Dragon Ball Z: Frieza Saga ~ The Cosmic Emperor,, also known as Dragon Ball Z: The Cosmic Emperor is a 2025 adventure, science fantasy and martial arts movie and is the sequel to Dragon Ball Z: The Saiyan Saga, the third live-action iteration after Dragon Ball Z: The Saiyan Saga, Dragonball Evolution and based on the Japanese Dragon Ball manga series created by Akira Toriyama. SONY in mid 2022, pit on a brave face when they decided to move forward with a live action Dragon Ball Z movie despite the inevitable widespread division, focusing on the original Z story arc all over again with famous celebrities and more nuanced focus on inspiration and feel from the anime and manga. Needless to say, the first movie succeeded massively, going double over its box office amount and receiving critical acclaim from critics, causal fans and fans of the anime and manga resepctively as it kept true to the original core story while also taking inspiration from the beloved DBZ: Abridged series. Those excited and/or skeptical of the process were later converted and Sony immediately green-lit a follow-up not long before the first film released, as when pre-production began going into the winter season of 2022, the filmed both movies back to back.
This film is directed by Michael B. Jordan, the director behind Creed III in his second directorial outing as a bid to challenge himself after the many anime influences presented in his first movie. It is produced by James Wan, Robert Rodriguez and Stephen Chow, the latter who also produced Dragonball Evolution, rated PG-13 and distributed by Sony Pictures Motion Pictures Group, TriStar Pictures, the Toei Company and FUNIMATION, whose name was rebranded to Cruncyroll, LLC in 2022. This features Steven Yeun, Ian Anthony Dale, Alan Kim, Idris Elba, Jimmy O. Yang, Ali Wong, Jessica Henwick, Gemma Chan and Tom Hiddleston among many, many others.
Main Cast[]
- Steven Yeun as Kakarot/Goku
- Tom Hiddleston as Frieza
- Idris Elba as Piccolo Jr.
- Ian Anthony Dale as Vegeta
- ??? as Kid Vegeta
- Alan Kim as Gohan
- Jimmy O. Yang as Krillin
- Ali Wong as Chi-Chi
- Jessica Henwick as Bulma Brief
- Gemma Chan as Taitsu "Tights" Brief
- Ja'Siah Young as Dende
- Terry Crews as Captain Ginyu
- Dacre Montgomery as Jeice
- Matthew Lewis as Burter
- John Cena as Recoome
- Dylan "Hornswoggle" Postl as Guldo
- Avan Jogia as Zarbon
- Josh Gad as Dodoria
- Ludi Lin as Yamcha
- Daniel Henney as Tien Shinhan
- Rosalie Chiang as the voice of Chiaotzu
- Jackie Chan as Master Roshi
- Chow Yun-fat as the voice of King Kai
- Djimon Honsou as Kami
- John Kani as the voice of Grand Elder Guru
- Michael B. Jordan as Nail
- Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as Dr. Brief
- Jacob Batalon as Cui
- Cooper Andrews as Yajirobe
- Stephen McKinley Henderson as Mr. Popo
- Randall Park as the voice of Korin
- Zoe Chao as Launch
- Sun Mingming as the Ox King
- Ken Jeong as the voice of Oolong
- Lukas Gage as Appule
- Keith David as the voice of Porunga
- Ron Perlman as King Cold
- Henry Golding as Bardock
- Karen Fukuhara as Gine
- Hiroyuki Sanada as King Vegeta
- Zhang Ziyi as Fasha
- Lewis Tan as Tora
- Ettore "Big E" Ewen as Borgos
- Shaobo Qin as Shugesh
Synopsis[]
In the aftermath of the arrival of the Saiyans and the death of both Piccolo and Kami, the only way to redo the damage they've done is to chart a course to Planet Namek, Piccolo's homeworld where they too have Dragon Balls and their own dragon. As Krillin, Bulma and Gohan make way to achieve this feat, two roadblocks block their path: the rejuvenated Vegata and the arrival of the Cosmic Emperor, Frieza, both of whom want the Dragon Balls for themselves. And their only hope of survival? Themselves, strained partnerships.....and Goku.
Story[]
In the desolate vacuums of space, a space pod soars effortlessly through the starry void, its sleek design cutting a path of navy blue through the cosmos. The deep reds and purples of distant galaxies shimmered past, punctuated by the occasional flare of blue and green from pulsars. A faint humming could be heard, the sound of the ship's engines harmonizing with its graceful trajectory.
From within the cockpit of the pod, its holographic dashboard displayed an array of information, each change in the space pod's path reflected in the readouts. Eventually, a bright blue HUD display flashes; a heading pops up, stating "Entering Planet Frieza 79".
As the space pod descended through the Planet Frieza's atmosphere, a breathtaking sight was unfolded.
The vibrant hues of the planet's surface were a stark contrast to the darkened void of space, casting a captivating glow that seemed to light up the entire surrounding area. Dark blues, greens, and purples blended in a mesmerizing array, each shade more captivating than the last.
Below them, the landscape appeared to be an otherworldly creation, as if sculpted by some divine artist. Towering mountains jutted out from the ground like jagged teeth, their peaks piercing the clouds above. The valleys between them were lush and vibrant, dotted with sprawling forests of unfamiliar trees and alien flora that danced in the wind with a grace not seen on Earth.
Streams and rivers cut across the landscape, meandering through the forested areas, their waters bubbling with energy that seemed to radiate from the planet's very core. These rivers and streams fed massive lakes and oceans, where schools of iridescent fish swam lazily, their scales shimmering in the sunlight.
In the distance, an outpost boasting crystalline white and pink on a wet grassy terrain came closer into view. The pod barrels down closer and closer....
....until finally, impact is made. With a loud crash, the pod collides with the damp ground, jolting whoever's inside from the force of the landing.
The deafening thud of the crash reverberated through the outpost, causing its inhabitants nearby, all wearing standard-issue combat armor mandatory of Frieza's forces, to abruptly abandon their tasks and rush out into the open air. Their eyes glimmered with a mixture of confusion and excitement as they searched for the source of the commotion; only three individuals emerged from their shelters, braving the unknown.
Rygar.
Sama.
And Cui (Jacob Batalon).
All three approach the space-pod with cautious curiosity, their weapons at the ready, cautiously scanning the wreckage.
Amidst the debris, they find the pod's hatch ajar, half-open with a tiny, green glow. Hesitant, they approach, each taking a different side of the pod.
Cui reaches for the hatch, but they hear a faint moaning coming from inside before long. Startled, they exchange worried glances, their hearts pounding in their chests. They recognized who those stiff, audible grunts belonged to. Slowly, with a creaking noise, the hatch opened, revealing the dark interior of the pod. The three warriors peered inside but it wasn't until they illuminated the interior with a flashlight that the true horror became apparent.
A wounded Vegeta (Ian Anthony Dale) is revealed to be inside, his once proud and muscular form now covered in gory bandages and bruises. His once radiant hair, now matted and wild, a stark contrast to his usual pristine appearance, betrayed the extent of the danger he had faced.
Groaning in agony, his body was limp, nearly lifeless, and hooked up to life-support equipment.
Cui: Get himself inside.
They don't hesitate. Sama and Rygar lift Vegeta's limp body, carrying him back to the nearby outpost for immediate medical attention. Frieza's forces surround the trio for extra protection.
The outpost is thankfully radioed in on Vegeta’s arrival shortly thereafter, leaving the rest of Frieza’s forces to hastily make do with preparation for the medical wing.
It is not long before they reached said medical wing, where a team of Frieza's most skilled medics, yellowish-green alien doctors, were on standby awaiting further instruction. Without needing to pry him away from Sama and Rygar’s arms, they quickly assessed Vegeta's condition, their expressions ones of worry and determination.
Their large, obsidian pupils flickered rapidly from one detail to another, absorbing every aspect of his grievous injuries with an unsettling intensity. The trio—Cui, Sama, and Rygar—conversed amongst themselves in their native tongue, their voices light and high-pitched, resonating like the tinkling of tiny bells. They stood rooted to the spot, almost statuesque, as they absorbed each garbled word and peculiar dialect without so much as a pause in their breathing. There was no tension in their muscles, no silent pleading for any minute sign of improvement.
Instead, they simply nodded to the doctors, their faces a mask of calm acceptance.
Minutes slipped by as the medical team worked hastily, pressing fresh bandages against the wounds and inserting IV tubes and wires snaked their way into numerous spots into Vegeta’s slack, lifeless form. The equipment stuck out awkwardly from his battered body, a testament to the frantic, almost uncaring nature of their efforts. Finally, the high-ranking guards of Frieza’s force were summoned to relieve the doctors of their charge. They lifted Vegeta with little caution, his limbs flopping like those of a ragdoll, and maneuvering him toward the looming, cylindrical rejuvenation tank.
With a lack of gentleness, they lowered him inside the glass chamber, preparing him for the restoration process.
The Prince of Saiyans lay submerged in the rejuvenation chamber, a sleek breathing apparatus secured over his mouth and nose. More wires snaked from his temples, shoulders, and legs, each carefully attached to monitor his vital signs. As the thick, luminous healing liquid enveloped his bruised and battered frame, a wave of warmth and tranquility spread across his skin. The liquid's gentle embrace was so comforting that Vegeta could scarcely discern the pain that had once tormented him.
Inside the chamber, the healing process began in earnest. Layers of damaged tissue and dead cells were broken down, their remnants carried away by the liquid. In their place, new and healthy tissue started to proliferate at a rate far surpassing anything seen in nature. Broken bones once-pulverized mended themselves, skin knitted itself back together like a seamless tapestry and torn muscles mended themselves before their very eyes. As the wounds closed over, his flesh began to slowly regenerate, once-open wounds sealing themselves shut as if they had never been there in the first place.
In Vegeta’s state of semi-consciousness, he could just barely make out the high-pitched chattering of the medics and soldiers huddled outside the tank, monitoring his progress. A high-pitched static filled his ears and pain dulled into oblivion.
It was a testament to the advanced medical technology at Frieza's disposal—a testament to Frieza's desire to keep his most valuable assets in tip-top shape. But that was exactly what was worrying to everyone.
The three Frieza Force members watched, mesmerized at the recreation process unfolding before their very eyes from a distance away. And its the faint hum of machinery kicking into gear as the rejuvenation tank went about its work—revitalizing Vegeta's weakened form—that proved unsettling. In that moment, Rygar spoke up first in hushed tones.
Rygar: What happened to him?
Sama: Does it matter?
Rygar: It will to Frieza.
Sama: But does it matter to you?
His words probed him deep. Rygar paused, his eyes reflecting a moment of introspection before he slowly nodded, his expression resolute and matter-of-fact.
Rygar: It does.
Leaning casually against the wall, Sama shrugs upon hearing his answer, his eyes distant like a substitute teacher hearing the wrong answer.
Rygar: Vegeta’s not one to back down from a fight and, yet, here he is…
As soon as he finishes speaking, Cui's eyes sparkle with mischief. He swivels around with a lighthearted grin, meeting his gaze directly, his playful demeanor evident in the tilt of her head and teasing grin.
Cui: Blue-clad stranger... you’re the new one here, correct?
Rygar: Y-yeah. Why?
Cui: Don't you start caring for any of the others here. Not even Vegeta. Frieza cares only for himself and power, kid—nothing else.
Sama: Then why are we still here?
Now, Cui steps forward, moving closer to the rejuvenation tank, his eyes narrowing as he gazes down at the unconscious form of Vegeta floating inside the luminescent liquid. The tank hums softly, casting a pale glow around the room.
Cui: Because we've just locked away the only Saiyan left who might still have the strength to challenge that fanatical bigot.
Rygar: And yet, we’re aligned with that fanatical bigot.
Sama: Don’t be naive. We’re all expendable in this twisted game of Frieza’s. The moment we stop being useful...
Rygar: We’ll meet the same fate as the rest of them.
Glances are exchanged between him, Cui and Sama, his unspoken understanding heavy with implications. In that moment, the reality sunk in that he was no longer just a henchmen or warrior—he was a survivor, trapped in a vicious cycle of service to Frieza, biding their time and waiting for the day when they might finally break free from his iron-like grip.
Or rise high enough in the ranks where he took might be lucky enough to leech off his power.
Still, Rygar refused.
Rygar: Still, I’m sticking with Vegeta. At least I know where I stand with him; being tethered to the Cosmic Emperor’s beck and call? It’s bound to be hell.
Cui: Suit yourself, kid. But don’t say I didn't warn you when it’s your turn in that tank.
Their conversation concludes as they watch Vegeta's form contort and writhe within the healing chamber, his body gradually knitting itself back together by Saiyan levels - which is to say, not a human time frame by any means. The three warriors continued to observe the process in silence, their faces betraying their emotions as stoic as ever. But behind their impassive masks, a storm raged, each one contemplating their own precarious position in this universe gone mad.
If only they knew the battle that left him in such a state….and that the few that escaped his wrath in one piece was wrestling with that very same contemplation themselves.
The Earth might as well have been trembling violently, still reeling from the havoc wreaked by Vegeta, Raditz, Nappa, and Turles in their relentless pursuit of the Dragon Balls….just a mere day ago. Their destructive quest left chaos in their wake as if the planet itself shuddered under the weight of their ruthless ambition. Despite only North City being decimated to a charred, smoldering pile of rubble and a giant Tree of Life planted to suck the life force from the planet being literally uprooted, countless lives were erased ― as if they were but fleeting moments of cosmic insignificance. Like candles in the wind.
And the few cries of survivors had long since faded, replaced by an uncomfortable silence that hung thick in the air, a somber testament to the devastation.
Yet, astonishingly, life managed to persevere. As the light of a new day broke over a world irrevocably altered by the cataclysmic battles of the past week, it was hard to reconcile the beauty of the sunrise with the chaos it illuminated. Birds sang their tunes, blissfully gliding on thermals, seemingly unaware of the destruction below. The sun climbed above the horizon, spreading its warmth over a landscape etched with the deep scars of war. For those who had lost loved ones or seen their lives torn apart by the Saiyans' cruelty and Vegeta's formidable minions, this new day was a bitter reminder of their anguish, even as it held the faintest promise of hope and renewal.
Especially to those who had to fight said battles for Earth’s survivors. Eight brave fighters faced the might of the Saiyans, their resolve unyielding. Yet, by the end of the brutal confrontation, the battle's fury left only half of them staggering from the carnage, their bodies battered and scarred, clinging to life by threads.
Up aboard the Plane Capsule 576, one of the most frequently used planes belonging to the Capsule Corporation, were four, only FOUR fighters, with three accomplices that managed to combat the Saiyans' brutal brutish onslaught and just narrowly survive to tell the tale. The only exception to the rule was an old acquaintance of theirs they had to pick up from the bar after the carnage died down, Launch (Zoe Chao).
As for the actual heroes of the day themselves, they needed no introduction.
Yajirobe (Cooper Andrews).
Bulma Brief (Jessica Henwick).
Her older sister, Tights (Gemma Chan).
Krillin (Jimmy O. Yang).
Chi-Chi (Ali Wong).
Her young son, Gohan (Alan Kim Sun).
And her husband, the one who came around in the fourth inning and left a big enough gap on the battlefield to turn the tides in the Z-Fighters favor, the Earth-born Saiyan, Son Goku (Steven Yeun).
He was left bearing the physical brunt of both the Saiyans’ torturous methods and the training he had to endure in Other World to even stand a chance against them. His Kaio-Ken technique’s ability to amplify his power and speed resulted in extreme bodily recoil, resulting in him being paralyzed from the neck down.
Gohan’s contributions to the battle left him visibly, bruised and exhausted, saved only by the comfort of Chi-Chi and Krillin covering him with a blanket despite the jumpsuit over him.
Everyone else’s scars were more emotional following the departure of the rest of their friends who perished on the battlefield. And with their bodies thankfully sealed for safety keeping and no one forcing an immediate U-turn of the plane to carry out another fetch-quest, it was onward to the Wukong Hospital.
The closest hospital situated near Bulma’s home in West City.
The next day, one by one, the battle-worn fighters made their way into the bustling medical facility, their bodies and spirits battered from the previous conflict. Goku, with his once vibrant energy now a distant memory, was the first to be wheeled in on a stretcher. His lifeless limbs lay still, a stark contrast to his usual dynamic presence. The medical staff, a team of highly skilled officers, doctors, and nurses, gathered around, ready to employ their expertise to mend his broken form; fluorescent lights above casted a stark glow on Son Goku’s pallid face as he was guided towards the sterile environment of the emergency room.
Everyone was prepared to work their healing magic on the paralyzed warrior.
Krillin, with his bald head gleaming under the fluorescent lights, walked alongside Gohan, who clutched his hat nervously in his small hands. Yajirobe grumbled under his breath as he trailed behind, his sword clinking softly against his back. Even Chi-Chi, usually composed, moved with a sense of urgency, her eyes darting around the bustling corridor. Meanwhile, Bulma, Tights, and Launch remained seated in the waiting room, the hum of the vending machine filling the silence as they exchanged anxious glances, uncertain of what would happen next.
Three and a half hours passed.
All three ladies sat with their backs pressed firmly against the chairs, their eyes darting anxiously around the room with Bulma being the most obvious of them all. It wasn’t much of an oppressive silence; between the occasional creak of the floorboards and the distant hum of the air conditioning, the pitter-patter of constant footsteps and distant hearsay was rattling. Their phones lay silent on the table in front of them, screens dark, offering no news or messages. Each passing minute without an update felt like a weight added to their chests, and their worried glances at one another spoke volumes about the anxiety they all shared.
So much so that Tights needed to remove herself from the dour atmosphere, if only for a little while.
Tights: Going to the restroom.
Without waiting for a response, the older Brief sister had gotten up, leaving behind her trenchcoat, carelessly discarded on the waiting room chair. And with that, she was gone, her footsteps echoing off the tiles as she disappeared down the corridor most traveled by hospital staff and patients alike.
The remaining two ladies, Bulma and Launch, shifted in their seats uncomfortably, unsure what to say or do with themselves as time ticked by ever so slowly. It was in that moment of uneasy quiet that a familiar voice rang out like an angelic choir through the waiting room doors.
Pardon my intrusion…
Bulma and Launch both turned their heads in the direction of the sound, eyebrows raised in unison.
An anthropomorphic white cat with a wooden staff stood away from the stairwell with the voice of a middle-aged man. Korin (Randall Park) the Immortal Cat came to comfort them.
Bulma: K-kor—Korin? Wha—wait, how did you—?
Korin: Yajirobe gave me the update. Where do I find Goku?
Bulma: I—uhhh…..end of the hall. If you see Chi-Chi, you’ll have found him.
Korin: Thank you, I’ll make haste. And….
Stopping in his tracks, his shoulders slump as if carrying an invisible weight.
Korin: Tien, Yamcha, Chiaotzu… I...
There was no need to finish.
He gave a quick bow, his staff tapping against the hospital tile with a tock before heading in the direction Bulma had just pointed him at, his voice trailing off as his pawsteps fading into the distance.
If only he made Senzu beans that could heal emotional damage: the one thing Bulma truly wished she had right now. With a hand over her shoulder, Launch redirects her attention back to her.
Launch: He... he’ll know what to do.... right? We’re gonna trust in the alleycat?
She glanced over at the younger yet more popular Brief sister, hoping for some reassurance, but was met with silence. All Bulma could do was feel the sting of uncertainty, her eyes brimming with tears as doubt and hope warred within her.
If only that hope came right away. All she felt was despair.
Bulma: Yamaha didn’t deserve that. None of them did.
Launch: Didn’t he cheat on you?
Bulma: Jesus, I get it! He didn’t need to die though! And—and—and what if—?
Her voice shatters mid-sentence, the words dying on her lips, leaving her unable to spill the emotions welling inside her. Launch, caught in the tension of the moment, is at a loss for words as well. She slides her chair closer, the scrape echoing like thunder, trying desperately to offer solace to the more popular Brief sister through the sheer force of her presence, as if proximity alone could mend what was broken.
Bulma: I’m just—goddammit, Launch! I’m so scared!
Launch: Me too. Me too....
Trying and failing to compose herself, cupping her hands against her mouth didn't give her much of a reprieve. For one of the most renowned and accomplished geniuses, billionaires and philanthropists in the city, the entire world, when Bulma does lose her composure, she’s a total wreck.
Bulma: What we planned next? I don’t know if this is going to work.
Launch: We... we just... we gotta—
Suddenly, her words were abruptly cut off as she felt an unexpected tickle in her nose. Unable to stop herself, she sneezed with a force that seemed to echo through the room. Immediately, Bulma darted to the side, well aware of the impending transformation that this simple act would trigger.
Launch suffered from a peculiar condition, one that caused her personality to undergo a radical shift every time she sneezed. The woman standing with the recuperating Z-Fighters at the hospital was the blonde-haired, green-eyed version of Launch, known for her fiery and aggressive nature. Normally, her temper was volatile and explosive, a storm waiting to unleash its fury. However, her usual aggression was subdued, softened by the painful absence of Tien Shinhan, a man for whom she harbored deep and genuine affection.
After the sneeze subsided, Bulma turned to face Launch, who now stood before her with dark blue hair cascading over her shoulders and wide, bright blue eyes that sparkled with an almost childlike innocence. This version of Launch exuded a gentle and serene aura, her posture relaxed and her expression soft, a stark contrast to the fierce and intense demeanor she had moments before.
It was a literal night and day difference.
Just moments agao, her former persona was like a statue, her eyes rarely betraying any hint of emotion. Now, however, with just a few words, tears welled up and spilled over her cheeks, her face crumpling into a mask of raw vulnerability.
Launch: Tien…..oh god, Tien….
Grasping at her chest, Launch doubled over, the loss of her lover hitting her like a tidal wave. Her words were barely a whisper, yet they carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. Bulma was quick to catch her, keeping her steady as they both bawled their eyes out in each other’s arms, the waiting room now echoing with their broken sobs and sniffles.
While Bulma attempted to console Launch, murmuring words of reassurance that she couldn't fully convince herself of, Tights came back from the restroom, her eyes red and swollen, evidence of her own tears. The three of them sat together in silence, their minds wrestling with turmoil and sorrow, as the upheaval of yesterday's events left them grappling with a reality they weren't ready to accept.
As if on cue, a white-coated doctor, his glasses perched precariously on his nose as he consulted a clipboard in his hand, came out of the double doors with a grave look on his face: neutral yet somber. As though he had just delivered news like this countless times before.
Doctor: Ms. Brief?
The three women didn't even need to ask what had happened; the expression on the doctor's face said it all. In that moment, their hearts sank as they braced for the worst.
Thankfully, no more bad news would be delivered today. Mostly.
Gohan and Krillin lay quietly on their respective beds, hooked up to an array of vital monitors that beeped rhythmically in the sterile room. The soft fabric of their medical gowns rustled gently with their steady breaths, while layers of bandages covered them from head to toe, evidence of the fierce battles they had endured. In stark contrast, Goku's situation was more dire.
As a consequence of the extensive use of the Kaio-Ken technique that had pushed him beyond his limits, Goku was rendered immobile, making it impossible for the diligent doctors to administer conventional treatment. Instead, they carefully wrapped Goku from head to toe in layers of bandages, resembling an ancient mummy, before placing him in a sleek, transparent tank. This specialized piece of medical equipment was designed for patients in critical condition, providing a controlled environment to aid his recovery, the soft hum of machinery echoing in the quiet room as it maintained his fragile state.
Korin and Chi-Chi were watching over all of them.
Korin: He'll pull through. That's the Goku I know.
The immortal cat sighed as he leaned against a wall, his eyes never leaving his charge's still form. Chi-Chi, on the other hand, wasn't as optimistic. She bit back, stifling a sob, steeling herself before stepping closer to the stasis tank. The sight of her husband, usually so full of life and vitality reduced to a state needing such measure, it was heartbreaking to behold.
So much for that request she asked of him on the plane. He entered a form he shouldn't have, using techniques he wasn't ready for, and even with Korin’s senzu beans, he barely made it out in one piece to barely feel the touch of his wife.
Fortunately, the former student of the Turtle Hermit school gradually begins to stir and regain consciousness. His eyelids flutter gently, like the wings of a butterfly, as he slowly emerges from the hazy depths of unconsciousness. The world around him comes into focus with each blink, colors and shapes becoming clearer, as a sense of awareness returns to his weary mind.
And the first thing he sees is Chi-Chi hovering over him.
Chi-Chi: Ohhh my Goku…..
The relief in her voice was palpable, a mix of love, worry, and – if Goku’s years of experience with fighting the various overlords from Hell and beyond had taught him anything — a healthy dose of scolding mixed in as well.
Goku: Watashi no….te o nigitte kudasai (Please hold my hand).
She couldn't bring herself to refuse him, her heart aching with a mix of loyalty and desperation. Her fingers clasped Goku's lifeless hand with such intensity that the skin stretched tight over her knuckles, threatening to bleach them bone-white. The room was silent, save for the faint hum of medical machines, as she held on, willing some of her strength to flow into him.
Chi-Chi: How long?
Knowing she was asking about the doctor’s analysis, he groans before answering.
Goku: It’ll be….over four months…..before my injuries heal. And even then….they said I might not be….back to normal.
Chi-Chi: So wait, we can’t give you a Senzu?
Korin: My next crop of Senzu beans will be ready in about a month or so.
Chi-Chi: Then what about our son?
Korin: Gohan and Krillin will be cleared in three days, the doctors said.
Chi-Chi: THREE DAYS??!
Goku squeezed Chi-Chi’s hand, wincing as his form shifted slightly in the process.
Mom….
The daughter of the Ox King looks back to see Gohan in a wheal chair being pushed in by a nurse
Chi-Chi: Oh my baby boy.
Nurse: I thought the strong young man should be with you two at this time. He was very brave during the procedure.
Chi-Chi: I'll uh.....go check on the others I'll let you three talk alone.
Korin left with the nurse and closed the door leaving the Son family finally some time to themselves
Goku: There's my brave little man. Is Krillin okay?
Gohan nods in a sadden expression
Goku: You did a good job before Gohan. I'm....real proud of you.
Gohan: But I don't remember most of it. The last thing I remember was Krillin throwing his energy destructo razor or whatever he calls it and then one of those monkey monsters crashed on us and I fell to the ground. The next thing was....I wake up with you guys on Bulma's ship.
Goku and Chi-Chi looked each other given they didn't know the Great Ape abilities till recently themselves and since they now knew they felt he should know too
Goku: He deserves the truth Chi-Chi. Just like we did.
Chi-Chi: Are you sure?
Goku: I don't want to make our friends mistakes.
Gohan: Mistakes? What?
Chi-Chi pulls Gohan closer to Goku's bed and they spent the next hour telling their son of the Great Ape incidents but since Goku had the same amnesia as Gohan and Chi-Chi never saw it first hand till she saw Gohan change she told him they didn't know till now
They even confessed Goku was who killed Grandpa Gohan when he first changed and was who attacked Pilaf's palace and their first tournament and came down to when they saw Vegeta and Turles transform and then him
As shocked as Gohan was he did remember waking up one morning without his tail and now it started make sense
Gohan: Gosh. I had no idea. But I understand how I lost my tail when I was with Mr. Piccolo. I think I transformed even then. I could have harmed Mr. Piccolo. Mr. Piccolo......
Suddenly Gohan was mourning for his mentor and first friend again given Chi-Chi was there she understood more and her and Goku looked at each other on what to say
But there always comes a point where a crossroads has to be met and the one’s in charge of maintaining or reconstructing the nuclear family image has to come to terms with how little control they have over most things. Especially in a world this positively and negatively infectious with so much otherworldly opposition.
How the hell were they supposed to know what to say next? To dictate their next moves? Keep themselves at a comfortable safe distance to fully adjust themselves to the true gravity of the past year?
Goku was revealed as an alien. His big secret as a Great Ape was outed. Gohan is inadvertently following through on his half-Saiyan biology without fully coming to terms with. More than half the friends during the younger years or even last year have been decimated in brutal fashion and the very existence of these Saiyans completely shifted the dichotomy on what they knew and how much they’d have to adapt to atone for such events. And on top of that, Goku let the man who helped murder their friends, who took away this Earth’s Dragon Balls, escape scot-free. They all have a life sentence because of his actions.
They simply had no answer. And both of them knew it was fruitless to try and force the pieces to fit….especially when they needed to recover.
But they did unveil a chance, a one-in-a-million chance to, if not undo the damage, then to rectify the mental anguish to make sure it wasn’t all for nothing. And so, they also needed to get a move on in discussing battle plans for the next pre-planned destination.
Namek.
With Goku and his family catching up and allowing the moment to pass by, Krillin wasn’t allowed that same luxury in the other ER room.
The sterile smell of disinfectant lingering around him. The remnants of adhesive patches clung to his skin where cables and tubes had been moments before, a reminder of his injuries that throbbed dully. And then the door creaked open, with the determined footsteps of Tights, Bulma, and Launch echoed in the small room, the doppler effect climaxing with their entrance. Their eyes, sharp and focused, locked onto him with intent. Blue-haired Launch crossed her arms, her stance radiating a fragile attempt at poise, while Tights and Bulma flanked her, their expressions a mix of concern and urgency. The trio’s presence filled the room with an undeniable tension, and Krillin felt a knot of quiet anxiety tighten in his chest as he sat, vulnerable, under their unwavering gaze.
He knew what needed to be discussed.
He also didn’t bother questioning how the anthropomorphic cat Korin and his old master Roshi (Jackie Chan) found his room, let alone arrived here on such short notice. Yajirobe was rather late in entering behind everyone else.
The bald, former Shaolin monk let out a soft sigh, his fingers gripping the edge of the bed as he carefully maneuvered his body upward. The sheets rustled as he shifted, finally settling against the propped-up pillows with a relieved exhale.
Krillin: Ahhh. much better.
He murmurs, sinking into the comfort. He glanced around, a hint of curiosity in his eyes.
Krillin: So…..how much do we know?
Tights: Ummmm, outside the deafening reality that—that—that the planet is lightyears away?
Bulma: It’s located in a trinary star system located at coordinates 9045XY from the direction of SU83; don’t ask about the numbers, I was in a hurry when I crunched them and frankly, I don’t care cause I’m still in mourning.
Launch: Aren’t we all?
Krillin just gives them a nod, followed by more silence.
It was unsettling how none of them seemed eager to share any information with him.
Krillin: Bulma, c’mon. What are we doing here?
Bulma: What’re we doing here?
She spits back at him, rashly and volatile with a sharp and unsteady voice. The weight of their recent losses hung heavily on her shoulders, compounded by the gnawing fatigue that seemed to seep into her bones. She sprang from her chair, her movements jittery and tense. Reaching into her jacket pocket, she pulled out a crumpled sheet of paper, its edges frayed and torn, and slapped it onto Krillin's lap.
Bulma: Look at these numbers and tell me if you’re still feeling chipper.
Her eyes flash with irritation, her exhaustion evident in the dark circles beneath them.
Begrudgingly, Krillin’s eyes shifted from the enraged red glare of Bulma to the paper now resting on his lap. He hesitantly reached out for it, smoothing the crumpled document with shaky fingers before skimming it; numbers, symbols, and formulae marched across the page in a seemingly chaotic dance. He recognized some of the notations and had a pretty good idea of what they were looking at, but he let his gaze linger on the paper for effect nonetheless.
The more he read, the quicker his heart submerges into what feels like ice-cold water….and the paler he grew. Burma’s data was undeniable and spoke of an ominous truth that seemed to loom over them like a dark storm cloud. He quickly did the mental calculations, hoping for any semblance of error or at least, some sort of reprieve. He found none.
He finally looks up, his eyes darting between the three women but his voice quickly wavering within the first few words spoken. Tights and Launch remained silent sentinels, their expressions grim as they waited for him to come to terms with the news. Bulma already looked ready to crack.
Krillin: So let me get this straight. These... these numbers, they're...
Bulma:….a sign we’re being way too naive about this.
They couldn't just up and leave Earth now, not with Goku and the others still here. But the implications of staying were even more dire. A part of him prayed that he was just reading the data wrong, but deep down, he knew better.
Bulma: If we were to go using Capsule Corporation's best engine, and this is still the highly experimental model by the way, it would take 4339 years to get to Namek. Plus an extra three months for good measure.
Tights: And we’re over a trillion miles away.
Bulma: And again, that’s JUST with our dad’s spaceship. For the sake of being charitable, if we did use the fastest spacecraft we have today not owned by Capsule Corp, at any speed, four-thousand years will barely take us anywhere. Even if the ship powers through to the opposite tip of the Milky Way…
Krillin:….we’d wither and die before we get there.
The implications of the data sank in, weighing heavily on everyone in the room. The silence stretched out like the years they didn't have, each tick of the clock emphasizing the desperateness of their situation. Krillin's eyes drifted to the window, his reflection almost unrecognizable in the glass. In his mind's eye, he could see the faces of all those who had perished, their spirits haunting him like a chilling reminder of their failure.
With a grimace, he sank back into his pillows.
Krillin: Is there... is there any chance of... I don't know, warping space or something?
Bulma shot him a withering glare.
Bulma: Krillin, even if we had the technology for that, do you think I wouldn't have mentioned it by now?
Launch sighed, running her fingers through her hair, being very cautious to not yank out any potential clumps.
Krillin: We—We... we could... try to contact them?
Bulma: What, I’m a language mediator now? We don’t know what they speak.
Krillin: Ummm, Goku’s brother must’ve left a ship behind. We can’t use that?
Bulma: No cause Gohan busted that into a million pieces.
Krillin: Shit!
Tights: But there's still the other ones.
Bulma: What other ones?
Tights: Hello?! Did you forget the other guys. The big bald guy and the other who looked like Goku only grey skinned? That Veggie bastard or whatever his name was was the only one who got away. So surely their ships are still about.
Bulma: You know sis you got a point.
Launch: Alright for argument's sake how do we----
Launch felt her nose itch
Launch: Uh oh....AAAAAAPHEW!!!
Her sneeze automatically changed her to her aggressive personality changing her hair from dark blue back to blonde again. And with that, her more abrasive personality returns.
Launch: Well hell why don't we just look into those ships?
Tights: Well Launch has a point. But by now those ships have to be in some Government facility.
Bulma: Crap. Well what now?
Launch: Well first let's close that window it's cold as hell in here.
Launch went to the window as everyone shrugged but as she reached for the window something appears like he teleported which scared Launch to drop on the floor and everyone gasped
Mr. Popo ( Stephen McKinley Henderson )
Master Roshi: Oh it's you uh.....who is he again?
Korin: That's Mr. Popo. Kami's assistant from the Lookout.
Oddedly silent for a moment
Master Roshi: Did that cat just talk?
Korin felt embarrassed especially that he and Roshi met back when he was young obviously senile
Mr. Popo: If I may after Kami's disappearance from Piccolo's passing. I have been on the search of the ship he came to earth on. Perhaps that old transportation could provide the flight assistance you need. I'd be happy to take one of you there since my carpet is only made for two or less.
Bulma: Two huh? Well I think the only way to fairly decide who should volunteer is to have a vote. Dichromatic vote that is.
Krillin: Bumla!
Master Roshi: Bulma!
Korin: Bulma!
Yajirobe: Bulma!
Launch: Bulma?
Tights: Why my sister?
Silent again
It couldn’t have been a more unanimous decision…..as well as an initially heartless one, rather cold and dismissive at first glance. All too common was it for the men to cast the woman out to the side, expecting her to handle the bulk of the work….
….except for the fact that Bulma was no ordinary woman. She was the sharpest mind in that room, maybe the smartest woman on the planet as of yet and her reputation as a technological genius preceded her, her ability to adapt her skills to almost any field legendary. And deciphering alien technology as if it were child’s play did play a key role in letting the Z-Fighters know what they were up against when the Saiyans invaded. This made her the ideal candidate to unravel the mysteries of the ancient ship Mr. Popo needed assistance with.
Most damningly, outside of Tights, she was probably the only one with the mental maturity needed for the trip.
Korin, with his wise feline eyes, was physically capable but burdened with the task of cultivating more Senzu beans, crucial for healing Goku and the others who were racing against the clock. Master Roshi, though spry enough, had a tendency to let his lecherous nature take over, likely to get sidetracked by any hint of feminine charm that caught his eye. Yajirobe, with his ever-present lethargy, would rather nap than take on such a responsibility. Launch's unpredictable sneezing fits could send the magic carpet spiraling off course mid-flight, and Krillin, still battered and bruised, wasn't in any condition to even step onto the carpet without risking further injury.
That left only her and Tights as the viable candidates for the mission.
Bulma: Because I’m the only one who can.
She laments quietly, barely above a whisper. Bulma did not look much happier about it as she stared at her feet, her expression conflicted. She knew she was the smartest choice for the job, but that didn't mean she had to like it.
And so, she extends a hand out to her older sister. The only thing that could make this long trip barely is if Tights came with her.
Bulma: But I wouldn’t mind an extra hand getting on.
Tights: I—Bulma, he—you don’t notice that look in his eye? You sure that it’s even safe…?
Bulma: You’re the older one; shouldn't you be telling me that?
The older Brief sibling bit her lower lip, weighing the risks against the slim chance of finding a solution. She knew that they didn't have much time, and every second they spent contemplating their next move was another second lost. Reluctantly, she threaded her hand through her sister's, squeezing it tightly.
Tights: Alright….
Mr. Popo: It’s settled then. We mustn’t waste any more time.
Everyone else in the room watches cautiously with bated breath, watching both Bulma and Tights exchange nervous glances before gingerly approach the window. Outside, Mr. Popo floated serenely on his magic carpet, his presence as steady as ever. The ledge beyond the window was mercifully just wide enough to allow them to edge their way out, their feet barely fitting on the narrow strip. Below, the ground seemed a dizzying 200-plus-foot drop away, a reminder of the precariousness of their situation. The only assurance they had was the shimmering carpet, hovering as their sole safeguard against the abyss.
Carefully, Bulma eased herself onto the carpet beside Mr. Popo, mindful of every movement, wary of disturbing its delicate balance.
Tights: Be careful with her, ok?
Bulma: I’m not like those guys; I’m delicate!
Mr. Popo gave a solemn nod in response to her plea.
As Roshi, Yajirobe, and Launch peered out the window, their eyes widened in astonishment. Before them, the magic carpet, along with Mr. Popo, Bulma, and Tights, dissolved into the thin air, like an intricate illusion unraveling before their very eyes, leaving nothing but the faintest ripple in the atmosphere as evidence of their departure. It was a swift, breathtaking disappearance—a sudden vanishing act that left no trace behind.
No soothing magic carpet ride across the world awaited them, just the stark reality of the empty sky.
In the blink of an eye, the duo reemerged on the carpet, right in the heart of a chilly, windswept canyon.
Frigid and tempestuous in nature, the climate of said canyons was choked with dense clouds, painting the landscape in a foreboding gray, as savage wind currents tore through the desolate expanse with relentless fury. The rugged terrain sprawled in every direction, its jagged cliffs and towering rocky walls looming high and reverberating with the deafening roar of the ceaseless, howling gusts, as if the very earth was alive with rage.
The Yunzabit Heights.
The blistering cold immediately hits Bulma like a freight train, the two scrambling to warm themselves up but with no avail.
Mr. Popo: We have arrived.
He effortlessly jumps off the magic carpet, signaling to Bulma this was where they needed to be.
The biting wind of the Yunzabit Heights seemed to find every nook and cranny of their clothing, making Bulma and Tights shiver as they scrambled off the magic carpet. Mr. Popo, unfazed by the frigid temperature, took the lead, his hands firmly behind his back, guiding them through the maze-like canyons. The sisters looked at each other, sharing a silent agreement that this was already proving to be an arduous journey.
Bulma: Ohhhhhhkay, okay okay. Wh-where….where are we…?
