Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z or Dragon Ball GT. I do not own any music suggested. All rights go to their respected owners.

Claimer: I own this plot and any/all original characters that may/do appear.

Chapter 8

Transient Peace

Wukong Hospital: The best, and most expensive, medical treatment facility in all of West City. Every room was abuzz with activity as doctors, nurses and patients alike talked about either said patients' illness or simply made small talk to pass the time. All was remotely quiet in the building, nonetheless, allowing for a serene and calm atmosphere on what seemed to be a fairly slow day.

Most of the hospital's staff even found themselves with a great deal of down time, something they were grateful for after the harrowing events of the Saiyan attack but hours earlier. The doctors and nurses simply prayed that this relaxed atmosphere could continue until, at the very least, their shifts were over.

This hope of peace and quiet was summarily shattered by the loud, frantic screaming of none other than Son Goku, hero of Earth.

"NOOOO! NOOO! Keep it away!" The Saiyan pleaded as he tried to lift his broken and bruised body out of the CPB, Critical Patient Bed, he was put inside. Seeing the metal of the medical machine actually start to bend forward with Goku's body, Tien and Yamcha, both with an arm and a leg in a cast each, moved forward as fast as they could and pushed Goku back down by the shoulder as best they could. Meanwhile, the white-haired doctor, needle in hand, merely stared onwards in confusion, his mouth open in shock at seeing such strength being exhibited.

"Come on man! It's for your own good!" Yamcha declared, attempting to calm the still screaming Goku down as he continued to struggle, even with his injuries and under the pressure from the two humans.

"He's right! Just trust the doctor this one time, okay?!" Tien added, struggling to not only keep Goku down but also not apply too much pressure lest they push the man's bed down through the floor.

Ignoring their protests, the Saiyan continued to yell and attempt escape in fear, murmuring out pleas and worries while imagining the horrible things the thin piece of metal would do to him.

Gohan and Krillin, with the former on the bed next to his father's and the latter standing on the floor, sighed simultaneously and shook their heads while looking down in embarrassment.

"I guess even the strongest person in the world has one weakness. Personally I preferred the tail since there was a lot less yelling involved," Krillin half-joked, half-moaned while Gohan looked between the monk and his regrown tail in confusion.

Adding to Krillin's statement, Chi-Chi said, "I swear, he's like a kid in a grown man's body. Thinks he can take on the world one second, the next he's sobbing in a corner because there's something sharp and pointy. Really."

"Can you guys keep it down! I'm trying to watch some TV here!" Yajirobe, the ever portly samurai, whined, his head now bandaged as he lay in a bed next to the sleeping Chiaoutzu's own mattress. With a huff, Yajirobe turned back to the television hanging from the ceiling and watched the flashing images with great interest, a smile forming on his face as he yelled, "Yeah, Articuno! Use Blizzard!"

The oaf continued to chuckle quietly for a few moments when a frying pan suddenly connected harshly with his head, the samurai seeing stars as Chi-Chi yelled at him angrily, "Where do you get off talking to us like that? I know exactly what you did while the fight was going on: You ran around, acting like a coward! At least the rocks you were hiding behind stood their ground!"

Rubbing his bruised head, the samurai growled before responding with, "Oh yeah? Well it's a lot more than you did! All you've been doing all day is yelling at people, like you always do!"

"Look who's playing the blame game: Yajirobe, the man who stole credit for everyone else's hard work!"

The large hospital room was soon a mixture of yelling, screaming and sighing as Goku kept on to wailing in fear, Yamcha and Tien tried to keep him down and Yajirobe and Chi-Chi continued their yelling match. This cacophonic mixture was made all the louder when Chiaoutzu began to snore in his sleep and Gohan and Krillin getting swept up in the moment, yelling at each other when they took sides on the various other arguments currently going on whilst the only doctor present began yelling for calm.

Standing near the window, and thus off to the side of the arguments, Bulma, Puar and Oolong all stood, well apart from Puar who floated as per usual, with their arms crossed and frowns on their faces as they watched the various scenes unfold before them.

"Are you sure it was such a good idea to have them all put in the same room, Bulma?" Puar squeaked, bobbing up and down as he turned to the frustrated heiress.

"They kept begging me to make it happen, so I did. Bought the whole hospital for them and this is how it turns out." The blue-haired beauty sighed a moment before continuing, "I should've seen this coming. Whenever we have a moment of peace, everyone starts yelling at each other."

Unable to take any more of the continuous yelling and screaming, Oolong fumed as he declared, "Well I've had enough! If I have to listen to this for one more second, my eardrums are gonna explode!"

Running full speed towards Goku, with everyone ceasing their shouting contests to stare in confusion as the pig ran by. Once close enough, Oolong jumped into the air, grabbed onto the Saiyan's head and squeezed as tight as he could. With his gut firmly pressed into the hero's mouth, the screaming finally stopped as Goku looked down the bridge of his nose in surprise and Tien and Yamcha jumped back the second they caught onto the pig's plan.

Turning to the scared, white-haired physician, Oolong yelled, "Now doc! Come on! I can't do this all day! Just jam the thing in there already!"

Shocked and confused to say the least, the medical practitioner complied in a hurry and jammed the needle downwards and into soft flesh before pushing down on the plunger with his thumb, releasing the various anesthetic chemicals into the patient's bloodstream.

