Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Apprentice ❯ The Tournament ( Prologue )

Disclaimer: I neither own nor am associated with Dragon Ball Z, Akira Toriyama, or anything else related. I am just a fan who enjoys playing with these characters.

Author's Note: This takes place after the fight with Majin Buu at the next tournament. Pan and Bra are not in this story because I am not very familiar with those characters as I have never seen Dragon Ball GT. Plus it makes things easier for me.

Apprentice by Alexa

Prologue - The Tournament

"Vegeta has just been thrown out of the ring! Ladies and gentlemen, that's a ring out. Gohan advances!" the announcer excitedly stated. The crowd cheered as the two fighters left the ring to join friends and fellow competitors.

Vegeta turned to the younger Saiyan. "You've improved since the last tournament."

"Thanks. Mom's let me train a lot more since I've been teaching Goten. He's become more than she can handle. He learns at an extraordinary rate, kinda reminds me of dad."

"Why the hell isn't Kakarot fighting this year, anyway?"

"He said he just wanted to watch everyone else for once."

Goku's reason made Vegeta curious. He still wanted to fight him, but not for the same incentives he had before. As they reached the restricted fighters-only rest area, the announcer informed the crowd of a short intermission before the final bout. Gohan went to grab a quick bite to eat before his fight with Hercule began.

Vegeta sat down for a moment, regaining his energy. The match with Gohan had taken a lot out of him. I should have trained harder. Though, after Majin Buu was destroyed there was no reason, no threat to the earth. How did I get talked into competing this year? Vegeta sat and remembered how his son had convinced him to enter. After all, Trunks did have to defend hit title as the World Martial Arts Junior Division Champion. Trunks also mentioned that Vegeta could prove that he was stronger than that fraud Hercule. I can't even do that now that Gohan has defeated me. His thoughts were interrupted as he noticed someone standing in front of him. He was surprised to see a young woman looking at him. She was medium height, had a slender figure, and long, black hair.

"I hate to bother you, but…are you Vegeta?" the young woman tentatively asked.

"Yes, I am. What of it?" He replied with his usual tone.

"I was hoping to ask you something." Vegeta just sat there staring, waiting for her to make her point. "Will you teach me?"

"What?"

The woman repeated her question with more confidence, "Will you teach me?"

"Teach you what?"

"To fight. Martial arts." Vegeta could hear her confidence slipping away. He scrutinized the young woman for a moment. Now, why does she want me to teach her to fight? He noticed that she was lean, but not muscular. Why me? As he continued to stare, Trunks and Bulma approached after a somewhat lengthy argument with security.

"There you are. You have no idea how rude the security around here is." Bulma was obviously annoyed and had not seen the woman who held her husband's full attention.

"Hey, dad. That last fight with Gohan was…" Trunks noticed his dad staring at the young woman. "Dad? Um, hello…DAD!" Vegeta turned to see the lavender-haired youth looking at him with an odd expression.

"What the hell do you want, brat?"

"Who's this?" Trunks replied ignoring his father's question.

"Just call me Ash." She looked more closely at Trunks. "You're Trunks, aren't you? You were almost the Junior Division Champion."

"Well, actually…"

"How did you get back here?" Bulma interrupted, just seeing the woman. "I had to go through hell to get back here. Is your dad one of the fighters? That's it, isn't it? And you wanted to meet a true fighter, one who…"

"Hush, woman! I don't need to hear you explain her." Vegeta, still sitting, pointed at Ash. Bulma glared at him making Vegeta wonder if he might need to find a separate hotel room to sleep in tonight. Of course, he didn't let it show and glared back.

Trunks saw this as an opportunity to charm the woman. "As I was saying, I was the Junior Division Champ at the last tournament. It's my friend Goten who's the champ this year. It's better this way, because at the next tournament I'll be old enough to fight in the adult division," he began to realize that no one was listening to him, "but… Goten… won't." Why do I even bother at times? Trunks asked himself.

