In some places, history diverges wildly before it can get on something approaching back on track. When Bulma Briefs came by looking for the four star Dragon Ball, she met Son Gohan who had been living by himself. Thinking that it would be a nice vacation, Gohan had joined her on her quest. Many of the same things happened as would have happened if Son Goku was on this quest. Gohan is the one who drags Turtle back to the ocean, knowing who he is, and claims Roshi's dragon ball as payment instead of Kinto'un which he can no longer ride. He easily defeats Oolong when he comes back to the village for the girl, and offers to take Yamcha on as a student. Later, it is his Kamehameha that destroys the fire in the Ox King's home rather than Roshi's, so Oolong - whom Gohan finds rather amusing - is spared the indignity of the Puff Puff incident.

It is in Pilaf's lair that things became radically different. Though Gohan finally managed to knock down the wall with a Kamehameha despite the fact that he was nearly entirely drained, he hadn't managed to do it in time to prevent Pilaf from making his wish. Pilaf became the Emperor of the world. A year and ten months later, the Red Ribbon Army managed to gather it's forces under the leadership of Staff Officer Black who had assassinated Commander Red for wasting a wish on becoming taller. The Red Ribbon Army engaged in a two year long Civil war with Emperor Pilaf's forces.

Tienshinhan had quite easily won the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai without Goku there to challenge him, thus proving the might of the Crane School. It was during this tournament that Emperor Pilaf released the Demon King Piccolo from his confinement in the electric rice cooker in a last ditch effort to defeat Commander Black's forces. Piccolo turned on Emperor Pilaf and decimated his remaining forces before destroying the Red Ribbon Army as well. After destroying both armies, he acquired the Tenkaichi Budokai competition roster in order to destroy all fighters that might have even the smallest chance of defeating him.

Less than a day after his release, Piccolo acquired a Dragon Ball in order to prevent anyone else from gathering them all and wishing his destruction. He saw no point in destroying Shenron as he knew that he may want to make wishes in the future.

When Kamesenin and Tsurusenin both learned that Piccolo had once more been turned loose on the world, they called a truce and joined forces to deal with the threat he presented. The Crane Hermit and his brother Tao Pai Pai sacrificed themselves during the battle leaving Tienshinhan and Chaotzu alone in the world. The Turtle Hermit would later take them in, and Tienshinhan would abandon his dream of becoming an assassin.

The Crane Hermit died casting a Mafuba that Piccolo managed to avoid but, did manage to trap one of his offspring. Tao Pai Pai then sacrificed himself, using the Kikoho technique to defeat Piccolo who managed to send his egg out into the world before what little of him was left exploded. For their brave acts, King Yemma granted them reincarnation rather than sending them straight to hell.

In the time that Son Gohan was following the young Piccolo who is now Son Goku around, the former Emperor whom Pilaf's wish dethroned came back into power and started the process of reconstruction. He declared the day of Piccolo's death a holiday, and commissioned a statue honoring the Crane Hermit and Tao Pai Pai for their noble sacrafice.

It had been into this world that young Piccolo who now had the name Son Goku had been brought along on a quest to retrieve the Dragon Balls in the hopes that Shenron would be able to bring back at least some of the dead, after he had recovered from his injuries.