and Goten can come in. I'll take care of the girl." This caught the boys off guard but it pleased Pan greatly. She had grown quite fond of the saiyan prince. Vegita walked to the inner door. It opened and he stepped into the compression chamber. His body adjusted to normal gravity. He stepped out, leaving the door open for the boys. Then he did something that nobody had ever seen done before. He took Pan's hand and walked beside her. Trunks and Goten looked each other.
"What just happened?" Goten asked after a pause.
"I don't know." Trunks replied, "These past two days have been full of surprises."
Thanks Vegita.
This better repay my debt Kakkarot.
Train her until the tournament and you're off the hook.
This is cutting into my time.
I haven't been exactly working hard all year. Not like you anyway.
All right. But I'm not doing this again.
Don't be so sure about that.