The original author's note has been removed in accordance with chapter rules. Here is a portion of it:

Just to get be sure, I should mention this is an AU. I've tried to make this seem like this is what ordinary Dragon Ball Zcannon would be… if something was terribly wrong. There are a few fundamental changes in the universe; you should be able to pick them up as we go along. But if something seems to be incorrect, it is most likely intentional (though I did make some mistakes that readers pointed out). Because of the fact that this is pseudo-cannon, however, in the beginning it will seem a lot like the normal story. Have patience; the first part is basically paring down the cast.

Eventually, we'll end up with something very different from normalDragon Ball Zstoryline. Until then, we abide. I've put general because my intended scope is far larger than any genre. The PG-13 rating is for violence.

Before East Kioshin could do anything, Buu turned and punched his brother, West Kioshin, through the side of the temple and turned on him. Firing the largest energy attack he could, East Kioshin charged, only to have Buu agilely leap to the side and kick him from above. Rolling as he met the ground, he got to his feet again. He hadn't even been fighting two minutes, and he already felt like a building had fallen on him.

Buu's speed was just too much. No matter how hard he pushed himself, he couldn't match up. The others had helped him, but they were gone now. Getting painfully to his feet, he was hammered by another blow and smashed through the building.

Smirking, Buu landed and surveyed the damage he had done. A second later South Kioshin leaped at him from behind, making him fall forward. The Kioshin landed and faced off with Buu, who smirked and held out a hand. He fired a shot and dust obscured the view, but a second later an unharmed South Kioshin flew from behind and sent him tumbling.

Buu then pulled out a gigantic chunk of rock, and hurled it behind him toward the amused Kioshin.

"Do you expect that to harm me?" South Kioshin laughed. The next instant he stopped when he realized he was speaking to an absent audience. Buu, now having moved behind him, launched a haymaker at him, sending him flying. Catching himself on a wall, South Kioshin laughed and charged again.

North Kioshin flew from the side, faster than both of them. He launched a blow that knocked Buu tumbling. The pink monster turned to them both, and then they flew forward, battling fiercely. Ducking beneath one blow while dodging another, Buu kicked North Kioshin away temporarily and elbowed South Kioshin away from him. Arcing swiftly, North Kioshin attacked him again, and Buu's hand barely deflected his blow.

By this time, all four of them had gotten to their feet and surrounded the monster. Buu glanced at all of them, smiling slightly.

"Give it up!" West Kioshin barked at him, "you're going to lose!"

"No."

"Then you asked for it!"

All of them charged at the same instant, and Buu moved at the same time. He avoided West Kioshin's punch, flipped him away and kicked East in the midriff. Swaying to the side, he elbowed North Kioshin into the rock pillar nearby and avoided South Kioshin's kick. South Kioshin swung once more, but his fist was caught in Buu's larger palm. For a second South Kioshin gaped, and then Buu's knee met his face and he flew into the air, crashing some distance away.

Turning, Buu barely caught a glimpse of white blur before Dai Kioshin hammered him directly, sending him flying. Caught off guard, Buu took a nasty uppercut and then another punch to the side. He fell toward the ground, with Dai Kioshin following him. Catching himself with his hands, Buu kicked backward, sending Dai Kioshin into the sky.

Flipping to his feet, Buu faced them again. All of them realized with horror that he was barely harmed.

"Master Dai!" West Kai got to his feet, his breath haggard but respectful.

"We have only one chance," the greatest Kioshin said softly, watching Buu. "We must use the ultimate seal. If he is allowed to continue, we have no hope."

"But, how?" South muttered. All of them split a second later, barely avoiding Buu's charge. They recollected at the other side of the field, while Buu merely laughed.

"If we have a distraction, we can perform the spell," Dai Kioshin hissed. "But how?"

"I'll do it." North said, gripping the sword on his back. The others glared at him.