Unfortunately, the medicine had been administered to the wrong patient. During the confusion, the good doctor had missed Goku entirely and had instead stuck the needle into Oolong's right gluteus Maximus.

For a moment the room went dead quiet as the doctor stared onwards in horror and the others waited for a reaction of sorts from the pig.

A second later, Oolong's face went from one of shock to one of sheer exhaustion, a purple hue developing under his eyes before he mumbled something about panties and released his grip on Goku's face. The pig then fell to the side wordlessly and landed on the floor with a soft 'thunk'.

Again, there was silence.

Goku broke this silence by yelling, "You were gonna stick that in me?!"

After another thirty minutes or so of struggling with Goku, said Saiyan was finally put under sedation just as Oolong was being awoken from his own unplanned nap, peace and quiet soon saturating the hospital once more.

With his patient finally calm, and Oolong having been convinced not to file charges, the doctor left the room of warriors to their own devices, the elderly man fearing that his own heart may give out soon if he tried to treat any of his other patients, fearing what kind of weirdoes the day had planned for him. Maybe he needed to see a doctor himself…

For the better portion of an hour Earth's heroes sat wherever they could and simply talked, either sharing stories of past battles or what they were looking forward to now that the threat of the Saiyans was pretty much over. Suffice to say, it was, what had become over the last year anyway, a rare, cheery moment for the planet's defenders and they reveled in the moment. They were all just happy to be safe and sound once and in each other's company again… well, with the exception of Yajirobe, of course, who stuck to watching the TV.

With an hour gone and over, Goku yawned loudly, attempting to stretch his arms only to find them blocked by something, the Saiyan then remembering where he was. Eyes slowly opening, the bedridden Saiyan turned his head to the side to look at his friends, a smile on his face as he said, still yawning a bit, "Oh, hey guys! How long was I out for?"

Hearing Goku's voice, the rest of the room's occupants all turned to him eyes wide and with confused looks on their faces.

Raising an eyebrow in response, the Saiyan's befuddlement was, slightly, cleared when Bulma exclaimed, "Wow Goku, your body must run through medicine as fast as it goes through food."

"Er… come again?" The warrior asked, still uncertain what his friend meant.

"The doctor said he gave enough medicine to make you sleep for the whole day. You've only been out for an hour, Dad," Gohan responded, the boy having checked the clock as he spoke and Goku's confused look turning into one of amusement, complete with the his signature grin.

"Guess I'm just a light sleeper then, huh? Ha ha!" The battered warrior joked, earning a sigh from most of his friends and a chuckle out of a few. In the end though, everyone was smiling brightly, simply happy everything had turned out okay in the end.

Well, I hope I wasn't the one to interrupt your sleep. An unseen, but familiar and friendly, voice said jokingly, several of the room's occupants confused but most immediately smiling when they heard the voice in their heads.

"Kami, how's it going?" Krillin yelled, compelled to look up as he responded to his former master, a bright smile now on the monk's face. While this was going on, however, Chi-Chi, Gohan, Bulma, Puar and Ox King were still looking around, surprised by the unfamiliar, disembodied voice.

I feel a great deal better now that the Saiyans have been dealt with. Truly, I am proud of all of you. Oh, and for those who are unfamiliar with me, pardon the mental intrusion, please. I had just thought this a more convenient way to convey my gratitude than appear in person is all. I am Kami, Protector of Earth. No need for introductions on your end, I know who you all are. Kami stated, four of the five Z Fighters who were, formerly, in the dark now smiling along with their companions after being complimented by a figure of such authority. Chi-Chi, the odd party out, instead blushed with a panicked look on her face, having finally placed the voice to the being she had met at the World Martial Arts Tournament years ago, hoping that she had not angered Kami by forgetting his voice.

Whether the protector found this funny or rude, or even knew about it at all, seemed to be something that would remain a mystery as the aged Namekian simply continued with giving his thanks.

You have all grown so much and fought so hard. I am truly proud to not only have been your master, but to have simply met all of you in the first place. Your victory was a well-earned one, a triumph earned through unmatched bravery, skill and planning, not only from this generation of fighters but, from the next as well… Suddenly feeling as though he was being stared at by the unknown figure, Gohan realized the compliment was directed at him and began to blush slightly, scratching the back of his head with a smile during Kami's pause. This will surely be a battle not soon forgotten in Earth's history, and I'll make sure of that.

"Ah, come on Kami. Don't sell yourself short! There's no way we could've done it without you!" Yamcha declared, rubbing the underside of his nose as he bathed in the compliments Earth's protector had dished out.

"He's right. You're as much a reason we won as any other," Tien stated, a rare smile on the former assassin's face. With an atmosphere of joy now in the air, the Z-Fighters all nodded their heads in agreement, Yajirobe going so far as to give a thumbs-up, not realizing it would go unseen. Chiaoutzu, somehow still asleep, seemed to give his response from the realm of the unconscious by giving a quick, but loud, snore to emphasize everyone's feelings.

"I gotta say Kami, you really did an impressive job with these guys! To think they could get so strong so quick, Mr. Popo must've been cleaning sweat off The Lookout for days after that kind of training!" Goku added, chuckling at the mental image of the portly genie mopping the floor calmly as titanic battles took place around him.

