Authors Notes:To anyone reading, thank you for being patient with my uploading. Here is chapter two; I hope you'll enjoy, despite the slightly slow pace that things are going at at the moment.
I don't own Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z or Dragon Ball GT, much to sadness.
The Journey Home
Goku rose not too long after the sun, and was pleasantly surprised to see that Uub and his family were all up at the same time to bid him farewell. After eating a large breakfast, getting dressed and packing the few belongings he had into a backpack, Goku was just about ready to head back home.
"Well this is it," Goku began his farewell, "it's been great living with you all these past years."
"We want to thank you again for working so hard with our son, Goku," Uub's father spoke gratefully.
"No, thank you for welcoming me with so much kindness and having me in your home for so long. You're all welcome in mine any time."
"And would you also give our thanks to Mr. Satan for all his generous support when you see him?" Uub's mother asked.
"Don't worry, I'll tell him."
"Thank you."
"Don't forget this Goku." Uub's grandmother handed Goku the gift she made for his family.
Goku unfolded it to take a look. It was a rug of sorts with an unusual texture. It consisted of a combination of neatly attached blue and orange patches with an interesting swirly pattern embroidered around the trim. What caught most of Goku's attention however, were the images of him, Uub and both of their families embroidered over the middle.
"It's a quilt I made with the materials our village produces. I used the photographs you showed us of you, your wife, children and grandchild to look at while I made it. I wanted to make you and your family something that would show them how much we got to know them just through you, and also show them apart of us, as well as make sure you don't forget your time here."
"This is amazing. Thank you so much! Chichi and the others will love it. I sure do!"
"Are you gunna do the transmission thingy?" Uub's seven year old sister curiously asked Goku.
"Nah, I think I'll fly home the old fashioned way."
Upon turning and waving goodbye, Goku took to the sky.
"Train hard Uub!" He called out as he elevated.
"I will!" Uub called back as Goku blasted off.
It was 8 am when Pan was due to meet Piccolo for training, but due to oversleeping, she was half an hour late. As a result, Piccolo was being particularly hard on her.
The ten year old tried her best to dodge the seemingly endless barrage of punches and kicks being thrown at her from all angles as Piccolo and her sparred well above ground level, but after several minutes of doing this for at least the 100th time in the past 2 hours or so, her best was not good enough as Piccolo's leg managed to come into contact with her midsection and send her flying into the side of a nearby cliff.
"You need to start taking more risks Pan!" Piccolo roared as she pulled herself out of the crater her body had formed, "all you're doing is blocking! You need to start looking for openings and attack, not just defend!"
"Yeah… Right!" Pan responded as she composed herself into a fighting stance on the ground.
Piccolo nodded in acknowledgement before launching to attack her. As he did this, the young quarter saiyan heeded his advice and quickly started to form an attack while she had the chance. Lifting both her arms so her hands where facing out in front of her forehead, she gathered enough energy in her hands to form her attack.
Mere microseconds before Piccolo was close enough to come into contact with her, she jumped backwards, creating more space between them, and-
"Masenko!"
Piccolo launched his hands forward to catch the blast and was sent about 50 meters back into the air before managing to stop himself while still holding off the masenko attack.
For a little while, Piccolo stayed in that position to see if Pan would attempt to increase or decrease her power, but upon not noting any difference, he formed a strong energy blast to counter Pan's attack.
Pan was quickly overpowered but before she was made to feel the effects of the blast, she released her hold on her masenko in order to jump out of the way at the last second, letting the energy Piccolo threw back at her create a crater similar to the one they made just minutes prior.
Pan looked at Piccolo expecting to be yelled at. The Namek just sighed as he held his regular stern expression.
"Why did you jump back before firing your attack?" He asked her sternly, "It would have been more effective had you fired it from where you were to start since it would have been harder for me to react in time, and of course, the impact would have been somewhat stronger."
