Duty Calls; to the victor goes the danger.

Zeno watched from his throne as Jiren the Gray traded blows with the saiyans of Universe 7. Dismissing the pair of remaining warriors from Champa's own bracket of competitors, the deities' lavender eyes shifted left to right assessing the potential being displayed before him.

The son of Bardock was indeed an unforeseen gift.

Super Saiyans were far and few in-between among the timeline of the multiverse, and there'd never been a single one who managed to impress him enough to become a Destroyer thanks to their primitive nature. Yet the potential was always there, and Zeno wondered if perhaps Son Goku might just be what he was looking for.

'And if he defeats Belmod's champion, he'll be right in line to challenge Bojack; thankfully his prison's kept his powers from growing, though I worry about Goku's friends. They'll need more training if they hope to stand a chance against Bojack's crew.'

Because it was made very clear in Whis' report that the Super Saiyan wouldn't wish to move ahead with being Zeno's own champion without his friends.

That had been very interesting conversation in and of itself however; to learn of a new Super Saiyan in over a thousand years. Though, there was that disturbance plaguing the south galaxy, that would need to be examined soon if something wasn't done about it. Its energy was enormous, and weighted with so much malice and pure evil that the Grand Priest hadn't felt since the last Great Disaster.

But...surely he was mistaken; one of those hadn't existed since the earliest ancestors of the entire saiyan race. Yes, it had to be something else...it had to.

Pushing such thoughts aside, Zeno allowed himself to be immersed in the showcasing of both Goku as well as Vegeta's combative prowess as the two saiyans continued their battle with Jiren the Gray.

It was easy to see how their differed upbringings changed the two warriors fundamental understanding of fighting; Goku's more defensive nature vs Vegeta's insistence on pressing every attack. Yet something interesting that Zeno noticed was, as Goku continued to trade blows with Universe 11's last contender, he slowly grew more aggressive in his approach.

His latent saiyan blood was beginning to boil.

'No doubt a product of that splendid transformation; truly their species is a special one.'

Down below, deaf to their spectator's thoughts, Goku and Vegeta's grunts filled the air as they swapped hands with their mountain of an opponent. It seemed that, no matter what they threw at him, Jiren was more than ready to bounce it right back with interest. Neither of the alien warriors could manage to get anything more than a glancing blow on him and anyone who looked could see that the prince was beginning to grow irritated with their failure.

Ducking under a cross meant for his jaw, Vegeta pushed off from the ground and jumped back to put distance between himself and the other two fighters.

"Argh! Enough of this foolishness!"

Cupped hands let loose a barrage of ki-blasts then, the saiyan prince banking on victory to make up for letting his rival get caught in the crossfire. Yet even with Goku managing to escape with the use of his 'Instant Transmission', by the time the dust settled both saiyan warriors were perturbed to find that Jiren hardly had a scratch on him.

"Vegeta watch out!"

The Prince of Saiyans had barely enough time to blink before he was sent flying back by a fierce shot to the face. Cursing himself for not spending enough time training to sense others energy, Vegeta barely avoided biting his own tongue as Jiren seemed intent on pushing him off the arena's edge himself.

Luckily Goku's speed as a Super Saiyan proved to be more than enough to keep up with Universe 11's strongest fighter, and in a streak of golden light brought down his knee against the back of Jiren's skull right as the alien prepared to launch Vegeta into the void.

A swift turn in mid-air saw Goku's opposite leg come around and crush where the off-guard warriors nose would have been, right before he reached out with both hands to grip his head and slammed another knee into Jiren's sternum. Locked fingers came down next, but this time the attack was stopped short and Goku was the one with a fist buried in his stomach.

By now though Vegeta had recovered, and the angry prince's core burned from the thought that he'd almost been eliminated.

Snarling, the newly enhanced saiyan warrior came barreling back into the fray with a shoulder-check. Another burst of aura saw the prince appearing behind the larger fighter while a war cry was the music that came before a punch to the kidney.

With blood pooling in his mouth Jiren's leg still managed a snap-kick that caught Vegeta in the stomach, though as his eyes turned towards the newly returned saiyan he nearly missed the incoming fist from Goku as the Super Siyan made his own re-entry. The leader of the Pride Troopers soon found himself on the back foot a second time as both of Universe 7's last two full-blooded saiyans worked together to defeat their shared opponent.

Off to the side, Caulifla and her other Universe 6 companion were both in awe as they continued to witness the true power of their shared race.

The young woman's eyes shone bright with a mix of wonder and desire; watching her crush go toe-to-toe, with a foe she silently admitted was beyond her, was a major turn-on. That brilliant golden aura, those flaming yellow spikes of hair and Goku's determined teal eyes, it was all just the perfect picture of strength and Caulifla found she could hardly wait until the whole tournament was over so they could get some time alone.

With every clashing blow the young woman felt her body shiver, the shockwaves reverberating through Caulifla's bones and further elevating her feelings of excitement. Watching Goku as he jumped around the arena, vanishing from sight and filling the air with balls of yellow energy, the female saiyan could hardly contain herself from jumping in and joining the fray.