Goku, a word if I may. The room's atmosphere suddenly changed, an edge in the air as Kami's tone suddenly sounded somewhat restrained, his sentence seeming a tad too short.

"Uh… sure, I guess," Goku replied confused, the rest of the gang with his same befuddled expression as they wondered what exactly the Saiyan had done wrong. A quick tugging sensation later, and the presence of Kami was gone from their heads, Goku now alone knowing what the guardian wished to speak of.

What's up, Kami? Oh, did you wanna tell the same sweat joke? I'm sorry! I swear I didn't-

Son Goku. The protector cut off his former pupil, his tone stern and clear and his voice seeming to echo within Goku's head. With the man silenced, Kami posed a question to the warrior, Do I or do I not, as Guardian of Earth and all its people, see everything that occurs on the Earth's surface?

…yes? Goku answered uneasily, a nagging feeling of worry tugging at the back of his head.

Can I not read the minds of whoever is under my domain?

…yes?

So then, tell me why, after hours upon hours of reading your thoughts, I still do not understand why you, of all people, would let Vegeta escape? Kami asked shortly, Goku feeling the Namekian's gaze even from so far down below and shuddering slightly. About to respond, the Saiyan found himself cut off again when Kami continued his question, anger now truly prevalent in his voice as he said, Why you let a killer of thousands, no a killer of millions! Why did you let him go so that he might return even stronger than before? Why did you let a man, whose heart is so unfathomably dark it makes even the blackest of shadows seem pale, go to cause even more pain and suffering?

But I sensed good in him Kami, I really did! When I was making the Spirit Bomb I- Goku attempted to defend his actions but was cut off by his former trainer once more, the Saiyan's heart sinking, Kami's every word dripping with disappointment.

Don't give me that, Goku. You know why you did it: You thought he was strong and you want to fight him again. It's as simple as that isn't it? Goku seemed about to reply but thought better of it, instead remaining quiet but his resolve unflinching nonetheless. He maintained his reasons.

Sighing loudly within the mental plane to voice his displeasure, Kami felt like face palming but managed to find the will to, instead, attempt to educate his childish protégé once more. Goku, I understand your want of battle and I know you believe this Saiyan to have good in him, but your decision was a selfish one, one that could have disastrous consequences for all of Earth… But this one time, and this one time alone, will I let so grave a mistake go without punishment.

"Huh?" Goku asked out loud, in surprise, having fully expected the harshest of sentences imaginable from the ever strict guardian. Goku's confused sound gained revitalized attention from the rest of the group, everyone leaning in closer to see what would happen next.

"What do you think they're talkin' about?" Krillin asked quietly, the question lingering with the group for a bit before Yajirobe folded his arms and answered.

"Probably something boring and stupid like Kami trying to convince Goku to become the next guardian again or something."

I am willing to give you this one moment of leniency for all you have done to protect the Earth and its people. You have a good heart Goku, so despite what I know about this Saiyan, I will give you the benefit of the doubt. The elder paused, letting what he said sink in for a moment before continuing, I will also keep what happened a secret between us, if only because I believe that if I reveal this information to everyone myself, a rift will form in your group. A rift we cannot have at a time when there is a possibility of one of Vegeta's allies, or Vegeta himself, attacking at any moment. You and you alone must reveal what really happened to your friends, Goku. If word gets out any other way, I fear the damage may be irreversible…

Understood, the Saiyan replied with a nod, his face now neutral. The warrior, of course, knew he would have to one day tell everyone the truth, but he wanted to keep it under wraps for just a bit longer. He felt he still needed time to collect his thoughts and figure out how exactly he was going to inform everyone.

A thought springing up, Goku suddenly questioned Kami, But what about Piccolo? Don't you two share thoughts or something?

With King Piccolo, my mind was an open book, unfortunately. With his offspring, far less so. The mental connection is weak enough that I can keep a few choice private thoughts and the same goes for him. What Piccolo has not hidden, however, are his suspicions you're hiding something. I suggest you watch yourself Goku. Who knows how he could react if he finds out.

I don't think we have much to worry about, Kami. Piccolo's really changed since the last time I saw him. I can tell he's definitely headed down a much better path, the Saiyan stated with enthusiasm, glad he was slowly gaining a new ally in the warrior Namekian.

While that may be true, he still has a way to go. But that is a subject for another time. Right now, I have a different matter to discuss with you…

Yeah sure, go ahead, Goku replied, feeling relieved they had moved on to what felt like a more trivial topic.

Having gotten used to his former pupil's lax attitude long ago, the esteemed figure ignored what a younger him would have taken as disrespect and explained, During the battle with the Saiyans, the truth of my origins was revealed to me, if indirectly. These revelations have stirred up… something inside of me… nostalgia perhaps. I've been unable to stop thoughts about my home. The skies, the grass, endless oceans, I can see it all, fresh in my mind. I would like to see it all up close once more, before I depart from this world.

So… you're going on a vacation? The Saiyan asked, slowly picking up what Kami was saying.

Something like that, yes. I am not long for this world Goku. My time will soon come… well unless he'd be willing to… no, he would never even think of it. Without delving further into the separate train of thought, Kami got back on track and continued, Because of that, I would like to leave as soon as possible. Of course I'm not one to shirk my responsibilities, but I fear that should something go wrong, the Dragon Balls would be lost forever.