Mr. Popo: Yunzabit Highlands.
Bulma: We’re all the way over here?! That’s on the other side of the planet!
He nods ‘Yes’.
Bulma: Gr—great….now I know how my sister felt. Her and her team actually had to film some scenes here for a final confrontation between an obnoxious skinflint and a pretentious know-it-all finally reaching an impasse. The amount of reshoots they had to shoot to get the right shot was unbearable.
Mr. Popo: And she thought the best way to convey that scene was to shoot it here? At the end of the Earth?
Bulma: We’re Briefs, remember? May not be under Dad’s roof but we couldn’t turn away from risks even if we tried.
As they trudged onward, the landscape around them transformed into something almost surreal, with the trees taking on an ethereal glow under the pale moonlight. The cold, once biting and harsh, seemed to fade into the background, a mere whisper against the greater urgency of their mission. They understood, just as Popo did, the critical nature of their task. There was no room for complaints or comforting words; they could almost feel the relentless advance of time, like Damocles’ Sword, poised to fall at any moment.
Each step forward was a battle against time, yet the minutes slipped by, and the shroud of curiosity began to unravel their determined silence. The allure of the unknown pulled at their minds, tempting them to pause and question, even as the invisible clock ticked inexorably onward.
Or maybe it was the zephyr sucking the moisture from their lips and noses.
Bulma: Wish….wish I b-b-brrrr…..brought some parkas. Doubt that—that's gonna h—h—help out much. How much further is it?
Mr. Popo: This way.
Shivered and wrapping herself in arms of the blowing cold wind Bulma's teeth chattered as she followed Mr. Popo to the trail and they had to climb up from one hill to another
The cold only got bigger as it was near six degrees
Bulma: Uh no offence! But it's cold as piss out here! If you told me the temperature I would have brought a jacket! How just how far is this thing?
Mr. Popo: We're nearly there my dear.
After climbing up one more hill Bulma's arms and expression dropped at the sight of Kami's Namekian Space Ship
Spikes on a giant capsule shaped transportation with one circled glass screen which was thicker than earth glass
Bulma's reaction distracted her from the cold wind
Bulma: Oh. My. God! It's....amazing. I never seen anything like it. This is the ship Kami came to earth on?
Mr. Popo: That's right. Centuries ago when Kami was just young Namekian his father sent him off their home planet like Goku from what the Saiyan's said. Kami never knew his father but had psychic memories of him like Piccolo himself has of his father King Piccolo. But when he arrived to earth he spent all his young years here waiting for his father but loosing all hope he'd ever come Kami left and in centuries Kami came to the lookout to receive his training from the original guardian before him. After Kami's passing I went in search for his ship as he told me of. And after much searching I found it.
Bulma: So how does it work?
Mr. Popo: I'll show you.
Popo lead Bulma closer to the ship and Bulma saw no door or hatch anywhere
Bulma: Great. How the hell are we suppose to get in?
Mr. Popo: Piccolo.
Suddenly something opens and floating platform levitates down with no connections to anything
As it lands on the ground Bulma turned to Mr. Popo
Mr. Popo: Now you know how King Piccolo got his name from.
Bulma: Named after his password huh?
Mr. Popo: Step forward.
Bulma takes a minute and steps up and Popo after her
Bulma: How do we get it to move us up.
Mr. Popo: Same way you open it. Piccolo.
The hatch moves straight back in and then levitates them in the ship where the lights automatically turned on
Bulma was amazed at everything
Bulma: Oh man. This is amazing. I don't suppose you know how Kami drove this thing do you?
Mr. Popo: Actually he didn't have to. Let me show you something.
Mr. Popo sat at the piloting seat as he showed her the coordination screen
Mr. Popo: When Kami first became guardian he taught me Namekian. And from my learning experience I was able to learn how this works. How to set to the coordinates on where you want to go. I can show you what I know to help you operate the ship.
Bulma: Now I'll definitely need a translator like back when Piccolo and Kami were talking in different tongues back at the tournament. But I'll take what you can give me.
Mr. Popo: Excellent. Now pay real attention. All of this is important.
We pull away from Popo and Bulma as he explains the first steps to understand Namekian
But we cut back to Planet Frieza 79 where we see Vegeta still in the healing capsule wearing his breathing mask as his treatment was in progress
Cui: Status report Doctor. Lord Frieza demands an update on his condition.
The Alien Doctor calculates the results so far
Doctor: According to the readings Prince Vegeta is slowly progressing from his fatal condition. Yet from every healing he endures he grows more stronger from the will of his Saiyan DNA.
Cui: Excellent. Proceed as scheduled. I don't want Lord Frieza's prize under any fatal damaged.
Soon Rygnar rushed in
Rygnar: Sir. You better come take a look at this.
Cui follows Rygnar out of the medical room and in one of the control rooms
Rygnar: We manage to pick up the recordings of all of Vegeta's translations through his scouter before it was damaged. We reviewed all of it and when we came across his last contact with Raditz.....we came across something very interesting.
Cui: Very well. Play it.
They turn on the recordings on the computer and we hear on the speakers Piccolo's voice of what he told Raditz
Guess you never heard of the dragon balls. They were created by my father's counterpart and they grant wishes. Once Goku's friends have all seven Shinron the Eternal Dragon will grant Goku back his life. Then it's him who will be laughing at you.
If this was a fighting video game and they were forbidden from beating the very last level due to the inability of their own skills and control, then this recording might as well have been the crucial cheat code they were searching for to bypass such damning circumstances.
Their master had been very adamant in locking down both the location of and utilizing the primary functions of these Dragon Balls for as long as they could remember and the fact that FOUR Saiyans apparently went rogue on the search for these mystical balls was a damning indictment of their betrayal….
….but even more weirdly glaring that Cui, upon listening to this blatant fracture of trust, was not at all surprised to hear this.
Rygar: You’re kidding.
Cui: Still wanna put your weight behind Vegeta? They’re all ungrateful scum, through and through.
Rygar: And they’re only still here because—
A stern, but mildly playful look is exchanged from Cui to Rygar, in a manner that didn’t look patronizing but certainly felt as such. So much for being the new guy and questioning the way things worked around here; he feels the slightest degree of pity for the Saiyan Prince and starts getting mean-mugged by a higher superior.
Rygar: Alright alright, I get it. There’s more.
More dials flicked and modems switched off, the turnstiles clanking and clicking in the background echoing through the dimly lit control room. The speakers erupted with another recording, the audio waveform dancing across the monitors in sharp peaks and troughs as a visual representation of said sound. This recording, crackling with urgency, revealed conversations that were even more incriminating than the previous ones, laying bare secrets that could tip the scales.
Yet, within those damning words lay the key evidence they had been hoping for, a revelation that promised to be the most advantageous discovery they’d encountered so far.
With these Earthlings, appearances can be deceiving. If these peasants raised him here, then who’s saying what else he could be hiding?!
Yeah, right! What about the Namekian? We need him alive to get those Dragon Balls!
There’s more where they came from on Namek! We have to level out the playing field now BEFORE he arrives, you hear me, Nappa?! Not AFTER!
Said conversation of Nappa and Vegeta shortly before the former’s death was everything they needed to hear. The motive was already an easily digestible one to decipher but the what and where was more up in the air until now.
Cui's voice was as cold as the vacuum of space. He mused aloud, rubbing his chin thoughtfully at this revelation.
Cui: This changes things, doesn't it? We always knew the potential threat those Dragon Balls posed in the wrong hands. It seems our suspicions were right to keep tabs on these Saiyans.
He turned to Rygar, his icy dark eyes boring into the soldier's very soul.
Cui: I want you to relay this information to Lord Frieza, but make sure it's done discreetly.
Nodding profusely, understanding the severity of the situation, Rygar didn’t need to say much more. With that, he rushed off to carry out his orders.
With the news of Frieza’s arrival to Namek now vastly guaranteed to be imminent, it only hasted the inevitable clash loomings like a dark supercell thunderstorm on the horizon, destined to drive the heroes on Earth into a frenzy the second they’d find out. The ticking hands of fate's relentless clock seemed to pound away in the endless vacuum of space, each second pounding with the weight of destiny, propelling them toward an inevitable showdown.
But not as of this moment, for hope has to present itself before it can be snatched away.
Upon discovering the Nameless Namekian’s spaceship, who would eventually grow to become the Guardian Kami, Bulma’s awe and complete visible protestation of hope on her face was very evident the more Mr. Popo showed her the finer mechanics behind this ship, besides the slab stone throne who once belonged to the Demon King Piccolo, control panel and large bulbous windows. This could be just the vessel they were looking for to get to Namek.
Now came the most important question in relation to the beginning of this journey: can it get to and from a set destination fast enough? Especially since many of this ships systems are voice activated?
Bulma: How good is your Namekian?
Mr. Popo doesn’t incline to answer.
Bulma: Right right, stupid question. Ummm, here. Tell it to fly in Namekian.
She says, inching away from the control panel and allowing Mr. Popo to get closer.
Mr. Popo: Fly to where?
Bulma: I dunno, anywhere! How about somewhere around the Jupiter area?
An easy task.
Mr. Popo's hands dance across the control panel as he speaks in fluent Namekian, issuing a command to the ancient ship. In response, the vessel shudders to life, its systems powering up one by one. A soft hum fills the air, growing louder by the second. The large bulbous windows around them begin to glow with a dim green light, casting an emerald radiance over their faces.
Popo himself couldn’t contain flashing a radiant smile at the sound of all this, watching and hearing the machinery spring to life after centuries of dormancy. With the ancient ship's engines roaring to life, vibrating the very deckplates beneath their feet. the ship begins to lurch and lift off the grassy terrain. Bulma’s eyes widened with excitement as she gripped onto the slab throne of the former Demon King to maintain her balance.
And without any warning or leeway, the Namekian ship immediately blasts off, effortlessly ascending into the sky before quickly passing Earth’s stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere in record time. Breaking through each nigh-invisible layer of Earths atmosphere, the vast expanse of space stretched out before them, stars twinkling like diamonds against the velvet darkness.
Before Bulma even had a chance to sit down or recollect itself, they had already arrived at Jupiter.
Gazing through the large, bulbous window, she and Mr. Popo were captivated by the swirling bands of colors as they approached the first of the gaseous giants beyond the asteroid belt. Jupiter loomed large, its massive presence a testament to the speed of their ship. The engines humming with a powerful rhythm, vibrating through the deck beneath their feet was a reminder of the immense velocity that propelled them through the endless void with relative ease. If their vessel could streak through the cosmos to Jupiter so swiftly, the journey to Namek seemed entirely feasible.
Hope flickered in their hearts at the thought of reaching Namek in time to use the mystical Dragon Balls to restore their friends.
The two locked eyes, their expressions initially frozen with disbelief. A moment of silence hung between them, as if time had stopped. Then, simultaneously, joy erupted on their faces. They dashed towards each other, their feet moving with an urgency fueled by excitement. As they collided, their arms wrapped tightly around one another, enveloping themselves in a warm, exuberant embrace that spoke volumes more than words ever could.
Such a revelation caused Mr. Popo to shed some tears of joy.
Bulma: Oh my god, we did it!
Mr. Popo: Kami can come back now….
Bulma: We can bring them home! WHOO!
Still wrapped in Mr. Popo's arms, she couldn't contain her excitement as she jumped up and down, nearly squealing with glee. Mr. Popo himself, normally stoic, couldn't help but chuckle at her infectious enthusiasm. Yet as they separated their embrace, Bulma wiped away the stray tears from her eyes….and Mr. Popo’s.
Their celebration needed to be cut short; the sobering reminder of their task laying ahead of them meaning they couldn’t afford any more time wasted in reveling in their success.
Eventually, the ship responds obediently to its next set of commands, engaging its thrusters and pivoting away from Jupiter's gargantuan bulk before immediately settling back down on Earth.
In the span of nearly seven in a half minutes, both Bulma and Mr. Popo had landed back down on solid ground, returned to the sentient magic carpet and quickly transported back to the Wukong hospital just as quickly as they arrived at the Yunzabit Heights.
As anticipated, a wave of excitement washed over everyone upon hearing that traveling to Namek was nearly within reach. Krillin, despite his arm encased in a white plaster cast, managed to swing his legs over the side of his hospital bed and shuffle down the corridor to Goku’s room. There, he eagerly absorbed the details of the development. Meanwhile, Chi-Chi’s father, the towering Ox King, (Sun Mingming), had only just made his entrance into the hospital mere minutes beforehand, his footsteps echoing down the pristine halls just in time to be greeted with the thrilling announcement.
Indeed, a joyous update.
With that settled, now the decision came down to who would be the lucky, or unlucky candidates, to embark on this journey?
Tights: No malfunctions, no breaker damage—
Bulma: This isn’t one of ours, Tights. But from what I could see, it was perfect! I’ll have to tweak the insides a bit but with this ship, we’ll be able to reach Namek within a month.
Krillin: WHOO!
Yajirobe: Alright!
Goku: Oh that’s…aargh….wonderful news…..
Mr. Popo: That’s right.
Of everyone voting their excitement in the room, Chi-Chi was the most noticeably silent. She understood these were the risks that needed to be taken; so many people she knew and were familiar with perished fighting an impossible battle. But then again, did it have to be?
Korin: Our glimmer of hope seems to be getting brighter by the day.
Krillin: Wait, so when are we leaving?
Bulma: Give me five days, and me and Dad should have it ready to launch by then.
Tights: Not before you have me take a look.
Her older sister interjects, diverting the attention to her as she rises from her seat, clearly curious.
Tights: I might be able to throw in some suggestions too. You’ll never know what you’ll need.
Bulma: So fucking sci-fi.
Tights: And don’t you forget it.
Bulma: You’re really up to seeing Dad again?
Tights: No….but when do I ever get what I want?
She gets her shoulder playfully nudged for that remark.
Krillin: Hold on, hold on. We need to know who's going on this mission. I mean, it's not like we can all just up and leave, right?
He was absolutely right. Their team was crippled down to the bone following the Saiyan’s arrival and there hardly was much in the way of valuable players left outside of Goku, Krillin and Roshi. And Goku, well, his immobile body wrapped in bandages and placed in a tank was evidence enough that they couldn't rely on their most valuable member and asset yet again.
The sound of him wincing from all the pain made it clear as day. And he took notice, gauging everyone's reactions to him and each other.
Someone was gonna have to go.
Goku: Well…..Mr. Popo….he can’t go….
Bulma: Wait, what?!
Mr. Popo: I’d be away from Kami’s palace for two months and I cannot do that. The Lookout must be guarded.
Launch: So that means…..Bulma kinda has to go.
Tights: Uhhh, no! No, that’s not happening!
Launch: Tights, if something bad were to happen—and let’s be honest, it probably will—she’s the only one familiar with how it works.
Tights: I know that, Launch! But we can't just put her up there, send her off alone, just—just-just…
Already she was malfunctioning up there in her head, her sisterly instincts taking over the second she sniffed some bullshit. Similar to Chi-Chi, this needed to be taken care of as quickly as possible to revive their fallen comrades but she wasn’t too willing to put her own flesh and blood in harms way again. Sharp mind or not, she’d be damned if anything worse happened to Bulma than just being cheated on by a bandit.
This uncomfortable silence settles in the room. Everyone knows that they need a skilled fighter to accompany Bulma on such a dangerous mission, but after the devastating battle against the Saiyans, their options are slim.
The younger Brief sibling gulped, steeling herself as she prepared to volunteer herself, shooting a defense stern look at her older sister.
Bulma: Look, I'm the only one who can fly the ship and make sure it doesn't fall apart in the middle of nowhere. We don't have much time to waste arguing about this.
Tights: Bulma….
Bulma: I’m obviously not going alone. Someone’s gotta protect the ship and me on the way to Namek, and Goku's out for the count. I can handle myself with my brains, but we need brawn too.
She pauses, glancing at Krillin.
Bulma: And I think you should go.
Krillin: Wh—Bulma, I’m short an arm.
Bulma: You’re still like the third strongest fighter I know.
Krillin: And what if the Saiyan comes back?
Bulma: You know damn well the state we left him in? “Poochie died on the way back to his home planet”. We’re fine.
He hesitates at that remark, glancing down at his casted arm before sighing in resignation. Indecision weighed heavily on his shoulders, but he couldn't deny the responsibility that rested on his shoulders as a Z-Fighter and he was one of the few remaining people still capable of defending themselves.
Reluctantly, he nodded in agreement.
Mr. Popo: So that leaves one more.
Yajirobe: Yeah, there ain’t no way I’m going.
Korin: Nobody expected you to.
Roshi: A two-month round trip, eh….? I guess I got no choice but—
Everyone: NO!
Bulma: I’m not looking to get an STD on the ride home.
If there was one silent agreement that everybody could unanimously get behind regarding avoiding any potential risks, it was that; STDs being the least of their worries in deep space. The room falls silent once again as they contemplated their remaining options.
Chi-Chi: Well, at least my little boy isn’t going anywhere.
And then the least likely person out of everyone speaks up.
Gohan: Take me with you. Please…..
With that, the silence just grows deeper. Disconcerting glares from everyone in the room just pierce into Gohan’s body; they were shell-shocked that the young boy who Piccolo kidnapped against his will to train, the same boy who transformed into a Great Ape twice, the boy who was being raised NOT to become like his famous father….
….was willingly volunteering to accompany Bulma and Krillin on this perilous journey.
To say Chi-Chi was flabbergasted at this development was an understatement. So much so that she sank down to her knees to meet her wheelchair-bound son on a equal footing.
Chi-Chi: Ummmm, As. I. Said. My little boy….isn’t…..going…..anywhere.
Gohan defiantly shakes his head, a bold 'No' right in her face. The tension in the room crackles like static before a storm.
Despite her desperation to compose herself in the face of all this concentrated, controlled chaos swirling around her, this was the final straw threatening to snap her resolve in two. Her fury was a dormant volcano dangerously close to erupting, a seething inferno ready to consume everything in its path, and everyone in the room could sense the impending eruption.
Even the Ox King braced himself.
It was maddeningly incomprehensible; why would her son want to leave her? AGAIN? After everything he had endured, after narrowly escaping the jaws of death? The thought seared her mind, fueling the blaze of her wrath….and Goku couldn't do much to cool it.
Goku: Chi-Chi…
Chi-Chi: Goku, stop. This….this isn’t right. Our-our son’s not making sense.
Gohan: Mom, this…is the clearest I’ve ever been. I have to go.
Chi-Chi: No, you don’t. What nonsense are you talking about? Another two months? On top of the year of anxiety I’ve already been put through?! More lessons being forgotten and cutting Cram school as well?! Do you want to fall behind the other scholars?!
Gohan: Piccolo’s the reason I’m even still here. It’s my responsibility to bring him back!
Chi-Chi: He still kidnapped you!
Gohan: He died protecting me!
Chi-Chi: Now is not the time for this! Gohan, we've been through this. Your place is here, with your family! You're still just a child! We can't afford to lose you too, do you understand?
Gohan: NO!!!
Gohan's outburst silenced the room especially Chi-Chi which soon saw tears under his angry eyes
Gohan: Mom don't you get it? It's my fault. It's all my fault!
Chi-Chi: What'd you talking about?
Gohan: Mr. Piccolo.....he died cause of me......he gave his life for you too. But it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been so scared. He trained me and I let him down....by being a scared kid. And cause I didn't stand up for myself......he got in the way to be burned up by that blast just to save us. He'd be here.....if I didn't get scared....and now he's.....he's.....GONE!!!
Gohan's grief struck him hard enough Goku realized where his son was going
Goku: Son look at me.
He looked at his father
Goku: You think you have to go because you owe this to Piccolo?
Gohan nods yes which made Goku sigh softly and understood completely
He looked at Krillin for a moment remembering when he wasn't there to save him from King Piccolo and now history repeats itself with his son
Goku: Gohan. Piccolo didn't give his life cause you didn't fight. He gave his life cause you gave him hope. The same hope you gave me when you stood up to Vegeta. Plus it's okay to be scared. All challenges are scary but you always find many ways to manage.
Gohan: But you're never scared of anything.
Goku: I was last year.
Gohan: You were?
Goku: Yes. When Raditz took you away I was afraid I'd never see you again.
Gohan: Oh.
Goku: Now your mother's right about one thing.....Piccolo had no right to kidnap you. If I hadn't died fighting your uncle I'd never let him do it. But he redeemed himself for you. Because of you Piccolo won't ever lift a finger to hurt anyone in the world. And because of that......I say you can go.
Everyone: WHAT?!?!
Chi-Chi: Goku what'd you---we just got him back and you're letting him go to this Namek place?! He's just a little boy!
Goku: Then it's time he became a man. Gohan? There's no one I trust more than you to help Bulma and Krillin. And I'll be right behind you soon as I'm back on my feet. Korin when did you say the Senzu Beans would grow back?
Korin: A month.
Goku: Dammit. Well I'll have to make due till then.
Chi-Chi: Can I have a minute alone with my husband guys?
Krillin: Oh you're so dead buddy.
Goku: Make it a challenge.
Everyone including the Ox King who was more nervous than anyone else left the room as Gohan was pushed out by a wheal chair
Chi-Chi: The only reason you're still alive right now is cause of your injury. But don't think I'm NOT tempted to make it worse cause you're letting our son go off into danger AGAIN!
Goku: Chi-Chi he'll be safe with Krillin and Bulma. I'll be on my feet in a month and I'll be joining them myself. They just have to avoid any sense of danger till I get there.
Chi-Chi: Okay fine but what about his school work?
Goku: He'll take it with him.
Chi-Chi turns away angry but sadden
Goku: Honey---
Chi-Chi: Don't you honey me! You know I don't want Gohan growing up like you did.
Goku: I don't think it matters cause my enemies will always try to use to him against me. I mean look at Raditz. He kidnaped him to make me concur the planet. Piccolo mostly took him to use him against me but a lot happened between them. And plus the others told me you went to confront him yourself to save him. And the only reason Piccolo didn't kill you was cause he was already changing. He'll be fine.
Chi-Chi still didn't see the brightness in all this she couldn't bare to look at her husband and that's when she turn away
Goku: Chi-Chi.....
She then storms out slamming the door
While far from a knee-jerk reaction, it was the only reasonable one anyone in that room delivered for the past hour in change. Getting caught up in the midst of otherworldly, intergalactic battles for decades on end is certain to have you hyper-fixated on the specifics and specialties of normalcy in a world constantly changing…..and Chi-Chi was grasping at straws, almost desperate to prevent herself from becoming part of that cog of change.
But it wasn’t entirely out of arrogance. She was right to a degree.
Everybody deserved better than being thrusted back into these constant life-or-death scenarios with little windup, telegraph or payoff and Gohan, the least equipped to deal with this than the others, was firmly out of his element. Having him go to Namek over literally anyone else might as well have been literal suicide.
So of course Chi-Chi would be pissed at losing him. And Goku’s somber resignation to the decision washing over his face was evident to the strings pulling him at both sides: to keep him safe or to keep him strong.
Regardless, the decision was made.
Those five days blitz by everyone like a bullet train.
Work on the ship had begun almost immediately at the Capsule Corporation, the dome shaped building home to one of the largest, richest and most influential companies in the world and the home of Bulma and Tights. Upon relaying the information to their father, Dr. Brief himself (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa), the eccentric scientist who founded the company wasted no time in getting his own hands dirty. He was just as anxious as Bulma regarding the time frame of getting it to work but he hid that under the veil of excitement.
He was a scientist after all.
So, he, Bulma and other employees at Capsule Corp took their turns prodding at the Nameless Namekian’s white sculpted spike-protruded ship, updating the interior with portable beds, showers, fans, and the expected modified voice translator among other amenities to accommodate for the month-long journey ahead. The one feature already on board was the voice activated toilet, one that didn’t need to be refurbished by Dr. Brief and Bulma but decided to do so anyway.
Tights even suggested installing a beam weapon capable of defending the ship from attacks as well as destroying any space hazards or debris they come across….but she had to mention the idea to Bulma behind the scenes instead of explaining it upright to their father. Despite inadvertently implying to Bulma she would physically confront her dad again, Tights still wasn’t willing to do so.
Even with all the upgrades and modifications, the ship still retained its alien charm. The controls were a mix of unfamiliar glowing symbols and buttons, while the interior walls had a warm, organic feel that was unlike anything Dr. Brief and his team had ever seen. Had Piccolo been alive to see their tireless work, his observations probably would’ve been one of curiosity, seeing the experimentations with the new Earthling technology while offering insights on how to properly operate his own ship's systems.
Finally, as the sun dipped below the horizon on the fifth day, the ship gleamed under the dimming sky, ready to conquer the cosmos. Bulma stepped back, her eyes tracing the sleek lines of her creation, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. She wiped the sweat from her brow with a grease-stained rag, its texture rough against her skin, before handing it over to her father, who nodded appreciatively and dabbed at the oil smudges on his hands.
Her attention then shifted to the entrance of the underground lab, where she spotted Tights cautiously peeking around the corner. Tights had come just for her, a comforting presence in the shadowy glow of the evening.
However, another ten days would pass before the other pre-selected participants, Krillin and Gohan, were fully healed enough and back to 100% to embark with Bulma on the journey.
And after fifteen days—a full two weeks plus an additional day of meticulously planned organization and testing of resolve— the day of departure finally came.
The resident meeting spot for takeoff was at the fabled Kame House, a small pink and red beach house on a small uncharted island in an endless sea…..as well as the permanent residence of the perverted Master Roshi, one of the Earth’s greatest martial artists once upon a time. To think, many years ago, this was where Goku and Krillin first sought out the old man for regular training in the Turtle Hermit way.
And one year ago, was where Raditz’s very arrival and kidnapping of Gohan warped everything he thought he once knew about one of his best students.
Alas, the trend persists; the enormous Namekian spike-prodded ship jutted out conspicuously, like a massive, grotesque bulge amidst the serene and tranquil landscape. The long, dark shadow it casted over the vibrant greens and blues of this natural environment however would only be temporary. Outside Roshi himself, the other two of the three would-be ‘astronauts’ on this journey were there and accounted for.
With Bulma and Krillin there, only Gohan was running behind.
Krillin: Is Gohan still coming? I don't see him anywhere.
Bulma: I think Chi-Chi's laid down the wall on him. And given the argument they had and her and Goku's fallout I can't blame her. I mean given he was kidnapped twice by Goku's evil brother and Piccolo can you imagine a mother going through to be without her child THREE times?
Krillin: Yeah I guess you're right.
Bulma: It may just be you and me.
AND ME!
They all looked up to see a mini Dragon flying down with Gohan riding on it
The gang were all amazed and soon as the Dragon landed Gohan jumps down with a new haircut and in the Piccolo Uniform he gave him for the Saiyan Battle
Krillin: Whoa! Gohan look at you! You're back in the same uniform of Piccolo. I thought they got tared up when you changed.
Gohan: I asked Mr. Popo to give me a new one. What'd you think?
Krillin: No bad. But who's your friend here?
Gohan: This is Icarus. I found him when my parents took me camping when I was three. But then there was a forest fire and I found him trapped in the fire. I too got trapped in the fire till my dad manage to put out the fire. And then he used the Dragon Balls to restore the forest. Icarus became my first friend. My mom wouldn't let me let him in the house but said I could play with him outside. And so he flew me here.
Bulma: So.....did your mom change her mind of you coming with us?
Gohan looked nervous for a moment
Gohan: Yeah I talked her into it.
Unfortunately that was a little white lie cause we cut to The Son Residence in the woods Chi-Chi was doing the dishes as the Ox King was sitting at the table
Ox King: Chi-Chi darling why won't you go talk to him? It's not like he wants to put Gohan in danger.
Chi-Chi: How can I?! He just.....I expected better from him. I mean I know he's not the brightest man. But after loosing him twice and seeing him turn into some monster how could he just let him go?
Ox King: Gohan doesn't just get this from Goku. He gets it from you too.
Chi-Chi: How so?
Ox King: I passed Master Roshi's training to you. And you went with him and Bulma to find the other Dragon Balls while I was rebuilding our castle. Including the village I destroyed to make up for my misdeeds. You were adventurous yourself. And you said yourself you'd follow Goku anywhere.
Chi-Chi: Daddy. I was just a little girl back then. With fantasies. And then we got trapped in Pilaf's palace. Only for me to black out and wake up to find in disasters and Goku was naked. We didn't even know he transformed into the same monster till we saw Gohan change. The point is.....things change Dad. And weather or not Gohan inherited a fighting spirit from me as he did his father......it's just too much for me to think about him growing up better than Goku or me. All I ever want for my son is to have something better than I did.
Ox King: I know. I know.
Chi-Chi whipped a tear from her eye and then after finishing the dishes Chi-Chi prep a snack for Gohan and when coming by the door she knocks
Chi-Chi: Gohan? Honey I made you a snack? And I thought later we could-----
She opens the door only to find Gohan's room empty and window opened
Seems earlier Gohan snuck out with Icarus hours earlier and once again Chi-Chi was struck in shock to find her son missing.......
......AGAIN
Seeing the opened window was obvious to her he snuck out
Chi-Chi: G---Gohan.......oh please God no........
Chi-Chi once more......FAINTS dropping down and the trey with Gohan's snack crashed on the floor
Ox King: Oh no! Chi-Chi! Not again!
So much for wanting better for the family name and image; Gohan’s absolute resolve to see this trip through to the very end, to help redirect everyone who laid down their lives for him was stronger than his predilection for the normalcy of rural-esque nomadic loving.
He was every bit as anxious and scared as Bulma and Krillin were. They were flailing vapidly into the wild frontier with no clue as to what to expect or where to go after they landed….
….but that fear was the very reason why he had to go. Why they all did.
Bulma knew better than to take Gohan’s word for it; he was a young boy after all, close to ten years old, and it probably was the first time he had to tell a lie this extreme in order to crowbar the proper circumstances into his favor. She saw right through the facade but she couldn’t help but feel a monicker of pride at him taking the initiative for himself.
Krillin wasn’t too worried about whether he told the truth or not; he was glad that everyone was here and accounted for.
The only question was…..why hadn’t Icarus left yet?
Ok make that two questions: why was Krillin struggling so hard to stifle an incoming laugh? This was not the right time.
Eventually, the chuckle does pour out and it irks at Bulma almost instantly.
Gohan: Why—what are you—what’s so funny?
Krillin: I’m sor—I’m so sorry—-it’s just—
He barely collects himself, hands on his knees despite being nowhere near out of breath.
Krillin: But your hair—the bobcut’s taking me out of it. You look like a young Moe Howard.
Gohan: Well, look who’s talking, Curly.
Krillin: Why, I oughta—
Bulma: Clam it, chowerheads! We gotta get going, ok?
Immediately, both of their backs straightened, shoulders squared, and eyes snapped to Bulma raising her voice, leaving no room for distraction as their focus returned to the urgent issue before them.
Bulma: Piccolo.
Being in close proximity of the Namekian ship, the floor hatch detaches from the hull in response to her voice and lowers down to the island landmass, its circular structural design large and wide enough to hold, at best, four people.
The gang solemnly filed onto the hatch in single-file, the reality of their mission weighing heavily on all of them. Bulma took one final look at Kame House, the place where the memories never stopped flowing. It seemed like a lifetime ago that they had first met Roshi and began their training. Krillin, then just a stuck-up selfish and jealous punk, now stood tall beside her, a powerhouse in his own right. Gohan, who had once been too shy to even speak up, now marched confidently with him at his side. And herself? She hadn’t come an entirely long way from the spoiled rich girl she once was but as she was now a skilled inventor and scientist who refused to be held back by societal norms, her helpfulness outdoes those stingy qualities.
As the ramp began retracting behind them, sealing them inside the ship, Bulma couldn't help but feel a twinge of trepidation.
Still though, they couldn’t leave.
Icarus crouched low to the ground, his wings drooping tightly against his side, emitting soft, mournful coos as his eyes fixed on Gohan's retreating figure. The distance between them felt like an unbridgeable chasm and despite Master Roshi, standing nearby and gently patting Icarus on the back, but his half-hearted attempts at comfort and consolation did little to ease the dragon's sorrow.
Gohan's heart ached as he glanced back and saw the forlorn creature. Unable to bear it any longer, he sprang off the ship's hatch and sprinted back towards Icarus, determined to reassure his friend.
Bulma: Wha—HEY! GOHAN!
He wraps his arms tightly around Icarus, holding him close for a moment before turning to face the young lilac-colored dragon. The dragon's large, innocent-looking green eyes lock onto the young kid's gaze, wide and imploring, like a puppy pleading silently with its owner not to be left behind.
Gohan: I'm sorry, buddy. I wish you could come too, but you know there's no room for you in the ship. Plus, I need you to stay here and look after mom and grandpa, alright?
Icarus whimpered softly in response but nuzzled against Gohan's chein, very well understanding the situation at hand but clearly not happy about it. Gohan ruffled the dragon's head one last time before reluctantly pulling away and making his way back to the ship.
Before stepping onto the hatch, he glanced over his shoulder one final time, etching Icarus' forlorn figure into his memory.
Gohan: Goodbye Icarus. Look after my parents while we're gone.
Icarus squeals at him as the hatch closed
Everyone waved all shouting at once and Icarus squealing and then after a moment Kami's ship soon starts up and then slowly hovers off until.......
......it lifts off straight up to the sky with everyone cheering
The Nemekian Spaceship just cut through the atmosphere inside Bulma Gohan and Krillin held on to their seats since there's no seatbelts their anxieties were increasing in fear hoping they don't blow up
And finally......they were in space
Gohan looked out the window seeing the solar system for the first time in his life
With the coordinates set the ship took towards it's altitude flying into deep space
Bulma: Holy crap that was intense!
Krillin: I'll say! I think I'm gonna loose my lunch.
Gohan: So this is where dad came from when he was my age?
Bulma: I think he was way younger than that sweetheart. Anyway if I'm translating this right we should reach our destination in three light years in space that should be a month on our side.
Krillin: Then by then Korin should have more senzu beans grown for Goku and he'll be right behind us.
Bulma: Right.
Gohan: But how will dad get here?
Bulma: With the spaceship my dad Tights and I been building with the Saiyan Technology we took off Raditz. Remember the technicians I showed you and Master Roshi last year Krillin?
Krillin: Yeah that was amazing. I can't imagine how well the Saiyan's got around. They were on a gold mine.
Bulma: Well anyway. I'm gonna freshen up. You boys hold the fort?
They nod and then Bulma walked to the back room
Krillin: So Gohan wanna play Rock Pa----
When he turns he see's Gohan practicing his fighting patterns taught to him by Piccolo grunting and throwing fists and kicks in the air
Krillin: What'd you doing?
Gohan: Training. Piccolo would want me to keep on it to wish him back.
Krillin: Who's son are you? Goku's or Piccolo's?
The ship flies on till we black out for a moment as we hear........
......Vegeta's echoing
Welcome Kakorat.
We open back to Vegeta in his chemical bath in his healing process he was twitching his closed eye lens and his fingers as the fight between him and Goku echoed in his head
Speaking of Goku he was asleep in his capsule after another sedative as their fight echoed in his head too
It's is if their psyche was connecting
We see clips of their battle as we hear their word exchanges echoing
I never expected a fair fight. It doesn't seem like your style.
I guess we have that in common. But enough speaking our minds so.....shall we dance?
The flashbacks of the battle kept hitting in their heads as they twitched mumbled
The alien machines monitoring Vegeta's progress started picking up
Vegeta struggled in the chemicals Goku tossed in turn in the capsule as the memories of their battle expanded intensely
YOUR INSOLENCE JUST COST YOU THIS WORLD!
KAIOKEN TIMES THREE!!!!
Galick Gun……FIREEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!
HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!
Their beams colliding forced both their eyes........
.....wide open
On Goku’s side, it was just another day at the hospital; the usual machinations that came with being a patient stuck in the ER room.
Thankfully, in the two weeks it took Bulma and the others to modify the ship and then leave, a significant amount of Goku’s injuries had gradually healed on their own. His back no longer was constantly spraining, his right arm was mostly limber and loose and he could barely feel his legs being awake. That being said, the rest of his body still needed the proper attention before Korin’s senzu beans were fully ready so while he no longer needed to be encased in that tank, he did need to rest on the actual ER bed.
Vegeta needed no more of that unsavory prodding or inspection surrounding his body or internal organs.
His consciousness surged violently to the surface as if shocked from the depths of hibernation by some cosmic cattle prod. One moment all was chaos and blinding light inside his own mind, the next, he snapped into a cold, exact clarity. The glass lens of his rejuvenation tank was slick with condensation, and beyond it the blurred blue shapes of the medical technicians hurried back and forth. The thrum of the ship’s life support was omnipresent, but it was his own heartbeat—so loud it was seismic in the fluid around him—that roared in his skull. He flexed his hands in slow, deliberate motions, watching the scar tissue on his knuckles and palms stretch, and then settle into something eerily smooth.
The thick, luminous solution that he floated in responded to the signals from the panel outside. With a mechanical hiss, the bottom of the tank opened a hidden grating, and the healing fluid began to spiral down in a roiling gyre, flecked here and there by errant blood and bruised purple threads of half-clotted injury. It was as if the tank itself was a primordial womb, and now—after a forced gestation—he was being funneled down the birth canal. Transparency of the solution faded as it ebbed lower, and his bare skin emerged, pale and steaming, from the surface. He blinked hard, the membrane of healing agents receding from the whites of his eyes, which immediately began to sting in the unfamiliar dry air.
Sensors arrayed on the interior of the glass shell blinked through status codes in the Frieza empire’s glyphic script, lines of electric green data flowing vertically, now unconcerned with the state of their patient and instead focused on prepping the chamber for release. The medical crew outside watched with a mixture of clinical detachment and genuine fear; even submerged and half-sedated, Vegeta exuded a predatory malice that gave every operation a dangerous edge. His vision sharpened, and he tracked the movements of the technician’s gloved hands as they unscrewed the locks on the chamber. He could feel the machine’s efforts to suppress his motor control beginning to fail.
Despite not spending too long within the tank, Vegeta became aware of his own shivering—not from cold, but from the rage that simmered deep beneath his new, unbroken skin. The pain was gone, replaced by a vast, almost intoxicating sense of power. Even the memory of his pulverized body—his shattered cheekbone, the dislocated shoulders, the caved-in ribs—was fading, supplanted by the awareness of total regeneration and a hunger to return to battle. He flexed his toes, which until recently had been broken at every joint, and felt the uncanny relief of bone knitting perfectly beneath the surface.
He even swirled his tongue around, probing the inside of his mouth, searching for the tooth Goku had knocked out. And then he grinned, realizing that a brand new fang had taken its place.
Only one factor of his body couldn’t be regenerated—the most important component to his repertoire as a Saiyan Elite—his furred tail.
The last of the viscous healing agent made a slurping, whining noise as it was expelled from the tank, leaving him suspended halfway above the grating, his fists balled and ready. A klaxon blared and the chamber’s entire front hinge released with a pneumatic gasp, filling the room with a rush of sterile, freezing air. Vegeta’s eyes narrowed as the glass door swung wide on its gimbals, and for the first time in a long while, he drew in a breath with lungs that felt more alive than ever.
As the doors parted, Vegeta remembered nothing of the pain—only the humiliation it caused him, and the resolve to erase it.
The cluster of doctors huddled just outside the tank, their nerves taut like piano wires, ready to snap. They braced themselves, their faces pale with tension, each one acutely aware of the lethal potential of the Saiyan Prince. Fear gripped them, anticipating the slightest provocation that might trigger Vegeta to unleash his devastating fury and obliterate them all. Yet, instead of an explosion of rage, the Saiyan Prince emerged with an imposing presence, his naked body stepping boldly out of the tank... His eyes pierced through each doctor in the room, scrutinizing their every move. Whether they were diligently monitoring him, scribbling frantic notes for analysis, or meticulously ensuring his recovery was flawless, Vegeta saw through them all. They bore an indelible mark of disgrace on their souls, stained by their obedience to Frieza. The very thought filled him with revulsion.
