Chapter Five

The Arrogant Monk Arrives! The Tenkaichi Budoukai Begins!

Krillin was the youngest monk to ever leave the Orin Temple at only twelve years old. Yet, in the brief eight years he had spent with his fellow monks, he had understood true enlightenment at a pace none before him could match. They even gifted him with a boat to aid in his travels.

Okay, so in truth, he ran away because everyone were jerks and he stole the boat. But none of that mattered! He was going to learn from the great Turtle Hermit, the Invincible Old Master! Then he would become the greatest martial artist to ever live. As he rowed his boat up to the Kame House, he was surprised to find the Turtle Hermit was outside his house and talking to someone. He was talking to a girl with weird hair. What the heck would he be doing that for? Krillin stood upon the prow of his little boat proudly and hoped to make a dramatic entrance.

What Krillin hadn't expected was for the shore to come up as soon as it did. His boat came to a sudden halt when the bottom hit the sand and he was flung from his perch, landing headfirst in the sand. He kicked and squirmed his legs as he tried to recover what was left of his dignity when he heard footsteps approaching through the sand. Oh, God no. Was the Invincible Old Master going to see him like this? What happened was even worse. It was the girl who grabbed Krillin by his ankles and yanked him out of the sand. How had she done that so easily? It had to be because he was in such good shape and didn't weigh much. No girl could be that strong, right?

"Are you okay?" the stupid girl asked while still holding him upside down. Krillin frowned and kicked his legs but somehow the girl was still holding him! He just had to not be kicking too hard, that's all. His subconscious wouldn't let him hit a girl.

"I'm fine," Krillin grumbled, "Now let me go!" Of course the stupid girl took that to mean "drop me on my head"! Krillin groaned as he got back up and rubbed his head. "Who the heck are you, anyway? And what are you doing here?" The girl gave Krillin a wide, cheerful smile that just made him angrier.

"I'm Son Goku!" she told him. "Muten Roshi's gonna teach me the Turtle School way!" Krillin scoffed at that. The nerve of this "Goku" girl, to call the Turtle Hermit by his real name!

"Girls can't do martial arts!" Krillin protested. What would a girl even need to learn martial arts for? If anyone tried to beat her up, obviously her husband would save her. Goku turned her head to the side in confusion.

"Why not?" she asked. Krillin flared his nostrils and started to say something before the Turtle Hermit interrupted him with a cough. Krillin spun around to look at the old man as he adjusted his glasses.

"Mind tellin' me what you're doin' here, boy?" the Turtle Hermit asked. Krillin nodded before bowing, keeping his eyes downcast in a show of respect.

"Please, Turtle Hermit," Krillin pleaded, "Please teach me the ways of the Turtle School!" Roshi gave Krillin a cool look through his dark green shades.

"And why should I do that? My teachings ain't for just anyone, y'know!" Krillin balked but kept his mouth shut. How was he any less worthy to learn than Goku? He bit his tongue, not wanting to offend the old master. Instead, he turned around and ran back to his boat. He came back with his backpack and unzipped it, dumping the contents out in front of the Turtle Hermit. Pouring out of the bag came a large stack of dirty magazines. Ludicrously large, as tall as Krillin. Genuinely impossible to fit in that bag. There was a long silence where Krillin was worried he'd offended the old master by appealing to his legendary perverted nature. Without a word, though, the Turtle Hermit scooped up the magazines and carried them into the house. He came back outside and still said nothing. Then he cracked his neck, his knuckles, his knees and his back.

"Alright, you two," he said with a grin. "Let's begin."

OoOoOoO

The year went by so quickly for Goku. She had a new best friend with Krillin, even if he didn't know they were best friends when they started training together. She thought it was silly that he wanted to learn martial arts to impress girls. Before they could start training, Master Roshi made them go find a girl to cook and clean at the Kame House. Goku'd already brought him a couple of girls before Krillin showed up but Roshi hadn't like any of them. He'd even brought Chi-Chi but Goku guessed he was still mad about when she threw that big knife-thingy at his head. And Chi-Chi made this weird face when Goku'd said she was pretty….

Krillin and Goku had found a girl named Launch. She was really nice when she had blue hair but she was kind of scary and really mean to Master Roshi and Krillin when her hair was yellow. She was still nice to Goku, though. She made so many friends training with Muten Roshi!