I feel like this is where I come in, right? Goku asked, listening intently as his friends grew all the more frustrated about being left out of the loop.

Smiling at his former pupil's perceptiveness, the guardian stated, Yes, Goku. By transferring ownership of the Dragon Balls to you, by far the strongest being on this planet, I feel they will be far safer than with someone traveling through space in a ship as old as mine.

You have your own spaceship? That's awesome! The Saiyan declared with a smile, thinking of all the adventures he could have if he had some sort of spacecraft. It would give him access to the universe's best fighters…

Please, focus Goku, Kami scolded, the Saiyan listening intently once more. By tying the Dragon Balls to your life, you also accept the position of Guardian of Earth. Of course, this will only be temporary as I know of your disliking of taking the role permanently.

Hmm… the Saiyan thought as he pondered the request. Holding a title with such responsibility and duty behind it wasn't really his thing, but then again Kami was doing him a big favor already by not telling the others what had happened when they were all out for the count…

Sure, I'm in!

The wrinkled alien smiled, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders knowing that he would soon be able to see his home once more. Thank you, Goku. I truly do appreciate this, more than you could ever imagine. Oh, and I suppose you should know that as guardian, you will have to remain on the Lookout and watch over Earth and her people, letting the other fighters protect the populace and only interfering if absolutely necessary.

Aww! I have to stay up there? The Saiyan groaned, pouting as he did so, You tricked me!

Chuckling slightly, the old alien smiled as he said, Perhaps I did, but only a little bit. For now, Goku, enjoy your victory and let your body rest. I'm certain some Senzu Beans should be ready for healing you all in a few weeks, as should my ship to Namek. I will contact you when it is time to perform the ritual for the Dragon Balls and until then, know that I am still proud of you in spite of what you did.

Thanks, Kami. Talk to you later! Goku bid his former master a fond farewell, a grin on his face that stretched from ear to ear. While the Saiyan himself now had a degree of doubt about his actions in letting Vegeta live, he pushed such thoughts out of his head for the time being. He preferred to spend the time to catch up with his friends and family after a long year's training. Turning to face the group, a smile still on his face, the Saiyan was greeted by everyone staring at him with keen interest.

"Well, what did he say?" Chi-Chi asked after a few seconds pause, the former fighter wondering what her husband could have possibly done to upset the Earth's Guardian of all people.

Chuckling for a bit and with a smile even bigger than before, Goku nervously said, "Well, I have some good news and some bad news, Chi. The bad news is that we'll have to move out the house for a little while. The good news is that we're gonna be staying some place way better!"

Three weeks later, far off in the reaches of space…

Bobbing up and down in a glass, cylindrical chamber filled with a blue-green liquid that slowly soothed the few remaining pains on his once bruised and battered body, Vegeta breathed in anesthetic from the black mask on his mouth, keeping the prince sedated. Currently stripped down to nothing more than his black underpants, the Saiyan was in the same semi-meditative he had been in since he left Earth, still trying to figure out when it all went wrong.

Approaching the tank cautiously, Doctor Malaka, a reptilian-like alien with green skin, crocodile snout and orange Mohawk, sighed to himself as he looked the warrior over. Glancing at Vegeta's tarnished armour, the physician wondered aloud, "What could you have faced that brought you, Prince Vegeta of all people, so low? …I suppose we'll find out soon enough, won't we?"

The stout alien pushed a large green button on a small console to his right, not taking his eyes off his comatose patient for even a moment. Almost instantly after the dinosaur-like doctor pushed the 'release' button, the liquid inside the transparent tank began to drain away through, now, open grates in the chamber's floor as the anesthesia pump was simultaneously shut off. Slowly entering the world of the conscious once more, Vegeta's eyes slowly fluttered open and he was greeted with a turquoise, blurry image of a room before him. Closing his eyes once more, due to the stinging sensation, and waiting until the liquid has passed under his chin, Vegeta opened them once more and found Malaka waiting before the chamber patiently, hands behind his back.

Staring at the doctor neutrally until enough of the healing liquid had subsided that he no longer floated, the prince practically ripped the black mask off his face with his right hand the moment his feet touched the metal grate. Letting go of the medical tool, Vegeta felt a small splash against his leg when it landed in the small puddle that remained of the fluid.

With the blue-green solution now drained away, the doors of the chamber slid open with a soft 'whoosh' and the Saiyan stepped out of the healing tank but a second later. Feet now on silver tiled floor, Vegeta began to stretch his limbs, starting with pulling his arms and then touching his toes. Malaka went wide-eyed at this kind of movement so soon after exiting a healing tank, but the prince ignored him. Instead, Vegeta was currently trying to keep his anger in check. He had been so close to figuring out what had gone so wrong only to be yanked out of his meditation abruptly.

Not killing the physician was his way of saying thanks.

"Prince Vegeta, I highly suggest that you cease such strenuous activities immediately! You suffered grievous injuries and-"

"For how long was I in there?" The Saiyan interrupted the alien as he continued his stretches, paying the doctor's warnings no mind.