"Uh…" Pan responded, "I… don't know… I guess it was just a nervous reaction…"
"I see. You jumped back out of fear," Piccolo spoke more bluntly, "Another thing; why did you not try to increase your power when you saw that I'd stopped your attack? Or try to come up with something else to do? I even gave you time to try and overpower me before retaliating and you didn't even try to push yourself."
Pan didn't respond, much to Piccolo's expectation. He turned to leave.
"Sorry Piccolo… I'll try to do better next time…" Pan tried to reassure him.
"You're strong Pan, but you have the potential to be a lot stronger. You need to start pushing yourself and stop thinking you can't do any better, because I'm telling you; you can."
Pan was about to turn to leave, until she noticed Piccolo turning his head back to face her momentarily, with a slight smirk.
She looked at him questioningly.
"You know you'd better learn all that quickly kid. Your grandfather Goku wouldn't want to train with someone who holds back."
With that, Piccolo took off, leaving Pan mildly confused.
The normally peaceful backyard of Capsule Corp. was alive with the sparring session of two half saiyans.
Trunks managed to block an incoming kick launching towards his midsection by grabbing the offending leg of his opponent. Spinning on the spot, he threw her, launching her across the large yard before she managed to regain control of her projectile. While still in the air, Bra charged at her brother once more, this time managing to land a punch in the side of his face and knocking him off his feet. However, Trunks managed to catch himself and regain his balance as he fell back on his hands and before Bra could respond, he shot his leg up and kicked her in the chin with his foot, elevating her off the ground slightly before her back made contact with the grass. She immediately sprung back up and proceeded to run towards Trunks, until-
CHIIINNNG
"Well that's time," Trunks clarified as he returned to a normal stance.
Bra followed suit and went to disable the timer they'd set.
"You know it's actually nice to not train dad's way once and a while," said Bra.
"I hear you kiddo," Trunks agreed, "his way sure does get results but damn he knows how to take the fun out of it… Sometimes I just want to have a more relaxed spar."
"Oh so that was relaxing for you?" Bra remarked in sarcasm.
Trunks shot her a challenging smirk. "Are you suggesting we take it up a notch then?"
"I'll reset the timer…" Bra responded in a slightly enthusiastic tone.
"Same rules as before, whoever lands the most effective attacks within the set time wins."
After resetting the timer, Bra began to power up her energy. Trunks did the same. After a few moments, both half saiyans were enveloped in light golden auras as their hair began to stand on end and fade from blue and from purple to blond, and their eyes from blue to turquoise.
Both super saiyans were about to charge at each other and engage in combat when the all too familiar voice of their mother made itself present.
"Don't you two dare go all out like that here!"
Bulma walked out from the nearby work garage drabbed in slightly dirtied overalls.
"Your grandfather and I have a very important project going on in there and we don't want it ruined. If you must be 'all mighty super saiyans' you can go and train with your father in his gravity room."
Both fighters dismissed the thought as they powered down from super saiyan, not being in the mood for Vegeta's intense training on a Saturday.
"What are you working on anyway?" Bra asked curiously.
"It's a new space ship model," Trunks answered for her, "I've been helping to work on it a little."
"It's our fastest and most durable model yet, and it also takes a lot less to run on than all the older ones," Bulma commented proudly, "in fact, I was going to get you to join us tomorrow young lady."
"Me?!"
"Yeah I think it's time you learned more about the hands on aspect of all this. Your brother, grandfather and I have already taught you a heap of mechanical and engineering theory. Of course, you don't have to help, I just figured you'd be interested."
"Of course I'll help with it mum!" Bra was genuinely excited. Like many in her family, she possessed an interest in mechanics and engineering.
"What about you Trunks? Interested in using the start of your weekend to help out tomorrow?"
"Sorry; usually I would, but I already promised Marron and some of our old school friends I'd hang out tomorrow."
"Don't want to be kept from Marron do you?" Bra teased, making the young man blush.
"Ah shut up!"
"You're not going out with Number Eighteen and the short man's kid," an all too familiar voice made itself present.