Only the prospect of getting a second round with the Super Saiyan after Jiren's defeat kept her satisfied.

Beside his wonder-struck companion Cabba's own onyx orbs were gleaming with their own shine. Admiration flooded the svelte saiyan as he too forced his eyes to try and keep up with the three fighters duking it out, Vegeta's raw power as well as ferocity pulling the young man in and filling his head with visions of it being Cabba himself out there battling Unicerse 11's final warrior.

Like Caulifla, the leader of the Sadala Defense Force wondered how best to approach his new idol after the tournament was finished, though for Cabba his goal was strictly for the power he could acquire from training under such a talented warrior. Just thinking about how much higher he could raise his strength made Cabba nearly faint!

Unaware of their Universe 6 spectators Goku and Vegeta continued to wage their two-man war against the mountain of muscle that was Jiren the Gray.

"Why don't you two just give up," the Pride Trooper snarled as he managed to avoid another jab, "even together you've proven to be no match for me; this tournament was over before it began!"

"Whoa!"

Goku's blue undershirt turned to scraps as he avoided Jiren's next energy beam, the low-class saiyan leaping back to gain ground while he watched Vegeta try to slide under the larger warrior for a leg-sweep.

"Kakarot," the Prince of Saiyans grunted as he forced his body to dodge faster, "if you've got any new techniques I don't know about, now's the time to use them!"

"I've got one, but you'll need to keep him busy!"

"Fine, just hurry it up!"

Jiren scoffed as he smashed another fist down onto Vegeta's forearm, taking another shot to try and catch him in the kidney.

"You're a fool to think just one of you can handle me alone, I'll make you saiyans regret ever challenging me!"

Vegeta leaned back to avoid a punch to his face and pressed his palms to the ground, curling into a spring-kick the flame-haired warrior launched the battered Pride Trooper into the air before following with a mighty leap. Jiren's cross-block took the brunt of his hammer-fist before he caught Vegeta's incoming knee strike with an open palm, but a ki-wave to the face sent the giant fighter rocketing even further through the air.

Cabba and his female companion watched Vegeta drop back to the ground and lost sight of him as he bolted after the falling Jiren, squawking the pair quickly scrambled after the flame-haired saiyan of Universe 7 and made it just in time to catch him in another exchange of close-combat with the gray juggernaut.

However, a quick flash of color that drew Caulifla's eye up into the corner of the sky; it was Goku. She watched the Super Saiyan as he hovered in the air, his hands cupped in a very familiar gesture, with a brilliant blue ball of energy humming between the man's fingers. Caulifla had only seen it once, but her memory of that powerful technique would stay with her forever; Goku's 'Kamehameha'.

But just as soon as she'd seen him, the male saiyan vanished again and Caulifla just managed to move her gaze fast enough to watch as he unleashed the built up energy point-blank at a distracted Jiren's back!

The cry of pain that followed was heard only for an instant before being swallowed up by the rush of Goku's ki attack. All eyes in the stands watched then, waiting for the blinding light to pass, and then bore witness to Universe 11's strongest champion...on his knees.

Hands against the ground, thick fingers gouging into the rocky arena, Jiren's muscled body was nearly on full display with his uniform in tatters. Blood and bruises made up a patchwork of battle damage midst a sea of serious burns, sweat glistening in stinging rivulets as it dripped down off the Pride Trooper's nose or over his beefy form.

Up in the stands Belmod of Universe 11 couldn't believe his eyes; never in his years of knowing Jiren had the Destroyer ever thought the sight before him could be a reality.

"T-This can't be, Jiren, h-he can't possible be about to...to lose!"

All throughout the arena's warriors from across the multiverse bore witness to the overwhelming potential of the saiyan race, and the seemingly unstoppable might of the Super Saiyan.

Even Champa and Beerus could hardly believe just how much power the alien warriors could produce, with the Destroyer of Universe 7 feeling sweat at the back of his neck with the reality that Goku or even Vegeta may eventually steal the haughty feline's role out from under his nose.

"These 'saiyans'," Universe 2's Destroyer gaped, "they can't truly be the very same species that I did away with a thousand years ago in my own universe; those beasts knew nothing but savagery. T-This level of power, it's beyond such animals, surely you're mistaken and these fighters hale from a different race."

"It's that sort of thinking that's found each of your chosen warriors sitting here on this bench rather than claiming victory for their universe."

Heles' large green eyes snapped over to see that Zeno now floated beside the stands, and she felt a painful knot tighten in her stomach as the overseer of the Multiverse's words registered within.

"B-But my Lord, surely you c-can understand-"

"I understand that your warped understanding of 'beauty' has lead to the obvious decline of Universe 2 fighting strength; as I recall they were all quickly dispatched by Vegeta in the early minutes of the tournament. It's...disappointing to bare witness to, Heles, and I find myself greatly displeased that you allowed such a shining example of true evolution be wiped away simply because they suffered a bout of 'uncivilized' existence."

A cold shudder raced along the female deity's spine as she locked eyes with the stern-faced mask, and chilling stare of her superior.