Sweating nervously, Malaka replied, "About two weeks, your majesty. We put you inside immediately after you arrived. The severity of your injuries were…" The doctor paused, choosing his next words carefully. "…surprising. If we had not placed you inside the chamber as quickly as we did I believe they may even have turned, ahem, fatal."

Looking at his right hand with an angered glare, the prince clenched it in anger, blood almost being drawn from his palm. "To think, those Earthlings could have injured me so… I misjudged them. It won't happen again." Vegeta finished off with finality in his voice, now looking back to the doctor, sensing Malaka had something to say.

"Ah, so you did go to Earth then. Rumors were that Raditz's death at their hands was a simple fluke victory, but it seems their people were actually far more powerful than one would think," Malaka said, now calming down after seeing that the prince didn't seem as irritable as he thought the Saiyan would be. "I take it then that since Nappa has not followed you here, nor been reported to have landed at any other facility, he perished during the battle?"

"That would be correct, Nappa… was taken by surprise," the Saiyan said with a quick smirk that, of course, quickly turned back into a frown. "But make no mistake, Malaka. The Earthling's power levels are all subpar at best... Most of them at least…" Vegeta added, looking off to the side for a moment. "They used cowardly techniques and the advantage of numbers against me. Something I aim to pay them back for."

Malaka nodded, scratching his chin. "I see. I will have to inform the higher-ups then. It appears that Earth is not some, mere C-Class Planet… To have damaged you to such degrees, the danger may be A-Class!"

Surprisingly, Vegeta began to chuckle darkly. Malaka began to sweat again. The prince's laughing never boded well for those near him.

Laugh subsiding, Vegeta moved towards the side of the room where he had spotted some lockers. Opening the door to one, the Saiyan found a fresh change of armour, one without shoulder guards to his displeasure, a black jumpsuit as well as pairs of white gloves and boots.

Still smiling as he put the jumpsuit on, Vegeta stated, "I like you, Malaka. You're smart, respectful and, most importantly of all, afraid of me." Zipping up the black bodysuit with his right hand, the Saiyan kept his smile and turned around, now facing the confused and shaking doctor. To Malaka it seemed as though the prince had suddenly appeared before him, the physician's legs now kicking in the air after he had been instantaneously hoisted up by the collar by Vegeta's left hand. Smirking as he stared into the fearful reptilian's eyes, Vegeta threatened, "Now, because of the first two reasons, I don't often use your fear against, but this time I'll make an exception. So, listen up: I don't want anyone hearing about Earth and stealing my revenge from me. If I even hear so much as that planet's name mentioned, anywhere, at any time, I'll be back here to play a little game of surgery with you. You'll be the patient of course. Have I made myself clear?"

"Y-yes. Yes, your majesty!" Malaka yelled, feeling as though he would faint any second now.

"Good, because I wouldn't want to-" Feeling a slight twitch in his left middle finger, Vegeta paused. That finger wasn't supposed to be there.

Dropping Malaka to the ground harshly, the Saiyan looked down at his left hand, grabbing it by the wrist with the right, and stared at his new finger with disgust. Practically propped onto the uneven stump that remained of his old finger was, what the prince considered, a mechanical abomination. Gears could be seen whirring rapidly inside the machine, tiny computer chips packed in behind clumps of wires and all tucked underneath a metallic mesh that resembled a finger far too large to be his own.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" Vegeta roared, his power flaring and older model scouters bursting all around the medical centre without warning. Cowering under the purple glow of the Saiyan's aura and on his backside, Malaka backed away as the lights above him began to flicker and Vegeta continued his screaming, veins appearing on the prince's forehead. "WHO GAVE YOU, A LOWLY CREATURE, PERMISSION TO TAMPER WITH MY BODY?! I AM A SAIYAN WARRIOR! A TRUE FIGHTER! I HAVE NO NEED OF PATHETIC TECHNOLOGY!" The prince stepped forward, his foot digging into the metal floor as if it were play dough. Malaka seemed about ready to faint. "If you value your life, you'd better have a good explanation for degrading me to such a level! Of thinking of me as some peon who would accept this pathetic excuse of metal as an addition to my body! My instrument of destruction!"

"Cui!" Malaka shouted, covering his face with his arms and closing his eyes in terror. "Your finger was too damaged to be healed! It had been cauterized! A-and Cui, came in here often to check on you! H-he convinced me your rivalry was friendly! Mere banter! He convinced me to put it on! He told me you wouldn't mind! That you'd appreciate it!" Panting as he tried to slow his heartrate, Malaka attempted to appease the prince by explaining, "B-but that replacement is only t-temporary! I ordered a new, far more advanced model for you that should be here in two weeks!"

Aura simmering down, yet still seething with rage, Vegeta balled his fists as he thought of the purple alien's smug grin and spat his name. "Cui… that fool has gone too far this time! With the power I've received after being so close to death, I'll be sure to crush him like the worm he is!" Turning back to the still panting reptilian alien, the Saiyan said, "Tell me where the spineless fool went, and I may let you live."

"N-Namek. He left with the rest of Frieza's forces," Malaka explained, his breathing almost normal once more.

