(Over a month after the Cell Games)
Deep inside the pristine wilderness also known as the region making up Mount Paozu, far out of the way of any known civilization, there sat the familiar dome shaped hut and cottage buildings belonging to the Son family. Quiet, peaceful, surrounded by valleys, forests, and a river flowing directly alongside the property, the small home rose up in the center of this tranquil splendor like a beacon on a map, untouched and undisturbed by the intrigues of human expansion.
To some; it was an ideal place for a farmland. To others, it was a superb location for a family retreat away from the hustle and bustle of city life. But to the few who actually lived in the small, country building sitting in the middle of the field; it was home.
Here, under the orange light of the rising sun, one of the residents of the house could be seen outside, on the grass and hard at work.
Leaping across the rolling hillsides and valleys, adorned in a familiar orange and blue gi with his black, spiky hair sticking out in a peculiar yet ordered fashion, a young boy could be seen going through the motions. Fists and feet cutting through the air at terrific speeds, the eleven-year-old, teen form of Son Gohan blurred across the fields surrounding his home, fighting against an enemy nobody could see. Since he was on his own and there was nobody else in sight or reach, it was safe to say that the young man was in fact shadow sparring.
Just like how his father and Piccolo had taught him, the boy subjected himself to his most familiar of training routines. Dust kicking up as he zipped across the landscape at a ridiculous rate, Gohan pushed himself hard to get his blood pumping and muscles working. Having already been at this for a couple of hours now, the boy had had plenty of time to wake up after a good night of sleep, as well as to mentally and physically prepare himself for the day that lay ahead.
Back flipping across the hills in the form of an orange flash, Gohan eventually skidded to a stop near his home and unleashed a flurry of punches before ending the combination with a swift yet powerful kick. The blow caused a gust of wind to ripple across the grassy hills for several miles, before the gale settled moments later and allowed the half-Saiyan to lower his leg to the ground.
Breathing in and out, Gohan allowed a grin to appear on his face and clenched his fists at his sides triumphantly. "Alright. I think I'm ready now." The look in his eyes showed the world that he was ready to rock.
"Gohan! It's time to go!" the familiar call of a woman suddenly echoed from across the flats, drawing the boy's gaze towards his home. "Come on now! We don't want to be late!"
Seeing his mother adorned in her familiar purple and orange dress, carrying her purse with her hair all done up, was all the sign the young hybrid warrior needed to tell him that she was all set to head out.
An excited smile graced his lips, "Coming." Dashing across the clearing, he skidded to a stop in front of the woman, whom he noted had been waiting patiently for him.
"So… are you all warmed up?" Chi-Chi asked, gazing proudly down at her son.
"Yep," Gohan replied, his visage bright and full of energy. "I've been out here all morning working on my stuff. My senses are razor sharp and my fighting techniques are spot on." With this, he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was going to make a killing at the big event they were about to attend.
Hell, the entire world was going to be watching him. He needed to be in the best shape possible if he was going to make any sort of an impact on the stage that was waiting for them. Considering what he was capable of though, he knew that it wasn't going to be that much of a problem.
"Well, that's good to hear," the Son mother nodded, turning to look down at her purse and checking to make sure she had everything. "Knowing that Trunks and the others are going to be there today, it would be really bad for you if you went into the ring all tired and spent. I sure hope you didn't warm yourself up too much."
Chi-Chi; concerned as always.
At this, Gohan grinned, "Don't worry about me, mum. I'm feeling great today… better than great. My head is clear and I feel a lot stronger than I was four weeks ago. As long as I keep my eyes open and watch my punches, I know I'll be able to make it to the finals, no problem." When he looked up and saw her eyes fix upon him again, the boy's eyes shimmered brightly. "By the way… thanks for letting me train in my free time, mum. It really means a lot to me."
Her expression reflecting a momentary sense of surprise, the raven haired mother then broke out a loving smile, which she directed towards the youngster in front of her. "That's alright, honey. As long as it makes you happy, then I don't mind letting you out in the mornings and afternoons to work on your fighting skills. You are your father's son after all… and I'd really hate to deprive you of the one part of him that the two of you love so much."
In the days following the Cell Games, which had seen the death of his father and the greatest man he'd ever known, Gohan had come to the realization that in order to defend the earth from any new threats that happened to be lurking around the corner, he needed to keep on training and keep on getting stronger. Even though he and his friends had just pulled through one of the toughest trials they'd ever faced in the history of their group, the boy knew that even though the world was now at peace, the days of fighting weren't over.