"It's sad, to think that one I chose to lead their sector out of the darkness has allowed her status to blind her to the true worth of those she is meant to nurture; perhaps I made a mistake. Perhaps...Universe 2 is in need of new leadership?"

"N-No my Lord, please I-"

"You'll be quiet Heles, and watch as Beerus' Universe wins the Tournament of Heroes, with the very same power you so blatantly threw away. The same power many of you threw away."

Champa swallowed hard, raising a shaking paw into the air as sweat beaded at his furry forehead.

"M-My Lord, you said that U-Universe 7 was the victor yet, m-my universe still holds t-two fighters left in the arena. S-Surely you're n-not suggesting Caulifla and Cabba a-are that much weaker than the Super Saiyan."

"Of course I am; those two have absolutely no chance of winning. Both Goku and Vegeta far outclass your pair of saiyan warriors despite their obvious talent for battle, though something tells me it's really my daughter who's to thank for Sadala's survival after the last Great Disaster nearly saw them suffer extinction."

"A-Ah, well um..."

Champa simply dropped his head and shut his mouth, too embarrassed by Zeno's back-handed compliment to offer any argument, choosing instead to simply be happy the Grand Priest wasn't vocally contemplating having him replaced.

The Destroyers all felt their tongues grow heavy at the sight, and with lowered eyes let their attention drift back towards the fight that seemed to be finishing up.

Goku stood over Jiren as the Pride Trooper gasped for every next breath, his whole body shaking as he forced himself to stay on his hands and knees. A memory flashed through the Super Saiyan's mind then, and a ghost of the past merged with his current foe. All of a sudden Goku found himself back on Namek, Frieza's bloody stump of a torso taking over the image of Jiren's battered body.

Recalling the arrogant, foolish display by the lizard after he spared the tyrant Goku's eyes hardened as his aura flared.

"You have one chance; give up now. I won't make this offer again."

He would not make the same mistake twice!

"Surrender," Jiren spat, "to you? I'd rather die first!"

So when the Pride Trooper's answer was a near perfect copy of Frieza's efforts, Goku's brow tightened as he swatted the attack away, even from point-blank range, right before a furious blow to Jiren's face sent the Universe 11 warrior shooting through the arena floor and out into the void...effectively knocking him out of the tournament.

It was the realization that there were now only the four of them left in the arena that pushed Caulifla into action then.

"UWAAAH~!"

Goku and Vegeta's double energy shots were narrowly avoided by the warrior woman as she leaped out from behind a set of rocky structures. Dark eyes shining with excitement as well as nervousness, Caulifla waved her hands in an effort to show that she wasn't there as a threat before speaking up.

"Sorry, sorry; I should have learned my lesson after last time. It's just that, Goku, you were totally wicked! I can't believe a Super Saiyan is really that powerful! Now you've definitely gotta teach me how to do it!"

"Ano..." eyes wide and aura dying out, the Super Saiyan could only gape at the female warrior. His rage from moments ago vanishing in the face of that marveled mask of excitement.

"C'mon, c'mon there's still enough time in the tournament, let's finish our fight!"

Blown away by the young woman's bubbly exuberance and feeling that fire starting to rekindle in his core, Goku burst into laughter before following after a bouncing Caulifla.

"Well, Jiren did cut in, alright let's find somewhere a little less crowded then; I think you're friend's got something to say to Vegeta."

With that the two saiyans began to stride off to do battle, leaving the prince and Cabba alone. Caulifla seemed to have springs in her shoes as she bounced along beside her growing hearts desire, and beamed at the tall warrior when he looked at her with an amused smirk.

"Ya know, this is the first time I've ever met an opponent who's actually excited to lose~"

"Cha, yeah right," she shoved Goku playfully, "you may be tough but even someone like you's gotta be tired after a battle like that; I'll bet I beat you in five minutes."

"Oh yeah?"

Before the girl knew it, Caulifla found herself stumbling from the earth-raised saiyan's own push before she watched with narrow eyes as he skipped away from her; tongue out and teal eyes shining with mirth.

"Oooo, you're gonna get it now! Get back here!"

What was meant to be a spar turned into a very physical game of tag, with the two warriors laughing and shrieking in joy as they attempted to keep from being 'it'.

Back at the battle site, Vegeta had reigned in his saiyan power and returned to base form while staring down the very stringy Universe 6 counterpart to his own race. Realizing that the young man had probably been there during his scuffle against Toppo, the prince could only wonder what it was that this stranger wanted from him.

"If you've got something to say then get on with it."

"A-Ah, um, right...s-sorry sir. I-It's just that...I watched your fight earlier, a-and then again just a moment ago when you and the Super Saiyan battled that powerful fighter from Universe 11, and I was just wondering...d-do you think that you could maybe t-teach me how to be that strong?"

"Teach you? You're a saiyan right, a warrior, and you're telling me that a pure-breed such as yourself can't figure out how to harness their own potential?"

Cabba ducked his head, "N-No sir."

