AUTHOR's NOTE: I do NOT own DBZ, although I really wish I did. Besides, would I honestly be writing fanfics if I did own it? Instead, I would be re-writing the script of the American dub to have Goku or Vegeta KICK HERCULE'S @$$!!! (And since I hate him with the flaming passion of a thousand suns, I shall make sure he gets what he deserves in this fanfic!! Okay, all you Hercule-haters?)
PS: Hercule is a broom-flogging turkey.
CONTROL
Chapter 1: Measuring Up
"Goten! Time to go fishing!"
Sleepy-eyed and tousle-haired, Son Goten woke to find golden morning sunshine streaming through his bedroom window. He realized he had overslept on the day when his father, Son Goku, was to take him fishing.
"Goten!!"
"Coming!" he hollered back. He knew he shouldn't keep his mother waiting. Dressing quickly and combing his hair, he raced downstairs to greet his family.
His mother, Chi-chi, stood in her usual spot in front of the stove, stirring some unknown dish for breakfast. Goku sat patiently at the table, anticipating a huge breakfast.
"'Morning Dad, 'morning mom," Goten greeted, seating himself at the table. "What's for breakfast?"
"Eggs!" cried Goku. "And they're taking for-ever! I'm sta-a-arving!!!'
Goten heartily agreed. When the food was set on the table, it was gone within a few short minutes.
"Ready to fish, son?" Goku asked, grabbing his fishing rod. "I think we're gonna catch some big ones!"
"Not too big, Goku," warned Chi-chi. "The last one you came home with hardly fit through the door."
Goku waved it off and flew out the door with his youngest son close behind.
When they reached Goku's favorite fishing spot, they were quick to throw their rods aside and peel off their outerwear.
"This is where I used to take Gohan all the time," Goku grinned, getting ready to dive in. "We always had a blast."
Goten felt a twinge of anger at the name of his older brother. He knew Goku was very fond of Gohan, and Goten always felt that he had never quite fit in in that area.
"Well, we can too, dad," Goten remarked, jumping in the cool water.
Goku followed, and the two swam around underwater for a while before coming across any fish.
After coming up for air, they dove back in at superspeed and caught the biggest fish they could find. Bringing it onto the shore, Goku whooped.
"Whoo-ee!" he shouted. "This one's way bigger than the last one I caught!! Bigger than Gohan's, too!"
"Yeah," answered Goten half-heartedly. "I guess mom's not gonna like it too much, but at least it all gets eaten!"
"Yep! There's plenty room here-", Goku patted his stomach, "-for this guy!"
When they arrived back home with the fish, Goten noticed that they had a visitor. It was Bulma, Vegeta, and Trunks.
"Hi Trunks!" called Goten. He raced up to meet the sixteen year old. Trunks was one year older than Goten, and the two were the best of friends.
"Hey, there you are Goten!" Trunks answered. "Been training hard for the tournament?"
"Yep, me an' dad have."
"Oh yeah. Well, this is the year I'm gonna beat you! My dad and I have been training almost non-stop! Mom's been getting worried so she made us take a break and come over to visit."
"Uh-oh, I don't think your dad's too pleased."
Sure enough, Vegeta stood several feet away from the table where the women sat, and had his arms folded. His trademark scowl was pasted on his face.
"Kakarrot," he remarked when Goku walked in. "I want to talk to you. Alone."
The two went outside and flew off.
"What's up Vegeta?" Goku asked as they flew. "Is something wrong?"
"No," he growled. "I just wanted to ask you if you're coming to the world martial arts tournament this year."
"Huh? Oh, well, I don't know. I really want Goten to have a shot at it this year. Even if he doesn't win, that kid really needs to boost his self-confidence."
"You don't want to enter? But this is our chance to fight eachother and see who's stronger!"
"Vegeta, is that all you ever think about? Beating me? Listen, I really don't think I want to fight in the tournament. There's still a chance I might, but I doubt it."
"Well, at least I'm entering. We've got to have someone put that 'Hercule' out for good."
"Vegeta, you know the rules. No killing."
"No, I mean just take away his title. Although, I wouldn't mind-"
"Forget it, Vegeta. Anyway, you might not get to fight him."
"Even still, Trunks may. And even if your kid does, at least he'll be put in his place."
"Yeah, I can't stand the guy either."
Back at Goku's place, Trunks and Goten were having a serious talk about the tournament as well:
"Trunks, I think you have a really good shot at winning," Goten admonished. "You're so strong."
"Goten!" Trunks exclaimed. "What the hell are you talking about? You're just as strong as I am!"
"Well, I don't know. I'm really not sure if I'll ever be strong. Not like my dad and Gohan, anyway. Dad's so proud of him. And I've never really been able to feel special like that."
"Try training with my dad, Goten. Getting praise from him is like trying to summon the eternal dragon with only six balls. At least you do get compliments."
"You're right. I'm sorry Trunks. I didn't mean that I don't get any praise, it's just that every time dad talks about Gohan and how he beat Cell and stuff, he sounds really proud. And he's so strong, too. How can I ever live up to that?"
