Disclaimer: I will keep writing fiction about Akira Toriyama's characters until the day said creator finds me a real version of Vegeta who I can have for the rest of my life.

Chapter One

?'s POV

These kids are fucking amazing!

The Junior Division of the World Martial Arts Tournament was just about to draw to a close. In the finals there were two boys aged just seven and eight years old. They were just unbelievable, giving half a chance they would both tear up the entire arena. The best part of the final round was that it was evenly matched; both boys kept reaching a stalemate situation. Getting front row seats was totally worth it, even if I was an entrant in the adult tournament.

'Yes, yes, ladies and gentlemen have you ever seen anything like it? The World Martial Arts Championship continues.' The announcer informed us of the obvious. 'Who will be the next Junior Division champion? Will it be eight-year-old Trunks or will it be seven-year-old Goten? It seems it can go either way at this point. What a match.'

I simply could not fathom where Trunks and Goten got their strength from. I felt as though I was watching an impossible dream, both boys seemed to be stronger than most of the adult fighters here. All around me there were people who were completely stunned into silence and other people were cheering for more.

As the match progressed they continued to surprise me. They even went as far as using ki blasts, fully developed and controlled ki blasts, something that I haven't even mastered yet. It's been six years since I made my wishes upon the dragon balls and my life had changed for the better. Since then I've been focussing my energy and training most of the time, I saved a lot of money on fuel since I mastered flying as well. At least two out of my three wishes worked.

Still, the match that unfolded before me was not nearly enough to stop me thinking about the abysmal score I made on the punching machine earlier in the day. We were told that one-hundred and ninety-two fighters entered the tournament but only sixteen spots were available. This meant that all contestants had to show their strength by punching a stupid machine.

What makes matters worse is that dolt Hercule Satan has a guaranteed spot. With a score of one-hundred and thirty-nine and only fifteen available spots I wasn't sure if I was going to make it. Especially considering some of the ridiculously high scores some of the other fighters were dealing out. I remember being in line earlier and the fighter in front of me, if you could call him that considering he was wearing shades and some kind of cloth on his head, got two-hundred and he just tapped the thing. I shouldn't have held back.

As I snap back into focus I notice that Trunks and Goten kept moving around the stadium at an astonishing speed. I took me a while to get used to their movements but I could barely track their movements with my eyes. Strangely enough I was able to sense their presence on the stage before I actually saw them. Suddenly I felt one of their auras, as I've started to call them, hit me as though someone had struck me with a brick. I look up and notice that one of the boys had turned a shiny shade of gold, which made me turn a whiter shade of pale.

These kids are like the guys who fought in the Cell games!

Vegeta's POV

Great, thanks to that pipsqueak version of Kakarot our Saiyan identities are going to be exposed. If the little hadn't transformed just now then Trunks would have won. Kakarot gasped in disbelief when he became a super Saiyan. As if he didn't already know.

'Kakarot, that's not fair.' I protest; we all made the promise that we wouldn't transform during the tournament.

I reluctantly accepted this promise at first, but when the woman rationalised to me about the press being all over us like celebrities, I decided that I wouldn't transform either. Apparently Kakarot's son didn't get the message. Luckily for us the Namek destroyed all of the cameras in the direct vicinity. Quite possibly his smartest move yet.

'Well, hey.' He replied in his usual laid back and sloppy way. 'Don't look at me, he did it.'

I facepalm at the thought of even trying to get through to Kakarot. You would think after being dead for seven years he would have gained some wisdom and knowledge in the Other World. No, still as dense as ever. Now I hope that Trunks beats Kakarot's brat just to prove a point.

I kept telling myself that Trunks is stronger than Goten for two reasons. I trained Trunks myself from the time he was able to walk; pure experience alone would be an allowance for him to win. Trunks was also better at focussing his energy and ki whereas the brat's form and energy was sloppy. The two of them continue to dart around the stadium after Goten becomes his normal form. It's hard to believe that the two of them were evenly matched. If Trunks were to transform the outcome would be obvious.

No sooner did I think it then it actually happened. Goten tried to make a sneak attack and Trunks transforms and teleports just in time. The other brat was in trouble now. After Trunks delt Goten a decisive ki blast to his back from behind I knew straight away that it was over. Goten was flying too quickly and could not stop himself from landing outside the stage. My son was the winner.

And his father is going to do the same.

'Oh darn.' Kakarot sighed. It seemed as though he didn't mind that his brat lost or not.

'Oh no.' Gohan exclaimed with disdain. 'He lost.'

Too right he did. Even if Trunks hadn't become a Super Saiyan he still would've won. Why they thought Goten had a chance in the first place was beyond me. I chuckle in triumph; history will quickly repeat itself when I become the champion as well. I offered a hand to Kakarot who looked disappointed.

'Trunks too? You mean they're both Super Saiyans? Wow, what's up with this generation?'

'Cheer up, Kakarot. There's always next year. Your son put up a good fight but there could only be one champion.'

Soon after the fight fininshed, the announced informed us that Trunks would then have an exhibition match with the 'champion' Hercule Satan. He waltzed onto the stage yelling and posing like a total dolt. I still find it hard to believe that everybody thinks that he was the one who defeated Cell. I decided to leave Trunks to his own devices; I already knew the result of the match anyway.

?'s POV

The Junior Division Final was probably the best match I've ever seen. As soon as Trunks was declared the winner I left the stadium so I can regain my thoughts. I didn't need the fight between him and Hercule; with any luck Trunks would incapacitate him so an extra spot would open up in the main tournament. After watching what I just saw, I probably wasn't wishing for the impossible.