"Pick your head up! No member of my race, no matter what universe their from, will ever be seen with their tail between their legs; you want to learn, well that's lesson number one!"

Wide-eyed, Cabba snapped to attention and stared up at the Prince of Saiyans. Heart hammering in his chest and palms growing sweaty, the younger fighter fought not to shake in his boots as he awaited further guidance.

"Next you need to truly understand what it means to be a saiyan, to have pride. We are a race of warriors, the strongest in the universe, in any universe as you and all others have just witnessed. You say you don't know how to tap into that same power, but that's only because you've yet to find anyone willing to teach you; something I intend to fix starting now!"

It was pure instinct that drove Cabba to block Vegeta's sucker-punch, his svelte body immediately shifting into a defensive stance.

"Good," the older fighter smirked, "so your reflexes are sharp. Then I can skip the tutorial and jump straight into something I'm sure your sissy universe has yet to learn about; the power of Zenkai. Prepare yourself, boy, because this is going to hurt."

Being one of the strongest inhabitants of Sadala counted for nothing in the next few minutes as Cabba was beaten to a pulp under the strict and stern eye of his new mentor. But with every blow stuck and each bruise that formed he could feel his body reacting, getting stronger, and for the first time in his life the captain of the Defense Force experienced the hidden power of the saiyan race.

By the time Zeno called time, ultimately declaring Universe 7 the winner with Caulifla and Cabba admitting defeat, both were brimming with enthusiasm at the thought of continuing their respective relationships with their fellow warriors.

With the Tournament of Heroes over, only Beerus and Champa remained behind, with both Universe 6 saiyans stalling behind for some final words with Goku and Vegeta after the Grand Priest spoke.

"As I told you," he warned, "this was orchestrated in order for me to find a champion; someone strong enough to defeat Bojack and his minions. With you as the victor, Goku, the duty to defend Universe 7 now falls on your shoulders as well as those of your friends; Beerus and my son cannot aid you. At his current pace, the Super Namek will descend upon Earth in three years time, use this time wisely."

"But why Earth; what makes our planet so special?"

Whis' face was a mask of apology as he answered, "In truth nothing; aside from the Dragon Balls. But Bojack is unaware of their existence I'm sure, and wishes merely to conquer all life in the same manner as Frieza; evil for evil's sake I'm afraid. In time you'll learn, Son of Bardock, that there are those who aren't looking for anything, they simply take because they can and will happily watch the universe burn for their own amusement."

"A true, if not sad answer," Zeno agreed, "and one that only further demonstrates why I chose to hold this tournament Goku. I need your help; I need the power of the Super Saiyan. It will be a harsh road, but one you hopefully will not have to travel alone. For now though, all I can tell you is to train, prepare as best you can, and when the time comes be ready to face an enemy unlike any you've ever encountered before; Frieza was merciless, and Jiren was powerful, but Bojack is a real monster."

With his warning given and the air now thick with tension Zeno bid the group farewell before vanishing from sight, leaving Universe 7 alone with the Champa and his own pair of saiyans. Moments passed as the Z-fighters contemplated the Grand Priest's grace words, and the thought that their very existence could be snuffed out in only three short years weighed heavily on their minds before Goku finally spoke.

"Well, Zeno said that we couldn't ask for help from him or the Destroyers, but that doesn't mean I can't reach out to the other universes; Cauli, do you think you're up for giving me a hand?"

The female saiyan blinked owlishly at her crush for only a moment before her pretty face lit up in glee; getting to spend more time with the Super Saiyan was a dream come true! Giddy at the prospect, and tingling pleasantly at her new nickname, Caulifla eagerly agreed.

"You bet Goku; between the two of us that Borack loser won't know what hit em!"

Yet even as everyone walked through Whis and Vados' warp portal, across the stars and seated on a large thrown a horned tyrant listened with a grim face as his servant informed him that his youngest son had been killed...by a saiyan.

"I knew those ungrateful heathens would turn on us one day," King Cold seethed before taking a drink of wine. Hard, furious eyes stared into the nearly empty space of the overlord's throne room then as he thought about his next move before turning to look down at the trembling messenger.

"Argo, get word to Cooler; we're taking a little trip."

xXx

"Um...Goku, dear, I'm happy to finally have you home but, Gohan missed a very important test this week because he was off training at Bulma's and...I'm not sure how to feel bout your new...friend."

One couldn't fault Chi-Chi for her wary attitude, when the wife of Earth's savior opened her door to the sight of said husband standing beside an admittedly beautiful younger woman, especially since that pretty face came with a figure earned only through rigorous hours of training. Something the older woman's memory recalled with a shudder.

Yet, for the newly awoken Super Saiyan, his wife's clenched teeth and twitching eyebrow were signs of challenge from a woman who understood none of the trouble he'd gotten into since landing on Namek then returning home. Who was she to be upset at him after Goku just struggled through absolute hell, and now had to train for a foe even stronger than Jiren!?

'But no,' that voice Goku had been told was his inner-consciousness hissed, 'Chi-Chi's only concern is turning our son into a normal human, of ignoring what makes a part of him special; the very core of what makes me who I am.'