Disgust boiled within him, a visceral reaction to their complicity. And he only narrowly hides it with a scoff.
Doctor: Prince….
Vegeta: Spare me the formalities.
That voice, as expected, is cold and devoid of any emotion. If anything, it was a low growl, dripping with contempt.
Instinctively his hand went to where his tail would be, but he stopped himself just short of that self-inflicted humiliation. He knew Frieza's men would be watching—recording every millisecond of his post-regenerative behavior. They likely already knew about the missing appendage and were giddy at the opportunity to study its effects on him.
Doctor: Sorry to say, Vegeta. We weren't able to regenerate your tail.
Vegeta: No matter.
Two of the doctor’s assistants were quick to approach the Vegetable-named prince before he could say anything further with a brand new set of Saiyan armor similar to his previous set: bright blue jumpsuit, white boots and gloves, a white Battle armor with yellow shoulder pads, stomach, hip, and groin padding, and back plates.
However, he tosses the stomach, hip and groin padding aside before taking the rest with him to a far corner of the room.
Firmly focused on dressing up and not on the doctor poking at his old armor discarded in the corner during the repair process, it did make for some awkward exchanges between the two.
Doctor: It seems you were in quite a lot of trouble to get this high-quality rubber armor in tatters.
Already, he ignored that remark.
Vegeta: Tell me. Where is Frieza?
Doctor: Frieza? You just missed him; left only a few minutes ago.
Vegeta: Tch….sick of this planet already, is he?
Barely spitting the venom underneath his breath, he tightens his blue jumpsuit and armor before fastening the white gloves around his arms.
That was one such abnormality he knew he would have to get around to later. Right now, something more personal screeched at him through his mind: the low-class Saiyan who bested him on Earth. He seemed a rematch.
SOON.
As soon as he got off of this dung-hill of a world.
He intended to just walk out of the room right then and there but not before the Doctor came behind him, his back arched over as he carried a green scouter, the trusty but faulty wearable, all-purpose computer required by the Frieza army to wear.
Doctor: Before you depart, you must know Cui called for you to meet him in the training room after you finished healing.
Vegeta: That so? Then remind that scaly fish-faced Kiwi to know where his place is; I don’t take orders from him.
Vegeta glanced around the room, noting the empty chairs and silent monitors, before striding toward the door. With a measured pace, he pushed the door open and stepped into the corridor of the base. The fluorescent lights flickered slightly above him, casting a steady glow on the polished metal floors as he made his way down the hallway.
Only for the doctor to attempt to sprint after him.
Doctor: Wait! Sir, wait! You forgot your scouter!
Vegeta: Keep it. I have no use for it anymore.
The prince’s dismissal of the scouter was met with a perplexed look from the doctor, but before he could argue, Vegeta slammed the door shut, leaving the doctor and his assistants in the lab, dumbfounded. The Saiyan prince's steps echoed down the corridor, a rhythmic metronome to his ire. He didn't trust Frieza or his cronies as far as he could throw them, let alone their faulty technology. No, he'd rather rely on his own senses and strength than be beholden to such a crude piece of tech.
Especially when on the brief time he was able to make do without the scouter down on Earth, he caught ahold of and nearly mastered the ability to sense ki and control his power level at will.
Unbeknownst to everyone in this stupid base.
As he ventured further into the depths of the base, causally shooting thousand-yard stares at the few Frieza recruits there and avoiding said glares all the same, Vegeta's thoughts drifted back to Goku. The low-class Saiyan who had dared to match and excel his power. A part of him seethed with humiliation, while another part relished the challenge that Goku had presented…..and he couldn’t put a handle as to why.
He'd never felt such intensity in a long while—not since the Saiyan-Tuffle war decades ago. It was intoxicating, invigorating, and above all, addictive pondering the very prospect of a clean rematch, one-on-one. Vegeta mulled over their battle in his mind as he continued through the corridor, chewing over every move, every attack, searching for any weaknesses he might exploit the next time they met. And the very thought of being in his debt even in such a small way, the fact that he SAVED HIS LIFE after everything he, Nappa and Turles did to him and his friends back on Earth?
That’s what rankled Vegeta to his core the most.
Next time—there would be a next time. A cold smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. He knew it in his heart of hearts that their fight was far from over. And next time, he vowed to himself, things would be different. No more underestimating his opponent's power. Next time, he'd crush that puny low-class runt and reclaim his place as the top of Saiyan royalty.
If only that was his only concern…..
Ah, Vegeta-san...
A mocking voice interrupted his thoughts. Vegeta whipped around to find Cui, Frieza's indigo-fish-skinned soldier, leaning against the wall outside the training room.
Perhaps had Vegeta went the other way to exit the base, he wouldn’t have had to see him….
….or heard his laugh. Cause at this point, the grating volume of his laugh alone was enough to test his patience. Eventually, he straightened up as he met Vegeta’s gaze, his grin never wavering and eyes twinkling with malice.
Cui: My my, looks like somebody’s in a foul mood. The hell are you off to in such a hurry?
Vegeta: Off to plow your mother.
Cui: Heh. Shows how little you know.
Vegeta: Beat it, Cui. I don't have time to associate with the likes of you.
With that, he turned on his heel and began walking away. Cui’s ell-like grin only widened as he pushed himself off the wall and forcibly gripped Vegeta by the shoulder.
Cui: It was evident that the Cosmic Emperor was beyond peeved after the four of you ran off to Earth on your lonesome. And to think you were the only one who nearly eeked it out alive?
Vegeta: He can’t gripe about it if he’s not here.
Cui: Nope. Nope, I suppose he can’t….
Once more, his grin widens further, taking up the whole of his face. Pulling Vegeta back as soon as he tried to separate himself from him, the main vocal point of this conversation is finally revealed.
Cui:….but he has no need to after coming to terms with your sensational discovery. Off to Namek, are we?
That immediately stops Vegeta. How did he know?
Vegeta: What did you say?
Cui: Oh, come now. Surely you haven't forgotten the allure of the Dragon Balls? Frieza's most secretive mission to find them and wish for eternal life? You honestly expect me not to know about such a valuable treasure trove of information?
With this, Vegeta's grip on his fists tightened, but he doesn't turn to face Cui. The arrogance oozing from the fish-like soldier was enough to make even the most docile person lose their temper. However, Vegeta knew better than to reveal any weakness in front of Frieza's lackeys.
Cui: But what I'm more interested in is…..why a lowly Saiyan such as yourself would be so eager to get to Namek when there's still so much unfinished business here on Earth. I mean, isn't there another low-class Saiyan who bested you you need to play Operation with?
Now he was flagrantly poking the bear.
He knew Cui was baiting him, but Vegeta couldn't help but ask….
Vegeta: What?! How did you-?!
Cui: Should’ve told your ‘friends’ to turn off their scouters; it was on the entire time.
Vegeta's heart skipped a beat realizing the one thing that could mean
Vegeta: Does.....that mean.....you showed Frieza the recording?
Cui: Of course I did. Why do you think he left so suddenly? And by that time he left he should arrive less than one light year. Counting three days.
It was at this moment that Vegeta knew.......he F up!
He clutched his fists grit his teeth he knew if Frieza got to the dragon balls before him then nothing could really stop him
Vegeta: Rrrrrrrr damn him!
Vegeta ran back which took Cui off guard in confusion as he didn't expect Vegeta's reaction to be like this
He ran back to the medical room and grabbed his scouter from the Alien Doctor's guest
Vegeta: On second thought I'll need this after all.
He pryed it off the table and ran out again pass Cui in the hall who chased after him
Cui: WAIT VEGETA! YOU DON'T NEED TO DO THIS!
Vegeta ran out to the landing pads back on his pod which was fixed and cleaned up since his arrival he pushed the guards out of the way and hopped in it activating the systems closing the hatch just when Cui ran out
Cui: VEGETA WAIT!!
It was too late Vegeta's pod had already taken off blowing everyone back
Cui looked up to space angry and worried that Frieza would blame him for this he had to stop Vegeta anyway he could
Cui: Have another pod ready for me.
Following his order the guards solute and went back as Cui looked back up to space at Vegeta's direction
His pod zooms down out into space Vegeta was too angry and anxious to even sleep the trip away
Vegeta: You won't get away with this Frieza! Those Dragon Balls are mine!
Cutting back to the hospital Goku was finally let out of the capsule it's now been three weeks since Bulma and the other two left off for Namek all though he still had to wear casts and bandages Goku tried to perform his energy to increase it by psychically lifting water from a glass with a stream of telekinesis
Goku tried to focus hard as the water almost reached the ceiling till the door opens which broke Goku's concentration resulting the water to fall and splash on his head getting him wet
He looked back to see Tights walking in
Goku: Oh Tights.
Tight: What'd you doing Goku? Washing your hair?
Goku: Hehehe kinda.
Tights: Well you're gonna need a towel.
Tights grabbed him a towel from the bathroom and helped him dry up trying carefully not to get any of his sour spots
Tights: Wanted you know Chi-Chi's alright. She and the Ox King been a at Kame House since Bulma Gohan and Krillin left for Namek.
Goku: She still mad at me for letting Gohan go?
Tights: I wouldn't know. She still hasn't woken up. But wouldn't be surprise.
Goku: Damn. You think I shouldn't have let Gohan go?
Tights: Well Goku I know you're mental health makes you make dumb decisions. But yeah I don't think you should've. Sure I know you let him go only cause you wanted to make him happy but the truth is.....parenting takes to be strict sometimes. You can't be afraid to say no sometimes cause it usually saves your child's life.
Goku: I guess so. It's just you saw how Gohan was. He was blaming himself for Piccolo.
Tights: Which amazes me. I mean I know we gotta wish him back to wish back Kami but.....you really think Piccolo has reformed?
Goku: You saw it yourself Tights. You saw when Nappa almost killed Chi-Chi and Gohan before I got there. Why else would he give his life for them.
He had her there
Tights: I understand that Goku. But let me ask you.....was your grandfather strict with you on anything?
Goku thought back to anything he could remember
Goku: Guess the only thing he was with was me looking at the moon when it's full. Which I didn't know till the Saiyan's came along.
Again he had her
Tights: Again we're all sorry we didn't tell you. But my point is if Gohan ever grows his tail back and knowing now what looking at the moon will do to him would you let him?
Finally she had him and nods with a sigh
Goku: No.
Tights: Then now you understand Chi-Chi's side?
Goku: Course I do. And soon as I'm back on my feet I'm gonna make up for it by bringing him back myself.
Tights: Then I better make sure Dad has the new ship ready for you to do that.
Just then Tights left and Goku looked back out his window at the sky mostly where space is the feeling of missing his son was starting to hit
Fatherly instincts aside, he was right to worry.
Their journey across the starless desert of interspace had ended two weeks prior, marked by a tremor through the hull and a chorus of shrieks from every warning klaxon in the bridge. Sensors, long dormant, awakened with the sudden onslaught of radiation and gravity wells; readouts flickered and screamed error messages in unfamiliar characters, the language of the vanished Namekian engineers whose hands had once caressed this ship’s fluted bones.
So it was that their battered, heavily modified vessel—a relic from a forgotten world, reconfigured by desperate genius—drifted into the trinary star system. Here, three suns braided the sky, their conflicting gravitational tides stirring up a maelstrom of cosmic debris and seething asteroids, promising danger at every passage. The glass of the viewing dome shimmered with light in colors that no human tongue could name. In those first few weeks, Bulma, Krillin and Gohan—rattled by days of anticipation and the gnawing dread of what waited for them—found themselves momentarily silenced by the grandeur and terror of where their destination had landed them.
Yet they pressed on, navigating by the ancient algorithms encoded in the Namekian ship’s memory banks, cutting through asteroid fields and pockets of dark matter with a precision that bordered on supernatural. Sometimes at night, when the trinary glow slipped through the shielding and cast three competing shadows across the mess hall, the travelers would feel as though their every movement was being watched, and judged. It was a system designed to humble and to warn—none entered lightly, and none left unchanged.
Thankfully, seven hundred and thirty-one grueling galactic standard weeks of travel—one month—had already come and gone for our heroes. Little did they know now how close they would be to their destination as they emerged into a pocket of relative calm.
A lone planet, suspended in a seemingly precarious orbit between the three raging suns; Namek was finally within reach….
….and everybody inside the ship was fast asleep, none the wiser to that reality yet.
Inside the ship, the sleeping crew stirred, as if sensing the distance between the ship and the planet growing shorter and shorter but Bulma was the first one to actually wake up.
Blinking the sleep from her eyes, Bulma rubbed at her temple, a dull ache throbbing just beneath the surface. It took her a moment to remember where she was and why they were here. She saw Gohan and Krillin still asleep on their foldable beds, the former fast asleep beside a book and the latter, his bald head resting on his jacket; both were oblivious to the proximity of their destination.
Gingerly slipping out from under the crumpled sheets of her bed, her foot brushed against a precariously perched, half-empty can of HETAP beer. The can toppled over with a metallic clatter, spilling its contents onto the floor. Her side of the room was a chaotic sea, littered with glossy magazines and crumpled wrappers from, at best, a week's worth of junk food, scattered around her bed like forgotten debris.
Almost reflexively, she looks down at Gohan and Krillin.
Bulma: I swear...these two...
She pauses.
Bulma: Or was it me?
Still visibly tired but unwilling to spew unnecessary vitriol and yell at the boys, Bulma instead chose to gather the trash and dirty dishes, stowing them away in the ship's automated cleaning unit. The swish and hum of the machine working to sanitize their mess brought a small measure of comfort, a semblance of normalcy in the chaos of their journey.
As she straightened up, Bulma couldn't help but to pause at the view just outside the large bulbous windows.
Three suns dwarfed the single planet that loomed ahead, filling the expanse with eerie, shifting hues. Though she had pored over countless holos and recordings from Namek, nothing had prepared her for its primal, untamed beauty in real time. A shudder ran down her spine—part wonder, part trepidation—at the thought of what awaited them on that alien world. It was breathtakingly beautiful, but she knew better than to jump to conclusions this quickly; she needed to be sure this was it.
So moving with cat-like grace over to the control panel, she punched in the awakening code, bringing the ship awake from its slumber with a soft hum.
Bulma: Computer, raise shields and route power to life support. I don't want any surprises on this one.
The ancient Namekian ship hummed to life, its systems responding as if they had been waiting for her command. The view through the dome brightened as the ship's shields activated, bathing the cramped bridge in a translucent emerald glow. Bulma strapped herself into the pilot's chair, her fingers dancing over the controls with practiced ease. The HUD flickered to life, displayed a myriad of readouts and telemetry that would have overwhelmed a layperson but to Bulma, it was like reading the morning news.
Bulma: We’re here….
She whispers to herself, not yet ready to wake her companions. They'd suffered enough in their long journey—a few more moments of sleep wouldn't hurt. Besides, part of her wanted to savor this moment of quiet, of knowing they had finally arrived and survived the perilous trip across interspace.
Instead, she opted to get take a quick shower and get dressed.
Minutes later as she stepped out of the cramped washroom, dressed in a bright yellow vest with black long sleeves and her hair still damp, smelling of last rations of strawberry shampoo, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was it.
The others were stirring now, stirred by the increasing activity in the ship or perhaps by some primal instinct that they had finally reached their destination. Gohan yawned and stretched like a cat, his muscles popping as he sat up on his bed. Krillin groaned, rubbing at his eyes before pushing his jacket away. They both turned to look at Bulma expectantly shaking Gohan and Krillin awake, careful not to startle them too much.
Bulma: Rise and shine, boys...we're here.
The second the words left her lips, any remaining drowsiness in the room evaporated like dew under the midday sun. Gohan and Krillin shot upright, blinking sleep from their eyes as they rushed to join her at the viewing dome. The planet hung in space like a deep emerald jewel, its very presence seeming to exude an air of age and mystery.
Gohan: Namek? We've really found it?
Bulma: According to the coordinates we have, and our readings... yes. This is it.
She gestured to the viewport where the planet loomed large and ominous, its surface obscured by swirling clouds.
Krillin: Well, what do you know? Bring us in for a landing, Bulma.
Bulma gripped the controls, her eyes darting across the dashboard's unfamiliar array of buttons and levers and her hands sweaty against the steering yoke. Her voice is quick to trail off, the uncertainty hanging in the air like a thick fog.
Bulma: I’ll try, but… ummm…
Krillin's heart skipped a beat at her hesitation, sensing the underlying tension. Glancing nervously at Bulma, he could tell that wasn’t an encouraging sign. Gohan didn’t outwardly say anything but he could feel the apprehension building.
Bulma: Yeah, about that....
Krillin: About what?
Biting her lip and avoiding his gaze, she explained….
Bulma: Did I mention I… don’t really know how to land this thing?
The confession burst forth, shattering the calm and plunging the cabin into a whirlwind of panic. Eyes widened in shock as the reality sank in, and without a moment's hesitation, everyone lunged for their seats.
Krillin: SEATBELTS, GOHAN!
All buckled in automatically Kami's ship soon enters Namek's atmosphere and it was picking up hot
Bulma: Everybody hang on!
Krillin: If this were a theme park I would never go on this ride!
The ship manage to break through and they were surrounded by Yellow Clouds unlike any cloud they crossed through while flying
The hurdle made the ship shake their seat belts not being able to hold them on their seats completely they bounced off them
But finally breaking through the cloud cover and through the windshield they manage to see the green ocean blue islands and were amazed
The Autopilot manage to land the ship on one of the islands hovering it before touching the blue grass
The trio were catching their breaths till Gohan unbuckled and run to the windshield and look out to the unfamiliar world outside
Gohan: It's all green out there. This is the planet Mr. Piccolo is from?
Bulma: Sort of kiddo. It was originally Kami that was born here. Long before they split in two.
Krillin: Technically he split from Piccolo's father. Who later spit out the egg of the Piccolo we know.
Bulma: You know what I mean. Come on. Let's go out and take a look around.
Outside the hatch open automatically and the trio came down like they were on an elevator all looking around their surroundings
The skies and water were green the trees and grass were blue it's is if they were switched from the colors on earth
Only the clouds were just yellow
They all looked in ah as they stepped out carrying their packs
Krillin: This place is amazing. I've never seen anything like it. I sure wish the others were here to see this.
Bulma: I definitely want to study this place a bit while we're here. Maybe collect some data base for my dad and Tights.
Tights picks draws a tracking system as well as the Dragon Radar and hands it to Gohan
Bulma: Here honey. See if you can pick up any of the Dragon Balls if there are any near by.
Gohan took the radar
Gohan: How do I turn it on?
Bulma: Just press the button on top and move around following the arrows on screen.
Gohan presses the button turning on the radar and first nothing came on
Gohan: I'm not getting anything.
Bulma: You'll have to move around a bit. But don't go too far.
Gohan went walking looking at the radar as Bulma looked on her tracking system
Bulma: I'm not getting any city activities or technology systems. But there's a thousand live readings. There's something alive here alright.
Krillin: Probably just the inhabitants. I mean if they look like Piccolo and Kami we'll know what to find.
Bulma: Well first let's find a place to set up shop. I got capsules for outhouses. Speeder vehicles. And laser weapons. I mean we don't know if Namekians like outsiders so.....let's just be prepared for almost anything.
Krillin: Agreed.
Suddenly they heard the sky crack like thunder
Gohan: What's that? Thunder?
Bulma: It can't be. There's not a single dark cloud in the sky.
Krillin: No worse! LOOK!
They looked up to see where Krillin was pointing and to their horror they witnessed Vegeta's space pod appearing from the green skies and landing in a distance
Remembering the pods the Saiyan's came in from they knew Vegeta was the only one who escaped alive and seeing that meant one thing
Bulma Gohan Krillin (All): VEGETA!!!!
Not even five minutes from having barely landed on this strange new world and already second thoughts were emerging regarding what the hell they were even doing here.
All the history they were informed about regarding Namek’s original state, the climate shift that wiped out close to 95 percent of its population and the venture the Nameless Namekian that would eventually split to become both Kami and Piccolo took to ensure his survival….and they never once were informed how seemingly popular they were if they were getting unwanted visitors like Vegeta this often.
Once again, Goku’s selfish decision to keep Vegeta alive for the sake of a ‘sparring buddy’ was biting them in the ass and with him crash-landing here, it only formulated one of two conclusions.
Either he had been stalking them with a relentless obsession, only for the violent turbulence of heated entry into this planet’s atmosphere to hurl him wildly off course, or he was chasing the same elusive prize they were after, completely oblivious to their presence.
They couldn't afford to gamble with such uncertainty.
Krillin: Get down!
Bulma: H-ho—how did he—?
Krillin: Down! Everybody get down!
He shrieks, forcibly pulling Bulma and Gohan down beside him as they scrambled to hide behind the hull of the ship. But even that wasn’t enough.
Krillin: Gohan, mask your energy or he’ll know we’re here!
Understanding the severity of the situation and concentrating on the technique Piccolo had taught him months prior to this - to suppress his ki signature. Instantly, the tell-tale glow surrounding his body faded, blending him seamlessly with his companions and like a light switch flicking off, his energy signature alongside Krillin’s vanishes.
Krillin: That should buy us some time….
Bulma: For how long?
She huffed defensively, peeking over the edge of the ship's hull. Vegeta was out of their line of sight, but they could barely see his space pod descending quicker and quicker towards ground level. Still, they held their breaths waiting for any sign that they'd been discovered.
Minutes ticked by, the air filled with the persistent drone of Namek's alien insects that buzzed relentlessly. Cautiously, Bulma craned her neck and inched her way up to peer over the edge of the ship's hull. Her heart pounded as she scanned the landscape, but it was deserted, offering a momentary reprieve from their tense escape.
Now they had a quick brief period to vent.
Gohan: How did he get better so quickly?!
Krillin: Doesn’t matter! We should’ve known he was gonna be here; he said as much the last time we saw him!
Bulma: DAMMIT GOKU!
It had been a long-standing joke among their group before Gohan was even born, blaming the villain’s constant survival on their friend's more... altruistic nature. But in this moment, it couldn't have been more apt. Vegeta, the ruthless prince of all Saiyans, was not one to be trifled with. If he had indeed survived the trip—a feat impressive in and of itself given the damage inflicted upon him by them and Goku, let alone somehow following them across the stars—then all bets were off. He would stop at nothing to secure whatever it was he was searching for, trample whoever got in his way be damned.
And he too wanted those Dragon Balls. He gets his hands on those balls, they were done for.
Bulma: Gohan, Dragon radar!
Gohan: Why?
Krillin: Check it again! See if any Dragon Balls show up!
The young man nodded, unsheathing the small, oval device from his waist and powering it on, his heart hammering against his ribcage. If Vegeta was indeed after the Dragon Balls, they didn't have a second to lose. His fingers trembled as he adjusted the dials, the screen flickering to life in a shower of static.
Gohan: Come on….
He breathed, fingers twitching with impatience as he swept the radar around their immediate vicinity. The signals crackled and wavered, blips of color dancing across the display in a disorienting dance. Eventually, it does turn on…
….but Gohan is left glancing between the blinking display and the barren landscape before him. Vegeta's pod had vanished over a ridge several hundred meters away, but the silence that lingered in its wake was deafening, heavy with impending danger. The air around them thrummed with unseen energy, as if the very planet itself were holding its breath along with them.
Bulma: Well? Anything?
Gohan: I'm picking up something... but it's not any life form I've ever seen before. It's... different.
Bulma: Faint electromagnetic pulse. Look at the arrows aboard the digital map and follow them. Quickly!
He does follow the arrows on the radar…..before four blinking lights ping upon the oval device.
Gohan: I see….there’s are four of them…..right on top of each other?
Krillin: The Dragon Balls are that way?
He asked, gesturing emphatically to Gohan's left with an outstretched arm. Gohan nodded ‘Yes’ in affirmation with urgent finality.
The three of them, momentarily caught between the terror of pursuit and the lure of their mission, exchanged glances. Gohan’s instincts ignited—a mixture of fear and resolve—as he checked the radar again. The lights blinked, clustered, almost vibrating with intensity, so tightly grouped it made no sense at all.
Krillin: You sure?
Gohan: That’s where they’re showing up. Doesn’t make sense, but that’s what it says.
Gohan looked at Bulma, seeking confirmation or maybe just some comfort that grown-ups knew what the hell was going on. Bulma furrowed her brow, snatched the radar for a moment, and glared at the little screen. Normally, this would be cause for celebration knowing that more than half of the seven celestial crystalline balls they needed were that close and within reach….
….but alarm bells were ringing already. This looked too easy.
Bulma: Four signals, all in exactly the same spot? That’s got to be interference, or the radar’s on the fritz, or—
Krillin: Or the Dragon Balls are together. And that doesn’t happen by accident.
And that was even worse news.
If the Dragon Balls were in one place, it meant someone else had already started collecting them—someone fast, organized, and probably dangerous. With Vegeta being here also, and he was going after the same prize, it immediately changed this off-world adventure from a scavenger hunt to a race.
Krillin: Shit, we gotta move.
Bulma: I’ll hurry up and set up the capsules for our base. You two find those balls but don’t even think about having too much fun without me.
Gohan: But Bulma, we’ll need you alive to get us home…
Bulma: Not ‘till I have a few choice words with Vegeta….
Krillin: ARE YOU CRAZY?! That guy will eat you alive!
Bulma: But he killed Yamcha!
Krillin: And Tien and Chiaotzu. We all got a score to settle with Vegeta. But we stand a better chance against him whenever Goku gets here.
Gohan: Besides Bulma.....if you go off and get killed....how else are you gonna get me back home to my parents. Dad trusted you to look out for me. And mom by now is hoping you live up to his trust.
Her best friend's son had remind her of that making her groan
That's when we cut to the crater where the pod landed which soon opens and the Dark Saiyan Prince himself stands up from the pod and walks up the hill of the crater taking his first step to the Namekian world
Vegeta: Ah feels good to be hell of 100% again.
Soon as Vegeta puts on his scouter he heard animals squadding
Vegeta: Ugh! I just got here and already this planet is starting to annoy me.
Vegeta was about to begin his quest for the Dragon Balls in hopes to avoid this Frieza he and Cui been talking for awhile till he made his wish but speaking of Cui.......
......Vegeta looked up to see another pod coming down
Vegeta: Ugh that walking grape just doesn't take a shit of a hint.
From there another crater was hit and that second pod open where Cui stands up and flies up landing on the upper hill of the island he landed on
Cui: Lord Frieza won't be happy that I let Vegeta reach Namek. He'll blow my insides out if I don't have him recaptured.
Soon Cui's scouter goes off too and he turns around to see Vegeta landing on the same island as him
Cui: Ah hello there Vegeta. Fancy meeting you here.
Vegeta: So you couldn't resist following me. Well you took your sweet time. So what's the game Cui? Here to drag me back to your little club house before Frieza has your fish ass on a hook?
Cui: I reckon he'll be more angry with you than he will of me. I'll admit I was sloppy to tell you he was already here but then again you weren't always the most behave in this Empire.
Vegeta: Is that why you put Goldo on the same leash as me?
Cui: You think you're such a smart ass don't you Vegeta?
Vegeta: I outsmarted you didn't I? Let me tell you a secret my father told me when I was young. When a Saiyan is beaten to near death their power increases immensely.
Cui: Well I don't see what that has to do with anything.
Vegeta: You ever heard of a Sayain named Bardock Cui?
Cui: Yyyyyyes.....? What about him?
Vegeta: He sent his youngest son to earth where he was raised and trained by earthlings and believe it or not he......oh god he destroyed me.
Cui laughed at first till he saw Vegeta didn't look like he was joking
Cui: Wait what?
Vegeta: Yurp. And get this. Kakorat Bardock's son was just a low class warrior and he learned the arts of Kaoken which is how he dominated my right hand Nappa. Blow up his uncle Turles and his son was an Oozaru and he nearly creamed me to death. So tell me Cui.....after hearing all that......where do you think that leaves me......and you right now?
Cui realized he maybe screwed here
Cui: Well......hehe....I guess I never thought of.....
Vegeta: Best of all....I thought I needed this scouter till.....I felt your presence.......without it telling me.
To prove his point Vegeta removed his scouter CRUSHING it yet again to show his point
His newly increased strength now allows him to sense energy like the Z Fighters like Goku and Cui now knew he was in for it now
Cui: Now Vegeta.......maybe you and I can cut a deal. We'll take Frieza together. I never liked him anyway I......HOLY SHIT THERE HE IS!
Vegeta looked back but saw nothing Cui played him to turn his back to blast a beam at him but Vegeta barely got out of the way in time
Just in time to see Cui trying to fly away and report to Frieza but......
......Vegeta aims a beam at him and then......BLASTS
And just like Nappa Cui was blown to bits within the air
Vegeta: Heh. Nice fireworks.
Such dirty fireworks as well. To coronate that return to prominence with such a gory display of violence. He had no such qualms of watching whatever shriveled remains of….whatever remained of Cui dropping into the ocean floor; the fish would take whatever was left of him.
One small roadblock on the road to immortality.
Well, make that two as he looks down, scowling at the scouter he destroyed just to prove a point to the servant who so foolishly mistook him as a rival. To think his time on Earth was fat from a complete waste after all, if energy sensing came from it.
Now he needed to utilize and make use of it on the fly now in this mad scramble for the Namekian Dragon Balls.
Even from miles away, his ki perception tingled with the presence of numerous energy signatures scattered across the landscape. Most flickered faintly like distant stars, but three were unmistakably distinct, blazing with a familiar intensity that sent a shiver down his spine. He knew these energies intimately, their power and presence etched into his memory.
It was exactly the trio he had been looking for.
Vegeta: I found him. And it feels like brought Dodoria and Zarbon with him. Ohhh, I got you now!
With newfound determination, Vegeta took to the skies, following the energy signatures that led him to his quarry. He would not let his chance at immortality slip through his grasp and if that meant tearing apart anyone who got in his way, so be it.
Elsewhere, a small Namekian village laid in ruins.
Closer to the center of the village, the devastation took on a kind of artistry: the peaceful green-skinned Namekians’ bodies, collapsed in tangled heaps, sprawled over the flattened moss-velvet grass, their green skin crisply fused to their own white robes in places, or else tattooed with the spiderweb red of blood that glowed almost fluorescent against the backdrop. Some corpses retained a look of wild-eyed wonder, the eyelids burned away to reveal pale marbles of terror; others still clung to the tattered strips of fabric children once used as toys, the toys now melted into their hands. Limbs were scattered like offerings at the feet of their small igloo-shaped, spiky protruded houses now obliterated.
It was not a clean massacre.
The village, once a place of serene communion with the planet, was now nothing but an ossuary. The only thing left alive was the nightmare of what had happened, burning itself into the land and into the memory of anyone left to bear witness.
Gohan and Krillin were the unlucky ones to witness such a horrific act, as their mad scramble for the Dragon Balls led them to here.
Carnage was total. Both of them stared aghast at the butchery before them, the air thick with the coppery tang of blood and burnt flesh. Gohan's face paled as he clamped a shaking hand over his mouth, fighting back the bile that threatened to rise in his throat. Krillin, normally composed, wiped his brow, his complexion ashen.
Whoever the perpetrators were had not even bothered to loot the place. Polished Namekian artifacts, strange mathematical sculptures, and the ceremonial staves of elders lay abandoned in the mud, untouched except for the splashes of blood and the arcs of scorched earth around them. This level of destruction was unlike anything they had seen before, even during their battles against the likes of Vegeta and Nappa on Earth.
And that said a lot.
Krillin: What….what could’ve….done this……
Croaking out, his voice barely above a whisper, he was just as terrified and repulsed by this madness as Gohan…
….but Gohan wasn’t taking it well.
His enhanced senses recoiled from the carnage, overwhelmed by the cacophony of death and terror that clogged his five senses. He clamped his hands over his ears, tears welling in his eyes. Krillin knelt beside him, patting his back awkwardly, at a loss for words. The normally boisterous fighter knew there was nothing he could say to ease the pain of this massacre.
It was as if whoever had done this wanted not only obliteration but a message delivered to these people.
Krillin: We...we should...we should keep moving.
Gohan nodded silently, rage burning in his eyes as he stood up and surveyed the desolation around them.
"This way," he said tightly, still following the Dragon radar closely.
Both of them bounced from peaceful terrain to rocky landscape and back again, struggling to control their speed with each landing. Their eyes were fixed intently forward, scanning the horizon, but every few moments they would glance back at the radar clasped in their hands. The blinking dots on the screen indicated that the four Dragon Balls were drawing nearer, urging them to push on faster.
Yet the pair's trek across Namek's alien surface only seemed to worsen their dread. Every turn revealed more evidence of a recent battle, yet no signs of whomever their adversaries were….or even the few remaining Namekians left on this planet that were supposed to be inhabiting here. Scorched craters, fractured boulders, and charred vegetation scarred the planet's otherwise beautiful landscape, even if there were few of them.
The eerie silence hung heavy in the air, broken only by the occasional whistling wind, the far-off howl of dinosaurs and beasts or the rippling of the ocean floor beneath them.
Krillin: I am…..not looking forward to this. It's like they picked a fight with someone... or something... seriously powerful.
Gohan: We don't know that for sure, Krillin. We can't lose hope yet; there has to be more of them.
As soon as he said that, the Dragon Radar was blinking rapidly and the energy signature was at its highest; where they needed to be was dead ahead.
Krillin: Ok, if this is it, we gotta play this by ear. Cut off your ki and we’ll walk out way in.
Gohan: Right!
Concentrating, they once again suppressed their ki until it was barely a whisper in the air. And just in time as they landed towards yet another terrain, finally cresting a hill and stopping dead in their tracks.
Concealed behind rocks and sparse vegetation, they maneuvered cautiously, keeping low to the ground as they ascended the small cliff. Peering over the edge, their eyes fell upon settlements reminiscent of those they'd seen in the ravaged village they'd passed earlier. Relief washed over them as, thankfully, the homes below were still intact, with no signs of plunder or destruction of property and the Namekian’s living there were alive and well.
For now.
But no one there had any patience for idle chatter or drawn-out discussions with the three intruders who stormed onto their land flanked by a small but well-armed platoon of Frieza Force soldiers. With the increasing frequency of pillaged villages appearing like a relentless plague, it was crystal clear that these newcomers were deadly serious....
....and no convincing was needed to understand the gravity of the situation.
One such guest was an imposing figure, a plus-sized pink alien with skin that seemed to ripple like the surface of a distant, alien sea. Sharp spikes jutted out from his muscular arms and crown-like head, gleaming under the room's dim lights. He donned a dark blue version of the standard Battle Armor, its polished plates clinging snugly to his broad frame. His shoulder pads, a rich chocolate brown, contrasted with the rest of his attire, and perched over one eye was a green scouter.
That was Dodoria (Josh Gad).
The other “guest” is far skinner than him, and actively more beautiful to boot. His long, viridian braided hair and his head accessories are reminiscent of a high-class prince while his light green skin indicated some type of reptilian alien ancestry. With a very long light blue cape as well as pink arm warmers, blue leg warmers, and a blue scouter bolstering his attire to go along with his battle armor, this man’s aura screamed ‘prima donna’.
This was Zarbon (Avan Jogia).
Each of them had their arms wrapped around two Dragon Balls, their surfaces smooth and glinting under the sunlight. The orbs were so large that they had to balance them carefully against their chests and even then, they hardly even strained under the weight.
Gathering those balls was an imperative mission, a non-negotiable command under the oppressive shadow of the man, the ruthless xenophobe, the despotic tyrant they shamelessly followed. This man, who had meticulously constructed and inherited a monstrous imperialist army over decades, was hell-bent on subjugating planets like this one. And that wasn’t his singular goal.
Enter the Cosmic Emperor himself, Frieza (Tom Hiddeston).
Perched high in his ominous hover pod amidst the swirling chaos, his icy emerald eyes pierced through the terrified Namekian villagers, locking onto men and children alike. A sadistic smirk twisted across his lips, feeding hungrily on the palpable waves of their terror, savoring every morsel of their despair.
He was the only one of the three without a scouter too.
Frieza: You know who I am.
His smooth voice announces, dripping with malice and chilling blend of smugness and contempt as his tail flicked lazily behind him.
Frieza: And yet you don’t know why I’m here. Truly a pity….
Gohan and Krillin exchanged a fleeting glance. They knew what they had to do. They couldn't afford to let Frieza or his lackeys get their hands on all seven Dragon Balls. The stakes were too high, the consequences too dire to contemplate.
And with the Dragon Balls themselves being THAT BIG on this planet, they couldn't initiate a simple grab-and-go. Not with these guys around.
Either they break cover to save the villagers or they let them die; the decision wasn’t easy. Gohan was already on edge, seeing this scene play out so he whispers tautly….
Gohan: I don’t think so.
Inexperience peers through the young child as he merely peers his head off the cliff before Krillin has to yank him back. That was enough for Dodoria to detect that small spike of energy on his scouter and turn to the cliff.
Thankfully, the duo hid behind the rocks and foliage to avoid further detection. And it gave Dodoria the slip. But not before it caused Frieza and Zarbon to turn towards him.
Frieza: Is something the matter, Dodoria?
Dodoria: Nah….just a small power reading from up the cliff. Probably a small duck or something.
Zarbon: Heh, I’ll allow that. WHERE ARE THE ELDERS?
It was a close call for the Earthlings, Gohan’s haste and deep-seated urge to protect the innocent nearly costing them this early on. An understandable urge but one that needed to be leveraged.
Krillin: What are you doing? We can't just barge in there like idiots.
Gohan: Well, we can’t let them die either. We have to do something!
Krillin: Look we'll do what we can! But first we have to know what we're dealing with. It's what your dad and Piccolo would do.
That put Gohan back in the patience zone but his anxiety was still in active
Zarbon: We will ask you one last time. Have the elder come out or you ALL WILL END UP LIKE YOUR FRIENDS!
Frieza: Calm yourself Zarbon. We're all reasonable people here.
Zarbon: Forgive me Lord Frieza.
Gohan: That Frieza guy down there must be their boss.
Krillin: He sure is ugly looking. I can't tell if he's wearing a crown or those are actually his horns.
They kept watch
Frieza: Now if you may present your Elders perhaps we can avoid anyone else getting hurt.
ENOUGH!
Who steps out was one of the first Namekian elders Moori (Brian Blessed) steps out to confront the invaders
Moori: Tell us what you want and leave us in peace.
Zarbon: Do not raise your voice at the Great Lord Frieza!
Frieza: It's alright Zarbon. We're all here to negotiate. My terms are quite clear. I want to know.....about your dragon balls. A source of mine told me that a singular dragon sleeps within them. A dragon that can grant you a wish that your hearts desire. Is that true?
Moori: If I tell you will you leave our planet in peace?
Gohan: I don't like the sound of that.
Krillin: Me neither. This Frieza guy sounds like a bigger problem for us than Vegeta. I sure hope Bulma's having better luck than us.
That's when we cut do cut to Bulma back at Kami's ship who just build her relay communicating machine to get a signal all the way back to earth to call Master Roshi
Bulma: You heard me right Master. Vegeta is here. And Krillin and Gohan took off to investigate other weird activity. That asshole may not be our only problem here. Listen we're gonna need help as soon as possible. By now Korin has senzu beans grown for Goku by now.
Roshi: I concur Bulma. I'll call Yajirobe and look into those beans soon as possible. Mean time just hold on.
He hung up and started dialing another number
We cut back to the hospital where Goku was in a mediating state trying to gain strength in his mind
However the more he meditated the more.....some repressed dreams or memories slowly started to glim from his clouded vision
He started hearing voices he never heard before
Listen to me my son. You do whatever it takes to survive. Understand?
