*skips into the room tossing flowers all about* I got reviews! I got reviews!!!! *spins in a circle* Now I know why everyone likes getting them so much! I feel like so high! I love you all *big breath, okay not so big* Lady Nightshade,Catnip,chichi4goku,Lady Athena,Pan-chan84,Chrystaline,Polka dot,oh and royal princess!. You've inspired me. (And big hugs to Pan-chan84 for going with an unknown writer and putting her on her favorites list!!!!!)

Sooooooooooooooo… I'm writing the next chapter early!

*cough* to unnamed, sorry about the confusion, but the whole dream sequence is supposed to be kindof mysterious. It's basically Goku's future self telling him about what ChiChi will mean to him one day.

Which reminds me! We G/CC lovers should like unite or something. For the longest lasting couple, they don't have that many stories! (Of course if you do abide totally by the series their relationship sucks, big time. But hey! What's fanfiction for if not to fix the anime?)

Oops! I can't believe it! I forgot the stupid disclaimer.

I, Nitte iz or the real person behind this nickname, do not own DB, DBZ, or DBGT (who would want to?). If I did, for one it wouldn't be a Japanese anime show.

Dream a little dream

Part 2

By Nitte iz

The boy, no longer a child, went through his last cool down katas before bed. Tomorrow was the Bukodai and he could hardly wait. He had come such a long way since the last one and he'd be able to test his skills against the strongest warriors in the world. If he had still had it, his tail would've been twitching in excitement. He finished his last move and sighed slightly. Sure he trusted Kami's decision to remove it, but he still missed it sometimes. He was especially saddened because his tail training had gotten to the point where it no longer hurt to pull it. Hah! Krillin had been so surprised when they fought. He grinned before his thoughts drifted to before then. He only clearly remembered two people pulling his tail and how painful it was, his dead grandfather and…a picture of a dark haired girl flitted across his mind, but her name, it escaped him. Oh well, he hadn't seen her since. He yawned and finally stretched out on the ground. He'd need a good night's sleep for the Bukodai the next day, if he wanted to win.

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He blinked. Everything was pitch dark. Straining his ears, he couldn't hear a thing.

Where am I? He wondered.

Finally after an indeterminable amount of time, the area before him lightened and a bed appeared. A plain white-sheeted bed it was unadorned except for the beam of light highlighting it…and the woman upon it. He stared at her.

            He remembered her, despite the years gone by. Whenever he met a girl, he had always unconsciously compared them, to see if she was the mysterious woman. But he had never found her.

            His gaze scanned her form, this time noticing her enticing curves barely outlined by her modest white nightgown, her midnight hair loosely draped over her shoulders. His stomach twisted strangely.

            She was beautiful. She had always been, but now the reasons did not seem so elusive.

            His eyes returned to her face with the secret smile and he nearly jumped. She wasn't staring into the distance; she was staring right at him! They locked eyes for time unknown, Goku experiencing a nervous feeling the likes of which he had never felt. Finally her smile widened.

            "Come here," she spoke quietly, yet with a compelling authority. Before he could think, he found himself obeying, until he was a foot away from her. Involuntarily his eyes dropped back down to take her in and his hand was poised an inch away, before he got himself and snatched it back. He dropped his eyes and felt an unaccustomed flush rise in his face.

            "Look at me." Again, he found himself obeying the quiet, but powerful voice. She looked into his eyes, searching for something.

            "Will you love me…forever?" His eyes widened. The authority was gone, replaced with slight quavering despite the demand the question held.

            Love? Oh, he knew how to love his friends, stick by them and always protect them, but he knew that was not what she was asking for. Bulma had once told him what love was, after one of her breakups with Yamcha.

(Flashback)

            Bulma sniffled and dabbed her eyes with another tissue. "Stupid Yamcha! Stupid little, little…" But by now, an hour after the breakup, her anger was depleted and another tear slipped down her cheek.

            Goku popped his head into the room warily, checking to see that she wasn't in a throwing mood, before entering. "Bulma?" he asked timidly. He wasn't really sure how to deal with Bulma when crying, but he did want to make her feel better. "Are you okay?"

            The bluette whirled, but upon seeing her little tailed friend relaxed. "Oh, I will be Goku. I'm just a little, a little sad right now." Her hand went to get another tissue but to her dismay, found the box empty.

            "Here." She looked up and saw Goku helpfully holding out a full box of tissues. She smiled weakly.

            "Thanks Goku." She blew her nose and there was silence for a moment.

            "Bulma?" he finally asked. "If Yamcha makes you sad, why is he still your boyfriend?" Bulma's eyes widened. He must have seen her fight with him. She sighed and patted the bed next to her. He hopped unto the bed and looked at her with those big innocent onyx eyes.

            "Looks like I'm going to have to give you the love talk," she snorted suddenly, reviving slightly. "Better me than Roshi," she muttered under her breath. "It's like this Goku: I love Yamcha and so even if he makes me sad," her throat closed. She tried again. "Even if he makes sad, I'm still going to keep him." She knew that they'd probably get back together, loneliness while a teenager sucked big time.

            "What is love?" Bulma groaned mentally. Right, she had to get the impossible question. Maybe she should leave that question for Roshi… She blanched at the picture of Roshi explaining with aids. Maybe not.

            "Love, not true love, is wanting to be with one person the rest of your life. To protect, to hold each night, to wake up with every morning, to stay by their side when they have a really high fever and throw up a lot, and to do it even when you don't feel like it all the time." She had started crying again. "And whenever you think of getting old, seeing that one person as sitting next to you, beautiful with all their wrinkles and white hair."

            The only sound was her muffled sobs. After a moment Goku gently put his hand on her back.

            "One day," he whispered. "You'll have that person…forever." Startled, she looked into his eyes, so innocent and hopeful. Was he wiser than they all thought? Or was he just naïve? Still, she couldn't help but believe him.

            "You too," the older girl whispered back. "You too. One day."

            Goku gulped, looking into the woman's eyes. Could he love her?

            "I will try." The words came out a whisper. Her black eyes suddenly filled with unutterable sadness.

            "Never lose your hope young one. For in some cases it will be all you and the universe has." Her tone suddenly became more frantic. "Promise me Goku. Promise me that you will always try." He drowned in her eyes, drinking in her distress.

            "I promise." He was confident this time, his resolve hardening in the face of her desperation. Finally he voiced the question he had pondered for well over six years. "But who are you?"

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*sweatdrop* okay so I didn't get to the tournament. That flashback came out of nowhere and then, well, this was just a perfect place to stop. This is the end for now, but the tournament will be up within the week!

Toddles,

Nitte iz