The training had been hard. They had to deliver milk all over the island Master Roshi moved the Kame House to. They climbed up mountains and had to outrun dinosaurs! They dug up whole fields with their bare hands and had to dodge bees and just when they started to get the hang of it, Muten Roshi made them wear turtle shells like him. The shells kept getting heavier and heavier but, even though it was hard, it was fun. Roshi taught them more about martial arts and the philosophy of the Turtle School. Krillin got discouraged a couple of times when he wasn't picking techniques up as fast as Goku but she told him that she believed in him and that he'd get it right if he kept trying. That seemed to be when Krillin finally realized what Goku knew all along: that they were best friends!

It wasn't just physical training. Master Roshi also taught Goku how to read and write and count. That's how she learned she was twelve years old! There was also time for rest and stuff. That's how Goku and Krillin found the time to talk about their stories.

"So you were raised at a Temple?" Goku asked while Roshi slept in a hammock, lying on her stomach on the sand and propping her head up with her elbows. "That must have been neat, having such a big family." Krillin shrugged as he frowned.

"Not really. They were all jerks. They always made fun of me because I was weak and I look like I don't have a nose," he muttered before looking over at Goku. "So I ran away. I was tired of getting bullied." Goku frowned and put a hand on Krillin's hand.

"I'm sorry your old family were jerks," she said sympathetically. Krillin's face turned red and Goku laughed. She always thought it was funny when people's faces did that.

About a year and a half into their training, Krillin and Goku had one of those rare days of were watching the news with Launch and Goku was still mystified by the television.

"In recent world news," the lady on the TV was saying, "the terrorist group known as the Red Ribbon Army continues their rampage across the world. No one yet knows what their goals are but local military forces have been unable to stop them." The picture then changed to soldiers and tanks and planes all bearing the insignia of the Red Ribbon Army, all bringing destruction wherever they went.

"What a bunch of jerks," Goku muttered. "If I ever meet them, I'm gonna beat them up!" Krillin rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"You might be strong, Goku," he said, "But no one person can take on an entire army. All we can do is hope that the Royal Army can deal with them." Goku was going to say something to that when Master Roshi walked into the room. Goku and Krillin hopped to their feet and bowed when he entered. Even these huge turtle shells weren't slowing them down anymore!

"Good news, everyone!" the old master said with a smile. Launch scoffed while Roshi did his best to ignore her. She was blonde now so that was always risky. "I've entered the both of you in the Tenkaichi Budoukai!" Krillin gasped in surprise while Goku just tilted her head to the side.

"What's that?" she asked and Krillin shook his head with his face in his hand. God, she was such a jungle girl.

"It's the Strongest Under the Heavens Martial Arts Tournament," Roshi explained. Goku didn't say anything so he explained further. "It's a gathering of the strongest fighters from around the world to fight it out and see who's the greatest!" As soon as Roshi said "fighters", Goku gasped and got that starry look in her eyes again.

"Let's go, let's go, let's go!" she shouted eagerly while hopping up and down. Roshi chuckled and shook his head.

"The island the tournament is being held at is far away from here and I have to accompany the both of you since you're so young so the Nimbus is out. We'll be taking a plane!" Launch scoffed again with one eyebrow cocked.

"And what am I supposed to do?" she asked brusquely. "Just sit around here in this dirty old shack while you all go out and have fun?" Blue Launch might not mind cooking and cleaning and all that sissy crap but Blonde Launch resented it like hell that she never got to learn how to fight. Roshi produced not three but four plane tickets.

"I figured you might want to come along," he said cautiously. Launch smiled and gave the old man a thumbs-up. "We'll be packing up tonight. One of the people who you deliver milk to has a plane that will take us as far as the nearest airport. It isn't exactly built for long-distance travel."

Goku was so excited that night she couldn't sleep! She and Krillin got to take off their super heavy turtle shells and they were so fast now! The next morning was a little less fun, though. Master Roshi made her wear a dress. It was blue and it sparkled and it had weird frills at the bottom that tickled her legs. She didn't say anything because Master Roshi had bought it special but she didn't like it. And the shoes didn't fit right. What if she had to fight in this stupid dress? They were supposed to look nice or something when they got to the Tournament grounds but Goku didn't know why she couldn't wear a suit like Krillin. At least Launch told her she looked nice, so that was okay.

The plane ride was super fun! Goku liked being so high up because the world looked so pretty down below. She was amazed when they'd landed to find out that they'd gone so far in only a couple hours. If Bulma had a little plane like the nice man who'd taken them to the airport had, their journey would have been so much faster, since Bulma might have been able to keep up with Nimbus then and they could fly above the roads and mountains and rivers. But maybe they wouldn't have made all the friends they did so maybe it was better that they hadn't had a plane.

There were so many people on the island where the tournament was being held! All different kinds of fighters from all over the world were there. There were so many people around that it made Goku's spiky-haired head spin but, above it all, she heard a familiar voice.

