The fluorescent lights of the convenience store spilled onto the midnight street as the familiar !ding! announced the exit of a lone figure. "Damn these overnight shifts," the man muttered to himself, clutching a bag overflowing with snacks and drinks. "This company's gonna be the death of me." He stepped off the curb, the yellow street lines blurring in his tired vision.
Suddenly, a pair of blinding headlights appeared, barreling towards him. "Shit, it's Truck-kun!" he thought, a millisecond before impact. Then, darkness. But instead of the void, a voice jolted him awake. "Goten! Goten! Get up, you're going to be late for school!" A familiar, shrill voice. He pried his eyes open, greeted by a blurry ceiling.
"Goten? Who's Goten? Like, Dragon Ball Z Goten? Wait a minute!" He scrambled to a mirror, his eyes widening in disbelief as he stared back at the teenage face of Son Goten. A quick, stinging punch confirmed the impossible: he wasn't dreaming. "Truck-kun actually sent me to a different world...and it's Dragon Ball!" He thought, panic creeping in.
"I'm Goten, maybe 14 years old...is this during the Super Hero movie or after? I really don't want to go up against Cell Max or Gamma 1 and 2. I don't know how to fight! No offense to Goten, but he wasn't exactly the strongest, despite all that potential." He clenched his fist, a sense of urgency washing over him.
"Goten, get up! Or i'm coming in there!" Chi-Chi's voice boomed, snapping him back to reality.
"Wow, actually being there, Chi-Chi's scarier and louder than on TV." He threw on the unfamiliar school uniform and rushed to the kitchen, confronted with a mountain of food that threatened to topple over. "Hurry up and eat! I don't want your perfect attendance to be ruined!" Chi-Chi declared. "Can I even eat all this? I know I'm in Goten's body, but still..." His stomach answered for him, a loud growl betraying his hesitation.
He dove in, devouring the food with surprising speed and ferocity. "Thanks for the food, Chi...Mom," he managed, before bolting out the door, met by the sight of a lush green landscape and a soaring dinosaur. "Let's see if this works..." "Flying Nimbus!" he shouted, channeling his inner child. A small, golden cloud descended from the sky, hovering expectantly before him.
"I hope I'm pure of heart enough to ride Nimbus." He cautiously placed a foot on the cloud, relief flooding him as it held firm. He sat down, a grin spreading across his face. "Alright, let's go, Nimbus! Woohoo!" he yelled, soaring into the air. "Try, try, try! Look high and low!" he sang, butchering the Dragon Ball theme song in his excitement. "In the manga, Goten went to Blue Hal High School in West City." He spotted the sprawling metropolis in the distance.
"Whoa, it's even bigger than in the anime!" He yelled, his excitement growing. He swooped down, scanning the landscape for his destination. "There it is! I should probably land somewhere discreet." He landed behind a building, hopping off Nimbus. "Okay, plan is to get through school and then find Master Roshi. I want to start training as soon as possible." He thought, strategizing as he walked towards the school.
"Goten! Goten! Goten!\" A familiar voice called from behind. He turned, snapping out of his thoughts. "Trunks?" he asked, confused. "Yeah, who did you think it was?" Trunks replied, tilting his head. "I guess I was just in my thoughts, sorry, hehe," Goten said, rubbing the back of his head, a nervous laugh escaping his lips. Trunks looked at him strangely, but shrugged it off as they walked into school.
The final school bell of the day shrieked, sending a wave of students surging into the hallways. Goten weaved through the crowd, a familiar feeling of release washing over him. "Finally, it's over," he muttered, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "The classes were ridiculously easy, considering I already know all this stuff from my old life. Now, I can finally start my training!" He couldn't contain his excitement.
"Hey, Goten, wanna hang out?" Trunks called out.
"Sorry, Trunks, but I've gotta see Master Roshi about something," Goten replied, already turning towards the exit. "Alright," Trunks shrugged, unfazed. Moments later, Goten was soaring through the air aboard Nimbus. "Okay, Nimbus, can you take me to Master Roshi's?" he asked, and Nimbus responded with a burst of speed, zipping over the sparkling ocean. A pink house, perched on a small island, grew larger in the distance.