The Briefs turned to see Vegeta approaching.
"Did you not sense me coming? How disappointing…" Vegeta spoke out of somewhat sarcasm.
"I did!" Bra piped up.
"What are you talking about dad?" Trunks asked, "You're not going to make me train are you?"
"It's not that son. He's returning. I can feel it. You'll see Marron when we go to him. Surely everyone, including that family, will be told to go and acknowledge his arrival."
"See who dad?" Bra asked.
Bulma gasped, realising who Vegeta was referring to. "You mean…"
"Kakarot. I can sense him approaching."
"Wow I didn't realise you'd be so happy to see Goku?" Trunks remarked.
"I want to see how his strength has developed after training that kid."
"Of course..."
"Well," Bulma continued, "If Goku really is back, I'd be happy to take some time off to go and see him or have the Sons over if they like."
"So no building space ships?" Bra asked, slightly crestfallen but not incredible disappointed.
"Sorry honey, we might have to wait until Sunday or through the week."
"That's fine. I'll get to see Pan at least."
"Don't want to be kept from Pan do you?" Trunks lamely tried to mimic her earlier comment.
"Ah shut up!" Like her brother, she blushed.
Krillin was doing laps on the beach around Kame house, something he found much easier in his younger days, while Eighteen meditated on the veranda of the house itself- something she'd taken to the habit of doing lately- when their daughter called for them from the front door way.
"Master Roshi is on the phone! He said that he and Oolong saw Goku in the city!"
"Say what?!" Krillin exclaimed as his jogging came to a halt.
Eighteen even turned her head in surprise from her position.
"He said that there was a situation…" Marron elaborated.
"Did you tell them?" The voice of Master Roshi was audible through the phone.
"A situation?" Krillin added as he approached the house.
"Yeah," Marron answered, "He was walking out of a restaurant and got in trouble for not paying…"
"Hey, Marron? Are you still there?..." The phone continued.
"Typical," Eighteen cut in in her monotone voice.
Krillin couldn't help but laugh a little despite the shock and the slight irritation of Goku being gone for so long again without a single visit, phone call or letter.
"Hello?..." Master Roshi continued through the phone, "Why do all women avoid talking to me?..."
On his way home, Goku had managed to run up a rather high bill in a ramen shop he'd stopped at in West City without realising it. Luckily Master Roshi was coincidentally in the area and was able to bail him out. He said something about wanting to use the cash to spend time with some 'special' ladies. Goku wasn't sure what he meant by that exactly but he would be sure to take note to pay him back as soon as possible.
While they were together, the old martial arts master was greeted by a group of six kids. Three of them were wearing turtle uniforms and the other three were wearing crane uniforms. Roshi introduced them as Yamcha, Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu's students. As it turns out, they had reopened the turtle and crane schools about two years ago, and had recently organised a joint teamwork activity in which the kids had to search for the dragon balls and all come to an agreement on what wishes to make. So far, they had gathered five.
Master Roshi had also filled Goku in on what was going on with his other friends and with his family. Bra had become a super saiyan, adding to Vegeta's ego and Trunks had becoming the Vice President of Capsule Corps., adding to Bulma's ego, but overall, not a huge deal had changed with his friends since he left and aside from the arrival of a new grandchild- which had Goku very excited- not much more had drastically changed with his family either. He was proud to hear that Gohan and Videl were doing well in their work- Videl having changed vocations not long after he left with Uub- and that Goten was making use of his martial arts skills in his job. Pan continuing her training with Piccolo was another pleasant thing to hear about. What was less pleasant though was to hear that Ox King hadn't been too well recently and as a result, Chichi had become a little more stressed than usual. Goku was sure he'd be okay though. Ox King was getting on in years, but he was a very strong human.
Shifting his focus from his thoughts to the world around him, Goku realised that he was right near his house. Landing, he approached the front door.
"Finally," he thought to himself as he reached for the doorknob, "I'm home."