"Hey! Goku!" a girl's voice shouted over the rumble of the crowd. Goku spun around but she couldn't see over people's heads so she jumped up into the air and that's when she saw Bulma! She ran to her friend, jumping on people's heads to get closer before leaping into the other girl's arms. Bulma hugged Goku with a giggle and spun her little friend around. "Oh my gosh, look at you!" she said excitedly. "You're wearing a dress!" Goku squirmed a little and looked away with embarrassment. "What? You look nice!" Bulma assured her but Goku shrugged.

"I like wearing gi more," she mumbled and Bulma just laughed and shook her head before letting Goku down. "Are you gonna enter the tournament?" Goku asked excitedly and Bulma laughed again.

"Not me, silly!" Bulma gestured behind her to another very familiar person with an equally familiar cat floating beside his head. Goku gasped as the man grinned. She hadn't even recognized him with his hair so short!

"Hey, squirt," Yamcha said before Goku leaped up into his arms as well and gave him a great big hug. Yamcha hugged her back before letting her down. "Look at you! You look like you've gotten even stronger. Guess the Turtle Hermit's everything he's cracked up to be." Goku smiled as Krillin finally caught up to her.

"Jeez… Goku…" he muttered while gasping for breath. He'd had to politely shove his way through the crowd while trying to follow her. "Y'can't just… run off without tellin' me! And y'can't just jump on people's heads!" Goku shrugged.

"You'd have gotten here faster if you had," she pointed out before turning her attention back to Bulma, Yamcha, and Puar. "Krillin, these are my friends I told you about! This is Yamcha, Bulma, and Puar! Guys, this is Krillin! He's been training with me under Master Roshi!" Bulma got a great big smile on her face when looking at Goku and Krillin but Goku didn't really understand why. "You look like you got stronger too, Yamcha!" Yamcha grinned, flexing a bicep.

"You bet I did! And it's all thanks to this little lady," Yamcha gave Bulma a peck on the cheek that made her face turned red as she smiled and waved a hand.

"Oh, stop!" she insisted playfully. "It's really thanks to my dad's experimental gravity room. He's been developing it for the International Space Association so they can test how their suits and ships handle higher and lower gravity. It's only supposed to go up to two times Earth's gravity at max," she gave Yamcha a little grin and elbowed him playfully in the side, "But someone had to try and set it to three. Nearly blew up the whole room and my dad almost killed him!" Yamcha scratched the back of his head and looked almost bashful.

"Hey, I had to push it to the max, y'know? And it paid off!" Yamcha flexed his muscles again, full of bravado. "I've never felt stronger! I bet I'm gonna win this whole dang tournament!" There was the soft tapping of a cane on the ground as Muten Roshi caught up with his pupils. Like Krillin, he was wearing a suit and tie with a hat.

"I certainly hope you have the skill to back up that confidence," Roshi said, adjusting his shades. 'He certainly has potential,' Roshi thought, 'I can sense his ki even now. I hope the poor boy doesn't run into me at any point in this tournament. The beating I give him could crush his spirit.' "Oh, Bulma! Fancy seeing you again." Bulma's face turned red as Roshi turned his attention to his students, "The elimination round starts soon so you'd better get changed." That was fine for Goku. She was ready to be out of the stupid dress! "Don't be looking for me in the crowd. Rest assured, I'll see everything you're doin' but you focus on your fighting, understood?" Goku and Krillin nodded enthusiastically and left with their master.

"Good luck, Yamcha!" Goku called over her shoulder while waving to her friends before they disappeared in the crowd. Roshi gave her and Krillin their very own Turtle School gi. They were awesome! This tournament was gonna be the best adventure yet!

OoOoOoO

Every blow, precise. Every strike delivered with absolute efficiency. No wasted movement. No room for error. A single stroke, three at most, and his opponents fall. Namu would not fail. He could not. Everyone was counting on him.

OoOoOoO

Bacterian hadn't had a bath a day in his life. Combining the ungodly stench haze that surrounded him with his enormous size and strength and this whole tournament was gonna be plum pickin's. He didn't even have to throw a punch sometimes, just lift his arm to knock 'em out with a smell. All that money. He'd be filthy rich.

OoOoOoO

This wasn't all that hard, Ranfan thought. She was experienced enough at Taijutsu that she didn't even need to use her secret weapon on most of these fighters. But when it got tough… a boob-flash here, a panty-drop there, and their defenses were wide open. Men.

OoOoOoO

There were several advantages in life to being a giant dragon monster. Chief of which being that you are a giant dragon monster. Aside from his incredible strength and the benefit of a fifth offensive appendage in his tail, sometimes all Giran had to do was roar and they'd give up. What, did they think he was gonna eat them or somethin'? Ah, well. Some prejudices had their benefits.