"You won't steal any glory," East Kioshin began, but stopped when he realized Buu was charging again.

The four of them collected and began the magic, gathering their power. North Kioshin launched a bolt, knocking Buu off course. They clashed again, but Buu's palm made its way through his defenses, sending North Kioshin hurtling backward. He hit the ground heavily and failed to get up.

"Now!" Dai Kioshin cried, the energy between them flickering with power. Energy surged out, coming into the battered North Kioshin, who lay still as Buu flew downward toward him. At what seemed like the last possible instant, his eyes opened and his fist came up, catching Buu's hand before it reached him. A second later a kick sent him sprawling.

Buu got up, gritting his teeth and looking warily at him. North Kioshin smirked and then leaped and drew his sword in one motion. He blurred forward, and Buu leapt backward, but found with shock that he wasn't fast enough. A bright line sliced across his chest. He grimaced, but then a second later North Kioshin launched a beam from his sword, knocking him backward.

Regaining his balance, Buu was struck again, this blow cleaving him in half. Gritting his teeth, Buu formed together once again, now no longer severed or cut. All of them had expected as much, as well as North Kioshin, who had flown into the air, then slammed his sword down into Buu. Signaling, North Kioshin caused the sword within Buu to explode. Seconds later, the weapon appeared back in his hands.

Shattered, Buu fell and the others cheered, all silently hating North Kioshin for being the hero. It was Dai Kioshin who noticed it first, a spark of something near the fallen Buu. As he turned, all the others looked as well, and then recoiled in shock.

Something seemed to animate Buu's body to stand once again. His eyes looked lifeless, and then faded to a stomach-turning black. A darkness deeper than anything they had seen flooded from behind him, tendrils snaking around Buu and surrounding him. While they stood stunned, it whirled around him and Buu's eyes closed. When they opened again they glowed red.

"Fools!" His voice was deep and seemed to come from beyond him, piercing their souls, "I am the Darkness! I will see you destroyed!"

All of them attacked, except Dai Kioshin, who was left holding the energy they had generated. Buu smirked and batted them aside , sending them crashing into the ground. West Kioshin flew at him again, and hurtled through the space where Buu had been formerly. The next instant a fist slammed him down, sending him into the rock. North Kioshin's sword swept down and Buu easily caught it and ripped it from his hands.

Gaping, North Kioshin could only stare as Buu bent the supposedly unbreakable sword into a twisted knot and tossed it aside. Before he could even formulate thoughts of moving, a fist hammered North backward over the horizon.

"Die!" Buu's head jerked to the side as he searched for the source of the sound. Seeing nothing he looked up, to find Dai Kioshin launching the magic directly at him. A solid white beam sliced down, covering him and enveloping the area around him in a brilliant light.

"No!" The beam formed into a sphere that surrounded Buu, who shrieked in anger.

"This is the end," Dai Kioshin said calmly, disheveled but triumphant, "you have been beaten."

"I'll annihilate you!" Buu hissed, pounding on the inside of the sphere.

"Shut up! I hate you!" Dai Kioshin practically screamed, launching energy around him, power blazing around the area. The sphere became whiter and whiter, slowly fading from view. As he fell backward from existence, Buu caught Dai Kioshin's eyes one last time, and his voice came from nothing, barely audible.

"You fool, you know not what you do..."

Hundreds of years later, in a blackness darker than the space that it hovered in, a force that seemed to encompass everything, something stirred. Energy flooded out into space, wrapping around the reality. Down below, an insignificant hunk of rock floated in space. Soundlessly, Darkness expanded to the galaxy, and descended to the planet.

In a space between the Afterlife and the world, between reality and unreality, between order and chaos, there was nearly nothing. Nearly. Deep in a magical slumber, Shenlong slept, coiled in a ball. The mighty dragon was always here, except when temporarily summoned when someone collected all of the Dragonballs. For now, however, it had no wish to grant.