"Namek?!" Vegeta yelled once more, the surprise enough to finally send Malaka into unconsciousness. Vegeta had, however, already rushed back to the clothes he had taken out of the locker and shoved the armour, boots and gloves on as fast as he could. Mere seconds later, Vegeta rushed out of the room and into the hallway, running at full speed with many of his fellow soldiers merely seeing a blur move by that was followed by a strong gust of wind. Reading signs on the walls for directions to the space pod hangar as he ran, Vegeta thought, 'Frieza must have somehow heard of the Dragon Balls! And now he's going straight to their source! That damned spoiled brat is probably going to wish for immortality.' Shoving many a soldier out of his way as he ran by and grew ever closer to a new pod, the Saiyan growled as his brow became further furrowed. 'Like hell I'll let that happen! It doesn't matter how many soldiers that deranged lizard has taken with him, I'll kill them all if I have to! That immortality is rightfully mine! I'd rather be six feet under than let him have it!'

Rounding a final corner, Vegeta was greeted with the view of an i-shaped terrace with a single space pod sitting at the far end of the platform, said veranda hanging over thick jungle vegetation. Without even giving it a second thought, the prince ran to the open pod, jumped inside and closed the hatch. Tapping "Namek" into the pod's navigation computer, via the keyboard on his armrest, it took the spherical ship only moments to find the coordinates to its destination.

The small pod lifted off the launch pad and hovered above it for a few moments before suddenly blasting off into the night sky at ludicrous speeds.

Soaring passed star clusters and planets at neck-breaking speeds, Vegeta checked a small compartment to his left and found a pink scouter inside. Fortunately, it seemed to a higher tier scouter.

Placing the device on his ear, the Saiyan activated it and found that it had already been synced to his space pod. Cycling through a few menus, via small buttons next to the scouter's main power button, Vegeta was told that it would take about five days for him to reach Namek. Turning off the display, Vegeta grunted in disapproval and decided it would be best to get a little more sleep before he arrived. Who knew what was awaiting him on Namek.

About to activate the pod's anesthesia vents, the prince's finger froze up over the button. Already sneering before he looked at the synthetic digit, Vegeta glared at the metallic hunk on his hand and grabbed it, ready to rip the piece of junk clean off. But Vegeta paused, sneer fading, and then took his hand off the finger.

The scrap of technology would remain on his hand, the prince not caring what this "advanced model" Malaka spoke of was No, he would be keeping this finger as a reminder. A scar. It would serve as a constant memory of his defeat, the one time he actually felt as if he needed help. The heavens had answered Vegeta's plea, it seemed, and he had now received 'help' in the form of a hunk of junk plastered onto his body.

Vegeta would now remember, forever and always, that he was the Prince of All Saiyans and he needed no help. Not from anyone.

Metallic appendage finally working again, Vegeta clenched his left hand into a fist as he mused in pure rage, 'Kakarott, you'll pay for what you've done! Treating our battle like some spar! Me, like some common fighter! I'll make you pay!' The mechanical finger froze up for a few seconds again, the Saiyan gritting his teeth as he was reminded of just who had taken his original finger from him. 'And not just you! Your friends, family, anyone and everyone who ever stepped foot on that planet has aided you in trampling my pride! Mark my words: I won't underestimate you Earthlings again! Next time, I'll vaporize all of you in one stroke!'

Finding that he was slowly pushing out his aura once more, Vegeta took a deep breath and simmered down. He would have his revenge in due time. For now, he needed to get back to meditating.

After all, he was getting very close to learning how to suppress his power.

Even at the latest of hours, West City didn't seem to sleep. Lights in office buildings shone brightly, signifying many a worker was pulling a late shift, cars and trucks hustled and bustled on the compact highways and skyways of the city, everyone either finally heading home, to a nightclub or were midway through a trek to the other side of the province. Cars honked continuously, music blared from downtown and light seeped into the night sky far above.

Not that Son Goku, the 'lightest' of all sleepers heard a thing, of course. The Saiyan was currently in a deep slumber, his dreams filled with action, fun and, above all, food.

Goku smiled as drool seeped out of the corner of his mouth, the fighter tossing and turning about in his bed merrily, finally having healed enough to be let out of his incubator-like bed and into a normal one. The warrior was, of course, still in bad shape, as evidenced by the fact only his left leg was without a cast.

Ears pricking up the sound of metal meeting floor, the Saiyan's eyes fluttered open and he was met with a dark, empty hospital room. Remembering that over the course of the past three weeks everyone else had been released from Wukong Hospital, Gohan having been the last and Yajirobe the first, Goku realized he was all alone in the room. That, of course, begged the question of who had knocked down the table of medical instruments on the other side of the room.

Looking around the area, Goku spied an open window, white curtains moving in and out somewhat violently, and figured that the wind must have knocked the tray down.

Feeling his eyelids grow heavy once more, the Saiyan let sleep take him, visions of steak and sushi slowly taking up his field of view. Realization struck once more, the visions suddenly fading as did Goku's new smile.

The window had been closed when he went to sleep.

Eyes flying open and all drowsiness simultaneously ejected from his system, the Saiyan came face to face with Piccolo's angered scowl, which was made all the more dramatic and fierce by the dark lighting. Stifling a gasp, the wounded warrior felt a tugging sensation on his shirt and looked down to find that not only was Piccolo holding him up by the collar, but he was also dangling off the roof of the hospital, cars speeding by several floors below his dangling feet.