As they approached, Goten hopped off Nimbus, landing lightly on the sandy shore. He pushed open the door to the house, calling out, "Hello? Master Roshi?" Looking around, he found the house empty. "That's weird, he's usually... oh, I forgot." A realization dawned on him. He walked around the side of the house, and there he was: Master Roshi, sprawled in his favorite chair, sunglasses perched on his nose, lazily watching the sky. "Master Roshi! It's really you! Wow, you look so much different in real life," Goten exclaimed, unable to contain his enthusiasm.
"Goten? My-my, it's been a while. Why have you come here?" Master Roshi asked, adjusting his sunglasses with a confused squint. Goten took a deep breath and bowed respectfully. "Please train me, Master. Now that Go... Dad and Vegeta are off-world most of the time, I figured I should at least get strong enough to protect the planet." "Hmmmm... you've never been interested in being trained by me before. Couldn't you ask Gohan or Piccolo? After their fight with Cell Max, I'm sure they've kept up with their training," Master Roshi replied, his gaze unwavering.
"So it's after the Super Hero Saga. That's good to know," Goten thought to himself, absorbing the information. "I figured I should start from the basics, get back my fighting instincts," he explained, his eyes fixed on the older martial artist. Master Roshi continued to stare, seemingly unconvinced.
"Oh! I brought you these. The guy said they were limited edition," Goten added, reaching into his bag and pulling out two extremely dirty magazines of women. Master Roshi's eyes widened. "Hoohooo. Alright, let's get started!" he said quickly, snatching one of the magazines and diving into it immediately. "Still just a dirty old man, just like in the anime," Goten thought with a sweatdrop.
The sun beat down on Goten, his orange gi clinging to his back as he struggled with one-armed push-ups. The purple, weighted turtle shell felt like a mountain on his spine. "Damn... this is harder than it looks," he grunted, pushing towards his hundredth repetition, sweat dripping from his nose.
"You'll need to build up your body since you've been lacking training for years," Master Roshi said, eyes glued to his magazine. "Having a 200-pound turtle shell on my back is making it harder!" Goten thought, his muscles screaming in protest. The next moment, Goten found himself in a barren field of dirt. He began to plow the entire field with his bare hands, the unforgiving earth resisting his efforts.
When he finally finished, he collapsed, utterly spent. "Wow, I can't feel my arms and legs," he gasped, struggling for breath. That night, Goten was swimming frantically, trying to outpace a shark. "Could have skipped this part of the training!" he yelled, the giant predator hot on his heels. "Hmmmm," Master Roshi mumbled, observing Goten's struggles.
Minutes later, Goten was soaring through the sky on Nimbus, back in his school uniform. "Holy crap, they make it look easy in the anime. But I can feel it. My body is getting stronger, and Goten's fighting instincts are coming back," Goten thought, relaxing on the cloud for a moment. He arrived home to Chi-Chi's scolding.
"Do you know what time it is, young man? Hurry and take a shower, then bed now!" she shrieked as Goten bolted towards the bathroom. "I better keep my training away from Chi-Chi," he muttered to himself. The next day, Goten was back in his gi, the turtle shell weighing him down as he skipped up a mountain path, a box of milk bottles in his hands.
The sun blazed overhead. "This one's not too bad," Goten thought. Then, without warning, he was running for his life from a dinosaur. "Never mind, this sucks!" he yelled, legs pumping as fast as they could. Back at Master Roshi's, Goten was devouring mountains of rice. "Just like his father. He's progressed faster than even me," Master Roshi observed as Goten polished off another bowl.
Fueled by the rice, Goten practiced his punches and kicks in the air, his movements becoming more fluid and powerful. "Alright, I've made Goten's fighting instincts my own," he thought, then faced the ocean, lowered his stance, cupped his hands at his side, and focused. "Ka-me-ha-me-ha!" he yelled, thrusting his hands forward.
A blue beam erupted, slicing through the water's surface. "Woohooo! I did it! I did a Kamehameha!" Goten cheered, jumping up and down. A week passed. Goten sat on the beach, meditating. "Goten, I have taught you all I know. I'm proud to say you're back in fighting condition," Master Roshi announced. Goten stood and bowed.
"Thank you, Master Roshi, for all you've taught me. See ya!" Goten yelled, leaping into the air. "Flying Nimbus!" he shouted, landing gracefully on the cloud. "Now I've got my body up to condition, time for the second phase of my training. Since Goku, or rather my father, is off-world, I need a master to teach me about ki control. Should I go to Piccolo? Or Gohan? No, I doubt Gohan would teach me since he hasn't been training. So, Piccolo it is.
