Chapter Eleven - Champions

Gohan, Mirai, and Tama turned at the sound of Goten's voice and saw him and Trunks landing on the edge of the Lookout. Once more Tama's eyes widened in disbelief. "Who...?" she asked looking toward Gohan.

"These are the kids I told you about." Gohan said. "Trunks and Goten."

"Goten... your little brother? Your... your father... Who?"

"Hmm? His name is Goku... well, his Sai-jin name was Kakkarotto." Gohan said. "But he... died, seven years ago."

Tama shook her head slowly. "This is... going to take a while to get used to..."

"So, he's in your world too?" Mirai asked.

Again Tama nodded. "Him and Bardock are Vegeta's personal guards, the only non royals stronger than the Trio. You said that... he was born a low class here?"

"Yeah, weakest Sai-jin in history, according to what we've heard from Vegeta." Gohan said.

"Ok, now I'm lost." Trunks said looking from the girl to Gohan. "What's she talking about?"

"It's complicated." Gohan said. "What are you two doing here anyway?"

"I told Trunks about her and then we went home so he could meet her but you were already gone! We didn't know where to look but then we felt a strong power going up so we came to check it out. I figured it was her and I was right!" Goten cheered.

"Yeah, she's pretty strong too... I didn't think there was anyone stronger than my dad." Trunks said.

"I'm... stronger than your father?" Tama asked blinking.

"Well, in his base form at least." Trunks said. "But as a Super Sai-jin he'd beat you easy."

She turned and looked over to Gohan again. "You mentioned this... 'Super Sai-jin' before, when you told me about Frieza... what exactly is a Super Sai-jin?"

"Never heard of it?" Gohan asked. Tama shook her head. "Huh, well, I guess there haven't been any in your universe... maybe Sai-jins there can't transform into Super Sai-jins..."

"Sai-jins can transform." Tama said. "We call it the Ekiyajuu."

"Well, that's a new one." Gohan said thoughtfully. "The only tranformations Sai-jins have here are the Super Sai-jin forms and the Oozaru..."

"Oozaru?"

"It's a giant hairy ape." Gohan explained. "About fifty feet tall or so..."

Tama blinked. "That's... weird. The Ekiyajuu is ape-like, but it's not like that... At the most the person only grows a few inches taller." She shook her head taking in the differences between their worlds. "And only full blooded Sai-jins can transform."

Gohan nodded. "That's certainly different. Hybrids can transform into Oozarus, so long as they have a tail and see a full moon."

"Full moon? And they need their tail?"

"Yeah. You mean your Sai-jins can transform into these 'Ekiyajuu' even without a tail or a full moon?"

Tama nodded. "Yes. A tail is merely a symbol of purity since hybrids don't have them. It's why those with tails either get angry or depressed when they lose them. They lose that sign of their heritage, it's like having their pride ripped from them. And the transformation doesn't require a full moon either..."

"Is it still a ten fold increase in power at least?" Mirai asked.

"Huh? Yes. A Sai-jin is ten times stronger in their Ekiyajuu form than in normal. You still haven't told me what Super Sai-jin is...."

"Well, it's another kind of transformation." Gohan said. "Very different than Oozaru... you need to sort of unlock it through intense pressure and emotions. My dad was the first to do it, while on Namek fighting against Frieza."

"Gohan, it'd be easier just to show her, don't you think?" Trunks asked.

Goten nodded. "Yeah. Here, I'll do it!" He quickly clenched his hands into fists and let out a cry. A breeze rushed up around him, his hair waving in the wind, and then in flash of gold he transformed.

"G-Goten!" Gohan cried in shock. "Whe-when did you... how did you... you're a Super Sai-jin!"

Goten just grinned and scratched the back of his head. "I don't know... I've just always been able to."

"Yeah, what's the big deal?" Trunks asked. "You guys are always making such a big deal out of it...."

"I... wait, you can too Trunks?"

"Sure." he said shrugging. He turned to look at Tama then. "Not that it really matters... this is embarrasing. Her base is stronger than Goten and I in Super Sai-jin! I mean... at least I'm stronger than dad when I transform... Come on Goten, we need to go train some more if we want to win that tournament!"

"Ok! Nice meeting you lady, bye Gohan!" Goten cheered waving and jumping off the Lookout. With that the two kids took off leaving a shocked and startled Mirai and Gohan to watch after them.

"So... that was Super Sai-jin?" Tama said after a moment.

"Huh? Oh... yeah... that was it...." Mirai said. "I wonder if father knows they can do that yet...?"

