Chapter 1 - A Birthday Preparation

HANDS BALLED, Goku stood firm as the air pulsated with tremendous energy, a yellow aura glowing around him beneath the pinkish red hue of the sky. Goku, who had had his eyes now changed from onyx to teal, spread his knees apart from each other and raised his arm with hands, gripped tightly, leveled at his chest, ready for yet another battle with that stance.

And with a battle cry, Vegeta lunged himself toward him as he prepared a punch, both of their yellow energy now dancing as tiny chunks of grass and dirt permeated through the air near them. He sent another flurry of hits through gritted teeth, a huge sound from the impact of his punches echoing.

Slam! Goku's fist made contact with Vegeta's jaw, and he, in turn, struck the gut of his rival. They grunted, and spoke, yet with words indecipherable. They leaped away, landing on the golden grass with stiff grace.

Adrenaline coursed as they charged again, yet their attacks seemed to serve no meaning. In truth, every attack they took diminished the other, with a slow and steady rate. Yet for the eyes of their friends, it was just a pain, seeing them replaying identical moves for the umpteenth time.

A strained scream roared as Vegeta kept punching. Goku, blocking his every strike, did a back handspring, spun like a wheel. and into the air, sending countless of yellow orbs battering toward his opponent. Dust blanketed their view from each other.

Disappearing from view, Vegeta had gone behind him—"Aaaahhhh!"—and slammed his head with his two fists. Goku managed to land on foot, his fingers digging the grass-coated soil. He stood up, swiped the dust off his gi, and looked up. The brown cloud dissipated, and they stopped moving, their bodies void of any sign of exhaustion—breaths completely stable, bodies firm, and eyes unflinching and alert.

Gone and now above Vegeta, Goku was ready to make a move for another attack as he charged directly onto him, speeding up. Vegeta sent barrages of energy balls flying toward the air, toward him. With a turbulent surge of air surrounding the Saiyan coming near Vegeta, all the energy orbs had been dispersed into nothingness. The ground caved into a massive crater as Goku's punch missed him and struck the ground, trembling.

Now their presence were now hard to look for as they leaped above the ground, again, at least for Krillin and his daughter, Marron, who was within his embrace. They were too fast for him and her; they couldn't quite pinpoint their location. The heavy rustling of the tree branches meters away from where they fought, the huge gust billowing every now and then from their series of attacks, and the monotony of each collision were the only things noticeable. Some of the trees were uprooted, some were at different angles. Because of the strong winds, she tucked all the hair away from her face. Her father, on the other hand, wasn't under the same circumstance, for he was bald.

*When will they ever get tired?* He looked at Marron, who was still staring at the sky as she focused her gaze to try to find them. "Enjoying yourself, Marron?"

Eyes opened fully, she looked at his dad, feeling the warmth radiating from her father. She just nodded, enthusiastic as she looked at the sky again. "I never knew fighting could be this awesome, Dad!"

She paused a little. "But . . ."

"But what?"

"The trees, they're destroyed." Her smile faltered, weighed by a mix of emotions. She had gone quiet, and his father tried to say something. Marron waited for them to land and appear again, yet they still didn't.

"Hey, do you wanna get stronger like them?" Krillin asked, his smile patched with a twinge of fear. He didn't want to disappoint her, not today. And he was starting to think if that was a good idea. Her daughter didn't respond, much like a doll. He bent on his knees, and clutched the side of her forearms, making sure it wasn't strong enough to break her bones. "If you want, I'll train you."

Marron's head inclined, her gaze at his father. She smiled. "No, thanks."

Krillin sighed in relief but was confused at the same time. He was thankful she wasn't gloomy as he expected. To him, she surely turned into a mature young lady, despite her age. He stared at the moaning pinkish sky, and different scenarios flooded in his mind about his daughter.

*What if she said yes?* She would surely suffer the same experience as him. Every pain, every hardship. She would get bruised, cry all night, and she would eventually quit, never to be the same again. He shook the thought away.

"I don't think that's necessary."

Krillin listened, trying to go on full ears against the raucous howls around them.

"I don't like getting hurt," she started, "and I don't want you to be disappointed." She lowered her gaze. "I'm weak, not like you, not like mom."

If he were to encourage her that she could be strong, she would start training and overexerting herself. She was stubborn, and she would always do anything she could to get what she wanted. Krillin didn't know what to say.

