Chapter Three: Tryouts

A couple weeks flashed by faster then it had ever had in Gohan's mind. He had been so busy training himself for the coming tryouts that time was just a flutter of annoyance to him. The absence of their lord on the ship was clearly visible. The men seemed a lot less strained into doing work on time and several even exchanged jokes at times. Gohan had never been so long sent from his adoptive parent that this change in the other warriors was surprising. Gohan had never recalled how stressful working conditions were with the boss hanging over you all the time.

The day of anticipation finally came drawing a blanket of anxiousness over the people of the space station. When Gohan exited his quarters in the morning he had to cling tight to his arms to keep from shaking with excitement. So many fighters… so many chances to prove himself. His blood positively boiled with the thoughts of all the tremendous fun that lay ahead.

Focusing on keeping an even pace, Gohan marched down the metal corridors to the padded training hall that was to be used for this unique event. All around him Gohan caught sight of impressive and menacing warriors that had also dared to reach for the best. Their bulging muscles and huge height did not phase Gohan like it did to the other warriors as they compared their strength to the others with their scouters. Truth was, Gohan was never phased by any power wave not even the aurora that had surrounded Frezia. Only Vegeta's bewildered him to no end.

Gohan had broken his scouter in training several times that now it was beyond repair even by him. He had given up on the machine several years ago relying on his own sense between the ki. Frezia had be curious of the technique he used and Gohan had not the courage to let him know. Something pulled him back from ever showing anyone what he could do.

Until now…

The doors spread opened to the waiting crew of fighters revealing a hall so filled with warriors that it was surprising it did not burst. So many, so many.

Gohan shook his head roughly shaking the image of Raditz out of his head. Lately those dreams were coming more and more vivid but still not giving him a single hint to what he wished to know. Why was he cursed with such dreams? Why didn't he have the family he had dreamed of?

Someone roughly pushed Gohan forcefully ripping his feet from where they were planted. He stumbled forward, having his knees collide with the cold matted floor as the other so called superior warriors stepped around him. Gohan clenched the ground tightly finding his anger rising. He had every right to be here to. Just because he was younger didn't mean he was any less experienced.

Voices collided with his thoughts as he heard a strong grunt of a full grown Malian Man. Captian Ginyu. There could be no other. He was called the warriors to attention to watch a demonstration of some sort…

Climbing to his feet gave Gohan no better view from where he was rested on the ground. All he had now was a great view of several rumps. Gohan knew that flying would be immediately discouraged at this hall. Besides, many were probably already doing so. Most of the time at the Ginyu tryouts, Captian Ginyu was known for attacking the fliers first for their waste of energy. Gohan did not need to seem even more of a novice.

Gohan dropped down to his knees once more, and crawled between the many legs and other limbs of the space warriors. Making sure not to disturb the owners of the limbs, Gohan carefully moved past them until he was finally at the front of the crowd. Gohan sat in front of a squid like Gaian finding they were least liking to get mad at beginning cut in front of by a child since they admired land children. He crossed his legs in an Indian style position gazing up at the great horn headed man in the area in front of him.

"Captiiiiiiiiaaaaaaan Giiiiiiiinnnnnnnyyyuuuuu!" The man shouted proudly sinking down into a strange position which carried his feet over his head.

Four other fighters flipped down from the tall ceiling to join their leader each in turn shouting their name and making a strange pose.

"Jeice!"

"Raikom!"

"Golem!"

"Berter!"

"WE ARE THE GINYU FORCE!" They all shouted making one overall ridiculous pose.

Gohan's jaw dropped in utter shock at the team who were supposed to be made up of the best warriors of the universe. Apparently it took a few minutes before the crowd could shake off their bewilderment and give some strained applause. Gohan was still too lost in his shock to move a muscle. How could this be the Ginyu force? They were all utter idiots!

"Now everyone let off your inner style and make your unique pose," Captian Ginyu grunted. "And my members and I will come and inspect."

All around the disorientated Gohan, the warriors leapt into ballet positions and bizarre poses that were most degrading. Gohan still could not make a move to their command trying to retrace his steps in his head to make sure he did not enter the wrong room.

The white topped red skinned member who had clearly identified himself as Jeice had stopped in front of Gohan tapping his foot impatiently. Gohan's head swam with random excuses, surly this was not who he planned to join in battle with. These morons were not the great fighters of the universe that had inspired Gohan to train so passionately the last couple of weeks.