"You will, Goten. You became a super saiyan when you were seven. That's quite a feat. Already you're ten times stronger than your dad and brother at that age."
"Yeah. I suppose."
But even with Trunks' reassurance, Goten still felt as though he would never measure up to his family.
PS: Hercule is a broom-flogging turkey.
CONTROL
Chapter 1: Measuring Up
"Goten! Time to go fishing!"
Sleepy-eyed and tousle-haired, Son Goten woke to find golden morning sunshine streaming through his bedroom window. He realized he had overslept on the day when his father, Son Goku, was to take him fishing.
"Goten!!"
"Coming!" he hollered back. He knew he shouldn't keep his mother waiting. Dressing quickly and combing his hair, he raced downstairs to greet his family.
His mother, Chi-chi, stood in her usual spot in front of the stove, stirring some unknown dish for breakfast. Goku sat patiently at the table, anticipating a huge breakfast.
"'Morning Dad, 'morning mom," Goten greeted, seating himself at the table. "What's for breakfast?"
"Eggs!" cried Goku. "And they're taking for-ever! I'm sta-a-arving!!!'
Goten heartily agreed. When the food was set on the table, it was gone within a few short minutes.
"Ready to fish, son?" Goku asked, grabbing his fishing rod. "I think we're gonna catch some big ones!"
"Not too big, Goku," warned Chi-chi. "The last one you came home with hardly fit through the door."
Goku waved it off and flew out the door with his youngest son close behind.
When they reached Goku's favorite fishing spot, they were quick to throw their rods aside and peel off their outerwear.
"This is where I used to take Gohan all the time," Goku grinned, getting ready to dive in. "We always had a blast."
Goten felt a twinge of anger at the name of his older brother. He knew Goku was very fond of Gohan, and Goten always felt that he had never quite fit in in that area.
"Well, we can too, dad," Goten remarked, jumping in the cool water.
Goku followed, and the two swam around underwater for a while before coming across any fish.
After coming up for air, they dove back in at superspeed and caught the biggest fish they could find. Bringing it onto the shore, Goku whooped.
"Whoo-ee!" he shouted. "This one's way bigger than the last one I caught!! Bigger than Gohan's, too!"
"Yeah," answered Goten half-heartedly. "I guess mom's not gonna like it too much, but at least it all gets eaten!"
"Yep! There's plenty room here-", Goku patted his stomach, "-for this guy!"
When they arrived back home with the fish, Goten noticed that they had a visitor. It was Bulma, Vegeta, and Trunks.
"Hi Trunks!" called Goten. He raced up to meet the sixteen year old. Trunks was one year older than Goten, and the two were the best of friends.
"Hey, there you are Goten!" Trunks answered. "Been training hard for the tournament?"
"Yep, me an' dad have."
"Oh yeah. Well, this is the year I'm gonna beat you! My dad and I have been training almost non-stop! Mom's been getting worried so she made us take a break and come over to visit."
"Uh-oh, I don't think your dad's too pleased."
Sure enough, Vegeta stood several feet away from the table where the women sat, and had his arms folded. His trademark scowl was pasted on his face.
"Kakarrot," he remarked when Goku walked in. "I want to talk to you. Alone."
The two went outside and flew off.
"What's up Vegeta?" Goku asked as they flew. "Is something wrong?"
"No," he growled. "I just wanted to ask you if you're coming to the world martial arts tournament this year."
"Huh? Oh, well, I don't know. I really want Goten to have a shot at it this year. Even if he doesn't win, that kid really needs to boost his self-confidence."
"You don't want to enter? But this is our chance to fight eachother and see who's stronger!"
"Vegeta, is that all you ever think about? Beating me? Listen, I really don't think I want to fight in the tournament. There's still a chance I might, but I doubt it."
"Well, at least I'm entering. We've got to have someone put that 'Hercule' out for good."
"Vegeta, you know the rules. No killing."
"No, I mean just take away his title. Although, I wouldn't mind-"
"Forget it, Vegeta. Anyway, you might not get to fight him."
"Even still, Trunks may. And even if your kid does, at least he'll be put in his place."
"Yeah, I can't stand the guy either."
Back at Goku's place, Trunks and Goten were having a serious talk about the tournament as well:
"Trunks, I think you have a really good shot at winning," Goten admonished. "You're so strong."
"Goten!" Trunks exclaimed. "What the hell are you talking about? You're just as strong as I am!"
"Well, I don't know. I'm really not sure if I'll ever be strong. Not like my dad and Gohan, anyway. Dad's so proud of him. And I've never really been able to feel special like that."
"Try training with my dad, Goten. Getting praise from him is like trying to summon the eternal dragon with only six balls. At least you do get compliments."
"You're right. I'm sorry Trunks. I didn't mean that I don't get any praise, it's just that every time dad talks about Gohan and how he beat Cell and stuff, he sounds really proud. And he's so strong, too. How can I ever live up to that?"
"You will, Goten. You became a super saiyan when you were seven. That's quite a feat. Already you're ten times stronger than your dad and brother at that age."
"Yeah. I suppose."
But even with Trunks' reassurance, Goten still felt as though he would never measure up to his family.