"Goten decided. He arrived at Gohan's house, knocking on the door. Videl answered. "Goten, it's good to see you. Gohan's not here right now." "Actually, I was hoping if Piccolo was here," Goten replied. "He's usually at his house," Videl said. "Oh-uhh, could you tell me where that is? I forgot, hehe," Goten laughed, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
Soaring through the sky on Nimbus, Goten searched a grassy landscape. "She said it was around here... I think." He spotted a small, white house. "Piccolo's house!" He dropped down towards the ground. "Hmmmm, guess I could just walk in," Goten thought, strolling up the walkway.
"Goten, what are you doing here?" Piccolo questioned, appearing suddenly in front of him. "Oh my god, it's Piccolo! Like, *the* Piccolo! Wait, I'm Goten now, I can't fanboy," Goten thought, quickly composing himself. "Piccolo, I would like you to train me. I kinda forgot ki control and how to fly, hehe," Goten said, laughing nervously as Piccolo gave him a look of utter exasperation.
Next moment Goten was engaged in a furious sparring match with Piccolo on the dusty training grounds. "I can't believe you forgot how to sense Ki. This is unacceptable! You're going to train every day after school until i think you're trains complete!" Piccolo boomed, effortlessly blocking a flurry of punches and kicks from the young Saiyan. He then delivered a swift, brutal punch to Goten's gut, sending him hurtling into a nearby rock.
"Maybe I made a mistake," Goten groaned inwardly, clutching his stomach, the pain radiating outward.
The following day at school, Goten was greeted with concerned stares. "Whoa, Goten, are you okay? You've got bruises all over your face!" a classmate exclaimed, noticing the damage from his rigorous training. "Yeah... just had to fight a monster," Goten exaggerated, flashing a nervous smile.
Trunks, ever observant, simply stared at him with a knowing look. After the final bell rang, Goten found himself once again facing Piccolo. He threw a barrage of punches, each one expertly blocked by the Namekian. Piccolo suddenly shot into the air, hovering above him. "That's not fair!" Goten yelled, leaping into the air himself, attempting to engage Piccolo.
He managed to land a blow, but Piccolo retaliated with a swift punch to the face, sending Goten crashing back down to earth, leaving a small crater in his wake. "Ouch," Goten mumbled, quickly scrambling out of the way as Piccolo charged down, smashing his fist into the ground where Goten had just been. Goten retaliated, launching himself at Piccolo with a powerful kick, but Piccolo caught his leg, effortlessly tossing him aside.
While flipping through the air, Goten began charging his Ki. "Kamehameha!" he yelled, unleashing a powerful beam of energy at Piccolo, who simply swatted it away with a dismissive gesture. "Looks like you're getting better," Piccolo remarked, a hint of approval in his voice. "Now we can increase your training." "Or we can just... rest," Goten said, desperately trying to catch his breath.
Piccolo held out his hand, a faint green glow emanating from his palm. A wave of energy enveloped Goten. When the light subsided, Goten was clad in Piccolo's signature Demon Clothes, albeit without the turban-like hat. He immediately collapsed to the ground, struggling to breathe under the immense weight. "I increased the weight to five tons above normal," Piccolo explained nonchalantly, watching Goten struggle.
"I really should have asked Gohan for help," Goten thought, regretting his impulsive decision. Minutes crawled by. Goten, sweat dripping from his brow, began to meditate, focusing his energy, his eyes closed tight. "Good. Now focus on your surroundings," Piccolo instructed. Goten did as he was told. He began to feel it - the vibrant energy of the animals, the trees, the very grass beneath him.
He felt the pulsing life force of everything around him. "I can sense it... even Piccolo's. He's suppressing his Ki, but I can feel it. Whoa... this is a little overwhelming," Goten thought, his senses bombarded with information. Two weeks passed. Goten was performing push-ups in front of Piccolo's secluded house, followed by a grueling set of sit-ups.
"Okay, Goten, we're going to be sparring for the rest of the day," Piccolo announced, his arms crossed. Goten stood up, his muscles aching, and adopted a fighting stance. "This time, it won't be easy," Goten said, a newfound determination in his eyes before disappearing, reappearing suddenly at Piccolo's side, throwing a lightning-fast punch that was instantly intercepted.
Piccolo grabbed Goten's arm, preparing to deliver a crushing knee to the gut, but Goten quickly blocked it with his other arm. "Told you," Goten smirked, jumping backward to create some distance. "Now we can get started," Piccolo said, a predatory grin spreading across his face before launching into the air. Goten followed suit.