Looking around worriedly, Goku could now see they were outside and realized the Namekian must have been the one who not only opened the window, but also disturbed his slumber by knocking down the tray of instruments.

"Good, you're awake. I was worried I'd have to shake you back into consciousness. After all, I could have lost my grip," Piccolo stated, his tone neutral, somewhat friendly even, but his scowl and piercing glare remained all the same. "I know you're pretty tough, but as you are now, I think a fall from this height could really break something. Or even worse…"

Letting the threat hang there, the Namekian observed as Goku's face went from one of shock and mild worry to a far more serious one. Good, the Saiyan knew he meant business.

"What's this all about, Piccolo? Don't tell me you're trying to get me out of the picture so you can try to take over the world again," Goku said, his gaze unblinking and his tone stern. The warrior of course knew Piccolo's goal of domination wasn't what this was about, but he still wanted to check if the fellow alien had any lingering feelings on the matter.

"No, I'm planning on settling the score with you for ruining my plans in a different way," Piccolo stated, Goku feeling some small relief to know that the Namekian wasn't making any new plans regarding the matter, at least. "Tonight, I just wanted to get you alone so we can finally have a little 'talk' about what you're hiding from everyone."

The Saiyan suppressed a gulp, sweat slowly forming on his forehead despite the cold of the night. Keeping eyes locked with the stone-faced Namekian, Goku's mind raced for a response. Should he try to irritate Piccolo, making the Namekian angry enough to actually let him go? Did he have enough energy to fly away, at the very least break his fall? Should he try to reason with Piccolo? Convince him the event was nothing of real importance and mattered little in the long run? Would he dare to deepen the lie, try and buy more time for a proper explanation? …Or would he find it in himself to tell the truth?

A small breeze blew by, ruffling Goku's bangs and Piccolo's cape. The sound of the fellow warrior's garbs moving in the wind brought Goku back into reality and he found his interrogator was still waiting patiently for an explanation… but oddly enough, seemed to be concentrating very hard on something else as well.

Picking up on what the Namekian was trying to do, the Saiyan smirked somewhat cockily and asked, "Trying to read my mind? Not as easy as you thought, huh?"

Growling to himself, Piccolo ceased attempting to access his rival's subconscious and stated, "It looks like the only way I'm gonna get answers at this rate. It seems I underestimated just how thick your skull is."

Giving a single chuckle at the insult, Goku explained, "Nah, Kami just taught me a thing or two while I was training with him. I can't really do anything spectacular mind-wise just yet, but I practice every now and again to make sure I don't get rusty."

Annoyed by the warrior's casual tone, Piccolo growled loudly and tossed the buffoon back onto the hospital's roof, the Saiyan bouncing lightly twice before skidding to a stop, Goku's teeth clenched and his expression one of seething pain.

"This isn't some social call, Goku!" Piccolo declared, the Namekian's aura slowly forming around him, creating small gusts of wind that threw dust into Goku's face. "Both you and Kami are hiding something from me, from all of us! And I want to know what it is! Now!"

Picking himself up as best he could, Goku stood and faced his opponent with a frown and his brows furrowed. Wobbling on one foot, the Saiyan dared to ask, "Or what?"

Raising his right arm slowly, Piccolo aimed his hand at the Saiyan and spread his fingers, a small, white orb forming in his green palm. The winds around the young warrior continued to grow in intensity, the Namekian's cape continuing to flutter both violently and loudly behind him. "You've already died once, Goku. Shenron can't bring you back again. Just imagine how Gohan or Chi-Chi would react if they found out the fool of the house had kicked the bucket for the second, and last, time…"

The Saiyan's eyes flashed upon hearing his son's name. Fearing for his family, the warrior yelled, "You leave Gohan out of this! Chi-Chi too! They have nothing to do with this!"

"Then answer me! How did the fight really end? What are you hiding?" The Namekian yelled back, Piccolo finding it surprisingly uncomfortable to bring his pupil into this. He pushed these feelings aside, however, knowing it was the only way to get a straight answer from his rival.

Goku looked down, his fists balled under their wrappings as he weighed his options. Was now really the time to reveal the truth? So soon? Did he even really know what the truth was at this point?

Taking in a deep breath and then letting it go, Goku turned his head back up and locked eyes with Piccolo once more. His mind was made up.

"I can't tell you, Piccolo. I just... can't…"

"Can't or won't?" The Namekian emphasized his counter question by increasing his energy sphere's intensity and size, yet Goku remained unfazed.

Turning his head to the side slightly, Goku closed his eyes for but a moment, reflecting on Kami's words, before turning back to Piccolo and continuing, "If I told you or anyone else right now, I'm almost certain it would split our team right down the middle. Right now, that isn't something we need. Not when Vegeta, or some other evil alien he knows, could come back and attack us at any second." The Namekian's energy ball remained the same intensity, Piccolo's face remaining the same, cold stare as well. It looked like the stoic alien wasn't even attempting to see things from the Saiyan's point of view. Trying one last time, Goku begged as solemnly as he could, "Please, Piccolo. Trust me. Just this one time. Like when I trusted you to be the better person I knew you could be four years ago…"

The Namekian seemed to consider this proposal a moment before finally letting his attack die out and lowering his arm to his side. Turning around suddenly, cape trailing and then settling behind him dramatically, Piccolo looked away from Goku as he said, "Hmph. Have it your way, Goku. Just remember, I'm not just letting this slide. If something bad comes from whatever you're hiding, it's all on your head." Sparing a glance at his rival, the warrior stated, "Honestly though, I would have been the last to guess you had so little faith in your friends."