We'll find you soon baby. I promise.
Goodbye my son. Our hopes are with you now. Be better than us. Better than me.
Flashes hit in his head and Goku saw glimpses of a male and female faces (Henry Golding and Karen Fukuhara) which made Goku gasp out of his meditation
He didn't know if he was dreaming or going crazy but it felt real to him especially seeing those unknown people's faces
That was when the door opens
Nurse: Everything alright Mr. Son Goku?
Goku: Yeah. Just....weird dreams.
Nurse: Well I hope a visitor will cheer you up.
Goku: Chi-Chi?
Sadly it wasn't his wife as he hoped to talk to her after Tights's advice but it was Yajirobe
Goku: Oh Yajirobe.
Yajirobe: Sorry if I wasn't who were you expecting big guy but.....had to see ya. Nurse? Can I have five minutes with my friend.
Nurse: Oh of course forgive me.
The Nurse left them alone then Yajirobe cut to the chase
Yajirobe: Listen big guy. I got some good news and I got bad news.
Goku: What's up?
Yajirobe: The good news is that Bulma Krillin and your boy made it to Namek safe and sound. I'm sure by now they started looking for the Dragon Balls. But the uh.....bad news is......your buddy Vegeta is there too.
Goku's expression dropped to utter shock
Goku: VEGETA?! HE'S BACK! DAMMIT! Now I know shouldn't have let Gohan go. How could he have healed so quick he was creamed alive!
Yajirobe: But don't worry I got one last good news.
That's when Yajirobe drew out a bag of senzu beans
Goku: A senzu bean!
Yajirobe: I know about time. Catch!
He flicks the bean and Goku manages to catch it his jaw chewing it
~Cha-La-Head-Cha-La~
And after gulping he felt his energy grow in the speed of light and flips out of his bed and rips out of his casts
Goku: Oh finally! My full strength is back. And....for some reason I feel little stronger. What's up with that.
Shining through the clouds Fly Away (Fly Away)
光る 雲を突き抜け Fly Away (Fly Away)
Yajirobe: I wouldn't worry about it right now. Right now you got a long trip ahead of you bro. And you'll need these.
A panorama that spreads throughout your body
からだじゅうに 広がるパノラマ
Yajirobe unzips his pack and pulls out Goku's turtle uniform
The earth got kicked in the face and got angry (angry)
顔を 蹴られた地球が怒って (怒って)
make a volcano explode
火山を爆発させる
in the melting arctic
溶けた北極の中に
If there were dinosaurs, I would want to train them to ride on a ball.
恐竜がいたら 玉乗り仕込みたいね
CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA
Goku then suits up in his unform as the music progresses
From black armored shirt armored boots belt then the front top with the turtle symbol
Last his wrist bans
Our hero was finally back in action
My chest flutters
胸がパチパチするほど
A noisy Genkidama... Sparking!
騒ぐ元気玉... Sparking!
Jet Coaster (Coaster) swoops down through the sky
空を 急降下 Jet Coaster (Coaster)
I'm falling into a paradise of panic
落ちてゆくよ パニックの楽園へ
Goku: Thanks a lot Yajirobi. And listen. If Chi-Chi comes by and asks.....tell her....tell her I'm sorry I didn't listen. And I'm going to bring Gohan back myself.
Yajirobi: Will do.
The scenery is pleasant when turned upside down (pleasant)
景色 逆さになると 愉快さ (愉快さ)
Even the mountains look like butts
山さえ お尻に見える
There's no time to worry
悩む時間はないよ
Because I want to meet the “surprise!” lurking somewhere
何処かに潜む｢ビックリ!｣に逢いたいから
Goku opens the window and calls
Goku: NIMBUS!!!!!
The Nimbus cloud zooms in flying over to the hospital building catching eyes of people below in shock and excitement
Goku jumps out the window and lands on the golden cloud
Goku: To Capsule Corp Let's go!
The cloud takes off with people below gasping and cheering thinking it's some kind of sky show
CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA
You can fill in your dreams with a bare head
頭カラッポの方が 夢詰め込める
Goku rode off across the ocean his destination West City
The brilliant blue sky stretched unbroken for a thousand miles as Goku, resplendent in his freshly donned uniform, shot over the ocean’s churning surface atop his Nimbus cloud. As he streaked westward, the wind lashed his face and whipped his unruly hair to a wild black halo; sunlight sparkled off the waves below, sending bursts of white into his eyes. He grinned, relishing the return of his strength, the sensation of pure speed, the crackling hum of his own ki surging through his veins.
He leaned forward, coaxing Nimbus for more, and felt the responsive kick beneath him. Seagulls scattered at his approach, their shrill cries lost in the roar of air rushing past. The mainland loomed on the horizon—first a dark smudge, then a sweep of coastline, then the urban sprawl of West City, its glass towers and capsule domes throwing back the light like crystal shards.
Memories tumbled through Goku’s mind in a rush: his last battle with Vegeta, the sight of Gohan battered but unbroken, the worried lines around Chi-Chi’s eyes, her voice from the night before. He grit his teeth, thinking, No matter what, I’ll bring him back. I’ll make it up to everyone.
Nimbus took him over the city’s patchwork of highways, the cloud tailing streaks of white vapor, and Goku picked out Capsule Corp’s sprawling campus by its signature blue dome. He felt the surge of anticipation, the anticipation of seeing friends—of action, and answers, and maybe even a decent meal before his departure.
But even that was a STRONG maybe.
Leaping from the sentient golden cloud, he descended swiftly towards the front door, his figure a blur against the sky. He touched down within Capsule Corp's central quad with a soft thud, sending a pair of janitors scurrying in surprise, their brooms clattering to the ground. Without missing a beat, he raised his voice and called out…..
Goku: Hey, Dr. Brief! You around?!
His voice echoed through the courtyard, bouncing off the sleek glass and metal walls of the Capsule Corp building. Moments later, a hatch in one of the sub-level domes on the upper floors open up and a familiar figure in a lab coat scurried out of the nearest building, spectacles askew and white hair sticking up in all directions. It was Dr. Briefs, Capsule Corp's resident genius and Bulma and Tight's father.
His bushy eyebrows shot up when he caught sight of Goku standing below.
Dr. Brief: Goku! I-I didn't expect to see you up and about so soon!
He wiped his hands on a rag and rushed over, excitement in his eyes.
Dr. Brief: How do you feel? I thought you were supposed to be resting! Aren’t your injuries—?
Scanning the normally chipper look on Goku’s face for any signs of pain or fatigue went nowhere, as he met with nothing but silence.
Dr. Brief: Wait, don't tell me— Senzu Bean?
With his tone shifting to one of incredulous understanding as he pieced together the unexpected recovery, Goku grinned sheepishly still looking up at him, pockets bulging with Yajirobe's generous parting gift.
Goku: Thanks to the old surgeon's bag, I'm good as new, doctor.
He joked, flexing his newly healed arm and limber frame. But the smiles quickly fade; he was in an urgent rush.
Goku: But…..look, I won’t sugarcoat it. Please tell me you got a ship ready?
A favor that was agreed upon and guaranteed to be delivered in full as both a favor and constant thanks for all the times Goku supported him, his daughters and this company without hesitation.
If only the “civilized“ conversation between Moori and Frieza carried an inkling of that good will between each other.
Their passive-aggressive conversation was still carrying on, simmering with tension, each word laced with veiled hostility. Mouri clenched his fists, his knuckles white as he fought the urge to lash out at the intruder. This tyrant had dared to invade Mouri's sanctuary, crossing the boundary of their land with arrogance and placing Mouri and his fellow Namekians in grave danger….and he causally held a smirk up to his lips while doing it. Despite the burning anger boiling within him, Mouri knew that his frail frame could not stand against the brute force of the invader and his formidable entourage.
Gohan and Krillin were his and this village’s only legitimate line of defense and they didn’t even know they were there. Yet there they lied, still perching up on the hill, cautiously watching from afar.
Frieza:….contest of strength and to ask the reason for one’s wish. Is that everything?
His eyes sheepishly darting back to the other Namekian’s beside him, Mouri turns back to Frieza….and nods ‘Yes’.
Frieza's eyes flicked toward Dodoria, then Zarbon, his tail swishing with a hint of impatience. Dodoria's face twisted into a smirk, while Zarbon raised an eyebrow, both of them standing at attention and awaiting orders. His gaze was icy, calculating as he assessed their reactions, the silence between them heavy with unspoken understanding.
Frieza: Very well. Now where’s the Dragon Ball?
The elder Namekian mentally braces himself, for he anticipated this response.
Mouri: We don’t have it.
Frieza: That won’t do it for me. See, I’d be inclined to believe you if the FIRST village elder we visited said the exact same thing…
That might as well have struck the fear of God into Mouri and the rest of the Namekian’s there. Not only did this prove that all the remaining elders left already give Frieza this EXACT same explanation, but his reiteration of said intel eliminated any shreds of faulty lifelines and hearsay to throw them off track.
Meaning Frieza now knew what the Dragon Balls were, where to find them and even more crucially, what to do with them.
Frieza: Well, I say that but he eventually cracked wide open once we killed everyone and tortured the information out of him. Still, his stubbornness got the better of him…..so he too had to go. The next three after him were easy; everybody seemed to be in a much more accommodating mood.
Mouri: Accommodating?!
His temper teetering on the brink of explosion, Mouri charges towards Frieza’s pod, only to be met with the chilling sight of numerous Frieza Force members, their modified ray guns trained mercilessly on him and the entire village. One misstep, one breath out of place, and they’d all be mincemeat.
Frieza: It’s the darnedest thing, too…..because you’re beginning to remind me a lot of him.
A sight that nearly drove Gohan up the wall from afar; his fury barely masked.
To further bolster Gohan’s drive and desire to protect these people, two young Namekian boys scampered over to Mouri, their eyes wide with fear and innocence. They latched onto his legs, seeking refuge in his sturdy presence. Moori wrapped his arms around the boys, Cargo and Dende (Ja’Siah Young), pulling them close as if to shield them from the end of the world.
It just so happened to be staring them right in the face….and Mouri refused to budge again.
Frieza: Oh-ho, why the long face? Don’t care to ask me about my trivial little wish?
Mouri: It matters not. Even if it means my time to depart this world has come, I will not turn over those Dragon Balls to the likes of you.
The one thing worse than openly defying a genocidal fanatical bigot right to their face….is not bending the knee even after retaliation on their part. And still, even knowing what he’s now mere seconds away from losing, Mouri stood his ground. Frieza smirked smugly at Moori's defiance, but didn't react right away. Instead, he casually flicked some nonexistent dust off his pristine armor, taking his time to savor the moment.
His underlings shifted uncomfortably, sensing their leader's volatile mood. Zarbon and Dodoria? Not so much.
Frieza: Oh, I commend your bravery, namekian. It's refreshing to find someone with a spine among your foolhardy species. However, bravery alone will not save you if you continue down this... ill-advised path.
He paused ominously before waving his hand dismissively. Time had just run out.
Frieza: Bah! Dodoria?
Dodoria: With gusto.
Dropping his set of Dragon Balls with a thud that echoes through the air, he braces himself, every muscle taut and ready for this pounding he’d dish out.
Gohan: What's he doing?!
Krillin: I don't----
Suddenly wind blew in and some of the blue grass loose off the ground blew into Krillin's face making his nose itchy and felt......a sneeze coming on
Krillin: Oh shit----
Gohan: Shit?
Krillin: Never say----oh god!
Krillin tried to hold it in as best as he could but it came too strong till----
Krillin: WAAAAAAAAPHOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
It echoed loud enough for Dodoria to hear
Dodoria: The hell?
He looks up with Krillin and Gohan ducking covering their mouths
Dodoria: What was----
QUAK!
The sound of Krillin making a duck sound caught thwart Dodoria off his suspicion
Dodoria: Oh just an alien duck.
Frieza: What did you say Dodoria?
Dodoria: Sorry sire. I thought I heard something but it sounded like an alien duck.
Quack! Quack! Quack!
Dodoria: What a majestic creature.
Frieza: Oooooookay? Anyway all kidding aside. Where do you keep the dragon balls?
Cutting back to Capsule Corp Dr. Briefs lead Goku out back and what our hero see's SHOCKS him beyond belief
Goku: SWEET HONEY BUSICUIT!
Capsule Corp's first spaceships TWO to be exact designed and prep by the Saiyan technology Bulma took off Raditz and after months of construction was finally set.....only there hasn't been any testing yet
Dr. Briefs: Yep. When we examined your brother's body we took off him some of the encrypted data he had in stored using the Saiyan Technology from his scouter. Took us all year even while you were with that King Kai fellow.
Goku: Sure are bigger than those pods they flew in from.
Dr. Brief: Come on in son I'll show you what it's like inside.
The doctor presses on his watch opening the hatch of the first ship and slowly opens lowering down and Brief's Goku up aboard and Goku was dumb struck inside
Goku: Whoa! It looks bigger than it does outside.
Dr. Brief: Yeah they always do don't they? Now listen carefully Goku cause this is important. The navigational systems will take you directly where you want to go long as you have the right coordinates on. Before Bulma left she shared the link to me and had them downloaded for you. She also told me of your training with that Kai fellow I mentioned earlier which is why we installed this.
The doctor activates the gravitational systems on the machine in the middle of the room
Dr. Briefs: When you told Bulma before about the gravity from the other world we figured we give you the same mt to routine your training. Given whatever trouble you'll run into on Namek that will help you prepare yourself.
Goku: Huh.
Dr. Briefs: But more importantly: See that hatch over there.
Goku: Uh huh.
Dr. Briefs: The latter down there will take you to the lower floor where we made a kitchen a bedroom and tv whenever you're hungry tired or just want some in flight entertainment.
Goku: I wouldn't know what that is Doc. But thanks.
Dr. Briefs: Well with that being said that's about it. Buet word of warning. Do not mess with the coordinates while you're on flight. Any slightest navigational errors could overwhelm the ship and crash anywhere out there. And do not set the gravitational systems over 7000%. Any mt over that could pin your body down and overheat the ship causing it to explode.
Goku: Understood.
Dr. Briefs: Well guess this is it.
That's when the Doctor pressed his watch again activating the auto pilots to start the ship beginning countdown in fifteen second
Dr. Briefs: Good luck kid.
He nods as Bulma's scientist father exits and as the hatch begin to close Dr. Brief turns around in time to see Goku wave at him one last time
Goku: So long Dr. Briefs!
Dr. Briefs: Make us proud son!
The hatch fully closed and the countdown reached five when Goku sat down at the navigational system
Once it hit zero the ship's after burners burst out and the ship lifts up all the way into the sky
Chi-Chi stirred and opened her eyes in time to look out her window to see it flying up at a distance like you're seeing a jet high in the sky looking small as an ant
Her psychic connection to Goku gave her the feeling that's was him
Chi-Chi: Goku......
Goku yelled as he held on to the seat
Once the ship was in space the boosters ceased and the ship slowly turns forward and then takes off straight into deep space
Goku was now on his way to Namek
Despite it being absolutely necessary for Goku to heal up and then head off after his son to ensure his safety, it didn’t stop his wife from freaking the freak out over such a prospect: realizing that the rest of her family had buggered off to space.
Yes, it needed to be done: the rest of their friends were in dire need of resurrection but A. this was the exact reason why she planted the seed of the idea of just letting the Dragon Balls disappear forever and B. scenarios like this have not done well for her anxiety and blood pressure.
None of which she had before as a former fighter herself.
Still, Chi-Chi was on her feet before she consciously decided to move. The sight of the receding spaceship, nothing but a glimmering star now in the broad daylight, jolted her entire body into a panicked kinetic state, the sort of maternal terror that, had anyone else been home, might have been interpreted as an epileptic fit or the onset of mania. The old wooden door was off its runners before she could register just how hard she’d slammed through it. Her bare feet—she hadn’t stopped to find her shoes—sank into the soft churn of garden soil before scattering dust up the packed trail toward the woods.
Sprinting with a speed that would have impressed neighbors if she and Goku had any, Chi-Chi hurtled through the green; it didn’t matter to her that the ship punched through the atmosphere at a velocity the human eye could barely track, nor that the woods were a tangle of new undergrowth and broken branches gleaming with the wetness of yesterday’s rain.
A need to move, to act, to prove to herself that she was not a woman who simply watched her family spiral out of orbit, propelled her forward with more force than rationality. Nothing else mattered. Not the odds, not the physics, not the fact she was already gasping for breath, and somewhere between her shoulder blades a branch had scored her skin raw and she’d felt absolutely none of it.
What mattered was the motion, the direction, the sprint that amounted to nothing but had to be done anyway.
The physical discipline from her old martial days had never left her, just repurposed; every leap and pivot, every dodged log and brush of bramble, awakened muscle memory that, in another life, might have been called “heroic.” It didn’t take long before she reached her boiling point and just stopped.
Now it was dumb, desperate, even pathetic—she felt it in the keening note of her own voice, ragged and half-formed as she ululated Goku’s name into the indifferent atmosphere.
Chi-Chi: GOKU!!!!!
The forest answered nothing but the wash of wind and the fading thunder of the afterburners as the ship tore away from terrestrial things. Maybe some part of her expected Goku would sense her, or that she might will the ship back down to earth by sheer force of want.
It was in this moment then, that she resorted to a desperation gambit, one she hadn't done in nearly a decade.
Uncharacteristically spreading her legs out shoulder-width apart and tucking her arms in, she sought to draw out the tangible energy inside every living being, with its major focus being in the center of the body. She was trying to reawaken her dormant ki, imagining the energy pooling there, almost waiting to be summoned.
She squeezed her eyes tighter and felt the world pulse around her heartbeat. She pushed, mentally, and physically, with every cell, a memory of power reawakened and desperate as her trembling hands pressed closer and the ache in her forearms grew. The stance was right, the will was there, the need was there—no, it was more than need. It was a shriek inside her, a demand: Bring him back, bring them back, do not let your family vanish into the impossible infinite of space.
But alas, the energy did not come.
No pulse, no tingle, just emptiness of a different type of muscle left unused too long. The memory was there and the well wasn't empty but for all that hunger, for all her wanting, bowed by the weight of her own expectation….Chi-Chi realized she could not even light a candle with her ki, not anymore.
Yet, it was with that revelation Chi-Chi knew this couldn't be the end of it. She might not be able to fly anymore but she NEEDED another way to get Namek.
Unfortunately on Namek, Mouri’s time with Frieza had only gotten worse.
Despite being given yet another chance to simply hand over his Dragon Ball, Mouri refused to even entertain the idea of giving the crystalline object of power down to this freaky alien genotype. And for that blatant defiance….everyone else in his village paid the price.
The first crimson beam tore through the air above their heads, slicing the rigid blue sky, and that was only the beginning. Frieza’s men opened fire in a coordinated, pitiless onslaught, their laser guns shrieking with every second. The sound was deafening. Each blast lit up the battered landscape and threw wild shadows across the ground. Within seconds, huts were torn apart and flung into the air like matchboxes; whole families collapsed in the dust, their death-cries muffled by the roar of the onslaught.
For every child he shielded, two others vanished in a haze of smoke and shredded green skin. The ground steamed with blood.
But Frieza’s guards weren’t satisfied with efficient murder. They toyed with the villagers, corralling and breaking groups apart before vaporizing them one by one, laughing in that flat, mechanical way that only sounded more alien for its attempt at mirth. Several of the braver Namekians, young and strong, attempted to mount a counter. Their efforts were met with tenfold violence: kneecaps snapped, skulls caved in, bodies atomized with a gesture. No one was spared—elderly, infants, even the sacred trees that lined the village’s perimeter. They, too, went up in smoke.
And the entire time Frieza never once rose from his pod or exited it.
Where once there had been a village, there was now a charred depression. The entire massacre lasted maybe eight minutes.
From afar, Krillin had to physically restrain Gohan to prevent him from blowing their cover and making a rash move…..which perplexed the young boy. Peaceful villagers were being slaughtered directly in front of him and he was being held back from doing anything about it. Why?
By the time the slaughter was done, only the elder himself remained, Mouri's heart racing as he shielded the two boys with his body. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the inevitable. He would protect them until his very last breath.
Yet, the weight of responsibility pressed heavily on his shoulders, and he realized he could no longer refuse. The threat loomed large and personal—Frieza, with his ruthless and cold demeanor, would not hesitate to target his sons next. He could almost see the malicious glint in Frieza's eyes as he calculated his next move, and the thought of his sons being in danger filled him with dread.
But Mouri also took notice of Dodoria and Zarbon’s scouters over their faces, realizing that was the only way they could’ve possibly pinpointed villages like this.
Frieza: I did warn you.
He gestured with a delicate finger, and one of his henchmen appeared in front of Mouri, palm outstretched.
And then, a miracle happened.
Dodoria and Zarbon’s scouters surge into action, rapidly beeping with incoming information, alerting both them, Frieza, and the remaining Namekians to something they never quite expected. It forces them all to turn to their left.
Zarbon: Lord Frieza, I’m picking up three strong power levels headed this way.
Frieza: Hmmm….
Three young Namekians hurtled through the sky towards the village with frantic urgency, their speed a desperate blur against the horizon, much to the elder's immense relief.
Gohan: Who are they?
Krillin: Must be the carvery.
They land standing in for the confrontation
Frieza: And what do we have here? Party crashers?
Young Namekian # 1: You outsiders leave our village now and you will be spared. Or else you all won't leave out alive.
Frieza: Much courage I'll give him that. Zarbon. Perhaps they're in need of a demonstration of our force.
Zarbon: As you wish my lord. Dodoria give the command?
Dodoria: Ugh.....get em.
Just then more of Frieza's men charged into to attack yelling out in war cry but the the three young Namekians put up a hell of a fight
They manage to tare down Frieza's men with blinding flashes extreme combat they were just almost as strong as Piccolo
Gohan: Whoa! Krillin look at them go!
Krillin: Maybe we're not needed after all. Let's be sure.
The fight went on perfectly Frieza's men were just pawns in their hands
Zarbon: Fascinating. They're stronger than we thought. What should we do sire?
Frieza: I have a few ideas. I'm measuring their fighting patterns to see what we need to do.
They kept thwarting them off defeating one after the other yet soon became two falling three and eventually ten all fell at once
It was down to one more till the Namek Trio blasted him to death blowing him to bits screaming in death
Dodoria: Well that was a waist.
Frieza: Calm yourself Dodoria. It's not like we're loosing anything valuable.
Using this distraction Mouri blasts beams destroying all the scouters including Zarbon and Dodoria's both yelling from the heat of them blowing up
Frieza: This one is more meddlesome than the others.
Mouri: Without your machines you can't track us or any of our villages. Now your hunt for the Dragon Balls will be like looking for a gold piece in blue straw.
Frieza: That may be. But I'm afraid it doesn't save your lives. Dodoria? Kill them all.
Dodoria: With pleasure.
Finally one of the right hand men step into the ring as the the Namekian Trio look on as did Mouri sensing something bad was going to happen
Mouri: Dende. You and your brother go back inside. Now.
Dende: No father. You'll be killed.
Mouri: Do as I say. Now! Trust me.
That's when Dodoria STRIKES down the first young Namekian with one attack from behind shoving his hand threw him yelling out a dying scream
Seeing that.....makes Gohan......ANGRY
Mouri: Never!
Frieza: Your choice.
Frieza points his index finger and it glowed bright red like a laser and then......
Frieza: Bang.
Frieza blasts a red beam striking Mouri in the heart killing him instantly
Dendi: PAPA!!
Poor Mouri fell dead dropping on the ground impacting on it denting into the dirt
Dendi's brother ran away but Dendi himself ran to his lifeless father but then Dodoria blocks his way
The frighten Namekian child looked up in horror as Dodoria looked down at him with an evil grin and chuckles
Gohan couldn't let this happen his anger channeled his energy but thankfully all their scouters were destroyed otherwise they'd sense it
Krillin: No! Gohan don't! You'll be killed!
Gohan: Dad wouldn't sit here! I won't let him----
Krillin: Breath Gohan. You're a leaf. A leaf on a calm stream!
Gohan: FUCK THE STREAM!!
Krillin: WHAT?!?!?!?!
Gohan takes off and shoots straight down like missile and before Dodoria knew it the son of Goku KICKS him away sending him to fly off towards one of the alien houses crashing into it
Gohan: BACK OFF UGLY!!!!
Zarbon: A human?
Frieza: A human child. Where did he come from?
Zarbon: Could be from anywhere. We have human soldiers but he's not one of ours.
Frieza: I can see that for myself Zarbon. Dodoria! Get your fat fruity ass up and deal with this runt!
Dodoria sat up only to be KICKED again by Krillin
Krillin: QUAK!
Gohan tended to Dende on the ground
Dende: Who are you?
Gohan: We're friends. Come on. We'll get you out of here.
Dende: But my Papa.....
Gohan: We'll wish him back. Right now we gotta go.
Gohan picks him up and when he and Krillin look back at Frieza and Zarbon and they take off
Frieza: And who the hell was the bald one?
Zarbon: From the sound of that my lord that Dodoria's alien duck.
Dodoria: Real funny. I'll get em sire.
Frieza: You better for your sake Dodoria.
He then takes off after them
We cut back into deep space where things seem quiet and still until.......
......Goku's capsule corp ship flew in it was on course and Goku just looked out to space already board out of his mind
Goku: God sure is dark out there. Pretty quiet too. I wonder if it was like this when my parents sent me to earth when I was a baby. Well.....I can't just sit here sulking. Vegeta no doubt's gotten stronger. And just sitting here isn't gonna do the same for me. I won't be at Namek for awhile anyway might as well get started on training.
Goku takes a breath and stands up and walks over to the Gravitational Machin
Goku: Okay let's see. The doc said I can't put over 700. Shouldn't be too hard. Back on King Kai's I trained under ten times gravity. Probably a good Idea I start a little higher. Let's see.....how does this work again. Uh.....oh yeah calculation system.
Goku sets the calculations and presses the numbers he wants
Goku: Alright uh.....here we go. 20 times normal gravity.
He presses start and Goku hears a loud humming noise on the machine he looks up and then......
......felt the gravity forcing him to crouch down
Goku: DAMN! MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE STICKED TO TEN!
Despite the momentary surge of panic following the sudden pressure, Goku, miraculously, decided to keep moving. However at this point, given how crouched he was, he was better off doing lunges around the ship’s hull. And he had to go slow. No better way to master the gravitational force before either taking a break or slowly moving up.
So he hoarsely breathed out his nose, knuckles whitening as he gripped the handrails on either side of him. His muscles strained, every fiber screaming in protest against the crushing weight of the artificially induced gravity.
Goku: Okay, Goku...this is no big deal. I can do this.
He muttered through clenched teeth, willing himself to move one foot in front of the other. With each step, his quads and hamstrings quivered with exertion, but he forced himself to keep going, determined not to give in to the pressure so easily.
As he continued his slow, agonizing progress around the perimeter of the ship's hull, Goku's body began to acclimate slightly to the increased gravitational pull. His movements became less jerky and more fluid, although it still required every fiber of his being to not turn back to the dial and keep on going.
And to think, a similar fate was befalling on his best friend, his son and now the stowaway they grabbed along with them who just watched his father and village get massacred in front of him and has no idea where his brother is.
There really was no plan, no manner of foresight that went into how either Krillin or Gohan planned that situation down in the village. While they physically couldn’t get involved in whatever Frieza and his men planned to do with the Dragon Balls, they knew better than to let everyone there die. Gohan’s instinctive outburst forced them out of a passive role into a reactionary one, one that led to him, Krillin and Dende now on the run and in a hurry to get back to Bulma.
Winds whipped fiercely against their faces as they soared above the endless expanse of the ocean, the salty spray occasionally misting their skin. Their hearts pounded in their chests, each beat a reminder of the danger lurking just moments behind. With every muscle tensed, they fought to keep their gaze locked forward, resisting the urge to glance back at the ominous 300-plus-sized pink shadow trailing their flight.
Krillin: Not gonna lie, Gohan! Not your brightest move!
Gohan: You were the one saying to let it play out!
Krillin: I said we couldn’t take them on! Now look at what’s happening! So much for not ruffling any feathers!
Dende didn't even bother saying anything amidst all this; he still was trying to come to terms with the loss of his family.
Krillin: It was just supposed to be a simple reconnaissance; get in and then get the hell out!
Gohan: Krillin, come on. We have a two-mile lead on him. Factoring in our speed and velocity and his mass, there’s no way he should be able to catch up—
Ki blasts sear past Gohan's cheek and shoulder, scorching the air as they scream over Krillin and Dende's heads. The relentless Dodoria barrels after them with terrifying speed, an unstoppable force of destruction hot on their heels.
Worst. Timing. Imaginable.
Krillin: Well, look who’s wrong!
Gohan: There’s always room for error!
Krillin: Move move move!!!
Dodoria's pursuit was relentless, unyielding in his determination to capture the fleeing trio. With every second that passed, their lead slowly dwindled, the distance between them closing at an alarming rate. The alien’s menacing aura loomed over them, threatening to swallow their dwindling hope whole.
More ki blasts are launched, most barely skimming by the two men and the rest diverting into the water and splashing down.
Dodoria: Khrrrn!
He snarls, the feral sound spurring him onward. His muscles coiled and flexed, each movement propelling him even further across the sky, his large frame beating furiously against the air thanks to his pounding heart. Hunger flickered in his eyes, a primal need to taste their fear, to feel their life force surging through his veins.
And it certainly didn’t help that with each passing terrain, he was inching closer and closer to them, like the mutant baby in Resident Evil 8: Village.
Gohan: Think we’re better off fighting him on the ground?!
Krillin: We can’t risk him hurting the kid! Just keep flying!
Soon as they said that, the moment the words left their lips, an enormous force erupted between them, crashing with the power of a freight train. Dodoria had slammed into them with such ferocity that it felt as if the very air had been sucked away, leaving only the jarring impact and a tremor that reverberated through their bones.
His massive forearms swung with the force of a sledgehammer, striking both of them squarely on their backs. The impact sent them spiraling apart, tumbling head over heels through the air. Desperately, they flailed their limbs, managing to regain control and stabilize themselves before any further harm could befall them.
Dende, however, was not so fortunate. He continued to plummet, his arms flapping uselessly as he descended, the dark, looming presence of the ocean bed drawing nearer with each passing second.
Despite being acutely aware of the impending doom, Krillin charges headlong after Dende, his resolve unshaken. Behind him, Dodoria barrels forward with relentless fury, hot on Krillin's heels, determined to close the distance like a relentless predator.
Krillin: C’mon c’mon c’mon c’mon c’mon!!!
Gritting his teeth, Krillin's heart pounded in his chest as he pushed himself to his limits, desperately trying to reach Dende before it's too late. With a final burst of speed, he managed to close the gap just when Dende was mere feet from the unforgiving ocean below. Extending his arm, Krillin was mere inches away from latching onto Dende…
….but Dodoria was just that quicker.
Thankfully, Gohan was able to get there first and grab Dende, saving him and landing on a small cliff.
He was left having to watch Dodoria’s colossal arms and hulking frame constrict Krillin in a vice-like sleeper hold, a merciless chokehold that cuts off the precious flow of blood to the brain by crushing the carotid arteries with brutal precision. The spikes jutting from his arms dig in like jagged shards, intensifying the excruciating pain, every sharp point a reminder of the impending darkness closing in.
Dodoria: You thought you were gonna hide from me?!
Krillin's vision began to blur as the pressure on his neck increased tenfold, depriving his brain of oxygen and eroding his strength by the second. His limbs flailed wildly, desperately clawing at Dodoria's vice-like grip, but it was to no avail. The saiyan's enhanced grip squeezed tighter and tighter, relentless in its quest for domination.
The incessant blue sky shifted to a consuming black as the lack of oxygen began to take its toll on Krillin's consciousness. His vision blurred, doubled, then darkened around the edges. Dodoria's cold, merciless glare bored into his very soul, a chilling reminder of his own insignificance in the face of such raw power.
Gohan: Let him go, you monster!
In a fit of rage, Gohan charged at Dodoria, his fist cocked and ready to unleash a barrage of punches. Yet, Dodoria showed no sign of fear or intimidation. On the contrary, he seemed to relish the challenge that lay before him. With a nonchalant flick of his wrist, he slaps Gohan away.
Infuriated, the barely conscious Krillin pulls out a last-minute technique, one where he’d place his hands close to the center of his face with the fingers spread toward his eyes. Just like Goku, he’d have to borrow a move from their dearly departed Tien.
Krillin: TAIYŌKEN (Solar Flare)!!!
A bright flashing light lit up in his face giving Gohan and Krillin a head start leaving Dodoria holding his face screaming from the pain in his eyes blinding him
Dodoria: AAAARGH!!!! I CAN'T SEE!!!! DAAAAAAAH!!!
While flying away Krillin and Gohan looked at the youngling Namekian
Gohan: Are you okay?
At first he said nothing
Krillin: Hey can you understand us?
Dende: Y---yyyy---yeah?
Krillin: Oh good he speaks English.
Gohan: Why wouldn't he?
Krillin: Mostly cause.....well before you were born Gohan Piccolo and Kami spoke another language in the tournament.
Dende: Did you......say Kami?
Krillin: You've heard of him?
Dende: My Papa told me stories about him. But I thought he was just a legend.
Krillin: Oh trust us kid. Kami's very real. Cause we know him in person.
Dende: Wow! Really? The legend of Kami is true? Then I wonder if the stories of Lord Slug are real.
Gohan: Who?
Dende: That's another legend. A scary one. I'll tell you guys about it some point. But since you guys helped me then I owe you an introduction. I'm Dende.
Krillin: I'm Kuririn. That's another tongue for Krillin. And this is Son Gohan. He's the son of a good friend of mine.
Gohan: We came to ask your people for a favor in use of your Dragon Balls. But we saw those people attacking your village? Any idea who they are?
Dende: All I heard was their leader's name. Friezer or---Froza or---Frieza?
Gohan: Frieza? Yeah.....that's what I thought I heard them call him.
Krillin: Well we'll look into this new player later. We should head back to Bulma and tell her what went down.
Dende: Where will I go?
Gohan: You're gonna come with us. Whenever my dad gets here we can take on those bullies. And then we can wish your dad and friends back. We give you our word.
Dende took a moment then he nods
Krillin: Well let's go.
They took off flying with their new friend
But back with Dodoria he was still struggling to see but his vision was starting to gloom but out of focus
He looked around trying to see but his vision was slowly regaining focus
Dodoria: Where.....where did they----?
Soon as he turns around he saw someone floating behind him through his unfocused vision
Dodoria: Who's that? My lord? Zarbon?
None of the above.
Dodoria recognize that voice and tried to see more clearly and then.......finally regained his vision seeing.......the Saiyan Prince himself chuckling with his arms crossed
Dodoria: Vegeta!
Just as quickly as that filthy Saiyan Prince dared to ‘grace’ him with his presence, Vegeta quickly disappeared. He wasn’t going to allow Dodoria the contentment, the mere yearning of giving him an unbiased fair fight with him. Of all the spit-shining, boot-licking lackeys kissing Frieza’s feet and who delighted in discriminating against his people, Dodoria was the more brash and vulgar one opposite Zarbon.
It made him an ideal target.
BAM!
The heavy thud of an axe handle collided with the back of Dodoria’s thick neck, sending shockwaves through his body. With a grunt of surprise, he plummeted downward, crashing into the ocean bed with a violent splash. Clouds of sediment erupted around him, while the turbulent waves surged and foamed, splattering against Vegeta's armored boots as he emerged from the depths, a devious, determined glare etched across his face.
He was not in the mood for games this time.
So with a relaxed posture, he soared through the sky, the wind barely whipping through his hair as he scanned the landscape below. His eyes landed on a patch of rugged terrain, dotted with rocky outcroppings and dense vegetation. Vegeta descended gracefully, landing on the uneven ground with a soft thud. As he stood there, he crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently, glancing at the horizon, eager and anxious for Dodoria to finally rise and confront him once more. The anticipation hung in the air, thick and electrifying, as he awaited the familiar figure of his opponent to emerge.
Despite being submerged in the depths against his will, the high ranking general and right-hand man of Frieza eventually pops out from the ocean bed and slowly climbs ashore.
Dodoria coughed up a sputum of brackish water and blood as he gasped for air. The tide lapped at his shins, try as it may to drag him back in. But he was having none of it. Dodoria's rage swirled inside his heart like the violent waves around him. Spleen and bile boiled over, spilling out of his maroon lips with each ragged breath.
Dodoria: Vegeta...
He spat through clenched teeth, one eye momentarily swollen shut. His body ached from the blow dealt to him, and yet... he couldn't deny the thrill coursing through his veins.
Dodoria: You got some serious balls trying to get the drop on me.
Vegeta: Funny coming from you, bubblegum. I just happen to be looking for a set.
The wind roared fiercely, sweeping and tousling his spiked hair, each strand dancing wildly as if pursued by invisible phantoms. Despite presumably being in a rush to get any information on the Dragon Balls here, Vegeta wanted to take his time with the remnants of Frieza’s army he came across before eventually coming face to face with the big man himself.
And it actually benefitted him that Dodoria, even now, remained as overconfident as ever despite nearly choking on seawater.
Dodoria: Must admit, this sight is adorable. Just look at you, Veggie. All grown up and out on your own, thinking you’re ready to move up in the world…..
Vegeta: Better to be that than a puppet tangled in its own strings. You talk a big game for someone whose ass I've already kicked once.
That retort hurt, especially as Vegeta was cracking his knuckles in anticipation for the rematch.
Dodoria growled, ignoring the pain from his wounds as he slowly rose to his feet, the water dripping off his mauve-colored skin. He forced himself to stand tall, despite the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm him.
Dodoria: Very funny. But you won’t be flashing that cheeky grin of yours when Frieza finds your scrawny ass. So how about I make you a little deal?
He bellows out, ensuring that Vegeta hears every bit of this.
Dodoria: You hand over your scouter, and MAYBE…..I won’t point Frieza in the right direction.
Vegeta couldn’t help but sneer, recognizing not just the familiar arrogance that had plagued so many of his people and Frieza’s men under his subjugation but this very announcement revealed a crucial detail to him: if Dodoria didn’t have a scouter, then neither did Frieza or Zarbon.
They didn’t even know he was here….and it’s more than likely to stay that way.
Still, he barely stifles out a half-hearted chuckle, knowing he was about to further break this man’s spirit.
Vegeta: You know…..I’d be inclined to give it to you; but, you see, there’s a problem with it.
He reached toward a concealed pocket tucked within his chest armor, fingers deftly finding the hidden seam. As he withdrew his hand, he did so with a flourish, a smirk playing on his lips. The remains of his broken red scouter, a casualty he caused from his one-sided encounter with Cui, dangled precariously between his fingers. With a deliberate flick of his wrist, he let it fall to the ground in front of him, shards of glass and twisted metal clinking against the ground, clattering at his feet.
Vegeta: It’s broken.
Dodoria's eyes widened in disbelief and rage as his once cocky demeanor deflated like a punctured balloon. To think that Vegeta had so casually destroyed the only means of communicating with Frieza enraged him to no end. His leverage, his one means of bargaining, crumbled before his very eyes. Vegeta, meanwhile, merely smirked, enjoying every second of Dodoria's agony.
Vegeta: But even if it wasn't, do you honestly think I'd just hand it over to the likes of you? You must take me for a complete numbskull.
With a roar, Dodoria charged at Vegeta, his fists clenched and his teeth bared. Vegeta stood his ground, a sardonic smile playing on his lips. He'd expected as much from the riled-up general.
Vegeta vanished, reappeared behind him, and delivered a resounding kick to his back. The force of the blow sent Dodoria careening forward into a nearby rock face, shattering it upon impact. Ruthless and efficient, he wasn’t going to let Dodoria regain his bearings that easily.