"I doubt it." Gohan said. "We'd have heard something by now." He stared off after the boys for a moment and then turned back to Tama. "Anyway, yeah, that was pretty much it. But, there's two levels. That was level one, Mirai and I are able to get to level two... and I think by now Vegeta is as well." Gohan walked over to the edge of the Lookout and looked down at the planet. "But Piccolo was right... the way things look now... you came at a bad time. This could turn into a smaller threat than we're afraid of but...."

"I doubt it's as bad as my world." Tama said. "But... as bad as it is, I do want to get home...."

"Mom can probably figure something out." Mirai said. "If she can ever figure out your technology. And if it comes down to it, we can use the Dragonballs to send you home."

"Dragonballs?"

Gohan nodded. "There's seven artifacts on this world called Dragonballs. Gather them all and you can summon Shenron. He'll grant you two wishes within his power. The boys summoned him yesterday but only used one wish so they'll be back in a few months... still, we need to hang on to that wish... just in case things go badly."

Tama sighed a little and glanced down at the tiles beneath her feet. "How long after that... before they can be used again?"

"A year." Gohan said. "Unless Bulma can figure something out... you're stuck here I'm afraid." Tama nodded. "I guess... you could stay at my place. Or I'm sure Bulma has room... we'll figure something out."

"Thank-you." she said clasping her hands together and bowing slightly. "Umm... the boys mentioned something about a tournament?"

"Oh, yeah, the Budokai is coming up soon. A lot of us are entering, dad's even coming back for it." Gohan said grinning.

"Your... your dad's coming... I thought he was dead?"

"Oh, yeah... well, he is..." Gohan said nodding slowly and scratching the back of his head. "He's getting a day back in the living world. Apparently Baba, King Yemma, and King Kai arranged for it."

"Oh... wow... that's... wow."

"Yeah, I can't wait to see him again."

"Me either." Mirai said. "It'll be good to say hello again. And I can only imagine how much stronger he's gotten. Didn't he say he was going to train on the Grand Kai's world seven years ago?"

Gohan nodded. "Yeah."

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Otherworld, Grand Kai's planet.

King Kai stood a few yards away from where Goku was training. The Sai-jin was floating a few dozen feet above the planet punching and kicking away at nothing, heavy weights on his arms and legs. The short Kai had been standing there watching his pupil training for a couple of hours now. He was trying to find a way to tell him about the feeling he had.... Somehow the Kai doubted Goku's trip back to Earth at the end of the month was just a random event on a random day. He felt a great evil out there, a great darkness that was rising.

Hearing footsteps behind him he turned and looked. There was the equally small and round West Kai walking toward him with a large purple scaled man behind him. "Ah, there you are North Kai." he said walking up to him. "I'd like you to meet the new champion of the West Quadrant. This is Paawa. He died a couple weeks ago saving his entire solar system from destruction." the Kai said happily. "He's going to be competing in the next tournament whenever the Grand Kai holds it."

"Well, I hope he's ready to lose." King Kai replied turning back to Goku. "Hey, Goku, how goes the training?"

Goku stopped and looked over to them. "Pretty good... but these weights aren't quite heavy enough...."

"Not heavy enough?" West Kai asked blinking.

"Hmmm." King Kai scratched his chin in thought. "Hey, West Kai, how about you do the honors. Up his weights to twenty-five thousand tons."

"Twenty-five thousand tons total?"

"No, each."

"WHAT!?"

"Fine, fine, I'll do it." He turned and waved a hand through the air. The sky rippled and then the weights did the same.

"Oh yeah, this is a lot better!" the Sai-jin called, happily. "Yeah, I'll get a good work out now!"

West Kai and Paawa blinked. "Umm... well, uh, see you later North Kai..." he said turning with his warrior and walking off.

King Kai watched them go and smiled. "Just you wait until Gohan gets up here." he said with a small grin. "Goku's going to push that kid beyond anything you could imagine." He turned back and watched Goku again, the dilema from a moment ago returning to the forefront of his mind. He didn't know what to do though. It could be nothing... if he spoke to Goku he may worry the warrior for no reason. "Perhaps... I should speak with someone who does know something."

Moving a few paces away his antennae wiggled in the air as he sought out the person he wished to speak with. -Ah, Dende. How are you?- he telepathically asked the young Guardian.