A ripple swept across the nothingness, disturbing the dragon. Shenlong unraveled into his full, gigantic length and listened carefully to the flux in space. The dragon sighed heavily, cosmic power curling through his lips. He was too old for this, far too old.

Coiling up again, the dragon returned to his sleep. It had read many terrible things in the ripple, and it was disturbed to its core. He would be summoned again, many times. But now he had foreseen a final, last time. And then there would be nothing. Somehow, his creator would be destroyed. Maybe there would be a final sleep then, a release from all the annoyances from this world.

But it was grateful it would not have to face what was to come.

Bardock stood, staring into the fires silently. Another city was going up in flames. While it was a disgrace to his warrior blood, things back home were distracting him. His young son, Raditz, already had a position in the army as a scout. With luck, Bardock would come back to another son.

"Get moving!" Toma yelled, shaking him out of his silence. Bardcok shook his head ruefully. He really needed to keep himself going, they were on deadline to get this planet ready. But there weren't very many more cities left now, if his calculations were correct. They flew off to the next one, leaving carnage behind.

Once landing there, Bardock ignored the screams of the people in the city as they appeared, floating above the city. Raising a hand, he threw a ball of energy up into the air, sending it sparkling out into the lavender sky. Ever since Prince Vegita had invented a technique to simulate a full moon, things had been so much easier. Energy pulsed into him, and he felt the transformation taking place. Soon only a giant black ape stood where Bardock had one been. Roaring in Oozaru form, he rushed into the city with Toma, ripping buildings like they were toys.

The destruction continued. In just a few hours, the final cities were destroyed. Bardock and Toma sat by the blazing remains of a city as they made camp, once again in their normal forms. After getting set up, Bardock stood by the fire, watching the flames silently. There was no reason to watch the flames, but he always found himself back at them again. Toma just shook his head at his companion.

"Hi-yah!"

The voice came from behind. Bardock was hit before he could react and he tumbled forward. Leaping up and turning, he saw another of these beings standing there. He was small and covered with slightly pink fur. Right now his mouth was gritted in anger.

"I am the last of my people," he growled, "you destroyed them all."

Bardock rolled his eyes and wearily raised a finger. A beam lanced out, but the small creature was suddenly gone and the beam hurtled into space. Raising both hands, energy began pouring from the creature, who was standing behind Bardock. The energy hit Bardock dead on. He found himself unharmed, but immobile. Something was happening to him, and he didn't know what. For a second there was profound, incredible pain.

"It is finished!" The creature laughed, "You will always pay for what you have done! Now, forever more, you have been given the curse to see the future!"

Just then, Toma flew forward and slammed a palm into the creature's face. It went flying backward, hitting a plateau and demolishing it. Bardock could move again and launched a ki bolt that finished whatever remained of it. Both warriors turned back to their fire, waiting for the ship to pick them up. Last stand heros were always typical, and they always met the same fate.

The ship arrived, and they headed back toward their base again. By now, Bardock had already forgotten the incident with the last creature on the planet. He and Toma reported that the planet had been swept clean of inhabitants and could now be sold. He'd already done three planets that month, and he hoped to get a bonus for doing so many. Walking to his quarters, Bardock suddenly felt the world around him spinning into blackness.

Looking around him worriedly, Bardock saw that he was in a grassy, pleasant field. A single tree stood nearby. What was going on? Where was he? Suddenly he saw a few people walking across the field toward him.

They didn't seem to see him, and they continued walking in his direction. Bardock recognized his surroundings. The Afterlife, where people went when they died; had he died? Just then the people neared him, still not paying any attention. Bardock gasped. One of the people was him! They continued walking and talking, and they passed right through him as if he didn't exist, continuing on the other side.

Whirling around, Bardock watched himself go, then followed. Something strange was going on here. They were talking about something, it didn't make any sense to him. Suddenly the world around him swam, and when he looked again he saw changes.