Vegeta: Come now, Dodoria. Is that any way to treat a sparring partner?
Dodoria: Are you that dense?! Now you’re just as blind as the rest of us!
Vegeta: Oh, am I now?
An indirect message sent that he no longer needed the scouter to detect and sense power levels and energy readings thanks to his brief time on Earth, as he explained to Cui hours ago.
Wincing from the pain shooting through his back, Dodoria slowly picked himself up from the rubble. His one good eye narrowed to an impassioned glare as he spat out bloody saliva onto the dry ground off to the side. It stained the sandy earth with the same crimson color, proof that Vegeta's blows were indeed injuring him. That ferocious scowl etched itself across his face, intermingling with the rapidly forming purple bruises and cuts that adorned his features.
Sporting a wild, unfocused gaze, he opened his mouth and unleashed a searing yellow energy wave that crackled through the air toward Vegeta; a sign of complete desperation on Dodoria’s part. The beam illuminated the battlefield, casting long shadows across the ground. Vegeta, standing with his arms crossed, watched the oncoming attack with an unflinching gaze. At the last second, he uncrossed his arms, raising one hand with casual precision, and swatted the energy wave aside as if it were nothing more than an annoying insect.
The blast ricocheted off his palm and arced behind him, dissipating harmlessly in the distance.
Vegeta: Cause from where I’m standing, I can sense you just fine.
The energy of Dodoria's blast dissipating into nothingness was the last straw for the disgraced general. His one good eye nearly bulging out of its socket, he roars….
Dodoria: Mouthy little PRICK!
Suddenly he somehow he appears behind him
Vegeta: Where you aiming you dewgong?
Dodoria: Why you little---!
He swings his fist back at him but he catches it with one hand
Vegeta: Upsy daisy!
He flips over him grabbing his other arm and pulls them behind himself bending them the WRONG way forcing Dodoria to yell out in pain
Vegeta laughed maniacally
Vegeta: What'd you think Dodoria?! You could say I had an improvement during my visit to earth?!
Dodoria: IM----IMPOSSIBLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!
Vegeta: With Saiyans anything is possible! Any last words before I take you a part Mr. pink potatohead?!
Dodoria: W---wait Vegeta! If you'll never know the truth of what really happened to your home planet! I can tell you if you just let me go!!
Vegeta: Let me guess Frieza blew it up?
Dodoria: No that Frieza blew it up---wait what?
Vegeta: Really should have told Frieza not share his gossip with his lapdogs!
Dodoria: BUT YOU'LL NEVER KNOW WHY?! It was.....because......BARDOCK!!!!
That caught Vegeta's attention more
Vegeta: Kakorat's father?
He then lets go of him go Dodoria limped rubbing the pain out of his arms
Vegeta: Alright Dodoria tell me what this is about.
Dodoria: Back when Bardock lead your father's elite team they were concurring another planet for Lord Frieza. But then.....something happened that.....gave him psychic abilities.
We roll to years ago long before Goku's arrival to earth we come to a planet where an aftermath of a city destroyed and a crew of Saiyan Mercenaries were sitting by a camp fire catching their breaths from the job
Fasha (Zhang Ziyi) Tora (Lewis Tan) Borgos (Ettore "Big E" Ewen) Shugesh (Shaobo Qin) and the father of our hero himself
Tora: That was some fireworks Fasha. Those imps were pissing themselves before you fried them to dust.
Fasha: Don't try to flatter yourself with me Tora. We both know I'm out of your league.
Shugesh: Wish this was out of my league. This scratch is frigging ass biting me!
Borgos: Hey Bardock? How's Gine? We been missing her since she quit the squad.
Bardock: Ehh she's alright. Ever since my youngest was born she's been having her hands full.
Fasha: Well if you ask me you should go see the little tike once in awhile. I doubt the king will even notice you're gone within two days. You got enough time before our next mission.
Bardock: That be fun wouldn't it? Father Son bonding. Hmph!
He sits up spitting out the small stick in his mouth
Bardock: They'll just send him away like they did Raditz. I was just lucky he was assign with my brother Turles. So what the hell's the point anyway? I mean I hear the King's no better father to his son than I am to both of mine.
Fasha: Same old assholing Bardock. You're always too much.
Shugesh: Let me ask yall something. Why in Beerus's name are we even concurring a small planet like this when we all should be out there looking for challenges?
Borgos: I don't know. Lord Frieza just gave the hit on it.
Bardock: Frieza.....I've always hated the sound of that name. Ever since that bastard showed up he's been running us like dogs. Why can't the King----
Suddenly Bardock was STRUCK from the back of his head by an alien survivor of the planet and he yelled out in pain
Fasha: BARDOCK!!!
Tora: YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!!
Tora and Borgos attack the alien as Shugesh and Fasha attended to Bardock unconscious with his head bleeding out
Despite the alien Kanassian’s weakened state, being able to deliver that decisive a blow against these aggressors who cleared out all of his kind was a reward within itself. Said Kanassian, who went by the name Toolo, was only left restrained by Tora and Borgos much to his surprise and chagrin; had the rest of his power hadn’t been depleted, he wouldn’t have just stopped at Bardock.
He would’ve given the same punishment to the rest of his crew.
If only they knew that his jab to the back of Bardock’s neck would later activate a function in the brain that allows them to have the power of divination. An eternal punishment for their misdeeds.
Toolo: I wish you baboons could read minds so you could have heard the thoughts of my troops, my people as you slaughtered them!
Borgos only tightened his grip around the alien’s neck, mere seconds out from ripping his thoughtless head off from the rest of his body.
Toolo: The one who seeks this power, Frieza, will never have it, but I have given it to you as a gift, Bardock, so you can see. See the horror of your end, just as we had to!
Fasha: ENOUGH!
Fed up, Toolo was reluctantly released from Borgos and Tora’s grip…..only to be met with a pink full power energy wave that quickly engulfed him and disintegrated him immediately, courtesy of Fasha.
Shugesh, Tora, Fasha, and Borgos rushed toward Bardock, their footsteps echoing against the cold ground. Bardock lay on the floor, his muscles spasming uncontrollably as if a current of electricity coursed through him. His face twisted in agony, eyes wide and unfocused, as he struggled against the stabbing pain from Toolo's jab. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and a strained groan escaped his lips. The others watched in a tense, loud tumult of commotion between each other, unaware that the flood of future memories was about to crash over him, each image and sensation ready to overwhelm his mind.
But this was only one-fifth of said story of rebellion, a tiny piece of the truth that Vegeta knew he’d never get to see. For as much as he bore that poker face, for as much as he desperately wanted to convey that his needs alone were all that concerned him, it was a betrayal to both himself and the only family he had ever really knew.
And this big spiked tub of pink lard in front of him was proudly recollecting essentially the Saiyan’s last defense and admitting to how much he enjoyed their extinction.
Dodoria: I still don’t know how he put two-and-two together but I’m certain those psychic abilities had something to do with it. Only issue is…
He scoffs.
Dodoria: In the end, it didn't even matter, now did it? Him being the final stand against the Cosmic Emperor was a laughable sight. There was no meteorite, no calling from a higher power, it was just Frieza taking care of a problem before it grew out of his control.
Apparently, this was enough to finally shut Vegeta up, the man’s lips pressed into a thin line, his fists clenched at his sides. A muscle in his jaw twitched as he stared off into the distance, eyes narrowed and face flushed with barely contained anger. The air around him seemed to crackle with tension, yet not a single word escaped his tightly sealed mouth.
Despite having lived with the truth for so long, the weight of hearing the full account of the genocide of his own race was as heavy as a leaden shroud draped over his heart. Each word struck him like a dagger, twisting deeper with the realization that this horrific narration was essentially a signed confession from Dodoria, a brutal acknowledgment of Frieza's callous betrayal. The icy detachment of Frieza's actions gnawed at him; the tyrant had orchestrated the annihilation of his home planet while Vegeta was off on some distant mission, blissfully unaware. It was a calculated move, one that revealed Frieza’s twisted fondness for him—not as a friend or ally, but as a tool to be exploited. After the destruction, he had been snatched from the ashes of his former life, forced into a new existence as Frieza’s reluctant pawn.
To say Dodoria was having a hearty laugh over Vegeta’s object silence was an understatement.
He doubled over in a fit of raucous laughter, tears streaming down his cheeks as he found mirth in the pain etched into Vegeta's features. The wound still ran deep, and it was delicious.
Dodoria: Oh, I haven't been entertained this much since their planet crumbled to dust in my very eyes! To think, the great and mighty warrior brought to his knees by a simple story!
Vegeta's fists trembled with suppressed fury, but he held his ground, unwilling to give Dodoria the satisfaction of seeing him break. His jaw clenched tighter, grinding his teeth together with such force that it should've shattered them into fine powder. The prickling sensation of thirst within Vegeta's being provoked him to shift his weight, but he maintained a stoic demeanor.
Even more unsettling, however, was how easily that stoic void of nothingness eventually warped into a crooked smile over his face. Now the shoe was on the other foot as Dodoria was now reduced to silence.
Vegeta: Don’t misunderstand me, Dodoria. I couldn't care less about about the fate of my planet, my parents, or my fellow Saiyans.
He braces himself, surging his ki like an erupting volcano, building an overwhelming force that crackles and pulsates with an electrifying intensity.
Vegeta: What I do care about, what I will not tolerate under any circumstances is how I allowed Frieza, Zarbon and you to abuse and walk over me my entire life!
Immediately, Dodoria's amusement quickly faded at the sight of Vegeta's rapidly building ki. His expression darkened, all mirth vanishing from his face as he straightened up, the severity of the situation dawning on him. Vegeta's eyes were cold, calculated, and full of a smoldering rage that he'd long ago ceased to conceal.
Heart pounding in his chest, Dodoria's eyes widened with fear as he took to the air, desperate to escape. With a sudden burst of energy, he propelled himself upward, the ground shrinking beneath him. He glanced back and noticed Vegeta's eyes blazing with fury, his aura crackling with an intensified rage that sent a shiver down Dodoria's spine.
Dodoria: Screw this. Screw you!
Blasting off, it was a vain attempt at escaping. And the ruthless Saiyan was unimpressed by Dodoria's efforts to do so.
Vegeta: And for that, consider your blood debt paid!
With a roar that echoed through the air like a fierce storm, Vegeta unleashed a devastating energy wave that crackled with raw power. His eyes locked onto Dodoria, who was desperately fleeing across the barren landscape. Vegeta's attack shot forward with blinding speed, its light illuminating the terrain. Dodoria, barely a mile away, turned his head just in time to see the blazing energy hurtling toward him. In that instant, the blast closed the distance, engulfing him in a flash of searing light.
And it obliterates him in midair, ripping his entire body to ashes.
Vegeta: I'll give your regards to Frieza. But first I have to find those Dragon Balls.
Vegeta takes off flying to the heroizing waving the green ocean
We join back with Goku on his ship as he was doing push-ups under 20 times normal gravidity counting them down to the past two hours
Goku: One Hundred and Ninety Seven. One Hundred and Ninety Eight. One Hundred and Ninety Nine. Two......Hundred!
Goku drops down exhausted reaching up to the machine and shutting down the gravity
Goku breathed heavily taking his time before sitting up on his palms and stands on his right foot and standing up almost collapsing back down and finally back on his feet
Goku was in need of a towel to wipe the sweat off his head when all of a sudden.......
......hears a familiar voice echoing in the ship......or in his head
Well nice to see you haven't been slacking off since my training.
Goku: Huh? Who said that? Somebody here?
Honestly Goku did Vegeta knock some screws loose in your head since we last spoken?
Goku: Wait a minute......King Kai? King Kai is that you?!
We come to Other World on King Kai's planet where we join the Kai himself (Voiced by Chow Yun-fat)
King Kai: The one in the same. I'm please to know you're back on your feet since your battle with Vegeta. I'm also to inform you who just now arrived to my realm.
Goku: Who?
Hey Goku! What's up?!
Goku knew that other voice anywhere
Goku: Yamcha?! My god is that you?!
With sudden flashes the fallen warriors of the Saiyan Battle appear behind King Kai for the first time since the Saiyan Saga
Yamcha (Ludi Lin) Tien Shinhan (Daniel Henney) Chiaotzu (Voiced by Rosalie Chiang) And.......the Namekian who was once Goku's arch enemy now an ally who gave his life to save his family Piccolo (Idris Elba) back turned but head turned sideways looking down at them
Yamcha: It certainly is bro. We just arrived not too long ago. We're all here with King Kai like you were. Me. Tien Chiaotzu and believe it or not Piccolo is here too.
Piccolo?!
Piccolo: Hello Goku. Who'd a thought I end up in the same world I sent you when we put your brother out of his misery. Ironic I was granted to travel with your friends here. They said my sacrifice as well as my last events granted me a chance to earn a fresh start.
Yeah. I owe you Chi-Chi and Gohan's lives. Thanks.
King Kai: Now Goku that's not the only thing I contacted you about. I know you're heading for Namek to help your friends and son. But....I'm afraid Vegeta is not the only problem there.
Goku: W--what you mean? Who else is there?
The most evil and more powerful tyrant to ever roam the universe. Even his name strikes fear into the hearts man and alien alike. The Saiyan's have been under his command long before the destruction of Planet Vegeta. Once crossed he will leave nothing but hell and pain. Many innocent lives have fallen by the hands of this beast. Many have tried to stop him but have all failed. As will you if you confront this relentless titan.
Goku: Slow down King Kai. Just tell me who he is.
They call him Frieza. The Cosmic Emperor Of The Universe.
Something about that name chilled Goku to the bone
But as expected, a thrill surged through him, a fluttering sensation in his chest that he couldn't suppress. He could feel the familiar power coursing through his veins, the wild, untamed energy of his Saiyan heritage igniting like a firestorm inside him, even at what might be the worst possible moment.
And that was exactly what King Kai, and everyone else with him was worrying about.
Chiaotzu: Umm, I don’t like the way he’s sputtering around like that talking to him. Yamcha, what’s his deal?
Yamcha: Well….
Hesitation was clearly evident in his body language.
Yamcha:….it seems there’s aaaaaaanother reaaaaaaallly strong warrior out there.
Tien: If even King Kai’s jittery at the mere mention of him….
He says watching King Kai almost hyperventilate himself, forcing himself to go back and finish his conversation with Goku, pacing relentlessly.
Tien:….he sounds like a pretty big deal.
Regardless, it was apparent from where they stood that both King Kai and Goku were at an impasse with where they stood on a confrontational line as well as somewhat philosophically. Despite both of them well aware of what going to Namek would entail, Goku was willing to bear the full might of this Frieza if it meant getting his friends and son back in one piece.
King Kai, unfortunately, would rather have the confrontation not happen at all.
Wait, wait, wait, how’d you know he was headed to Namek also?
King Kai: That’s not the point, Goku! Saying you don’t know how you’re up against here would bar none be the understatement of the century!
What—what’s that supposed to mean?
King Kai: Listen to me carefully: I’m not telling you this for your sake but for all the people everywhere. You can’t anger Frieza or else his wrath will follow us to the ends of the universe. When you land on Namek, just grab Gohan and your buddies and get out!
To say Goku was befuddled at King Kai saying all this was putting it mildly. The same master who taught him the litany of extraordinary techniques that helped him turn the tide against his fight with the Saiyans is now telling him to straight up avoid the fight coming his way can be taken as a big act of sheer cowardice….or just him looking out for his fellow student.
Not that he didn’t appreciate the concern from King Kai…..but Goku saw no reason to turn back now.
It’ll be just like hitting a beehive with a stick! Promise me under no circumstances will you go anywhere near Frieza!
Goku: I can’t just leave my son there. And what about the Dragon Balls? I have to try!
King Kai: You have to promise me! Right now!
Can’t I just get a look at the guy?
King Kai: No, you cannot “get a look at the guy”! THAT’S AN ORDER!
C’mon!
King Kai: ABSOLUTELY NOT!
A hand grasped over his shoulder prevents King Kai from further exhausting himself and blowing out his vocal cords from screeching so much. Piccolo now had a piece to share.
Piccolo: Don’t listen to him, Goku. Do whatever you have to do in order to find those Dragon Balls and wish us back. I’ll spend my time pushing myself harder than you ever did and when’s all said is done, we’ll meet you there.
That does make me feel better. Thanks Piccolo. I’ll make sure Gohan’s safe.
Piccolo: You better.
Finished up or unwilling to let the conversation continue on on the off-chance a plan was already being hatched, King Kai pushes himself away from Piccolo. He may have agreed to train these guys but he wasn't willing to risk any of them being brought back to life just to be killed fighting an impossible fight.
King Kai: Don’t be ridiculous! None of you have a recollection of the very hubris that landed you here with me. You have no idea what Frieza is capable of.
Chiaotzu: The more you repeat it, the more we wanna do it.
Yamcha: At least we’d all be together.
King Kai: But then you won’t come back!
Piccolo: Look, we’re running low on time either way. Let’s get on with the training.
King Kai: Only if all of you guys promise that you’ll only go to Namek to help Goku. Swear to me you won’t pick a fight with Frieza.
Tien: King Kai…
King Kai: SWEAR TO ME!
After a brief of silence
Piccolo: Go fuck yourself blob boy.
Everyone just looked at him in dumb struck and it shutted King Kai right up for a moment
King Kai: WHAT YOU JUST SAY?!
Piccolo approached King Kai like an angry animal and he was scared to back up but fell back
Piccolo: When someone seeks to destroy or if anyone ravishes with either my old home planet or Gohan I am not backing down from anything. I may not have ever been to Namek but I have Kami's memories of it. And it's still MY world as well as Earth's and if anything threatens it or my young friend then no one....especially you better not stand in my way. Cause if anyone did......then will meet my unpleasurable wraith. And if Goku has to face this guy ONLY to save his son if he gets captured or worse tries to kill him then combat is his only option to save him. So if you want to put us before anything we fight for then you're helping this maniac wreak havoc upon the others. Those Damn Dragon Balls aren't only needed to wish us all back but if this Frieza gets them.....then it won't matter if we heed your useless advice. He wins.....because of you. Now.....are you gonna train us or do I have to drop your blue ass down the clouds?!
King Kai was scared enough......he nods in agreement
Finally cutting back to Namek Gohan and Krillin arrive back to Kami's ship with their new friend
Gohan: BULMA?! WE'RE BACK! BULMA!
Krillin: Looks like she took down the equipment.
Krillin noticed the cave in the back
Krillin: She probably gone in there.
Dende couldn't help but to gaze up at Kami's ship
It's like he saw part of the legend he was told for a long time
Gohan: Hey Dende you coming?
Dende: Yeah. Yeah I am.
He followed the duo into the cave where Bulma set up a capsule safe house from her company She was sweeping when she noticed them coming
Bulma: Hey there you two are. Did you find anything?
Krillin: Oh we got a big story to tell you. We got a new player in town. And this dude is way worse than Vegeta.
Bulma: Oh than this is worse than I thought. Come on I got lunch on the stove. And who's this?
Gohan: This is Dende. We just saved him from the new player.
Bulma: Well the more the merrier.
They all went inside and while eating all but Dende they told her all about Frieza
Bulma: So let me get this straight.....this Frieza guy is attacking villages for the Dragon Balls too? He has army of space marineras. And you two brought him here after barely escaping?
Gohan: Yep.
Bulma: Well as noble as I find that......with them knowing we're here this is only gonna make our quest harder.
Gohan: What were we suppose to do? Let Dende die?
Bulma: That's not what I'm saying at all. I meant......I don't know.
Krillin: Well I do know these guys aren't leaving till they find the Dragon Balls.
Gohan: And neither are we. Dad and Piccolo wouldn't give up.
Bulma: Funny you mention that honey. While you guys were gone my dad contacted me and he told me the ships we built are fully operational. Best of all.....Goku's back on his feet and he's on his way as we speak.
The news of Goku's recovery and imminent arrival was like an adrenaline boost to the group. Gohan and Krillin exchanged optimistic glances, and even though Dende was the optimal newcomer of this group and had no way to tell for certain that he could trust this guy either, he couldn't help but crack a smile also. After all, these two just saved his life and this Goku was affiliated with them, then he could be trusted also.
Gohan pumps his fists into the air, the biggest pearly white smile plastered over his face hearing about his dad’s recovery.
Gohan: I knew he’d be on his way!
Bulma: Yep. Knowing him, he wouldn't dare miss out on this action or some such nonsense.
She rolled her eyes but couldn't hold back a small smile herself. Krillin slapped his thighs and jumped to his feet.
Krillin: Well, then what are we waiting for? We better get ready to welcome him back with open arms! And while we're at it, we can start formulating a plan to take these Frieza goons!
His contagious enthusiasm, along with Gohan’s, was doing the job of filling the room with hope and lifting their spirits. That didn’t mean everyone would be completely convinced or, at least, as gung-ho about it as they seemed.
Bulma: Now now, let's pump the brakes for a sec.
She said, raising her hands in a calming gesture.
Bulma: We don't know how strong this Frieza character is yet. We need to gather more information and formulate a plan before we go rushing headfirst into battle.
She turned to Dende, her voice softening.
Bulma: Dende, could you perhaps shed some light on this? Or at the very least, could I get you something to eat?
Again, the young boy continues to keep to himself, not too willing to converse with these outsiders but feeling obligated to as they did save his life.
Dende: We don’t eat things like this here. We only get by on water.
Krillin: Really? Just water?
The kid nods’ Yes’.
Krillin: Then what was with the fields in your village? Those weren’t vegetables you were growing?
Dende: Those were Ajisa saplings. I’ve heard stories on how the Ajisa trees were plentiful here many years ago before this abnormal weather wiped them all out. We’ve been trying to regrow them since.
Krillin: Yeah, climate disaster.
Dende: What’s that?
Krillin: Well, th—
He clenched his jaw and held back, deciding not to burden the kid with any more grim updates. The boy's shoulders already sagged under the weight of the day's losses. Gohan's furrowed brow and Bulma's tight-lipped frown added to the tension in the air, their expressions heavy with a mix of pity and frustration.
Krillin: Ne—never mind.
Suddenly, the mood quickly takes a sharp nosedive into dourness. An abrupt, palpable shift in energy electrifies Krillin and Gohan's senses, forcing them to snap their attention toward the exit of the safehouse. The immense surge of ki they felt was colossal, yet it was plummeting with alarming speed.
It couldn’t have felt any more suffocating.
Krillin: Gohan, please tell me you felt that.
Gohan: Krillin, is that—?
Krillin: Afraid so.
Both of them sprang from the couch, their hearts pounding with urgency, and dashed out of the safehouse, racing through the dimly lit cave until they burst into the open air of Namek. The sky above was a swirl of deep purples and greens, squinting against the bright light as they focused intently on the direction from which the intense surge of ki emanated, their senses sharpened by the palpable energy pulsing in the atmosphere.
As expected, the energy continued dropping.
More Namekians were being slaughtered. And unfortunately, it didn’t take long to sense whose energy was also in the vincinity that was causing such a ruckus.
It didn’t take long for Bulma nor Dende to catch up to them….or question the commotion that caused them to leave.
Bulma: What the hell’s got you so jittery?
Gohan: A lot of ki are disappearing. More Namekians are being killed.
Krillin: Damn it, it’s Vegeta! He’s figured out how to sense out Ki!
And unfortunately, that also meant he was either spying on them or listening into Frieza’s conversation with Mouri. Because how else did Vegeta know to head to another Namekian village unless they didn’t have a Dragon Ball there too?
It was still unclear to them whether Vegeta and Frieza were racing each other or working in cahoots but the fact remained that either of them getting the Namekian Dragon Balls would be a calamity both for the planet and everyone else left who inhabited it.
Still, the group exchanged glances instead of actively taking action, dread mounting in their hearts as the implications of Vegeta's newfound ability to sense ki sank in. The fiendish thought of Vegeta's smug grin as he preyed on innocent Namekians for sport made Gohan's blood boil. He ground his teeth, his fists clenching at his sides.
NOW, they decided to take action.
Gohan: We have to stop him! We can't let him get any more!
Krillin: And how do we do that?! The last thing we want is for him to catch us; we’d have to move quietly and keep masking our energy for hours. And where do we start?
Bulma: Simple, genius! We find one ball and then hide it; easiest way to ensure they won’t gather all seven.
Gohan: We can’t! It won’t stop them from raiding more villages!
So much for not depressing the young Dende.
Every second of this conversation was only further drenching him in despair, not just upon hearing that these three random outsiders have inside knowledge on the Dragon Balls and how they work, but he too could feel the dwindling ki of the Namekians from the village being plundered mere miles away.
Desperation took over, and he abruptly shoved past Bulma, ignoring her startled protest. His feet pounded against the ground as he sprinted to the edge of the hillside overlooking the sea. There, he stood with his eyes narrowed, scanning the distant horizon. Amidst the chaotic swirl of power signatures, one stood out sharply—a familiar presence that made his heart skip a beat.
Dende: C—Cargo?
Cutting to the aftermath of the second village massacre the Namekian Cargo Dende just called out laid there beaten down wounded and looks up to Vegeta standing up looking down at him with an evil grin
Cargo: Why? W--why are you attacking us? We....done you.....no wrong......
Vegeta: It's nothing personal. Your fall plays a part in my moment of triumph. I'll make sure it's told in my legacy. Which I will live to see after my wish.
Vegeta then SQUISHES his head like a bug blowing up and purple Namekian blood splatting everywhere
Vegeta: Ah nothing like a good exercise to get you charged up for the final trial. Now let's see. There's must be a dragon ball around here somewhere.
Vegeta walked around the destroyed village searching every alien house still in tact
He already searched five till he came across the one in the center where he walks in.......
.....to find the one star ball bigger than the ones on earth Namekian Dragon Balls were the size of bowling balls
Vegeta: Ahh what a beauty. Much bigger than I imagined.
He takes it gazing at it feeling heavier than it looks but that only increased his strength a little more
Vegeta: Hm. I better be smart about this. If Frieza's force catch up to me they can't see me with this. There must be a way to hide it while I search for the others.
We cut to a minute later where Vegeta carried the Dragon Ball to the green water
Vegeta: They won't think to look for it here. Not when they see the mess here.
The ruthless prince gives the giant magic orb a good toss landing in the water splashing into it and Vegeta watches it sink and bubble up
Vegeta: Daddy will be back for you honey. Right now I need to look in on the other villages. Plus I'll need to know if Frieza already has any of them. But how. Dammit. I guess this be a good time for Nappa to say: If we cross he who must not be named our heads will be put on the block. Hmph. Who's laughing now?
He takes off again
Which is when we cut to Frieza's command ship
It was filled armed troops in the same type of armors in different colors some were on guard duty practicing their blasters and combat
Zarbon marched down a hall with Frieza's men standing by walls gives him solutes as he passes them
Zarbon approaches the doors to Frieza's private chambers
The doors open automatically and Zarbon walks before the Cosmic Emperor himself sitting on his throne looking out to the view of Namek till it automatically turns around
Zarbon knees down in a proper bow
Frieza: What is it Zarbon?
Zarbon: My Lord we just received a report from Planet Frieza 79. As it turns out our suspicions were true. Vegeta has fled and has made his way to hear. Cui tried to stop him but we haven't heard from him since. And now oddly Dodoria has vanished off our radar. They're both missing sire.
Frieza: Lost forces don't concern me Zarbon. If Cui and Dodoria have gone dark and Vegeta has rogued from us then it only means one thing. He's killed them both.
Zarbon: What would you like me to do Sire?
Frieza: Find Vegeta and bring him to me. But I want him alive. If you have to fight him only wound him. He will answer to me. Plus if he knows how to find the other Dragon Balls I want to know everything he knows. Am I understood?
Zarbon: Yes lord. I shall leave at once.
Frieza: Good. And before you leave I want you to send our men on a hunt for those humans that attacked Dodoria. I have a strong feeling that boy and that bulb duck were just the beginning. For all we know they could be part of another force. Or perhaps rebels or helping Vegeta evade us. I want them brought in alive too for questioning.
Zarbon: Very well Sire. As you wish.
Zarbon stands and walks out as the doors automatically close behind him
To the Cosmic Emperor, this was all a minor inconvenience. He suspected that Vegeta would grow a pair and eventually stage his own rebellion against him but he did find his timing rather peculiar, choosing NOW to turn tail and run when he was on the search for the Namekian Dragon Balls.
He turns to his far right, glancing at the five Dragon Balls he’s collected since his arrival to Namek, grimacing at the eventual reality that he’s only got two more balls to collect before he could have his ultimate wish granted: eternal life.
Vegeta was either going to suck it up and stay under his thumb or he’d have to put him down for defying him; there was no grey area in this for Frieza.
The Z-Fighters wished differently. Especially Dende.
Despite having the power to stop that massacre they were feeling, they once again chose not to intervene and that conscious decision resulted in yet another lost Dragon Ball…..and the death of Dende’s brother.
As the young Namekian boy stood there, the sorrow etched on his face was unmistakable. Tears welled up in Dende's eyes, spilling over and tracing wet paths down his green cheeks. He could sense the ki of his brother—once strong and vibrant—completely depleted, slipping beyond his reach. Desperation gnawed at him, knowing he was powerless to intervene. Bulma, Krillin, and Gohan gathered around him, their arms wrapping him in a collective embrace. Despite their comforting words and warm presence, the void left by his brother's dwindling energy was a chasm they couldn't fill….
….but it did strengthen his desire to stick by their side and help them.
Dende: I…I need—I need to know…..why you all came here. Why you need our Dragon Balls.
The three friends slowly untangled themselves from the embrace, each stepping back with a shared, unspoken understanding. They exchanged nervous glances, each aware of the anticipation of the looming question for hours, knowing it would eventually demand their attention and a definitive answer when circumstances forced their hand. With a collective sigh, they decided to abandon the comfort of evasive words and stopped sugarcoating.
He needed the truth.
Krillin: That bastard who killed your brother also took away many of our friends back home on Earth.
Bulma: We have Dragon Balls there too….or DID have them. Kami was guardian of our Earth and his death meant our Dragon Balls no longer work.
Dende: So the story is real…..
Gohan: We just wanted to come here and ask for the balls so we could wish back everyone he helped kill.
Bulma: And if they work here the same way they do on Earth, then our Dragon Balls should come back too.
Finally, a moment of clarity washed over Dende. As the weight of the situation settled in, he grasped the full extent of the chaos surrounding him. His eyes darted to the three figures standing nearby, their faces etched with the same anguish that churned within him. The realization that they had endured this torment too struck him like a physical blow. Dende's throat tightened, but he fought against the quivering in his voice. He forced himself to take a deep, shaky breath, steadying the storm of emotions that threatened to spill over as he swallowed down the last of his tears.
Through the haze of grief clouding his eyes, Dende spoke….
Dende: I understand now. You need to come with me. The Grand Elder will make sure to help you.
Krillin: The Grand Elder?
Dende: Guru. He is our leader. And he's the creator of our Dragon Balls. He's even the slayer of Lord Slug.
Bulma: Interesting. So this Guru is your Kami. But who is this Lord Slug you mention?
Dende: Well.....I thought it was just a legend at first but given how old Grand Elder Guru is he's actually a living part of the legend.
Another flashback cuts where everything happens as Dende says
Centuries ago when Guru was young he actually found Slug's egg at the doorstep to the Grand Temple. It was orphaned and no one took it in. And on the night Slug hatched Guru actually raised him as his son.
We see years go by with Guru and Slug in father and son figure bonding
Our current Grand Elder and Slug were happy together at first but one day when Lord Slug was my age he wanted to learn Namekian combat. And that's when Guru trained him the arts. But over time Lord Slug became desperate he wanted to be the next Grand. But the Grand Elder before Guru rejected him. As he sensed his greed. Slug was angry and furious he promised he'd make them regret this. Guru tried to help him but the more he did the more further became from him. Slug went into exile and we didn't see him for years. Until when Guru was nominated to be the Grand Elder's successor. That was when he conjured the Dragon Balls for his ascend to Grand Position. Slug found out about it and that's when he made his first tempts.
We see a brief scene of the Namekian Dragon but we don't see it's face just Lord Slug at age asking for a wish as we hear him call it out
Lord Slug: GREAT DRAGON! I WISH FOR ETERNAL----
Guru interrupts him and steps in to stop the closes thing had to a son as we hear Dende continue the story
Guru manage to stop him from making his wish and with a heavy heart he was forced to defeat the only thing he had to his own. The battle lasted for half a day. Until Guru manage to seal him in a containment with a powerful wave. Poor Guru was sadden he exiled Slug to a far away galaxy to live all his days trapped within the seal.
It cuts back to the present
Dende: After that Guru was crowned as Grand Elder after the previous passing.
Krillin: Wow. This Lord Slug guy sounds off as King Piccolo was.
Gohan: Sounds to me he was provoked. It must have been tough on your elder.
Dende: It was. But my Papa always kept telling me it was a legend. But I guess deep down I knew there was more to it than that. I'll take you to meet him and if you prove your worth he will lend you the Dragon Ball he holds in his temple. And wish back the friends you lost.
Krillin: Thanks a lot.
Gohan: That includes yours.
Dende: What?
Gohan: You lost your father and brother today to Vegeta and this Frieza jerk. When my father gets here he's gonna teach them both a lesson. And then we'll wish our friends your family and your people.
As Dende shed tears of joy Krillin and Bulma admired that for Gohan had the same heart as his father who promised another friend to wish his father back too during Goku's war against the Red Ribbin Army
And speaking of Goku he had spent six more days training since his telepathic talk with King Kai this time he was training under 30 times normal gravity
Under sweat and a bit bruised up throwing punches with dumbbell's in his grips
Goku heard King Kai's warning in his head
I can’t just leave my son there. And what about the Dragon Balls? I have to try!
You have to promise me! Right now!
Can’t I just get a look at the guy?
No, you cannot “get a look at the guy”! THAT’S AN ORDER!
C’mon!
ABSOLUTELY NOT!
Goku: I'm sorry King Kai. I can't keep that promise. Because I wouldn't be keeping a promise to my wife. I let our son go to Namek when I should have been a better parent like Tights said. Chi-Chi......
On Earth Chi-Chi was at Capsule Corp looking at the second ship
And her psychic connection allowed her to hear Goku saying her name
Chi-Chi......
She turns around
Chi-Chi: Goku.
Both torn into their connection it actually pulls us to another flashback on Planet Vegeta with Bardock in the same type of healing capsule since he was struck from behind by that alien and who came in......
.....was Gine
Gine: My husband! Where is he?
Fasha: He's okay Gine. They're treating him in the rejuvenation.
Gine: What the hell happened?! Nappa told me he was.....
Fasha: Attacked in the head yes I know. We just finished one of our assignments but some slimeball came out of no where and had the jump on us. Bardock's gonna be fine but his head took a real heavy hit. He could have a lot of side effects.
Gine looked into the capsule putting her hand on the glass where her husband's hand lied
Gine: Come back to me.
Cutting Goku and Chi-Chi years later reaching out they didn't see each other but felt one another's presence
Goku: I'll get our son back.
Chi-Chi: You come back to me.
Mother and wife.....repeated quote in history
Mere centuries apart, their goals and values were similarly aligned when it came to the people they cared about. But while Gine was arguably apart of the danger that helped spread untold misery and destruction throughout the very chasm of the universe, Chi-Chi, deep down, was very hesitant in putting herself back out into that dangerous world.
A world she left behind for a more peaceful, tranquil life.
But she couldn’t tear her gaze away from the distant horizon. Losing her family once had been a nightmare she refused to relive. The only solution was to confront the world's wealthiest family and insist they aid her journey to Namek. She clenched her fists, a quiet rage surging through her veins; the length of the journey was of no consequence.
No matter who she had to convince to accompany her, she was resolved.
Even the terrifying expanse of space, with its boundless, suffocating emptiness that could easily claim her life, was not enough to deter her. Her eyes locked onto the sleek, metallic spaceship resting in the backyard, bathed in the glow of the setting sun, its sleek design promising adventure. Her decision was unwavering, her resolve unbreakable.
This trip to Namek was happening NO MATTER WHAT.
Unlike Goku's calm and unobtrusive entry at the Capsule Corporation's entrance and main hall just a few days prior, her arrival was a whirlwind of chaos and clamor. The air buzzed with her loud footsteps as she stomped down the corridor, determined to leave a trail of disorder in her wake to emphasize her frustration. Her voice pierced the air as she shouted the doctor's name repeatedly, the echoes bouncing off the polished walls. The absence of the janitors, who had been diligently at work during Goku's visit, only added to the scene as she vented her exasperation, each step and shout filled with purpose.
Chi-Chi: DOCTOR!!!!
As Chi-Chi continued her noisy approach, her footsteps reverberating throughout the labyrinthine halls of Capsule Corporation and almost sprinting her way upstairs, Dr. Briefs, who was working in his office, heard her before he saw her. He carefully placed his tools down and stood up, an uncomfortable look on his face.
Dr. Briefs: Here comes trouble.
That very muttering under his breath gave away just how much trouble he was in, recognizing the source of the commotion.
Bracing himself, Dr. Briefs stepped out to confront Chi-Chi as she rounded the corner, a fierce expression on her face that would intimidate even the mightiest warriors in the universe. Like a falcon’s prey, her eyes refused to leave him.
He wanted to begin cautiously, tread lightly, try to placate her ire despite his voice likely to be already tinged with apprehension, as he knew a visit from Chi-Chi usually heralded a major event. But before he could utter a single word, the former princess of Fire Mountain and the Ox King's daughter stepped into his personal space and forced him to take a step back, raising both his hands in a show of submission.
Dr. Briefs: W-Wait! Just let me explain.
The dam broke, and her indignant words rushed out.
Chi-Chi: So you just ship my Goku off through astrophysical plasma in outer space and don’t bother telling me when he leaves?! The hell did you think you were—?!
Dr. Briefs: Hey, we all agreed this trip needed to happen. You don’t get to be picky on who did what to whom and when; it needed to be done.
Chi-Chi: Don’t even think of lying to me. I know how close he is with you and Bulma.
Dr. Briefs: I just put together the ship and designed the schematics for everything else inside. It was Goku's decision to go early…..
Chi-Chi: Stop.
She clenched her fists, feeling her heart race like a runaway train. Her mind was a tangled mess of frustration and anger, having traveled this volatile path too many times before. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks and her jaw tightening as if it were locked in a vise. If she let his words needle her any longer, she knew her composure would shatter like glass.
Inhaling deeply, she tried to calm herself, but each breath felt futile as if she were trying to extinguish a fire with a whisper.
Chi-Chi: You’re treading on some….mighty thin ice right now. Unless you want me to send you packing to the nearest nursing home, you better reconfigure that spaceship you got standing like a porcelain statue back there and get me to Namek.
Dr. Briefs: I can’t do that.
Chi-Chi: CAN’T….or WON’T?
Dr. Briefs: What do you think?
Wrong response.
Grabbing the old doctor by his turtleneck sweater underneath his lab coat, he’s practically helpless at Chi-Chi’s hands. She slams him back against the nearest table, scattering its contents violently in every direction. With relentless power, she shoves him toward the transparent glass windows. The windows hold firm, no fractures appear... yet the sheer savagery of the act sends waves of terror through everyone else in the room, their eyes wide with fear.
The temptation to call security and forcefully escort Chi-Chi from the premises was strong. After all, her hands were currently on the boss.
Said boss too wanted to get Chi-Chi out of here…but something stopped him. Looking into Chi-Chi’s blazing, near-animalistic eyes, he saw a mother’s fierce resolve and a former warrior’s unwavering ambition bubbling over, it reminded him how much alike she was to her father in his younger years and how monumental a mistake it was to deny her.
Unfortunately, he wouldn’t get the chance to verbally express his mistake. Because somebody beat him to it.
Chi-Chi!