The toe of the pallid boot continued to bob at Gohan as if mocking him. Up and down… and up and down. It took all of Gohan's willpower not to attack the member with his frustration and rage.

"Well, come on now," Jeice spoke in a heavy Austrian accent. "Is that all you got?"

Still, Gohan was too befuddled with the prospect of their feeble ki levels and oversized egos to speak. Giving a slight sigh, Jeice turned and waved down Captian Ginyu for his approval of disposing him.

"You neanderthal!" Captian Ginyu snapped waking Jeice upside the head. "This is just one of the water boys. He isn't a fighter. He probably just got too frightened by your presence to speak."

"Oh yeah. That would explain it," Jeice nodded rubbing his neck where the Captain had smacked.

At those words, Gohan's day dreaming had broken tossing him back into the cold clutches of reality. He quickly rose to his feet and glared at the back of the turning fighters, "Wait. I am a fighter."

Captian Ginyu turned slightly, smirking at the silly boy as he spoke in his rich sayian accent. He cocked a slight eyebrow finding the child making a stupid death wish, "Don't be silly boy. Go back to your duties here."

Rage boiled up in Gohan causing his face to grow slightly pink. How dare they speak to him this way? Why was he always assumed to be weak and unable to defend himself? No longer

"I can't believe this is the famous Ginyu Force," Gohan spat finding it hard to believe such venomous words were protruding out of his mouth, "You're overly sized ego is the only thing anchoring your balance. Why you even call yourself a band of warriors? It makes me sick to think that you are supposed to be the best in the universe."

That did it. Now Gohan had their attention. The hall had becoming deadly quiet letting his words echo hauntingly off the walls. Captian Ginyu's smirk had quickly turned into a sneer. But Gohan wasn't done. The frustration at finding the men he admired to be a bunch of low class flunkies was rattling him to no end.

"Do you have an inch of sanity floating about in that gauche head of yours? Or is it all bland ego?" Gohan discharged finding his mouth grow dry.

"I would quit while your ahead, kid. And perhaps Captian Ginyu will spare you from a slow death," Golem snickered his slimy green lips flapping pointlessly.

Gohan stood firm not even slightly faltered by the threat on his own life. Captian Ginyu was eyeing him with his dark gaze shocked he found such a rare warrior on a dump like this. He had no sense of style but it was possible his skills were even some how comparable to himself. Frezia was speaking the truth when he told the Captian of the selection that was here. Despite his sharp sayian tongue and crude humanoid features, he was gloriously built for fighting. The Captian licked his ashen lips with the tip of his purple tongue finding his catch quite satisfying. If he sent this boy ahead of the rest of his warriors on distant planets, they wouldn't get a chance to retaliate. His face was so innocent that no one would think he was associated with the great genus.

"You're in, kid," Captain Ginyu said bluntly causing all his members and the warriors in the hall to face fault.

"You can't be serious, captain," Jeice blurted out. "He's just a tot! You thought he was the water boy."

"Looks can be deceiving," Captian Ginyu said harshly.

"I'm not joining," Gohan said coldly causing the whole Ginyu Force to be overcome with bewilderment. "I'm rather content working at Frezia's side. I don't feel like joining a group of blundering idiots."

Oh, he's a sayian, alright. Golem's mind snarled, He's sounds just like that Vegeta. I wish Captian would let me stomp him. I can't take all the insulting he's doing to our name!

"You're not doing anything now, are you?" Captian Ginyu asked. "Frezia's on Namek. You are up here, and lord only knows how long his trip on Namek could take. You would be doing something useful with your time."

"Depends what you mean by useful," Gohan smirked callously.

Gohan let out a small sigh eyeing Captain Ginyu with a slightly suspicious gaze.

"I'll join in my own way," Gohan smiled, "I want to fight one of you to prove myself."

"Ah," Captian Ginyu nodded. "I couldn't have said it better. Golem. You fight him."

"What?" The rest of the Ginyu force cried.

"You really wish to make it an easy battle, eh mate?" Jeice snorted as Golem stepped forward proudly.

"Shut your trap, Jeice," Golem snarled. "I could beat you any day."

"Except for any day ending in a y," Berter grunted causing the rest of the Ginyu force to burst out in laughter.