Instead though, the saiyan raised on Earth decided to answer with...

"Sorry, but we needed Gohan for an important battle; I'm sure he can take that test again though, right?Oh, and this is Caulifla, she's a fighter I met while I was away last night; she's going to be staying here for a bit, helping me train for a threat coming to Earth."

Beside the young man, Caulifla was trying to hold back the grin threatening to split her face as she watched Goku's wife fail to smother her own jealousy. It was easy to see that this 'Chi-Chi' envied her svelte, sexy frame, even despite her own soft and womanly curves. Never had the female saiyan ever experienced such a phenomenon, not with all the women from her planet more interested in being strong fighters and having no time to worry about such petty nonsense.

Yet, something about being the undisputed 'alpha', with such a strong possible mate around, gave Caulifla a definitive tingle at her lower-back.

Which made her that much more confident in leaning forward with her best 'cute' act and batting thick lashes at the disgruntled earthling. Mentally, she thanked Kale for staying with Cabba back at Capsule Corp while the latter trained under Vegeta.

"I watched Goku fight in the tournament and just couldn't help myself; I needed him to teach me how to become a Super Saiyan. Even being an earthling, I'm sure as his wife you can understand my...interest?"

Chi-Chi bristled as her new enemy purred in the housewife's face, a knowing gleam shining from those onyx eyes. It was easy to see that Caulifla knew just how much her presence bothered the other woman, and that the female fighter was happy to push Chi-Chi's buttons despite being in the princess' home.

"Well, whatever 'interests' you have, you can just keep them to yourself young lady!" The disgruntled housewife rounded on her husband next, finger pointed and eyebrows pinched, "And you, what sort of man brings home a strange woman to his wife and tells her that she's supposed to house the little hussy for who knows how long!? Goku, what were you thinking!?"

The saiyan's wife had seen him unhappy before; when he couldn't catch a certain fish, or a plate of food spilled. But, never being out on the field of battle with him, Chi-Chi'd never experienced Goku when he felt challenged, and what she saw reminded her that the man she'd married was indeed a warrior from space.

Clenched jaw, eyes narrowed, Goku's nostrils flared a bit as he let out a huff and folded his powerful arms across a broad chest. The saiyan's six-foot tall frame towered, for the first time, over his wife's softer form in a way she'd never imagined possible.

"I was thinking," he sucked his teeth, "that the fate of our world could come before what we wanted for once. You want a better life for Gohan, a life beyond that of a mountain boy, and there's nothing wrong with that Chi-Chi but...what's the point of all his studying, if the very world you're so eager to have him be a part of gets destroyed?"

Then, Goku turned, and motioned for Caulifla to follow as he told his wife that they'd be back later.

"Gohan's already left with Piccolo; he's just about mastered the Special Beam-Cannon. They're settled close by though, near the Kanto mountains. Caulifla and I'll be doing some sparring of our own out by the islands off to the south, we'll pick up Gohan on our way back, but you don't need to worry about making dinner cause I'm sure Piccolo will find something for him."

There was a slight stab in Chi-Chi's heart then; she always made dinner. There was always a place for her little boy at the table, even while he'd been off in space. Hearing that someone else, someone who wasn't her, would provide for the plucky youth pained the Ox-King's daughter. What was happening to her family?

"B-But Goku, Gohan...h-he can't, my little boy shouldn't be-" She tried one more time, but the man with the tail clipped away any further argument.

"Shouldn't be making his own choices? Because that's what this is, Chi-Chi; it's not like after I died, and Piccolo forced him to fight. Ever since Vegeta's defeat, Gohan has openly chosen to fight and stand against those who would do his friends and family harm. He's choosing to defend the Earth so that he can come home to you, to us, and live that happy life we've tried to show him he could have; even if it means getting his hands dirty."

"But he's just a boy Goku; what sort of person lets their child go out and do the things your suggesting!? I-It's not right, it's not normal, it...it's not human."

The silence that followed was thick with tension, and Chi-Chi's earlier displeasure at Caulifla's presence caved under the weight of her inner demons. And as the earth-woman turned her eyes down in shame she missed how two sets of eyes narrowed at the housewife; Goku not being the only one to realize just what she'd been hinting at.

And yet, despite the harsh words that he wanted to say stinging the tip of his tongue, Earth's savior simply let out another huff before fully turning his back on Chi-Chi and beginning to ascend into the air.

"We can finish this talk later tonight; I've got training to do. Caulifla, let's go."

The female saiyan sent the older woman one last glance before snorting and joining the wild-haired martial artist in flight, the two of them shrouding themselves in aura before blasting off for the islands Goku mentioned. Back on the ground, his wife finally managed to lift her gaze from under lashes bogged down by discontent and stare after the small speck that was the man she married.

It didn't take long at all before Chi-Chi couldn't see him any longer, and with a heavy sigh wandered back into the house. Dishes had been soaking in the sink, ready for a thorough washing, before Goku called to her but now the woman simply didn't feel like they mattered anymore. Ghost-like steps carried the princess over to her couch, where she fell into a heap before staring up at the ceiling with empty eyes.