"What are you babbling about, brat?"

He only mumbled, "Apparently nothing."

Vegeta stood up and slowly began to walk circles around Ash, examining her. She kept her eyes on him, especially while he was behind her. "You are weak. What makes you think I would waste the time to train a pathetic excuse of a human like you?"

"I may appear weak, but nothing is ever quite what it seems. Believe me, my will is stronger than you think." A hint of anger could be heard in Ash's voice. "I can prove that I am worthy to be your student."

Bulma was beginning to understand the situation. "You want Vegeta to train you? Why? And, how did you get back here? The security is everywhere…" She stopped talking when Vegeta gave her a look of 'let her answer a damn question first'.

Ash stood there thinking for a moment. What did make me choose him? He almost reminds me of my dad and brothers with that attitude. "I chose Vegeta because…of his fighting style. All my life I have felt that I have always been defending myself, never attacking. While watching the tournament I saw him attack his opponents more than anyone else. I want to learn martial arts because it has always fascinated me, but I've never had the chance to learn it. As for how I got back here,…it's amazing how easily someone with a press pass can gain access to some of the most restricted areas." Ash began to smile as she said the last.

"You're part of the press?" Trunks asked.

"Not unless you count an outdated high school press pass." Maybe if Vegeta thinks I'm older than 16 then he will take me more seriously.

Vegeta was still thinking about her comment. She said she could prove herself worthy to be my student. If I give her a task, then she will assume that if she completes it that I will train her. Therefore, I can't tell her to do something just to get rid of her. But do I really want to train her? "How can you prove yourself worthy? How do you know that you are capable of proving yourself worthy to be my student?"

Ash was mildly shocked to hear him ask that. He is taking me seriously, but he's also testing me. I can feel it. "Give me a task to complete before the next World Martial Arts Tournament. If I have not completed the task before the first match then you will never see me again." If that doesn't work… Ash let the thought drift to the back of her mind when she heard Vegeta's next words.

He slowly but plainly asked, "Do you know what the dragonballs are?" Bulma and Trunks both turned shocked faces to Vegeta Neither could believe that he was going to send her after the seven dragonballs. Or that he was considering training a human girl, one who it was painfully obvious had never been in a fight.

Ash had to think before she could answer him. She had never heard of the dragonballs. "No. I've never heard of dragonballs. Tell me what they are, and I will get them for you. As many as you want."

"You are very bold, Ash. There are seven dragonballs in total."

"Vegeta!" Bulma couldn't let him send this girl after the dragonballs. She remembered how dangerous it was when she had searched for them. The only reason I'm still alive is because I had Goku with me, and the dragon radar. She'd be out there all by herself looking for something she won't even recognize. "You can't send this girl out to look for the dragonballs!"

He was ignoring her. "They are perfect spheres, orange. Each has a different number of stars on its surface. The dragonballs are unbreakable and will be scattered across the globe. If no one else is looking for them as well then it should be simple enough for even you to do."

"VEGETA!!" He and Trunks each covered their ears at the very loud, high-pitched scream of Bulma.

"Woman! If you yell at me like that again, I will destroy that precious project you've been spending so much time with. Now, either be quiet or get out!"

"Do you have any idea how dangerous this is for her? Or what you're asking her to do?"

"I know full well how dangerous it is to search for the dragonballs. And I do remember that you had Kakarot when you quested for them. If she can complete this task either by herself or using the resources around her before the next tournament…" he turned to Ash, "I will train you."

It was evident that Ash was trying not to smile, well too much. "I accept the task you have given me. However; I feel I should ask more so I fully understand what…"

"What more do you need to know? They are spheres, orange, stars on the surface, and unbreakable. Seven in all, scattered around the world. What more do you need to know?"

Ash could see in Vegeta's eyes that he was challenging her to admit that she was not capable of doing as he asked, or rather demanded.

"I will find you before the first match of the next tournament, and I will have all seven of these dragonballs." That was the last she said to them, before turning and leaving.

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