"But that's not what I'm really here for. Aside from wanting to see them fight, I just want to see how strong they are, and that's all!" She beamed. "I'm not trying to get stronger like you and mom. And if I get in danger, you would save me. Right, Dad?"

"I'm proud of you, Marron." He stood, and ruffled her hair.

"Thanks, Dad."

Her eyes now reflecting a flash of blue, she clapped her hands in excitement as both of the Saiyans landed with ease. She watched their harmless blue flame smothering their whole bodies harmlessly as they seemed to still be full of energy. A crack resonated from yards away.

"Another tree has fallen," Marron narrated, saddened a bit.

"Don't worry; Bulma will take care of these."

"I know."

Then those two blue auras dissipated, leaving just their hair to remain. The air stilled, seemingly. Both of them walked toward each other, their hands clenched into fists as they did so. Goku, in his usual happy mood, smiled at the angry Vegeta, who seemed to have his hands quivered.

They were like statues as they didn't bother moving an inch, both of their frames a mere tableau of power and strength—godly—their long, deep stares unleashing a wave of tension, especially from Vegeta's.

Krillin didn't sense their energies anymore (and his daughter never learned to sense the energy of a mortal). All of them couldn't, except for the guardians, the Kai's, and the gods.

In truth, a huge cascade of energy was within them, capable of destroying the whole galaxy if they wanted; it's just as if they were hidden, covered by the invisible barrier between gods and mortals. Despite the godly energy flowing within them, they were still mortals, two ordinary Saiyans thirsty for a fight, but their feats surpassed that even to their own quota—they had done it a million times already, and till this day they still didn't disappoint. They had turned to one of the gods, and that's what made them different from all the other Saiyans.

"Super Saiyan Blue," they call it, a level surpassing that of a Super Saiyan god.

"Oh my gosh!" The girl felt it very well, and she was as excited as Goku when the Saiyan finally moved an inch again. Her eyes dilated as it traced his movements, and her hands slowly outstretched in an effort to stop Goku from continuing what he was doing. She had only managed to open her mouth when the two of them finally teleported elsewhere.

"Oh man . . ." They were now gone, leaving Marron and his dad to stare into deep space of nothing but the green grass.

Goku, as it turned out, used the Instant Transmission technique. As Goku explained it, the user must focus the energy of the person he or she wanted to go to, and it was performed by using the forefinger attached to the user's forehead.

"I guess it's just you and me now, Marron," Krillin chimed, smiling at his blue daughter.

Slowly making up a toothy grin, she nodded to him and turned to the hovercraft landing near them that made her eyes brighten up more.

"Krillin, it's almost sunset," Android 18 said, flicking the strands of her hair as she smiled at her child. She stared at her lovingly with eyes flashing comfort and love, her hand caressing it and pinching it as she cooed.

"Geez, Mom, you don't have to do that, you know." Now her mom pinched her again. "Ow! I'm ten years old already!" Her defiance only made her mother felt proud. Just like she was, just like her brother, all full of pride but loving at the same time.

"But you still are, even if you're ten already," the android teased.

She rolled her eyes at that. "Whatever . . ."

Gesturing to the blue-haired woman beside her, who was at the mouth of the vehicle, she looked Krillin with a smile. "Help Bulma with the food preparation and leave Marron with me for now."

"Er . . . okay?"

"Okay, get inside so we can go to Capsule Corp. much sooner," Bulma said, "while 18 and Marron will have to go to the mall."

"Do I really have to?" Krillin asked in protest.

"I still have to buy some things to prepare for Marron's birthday." The android walked near Krillin and bent forward to plant a kiss on his head. "Bye, Honey, and you need to help her cook," she said with a smile, flying off with Marron now in her hold.

Placing herself into the driver's seat, Bulma stared at the midget outside. "Come on, Krillin! We don't have much time!"

"Fine!"

While they were preparing, the two rivals had something different in mind. They were now on the cliff, hearing the waves crashing against land. The back of the Namekian faced them, hunched. Goku felt his body relax, his arms stretching, and rested his head against his shoulders as he stared at the slowly drifting orb of the Sun near the horizon. Vegeta, who had his arms crossed against his chest, kept his stern look and gazed at the green alien to ask a question, rhetorically.

But before Vegeta could even utter a single word, his eyes had already opened from meditation, and spoke: "Gohan's left already."