The other warriors he had been talking with lay sprawled on the ground. There was a green warrior in a purple gi standing there, holding a limp form. Looking closer, Bardock realized that it was himself. Glancing around, he saw the other bodies of Toma and many others he had known. He looked back at the warrior, saw him heave his body into the air and incinerate it in one shot. The world around him swam again.

Shaking his head violently, Bardock found himself again in his quarters, just inside the door. No time seemed to have passed. Getting up off the floor, Bardock thought about the incident. Himself dying. Was he really seeing the future? Could this be what that creature had been talking about?

Clearing his head, Bardock concentrated on forgetting the issue. But something about it lingered with him, a haunting in the back of his mind. What if it was true?

King Vegita crept silently through the corridors, making no sound as he left. If all went well, no on would see him here. Breathing a sigh of relief and wiping sweat from his face, King Vegita carefully glanced around, then continued moving. Almost out now.

He nearly ran into Frieza as he rounded the corner. The changeling glowered at him, and for a second the king thought he had a serious problem on his hands. Luckily, Frieza didn't seem to know that he wasn't supposed to be here, so he would be fine. Except that anything involving Frieza went badly.

"I'd suggest paying more attention ," Frieza said icily, and King Vegita could feel him powering up slightly, a small threat. The king knew that Frieza was more than strong enough to take him out then, even in Oozaru. Well, he'd get what was coming to him someday. He was king of the entire saiyan race, and eventually they'd throw off the changelings and go on their own to rule the galaxy.

"Are those planets in?" Frieza asked him. King Vegita nodded.

"We went over our quota by 12, sir."

"Acceptable," Frieza nodded. "All right then, you've done well. However, the purpose of my visit is not to talk to you about planets. My father has told me to warn you. You've taken entirely too much license on some recent planets. The instant you saiyans step out of line, we come here and slaughter you all. Do you understand?"

"We would not back down from a challenge," the king smirked, "but of course, we'll continue to serve you. You'll get no trouble from us."

"Good."

They continued talking, but King Vegita had to smile to himself. Now, talking with Frieza, he had not only the perfect alibi, but also a perfectly good reason to be here. The two rulers grated on each other's nerves, then eventually parted ways, both very pleased with themselves. A warrior passed him, and King Vegita gave him a second glance. Was this the unlucky one? He'd never know. Moving onward, the king did his best to forget all that had just happened. Still, a chill wind seemed to blow through him, and he wasn't warm again for some time.

Standing outside the nursery, Bardock looked around for his son. He was supposed to be in there somewhere, but there were a large number of babies. Just when Bardock found him, he quickly activated his scouter and looked to see what it said.

"2!"

He was outraged. His son had a power level of two? Completely worthless! Turning on his heel, Bardock strode off down the corridor to find one of the attendants. One was sitting at the desk, writing on some papers. Vaulting over the desk, Bardock gripped him by the shirt and pulled him up to his level.

"I want my son launched today."

"Very well sir," the aide choked out. Just give me your name and ID..."

Bardock watched the capsule fly off into space. It was soon gone. His son had been worthless. Now he was gone. At least he still had his first son, Raditz. The boy was stronger then this weakling. He showed some promise, at least. Turning, Bardock tried to forget that his son had ever existed, now that he was going to take over some obscure backwater planet. Still, as he went he turned back once more, and hurried inside, suddenly colder than a saiyan should ever have been.

King Kai was wandering the surface of his planet, and then he felt something touch him to the soul. There had been something that just happened, something involving destiny. And whatever it was, it had just mattered to the fate of the entire galaxy. Sensing around the universe, King Kai found nothing unusual, but he knew something was wrong in his quarter of the galaxy.

He hated contacting the other Kais, and abstained from doing so now. Still, he knew they had all felt it. Turning, he went back into his house and closed the door, as if trying to ward off destiny. Outside, a black and cold wind began to blow.

The Saga Begins...