Goku had never spoken to her like that before; he'd never even really gotten mad at her before! It was honestly jarring, and Chi-Chi had no knowledge of how to handle all of the feelings that now swirled around inside of her as his words played over through the woman's mind like a broken record.

Was it really so wrong for her to want Gohan home, away from danger and safe?

No, and Goku conceded this point openly, only to challenge it with the very real fact that their son couldn't be 'safe' if there was a powerful threat coming to Earth intent on destroying or enslaving everyone who lived there.

But then, why did it have to be Gohan who fought; wasn't Goku the strongest fighter on the planet? Couldn't he defeat them, so her little boy wouldn't have to get involved at all?

Yet..with all his strength, Chi-Chi easily recalled the day Krillen told her Goku had been killed saving their child from an evil space pirate; not to mention the close call against Vegeta! To know that her husband could be beaten, let alone challenged, by anyone was a very hard pill for the housewife to swallow and only reinforced her wish to keep Gohan away from any serious fighting.

After all, if Goku couldn't beat someone, what made anyone think her sweet little boy could!?

Memories pushed their way to the front of Chi-Chi's mind then, of that same child battered with dirt and blood speckled all over as he faced down a vicious alien prince essentially by himself, while his father lay beaten a mere few feet away. Looking at Gohan through Baba's crystal ball as he fought to defeat Vegeta, eyes fierce and face a mask nearly mirroring that of Goku's moments ago, Chi-Chi found that she couldn't deny her son really was his father's son.

He was as much a fighter as he was her little scholar; he was, in fact, half saiyan.

This was the hardest pill to swallow, as the earth-woman was made to face fact that her life was nothing like she'd dreamed as a little girl. Her knight-in-shining-armor was hard working, but had no interest in 401-K's or living in the city; he didn't even have a driver's license!

The worries that had begun to build during the five years after Goku's last tournament began to rear their ugly head and fester as she continued to sit there. She'd always imagined a two-story house with a a car in the driveway, her son on the Dean's list and a husband who came home every night to a nice dinner she'd cooked. They'd sit around, telling stories about their day and simply enjoying each others company before retiring to bed where she and her husband would read before bed.

But...none of that was Chi-Chi's life. Her son was smart, exceptionally so, but he'd missed so many assignments lately that there was no chance he'd be on the Dean's list. And while she loved Goku, the woman found herself regretfully realizing what she'd thought to be true love was fading into the embers of childhood fancy for a handsome face. He was...too different, wanting none of the same things Chi-Chi desired, and had zero interest in moving beyond the mountains for a cushy life in the city.

Where Chi-Chi was a 'proper' woman from Earth who dreamed of a comfortable life doting on her family, Goku was a fighter from space who's life revolved around just that; combat. It was what he lived for, the thing that made him the happiest, but something she had no more interest in now that she'd been reunited with Goku through the World Tournament.

They had nothing in common, shared no interests and had no interest in being a part of what the other did like.

They got along, were friendly to one another, but Goku made none of those grand romantic gestures Chi-Chi had always wanted out of life; thought technically she couldn't fault him, since the man didn't truly understand romance. It still left the woman feeling a bit...empty inside though.

And that emptiness is what lead the downtrodden princess to shuffle off to her room, lock the door, and curl up for a nap.

Because surely, this was all just a bad dream.

Xxx

Gohan stared, onyx eyes wide with disbelief, at the scorch mark left behind by his failed Special Beam-Cannon vaporizing a large boulder. It had been months since Piccolo began to teach him one of the Namekian's favorite techniques, and the boy had been shocked to find it harder to learn than his own father's signature blue beam.

The level of focus it took to even build up so much energy in the tips of two fingers, and form a straight shot that moved faster than the speed of light with the explosive power to easily level mountains, was enough to drop Gohan to his knees. Sweating, his arms shaking, the son of Earth's savior was only subconsciously aware of the lost feeling at the tips of his fingers while feet away Piccolo stood with a stern, but proud look on his face.

"Good; only three months of training and you're getting it. I suppose all that studying did you some good after all, your ability to focus is far better than most fighters I've seen. Most of them don't realize just how much energy they actually waste when they just throw out their energy attacks, or the way it effects their power."

Stepping closer to hand his apprentice a gourd of water, the green giant explained, "The Special Beam-Cannon only feels so draining right now because you're not used to it; you feel like you've used more energy because of how concentrated it was. But watch, you'll find yourself recovering at least twice as fast as if you were to use a Super Kamehameha."

"B-But I've seen you use scatter-shot techniques during our spars," the boy countered, even as he did begin to notice his mentor's words to be true, "isn't that wasting energy?"

Piccolo smirked as his pride in Gohan swelled.

"It is, but one that's necessary for those types of moves. Typically their used to quickly deal with multiple weaker opponents at once, but Vegeta and I prefer to utilize them as surprise attacks or as a way to overwhelm our foe and force them into on-the-spot situations; all for a better advantage. I'm sure you've realized how much faster you have to think when surrounded by fifty or more smaller energy spheres just waiting to come flying at you."