OoOoOoO

"Hooo yeah!" the mustachioed, afro'd young man declared triumphantly before the battle had even begun. He threw several quick jabs and kicks through the air with a whirr of speed and power. The old man standing across from him didn't even blink. "Y'might as well just give up now, old man! 'Cause yer goin' up against the End All! The Be All! The Please All! The man they call… Hercule!" Hercule, apparently, made his pecs dance. Maybe that was supposed to be intimidating. He charged at the old man, screaming his head off about some nonsense "Dynamite Super Spectacular Megaton Punch of the Gods" or some such. Jackie Chun pivoted to the side and drove his palm into the younger man's sternum, sending him flying out of bounds.

OoOoOoO

"WATTA!" Yamcha called out as he drove his foot up into the other man's chin, knocking him into an arc in the air to land among the other competitors. With all that extra work he'd been able to put in with the gravity room, no one could touch him! Yamcha couldn't even begin to guess how strong he'd be if he'd been able to master the gravity room. Bulma whistled and cheered through a window while she used Puar as a stepladder.

"That's right!" she cried ecstatically. "That is my man! You all might as well give up now! You can't beat him!" Yamcha turned bright red, a mixture of proud and embarrassed. "So where'd you come up with that sound?" Bulma whispered to Yamcha as he walked over towards the window.

"I dunno," he admitted since his mind was unable to comprehend the experience he went through during his first fight with Goku. "It just kinda… came to me."

OoOoOoO

Krillin frowned as he realized who he'd be fighting. The two upperclassmen from the Orin Temple snickered as they looked down at him with their hands on their hips.

"Well, well, well," said the taller, thinner one. "It's the shrimp who ran away!" Krillin's face was red with anger as the smaller, fatter one elbowed him and looked at Goku.

"And look! He went and got himself a little girlfriend!" Now Krillin's face was red for an entirely different reason.

"Well don't worry," the taller one said as he bent down to sneer at them. "I'll take you out quick before you get embarrassed too badly in front of her." He laughed as he walked up into the ring and did some quick stretches. Krillin was trembling with rage but he was afraid, too. He should be able to beat them, right? So why was he scared? Because maybe he couldn't. They were older. They'd always been stronger than him. And they'd been in the Orin Temple longer. They hadn't run away. Goku put her hand on his shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Hey," she said softly, encouragingly, "You can beat these guys." Krillin nodded and stepped into the ring while he fixed the other monk with an icy stare. The monk threw out a kick but Krillin was already behind him. The monk swung around in shock. How had he gotten there already? The monk glowered and threw down a debilitating karate chop. Or it would have been if Krillin hadn't already jumped back and then leaped forward in the blink of an eye. Krillin hovered in the air for a few seconds before he threw a punch right to the monk's jaw. He went flying and smashed into the wall as if he'd been shot out of a cannon. Goku ran into the ring as Krillin came down and lifted him back up into the air with a big hug.

OoOoOoO

Goku hopped from foot to foot impatiently. The other guy was taking forever. He was big and bald and tan with a huge curly mustache and a black singlet. He was doing crazy lunges around the ring and waving his arms. He got in front of Goku in a low squat with his arms outstretched.

"Leetle Martial Arts Girl!" he shouted at her, making her hair blow back. He had a funny accent. "You heve chosen wrong path of life! Wrestling is superior fighting style to all martial arts! To grab your opponent and croosh heem in your power! Thees ees best in life! I let you geeve up now before I hoort you!" Goku didn't say anything. Why would she give up now? She'd barely gotten started! That was stupid. She copied his stance and that made him laugh. "You heve good spirit!" He threw out his hands and grabbed Goku around the wrists before he tried to pick Goku up and throw her out of the ring. However, she didn't move. The wrestler grunted and tried to pull her again but in a direct mockery of all the laws of physics, Goku didn't move. She stayed planted in the ground like a lead weight. He screamed through clenched teeth and strained as his whole head turned red like a beet and veins bulged out. Goku still didn't move. His eyes bulged out of his head and he foamed at the mouth. Nothing. Goku twisted her hips and slammed him hard into the ring with enough force to crack the tile.

"You're right!" Goku said to the unconscious wrestler. "Wrestling is lots of fun!"

SSVC/N: Yes, things are being implied. Will they be followed up on? We shall see. Yes, I introduced Hercule super duper early. Why? Because I love him.

Z/N: Yes, Cloud is answering his own questions. Will he keep doing this? We shall see. Yes, I'm doing it as well. Why? Because I'm a jerk.