Chapter 22: The Tournament Begins (1)
Three months had passed since that night of exchanged words and surprises, and now, only two weeks remained until Bulma's due date.
Throughout this time, Goku had stayed by her side, fulfilling his duty as a soon-to-be father while balancing his rigorous training for the upcoming tournament. They spent less time outside, opting instead for quiet days at home—talking, eating, and simply enjoying each other's company.
Goku continued to discover new things every day, and Bulma took notice. They had grown together over these past months, and soon, they would embark on an even greater journey—raising their daughter.
But today wasn't just any day.
It was the day Goku had been waiting for—the start of the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament.
In previous tournaments, he had come close to victory, only to lose in the finals—once to Jackie Chun and then to Tenshinhan. But this time, his biggest challenge would be someone far more dangerous—the son of his old nemesis, Piccolo Jr.
Determined to win, Goku woke up early and headed to the forest for his morning exercises before making his way to Capsule Corporation. Once there, he continued training in the courtyard while Bulma was still asleep.
"I have to win this tournament no matter what… or at the very least, defeat Piccolo's son if I want to ensure peace in the world," he murmured with a calm but resolute smile.
Goku moved at blinding speed, executing powerful kicks and punches in the air. He wore his signature orange gi, weighted boots, and wristbands, each adding to the resistance he had grown accustomed to.
---
Bulma's POV
I frowned as the morning sunlight hit my face. Groggily, I reached out and shut off the alarm clock, sighing in frustration.
The past few nights had been rough—insomnia had kept me awake, forcing me to ask Goku to stay with me more times than I'd care to admit.
Slowly, I pushed the covers aside and let out a yawn before attempting to sit up. With my belly this big, even simple movements felt like a struggle.
A month and a half ago, my doctor recommended that, aside from eating fresh food, I should also maintain good posture—shoulders back, chest up, feet spread apart, and my lower back tucked in.
Great.
As if gaining a ton of weight wasn't bad enough, now I had to be conscious of every little movement. I constantly felt hot, sweating even without exerting myself, and at times, I was completely out of breath—as if my body had turned into a human oven overnight.
Letting out another sigh, I shuffled toward the bathroom. Once inside, I wasted no time filling the tub, adding soap and mineral salts before sinking into the warm water.
Relaxing.
I could have stayed in the tub all day, but unfortunately, that wasn't an option. The Martial Arts Tournament started today, and while I wasn't going, I still wanted to support Goku—and the rest of our friends, of course.
I had already decided.
I wasn't going with him.
Not with this belly.
I wasn't ready for everyone to know about my pregnancy just yet, and I especially didn't want to answer the inevitable flood of questions. So, I would stay home and watch the tournament on TV.
Of course, I needed to tell Goku—and also remind him not to say anything to anyone.
I just hope he doesn't slip up…
As for everything else… I don't know.
Goku had shown me that he was someone I could build a future with.
He had been by my side every single day since the first week of my pregnancy, and because of him, I had grown as a person, too.
Maybe I…
No.
I couldn't afford to overthink it. I didn't want to ruin anything.
Shaking off the thoughts, I got out of the tub, wrapping myself in a towel. I paused in front of the mirror, taking in the changes my body had undergone over the past few months.
My breasts had grown significantly due to the hormonal changes, and faint stretch marks had appeared around my hips and chest. My once slender figure was gone, though I hoped to regain it after giving birth.
After a moment of reflection, I left the bathroom, put on a robe, and returned to my room to get dressed.
If there was one small advantage to pregnancy, it was the comfortable clothing. No more tight-fitting outfits—just loose, bigger clothes and flat shoes.
Goodbye fashion boutiques.
Hello plus-size maternity stores.
…Still, I refused to lose my style completely. Even if my body had changed, I was still Bulma Briefs. I spritzed on some perfume, applied a deep crimson lipstick, and made my way downstairs for breakfast.
---
Normal POV
"Good morning, dear! That outfit looks lovely on you," Bunny Briefs greeted her daughter with a bright smile.
Bulma raised an eyebrow. She wasn't sure if her mother was being sincere… or sarcastic. Either way, she let it slide.
"Mom, you know I shouldn't eat more than one sweet a week," she reminded tiredly as she sat down, noticing the plate of cakes her mother was holding. "And I already had one yesterday."
"Oh, right! I forgot," Bunny giggled, setting the plate aside as Bulma took a sip of hot tea.
"By the way," Bunny continued, "Goku's outside doing some kind of weird training. He's been at it for hours."
Bulma nearly choked on her tea.
"What?! He's been out there this whole time?"
"Oh yes. He said he was waiting for you to wake up so you could go to the tournament together," Bunny informed her.
Bulma exhaled sharply.
Well… now comes the hard part.
She needed to tell Goku she wasn't going.
---
Capsule Corporation - Terrace
After finishing her breakfast, Bulma stepped out onto the terrace, where Goku was mid-stretch.
"Hey, Goku! I'm over here," she called.
The Saiyan immediately turned, his signature grin lighting up his face.
"Morning, Bulma!" he greeted cheerfully. "How are you?"
"Oh… I'm fine," Bulma replied before hesitating. "My mom told me you were waiting for me to go to the tournament together…"
"Yup!" Goku nodded excitedly. "That way, we can get there faster, and I can start fighting sooner!" He playfully kicked the air, his enthusiasm evident.
Bulma smiled but took a deep breath. "Actually… I'm not going."
Goku blinked. "Huh? Why not?"
She bit her lip before answering. "I'm not ready to tell our friends about my pregnancy yet… I want to wait until the right time. So, I need you to promise me you won't say anything."
A dark aura suddenly surrounded her, and Goku instinctively gulped.
Talking about Bulma's pregnancy = dealing with her wrath.
That was not on his to-do list.
"I-I understand! I won't say a word!" Goku promised, his nervous smile widening. "Then… I should get going now."
"Yeah… I'll be cheering for you from here," Bulma said, giving him a thumbs-up. "If anyone asks, just say I'm sick. I'll call Master Roshi later to explain."
"Got it!" Goku nodded. "Though… lying feels kinda wrong."
Bulma shot him a pointed glare.
Goku immediately sweatdropped. Lying is bad… but making Bulma mad is worse.
As he called for Nimbus, something inside Bulma screamed at her to say something—to tell him about the feelings that had been growing inside her for months.
Instead, she hesitated.
"Goku!" she finally called before he could take off. "Be careful, okay? I don't want to lose you… we don't want to lose you."
She placed a protective hand over her belly.
Goku grinned. "Don't worry, Bulma. I'll be fine!" Then, with a thumbs-up, he added, "When I come back, let's go to karaoke!"
Bulma laughed softly. "I'd like that. I'll be waiting… there's something I want to talk to you about when you return."
"Okay! See you later!"
And with that, Goku took off, leaving Bulma standing there, watching him disappear into the sky.
I just hope this doesn't ruin everything…