By now Gohan was seated with his legs crossed, the sweat from before now a thing of the past and feeling having returned to his fingers. Draining the gourd of its thirst-quenching, life liquid, he wiped his mouth before nodding.

"Definitely; it doesn't ever help that your arms stretch either."

There was a chorus of laughter that echoed through the mountainous area before Piccolo told his apprentice that it was time for them to continue his training.

"You lasted longer than I expected in the tournament," the Namekian revealed as his cape and turban were thrown aside. "I heard that you'd even managed to beat that Frieza look-a-like. Even with the gravity training, for you to have progressed so far in only three months is astounding; but don't think this means you'll have an easier time beating me."

Goku's son smirked as he rotated both shoulders, "I would never; if I've gotten stronger, there's no telling how high your power's climbed. Besides, you said so yourself, why go easy on me when my enemies won't?"

"You're learning; good. Now let's see how tough you really are!"

In a blur, both combatants vanished, only for the half-saiyan to reappear as he was knocked into the air. Spinning with his momentum though, Gohan worked himself into position to block Piccolo's next strike before trying for a jab. The green giant dodged, and in a flash sent eye-beams aimed straight for the boy's chest, forcing him to twist away at the last second; flecks of blood spraying across the open sky.

Piccolo ducked as his sparring partner whipped around in a spin-kick, his own arm shooting forward with all the force of a semi-truck. Gohan blocked with crossed arms, sending him flying back, but as the Namekian tried to press his advantage he found himself pushed back as the youth's ki exploded in a burst of blue, with the next thing he knew being a fist to the face.

A solid combination of strikes landed across his torso before Piccolo managed to shift himself out of harms way, and bring his elbow down against Gohan's head. The dark-haired boy moved back though, and blocked his mentor's own follow-through roundhouse with a single forearm.

"I thought you said there'd be no going easy on me," the boy taunted, "don't tell me your getting soft now."

"Heh, don't get cocky kid; I'm just getting warmed up!"

Before he had time to think, Gohan felt his opponent's opposite leg come around and hammer down on the crown of his head, sending the half-saiyan falling from the air like a comet before just managing to catch himself inches from the ground. But a nanosecond barely passed before a knee drove its way into his gut, bringing the boy up enough for Piccolo to smash his interlocked fingers down across Gohan's back.

A single foot pressed down against the back of his skull, and Goku's son struggled to breath as his mentor admonished him for his foolish behavior.

"You know why you're down there, right? It's the same reason Frieza managed to get the jump on me with his third transformation, and why Vegeta wound up getting himself killed; arrogance. Just because your opponent seems like they aren't a threat to you, doesn't mean to play around with them. I had to learn that lesson the hard way, and it's a mistake I will not have you repeating, do you understand?"

"Y-Yes, Sir."

Gohan could hear the conviction in the Namekian's voice, he knew that the green giant blamed himself a bit for just how close they'd all come to being destroyed by Frieza, and as his mentor removed his foot so that Gohan could stand the boy swore that this lesson would be burned into his memory forever.

xXx

Far across the stars and planets, there was another who was just learning about the price arrogance can cost on the battlefield.

Stern, crimson eyes glared harshly at the screen in front of them as it filled with the static of a cut communication, before shutting off and leaving nothing but a black screen. Their owner felt his nose wrinkle as a snarl curled against purple lips. A single, irritated huff blew through flared nostrils then as a thick, lizard-like tail smashed against the throne Cooler had just been sitting on.

Salza, the leader of his personal squadron, flinched at the silent display of the powerful alien's fury, and swiftly hid the handheld monitor behind his back while being sure to keep his head down. Standing around the pair, the rest of Cooler's armored squad stiffened as the Frost Demon's shoulder's tensed.

'Frieza, that imbecile, this is why I told Father to hand the saiyans over to me; now look what he's done!'

"It seems," Cooler's voice was only just strained under the full weight of his displeasure at the call he'd just received, "that my brother has made another mess, and it's up to Father and I to fix it. Salza, prepare my ship, I don't know who this saiyan thinks they are but no one disgraces my family and gets away with it."

As his henchman sped off to fulfill that last order, Cooler himself began a slow walk to the spacecraft all the while staring down into the palm of his hand. Flexing fingers into a fist and letting them splay open again, the tyrannical lizard-like alien found himself thinking back to the day Frieza had decided to blow up Planet Vegeta; sighting the King's rebellion as the cause. Cooler mentally snorted in derision.

He knew the truth; his brother had been afraid. His brother feared the legend, had witnessed a small number of exceptional saiyans start to rise through the ranks of the Planet Trade, and sought to stamp out any hope of rebellion through the race's extinction.

The problem? His brother's weakness had cost their families business to stumble into times of hardship! The saiyans had been among their strongest forces, with a single band of low-level soldiers holding the power to wipe out a planet as dangerous as Kannasa in a single full-moon night, and with their destruction Cooler was quick to see that forceful occupation of certain planets became near impossible unless he himself or his armored squad took care of the job!