-King Kai? I... I am good. Is there something you wanted?-

-Well, we Kais have all been feeling something lately. The Grand Kai's been feeling it since shortly after Goku and I got to his world... I started picking up on it a year or two after that... We've been sensing....-

-A great Darkness.- Dende finished for him. -Yes, I know. I've been feeling it as well.-

-So then, my suspicions were right. Goku's arranged day on Earth does have a hidden purpose... the higher Kai's must want their strongest fighter around to try and deal with it. We don't know what's coming... I was hoping you might have some clue since you're right there in the thick of it.-

-In fact, I do. It's an old evil that originated here on Earth a thousand years ago. Piccolo explained it all to me. Somehow, just the other day, the Human Spoppovitch was turned into a Reiketsukan.-

-Reiketsukan? That does sound familiar...- North Kai said thoughtfully.

-They were the work of a sorceress named Tejina. We think she did something before her death that is only now coming to the surface.-

-Tejina.... that's where I know Reiketsukan from! Olibu was the one that defeated her!-

-You mean, you have the old Human Champion there with you?-

-Yes, I do. When he died he was brought here for his efforts in defeating Tejina and her forces.-

-It may be of help to us to have him around. He may not be able to fight alongside Goku if things are as bad as we fear, but he may have knowledge of use. Two Champions are always better than one.-

-Yes. I'll see what I can arrange with the Grand Kai.-

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Earth, Hercule High.

Videl frowned as history class started. She was there, Erasa was there, Sharpner was there, Gohan was not. And she had a strange suspicion that he was trying to hide from her. Well, he wouldn't be able to hide forever. As soon as school was over she'd head to the attendance office and get a hold of his address. Then she'd go out and have a talk with him herself, face to face. With a scowl still on her face she turned her attention from Gohan's empty seat to the front of the class.

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The Lookout.

"We may as well get going." Gohan said as he walked up to the edge of the Lookout. "Since I'm staying home from school today I want to get in some training for the tournament. With dad and Vegeta entering I'm going to have my work cut out for me."

Mirai smiled. "You're going to have more work than that. Mom talked me into entering too. Since that other tournament didn't go so well seven years ago...."

Gohan nodded. "Yeah, with luck we wont have any aliens stopping by for a visit this time." He then turned to Tama. "Hey, why don't you enter too?"

"Huh? Me? I... no thanks." she said shaking her head. "I'll just stay back and watch."

"Alright. Any problems with sparring with me? I need a good partner."

"That I can do." With that the two said good-bye to Mirai and took off for the Son Home once more, Mirai left as well, heading toward West City.

"So... I told you a bit about my world but I really don't know much about yours." Tama said as she and Gohan flew leisurely back to his place. "Just a few bits and parts but it doesn't really make much sense on its own...."

Gohan nodded. "Yeah, I guess not. Hmm, where to start.... Well, I guess I'll start with my dad. He was sent here as kid to wipe out the life here but he hit his head and went from violent to innocent pretty much. He grew up defending the planet from one villian or another. Apparently he just escaped the destruction of Planet Vegeta by a couple of hours or something...."

"It was called Planet Vegeta here?" Tama asked laughing. "Man, your Vegeta must be even more arrogant than mine."

Gohan laughed. "It's possible. Anyway, when I was only four, dad's brother Raditz came and tried to get him back working for Frieza. In the end, though, him and Piccolo killed Raditz but dad was killed too. We all trained knowing two stronger Sai-jins would come... and then dad was revived after having trained with the North Kai. A lot of us, including Piccolo, died fighting Nappa but dad beat him easy. The fight with Vegeta was a different story but we managed to just barely beat him too. And then... everyone went to Namek looking for their Dragonballs...."

As the two of them flew along Gohan explained about the events on Namek, the Androids, and then Bojack's arrival. "And that pretty much covers it all."

"Wow... that's quite the adventure." she said absorbing it all. "I wish someone would come along and rise up like that in my universe."

Gohan looked over to her for a moment thinking. "Well... once things have settled down here... maybe we could go back with you, help you out?"

"I... it's a nice offer but, despite everything you've been through, I don't think you'd really be that much of a help. You don't know how strong they are...."

"Well, we're pretty strong ourselves." Gohan said. "You mentioned you could sense power levels when you were telling us about your world... so you can sense mine, right?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Alright then. Let's give this a go." he said looking forward. A white aura started forming around him which slowly shifted to blue and then in a flash turned golden as he transformed. "Level one..." There was another flash and blue lightning began to arc around his aura. "And level two." he said, turning his teal eyes toward Tama again. "What do you think?"

"You... are certainly strong." she said. "But... Nasu's Ekiyajuu form is more powerful."

Gohan frowned. "Wow, I hadn't realized I'd lost that much power since Bojack...." he sighed. "Well, at the least the others would be a lot of help. Don't worry, we'll figure something out." Powering down he descended and landed outside his house. "Hey mom, we're back." he said as he walked inside.