So he made another question, scoffing: "Why did that brat even leave?!" His cockiness now rose. "Perhaps he's now afraid of us."

The Namekian still stared at the lapping waves and ripples of the sea beneath the cliff, his mouth aching to protest. "Not quite. He's just getting ready for Marron's birthday."

Squinting his eyes as he stared at the horizon, he jerked his head toward the Namekian again, his teeth gnashing against each other as he did so. "A Saiyan would always put his thirst for fighting first! And you, why are *you* still here!"

"He's not like us, Vegeta," Goku muttered, now standing beside the still sitting Piccolo. "Besides, he's only gonna train when needed. If he was gonna train non-stop, he would get stronger than the two of us combined. So you better get ready when you're at it."

"And you think I'll let that happen?" Vegeta smirked.

"Well," Goku said, scratching his hair, "I know I won't."

"To answer your question," Piccolo butted in, "I'm just here to meditate; I don't need to prepare. So keep quiet!"

"Well, you're lucky enough to have done the Ultra Instinct Technique!" Vegeta retorted, ignoring the Namekian's order and clenching his fists more.

"Well . . . it just happened, you know," replied Goku.

"It didn't 'just happen'! Jiren made you like that! And guess what?! Whis doesn't even want me to fight him!"

"Relax, Vegeta. I'm sure you'll have the chance to fight him again."

"And when is that exactly?" Vegeta scowled.

Amidst the relaxing rhythm of the waves and the breeze, these two Saiyans had just come here to disturb his meditation. And with that, anger fueled him to blurt out a shout, "You two, enough!" And with a sigh, he stood up, finally, and started to levitate. "I'm gonna go to the Capsule Corp. now."

"Wait, Piccolo."

"What, Goku?" Piccolo stopped, now facing the two Saiyans beneath him.

"Can you tell them that we'll be going there a little late?" He shut his eyes closed, scratching his head as he laughed awkwardly. "'Cause Vegeta and I still want to have a sparring match. Right, Vegeta?"

Having his arms crossed, he just made a "Hmmpph!"

Piccolo now turned and stared at the two figures below him. He hesitated for a moment and agreed seconds later. "Just don't let them wait a little longer."

"They're still preparing stuff, anyway." He faced Vegeta, readying his usual stance.

"How can you say that?"

Breaking his stance, he lifted his head up. "Uh, Bulma told me they'll start the party at six . . . or maybe seven." 

"Okay, Vegeta, ready when you are." He had his stance again.

Above Vegeta was Piccolo, who just flew off. Vegeta still crossed his arms, and ever so slowly and deliberately, he moved his arms away from each other, performing his fighting stance he'd grown using.

The skies above them emanated darkness as the sun was about to sink its whole body under the horizon.

Three seconds till it would drift. Both of the fighters were still motionless, their eyes glued onto each other as the wind blew past them both. Silence loomed over.

Two seconds. Goku's leg began to move forward, his knees getting firmer in position. The flow of the energy within them strong and formidable.

One second. They charged . . .

Zero, and both of them stopped, their bodies almost clashing—Piccolo also stopped mid-flight. Vegeta, his hands trembling, felt no more surge. He couldn't feel the once unfathomably strong energy from Goku. Even in his base form, he could feel his energy miles away. At that moment, no amount, even the slightest, energy could be sensed.

The other Saiyan, who was perking his head to the left, and then the right, looked at Vegeta, a rare emotion scribbling down his face—fear.

The sun had set completely, and tiny fragments of Goku's body, as if they were cinders from a smothering flame, floated through the air as all of the pieces shone with the bright flash of deep violet, as if being destroyed by the energy of destruction of this universe. And each of them dispersed into nothingness as an oval white glint flashed above.

Vegeta gaped, stunned, shaking. Piccolo turned and saw the flash, sweat trickling down. They didn't even prepare for what happened.

All the Z fighters couldn't feel it anymore, too, clueless. They were preparing for their friend's daughter's birthday, excited for the reunion. They had lived far apart from each other, independently, training their hearts out on their own from time to time. Yet this was unprecedented. But they soon assumed that it was just Goku playing with his god form without Vegeta.

Finally, the short-lived flash was gone, and so was Goku.

***

Screams reverberated, and Goku just stood, perplexed at the unprecedented commotion. The place was now different to him, from location to the shade of every color. All too foreign for his eyes. Strangers ran away, and that confused him more.

"Huh? Where am I?"