Then, the two warriors clashed, exchanging blows with blinding speed as they zipped through the sky, leaving trails of afterimages in their wake. Piccolo landed a solid punch, sending Goten reeling backward. Reacting quickly, Goten fired off a barrage of Ki blasts, Piccolo raised his hands, guarding against the onslaught.
As the smoke cleared, he saw Goten charging up his Ki, a powerful aura building around him. "Ahhhhh!" Goten yelled, his white aura intensifying, enveloping his body before shooting upwards into the sky. His black hair flickered between its natural color and the golden hue of a Super Saiyan. "Come on… just a little more… dig deep! Ahhhhh!" Goten yelled with one final push. His aura erupted into a brilliant golden light, and his hair followed suit, transforming into the signature golden spikes of a Super Saiyan.
"So, this is you taking it seriously," Piccolo observed, impressed but unfazed. Before he could react, Goten's fist connected with his gut, sending him spiraling downwards. Goten then brought both hands together, executing a powerful sledgehammer strike, aiming to drive Piccolo into the ground. Just inches before impacting the earth, Piccolo managed to regain his composure, halting his descent with a burst of Ki. "Whoa… so this is what it feels like to be a Super Saiyan," Goten thought, looking at his hands in amazement.
"Don't get ahead of yourself!" Piccolo roared, throwing a punch. Goten, prepared, blocked the blow, the force still pushing him back. A swift kick followed, Piccolo deflecting it, but the relentless pressure from Goten kept him on the defensive. Punches and kicks rained down, a flurry of yellow against green. "Come on, Piccolo! Show me your full power!" Goten yelled, his eyes blazing with Saiyan fire. A smirk touched Piccolo's lips.
He flared his aura, the sudden surge of energy sending a shockwave that pushed Goten back. "Finally, he's going to show Orange Piccolo. Let's see what Super Saiyan can do!" "Ahhhhh!" Goten roared, channeling his energy, his golden aura erupting around him. Piccolo mirrored him, the air crackling with power as their combined auras created visible shockwaves. Goten pushed his power to the limit, while Piccolo's energy intensified, the white aura beginning to morph, a vibrant orange tint blooming within.
"Ahhhhh!" A towering pillar of orange light erupted from Piccolo, bathing the sky in its intense glow. "Tch, what power..." Goten muttered, shielding his eyes from the blinding light. When the light subsided, Piccolo stood tall and imposing, his skin now a powerful shade of orange, muscles bulging. "I don't know if it's because I'm a fan of Dragon Ball or just my Saiyan blood, but I'm getting excited." Goten muttered, a grin splitting his face.
He charged at Piccolo, throwing a punch straight at his chest, but the blow landed with a thud, doing absolutely nothing. Goten shifted into high gear, moving with blinding speed, striking Piccolo's legs and then his neck. Each blow landed with force, yet Piccolo remained unfazed. Piccolo retaliated, throwing a punch of his own. Goten managed to block, but the sheer force sent him hurtling backwards, struggling to maintain his footing.
He slammed into a mountain range, each collision sending tremors through the earth as he fought to stop his momentum. "Ouch, damn..." Goten groaned, cradling his right forearm in agony. He flew back up, facing Piccolo, a fierce determination hardening his expression. His golden aura blazed brighter than ever before, illuminating the sky.
"Piccolo, I'm putting my all into this!" Goten declared, cupping his hands to his side. "Hmmmm," Piccolo responded, his gaze intense. "Ka-me-ha-me-ha!" Goten unleashed the iconic attack, a torrent of blue energy hurtling towards Piccolo. Piccolo's hand glowed with orange energy as he met the beam head-on with a powerful punch.
The two energies collided in a deafening roar, the Kamehameha struggling against Piccolo's might. "Ahhhhhhhh!" Goten screamed, channeling every ounce of his energy into the beam, pushing it forward. Piccolo, seemingly unfazed, continued to deflect the energy. "Come on... I have to have more than this. Time to dig deep! Ahhhhhhh!" Goten yelled, pushing his body to its absolute limit.
His aura pulsed, and then, a tiny spark flickered within it as the Kamehameha surged forward with renewed intensity. "That's the power I wanted to see!" Piccolo roared, before finally deflecting the beam into the sky. Goten stood there, now in his base form, utterly exhausted. He gasped for breath, his legs giving out beneath him. Just before he hit the ground, Piccolo, also now in his base form, caught him. "Good work, kid," Piccolo said, a rare smile gracing his lips. Goten chuckled weakly before succumbing to exhaustion and passing out.