It didn't take me long to reach the preparation arena where I was earlier today. Most of the fighters were gone now and the punching machine had been taken away. In its place a large LCD screen had the top sixteen fighters posted up, confirming who would be fighting in the tournament. I take a deep breath and look the screen up and down, hoping I would be there.

'Excuse me sir.' One of the monks interrupted. 'Are you perhaps Dean?'

'Umm, yes.' I said, laying him a quizzical look.

'Well then, I would like to congratulate you, sir. You will be one of our fighters in the tournament today. But with a score higher than Mr. Satan it was a sure thing that you would be up there in numbers.'

'That's fantastic.' I exclaim. 'So now what do I do?'

'You will need to go ahead to the next ring where the other fighters are making their final preparations. You will find out who you will be fighting as well.'

'Alright then. How long do I have before I have to be there?'

'Well I think the exhibition match between Mr. Satan and the junior division champion just finished. So I'd say you'd have about half an hour before you need to be there.'

'Excellent. I'll see you in half an hour.' I wave as I jump into flight.

To the astonishment of the monk I soar over the wall and land just outside where the tournament markets were set up. I remember seeing the market square upon arrival. It was bustling with people before but most of the public were still in the stadium. Wanting to celebrate getting into the tournament, I remove my guitar from its case and I give it an almighty strum. I had to be careful so I didn't break any strings. Ever since I made the wish it had been difficult to judge my own strength. It was needless to say that in the last six years I have learned a lot about self-control. I keep my guitar case open, letting everybody who passed me know that I was busking. I gently pluck the strings and begin to play.

"Nothing I say comes out right,

I can't love without a fight.

No one ever knows my name,

When I pray for sun, it rains."

This probably sounds stupid, but I tend to sing with my eyes closed until I reach a point where my voice is perfect for the song. When I opened my eyes I was surprised to see people not only dropping some zeni into my guitar case but also stopping what they were doing to listen. I give them a grin.

"I'm Alive!

I'm Alive! Oh, yeah.

Between the good and bad's where you'll find me,

Reaching for heaven.

I will fight,

And I'll sleep when I die.

I live, My life, I'm ALIVE!"

The people around me started clapping to my music. I close my eyes again and continue to sing and strum away. All eyes were on me. It was a good feeling to have. Little did either of them know that they would be watching me compete in the tournament later. They would know me as a musician before a fighter and I was okay with that arrangement.

Suddenly, the strangest thing happened. It was as though someone had placed incense right under my nose. The smell was overpowering but it didn't deter me from my music. I open my eyes again, there didn't appear to be anything out of the ordinary. The smell went away as quickly as it came. I decided to ignore it and continued; perhaps somebody walking past was wearing too much cologne.

Vegeta's POV

"When I'm bored to death at home.

When he won't pick up the phone.

When I'm stuck in second place.

Those regrets I can't erase.

Only I can change the end,

Of the movie in my head.

There's no time for misery,

I won't feel sorry FOR ME!"

It would seem that there were other people who seemed disinterested in the match between Trunks and that idiot Hercule. Or did Trunks already put him out of his misery? Either way, there were a lot of people crowding the market square. All of the humans appeared to be excited about something. One of them was playing a guitar and belting out some lyrics. It actually sounded pretty good, unlike most music I've heard the notes and the words while upbeat were very soulful. I would never admit that I liked it out aloud though. I look in front of me to see Kakarot full on bopping his head to the music like an idiot.

'Some warrior you are.' I mutter to Kakarot. 'People are going to think you're an easy target dancing around like that.'

'Oh lighten up, Vegeta.' Kakarot replied, once again I'm reminded why I don't reason with him in the first place. 'I think the song is pretty good. Just enjoy it.'

'Well its better than that dubstep bullshit that Trunks listens to at home. That's enough to make your ears bleed.' I concur.

'Hey.' Krillin exclaimed. 'I like dubstep. It's got a good beat to it.'

'That's because you're a tool.' I reply spitefully. I still find it hard to believe that I was half-dead and at his mercy twelve years ago.

All of a sudden I had to stop. Not because of the dwarf's stupidity but because of the musky smell that was assaulting my nose. It was unlike anything I've ever smelled before; it was very sweet but kind of dry at the same time. I look back at the market square; the smell seemed to have come from that direction. Maybe somebody who was wearing an entire bottle of deodorant walked past without me noticing. My thoughts were interrupted by a bump to my back.

'Hey, Vegeta. Stop stalling.' Eighteen drolled in her monotone, she was the one who bumped into me. 'We don't want to be late to the tournament.'

'Wait! Eighteen! Did you smell that just now?' I ask.

'Yes.' I immediately detected the sarcasm in her voice. 'It's the smell of you being disqualified for being late to the tournament. Now hurry up.'

I guess the android was still as abrasive as ever. If I fight her first then I can pay her back for breaking my arm seven years ago. I sniffed my nose to get the smell again, but it disappeared. What the hell was that?

"Oh, I'm alive!

I'm alive! Oh, yeah.

Between the good and bad's where you'll find me,

Reaching for heaven.

I will fight,

And I'll sleep when I die.

I live,my hard life.

I live, my life, I'm ALIVE!"

So there you have it. The first chapter of 'So this is love?' What is the strange smell Vegeta and Dean are smelling. Why doesn't anyone else smell it? Who will they be facing in the preliminary round of the tournament? Find out in chapter two. This writer loves reviews so please comment if you so desire. Thank you for reading.

Songs used in this chapter:

I'm Alive – Becca.