"Ignore them," Golem spat turning to Gohan now. "I will be tough once you fight me."

"I would hope so," Gohan smiled. "I would hate to hurt your feelings…"

Goten hung upside down on the couch stared bored at the ceiling. The house seemed so much quieter since his father had left to only Kami knows where. His mother wouldn't ever tell much about his father's other life. His fighting life. Or about this boy, Gohan, that he kept having in his dreams or his mom and dad would speak of every now and then.

Goten brushed his bangs out of his dark eyes just for them to fall right back into place. He had recalled when he was younger his father sitting him on his strong shoulder and speaking about a boy similar to him. If Goten scrunched up his face hard enough he could almost recollect everything from that distant memory.

His father had been really sad at the mention of his name. Gohan. His brother, or so he figured he was told. He died only a few months before Goten was born in some sort of accident. His mom and dad didn't like the subject. And lately his mom had been really up tight about anything that related to his brother or marital arts.

Every now and then, things would just come to Goten. Strange things. Things about a distant place out in the abyss of space. And a butterfly… Sometimes things around here. Like he would know exactly what his mother was doing in her room even though he was outside playing. Sometimes he would even say things he would later not recall.

It's happening again. Goten thought dully as his vision slightly fuzzed.

The wall of the cottage opened up hurling Goten somewhere far away past the seclusion of earth. He saw a boy sitting alone on the edge of a crag staring down into its comforting depths. Goten rose himself up from the couch having it vanish from beneath him. He walked slowly so not to frighten the other boy of his sudden appearance. The boy turned his startled gaze resting upon Goten's blameless face. His dark locks brushed past his smudged and scraped face as he looked upon Goten.

"What do you want?" The voice came as only an echo as it was issued.

"I'm here to help you, Gohan," Goten spoke though not in control of his voice any longer.

"I don't need your help," Gohan spat turned away.

Goten reached out his hand gripping the boy's shoulder to turn him around. His grip was harsher then Goten had intended and it brought the boy into tears… Suddenly the vision faded and in the boy's place, Chichi blurred into view. Before Goten could utter a word of apology to his weeping mother, Chichi flung her arms about her son. Out of the corner of Goten's eye, Goten watched a kitchen knife slightly tinged with blood slip out of her grasp. Goten made a small cough tasting blood on his lips.

Mom stabbed me? Goten thought suddenly quite shaken.

The pain finally ripped into his mind causing him to collapse into his mother's arms.

"Hold on, Goten. Hold on," Chichi cried as Goten's eyelids drooped.

"You're son will be fine," The doctor nodded to the dark haired woman lament in the farthest chair. "Just make sure he gets lot of rest. And please teach him to beware of kitchen knifes."

Chichi tried to stutter something but she faltered back into her chair sobbing something awful. The hospital doors opened revealing a blue haired beauty entering in quite a rush. She flung her arms about her best friend and cried, "Are you alright, Chichi?"

"He saved me," Chichi whispered choking on her own words of defeat. "I… I wasn't trying to hurt him. He startled me and I… The knife just… I was trying to kill myself, Bulma. And he knew it. He stopped me."

"It's okay," Bulma smiled softly. "I'm here now. We'll get help."

"Just so many times… I wished he would open the kitchen door and say it was just a joke. That he was just playing hide and go seek. So many times I wished it was him. But it's never him. It's never him, Bulma," Chichi sobbed weeping onto the shoulder of her best friend. "I miss my son."

Bulma nodded darkly knowing exactly who she truly missed.


"Hey, Bulma dear." Mr. Briefs called from the ship they were building for her. "You ready to leave yet?"

"As soon as Chichi has settled back down, yes." Bulma nodded petting her father's black cat nervously. "Will you and mom look out for Chichi for me, Dad?"

"Of course, dear," Mr. Briefs grinned as he cut the red wire. "AHHHHHH!!!!"

"Dad! I told never to cut those!" Bulma snapped as her father fell out of the ship his hair slightly smoldering. "Let me help you before you hurt yourself."


Gohan shook his head slightly as the people in the room either spaced out or were flung out of the room to make space. Suddenly he felt very strange, as if he had forgotten something important.

Probably one of those dreams about earth again. Well, I can't pay attention this time. I have a score to settle…

And so the vision faded back away from his eyes and into the darkness of his active mind.

To Be Continued…
Please Read and Review!