The next day dawned bright, and Goten, clad in his school uniform, zipped through the sky. "Now THIS is how you travel! No offense, Nimbus," he chuckled, landing smoothly near his school where Trunks was waiting. "Yo, Trunks!" Trunks turned, a wave of confusion washing over him. Something was different. Goten's energy, his Ki, felt… altered. "Goten… you're different. Have you been training?"
"Yeah, a little training with Piccolo," Goten replied casually. "After school, I'm gonna ask your mom if I can use the gravity chamber." They walked towards the school entrance, their conversation humming with youthful energy. "Need a training partner?" Trunks offered, a competitive glint in his eye. Goten grinned. "That'll make it even more fun! I can't wait 'til tomorrow." Later that day, at Capsule Corp, Trunks was already pushing himself in the gravity room, throwing rapid-fire punches.
"I won't be left behind, Goten," he muttered, a hint of frustration in his voice. Bulma, observing from a nearby console, frowned. "I wonder what's gotten into Trunks?" Meanwhile, back at his house, Goten was engrossed in a video game. "I was a gamer in my other life, so I'm glad they got that in DBZ," he mused, completely focused on the screen. "Goten, did you finish your homework?" Chi-Chi called from the kitchen.
"Yes. It's on the table," Goten replied without looking up. Chi-Chi checked, her eyes widening in surprise. "It usually takes him ages to finish… Finally, he's starting to take his education seriously!" she thought, a wave of pride washing over her. The next morning found Goten, now in his orange gi, facing Trunks in the gravity chamber. Trunks, also in his fighting gear, stood poised.
"I asked around and found out you restarted your training. Just so you know, I've started mine back up too," Trunks declared, his voice firm. "Let's see then," Goten said, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. Both warriors adopted fighting stances as the gravity cranked up to 400 times normal. They launched themselves at each other, a flurry of punches and kicks filling the chamber.
Trunks went for a left hook, but Goten grabbed his arm and tossed him away. Trunks landed on his feet, both feeling the crushing weight. "I'm gonna kick it up a notch, Trunks," Goten warned. In a flash, he was on Trunks, a powerful punch sending him crashing into the wall. Trunks retaliated with a barrage of Ki blasts, but Goten deflected them all with ease, then blocked a devastating kick aimed at his head.
"I can't believe he's improved this much," Trunks thought, his brow furrowed. He leaped back, powering up, a golden aura erupting around him. His hair spiked up, transforming into Super Saiyan form. He launched himself at Goten, a whirlwind of punches and kicks blurring through the air at superhuman speeds. "How is he still managing to keep even after I went Super Saiyan?" Trunks thought, his frustration mounting.
He backed away, unleashing another volley of Ki blasts at Goten. Goten responded with a powerful Kamehameha, the energy beam colliding with Trunks' attack, shaking the entire chamber. The two young Saiyans engaged in an intense melee, dodging and weaving, throwing their own punches with lightning-fast reflexes. "Wow, I'm managing to keep up with a Super Saiyan! My training was definitely worth it," Goten thought, taking a punch to the face but landing a blow of his own on Trunks.
Trunks flipped in the air, delivering a powerful axe kick that sent Goten crashing through the floor. "Why don't you stop holding back, Goten!" Trunks yelled, his voice strained. "Ahhhhh!" Goten roared, a brilliant white aura erupting around him, illuminating the entire chamber. "Fine, let's go!" he declared, his eyes blazing with power. Trunks landed, and the two Saiyans charged at each other, trading blows that shook the very foundations of the training room.
Hours passed in a blur of motion and energy. Finally, exhausted and battered, Goten and Trunks stumbled out of the gravity chamber, their clothes torn and their bodies covered in bruises. "Now that was good training," Goten gasped, struggling to catch his breath. "I definitely improved." "Why didn't you use Super Saiyan?" Trunks asked, still panting.
"Because I want to master my base power," Goten explained. "To use Super Saiyan at maximum efficiency, I'm thinking of using the Hyperbolic Time Chamber to continue my training." "Whatever you do, I won't be left behind," Trunks vowed, his eyes filled with determination. "I'm starting to get back to training, for real this time." The two boys, bruised but invigorated, shared a fist bump.