The Otherworld Tournament was a mass of clouds and noise. Many of the spectators were in spirit form, with only the front few rows full of souls who were allowed to keep their bodies. The fighters who were competing all gathered in a waiting area, and as usual, North, South, East, and West Kai were arguing over whose fighter would win the match. It was at that unfortunate moment that Kai Kibito and Kai Goten arrived, causing all four Kai to stop their arguing suddenly, and gape over at them.
Goten gazed around, unable to keep the excitement from his face. It had been so long since he'd seen other people, he found himself staring into the faces of each one, committing their every detail to memory. He almost missed Kai Kibito's gesture that he follow, when they went before the Grand Kai.
"Grand Kai," Kibito said, inclining his head in deference. "The Supreme Kai would like to sponsor this fighter, Kai Goten." Goten, thankfully, had the sense to tear his attention from the other fighters at the last second, and bow to the Grand Kai in respect.
The Grand Kai stuttered. "K-kai?" he asked, looking the boy over. He was certainly dressed like a Kai, but the boy looked nothing like a Kai. "Uh… the Supreme Kai does know that… uh… the Kai are not allowed to compete," he said, fidgeting. How do you tell your superior that he can't break the rules?
Kai Kibito nodded. "I know it is unusual, but the boy is Kai in name only, for now. He is mortal," he explained.
North Kai was looking at the boy curiously. "H-hey! He's from my quadrant!" he blurted out, before quickly covering his mouth so as not to anger the emissary of the Supreme Kai.
East Kai was looking the boy over, as well. "No halo… he's alive!" she breathed.
Kai Kibito cast the North Kai a glance. "The Supreme Kai does send his apologies for taking a fighter from one of the four quadrants, but he sends his assurances that this should not unevenly affect the outcome, as the boy is, in fact, from the living world," he added, his hard look causing North Kai to swallow hard.
"Hmm… well, it's true, North Kai would only have been able to use him if he were dead, which he's not…" the Grand Kai mused, thinking the matter over quickly. "It's highly unusual to have a living competitor in the Otherworld Tournament… if he gets hurt too badly, he could die. The Supreme Kai isn't worried about that?" he asked Kibito.
Kibito gestured to Goten, whose eyes had started to wander again, and cleared his throat to get his attention. Kai Goten quickly turned to face the Grand Kai. "Oh, that's okay, sir. I'm entering at my own risk. If things get too dangerous, I'm aware I have the ability to forfeit the match. But, if something happens, and I do die, I absolve my opponent completely and ask that it be listed in the books as an accident, and no one should be punished for it," he said, and grinned. "Besides, I want whoever fights me to go all out!" he added.
Kai Kibito gave a small smile. "The Supreme Kai is aware of his wishes, and believes this would be good training for the boy. He requests Kai Goten be treated like any other fighter," he said.
The Grand Kai looked Kai Goten over, and nodded. "Well, who am I to argue with the Supreme Kai?" he asked, and smiled. "Okay, Kai Goten, over there with the others, if you don't mind?"
Goten grinned. Bowing, he happily went to stand with the other fighters.
One fighter in particular stood out to him. He was wearing a bright orange gi, and had black spiky hair. More importantly, he looked human! Goten regarded him, cocking his head. "Excuse me… are you human?" he asked the fighter, hoping he might find one of his people here in Otherworld.
Goku looked down at the living fighter that Supreme Kai had recruited. He grinned down at him good-naturedly, but shook his head. "Well, not technically. But I lived on Earth when I was alive, so I consider myself to be one of them," he said.
Goten's face had fallen, but he smiled all the same. "My parents were from Earth, but I never had the chance to see it, before it was destroyed," he said, and held out a hand. "My name's Kai Goten," he offered.
Goku took his hand and smiled. "I'm Goku," he said. His eyes turned serious. "I'm sorry about your planet. I did my best to protect it, but I died shortly before it was destroyed. There was nothing I could do," he said, and Goten could tell he felt angry at himself for that.
Kai Goten shook his head. "Stop that. Regrets are for the living, not the dead!" he said optimistically. He smiled. "Besides, there's still two of us left, me and Pel," he said, and started to stretch.
Goku smiled at the young boy. "You have a good attitude, Kai Goten," he told the boy, causing him to pause in his stretches. "Hold onto it. And keep the ones close to you safe," he told him, then went to do his own stretches.
Goten watched him go, and smiled. There was something about that man that made him feel… at peace.