So, seeing as I've been losing a little steam with Rebirth of the Uchiha, I've decided to have a crack at a different story.

I've only recently finished reading the Dragon Ball manga, having seen some of Z on TV, and while I enjoyed it, it really bugged me the way anyone who wasn't a saiyan eventually got left completely in the dust, with Piccolo being the only non-saiyan to get any real moments after Namek.

To that end, I'm taking on an idea I've seen for a few fics, where multiple characters get a second chance to relive their lives. This one in particular is concerning the 4 human Z-fighters, letting them make a difference in the oncoming battles.

Don't really hold your breath for big, emotional drama scenes, though. I'm not going to take things too seriously where I can get away with it.

Anyway, on we go! Hope you guys enjoy!

...

In the sprawling gardens, behind the enormous headquarters of the world-famous Capsule Corporation, a crowd, comprised of some of the planet's most extraordinary and powerful inhabitants, had gathered to mark a momentous occasion.

"Okay, everybody ready?" Bulma announced. "Seeing as it's my little Trunks' birthday, we're having a special treat!" she chirped as she whipped a cloth from the stand beside her to reveal the hidden surprise.

The seven mystical Dragon Balls of Earth sat atop the stand. "We're going to have a tournament! The winner gets to have their wish granted!"

"Awesome!" Trunks and Goten yelled, their faces lighting up as they thought of what they could wish for.

"Woman, are you serious?" Bulma's husband asked. Vegeta, Prince of all Saiyans, stood a short distance away, his arms folded as he gave his usual scowl. "You know as well as I do that it'll be either myself or Kakarot that wins this."

"We're still putting some conditions on it, I'm sure you'll have some kind of a challenge," the bluenette scoffed, waving a hand at the spiky-haired fighter and turning to some of the other guests. "Hey, Krillin, Yamcha, are you guys interested? I know Tien will…"

The taller of the two chuckled. "Sorry, Bulma, we're officially retired. You might have better luck talking to Gohan once he and Videl get here." He smiled, their host moving on.

"It's kind of a shame, though," Krillin muttered, hands behind his head as he idly leant backwards. "I mean, I enjoyed the World Tournaments back when we were kids, even if we never managed to win."

"Tien did." The former bandit countered. "He's won as many as Goku, if you think about it."

"That's true, I guess. Come on, we'd best get going if we don't want to miss it."

OoOoO

"Hey, you did pretty well out there," Krillin greeted Tien, as the triclops moved back to sit beside him, as the victor (Gotenks, in a surprising twist) was brought over towards the Dragon Ball podium. "You had Gohan on the defence a couple of times."

"He was being nice, but I never had a chance. It's just so frustrating. We're the three strongest humans in the universe, and Piccolo and the Saiyans are always a hundred steps beyond us." The Crane style user grunted, as Chiaotzu floated over.

"I know you feel bad, Tien, but what can we do? I haven't even been able to keep up with the rest of you since… since we got that warning about the androids. That was nearly fifteen years ago."

"Yeah, we got old." Krillin laughed.

"You know what? I always kinda wondered, if I'd known about ki and all the stuff that was coming to Earth, would I have been able to get stronger, to keep up with all this space and magic and time travel stuff?" Yamcha mused aloud, swirling the last of his drink in the bottom of the glass.

"Not enough to keep up with the saiyans, though." The triclops interrupted, as Goten and Trunks finally defused and started animatedly discussing what wish they would make.

"Well, you wouldn't know. If you think about it, all of us were at Goku's level at one point or another; who's to say we couldn't have at least kept up as far as Raditz?"

Krillin shook his head. "Yamcha, man, how many drinks have you had?"

"Come on, we all got a little lazy whenever Goku managed to beat the next big bad guy. I know I was the worst," he continued his rant even as the sky above turned black. "But we could totally have done better if we'd had the chance."

"Seriously," Chiaotzu reprimanded the scarred ex-fighter, using his telekinesis to pluck the glass from the other man's hand. "You should probably stop-" he began, before all of them (bar the still slurring ex-bandit) were stopped in their tracks by the sudden materialisation of Shenron, the Eternal Dragon, capable of granting any wish.

"I AM THE ETERNAL DRAGON. SPEAK YOUR WISH, AND IT SHALL BE GRANTED."

"Oh boy!" Goten squealed in excitement. "We're gonna get so much candy!"

"We- wait, no! We're not wasting our wish on candy! If you want some, you can ask Buu!"

"But Trunks..."

As the two boys squabbled, Yamcha rescued his drink from where it was floating in mid-air, still talking to himself. "... I mean, we know time travel's a thing, so why don't we just go back and tell our other selves? You know, I just wish the four of us had known what was coming, back when we met Goku..."

"YOUR WISH HAS BEEN GRANTED. FAREWELL."

Yamcha stumbled slightly as the world abruptly turned sideways and smacked him in the face. He blinked once, twice, as he stared up at a stone roof.

"What the Hfil?..." he wondered aloud, suddenly feeling very sober. He knew this place somehow, but how?

"Yamcha!" came a high-pitched call, snapping him out of his stupor. "We've got three sitting ducks right outside!" Puar continued, a smirk on his face.

The bandit paled, putting his hands up to feel his unmarked face, noting his green shirt and orange scarf as he did so. The pieces slammed into place.

"I'm in the damn past."

...

And that's the introduction. If you guys want more, I'll keep going when I'm free.

Leave a review if you have any questions or anything you want to say.

Seeya, guys!