Immediately, Chi-Chi snaps her head back towards the source of the sudden noise. Tights stood at the other entrance to the office sporting a grey undershirt, grey earrings, reddish sandals, and a blue pearl necklace with blue and white bracelets on her left wrist, her chest rising and falling unevenly as she struggled to catch her breath. Such a decision had weighed heavily on her, knowing that stepping in would mean unwittingly preserving her father's life—a man she had complex feelings about. Yet, despite everything, she still harbored a sense of care for the well-meaning doctor.
And this irascible outburst would do nothing good for anyone.
Dr. Briefs: Taitsu…
Tights: Look, he can get the ship reconfigured for you. Just—just let him go….
She mumbled, her gaze flickering towards her father but not quite meeting his eyes. It was the first time they had actively been face to face with each other since Tights made the bold decision to leave the Corporation for years, rejecting the chance to take the reins in favor of pursuing her dream as a science-fiction writer. Throughout the time spent apart, Tights had convinced herself that he was disappointed in her—yet, in reality, nothing could be further from the truth for Dr. Briefs.
Eventually, it proved to be enough for Chi-Chi to release her father.
Chi-Chi let out a slow controlled breath and attempted to loosen her body movements. She was walking like a clockwork soldier and that was no way to be in this neighborhood. She gave her shoulders a wiggle and lolled her head in a circle, let her stride slacken to a more casual pace. It was a decent effort, enough to fool the casual observer, but for the onlooker with a keen eye she was a walking advert for tension. Her eyes moved with the alertness that comes from heavy stress and her hands remained clenched by subconscious demand.
Getting her son and husband back given her last words with them before they both left for Namek were family fall outs
Gohan rebelled out of guilt for Piccolo and her walking out on Goku only for supporting his son and out of guilt when after him himself when she should have gone with him
She sat outside in silence and Tights came out a minute later
Tights: I sure hope you never get pissed at me.
Chi-Chi: I'm my own worst enemy.
Tights: How's that?
She sits on the bench with her
Chi-Chi: I know what I married myself into. But lately I been blind sided to think I could make my only son different than his father. Just for a better life. And maybe....I don't know.....I could make something better. Maybe see Gohan grow into something out of the battles. Out of the tyranny. And it's not Goku's fault. It was Piccolo's. He got Gohan into this and now he wants to wish him back. Just like.....God......I am the worst mother and wife ever.
Tights: No. Sweetie no. You do what any mother should. And there maybe things you can't always protect Gohan from. Or change Goku into anything. But before he left I gave him some parenting advice.
Chi-Chi: You did? What did you tell him?
Tights: I told him he has to be strict sometimes in parenting. And he can't be afraid to say no sometimes cause it usually saves your child's life. I know it's not my business to give parenting advice to your husband but as you know as I do.....Goku's not the brightest in the meadow. But he means well. And hopefully he can take pride in it.
Chi-Chi: You and me both. I just....when I walked out on him.....I never looked back. And he takes off. What if he took off cause of me? Gohan took off cause I said no. And now he's gone.
Tights: You're too not the brightest either Chi-Chi making you two perfect for each other. Goku left to make up for his part to get both yall's son back. Now the only thing you can do.....is have faith in him.
Chi-Chi stood up trying to regather that faith
Chi-Chi: Then help me rebuild it. By helping your dad get that other ship ready. I'm going to help my boys.
Tights stands up
Tights: That's what I wanted to hear. I'll tag along to help Bulma.
Both coming to an understanding the screen pulls back when it cuts back to Namek
Vegeta had destroyed another village killed every Namekian there including more Namek children he he was bitter on finding the Dragon Balls no matter the cost
But he stood there with the wind blowing and smoke flowing from the explosions he caused in the destruction
But Vegeta grew a smirk when.......
.....the screen moved aside revealing Zarbon standing behind him smirking and arms crossed
He sensed him and chuckled still turned around
Vegeta: Zarbon. I wondered when our paths would cross again sooner or later.
Zarbon: Likewise. I been hearing some stories about you Vegeta. Stories you gone rogue on Lord Frieza. And you killed both Cui and Dodoria. As shocking as I find that I'm impressed.
Vegeta: You come to flatter me? Or just to lick my boots?
Zarbon: None of the above. Lord Frieza wants a word with you.
Vegeta: Does he? Or did he send you to do his dirty work like you always do?
He finally turns to face the green handsome man
Vegeta: Honestly Zarbon what's Frieza ever done with you except make you his lapdog?
Zarbon: You're one to talk. You treated your buddies Nappa Raditz and Turles the same way.
Vegeta: Touché.
Zarbon: And right now I want answers. Why turn your back on us you little shit? We took you in after your daddy kicked the bucket.
Vegeta: Because I know it was him who killed him. Dodoria even told me about Bardock before I blew him away. The truth can always set you free Zarbon.
Zarbon: So you know the truth. Big deal. If Frieza didn't find you useful he would have killed you too. Even if you succeed with the Dragon Balls before him and you concurred the Cosmic Emperor what would you do then? Huh?
If that wasn’t the realest thing Vegeta was asked during his entire duration on this foreign planet.
He spent his entire life forcefully subjected to and mentally subjugated under what might as well be a cosmic dictatorship while being told which planets to conquer, who to kill, who to free, who to train against, creatively stifling his own limits and degrees of power…..and despite working up the courage to eventually, one day take down the one responsible for wiping out most of his race….
….where would it end? Frieza had indoctrinated too much of his bigoted, violent impulses into Vegeta for him to ever consider himself a credible member of society again. He is essentially, an imperfect mirror image of his greatest rival already. Even if he did take Frieza’s wish and became immortal himself, he’d have to live the rest of his life dawning on the consequences of his actions.
And he’d get bored. Quickly.
Still, it was a reality he couldn’t hope to dawn on. So the Saiyan Prince deflects the remark, and retaliates with one of his normal grubby retorts.
Vegeta: Real rich coming from you. Don’t pretend you wouldn’t take the opportunity to do what I am. But then again….why would I bother? You freaky alien genotypes are all alike.
That was quite the low blow for Zarbon. Already, his face began contorting out of embarrassment and quiet rage. Saiyan royalty or otherwise, he knee better than to take that derogatory insult lying down.
He only scoffs. Yet he should’ve known getting Vegeta to “cooperate” would be difficult.
Zarbon: Vegeta, I’m well aware of the importance that those balls hold but such drastic extremities are of no use to me.
Yet another bald faced lie from the other highly esteemed general of Frieza.
Zarbon: But I can’t forgo my search for them on the possibility you just so happen to be near one as we speak. Now are you going to come quietly…..or do I have to make you scream?
Vegeta: Depends if you wanna be face-down with another man beating your ass.
As expected, the pretty boy brushes it off with a sly smirk and scoff.
Zarbon: Very well.
First, Zarbon puts his right hand upwards and charges an orange energy sphere. He then thrusts his hand forward and fires a barrage of star-shaped Ki blasts at Vegeta. The Shooting Star Arrow, as he called it, failed miserably as Vegeta didn’t even bother deflecting even one of those blasts, instead opting to phase through each volley before disappearing entirely.
Taken off guard, Zarbon doesn’t get much time to react to Vegeta suddenly reappearing behind him. Sensing this, he aims for a haymaker, only for Vegeta to catch it.
Gripping his arm, Vegeta tosses him into the air, granting him a few precious milliseconds of reprieve before reappearing above him and flipping backwards to kick him down. At least, that’s what would’ve happened had Zarbon not moved out the way.
He proceeds to go for a stiff kick to the back of Vegeta’s neck….but it gets blocked. Vegeta repeats the same attack but Zarbon instead backs up….
….only to perform a backflip to kick him in the chin, sending Vegeta flying.
Momentarily.
Reconfiguring his own momentum in mid-air, Vegeta recovers and charges directly at the green-haired model-esque alien. Zarbon braces himself for a block, but doesn’t realize that Vegeta immediately phases through him until it’s too late. A stubborn axe handle to the back of his head was the visual cue he needed, sending him hurdling down to the ground.
But still, he gets up, immediately scouting the area for his next move. If only the elders hadn’t blown up his scouter.
Zarbon: Where are you?
BAM!
Swift kick to his back later, and he’s sliding among the ground, perpetually staining his armor and caused his mouth to bleed due to the angle of his landing. It didn’t take long for Zarbon to feel that irregularity within his mouth, and upon rummaging through tongue, teeth and gums area, he didn’t find anything broken.
But there was blood. Green blood.
His own.
Vegeta was not bluffing about his apparent buffs in strength.
Vegeta: Oh, how long I’ve waited for this moment. Is it Wednesday already, Zarbon?
Zarbon: Very cute, Vegeta…..
He says, slowing tilting his head back towards him, blood dripping out his mouth down to the chin.
Zarbon:….but you have no idea what you’ve just gotten yourself into.
Vegeta: Blasphemy! I’ve been slaughtering you cretins as soon as I got here; Cui, Dodoria, and soon you’re going next on the list. I’m two for two….and soon I’ll be back on top.
Zarbon: Get used to being on top….
Slowly, he rises to a vertical basis, loosening himself up. But the look of his face is one of perplexed annoyance, both at being manhandled like this…..and to what he knew he was about to do next. To think he was already somewhat reluctant to sacrifice looks for this.
But when his hand has been forced, what choice was there?
Zarbon:….cause I’m about to put you back on the bottom, where you belong.
Vegeta: Hmm?
Zarbon: You see….I’ve been hiding a darker side to myself and there’s a very good reason I keep those powers hidden. You see, exploiting them calls for a drastic transformation. Quite a distasteful one in fact. Hideous even.
Already curious, Vegeta doesn’t try and stop this, those Saiyan cells of his calling on the thrill of battle yet again despite a clear disadvantage about to exploit itself for him. Zarbon only has to wipe his mouth free of the blood trickling down his mouth before crossing his arms in preparation.
Zarbon: But I’ll make an exception just…for…..you. So prepare yourself….for the Beast Within!
Vegeta's expression drops in confusion and curiosity
Zarbon: Feel it's fair I warn you my dear prince. This form is entirely different in every way.
Vegeta: What'd you mean?
Zarbon let out a bellowing animalistic roar as his body grew out buffing weight his green skin scaled and his teeth grew pointy
Zarbon had become a literal alien beast which admittedly turn took Vegeta off guard
Beast Zarbon: Rimma eat you alive bitch!
Vegeta: I'll admit I'm intimidated but I'll be perfectly honest you're not that different you're just----
The Beast Zarbon charged at him and he MANHANDLES the Rouge Saiyan
He knees him in the gut slams him on the ground grabbed him by the head and started head butting him bursting out blood from his nose and mouth
The Headbutts lasted almost more than a minute till Zarbon picks him up and flies straight up
Vegeta: LET ME GO! LET ME GO!
Beast Zarbon: OKAY!
Vegeta: Wait no! Zarbon! I was just kidding! No! No! No! No! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He throws him back down launching him like a torpedo and hits the ground setting off an explosion of dirt which caused him him to crash into the river
Following Frieza's orders Zarbon only had to hurt him enough just to bring him in alive
Zarbon dived down into the water after him
Other than the bigger aftermath from the fighting it took a minute till.......
Zarbon came back out of the water carrying the unconscious and damaged Vegeta on his shoulders
Beast Zarbon: And that's the end of that.
Zarbon croaked in pulling his bod back to his original form
Zarbon: Best we head back to Lord Frieza. He's dying for a little chat with you my boy. We take too long he'll really lay into us both.
Zarbon takes off dragging Vegeta back to Frieza's command ship
But we finally cut back to Goku's ship where we see him hanging upside down shirtless and pulling up under 50 times normal gravity
His chat with King Kai really got him pumped to keep pushing forward
from each pull up he was counting them down with the dumbbells
Goku: 295! 296! 297! 298! 299.........300! AAAAAAAARGH!
Goku dropped down in exhaustion dropping the dumbbells causing loud dings on the ship floor
Goku: SHIT! Argh!
Tired and frustrated Goku found himself stuck on the wire tied on upside down
Goku: Come on Goku. You've gotten yourself into worst jams than this. Maybe if I just.....push myself maybe I can shake loose.
Goku started pushing but the gravity made it harder to even get some distance from the walls
However being stuck upside down was soon to be the least of his problems for his ship.......
........was approaching a storm........
Goku continues to struggle until alarms on his ship went off booming in his ears
Goku: NOW WHAT?!
The ship was caught in the storm and lightning clashed and Goku felt the shakes while stuck on the wire
Goku yelled in terror with the ship in mortal danger
Cutting back to Namek at Frieza's ship Vegeta was once again in another healing capsule to be treated from his injury from his fight with Zarbon
Frieza: Excellent work Zarbon. With Vegeta back in our hands we shouldn't have to worry about him snatching the dragon balls.
Zarbon: If I may sire. He claims to have easily overpowered both Cui and Dodoria. He's gained more strength since his visit to this planet called Earth.
Frieza: What do we know about this Earth anyway?
Zarbon: Not much. It doesn't show on any of our radars or any map of the galaxy. Hell there's no records on your father's archives.
Frieza: Then maybe we'll gain more about it when Vegeta's done with his bath. Or if we manage to capture those humans from before.
Soon automatic doors open and one of The Cosmic Emperor's soldiers rushes in
Soldier: Lord Frieza.
Frieza: Yes Commander what is it?
Soldier: Your father commands you to make contact with him.
Frieza: Power the ship's signals to one hundred efficiency. So we can send a clear transmission.
The soldier solutes as Frieza makes his way out of the medic room and Zarbon nods before looking back to Vegeta in the capsule
Seeing the ship from outside again chilling music sets in giving us goose bumps
In Frieza's private chambers he steps up to a platform kneeing down as the transmission was connected showing a screen of a gigantic monster shadow figure that resembled Frieza in a way
Frieza: What is your will Father?
Our probe droids around the galaxy has picked up an unidentified ship heading towards your location as we speak.
Frieza: What do you know of it so far?
The scanning's detected Saiyan Technology coming from the ship but it's not a Saiyan Ship. It holds no records in the archives.
Frieza: Any lifeforms?
Just one. But we detected Saiyan DNA from him.
Frieza: Another one? I thought Vegeta was the last?
Anything is possible my son. You of all people should know that. Unlike your brother would. This Unnamed Saiyan could be a threat to our clan.
Frieza: If he's just a Saiyan then what threat could he pose to us? Vegeta can no longer help him. As of now he's in my custody.
Good work son. But remember what you told me before you destroyed Planet Vegeta. Both this unknown Saiyan and Vegeta could destroy us both.
Frieza: Not if we destroy them both. Once I have all the Dragon Balls Vegeta nor this Rogue Saiyan won't stand any chance
Very well. But you must not take chances. Which why I recommend you send for the Ginyu Force. If there are other surviving Saiyans out there everything depends on this Dragon Ball hunt of yours. And this one coming and Vegeta could least us to them.
Frieza: Such as Broly? And Vegeta's brother Tarble?
Perhaps. If they live. Be patient my son. For now.....send word to Frieza 79 to bring forth the Ginyu Force.
Frieza: As you wish.......Father.
He lowers his head in a proper bow for his shadowy mystery father
A bow he immediately shrugs off by quickly turning away from the screen, the giant flatscreen slowly levitating back up to the ceiling.
While not directly having to answer to a higher power unlike himself, this brief interaction with his father alone marked and highlighted a clear distinction between him and the rest of his family. Despite the civilized and refined demeanor he puts up, the regal and eloquent performative nature he likes to exude for all to see, Frieza’s very relationship with his father already chinked one precious area of his armor.
This perfectionist was also the premier definition of a malignant narcissist, preferring to move along at his own pace, at his own time and he didn’t take too kindly to any form of criticism, constructive or otherwise.
Frieza might’ve grasped the concept of right and wrong but he spent so long taking whatever it was he wanted by force that he now believed everyone and everything to be as selfish and self-serving as him.
With the door to said room now open on the outside, the solider who escorted him in remained.
Frieza: Soldier? I think it’s about time I admire my hard work. Bring me my Dragon Balls.
Solider: Yes, sir.
He bows before making a beeline towards his right, leaving Frieza with his arms crossed behind his back like a stuck-up pompous Oxford professor. This alien tyrant was still only TWO Dragon Balls away from making the Cosmic Emperor title a reality and he was certain that by the time Vegeta came to, he’d choke the answers out of him with his tail….
….or resort to his usual five procedural demands of torture. There would be no end to his creativity when the goal was this close in sight.
Immortality would soon be his.
If only he was made aware of the fact that Vegeta wasn’t the only one here who planned to leave a permanent stain of his own parade.
Dende had followed through on taking the Z-Fighters to the Grand Elder’s palace, but as the journey to meet up with him would taken an excruciating five hours, at best. Unsure of what else would come their way, Krillin volunteered to go with Dende alone and told Gohan to keep an eye out on Bulma so they could watch each others backs.
But regardless, it was a set destination and such a task had to be accomplished, no ifs ands or bits about it.
Flying past and skimming through identical rock formations, plateaus and the never ending greenish-teal ocean for a combined 300 minutes was guaranteed to get exhausting quickly so both Krillin and Dende would often camp out on the nearest rock formations to rest up and relax before continuing.
This was, by proxy, the sixteenth time they had to stop and recollect themselves before continuing again. So much so that doubt was starting to itch Krillin’s subconscious a tiny bit. He hoped this wasn’t all some giant fluke.
He looks down at Dende besides him, twitching in a weird stasis between asleep and being wide awake; Krillin physically rocking him to jolt him into focus wasn’t helping much.
Krillin: Hey. Hey!
Dende: Argh….
Krillin: Trust me, kid. I’m tired too but we’re not that far off, right?
He gets no answer.
Krillin: RIGHT?
Dende: Yeah….yeah.
Rubbing his eyes, he points to his far left.
Dende: Just a little to the left, and then atop the tall rock.
Krillin followed Dende's finger and spotted a massive pillar-like formation in the distance, taller than any of the other structures they'd passed so far. Only one oblongly shaped dwelling dome house made of stone, similar to other Namekian villages, laid atop the terrain.
Just like their Kami, the Namekian's God was elevated high above them…but not entirely out of reach. Exhausting in relief, Krillin exclaims….
Krillin: Oh thank God. To be honest, I was starting to think we’d be stuck flying out here forever.
He stood up, brushing the sand off his shorts before offering a hand to Dende. Dende accepted Krillin's hand and wobbled to his feet, yawning as he stretched out his neck.
Dende: Thank you, Krillin. I underestimated you and your friends. For that, I’m sorry.
Krillin: No problem, little green. At least we’re almost there.
With a mere twenty minutes to spare, they swiftly approached the Grand Elder's house. The dwelling stood majestically atop a towering rock formation, its silhouette etched against the sky. As they descended, the wind rushed past their faces, carrying with it the scent of earth and the whisper of ancient stories. They landed gracefully beside the house, the ground solid and welcoming beneath their feet, ready to face whatever awaited them within those venerable walls.
Not long after landing, the door opens as they go toward it, and a young Namekian man comes out.
Donning a blue vest and a white scarf around his neck, his chest and stomach are mostly exposed apart from a long flowing brown vest. He also wears baggy white pants with a blue sash and brown pointed boots common amongst his race. Besides the generic characteristics of their race, this Namekian looked virtually identical to Piccolo outside the attire…..
….and his name: Nail (Michael B. Jordan).
Upon seeing him, Dende, surprised to even see Nail here, is quick to shield Krillin behind him despite only being a child. Even with the friendly intentions having been spelled out with marker long in advance, the bald monk was still a foreigner in this strange world at the end of the day. And similar to Frieza, these remaining Namekians would rather not risk it if they could help it.
With their villages already plundered and many more of his kind wiped out, Nail intended to keep his guard up unless provoked.
Nail: Dende, what have you brought to Guru’s house?
With him speaking in the official Namekian tongue, Dende had to replay back.
Dende: Foreigners. They say they are here to help.
Nail: Help with what?
Nail's stern expression didn't budge an inch as he appraised the two before him. Krillin offered a cautious wave, while Dende stepped forward, his voice placated but firm.
Dende: Nail, I understand your suspicion, but I assure you, these warriors mean no harm. They've come from another world in search of rebuilding what was taken from them.
Krillin: To think I’ve forgotten how beautiful this language is.
Again, he narrows his eyes, eying Krillin up and down with skepticism.
Nail: Hmmm. It seems we must speak the natural language: English.
He assesses, quickly switching up his dialect and programming language to accustom that of the foreigner stepping on his property. Although with Krillin placing his hands on his hips, trying to look as non-threatening as possible, it was much easier to tell now the former monk was just as much out of his element as he was now.
Approaching the former student of the Turtle Hermit School, Nail just towers over Krillin.
Nail: Forgive me for being blunt, but we Namekians have had our fair share of strife brought upon us by outsiders claiming to be saviors.
Krillin: Yeah, I get that. But how would you feel if I said we’ve kinda been in your shoes now thanks to our….common ‘friend’?
For a third time, Nail had to narrow his eyes, glancing between him and the Namekian boy he was very much affiliated with.
Nail: Speak.
Krillin: The people slaughtering your villages? We bumped into them back on Earth. Well, more like…..decomposed our friends with their bare hands.
Nail: Is that so?
Krillin: Yeah. See? We only come to ask for your Dragon Balls to wish back the friends that were murdered by a ruthless Saiyan named Vegeta. And since he's here too that's a mutual problem for all of us. We'd be more than happy to get rid of him and those other invaders for you. It's just our other friend who's the muscle of our group isn't here yet. But he will be soon. We just humbly ask if we could lend your Dragon Balls only to wish our fallen friends back.
Dende: We can trust him Nail. He and the other human saved my life from the invaders. They even promised to revive our people who were killed.
Nail: Then our race will be in your dept. And The Grand Elder will want to see you anyway. Come with me.
Krillin and Dende follow the Noble Namekian inside
They stepped on a platform which floats up giving Krillin anxiety and just then they levitated up where they see.......
........Guru (Voiced by John Kani) a larger and older Namekian they seen by far with a Dragon Ball on top of his throne
Krillin's reaction showed he was utterly shocked to see Namekians can be that big
Krillin: Whoa! He sure is huge.
Dende: Grand Elder Guru!
Guru: Dendi. Thank stars you are safe. My heart broke when the word on your village reached my ears. I am so sorry son.
Krillin: For a second I thought he was sleeping.
Guru: Now tell me. Who is your human friend?
Dende: This is one of my saviors Grand Elder. He is Krillin of the Planet Earth. He's come to ask if we can favor him with the Dragon Balls for a noble wish.
Guru: For Dende's safe return we are humbled to lend you our Dragon Balls Young Earthling.
Krillin: Thanks. I mean....I didn't really do much sir. Uh....Grand....I mean.....sorry.....I'm kinda new to this.....royal thing. If you're royal. Not that I don't think you are.....I just.....
Guru: Hush my son. You have no worry here. It has already pained me that my people have fallen victim to these evil invaders. I can hear their cries of death everywhere. But you bring us hope. Even to know you are willing to revive our my people as well as your fallen friends.
Krillin: How do you know that?
Guru: We have abilities to read the minds of outsiders. Forgive me for invading your thoughts I just had to be sure you were not just using Dende to come here for the Dragon Ball.
Krillin completely forgotten that Piccolo use to read minds too so it was no surprise to him that Guru could too even the other Namekians
That made him wonder if Dende did too which is how he trusted them completely
Guru: No Dende Cannot yet. Not until he is of age. But he was right to trust you.
Krillin: Uh.....thanks um......forgive me for cutting to chase but......is it possible I can burrow your Dragon Ball up there? I promise I won't let those creeps get it.
Guru: To repay my dept to you for Dende and value service to my people I am more than happy to lend you the Dragon Ball. But first I have something else for you. Step forward to the right side of my throne.
Krillin was sweating a little as he walked over to where Guru come where he asked him to stand
Guru then lowered his left hand over Krillin's head which almost scared him
Guru: Do not be afraid my son. There's so much I must learn of you. And I will learn faster through your thoughts.
Krillin: Can't you....read my mind anyway.
Guru: I am old. So I only read thoughts from a far to only know of their attentions. I will learn more as I unlock your hidden power.
That excited Krillin a bit
Guru: Now hold still. And try to remain calm
After a moment Krillin took a breath and Guru conjured his ability to enter his mind and then.........
.......Guru see's everything in his memories
Of Raditz arriving at Kame House
The Saiyan Attack
And by far everything he and Gohan went through since arriving to Namek
He even went as far back to his early early memories when he first started fighting in the first place: his jealous and selfish beginnings under his master.
His burgeoning rivalry turned friendship with Goku.
Both of their involvements in back-to-back Martial Arts Tournaments.
And of course, his first untimely death at the hands of Tambourine and the Demon King Piccolo.
He saw in Krillin a kindred spirit, one who wanted what was best not just for himself but for those who cared about him and vice versa. And it was even more impressive to Guru that Krillin opted to work towards that gradual shift in attitude and direction after being humbled.
This was someone who earned what he was about to give him.
Guru: I see something within this young man….strength yet untapped. Power yet unleashed.
Krillin: Hmm?
Guru: Hold still, as I unleash the valley of strength hidden deep within!
With his hand suddenly glowing and resonating with whatever spiritual essence remained within him, he passes that power down through Krillin and with it, Krillin’s body glowed with a ray of light shining brightly around and inside the house. Continuing to surge with a blazing white aura, one almost blinding, Dende and Nail kept watching.
Only twenty seconds was needed for the former monk’s empowered state of dormant power being brought out.
Slowly, Guru’s hand moves away from Krillin’s bald head, the latter confused as to how seamless such a procedure could be. And even better, was how Krillin felt afterward. Muscles were more limber, Ki level felt a significant increase and he felt physically stronger than he was the entire time he was on Earth during the Saiyan invasion.
An absolute success.
Krillin: Oh. My. God.
Guru: What is wrong?
Krillin: Are you kidding me? Nothing! I—I didn’t even know I had this much power!
Guru: Thus power has been within you all along. As long as people like you have untapped strength hidden within, it can always be brought out.
If that wasn’t an open invitation for Krillin to try something else, it would’ve been a missed opportunity either way. They’ve spent the vast majority of their time here on Namek trying to avoid the fight as much as possible; an avenue that was destined to fail sooner rather than later. If Krillin could bring Gohan to Guru so he can release his latent potential as well, the possibility was there that they could stand up to Vegeta.
Or this Frieza.
This was essentially a no-brainer.
Guru: Be safe, tread softly and carefully. I entrust in you the fate of the Dragon Ball as well as this entire planet.
Krillin: I won’t let you down.
Before heading off on his way, a quick goodbye was in order. He turns to Dende, still being monitored and held close by Nail. The best play was for Dende to wait until he got back.
Krillin: You’ll be safe here, little green?
Dende only nods ‘Yes’.
Krillin then takes off with the giant magic orb
Nail: You trust him young one?
Dende: With my life. There's even another human from coming to help us. My saviors call him Goku.
Nail: Tell us of him.
Speaking of Goku his ship was caught in the storm which tumbled
Goku was still stuck on the wire his swings were of no effect
Goku: DAMMIT!!
The gravity precent kept him down but our hero had a few more bright ideas
Goku crosses his arms in a X and starts swinging himself in a little spin
Lightning clashes outside shaking the ship
Goku begins to pick up speed in the spin from five meters ten meters fifteen twenty
Goku's spin was swinging in speed and the heat of the speed began to burn the wire and then........
Goku: KAIOKEN!!!!!!!!
Goku's Kaioken gains him strength to break free and the wire burns off and Goku aims his fall for the gravity machine and HITS the off switch shutting down the gravity and Goku hits the floor knocking him unconscious
Soon enough the ship finally made out of the storm
Cutting back to Namek we join back at Frieza's ship where Vegeta in the healing capsule lied still as one of the Cosmic Emperor's soldiers was monitoring his progress
But then......Vegeta's finger twitched and after a minute......his eyes slowly opened
Meanwhile in Frieza's private chambers he was in contact with soldiers on search for Krillin and Gohan
We searched from south to west Lord Frieza. Ransacked every village but nothing on the humans or the other Dragon Balls. If there's no sign of them Dodoria must have destroyed them before his demise at the hands of Vegeta.
Frieza: No Captain. They're out there alive. I want all your men available to tare this planet apart until they are found!
The captain bows before the screen shuts off and then Zarbon enters the chambers
Zarbon: You wanted to see me sire?
Frieza: Yes Zarbon come closer.
He lands on his feet as Zarbon steps forward and knees down
Frieza: My father has ordered us to call forth The Ginyu Force.
Zarbon: The Ginyu Force? Lord Frieza forgive me for protesting but.....you know how they are especially with their-----
Frieza: With all due respect Zarbon it was my father's suggestion. And trust me I'm not as range with their......uh.....sideshow either but the reason he wants us to bring them in is cause.....we have another Saiyan heading our way.
Zarbon: Another Saiyan? How is that possible?
Frieza: I'm not sure myself. But we all know some handful Saiyans did survive the destruction of the planet besides Vegeta.
Zarbon: You think he's Vegeta's new partner after Nappa Raditz and Turles?
Frieza: I don't know. But with two Saiyans to deal with we need to bring in the big guns.
Zarbon: Such as the Ginyu Force sire?
Frieza: Exactly.
Zarbon: I don't think it's a good idea to bring them here but I trust yours and your father's judgement.
Suddenly another random soldier rushed in
Soldier: LORD FRIEZA! TERRIBLE NEWS SIRE! VEGETA HAS BROKEN OUT OF----
Frieza felt interrupted enough he blasted a death beam at him striking him in the heart killing him instantly
Frieza: I hate unnotified interruptions.
Zarbon: As do I sire but.....did he just mention Vegeta?
That's when they felt the ship tumble as they heard an explosion
Frieza: Zarbon? Who did you leave guarding him?
Anyone but the right person in charge.
Both Frieza and Zarbon found out the hard way, sprinting toward the scene of the breakout, smoke erupting from the incomplete combustion of carbon, ash, condensed tar and volatile Ki energy dispersed along with it. The two were left brushing past other Frieza Force soldiers darting across the ship with extreme caution. Vegeta’s sudden escape left everyone on high alert and rightfully so.
With still two more Dragon Balls remaining and the fate of their entire mission and conquest once again in serious jeopardy, they were out of time for anymore unnecessary distractions or deviations.
Meaning Vegeta picked the right time to break out and derail everything.
The scene in which Frieza and Zarbon entered to in the healing chamber was a nightmare in the sense of how easily this played out. The medical capsule machine meant to heal him back to 100% was now reduced to scrap metal, the fluid water used to help regenerate critical injuries all but dried up on the ground, the breathing apparatus and other various wires reduced to mere melted rubber or wax and smoke still bellowed out from where the resilient Saiyan Prince high-tailed it mere minutes ago.
His only obstacle to prevent escaping? The burnt-toast oblong-headed purple alien with yellow spots named Appule, one of Frieza’s mid-ranking soldiers. It was no wonder Vegeta got away so seamlessly as he was the only person in the room.
And Zarbon left him in charge of keeping Vegeta company until further notice. Frieza was quick to give him the death glare, nearly seconds out from ripping his head off personally for making such an incautious error.
Zarbon: Lord Frieza, I can assure you—
Frieza: APPULE?! You left APPULE here to guard him?!
Zarbon: He told me he could handle it!
Frieza: Appule couldn’t handle a shot of Raspberry Schnapps, much less Vegeta!
He shouts before turning up towards the hole through the roof. One made via a carefully shot Ki blast, surely after frying Appule alive from within his rejuvenation tank and stepping on his neck. Either he was that hasty to make a dramatic exit and didn’t care who he pissed off along the way…
….or this was all one giant diversion.
Regardless, it wasn’t long before Zarbon took notice of the hole too.
Zarbon: There! That’s it!
Levitating to go after him, Frieza immediately snaps his arm back and drags him down. While keeping a visibly crabby and apoplectic expression nailed across his face, he slowly shook his head ‘No’. This was cheese in the mousetrap and while Frieza couldn’t really care less about what happened to Zarbon or the rest of his men, he wasn’t about to let him take this bait.
Not like this.
Zarbon: Sire, you’re going to let him—
Frieza: I know him. He wouldn’t dare take this out so cleanly.
And his gut instincts were spot-on.
The Saiyan Prince was power-walking his way through the halls of Frieza’s ship, his battle armor disheveled, ashen, and his right shoulder pad chipped off from Zarbon’s brutal beatdown. It also now sported blood from the countless of unlucky Frieza Force soldiers who came back to report and ended up down the barrel of a tunnel-visioned madman.
Whether it be a solid punch here, a lethargic kick there, Vegeta’s mission would not be denied.
Heading straight to the throne room right was the right call. Upon forcibly breaking down the door and watching the metal rip off its hinges, what might as well be a marvelous sight bombarded his pupils, corneas and retinas: all five Dragons Balls rounded up in a pile on display for anyone to see. Like a true narcissist, Frieza wished to brag of having nearly tracked down all seven orbs to prop up his own glory.
And it was in that moment that a devilish smile crept across Prince Vegeta’s face.
Vegeta: Keep your friends close….and your enemies closer.
Vegeta slides towards the center of the room with the grace of a veteran ballerina and shoots another Ii blast straight through the oblong circular window. That would be his way out.
Turning back to the Dragon Balls, he gathers each orb separately, one by one, and swiftly tosses them through the window and out of the ship, using the same amount of strength in order to ensure they land close to each other, although very far from Frieza's ship.
With that done, he flies out.
And just in the nick of time too, as Frieza and Zarbon burst into the throne room no less than a minute later…. only to see no Vegeta, no Dragon Balls and no trump card to use against the remaining Namekians. Just like that, their entire carefully curated plan in motion just got wiped out.
It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.
Frieza: Damn it all to hell, he’s gone! And he took off with my Dragon Balls!
Self-control is a finite resource because the part of the brain exerting control gets tired - it requires energy and that gets depleted. So, the repressing of anger needs careful thought. If it is boiling up, how will it be cooled? If it explodes, whom bears the brunt? Because their psyche under siege will naturally seek a more vulnerable (hence "safe") person to explode at. Stress bubbles down to less dominant people in a society where the more powerful have a reduced ability to handle their anger and stress. Thus, how you deal with your anger is vital.
It is like steam in a pressure cooker, one has to find a way to let it out in a safe manner.
Such self-control however was impossible for Frieza to comprehend or master and so, like a hostile virus sporadically targeting everything in sight…..he unleashes it the only way he knew how.
Violently jerking his body backward, he smacks Zarbon down to one knee with a backhand. The dashing warrior, fully aware this mistake was his doing, just takes it lying down. Eventually, he starts hyperventilating like a petulant child with his hand caught in the cookie jar after being scolded by the adults to stop prodding.
Fear gripped Zarbon thoroughly.
Frieza: I wonder just how do I continue to tolerate you. You keep underestimating that one-track-minded simian. YOU left him unsupervised with a complete nitwit in charge. And had I not been more clear with my instructions, I’m fairly certain you would have left Vegeta at the bottom of the ocean to drown because you're too afraid of getting wet!
Zarbon: I still went down there!
Frieza: And here I thought you were more valuable than Dodoria. A pity, such help is SO hard to come by these days.
Zarbon: Sire—
Frieza: You made the mess, you go clean it up. Vegeta. DRAGON BALLS. NOW!!!!
Zarbon nods in utter fear
Zarbon: I'll find them my lord. I swear it.
Frieza: For your sake.....you had better.
Zarbon was in a tight spot now
But that's when we cut to Vegeta as he had Frieza's Dragon Valls in some cave and he was laughing maniacally
Vegeta: Frieza you just made this too easy for me. You really should have had Zarbon kill me instead of bringing me in. Now if I count the one I tossed in the water near by I just have about six. Only question......where the hell are the last one?
That questioned was answered when he sensed someone approaching
He looks up to spot Krillin flying away with Guru's Dragon Ball
Vegeta was surprised to see the bald earthling from before
Vegeta: Well well.....it's Kakorat's sidekick from earth. The Bald Krillin. And he has......another Dragon Ball?
Vegeta's smile grew wider and then takes off after him laughing
Vegeta: Oh ho ho......this.....IS my lucky day.
But little did Vegeta know........
......he too was being followed by Zarbon
Zarbon: This time you won't slip from me Vegeta.
The chases speed on through around the planet
We finally cut back to King Kai's planet long since he contacted Goku and Piccolo owned him with the Frieza thing
Tien Yamcha and Chiaotzu had been trying to catch Bubbles like Goku
Yamcha tripped three times falling on the ground with Bubbles laughing at him Tien tried to sneak attack to grab the little ape but Bubbles slipped too fast
Chiaotzu: HOLD ON TIEN! I GOT IT!
Chiaotzu tried to cut Bubbles off guard but Bubbles simply turned another direction resulting Tien to bash on his best friend by accident both fall on the grass
Piccolo: Pathetic. Simply Pathetic.
Piccolo stood on the roof of King Kai's hunt and his eyes were moving anywhere as his sight was fallowing Bubbles everywhere no matter how fast he was
That was when Piccolo vanished
And in seconds Bubbles felt his tail being pulled and lifted off the ground
Piccolo holding him by the tail and carries him back to King Kai who still looked intimidated
Piccolo: Here's your dumb monkey.
Piccolo casually drops him in front of him.
King Kai: Uh.....very good. Now uh.....your third and final test is to......catch my friend Greggory and hit him with a mallet.
Piccolo: My patience is wearing thin!
King Kai: Well that's my rule buddy.
Piccolo gave him a death stare making King Kai whimper and he backs up and Piccolo just walks pass him and sits under a tree to go into a meditation
Yamcha: Bah don't mind him King Kai. He's kinda like that with everybody. You should have seen him when him and Goku were clashing at the tournament.
King Kai: I'm sure that was entertaining.
In Piccolo's meditation sat there in silence in his state spiritually training his mind as he commonly does
Back on Namek Gohan and Bulma located another dragon ball near their camp site and Gohan volunteered to go after it......ALONE
Bulma: You sure about this sweetheart? Cause I can tag along on my motor speeder.
Gohan: It's fine. Besides......I know Dad would do the same. And Piccolo would have wanted me to do this alone. It was part of his training during my time with him. I do want his teachings to pay off.
Bulma: You really look up to him don't you? I know he'd be proud. Just be careful. And if you run into Vegeta any of those other goons just come right back. A Dragon Ball isn't worth your life.
Gohan: Promise.
That's when Gohan takes off with the radar following the Dragon Ball's signal
Piccolo.....could sense his apprentice through his meditation and hearing him using his training made him grin
Piccolo: Gohan......
At least somebody on their side was actually making good use of the training they accumulated these past few years to make their journey a little more easier to navigate.
Krillin, fresh off of receiving the highest of momentary highs yet, quickly abandoned any and all pretenses of silence, stealth and misdirection in lieu of just…..flying out in the open air, freely. With a fresh Dragon Ball firmly grasped in his hands and his potential unlocked by the Grand Elder, his own excitement and ecstatic anticipation both for his own power and the journey ahead was sky high.
The fact that the bald monk was literally spiral-tapping in mid-air was evidence enough of his own animated elation.
But with that newfound power came great responsibility. And needless to say Krillin was already blowing it.
So overjoyed and ecstatic about his own potential being unlocked by Guru, he failed to realize that Vegeta had quickly taken notice of him and immediately bolted after him from behind. The ‘last’ Dragon Ball the Prince needed to complete his set of seven and wish for immortality…..and Krillin was leading him right towards his makeshift hideaway.
Thankfully, common sense begrudgingly prevailed.
Krillin finally locked onto a faint yet rising increase of ki energy barreling toward him from behind. He knew he couldn’t just stop dead in the middle of scenic nowhere to scout and investigate because he was on a time crunch; despite this precarious lump he was feeling rise at the back of his throat, he needed to make this quick.