'It certainly didn't help that his own enforcers were so pathetically inept,' the Frost Demon snarled internally, 'just thinking about those fools makes me sick. I'll never understand Father's need to spoil Frieza, giving him whatever he wants without thought to what it could cost the Empire. Times like these only make me hate the little insect all the more for what happened to mother.'

By now, Cooler had made his way onto the ship and was just settling into his carrier for the flight to Planet Trade headquarters, shaking his head softly to dispel the emerging memories of the female who'd given him life.

He'd mourned enough, years ago, now there was to be no sadness or pain; there was only strength. There was only dominance. There was only him.And he would not make the same foolish mistake as Frieza!

xXx

Back on Earth, the very saiyan Cooler and his father were eager to destroy was in the middle of trading blows with his newest fan; sonic booms echoed through the air as they clashed, sending ripples across the cloudy skies.

"So," Caulifla wondered even as she swatted Goku's back-fist away, "are all of your universe's women like her, or did you just do something to tick off your wife?"

The tailed warrior danced through his opponent's attempt to combo him before answering, throwing the girl over his shoulder as he did so. "Not all of them, no, my friend Bulma's pretty understanding; but then, Chi-Chi's always been different. I've never met another earthling like her, and I've been across quite a bit of the world to find the Dragon Balls, the things she wants out of life don't seem unreasonable from what I've noticed though."

"But, those things aren't what you want."

It wasn't a question. Some would see what Caulifla was doing as wrong, but to the saiyan female such a concept did not exist; she wanted Goku, and there was an obstacle in her way. Therefore, for the female warrior to be happy, Chi-Chi would either need to find happiness somewhere else or be content with living a life with no husband, because Caulifla would have her man.

After all, who better for the Super Saiyan, than a woman who understood him and was willing to support and fight alongside him in the face of danger? Certainly not some weak, human, breeding machine!

The pair traded blows in silence then for a time, Goku thinking about what Caulifla had said and she content to let him marinate her words around inside his head. Though as time went on, the female warrior grew a bit tense at the lack of a smile on her crush's face, and in an act of pure juvenile delight she speed behind him and flipped Goku's shirt over his head.

"H-Hey, Cauli, what the heck sort of technique is that!?"

He shouted at her, but the petite vixen could easily catch the laughter in Goku's voice as the much larger saiyan wrestled himself out of his orange top. The wild-haired alien gave the sleeveless garment a quick shake, before slipping it back on and tucking it into the waist of his pants; all the while missing how his companion eyed the way Goku's biceps flexed smoothly during the motions.

Caulifla quickly pushed down the slight flutter of her heart, and covered it with a hearty laugh as she powered up, "Oh, c'mon, are you gonna tell me that such a silly trick was enough to throw off the mighty Super Saiyan~ Maybe what I saw back at the tournament was a fluke then? Maybe, I don't need to learn how to transform to kick your butt~"

That did it. Goku's dark eyes narrowed playfully as he tensed his body, power-level rising as black hair whipped up into an onyx flame.

"Oh yeah? Well, we'll see abut that, won't we; get ready Cauli, cause here I come!"

'Don't you worry,' the grinning cutie purred to herself, 'I'm more than ready for ya~'

Her less than pure thoughts were knocked away though when her opponent vanished before Caulifla's eyes, reappearing underneath the girl and grabbing hold of her slender ankles with powerful fingers. A sharp gasp managed to break past the saiyan woman's lips before she was flung down towards the earth below, but a quick recovery saw Universe 6's strongest saiyan able to twist away from Goku's flying kick aimed at her back.

"Crush Cannon!"

'Instant Transmission' rescued Earth's savior from being bombarded by a wave of brilliant crimson orbs, and had him re-materialize before a shocked Caulifla, who hardly had time to throw her arms up for a block before Goku's fist came smashing forward like a train.

"Nice try, now let's see if you can keep it up!" Goku flew after her in a burst of incredible speed, and he found himself pleasantly surprised at just how quickly the girl managed to regain her senses and even avoid being kneed in the jaw.

When she caught his incoming over-head kick though the monkey-tailed martial artist decided it was a good idea to step things up a bit. Pulling his leg free, and sending Caulifla flying with an open-palmed ki wave, Goku split himself into three using the 'Multi-form' technique and circled around the bewildered beauty.

"We'll see if you can figure out the trick to this technique before I decide to show you anything new," the original saiyan explained before motioning for his doppelgangers to speed in. He chuckled at hearing the girl squawk in surprise, before joining the other two Goku's in their now three-on-one brawl.

And as the day carried on, turning to night with the sun overtaken by stars and a half-moon, Goku found himself having more fun than he'd ever thought possible in a fight. Trading blows with Caulifla left him feeling free and light, reminding him of those happy days back when his Grandpa first taught him the ways of martial arts.

All things faded as he danced through the air and across the island shore with the peppy female warrior, and even after they tired and returned to the Son family home for some rest, Earth's savior found that the eyes he dreamed of were not, for the first time, those of his wife.

xXx