After all, it was big, wide universe out there. Although Cell had been defeated, there was a very real possibility that a being even more powerful and malicious than him might show up someday to throw the world into chaos.
With his father gone and the fate of humankind left in his hands, Gohan knew that he needed to take up the mantel that his dad had left behind, and fill in the enormous void that once belonged to Goku. So, with his father's sacrifice still lingering in his mind, he'd approached his mother and asked her if he could continue training. Though she initially objected and put up one hell of a fight about it, Gohan eventually talked her down to letting him train in the mornings and afternoons, while leaving the bulk of his day to do his studies and help her out around the house.
Since he, his mother and grandfather were now the only ones living in the house, there were many gaps in their lives that needed to be occupied. It was for the best, not just for him and for them, but for everyone.
Despite the fact that Chi-Chi had agreed to Gohan's terms, she still made it a point to remind him that he needed to focus on his studies as much as possible. Even though she seemed disappointed at the idea of her son training and fighting, the half-Saiyan still reckoned he saw a small glimmer of happiness reflected in her eyes when she finally conceded. It was a feeling that Chi-Chi only ever shown to her husband on the most uncommon of occasions, where his skills, strength and guiding hand had been needed most.
With her expression showcasing her own degree of excitement, the Son woman raised a hand and formed a tight fist, "Now remember son; pace yourself, don't let your guard down, and don't mess up. Because if you lose in the first round after all that training I let you do in the last several weeks, then I'm going to be very disappointed in you."
A smile came to the youngster's face, "I'll win. I know I will."
"Good." Smiling, Chi-Chi gave a firm nod and puffed her chest out. "Now get out there and show the world what Son Gohan can do!"
The half-Saiyan grinned, "Yes, ma'am!"
The moment that declaration had been made, the pair then picked up the sound of an approaching engine and looked up to see a familiar yellow ship appear out of the clouds. Gazes locking onto it, the mother and son watched the craft descend to the grass in front of them, its engines blazing away and ruffling the clothes hanging on the nearby line, nearly blowing the towels away.
When the square-shaped vehicle eventually touched down and the jets reduced their thrust to a bearable level, both Gohan and Chi-Chi then saw the side door open up and the familiar face of Bulma Briefs pop into view.
"Hey there, you two. Ready to head off?" the boss of the universally renowned Capsule Corporation asked with a gleeful look on her face. Over the last few months the woman had grown her hair out and, today, was wearing a headband to push it all back, a pair of jean shorts, pearls, and a green fitting top that showed off her curves. Needless to say, she too was ready for the big day out.
"You bet," Gohan exclaimed, greeting the woman with a gung-ho smile and a raised fist.
Bulma giggled at the youngster's familiar grin and expression, "Glad to see you're all pumped up. I can expect nothing less from the son of Goku. Hop aboard everyone." With a quick wave the woman ducked back in, allowing the two Sons to approach the deck.
Stepping in through the hatch, the young half-Saiyan quickly spotted his lavender haired, time traveling Saiyan counterpart sitting in the passenger seat up front and waved, "Hey Trunks. What's up?"
The older half-Saiyan, adorned in his familiar uniform consisting of black pants, yellow Capsule Corp. boots, blue vest, black singlet, and carrying his younger, baby-self securely in his arms, smiled back at his fellow hybrid and nodded, "Not much. Hey. Nice outfit."
"Thanks. I thought I'd take a page out of my father's book and decided to try out his colors for a change," Gohan responded, tugging on the collar of his gi before helping his mother up the stairs. "I gotta say it's been a while since I last wore this stuff." The last time he remembered wearing this gear was back when he was four and training with Piccolo.
"Well, it looks very good on you, Gohan," Bulma remarked from her place in the pilot's seat, glancing back at the young warrior and strapping herself in. "I'm sure Goku would be very proud to see how far you've come."
Beaming, the raven haired Saiyan hoped into a seat and buckled up as well, with Chi-Chi mimicking her son's actions.
As soon as everyone was safely inside the transport and secured, Bulma shut the door, put her foot down and took off. The entire plane jerked to life as it lifted off the ground, climbed to a comfortable altitude and turned towards the horizon. Once the woman was certain they were pointed in the right direction, she fired the engines and gunned it, the plane blasting off into the distance.
As it turns out, everyone was excited today, and with good reason.
Because today, for one time only, all the fighters in the world would be partaking in the very first Intergalactic Martial Arts Tournament.