The moment he snaps his head around, his heart rate skyrockets like a thermometer shattering at 175 degrees. Panic surges through him as he realizes the grave mistake he's made—he's led Vegeta straight to him, and it's all his fault for recklessly mishandling his newfound power.
Krillin: ARGH!!!
Vegeta: Now where do you think you’re headed?
Krillin: None of your damn business, spiky!
Now acutely aware of the urgency, Krillin propelled himself through the sky with a heightened speed and keeping the Dragon Ball grasped tightly close to him. His mind raced as he planned his escape, knowing the rugged terrain of the mountains would be the perfect place to shake off Vegeta. The jagged peaks and winding paths would provide the ideal cover.
He was certain the Prince of Saiyans would be unable to resist the challenge.
Vegeta: They always run.
As expected, Vegeta took the bait without hesitation. He launched himself into pursuit, his eyes locked onto Krillin, determined not to lose sight of the bald pratt weaving through the craggy landscape below.
—————————————
Zarbon's fortune took an unexpected turn when, against all odds, he lost track of Vegeta despite literally catching up to him mere minutes ago. A vast, rocky landscape stretched out before him, and Vegeta's energy signature had vanished like a wisp of smoke through the wind. One single moment of distraction had cost him dearly, and left him at a standstill. He cursed his reliance on the scouter that used to be strapped to his eye, his trusted tool having long been destroyed mere days ago.
And even if it wasn’t totaled, the device would’ve been useless in registering Vegeta's presence. He might as well be back at the starting line of a race he thought he had already won.
Zarbon: This is useless! I’m never gonna find him here!
Now more frustrated than ever, he slammed his fist into the nearest rock formation, venting his growing frustration. He knew he was getting close to finding Vegeta, and now this setback had cost him precious time. His mission was clear: find Vegeta and the Dragon Balls and bring them both back to Frieza's side, dead or alive…..or it was off with his head.
Typical everyday pressures when having to contend with a tyrannical sociopath. He couldn't afford any more distractions or mishaps.
Flying upwards, he meticulously scanned the mountainous ravines and jagged formations below, his eyes searching for any hint of a sign. The rugged landscape sprawled beneath him, a tapestry of sharp ridges and deep, shadowy crevices, but still, no clue revealed itself.
Zarbon was this close to admitting defeat; he wasn’t going to Vegeta. Not like this.
Zarbon: God, I’m better off just hiding in these rocks. Who knows, maybe Lord Frieza won’t find me if I just lay low and don’t fly around like a jackass, saying—
Come to Papa, you bald bastard!
At least, that was the plan until his gloating came to a screeching halt as a familiar ki signature behind him caught him off-guard, and he only managed to have half a second to turn around before—
A stray energy blast ricocheted just above Zarbon's head, leaving behind a searing trail of smoke in its wake. The powerful discharge knocked him off balance, and he barely managed to right himself in time to avoid plummeting into the unforgiving rocks below.
Zarbon: What the?!
It was then that his eyes narrowed as he spotted a distant speck in the sky, growing larger and larger by the second. Krillin whizzed past him in an adrenaline-fueled blur, the tails of his orange gi flapping in the wind. It took a second to register, but the realization hit Zarbon with the force of a hammer: this was the same pesky fighter who had been desperately quacking commands with that small child, all in a frantic effort to save Dende.
His fortunes seemed to take another unexpected turn as Vegeta, with his trademark scowl and determined energy, zoomed past in pursuit. Although Zarbon's attention was initially locked onto Krillin, the Saiyan Prince's sudden appearance redirected his chase, drawing him into the whirlwind pursuit.
One last chance to save face, and get what he was sent after.
Zarbon: I was gonna say ‘Come and get me, Frieza', but this works too!
Following the faster-than-light human and Saiyan, Zarbon was quick to follow Vegeta and get on their heels, his mood a mix of annoyance and determination.
Funny how the only one who remained mostly untethered to most of the desensitizing violence on this planet was the one who brought Gohan and Krillin here in the first place. Bulma was outside of her safehouse, her cave, and in the open air on her little peninsula of a foreign planet she knew little about.
In her right hand, she clutched a small, leather-bound diary, its edges worn and pages slightly yellowed from years of confiding secrets and dreams.
In her other hand, she clutched a makeshift plasma rifle. The weapon was a hastily assembled contraption, originally one of Tights' prototype props designed for her sci-fi movie sets. Its sleek, metallic body gleamed under the dim light, and the barrel hummed faintly with energy. However, this wasn't just a prop anymore; it had been cleverly modified for real combat, with glowing panels on the side indicating its charged state, ready to unleash a blast of concentrated plasma at a moment's notice.
She still had a score to settle with Vegeta.
The youngest of the Brief siblings took a deep breath of the crisp, salty air, her eyes scanning the barren landscape for any signs of movement. Her grip tightens around the rifle as she sits up from the boulder she sat on.
Her faux leather fabric boots made soft thuds on the moss-covered ground, each step inching her closer toward the ocean but out towards the open sky. A tiny crack within the air can be heard….and she could spot the distant aura of someone speeding towards her.
Bulma's heart skipped a beat as she raised her makeshift plasma rifle, whirling around to face the approaching figure. Her eyes narrowed, trying to discern the identity of the newcomer. A part of her hoped, with a subtle desperation, that it was Vegeta. The decisive moment was at hand, and she would either make him pay for his transgressions or put an end to this cycle of vengeance once and for all.
The figure emerged from the haze, a blurred silhouette slowing down before stumbling to a stop just a few feet away in her. Relief flooded Bulma upon realization that it was Krillin.
Yet that was where the good times stopped.
Krillin: Quick, hide this!
Bulma: Waitwaitwaitwait! The hell—
Krillin: I screwed up. BADLY. Just put this in one of your capsules and quickly. I doubt I lost Vegeta for long.
He thrust the giant One-Star Dragon Ball into her hands, its weight and size surprising her as her fingers closed around the cool, smooth surface. A faint glint of light reflected off its shiny, orange appearance, mirroring the urgency in his eyes as he stepped back, leaving her to grasp the significance of the precious artifact.
Bulma: Oh god, these are much bigger than the ones back home.
Krillin: Less talking, more hiding!
Bulma: Alright, give me a second!
She mutters under her breath. Hastily, she placed the diary on a nearby boulder, keeping her makeshift plasma rifle firmly gripped, giving her one free hand to fumble with the capsule belt around her waist. Her fingers trembled slightly as she desperately searched for an empty, unmarked, unnamed capsule.
While she did find an unused capsule and pressed the One-Star Dragon Ball against its small, round opening…..it wouldn’t budge.
Bulma: C’mon, come on! Shrink!
Krillin: Why isn’t it going down?
Bulma: I’m not telling you that; it’s Brief family tradition!
Frustrated, Bulma tried again, this time focusing more intently on the capsule and the dragon ball. Nothing happened. The sphere remained large and defiant in her trembling hand, refusing to shrink down to a more manageable size. In the distance, she could hear the ominous thrumming of air rustling the moss against the brittle ground, an indication that Vegeta was closing in on their position.
Krillin: Bulma, we don't have time for this!
Hissing, his eyes darting crazily between her and the approaching cloud of dust kicking up from Vegeta's approaching trail. Tension hung in the air as thick as the salty sea breeze.
Bulma: Where’s your patience?! Give me a second!
Krillin: WE DON’T HAVE A SECOND!
Bulma: Damn it!
Unable to keep delaying the inevitable, Bulma hesitated for a moment before deciding to abandon the unnamed capsule. She shrugged off her yellow jacket, its fabric catching slightly on her elbow, and hastily wrapped it around the Dragon Ball, creating a makeshift bundle that looked as if it might unravel at any moment. The knots she tied were loose and uneven, evidence of her hurried effort.
With a quick, worried glance around, she handed the bundle to Krillin. He took it and darted back to the cave, his footsteps echoing off the rocky walls. Once inside, he flung it into the safehouse with a careless toss, paying little attention to where it landed.
It was a terrible hiding spot, but they were short on time.
Panting heavily from sheer anxiety, Krillin turns back to Bulma.
Bulma: Ok, we’ve hidden it. What happened?
Krillin: Got a power boost from Guru. Got carried away. Vegeta found me.
Her heart pounded in her chest like a war drum, Bulma’s hands trembled violently around her plasma rifle. She took a deep, shaky breath and steeled herself for what was about to come.
Bulma: Works for me.
As the cloud of dust grew closer, obscuring their view of their incoming danger, Bulma and Krillin braced themselves. Bulma swallowed her fear, hefting the makeshift plasma rifle to her shoulder and aiming it towards the direction of the approaching Saiyan. Krillin stood at her side, his breathing ragged but determined. They knew they were hopelessly outmatched, but after everything that had happened, they weren't going down without a fight.
In the distance, the cloud would only grow larger and larger, until finally, it would reveal its source: Vegeta.
The Saiyan Prince wore an expression of cold fury masked by the usual bravado, his eyes blazing with a predatory light as he descended towards their peninsula.
Vegeta: You know what I’m here for. Don’t make me ask nicely.
Bulma: Over my dead body.
The defiance in her voice issued a challenge, and Vegeta, the battle-hungry Saiyan that he was, couldn't help but smirk. His gaze darted between Bulma and Krillin, his eyes narrowing as he assessed their feeble attempt at a defensive stance.
Vegeta: So many options….and she was the best you could bring, cue ball?
Krillin: Hell hath no fury.....
Vegeta: You got me there. So tell me little blue. What's a nice place like you doing in a girl like this?
Bulma: What is that supposed to mean? That your Saiyan since of humor cause that's been the lamest since I was a child buddy.
Vegeta: So is it just you two or is Kakorat here too. I was hoping he'd be here soon as I saw you qui ball.
Krillin: He's not here yet. But as we speak he's on his way now. And when he gets here he's gonna teach you and your friend Frieza a lesson.
Vegeta: My friend Frieza? Haha! Hate to burst your bubble head but Frieza and I aren't friends.
That dropped complete dumb found confusion to Krillin Bulma was just more curious
Krillin: But.....you guys wear the same armor right? I mean you both are after the Dragon Balls and you been attacking the people here.
Vegeta: Let's just say Frieza and I.....went our separate ways. I'm a rouge. So I'm trying to claim the Dragon Balls for my own before he does. Get them to grant me immortality so I can finally become a Super Saiyan face Frieza and take his throne to use the universe.
Bulma: Super? Saiyan?
Vegeta: It's a legend of my people Pretty Blue.
Bulma: It's Bulma you jackass! And for your information you won't charm your way with me after you killed my boyfriend.
Vegeta: Which one was he again? The three eyed man Nappa toyed with? Or was it that little clown? Or was it that long haired scarred face wolf?
Bulma: THE LAST ONE YOU DUMBASS!!!
Vegeta: Your tone is a challenge. I like that. But I'm afraid I'm in a hurry so here's the deal. Hand over your dragon ball. And I'll let you both live.
Krillin: Damn. You drive a hard bargain.
Who drives it hard now.
Everyone turns around to see Zarbon give his charming but sinister grin but Bulma......her female hormones to handsome men took over
Bulma: Oh my god! He is so gorgeous! I'll bet he's here to save us. I just want to grab him and f-----
Krillin: BULMA!! For your information that dude is one of the invaders! He helped Frieza massacre Dende's village. And HELLO you're not a single woman! Your boyfriend is one of the reasons we came here!
Zarbon: So Vegeta in you're in league with these humans that interfered with Lord Frieza's plans. He wants them too for questioning. So how bout this? You turn them and the Dragon Ball to me. We both talk to Lord Frieza and I'll vouch for you to get him to spare your life. What do you say?
Vegeta: Afraid I'm gonna have to turn that down. I rather be eaten alive by your beast form than be his lapdog again like you.
Zarbon: Well one way or another my dear prince.....I will bring you and that Dragon Ball back. And you will tell me what you done with the rest from the ship. Believe me you'd rather talk to me than Lord Frieza.
Vegeta: You think I'm afraid of him? Or you? Don't flatter yourself just transform already.
Zarbon: Your funeral.
Bulma: Oh we can have a penthouse suite. He'll drive a Corvette. And we'll make love every single----
Suddenly Zarbon BURSTS into his BEAST form
Bulma: SWEET MOTHER MARY!!!! KILL IT!!!! KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!!
So much for saying the quiet part out loud.
Zarbon didn’t even want to take the unnecessary risk and morph his entire body into this ravenous, unstable, ugly creature he had to share a separate form with. But this was Vegeta he was dealing with here; the ever annoying Prince of primates. He didn’t couldn’t even stand a chance against him until Zarbon transformed.
And after all, having these humans here was just an extra bargaining he’d exploit if it came to it. Not that Bulma’s plasma rifle or Krillin’s untapped potential could harm him…..or so he thought.
But they would come later. As of right now, Vegeta was the beef bourguignon; the main course.
Zarbon: This ends right now.
Cockily gloating over his inevitable victory already, Zarbon puts his hand forward with the other supporting it in a manner similar to the Explosive Demon Wave. Then, he charges an orange-yellowish energy sphere before unleashing an above-average energy wave at Vegeta. His ‘Elegant Blaster’ gets straight up phased through by Vegeta while the blast completely annihilates a mountain directly behind him.
Quickly reappearing beside Zarbon, Vegeta misses a kick. Zarbon misses a vicious slash towards his face.
Vegeta flips backward, narrowly avoiding Zarbon's slash. He lands a few feet away, his fists clenched in rage.
Vegeta: Is that all you've got, ass-face?
He taunts, his confidence still as high as ever. He charges at the piranha-shaped warrior again, this time intent to drive his elbow straight towards Zarbon's face.
Zarbon, on the other hand, isn't phased by Vegeta's taunts or his incoming attack. Instead, he smirks and sidesteps the elbow with ease, countering with a roundhouse kick circling over Vegeta’s head before aiming at his exposed back. The kick connects, sending Vegeta crashing into a nearby tree. Leaves and debris fly everywhere as the impact echoes through the surrounding area.
Thankfully, his collision doesn’t completely shatter the tree. Nor does it splinter off towards Bulma or Krillin’s direction.
Spotting an opening, Vegeta swiftly lunged forward and seized the broken trunk of the demolished tree. With a powerful swing, he intercepted the charging Zarbon, the force of the impact sending Zarbon hurtling off the edge of the peninsula, soaring through the sky like a ragdoll caught in a gust of wind.
In the wake of Zarbon's unintended flight, Vegeta's resolve hardened into determination. The prince of Saiyans wasted no time, propelling himself through the salty air with the grace and speed that was his birthright. His figure blurred against the azure-greenish backdrop of the sky as he pursued his adversary with relentless precision.
Zarbon, still reeling from the unexpected trajectory change, barely had a moment to orient himself before Vegeta descended upon him from the heavens above. With a ferocity that belied his smaller stature, Vegeta drove Zarbon downward, slamming him into the churning waves below. The impact sent water surging in colossal plumes around them, creating concentric ripples that distorted the reflection of sunlight on the sea's surface.
The oceanic battlefield became a theater of chaos. Vegeta hovered above, eyes ablaze with an indomitable will to dominate. He gave Zarbon no quarter; without hesitation, he unleashed a rapid succession of ki blasts, each one a concentrated burst of fury and precision. They peppered the water like meteors puncturing Namek’s atmosphere, causing violent eruptions upon contact that sent sprays of briny mist erupting skyward. Every blast, a testament to Vegeta’s calculated wrath while beneath him as Zarbon struggled to regain control amidst this aquatic assault. Despite his attempts to shield himself or dive deeper for refuge, each pulse of superheated energy seemed to find its mark with unerring accuracy.
All the more reason for Krillin and Bulma to stop watching and hide until the fight inevitably concluded. Or just make a run for it now.
Krillin: We can’t just stay here. We gotta move.
Bulma: He’s gonna find us either way; the second we make a run for it, he’ll flatten us.
Krillin: You’re scared? And yet you’re the one holding the rifle?
Bulma: Excuse me, you’re the martial artist here.
Krillin: I know, I know, ok?!
Krillin swiftly grabs her by the arm and attempts to make a hasty escape, urgency in every step. However, Vegeta's keen eyes catch sight of their movement, and with a smirk of determination, he unleashes a barrage of energy blasts to cut off their path. The bright, crackling orbs of energy explode around them, creating a fiery barrier that forces them to halt in their tracks.
Yet that brief distraction cost him.
Zarbon emerged from beneath the tumultuous waters with a roar, defiance etched into every sinew as he launched himself back at Vegeta—his own pride unwilling to concede defeat so easily.
He does tackle the Saiyan in mid-air, careening both him and himself back down to the peninsula Bulma and Krillin were stuck on with sheer force. Crash-landing with a bone-rattling thud, Zarbon is unyielding. In one fluid motion, he flips upright, maintaining an iron grip on Vegeta, and with a savage roar, he spikes him brutally through the earth, shattering the moss-covered ground beneath them.
He then kicks Vegeta away…
….only for the Saiyan to barrel-roll, recovering his momentum and then sliding his white boots and gloves against the ground to stop himself.
In between panting breaths, Zarbon exclaims….
Zarbon: You're stronger... than I thought... monkey. But I…still have….the upper hand….
Vegeta: You're the one who started this dance, fish-face. Now it's time to pay the piper.
Zarbon: Not if you tell the baldling over there to give me the Dragon Ball.
He briefly points towards Krillin.
Krillin: NO!
Bulma: NO!
Vegeta: Not so fast! He’s handing the ball over to me.
Krillin catches his eyes darting between Vegeta and Zarbon. Sweat glistens on his brow as he weighs his options, knowing that his decision would determine the outcome of this battle and perhaps the fate of Namek itself. Bulma's grip on her Plasma Rifle tightens, her breathing ragged as she awaits Krillin's response, prepared to defend him at any cost.
They were dealing with two higher forms of evil here and despite the initial hesitation from Zarbon, torn between his desire to eliminate Vegeta and his greed for the Dragon Ball, safety between either of them was limited or just nigh-nonexistent.
Because of that brief moment of indecision, Vegeta saw his chance. With a cocky smirk, he said….
Vegeta: I'll tell you what, ugly. You let them go, and I'll give you a head start. You're going to need it.
Zarbon: You thin-
Before he could finish his sentence, Vegeta vanished from where he stood. In a split second, he reappeared behind Zarbon, delivering a powerful blow to the back of his head. The force of the impact sent Zarbon staggering forward, momentarily dazed.
It didn’t last long, however.
Both of them crash headfirst into each other, exchanging a furious but quick volley of blows towards each other; neither of them getting the upper hand at first. But Vegeta’s stamina and experience proved the difference maker, getting more and more hits on his opponent.
Soon enough, Zarbon couldn’t even touch him. Yet he persisted in trying.
Vegeta: Forgive me for stating the obvious, but I don’t think you’ll last much longer at this rate!
Zarbon: A comedian to the very end; you still can’t see your power pales in comparison to mine!
Vegeta: How awkward. I thought you people would be more acquainted with the Saiyan biology to understand the type of trouble you’re in.
One swift palm strike to Zarbon’s throat later, amidst the blurry, the alien staggers, hands instinctively clutching his jugular and gasping for breath. This left him wide open, utterly exposed and vulnerable.
Vegeta: Really foolish of you to treat me so carelessly, knowing our fight left me at death’s door, weren’t you?
Now he kicks him back, like a sick puppy.
Vegeta: When a Saiyan recovers from the kind of damage you dished out to me, old friend, he becomes just that much more powerful.
Punctuating his statement with a powerful, condescending smirk, his ego swelled to match the power coursing through him, and his ordinarily cold, reptilian eyes now blazed with godlike arrogance. The power difference between them was becoming increasingly clear with each passing second….
…and Zarbon, on the verge of passing out, struggled to rise to his feet. He still couldn’t get the memo, his cape, arm, and leg warmers torn to tatters like confetti around him, exposing his vulnerable skin to the biting air. His tall frame quaked violently, muscles straining with effort as he fought desperately to regain his footing on unstable ground.
Even in this dire situation, his pride wouldn't allow him to stay down, so still gasping for air, he managed to croak out…
Zarbon: Posture all you want; scum like you come back from the abyss a hundred times over and not be A TENTH as mighty as I am in my present form.
Vegeta: Bummer you need to sacrifice ol’ Prince Charming here to even get that boost.
He says, motioning to his own face, deliberately mocking his beastly form.
Zarbon: Stop mocking my beauty!!!
Peeved off, a charging Zarbon didn’t realize he was entering his final moments of life. With a swift movement, Vegeta closed the distance between them, his lithe form materializing directly in front of Zarbon—a calculated dance of precision and timing. The moment held suspended for what seemed like an eternity before Vegeta struck. And with zero hesitation, his fist shot forward with the ferocity of a cannonball…
…plowing into Zarbon’s chest.
Hardened armor was shattered like muscovite and a long guttural cry of exertion was left out of Zarbon’s lungs.
Turquoise blood trickled out from his lips and his gaping chest wound, staining his impeccable visage as it trickled down his battered torso and over Vegeta’s gloved hands. A look akin to betrayal crossed Zarbon’s features; betrayed by fate, strength, and perhaps above all, by his own vanity. His body convulsed involuntarily from the forceful intrusion of pain and defeat, every nerve ending screaming in torment.
So brutal the moment was, Krillin and Bulma were forced to look away momentarily.
Zarbon: You….bastard….you….
He quickly loses breath again, Vegeta carelessly fisting his hand through his chest further and further to continue the punishment. Like a maestro conducting an orchestra of destruction, he pressed onward relentlessly without granting Zarbon even a moment of respite; the weight of victory already coating the taste buds on his tongue.
But this was personal to the Prince.
Zarbon: Veg—Vegeta…I—just….I was….just following orders….I beg of you…..have mercy….
Vegeta: After all those years of being spat on and tortured by you, I’m expected to show you mercy?!
Zarbon didn't had an answer for that as he struggled to breath
Vegeta: Give Dodoria my regards in HELL!!
Vegeta BLASTS within his stomach exploding out of his back sending him to fly up to the sky and landing and splashing straight in his wattery grave
Krillin: Oh man. He's gotten better since before. How can Goku stand stop him now?
Vegeta: Please. Kakorat is a Saiyan too. If he's recovered from our last fight he's no doubt gain strength as well as I have. And when he gets here I'll welcome the challenge. But you're right about one thing. He won't stop me after I'm granted immortality.
Krillin: Oh we are so screwed.
Vegeta: Now......about that Dragon Ball.
Bulma: Krillin just give it to him!
Krillin: I made a promise to the grand elder.
Bulma: Well what good is that promise gonna do for us now?!
Krillin: Shit! Goku.....where the hell are you man?!
The answer to that question was Goku's ship continues on it's current altitude to Namek and we see Goku finally regaining consciousness after breaking free from the wire
Goku: Argh! That hit harder than Master Roshi's bolder
He then tries to lift himself up pushing himself with his hand on the floor and barely manage to set up with his ankles still tied together with the wire but Goku manage to pull on it which rips it apart
His legs were free
Goku: That's more like it!
He could barely stand he fell from the cramps in his legs twice
Goku: Damn! That's when he eyes at the piloting seat where he left the senzu beans
Goku: Of course!
Goku had to crawl through the pain he was under and then reached out for the bag barely able to grab it and it dropped on the floor and one bean spilled out
Goku: Come here you......
He grips the bean and puts it in his mouth chewing it
And then Goku's strength healed his injury and his strength increased equally as Vegeta's flipping himself back on his feet
Goku: YES! God that's much Better. Whoo.....better check the coordinates.
He sits on the chair and checks the coordinates on the screen reading his current location and how far he is from Namek
Goku: Still won't be there till another week. Ugh! I just hope Gohan and the other two are hanging in there. I sure could use a shower and a bite to eat. One quick nap and back to work.
Cutting back to Namek Krillin had just hands The Dark Prince the Dragon Ball with regret and value of his life
Vegeta: Ah what a beauty. You know I could kill you both but after killing Zarbon and getting this Dragon Ball I'm in a real good mood. However when Kakorat arrives give him a message from me. If he wishes to face me.....well.....he'll be facing a challenge he'll never win this time. Later!
Vegeta then takes off laughing
Bulma: Nice going Q-Ball! You just single handedly doomed us all!
Krillin: EXCUSE ME!! You're the one who told me to give it to him!
Bulma: Yeah cause you were stupid enough to get followed by him!
Krillin: Well you were the one making goo goo beauty eyes at that green beast mentally cheating on Yamcha!
Bulma: I swear if you blackmail me I'lll----!
While they argued we cut to Gohan at the first village Vegeta attacked and where he was first confronted by Zarbon
Seeing the dead bodies of the Namekians he killed including Dende's brother
Gohan: Oh god......We'll wish you all back I promise.
Gohan sniffed up his tears and kept following the signal on the radar
As he learned from Bulma, a faint electromagnetic pulse emanating from the radar, plus the additional arrow guiding him, gave away said location of Dragon Balls. So it was only natural for Gohan to keep going in that general direction. It just so happened to be towards the ocean bed surrounding the tiny peninsula he was on.
And that’s when the radar began rapidly beeping like a sonar beacon. Either the radar had caught a slight interference and threw Gohan off track….or he truly lucked and found a Dragon Ball submerged at the bottom of the lake.
Vegeta’s Dragon Ball, no less.
It was the mother of all coincidences but one Gohan was lucky to have come across, as they were short on the Balls either way. The decision was now or never.
Gohan took a deep breath and jumped into the water, plunging himself into the depths below. His Saiyan physiology kicking in, allowing him to breathe underwater. He couldn't afford to waste any more time, as he was certain that Vegeta would be one step ahead of them.
Son Goku’s son powered through the water, his intuition guiding him towards the source of the signal and his eyes adjusting to the dim lighting. As he swam deeper, the pressure around him grew stronger, but his body adapted effortlessly, a testament to his untapped half-Saiyan potential.
Minutes seemed like hours, but finally, he saw it: a glowing orb nestled between a cluster of coral formations. It was Vegeta's Dragon Ball, patiently waiting for its wielder to claim it. He hit the jackpot.
Long after the shock wore off, Gohan, oblivious to the commotion above, grabbed the glistening Dragon Ball and held it tightly in his hand. The power within it thrummed through his body, a reassuring presence that filled him with renewed determination. He knew that he had to get this precious artifact to Bulma as soon as possible.
Gohan kicked off the ocean floor, propelling himself back upwards towards the surface and up to the air. Bubbles exploded around him as he ascended, the water growing lighter and warmer as he neared the surface. Bursting through the waves, he gulped in a lungful of the crisp, salty air, the sun glinting off droplets that clung to his hair and skin. He turned his gaze to the distant shoreline, where he had left his friends. Gohan couldn't help but smile cheekily to himself; it seemed that this time, Lady Luck had decided to shine her light on their side.
Bursting through the air to fly back to that specific peninsula, he wasn't in a serious hurry but Gohan knew he couldn’t contain his excitement for long.
What he didn’t know was that Vegeta was mere minutes out on either passing him or clashing directly into him with the Dragon Ball he forced Bulma and Krillin to give to him.
As Gohan soared through the air as fast as his ki could carry him, clutching the glistening Dragon Ball in his hand, he could feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He knew that every second counted, and the others were counting on him to deliver the precious artifact as soon as possible. The thought of what they could achieve with two Dragon Balls in their possession drove him forward, flying faster than he ever had before.
Before long, both of them felt their ki signatures, their energy levels meshing, clashing in conjunction and against each other. They had found each other…
….or at the very least, sensed someone else.
Both (Vegeta, Gohan): What the—?!
It didn’t take long for the latter to click for the young man.
Gohan: Vegeta?!
Here he was, dangling in mid-air. Out in the open. With a Dragon Ball that he just stole from Vegeta. He wasn’t about to risk being seen.
So the kid quickly suppresses his ki, willing his energy to shrink and flicker out like a candle extinguished, masking his power level completely. Clutching the glowing Dragon Ball tightly, he shot through the sky, the wind rushing past him as he made a beeline for the nearest island. As he touched down, his shoes scraped against the moss-covered terrain, sending scarce pebbles scattering. He glanced around frantically, spotting a large boulder nearby.
Sprinting over, he crouched behind it, his heart pounding in his chest and silently praying that Vegeta hadn't caught sight of him.
Gohan's senses were on high alert, locked in overdrive as his eyes darted around the area for any sign of Vegeta. He held his breath, willing his body to remain still as the wind rustled the leaves above him. The sound of his own heartbeat thundering in his ears aggravated him, and for a moment, he was transported back to the day this all started.
Raditz’s appearance and kidnapping him.
Constant training and survival for a full year.
Freezing up at everything the Saiyan’s did before inevitably putting the boots to Vegeta when all the chips were down.
The memories of each terrifying encounter flooded back like a cracked dam overflowing, jamming more and more into his subconscious, but he quickly shook them off. He couldn't afford to dwell on the past now; he had a job to do.
It left Vegeta scowling as he scanned the sky and the surrounding area for any signs. He narrowed his eyes, visibly annoyed; he knew he picked up a familiar energy signature flickering in and out around here.
Vegeta: Ok, what the hell was that? I know I just sensed something.
More seconds ticked by as Gohan’s hands began sweating excessively, a visible sign of his discomfort. So much so, he felt his grip on the Dragon Ball loosening. But as much as Gohan wanted the veteran Saiyan to just take the bait and move along, he was heavily mistaken.
Vegeta: HEY! Show yourself before I turn this place into a barren wasteland!
Gohan: Crapbaskets….
He knew he was busted.
The oppressive silence crushed him, a suffocating force that wrapped around Gohan like chains. His heart thundered in his chest, each beat a drum of impending doom. Muscles coiled like springs, his body vibrated with tension, the pressure escalating with each excruciating second, threatening to snap his very being. Vegeta's threat was not an empty one; the merciless Saiyan had no qualms about making good on his word. The young Earthling knew that he couldn't hide forever, but revealing himself too soon would be tantamount to suicide.
And as Vegeta stood firm, he extended his arm, and a swirling orb of energy began to form, pulsing with vibrant, crackling light. Though the ki blast was compact, the air around it shimmered with intense power. He would make do on his promise to torch this area if Gohan didn’t expose himself.
With two former generals and an entire village notched on his belt of kill-counts, the threat proved to be very, very real.
Vegeta: Three…..TWO…..ONE……
No more hiding now.
Steeling himself, Gohan stood up, back against the boulder before quickly poking his head and upper body out from the rock crevice, exposing himself to him. Clutching the Dragon Radar tightly in his hand, he remained cautious, ensuring the Dragon Ball stayed concealed behind him, tucked safely behind the boulder.
Gohan: Hi!
It quickly registered on Vegeta’s face, the surprise and shock of seeing Gohan here, Kakarot’s half-breed son. Meaning, Krillin and Bulma were either dumb or brilliant, bringing this literal child along.
Gohan: Ummm, hello….mister….Vegeta.
Vegeta's surprised expression grew into a smirk and he hovers down landing in front of the boy
Vegeta: Gohan. The Son Of Kakorat. What a pleasant surprise to see you here too. Yet irresponsible of those two back there to let a boy your age wonder around on a strange planet.
Gohan: Other two? You mean Krillin and Bulma?! What'd you----if you hurt them-----
Vegeta: Don't get your diaper in a twist kid. They're both fine. All though if they weren't kindly to hand me this Dragon Ball wouldn't be able to say they were.
Gohan: You.....took that from them?!
Vegeta: Yes. Just as I took the rest from Frieza. And now all seven are in my hands now. Won't be long till I'm granted my desire.
Gohan knew it's funny he said that cause the Dragon Ball he found and hid from him was the same one HE hid in the water
Next thing Vegeta notice was Bulma's Dragon Radar
Vegeta: And what's that you got there?
Gohan: Huh? This.....this is my compos. My parents gave it to me if I ever got lost.
Vegeta: A compos huh? Looks too advanced to me. But who knows how well you earthlings get by?
Vegeta gave the boy another smirk as he raised his hand to him Gohan tried not to be afraid as he promised himself he wouldn't but couldn't help but to close his eyes waiting for the unthinkable till.......
......he felt Vegeat's hand on his head like if he were a kind stranger comforting a lost frighten child drawing him to open his eyes seeing Vegeta kneeing down to him
Vegeta: You know kid you me and your father are among the last of the Saiyans. In fact I feel it's more important we look out for one another like brothers.
Vegeta's kind tone drew Gohan to him from his worries which was short lived when he KNEED him in the gut knocking him to the ground and Vegeta stood up staring him down in satisfaction
Vegeta: That was for almost making monkey chow out of me. It was even low of your father to accuse me of killing a friend of yours I never met. What was his name? Iceros? Ekerus? Could give any damn. Either way now we're even. See you around sonny.
Vegeta once more takes off but despite the pain in his gut Gohan smiled and laughed at Vegeta behind his back.......
......he never found the Dragon Ball he hid
Cutting back to Goku's ship we see him coming in the kitchen in boxers and rubbing his wet hair after showering
Goku: Whoo! That's much better. Now time for a snack. Let's see what Dr. Brief's left in here.
He opens the fridge and the first thing he grabs is a beer
Goku: What's this doing in here? It's too early to get crunk.
He then grabbed a power thirst
Goku: Bah! Energy drinks just don't do it for me anymore.
And peanuts
Goku: I can't drink these. These are nuts!
Sure are
And then he reached further in the fridge and finally found something to his liking
Goku: Ahh here we go! Dr. Brief's own specially formulated sports soda! I haven't had these since Master Roshi's training.
His voice tinged with nostalgia as he popped the tab with a satisfying hiss. The vibrant label gleamed under the kitchen lighting….
HETAP.
Goku: Mhm-mhm. Nothing like a cold one after a hard training session.
He takes a long, deep swig of the soda, savoring the tangy, citrusy sweet flavor as it travels down his parched throat and quenches his thirst. The cold can in his hand was beaded with condensation, a contrast to the warmth spreading through his chest.
Goku: Better than I remember.
Refreshing as that was, he was tired from the constant, nigh-endless struggle to push himself up to and beyond the 100 times gravity barrier installed within the ship. So he leaned against the counter, his thoughts drifted back to those formative years spent on the tropical island, enduring formidable but doable physical and mental trials and grueling workouts all in pursuit of cultivating his dormant powers. Master Roshi's demanding but wise voice echoed in his memory, pushing him to his limits and beyond.
And it’s with that drive, the constant desire to become better than he was the day before….that the Turtle Hermit School philosophy echoed in his mind.
Always remember these words: Work hard, study well, and eat and rest plenty. That is the Turtle Hermit Way; we must master the art of peace in addition to the art of war.
Eventually, Goku downed the last drop of soda, crushing the empty can and launching it towards a recycling bin across the room. Tapping into his recently rekindled fervor, he infused the can with just enough ki to guide it towards its target. Said can sailed through the air in a graceful arc, spinning end over end before it landed with a resounding clang in the center of the bin.
But then he noticed a small note taped to the fridge just above where the can had been. Puzzled, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and reached for it. The familiar handwriting wasn’t unmistakable but thankfully, the name left no room for false identification - it was from Tights.
It read: Hey, Kong! I left you some new gear in your room! You’re gonna need it.
Perplexed but intrigued, a cautious Goku unfolded the note.
Reaching his bedroom door eventually and walking inside, on the bed was a smudged but recognizable image of a new gi: a new set of baggy pants, blue wristbands and boots, a dark blue short undershirt, and reddish-orange tank top. Same color schematic but with one glaring change. The kanji symbol on both the front and back of the gi no longer bore the same image as King Kai’s.
This symbol was the Satori kanji, a logo that symbolized reawakening and enlightenment.
He hesitated for a moment before reaching out to lift the crisp, orange gi from the table. His fingers traced the weave of the fabric, which felt both soft and sturdy beneath his touch. Though it was new, the texture reminded him of the countless gis he had worn and worn out over the years, each one telling its own story of practice and perseverance. It wouldn’t be any different this time around.
He was determined to outmaneuver and outsmart Vegeta and Frieza and escape with nearly a vice pain in his stomach….
….while Krillin and Bulma were still busy verbally hitting each other. And it really didn’t need to go on for this long.
Krillin: You let Gohan go out on his own?!
Bulma: There was another Dragon Ball only a mile out from here; it was basically a sitting duck!
Krillin: And you’re telling me this now?! We literally just gave up another Ball for nothing! Do you have any idea what Chi-Chi’s gonna do to us when she finds out we lost him?!
Bulma: I asked him to let me come with him, and he said ‘No’!
HEY GUYS!
The distant cry snapped both of them out of their cruddy moods, turning up to the sky and seeing Gohan breeze through the air towards them with the biggest smile plastered over his face. With a giant Dragon Ball grasped in the kid’s hands, how could he not be elated?
Bulma and Krillin felt stupid for spending the last few minutes bitching and yelling at each other while Gohan took care of the hard tasks. At least now they don’t have to worry about Vegeta getting his hands on all seven Balls at the same time.
Gohan skidded to a stop just in front of the duo, water dripping from his clothes. He held up the glowing Dragon Ball with a victorious grin, which was met with disbelief and relief on their faces.
Gohan: I got one! I got one!
He proudly exclaims, his boyish pride evident on his features, it was absolutely infectious and quickly rubbed off on Bulma and Krillin.
They both just stared at the orb in Gohan's hand, their jaws agape.
Bulma: You... you actually found it?
Krillin: But... but where? How did—?
Gohan: I’ll tell you on the way. But right now, uhh…..
Looking around, whatever Gohan’s gut instinct was telling him was right. They couldn’t stay here.
Gohan:….I think we’re gonna need a new location.
Krillin: Why? What’s wrong with here?
Gohan: Cause we have about 10 minutes before Vegeta finds out I just stole this.
Those words ignited a wildfire of urgency in both Krillin and Bulma. If, and when, Vegeta realized they had stolen his Dragon Ball, all he would see is red. He’d relentlessly hunt them down the way a Xenomorph stalks its prey, fueled by a deadly precision and a fury that wouldn't rest until vengeance was his. The trio had to find a new hiding place, and they couldn’t waste any time in doing so immediately.
And his prediction was soon to come true as Vegeta himself now stood by the green river where he threw the first Dragon Ball he found earlier after killing Dodoria carrying Guru's Dragon Ball under his arm
Vegeta: Finally after a long year of searching you are all finally within my grasp!
Vegeta dives in splashing into the water began searching for it smiling sinisterly that his wish for immortality was just ten minutes away he cheered himself on in his thoughts
I haven't felt this good since the first planet I concurred.
However Vegeta's smirk soon dropped to frown as he realized he was searching for.......almost two minutes
Where the hell is it? I know I tossed it around here somewhere.
Vegeta was extremely confused and it was frustrating him that he been swimming in circles and it still hasn't turned up
What in the name of Beerus's name is going on here?! I know it's here! I tossed it here! Frieza couldn't have found it while I was healing the second time! I would have had it with the rest! Where........
Vegeta was struck with utter realization as he remembered encountering Gohan on his way to here
Could he have found the Dragon Ball and took it right under his nose?
But how would he know where it was
That's when he remembered him telling him of a compos given to him by his parents only to realize it was not a compos at all
That was.....some kind of Dragon Ball locater! Which means........
The last thing Vegeta hears was voice of his conscious a voice that resembled Nappa
He took the Dragon Ball.
And out on the surface the water seemed calm till it started bubbling up and POW!!!!
Vegeta burst his way out of the water like a torpedo launched out of the water by a suberin and takes off flying roaring and howling not care how loud he was
Vegeta was close on having all seven Dragon Balls only to be outsmarted by a six year child
Vegata: GOD DAMN YOU YOU LITTLE BRAT!!!! I'LL GET YOU ALL FOR THIS!!!!! YOU WON'T ESCAPE......MY WRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIITH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vegeta's powered flight caused the green ocean to wave thundering through out his flight
Vegeta: I SWEAR I'LL GET YOU!!!!!!! YOU'RE MINE!!!!! YOU!!!!! FRIEZA!!!!! ALL OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!
The Prince consumed by rage flew to the end of the of planet hunting our brave heroes down like mice
However Vegeta wasn't the only one pissed off
Frieza had waited almost an hour for Zarbon to return with Vegeta and the Dragon Balls and nothing turned up over the hour
Frieza was gripping the whine glass he was drinking from making it crack and whine leak out and his teeth gritted
Frieza lost his patience his grip got tighter the wine glass shattered in his hand
He rushed to his throne and pressed buttons on his left arm seat connecting his communications to Planet Frieza 79
And one of his men there answered
Yes my lord?
Frieza: Call forth Captain Ginyu General. Tell him to bring in his finest men in the Ginyu Force to Planet Namek at once.
Right away sire.
Desperate times demand desperate measures
A sentiment both he and the remaining Z-Fighters shared greatly.
Bulma and Krillin wasted no time packing whatever small accessories they had (not in Bulma’s case, as she had to be quick with stuffing her entire safehouse in a capsule to carry with her) and a destination for where to stop, pitch for cover and start the process all over again wasn’t in sight right now.
Well, mostly.
Krillin was still fresh off that hidden potential unlock from the Great Grand Elder and despite not actively speaking out a physically verbalized commitment to the gesture, he knew that they’d all stand more of a fighting chance against Vegeta and this Frieza guy if Gohan had his potential unlocked too.
So he quickly ran past the idea with Bulma shortly before they left. It was not a permanent fixture in the slightest; nothing in this world was. But options were limited and resources on their side were guaranteed to go scarce.
For the last three and a half minutes in counting, Gohan and Krillin took the more comfortable route for them, flying through the air with debilitating mental fatigue and a much faster pace. They were rushing to get to Guru’s as quickly as possible.
Shame then that they couldn’t slow down enough for Bulma. With them taking to the skies, Bulma had to remain on ground level, wildly darting and bumping past peninsulas, rocky terrains, and even skidding over the ocean terrain on her Jet-Bike, a capsule vehicle with more updated features than a regular motorcycle. Anticipating any potential threats, she had secured her plasma rifle in the small spoiler behind her seat, ready for a quick draw if necessary.
She was ever so barely slacking behind the boys, though.
Bulma gritted her teeth as she sped after Gohan and Krillin, her jet-bike skimming just above the water's surface. Her mind whirred as fast as her engine, calculating the risks and benefits of their plan. They needed Gohan at his full potential, but every moment they spent on this side quest was another moment Vegeta and Frieza were getting closer to immortality.
And she knew it wouldn’t end there. It’d eventually spill over to Earth….because, of course, it would.
The landscape blurred past in a kaleidoscope of greens and blues as they neared the Namekian’s iteration of the Lookout, where Guru and Nail resided.
Bulma: Is that it?
Krillin: That’s it right there! We’re gonna make it! We’re finally gonna—
Instantly, a jolt of recognition electrifies him as he detects another energy signature—one that is all too familiar, sending a shiver down his spine. He slams to a halt with a screeching intensity, whipping around with eyes wide and senses on high alert.
Krillin: —die! We are going to die!
His drastic shift in attitude and tone quickly clued Bulma and Gohan on what was happening. Both of them stopped dead in their tracks, facing his direction before that very same chalice of dread began filling up for them too.
While Bulma couldn’t sense or detect power levels, Gohan could feel exactly what Krillin was. Vegeta was hot on their trail yet again.
Gohan: Krillin…..what is that?
Krillin: Pure rage, Gohan. Pure rage…..
Gohan: No no no, what now?
Krillin: Guru’s house is literally right there; go on ahead, I’m sure Bulma and I can stall him.
Bulma: Are you out of your damn mind? There's no way we can stall him!
Krillin: We don't have a choice! Gohan needs to unlock his hidden power, and we have to buy you some time.
Gohan: Krillin, I don't know...
Krillin: No time for doubts, Gohan! Go! We'll be fine.
Gohan still wasn't sure but considered going along with it to get Krillin off his back
Joining back with Goku he was now taking a long nap before getting back into training his snores sounded like a brown bear in hibernation
You'd think our hero would be sleeping pleasantly for the battles and opponents that awaited him on Namek but it wasn't all pleasant
Goku started having glimpses of repressed dreams as if some old memories were coming back to him and before we knew it.......we hear Bardock's voice echoing calling out to him
Kakorat!
That rolls back to where we last left Bardock after his attack from the random alien and was still in the healing capsule as he was when Gine and Fasha were talking
Just like Vegeta he seemed calm and silent in the chamber but stirred and bubbled as something was raveling in his head too
Bardock was starting to see glimpses of Goku's childhood
What is this? Kakorat? He's not even grown yet. But what's he doing with these humans.
He see's when he meets Bulma and later meeting Chi-Chi
Who are they? Why doesn't he attack? Wait.....Gine.......he's inherited Gine's kind heart. My own son?
That's when he see's his training with Master Roshi and Krillin the first tournament and the Red Ribbin Army
Who are these people?!
And then his son's battles with King Piccolo
What's that Namekian doing there?
He see's Goku's final blow on King Piccolo leading to his demise but spits out the egg of the Piccolo we know today
KAKORAT!!!!!!
Finally the alarms raised and one of the medics drained the rejuvenation and Bardock finally awakes
The pod opens and Bardock stood up
Doctor: Welcome back sir.
Bardock: How long has it been?
Doctor: Just three days sir. Your head suffered a sever brain trauma we had to take every precaution
Bardock: THREE DAYS?!?! I should be with my crew by now!
Minutes later the father of Goku suited back up in his Saiyan armor and was now pulling on his wrist bans
Doctor: Before I forget sir your wife was here earlier. She's been visiting you every afternoon.
Bardock: How is she?
Doctor: She's been well. She even brought in your son for observation. Plus she hoped you'd awake to see him.
Bardock: Funny. I was just dreaming about him. I thought.....
Doctor: You thought what?
Bardock: Doesn't matter. I need to get back out there.
Doctor: Bardock sir I highly recommend we make further tests in case there's......
Bardock: Doesn't matter. I'll heal fast after a good fight.
Bardock grabs his scouter and walks out but he couldn't help but to think about what he just saw though it was Goku's past unknown to him......was the future of his son
Bardock: Kakorat.
Cutting back to the present Goku once again heard him again echoing
Kakorat.
Goku snorts himself awake sitting up sweating
Goku: What? Huh. Man......I don't know if I was dreaming or something was hitting me in the head while I was sleeping. Hmm....
Goku yawns and stretches and gets out of bed
He then opens the closet revealing multiple Turtle Uniforms
Goku: Hey! Looks like the Doc had new uniforms set for me. He sure new my colors.
Goku later climbs back up in the piloting deck ready to finish his training
Goku: Alright. Time to get back to work.
If only Bardock could see how far his son had gone in not only achieving his full potential but being determined to constantly surpass it and unlock more deeper layers to said potential.
Unbeknownst to Son Goku, young Gohan had arrived at the towering rocky outpost that housed Grand Elder Guru on the planet Namek. The jagged peaks of the outpost loomed high, casting long shadows across the barren landscape. The urgency of the situation was palpable, as Gohan embarked on this desperate mission to have his latent potential unlocked. Time was of the essence, for Krillin and Bulma had bravely chosen to remain behind, their task to delay an enraged Vegeta from reaching Gohan.
Options were scarce in this dire moment, and the weight of the decision hung heavy in the air.
Fortunately, Dende, with his gentle demeanor and earnest eyes, vouched for Gohan’s kindness and selflessness, granting him entrance into the sanctum of the Grand Elder. The interior of the dwelling was humble yet imbued with a sense of ancient wisdom, a testament to the power that resided within. Nail, the steadfast guardian of the Grand Elder, was not entirely comfortable with the presence of outsiders. Yet, he placed his trust in Dende’s judgment of character, allowing Gohan to proceed.
Gohan's gaze shot upward, drawn to the imposing figure of the obese yet sagacious Namekian seated on a grand throne: Guru, the eldest of all Namekians and the mastermind behind the creation of the Namekian Dragon Balls. Gohan noticed a subtle twitch in Guru's fingers, a testament to the elder's acute awareness of his presence, as though he had sensed Gohan's arrival the very moment he set foot in the chamber.
He prostrated himself before the Grand Elder. Seconds out from asking for something that would forever change the course of his life….and yet it was non-negotiable. With Goku STILL not here yet and Vegeta hot on his trail, he was arguably the best bet for securing the safety of his friends, family, and this planet.
Feeling both honored and understandably intimidated, Gohan bows low in respect before him. The young half-Saiyan's large, expressive eyes darted around the room, taking in the simple yet majestic surroundings. Nail, the ever-vigilant warrior, stood watch nearby, his gaze never wavering from the newcomer.
The air itself seemed to crackle with power and ancient knowledge as Gohan found himself compelled to speak his mind, stammering nervously.
Gohan: Gr—Grand Elder Guru, I am Son Gohan. I...I've been told that you may be able to help me unleash my full potential.
Nervously, he straightened his stance and met Guru's wise eyes. The Namekian's dark orbs bored into his very soul, as if he could see every thought and emotion within the young half Saiyan. Guru's voice was soothing and seemed to permeate every pore in Gohan's body.
Guru: Young one, there is no need for formalities here. I am well aware of your intentions, as your friend made certain to remind me.
Blushing, his cheeks flushing a deep shade of crimson as he once again bowed his head in embarrassment. Guru's all-knowing gaze was both empowering and unnerving at the same time. He could feel the Grand Elder's eyes upon him, scrutinizing his every move, likely discerning his true motives and intentions. And yet, he steeled himself.
Guru: Come.
Gohan stepped beside him as his giant hand hovered above him and like Krillin Guru too looked in on his past
Guru foresaw Gohan's entire life with his parents Goku and Chi-Chi when they brought him to Kame House to meet the gang
When his uncle took him then later Piccolo
His training and bonding with Piccolo guiding him to his redemption which intrigued Guru more to see one of his kind train and protect him especially die for him
And Gohan's transformation to Oozaru to battle Oozaru Vegeta and Gohan's later intentions to bring Piccolo back for giving his life for him and when he saved Dende from Dodoria
Guru: My dear boy. Your intentions are noble. Even that you wish to revive a Namekian who gave his life for you. Your bond with him is strong. As well as your bond with your father is stronger.
Gohan: My father? You know of my father and Mr. Piccolo?
Guru: Not in person. Through you.
Back outside at the bottom of the mountain Bulma set her ray gun for heavy stun and looked through it's sniper vision
Bulma: See anything yet?
Krillin: No. Not yet.
It took a moment but they heard the sky cracking like thunder and Krillin could feel it
Vegeta appeared in the sky launching towards Guru's hut
Krillin: THERE! THERE HE IS!
Bulma: I GOT HIM! HE'S MINE!!
She locks on to him
Bulma: Dinner's served honey.
Bulma BLASTS and DIRECT HIT and Vegeta let out a stunning yell loud as his raging scream and he fell twenty stories and splashes into the green ocean again
Bulma: YEAH!
Krillin: DIRECT HIT! NICE SHOT!
They high fived but that palm slap was short lived when the water bursts
And the angry Saiyan Prince lands on land scaring the crap out of Krillin and Bulma
He was growling breathing heavily his rage was barely died down and his eyes were bleeding on the inside from all the rage that burnt out
Vegeta: You......I spared you two.....and you had the nerve to make fool out of me?!
Bulma: V----V---V--Ve---Veg----
Vegeta: Now you're bot going to learn why no one absolutely NO ONE makes a fool out of Vegeta.....and LIVES to tell about it!
Krillin: Oh yeah.....we are so FUCKED!!
Vegeta: NOW WHERE'S MY DRAGON BALL?!?!?!?!?!?!
Seeing the one star ball under his arm he made his demand clear for the other behind them
But cutting back to Goku's ship he was now at the final stage of his training under 30 times normal gravity only this time he was more lighter under it
The pain he suffered and healing from it and resting made his strength increase almost over Vegeta's
Our hero was back flipping throwing fists and kicks and flipping into the air
Now Goku had beaten the challenge of his training
Goku: YES! I love to see King Kai and Vegeta's faces to see how much 20 and 30 times normal gravity pays off.
Capsule Corp to Capsule 3 come in
Goku: Hey that sounds like.....
Dr. Brief's voice was calling out to the communication systems near the gravity systems
Repeat: This is Capsule Corp to Capsule 3. Goku if you're there this is Dr. Brief. Please respond! You have a problem!
Goku rushed over and responed
Goku: Doc I'm here. What's wrong?
Goku?!
Goku: Chi-Chi?
Chi-Chi: Goku thank God! Honey I'm so sorry for what I said I should have been supportive. I should be there with you not--
Dr. Briefs: Chi-Chi he won't be alright unless we tell him what we called him for.
Chi-Chi: Oh yeah.
Dr. Brief: Goku listen to me carefully.
Your ship is loosing air cause there's a hole on it. You need to seal it before you loose all your air. You only 55% left and you'll run out before you reach Namek.
Goku: And how the hell am I suppose to do that? I can't go out there without oxygen.
There's a space in cased in the lower level along with some tools. Put that on and I'll guide you what you need to do.
Minutes later Goku comes out of the hatch of the ship in the suit Dr. Brief's mention along with a tool box and soon manage to find the hole he warned him about
Goku: Okay I found it Doc. Now what?
Open the tool box and look for a pair of compartments and quick drying glue.
Goku had a hard time finding them at first the tools in there weren't organized but found the compartments as well as they glue
Goku: Got em.
Okay. Now listen to me carefully. This is very VERY important.
Goku: I'm listening.
Through Dr. Brief's instructions Goku was able to seal the hole and the oxygen back up into the ship in a matter of minutes
Goku: Okay it's done. Now......
Suddenly Goku found his foot glued to the ship
Goku: Awe crap! Uh Doc? I got another problem here!
Dr. Brief: What is it?
I sort of glued my foot to the ship.
Dr. Briefs and Chi-Chi: YOU DID WHAT?!?!?!
Being stuck on the ship was the least of our hero's problem now for the fixing of the ship accidentally confused the coordination's heading straight for a bright star like the sun
Goku: AWE SHIT! AND NOW I'M HEADING FOR A SUN!!! DOC WHAT'D I DO NOW?!?!?!
Chi-Chi: OH NO! GOKU!!
Tights: GET OUT OF THERE!!!
There was no time with his foot stuck and the impending doom awaiting him he was left with one option
Goku: Come on Goku you been through worse jams than this. And you got ONE SHOT! Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Maaaaaaaaaaaaaa Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...............HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Kamahamaha wave BLASTS bright giant wave towards the star and the impact creates waves forcing the ship to bounce back and fly back
And that was one he had to deal with all on his lonesome. It wasn’t the best look for him since he was nearly a day out from actually arriving on Namek and he would’ve only just managed to get there in one piece while the ship was operating at half its usual efficiency.
He needed this ship to get Gohan and Krillin back home.
If only he knew the true scope of just how much trouble the latter was in right now on Namek.
Vegeta’s rage had all but swallowed him whole, blinded him to seeing nothing but red. The one time he actually shows mercy and his enemies exploit it against him; for such a veteran soldier such as himself to sink down to such a vulnerable, rookie mistake was inexcusable to him.
So he didn’t hold back.
Instead of unleashing his usual fury, he merely pushed Bulma against a jagged rock formation, leaving a distinct outline of her figure in the stone. The impact, though forceful, was far gentler than Krillin had anticipated.
Krillin wasn’t nearly as lucky. Not even attempting to entertain himself to Krillin’s offense, Vegeta messily sidesteps a roundhouse and swiftly, CLOCKS Krillin right in the groin. The monk immediately limps over, a high-pitched cry escaping his lips as pain shot through him. Before Krillin could recover, Vegeta shoved him to the ground, forcing him to eat dirt as his face slammed into the earth.
Vegeta: Do you want me to rip off your ear? I know you double-crossed me!
Krillin: It’s not on me! You already have the one I gave you! I couldn’t be in two places at once.
Vegeta: I need that Dragon Ball, the one you took! I need my wish!
Krillin, wincing and cringing from the pain in his groin, struggles to look up at Vegeta. The Saiyan's eyes were unyielding, cold as the vacuum of space. He knew he had to think fast or suffer a fate worse than anything the Demon King Piccolo could dish out. Sweat beads down his brow as he tries to buy more time for Gohan.
Even if it meant further provoking him.
Krillin: I…I—I a-ate it-!
As expected, he got his head further slammed into the ground, making him literally eat dirt.
Vegeta: You expect me to believe you can digest a ball three times your size?!
Krillin: De-depends—? I—I think your rage broke—
Vegeta: SHUT UP, morse comb! I’m not crazy; YOU’RE crazy!
Bulma: Fuck off, veggie!
She instantly lunges for her rifle, her movements frantic and fueled by desperation, ready to fire at Vegeta once more. But her reflexes betray her, and she isn't fast enough. In a blink, Vegeta materializes before her like a vengeful specter, snatching the plasma rifle from her grip with a swift, brutal motion and shoving her back with a force that sends her sprawling.
Without a moment's hesitation, Vegeta dismantles the weapon with savage efficiency, tearing it apart with his bare hands as if it were made of paper. Pieces of metal and circuitry clattering to the ground, his eyes were blazing with an unyielding intensity the entire time.
Vegeta: That will never happen again.
SHING!
A massive surge of ki power crashed into his senses like a tidal wave, overwhelming him with its intensity. His breath hitched as he felt another formidable power level materialize nearby, its presence pressing against him like a suffocating weight. He could sense him over at Guru’s house, less than a minute away from here.
Like a storm erupting, it gave him little time to digest and take it in. And the resulting change of ki was so great, it felt intensely recognizable, like a melody he heard in a dream. And that very power both comforted and unsettled him to where he could only ever associate that with one person.
Vegeta: K-Kakarot?
Dead wrong, he was. But Krillin and Bulma weren’t going to tell him that.
Once more, Vegeta’s keen sense of quick learning was keeping him firmly behind the good guys and Frieza. If he couldn’t squeeze the answers out of his two best friends, he figured it’d be best to answer directly to the man himself.
Vegeta: So much for mercy. Now I gotta pay your friend a beating.
With a powerful thrust, he launched himself skyward, rocking his gaze on the distant outline of Guru’s house and streaking across the sky like an arrow. He cut through the clouds on his direct path.
Krillin: Ahh, crapbaskets!
Bulma: Hurry up! After him!
Krillin: Better hold onto me then!
Gohan Dende and Nail came out after Gohan gained his hidden power from Guru only to see Vegeta land on in front of them all dropping in shock
Gohan: VEGETA!!
Vegeta was drawn hearing his name called out to gaze angrily at Gohan his first thought was taring Gohan apart for stealing and hiding the four star ball
Vegeta: Much as I want to kick the shit out of you for taking my Dragon Ball I have to know.....where is your father?!
Gohan: I....I don't know! But he's coming! So if you try anything you'll be sorry!
Dende: You.....you're the monster who murdered my brother!!
The angry and grief stricken Dende was about to charge at him till Nail grabbed him by the shoulder and pulls him back back
Nail: Tell us what you want.
Vegeta: What I want is none of your concern Namekian! Cause those huge energies approaching----wait. Energies. No. None of them are Kakorat.
Gohan: Dad.....?
Gohan looked up as Vegeta did sensing the approaching energies
Vegeta: Five of them?
That's when Bulma and Krillin landed
Krillin: Hold it right there----
Vegeta: SHUT UP!! Don't you feel that?!
Krillin was utterly confused and looked up too and Vegeta's expression dropped......
.....as if a piece of his past was coming to haunt him
Vegeta: Oh god! It's them!
Krillin: Who's them?
Vegeta turned to him and grabs Krillin by the shirt lifting him off his feet making Bulma back up almost near the edge of the mountain
Vegeta: We're screwed don't you understand that?! We're all gonna die unless I make my wish and fast! Don't you get it?! They're coming!
Krillin: Who's coming?
Vegeta: The Ginyu Force.
Gohan: Who's the Ginyu Force?
Vegeta drops Krillin turned to Gohan to answer
Vegeta: Frieza's elite and bounty hunting team. The Strongest Mercenary Force in the galaxy. They like to put on a stupid dancing show but they're not ones to take likely. They're strong and unreasonable.
Bulma: Are they.....stronger than you?
Vegeta: Some of them yes. Not even Kakorat would be any match for them. As much I hate this.....much as I want to kill all of you.....I.....
Bulma: You.....need our help?
Every fiber in his being wanted to puke hearing those words; not that Vegeta was ever a stranger to receiving help. But he never had to actively ask for such cooperative extremities before, not outwardly anyways. Turns out this trip to Namek brought along the most curious and unlikely of predilections.
Frieza seemed to be blessed at every opportunity with multiple henchmen, new drop ins, new scouters; basically anything he wants, it would appear it falls into his hands.
It left Vegeta, the Z-fighters, Bulma and the Namekians at the most deadly of impasses. One where the lines between ally and enemy blurred quickly.
Vegeta: If you’re not gonna give me the balls, then keep them close! I need my wish and fast!
Gohan: No! We won’t do that!
Vegeta: Kid, Frieza can’t be beaten unless I’M immortal. Options are scarce enough as it is so contrary to belief, YOU MUST DO IT! Grant me eternal life and I promise no harm will come to you, your friends or your father!
Krillin: We do that, and we’d be playing right into your hands! Do you think we’re gonna fall for that?!
Bulma: Why can’t we make Gohan immortal?
Vegeta: He has the power but he’s completely inexperienced tactically! It HAS to be me!
Gohan: Then we’d be wasting our wish for nothing!
That’s where you’re wrong.
Everyone turns to Nail, who proceeds to drop the biggest bombshell yet, to the surprise of everyone there. He does have to stew himself, however, for sharing this news meant he would, in turn, be extending a helpful hand to Vegeta as a result.
Nail: It’s possible….for all of you to have your wishes. Our Dragon Balls can grant 3 wishes.
Gohan: Th—three?! You sure it’s not just one?
Nail: I am certain. As a Namekian, I am well-versed in the ways of our magical orb creations. However, there is one catch: the wishes must be made consecutively and cannot be used to wish for more wishes.
Everyone just looks at each other, exchanging tentative glances. What once seemed like an impossible solution now just so happened to slice itself into three peculiarly shaped pears to digest. This set of Dragon Balls being able to grant more than one wish was the ultimate trump card: one that could give Vegeta and the Z-Fighters everything they wanted at once….but also overload Frieza with more power than he even had before.
Vegeta narrowed his eyes, contemplating the proposition. It wasn't ideal, but it was better than nothing. Frieza's elite didn't wait for anyone, and he didn't want to find out how far Frieza was willing to go if he failed in obtaining the Dragon Balls.
Gohan: We really can wish for everything?
Vegeta: He just said we could! The longer we stand here in awe, the less time we have! Will you HURRY UP?!
For a few more seconds, they stood frozen, eyes wide and locked in a silent exchange of disbelief and wonder. The air was thick with tension, and each heartbeat seemed to echo louder than the last. Then, the weight of Vegeta’s harsh words settled heavily upon them, a cold, undeniable truth that seeped into their bones and left them with a sobering, resigned realization of the situation.
They NEEDED him. Arguably just as badly as he does.
Krillin: ARGH, guess we’ll have to cross that bridge when we get there!
Bulma: Wait—just like that?!
Gohan: You have any other options, Bulma?!
The blue-haired lass bites her lower lip, glancing between everyone; the distrust in her eyes was palpable.
Bulma: GRRRR!
Snatching her own pouch in front of her, mumbling to herself, Bulma’s fingers rummaged through the pouch until she pulled out yet another unmarked capsule. With a decisive press of her thumb on the top, she released it, and it fell to the ground. A puff of smoke erupted, revealing the Dragon Ball that Gohan had stealthily taken from Vegeta.
Her gaze pierced through Vegeta like daggers, full of defiance and accusation, as she rolled the Dragon Ball over to Krillin.
Vegeta: You had—How did you even—
Bulma: Be lucky we’re even showing you at all! Where’s the rest of them?!
Vegeta: I hid the other five two miles south!
Krillin: DAMN IT ALL!
The group unanimously decides to follow Vegeta's lead, propelled by a mix of determination and tension. They rocket through the sky, Vegeta at the forefront like a battle-hardened spearhead, with Gohan and Krillin flanking him like vigilant sentinels. Gohan clutches Bulma tightly, never letting his guard down as she fixes her unyielding gaze on Vegeta's back, her eyes blazing with suspicion, ensuring he doesn't dare attempt any treachery.
Nail and Dende did not follow. Not because they didn’t want to; Dende and Nail had no intention of following through on Vegeta’s wish for immortality, especially considering he murdered many of their kind. But they couldn’t deny that Frieza was the larger evil at play here, and that helping would likely prevent their entire race from growing extinct.
While the others race towards Vegeta's hiding spot, Nail and Dende share a look. Neither of them wants to say it, but they both know what must be done.
They’ve left, I take it?
They both turned at the sound of Guru’s voice, moving closer towards the entrance of his home so he could at least hear them.
Nail: Yes, they have. But even if things go as planned, their odds are slim.
The Grand Elder exhales heavily.
Guru: Nail…..I believe your talents are best used elsewhere. Go.
Nail: Guru?
Guru: The Earthlings need you.
Dende: But your health—?
Guru: I should hold out….for a little while longer…..
Nail and Dende share a look, understanding the weight of Guru's words. Both of them knew they couldn't leave him alone in his condition. However, they also understood that they were needed to help their friends. In the end, Nail nodded reluctantly at Dende, signaling him to stay with Guru while he ventures forth to aid their allies.
Together, they bid farewell to the wise Namekian before Nail runs to the edge of the outpost and takes flight, making haste to catch up with Gohan and the others.
His help couldn’t have come at a more crucial time.
Five metal spheres, small as coffins and just as cold, tear through the star-shot dark above the green planet. Breaching Namek’s exosphere, the pods ignite in unison, a cluster of fiery seeds hurled from the black mouth of space. Their casings glow orange-white, burning through layers of upper air, the friction singing a shrill alloy hymn. Inside, each pod houses a single occupant lashed into gel-sealed harnesses, faces gray-lit by the strobing instrument panels, breath misting in the microgravity chill. The surface of Namek—viridian oceans, blue wetlands, bone-white islands—swells into view beneath the flickering hulls. The heat shield resin begins to vaporize, streaming behind like war banners. Alarms chirp as the trajectory steepens. Five plumes scrawl toward the clustered islands, an arrival neither subtle nor subtlety intended.
The descent is a violence meant to be seen.
And they were subject to land directly in plain view of Frieza’s massive spaceship. And he was watching from outside.
It is only a matter of seconds before impact, a blast of water and steam and shattered rock that leaves the landscape shuddering, but the pods’ guidance systems time their final burn with predatory precision. They roar over the tidal lakes, cutting a swath of molten glass into Namek’s wild wetlands, then gouge deep into the earth, trailing a chemical mist and the scent of ozone.
They all landed within seconds of each other.
Every single pod’s hatch irises open like a steel flower, and gloved hands grip each rim, steaming as it meets the sudden cold.
With that, five bodies in stereo, almost choreographed, rise out of their pods on cue. All five were of staggering builds, sizes, weights, and dynamics, yet they all flew in unison up towards the roof of Frieza’s spaceship. Frieza, ever so inclined to be the diplomatic one when he was in the mood, moved his portable hover pod back all the way to make room for this group.
To think they were the nuclear option for when Dodoria and Zarbon failed.
One of them had the build and size of a regular human, but one with shaggy orange hair, beady eyes, no visible eyebrows, and a cleft chin. He bore a green scouter on his left eye, a white variant of the Battle Armor with a special insignia engraved into the chestplate, and a short black jumpsuit under it, white gloves, and white boots.
Enter Recoome (John Cena).
To his far right was a reptile-alien hybrid; with blue skin, red eyes without pupils and many small spots on his body, as well as a light orange plate with a segmented pattern on his head, tubular ears, and no nose, he wore a black variant of the Battle Armor.
Enter Burter (Matthew Lewis).
While not on the far side of the color spectrum, another one’s skin was pure bright red with a slender build, green eyes, a small nose, long white hair that extends to his hips, bangs down his forehead, and white eyebrows.
Enter Jeice (Dacre Montgomery).
The small one stuck out like a sore thumb, a froggy individual with light green skin, four eyes (two small ones located like a human's eyes and two much larger eyes located at the sides of his head) and no scouter.
Enter Guldo (Dylan ‘Hornswoggle’ Postl).
And then there was the purple one, their leader. He is a tall, purple humanoid alien. The top of his head displays prominent veins, similar to those of a human brain. Two black conical horns protrude from the top sides of his head. Wearing a black variant of that battle armor, with lower side guards, black and white wrist bracers, and yet another green scouter, he balanced out the team’s flamboyance exceedingly well.
Enter Captain Ginyu (Terry Crews).
Appearances indeed can be deceiving.
Ginyu: Gentlemen, introductions!
Recoome: TO
Burter: GET
Jeice: HER
Guldo: WE
Ginyu: ARE
All: GINYU TOKUSENTAI! (Ginyu Special Forces)
Delivering their battle cry with the gusto of a veteran boy band that’s rocked the pop culture scene for decades at a time, it was a sight most uncanny. Their matching outfits, the ridiculous poses, the goofy camaraderie in how they effortlessly bounced off one another, and their chemistry were apparent from the get-go.
These are the super elite, powerful warriors that Frieza called on personally for assistance? Let alone, the few warriors that weren’t forcefully subdued or made into his servants? Apparently so.
Although Frieza’s reaction of discomfiture on his face didn’t raise many eyebrows either. He was used to this.
Ginyu: Lord Frieza, thank you once again for giving us this chance to serve you.
Frieza: Why, yes, of course. And I assume you brought them?
Jeice: Your new up-to-date scouters? Right here.
A tiny bright green case holding the scouters is handed over to Frieza, no fuss about it. And as expected, there they were, pristine condition and fully updated with the highest up-to-date quality possible.
And the wearable all-purpose computer was coated in red to fit the peculiarities of Frieza’s eyes.
Frieza: Glorious.
But now it was time for the reason the Ginyu Force came here.
Frieza: So, as I’ve made sure to inform you all, Vegeta has taken off with my Dragon Balls.
Recoome: Whoa whoa whoa. Vegeta?
Burter: Little Veggie?
Guldo: With a Dragon Ball?
Ginyu: Wait a moment, gentlemen. Vegeta's betrayal is one thing, but we have a more pressing issue at hand. Frieza, please continue.
Frieza: Thank you, Captain Ginyu.
His pod approaches the group.
Frieza: I say this because it would appear he’s not the only one after them. He seems to have teamed up with a ragtag group of rogue human tramps and, by extension, these Namekians.
Jeice: Dare we ask how they managed to get them?
Frieza: A series of unfortunate events….and given Dodoria and Zarbon’s damning lack of response, it’s become abundantly clear neither of them was enough to fulfill this task on their own. I’ve called on you five to get them back.
Ginyu: Understood.
With a crisp nod, his gaze shifted back to his teammates, assessing them with a predatory gleam.
Ginyu: And as for these interlopers, would you prefer them dead or alive?
The Cosmic Emperor only leaned back in his hover chair, a dismissive smirk playing on his lips. He let out a derisive laugh, cold and sharp.
Frieza: Either or.
He replies, waving a hand as if swatting away a fly.
And so, the captain mirrored Frieza's condescension with a sneer of his own, his lips curling into a sinister grin. So he declares, rolling his shoulders as if preparing for a hunt….
Ginyu: Dead it is.
Cutting back to our brave trio and the Rogue Saiyan Prince they flew above the green river all looking serious neither one trusting Vegeta about this hell he wasn't trusting with them either but was desperate
They flew on soon as the island he left the Dragon Balls
Vegeta: There!
They launched to it and then land running to the Dragon Balls
Vegeta: Finally! Come on! Let's call this bad boy and----
Vegeta looked back to see them staring serious at them as they just had a change of heart due to Vegeta's wish
Vegeta: What'd you three waiting for?
Krillin: Forget it Vegeta! We changed our minds!
Bulma: You killed our friends and we'd rather die by this force you mentioned then EVER help you get your wish!
Gohan: Besides Dad will stop them when he arrives and when he gets here he'll take care of you too!
Vegeta: WHAT ARE YOU DENSE?!?! The Ginyu Force could be here in a second and then we're----
Ginyu: Hi Vegeta.
Vegeta: Hi Ginyu. And then we're----
Vegeta STOPPED and FROZE dead in his tracks standing still for a moment before turning around looking to see......
......The Ginyu Force were there before them minutes ago just after Frieza told them about him and the trio
Vegeta: SON OF A (BLEEP) (BLEEP) (BLEEP)KING BEAST! WHY THE (BLEEP)CK DOES ALL THIS (BLEEP)KING (BLEEP)T HAPPEN TO ME?!
Turns out the bleeps covering Vegeta's swearing was actually Jiece pressing his scouter
Ginyu: Again Jeice? Would you please......
Jeice: I know Captain sorry. Scouters acting a bit shonky again. I just fixed it this morning.
Burter: I told you to have it checked with the technicians.
Vegeta: WITH A GOD DAMN PIG!!!
Ginyu: Are you done yet?
Vegeta:.....yeah.
Ginyu: Excellent. Now straight to the point I'm sure you and your rebel friends there know as well as I do that Lord Frieza is not so pleased you took his Dragon Balls. So we'll cut a deal with at least three of you. Vegeta you come with us along with the Dragon Balls to talk to Frieza and you other three can go home scot-free and we'll just tell him we killed you guys and he'll never look for you. Or.....well pretty much you know what or is.
Bulma: Fine! Take him!
Vegeta: Are you serious bitch?
Bulma: DON'T YOU CALL ME A BITCH!
Vegeta: ALRIGHT THEN HOW BOUT----
Krillin: YOU TWO WANT TO SETTLE COUPLE THERAPY OR THE PROBLEM AT HAND HERE!
That shut them up for some reason
Ginyu: I'd have to agree with the bald boy. Just make this easy on yourself Vegeta and hand over the two Dragon Balls you're carrying.
Vegeta: You want it so bad. Well then you better go CATCH IT!!!!!
He throws it to the heroizing but Burter some how either teleported or flew in fast invisible speed to the naked eye catching it and popping back up to his team
Burter: Do you mean this Vegeta?
Vegeta: Damn I forgot he could do that.
Ginyu: Nice work Burter.
Burter: So Vegeta. Hows it feel to be out weighed by the fastest being in the galaxy.
Vegeta: You want fast I'll give you fast! Hey Baldy! Destroy it!
Krillin: ARE YOU CRAZY?!
Vegeta: DO IT!
No choice Krillin did tend to smash it with his bare hand but somehow.......it just VANISHED in the blink of an eye
Krillin: What the?!
Guldo: Looking for this?
Guldo was holding Krillin's Dragon Ball in his hands
Krillin: How the hell did you----
Guldo: Case Vegeta never told you rebel scum I can freeze time. Just the moment you raised your fist I froze you and swiped the ball from your little hands.
Vegeta: You sneaky little bastard.
Guldo: That's right Vegeta. I finally got even with you for all the times you humiliated me in front of Lord Frieza.
Great, just what I needed, Vegeta thought. Another so-called ‘rival’ looking to one-up and humiliate him for shits-and-giggles….but unlike Cui, Guldo did seem to have an actual edge to him in battle that appeared to be true.
And unfortunately for the group, that meant the Ginyu Force now had possession of all seven Dragon Balls either in their grasp or directly behind them. It was almost too easy.
So much so that they didn’t want to leave it at just that. Frieza did say to deal with them, and nobody planned on dying today, especially Krillin, who had already bit the dust once and would try doubly hard to avoid permanent erasure. It left him, Gohan and Bulma to huddle closely near Vegeta to try and coordinate some plan of attack, the urgency of their whispered conversation underscored by the not-so-distant rumbling of danger directly across from them.
Gohan: We’re just gonna let them take the balls?
Vegeta: Going one-on-one with Ginyu is suicide; if he’s the one taking the Dragon Balls back, we can’t take that risk with him.
Krillin: And yet you’re certain fighting’s our only option here?
Vegeta: I think you’ve already seen we can’t outrun them. From what I’ve seen of your strength on Earth, I doubt you two will be much worth….but it’s better than nothing.
Gohan: Aren’t you forgetting someone?
Vegeta: No, I’m not. The girl will serve as a decent distraction.
Bulma: Ohh, that’s real cheap, coming from you.
She says, snatching another capsule from her pouch, snapping down on the top with a satisfying click, and dropping it beneath her feet. Yet another plasma rifle materializes out of the capsule from a cloud of smoke, gleaming and ready for action.
Bulma: But what else am I gonna do?
She murmurs once more, grasping the weapon firmly, her stance unwavering before cocking back the hammer.
This unorthodox approach to planning didn’t go unseen by the Ginyu Force. They stood in a huddle, each member casting quick, calculating glances at their opponents. Burter, with his towering height and electric blue skin, whispered to Recoome, who nodded while cracking his knuckles. Meanwhile, Jeice adjusted his platinum blonde mane, eyes narrowing as he assessed the potential threats.
It was up to the Captain to decide who would pick out whom to face.
Ginyu: Must say, it’s been a while since we’ve had any exercise, so we’ll be sure to give them plenty of tender, love and care.
Burter: We?
Ginyu: I can’t hog all the fun now, can I?
Darting his eyes back to the tiny crevice where Vegeta housed the other five Dragon Balls, it was almost too easy for him to collect these magical orbs. Concentrating his telekinetic powers, he caused all seven orbs to rise into the air, glowing with a faint, otherworldly light. They floated in a perfect ring around him, including the ones previously clutched in Burter and Guldo’s hands, now released from their grip as if by an unseen force.
Ginyu: I’ll be sure to get these to Frieza. The rest of you can play a game of janken (rock, paper, scissors) to determine who gets whom.
Recoome: Winner gets Vegeta, runner-up gets the two runts!
Jeice: Oooh ooh! What about the blue-haired vixen?
Burter: Of course you’d go for her.
With the Captain watching, the four remaining members of the Ginyu Force huddled together, their fingers outstretched and concealed from view as they began their hushed betting game.
All: Saisho wa gū (Starting with rock)!
Not a moment later, four sets of knuckles flashed forth, fists clenched out in a tight grasp, hoping for victory.
All: Janken….pon!
With that, the four of them revealed their hand shapes. Unfortunately, they all matched in getting paper.
Burter: Blooming hell!
Jeice: Ahh piss off!
Recoome: It’s a damn tie!
Guldo: Again! Go again!
(More to come)
Mid Credit Scene[]
Coming soon.....
Post-Credit Scene[]
Coming soon.....
Survivors[]
Coming soon......
Deaths[]
- Cui ~ Blown To Bits By Vegeta
- Handful of Frieza's men ~ Thwarted by a Young Namekian Trio
- One of the Namekian Trio ~ Struck from behind by Dodoria
- The other two of the Namekian Trio ~ killed by Dodoria
- Mouri ~ Struck by Frieza's death beam
- Dodoria ~ blasted out of midair by Vegeta
- Random Frieza Soldier ~ Killed by Frieza's death beam
- Zarbon ~ Gutted by Vegeta before being blasted through his chest
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Featured Songs[]
- Namek Theme
- Starset ~ ICARUS
- Stratovarius ~ A Million Light Years Away
- Super Saiyan Theme
- Jen Ledger ~ Foreigner
- Imogen Heap ~ Wait It Out
- Evil Desires
Main Cast Gallery[]
(More to come.....)
Sequels[]
- Cell Saga ~ The Perfect Being
- Buu Saga ~ The Destructive Majin
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Prequel[]
MPAA Rating[]
This film is rated PG-13.....