With that, Piccolo seemed to zip out of existence, Goku feeling the green-skinned warrior's power move further and further away at high speeds until it too seemed to disappear.

Now alone on the hospital's rooftop with nothing but his thoughts, Goku shivered as the cool night air met his skin once more. He felt cold, and not only on the outside.

Head down, fists balled and teeth grit, Piccolo's final words echoed inside the Saiyan's head as he found himself supressing a growl, a hidden anger deep inside that was clawing to the surface, begging to be let out.

Just what was happening to him?

Bulma hummed a small tune as she looked over several blueprints before her, leaning on a workbench and clad in jeans, a black shirt and an orange, sleeveless jacket as she did so. The heiress' face was neutral besides the happy tune coming from her lips, the genius too invested in her work to even notice she was subconsciously humming.

Practically living at Capsule Corp for the past two weeks, due to being late on his rent once more and needing a place to stay, Yamcha simply let himself into the scientist's workshop without knocking. The bandit, wearing a black baseball shirt and khaki pants, scratched at his neck while entering the cluttered space. The change in clothing was something the martial artist found a tad uncomfortable, given that he had been wearing about the same outfit for the past year.

"Hey, Bulma! Thought I'd find you in here!" The bandit stated with a small wave, Bulma looking up from her work in slight surprise before realizing who it was and returned the wave.

"Good morning to you too," the heiress replied with a bit of cheek but Yamcha knew well enough she was just playing and gave a small laugh in return. "What brings you to this neck of the woods? Wait, don't tell me. You wrecked all our gym equipment again?" Bulma asked with a knowing smile, Yamcha answering with a mischievous grin as he scratched the back of his head. Sighing in response but keeping a friendly smile, the blue-haired beauty stated, "That's the fourth time since you started living here. Ya know, most people would hold off on the training for a bit after nearly getting their back broken. Or at least wait for a Senzu Bean!"

"What can I say? That fight with the Saiyans got me pumped! I wanna be ready so that the next time someone like those goons show their faces, I can take 'em out with one punch!" To emphasize his point, the scarred fighter performed a series of quick, precise punches in front of himself, Bulma laughing at the display before she began walking towards the nearest phone, dialing the number of their fitness equipment supplier for the umpteenth time.

No sooner than the beginning of the dial tone did the gym owner pick up and happily declare, "It's on its way Miss Briefs!" before hanging up directly afterwards.

Figuring the gym manager knew their order well enough at this stage, and more importantly not to ask questions, Bulma shrugged and ended the call on her end as well by putting the receiver down.

"Well I watched a pretty good deal of the fight, so I know you've got your work cut out for you mister world champion," the scientist mocked before turning around and finding Yamcha bending over her workbench and scanning the plans she herself had been looking over but moments ago.

"So this is Kami's spaceship, huh?" Yamcha inquired rhetorically as he looked over the schematics for the bug-shaped craft. "Doesn't look like much…"

Moving up beside the former bandit, Bulma looked over the designs once more as she smiled and said, "I thought the same thing, but then Mr. Popo let me have a test drive. He said one word and the next thing I knew we were in Jupiter's orbit."

"No way is it that fast!" Yamcha stated, turning to face the heiress, bristling when he saw how close she was to his arm. Bulma, having long gotten used to her friend's quirky shyness, waited for the warrior to calm down before responding.

"I'd show you myself, but dad's working on it right now. Really, there isn't all that much to fix up besides scraping off all the grime, but this thing is so advanced he seems to have gotten lost in it. Half the time he's writing notes about the smallest computer chip, the other half he's being reminded he can't "just take a quick trip to Mars". It's like he's a kid in a candy store."

"Hey, you were the same way when you messing around with that Raditz guy's scouter thing," Yamcha pointed out, resting an elbow on the workbench as a thought sprang up in his head. "Oh and, by the way, how did your dad react to having the planet's guardian asking him to do a solid? Telepathy on its own must've been a new experience for him, that's for sure."

Bulma shrugged again, moving towards a second workbench deeper inside her lab as she said, "Wasn't there for it myself, but I'd be pretty surprised if he did freak out. He's been taking all this alien stuff pretty well, he even seems to be enjoying himself."

"Weird to imagine Kami as an alien. Piccolo too. Everything seemed so much simpler when one was a demon and the other just looked like a demon." Yamcha said, resting his head on his hand as he reminisced about the old days.

Seemingly having ignored her friend's comment, Bulma turned around, purple-lensed scouter on her face and yelled, "Ta-dah! Whaddya think? Pretty cool, huh?" The heiress inquired, Yamcha turning around and suppressing a laugh upon seeing the scientist with the odd contraption on her face.

Either ignoring or not noticing the obviously stifled laughter, Bulma explained how the device on her face had come to exist. "The old one Raditz had went busto when Vegeta went all bananas, and that bald guy's scouter was apparently destroyed in the fight so I had to take Raditz's broken one and reverse-engineer it. It took a lot of tinkering, but I think I've found a way to increase how much energy it can read before, ya know, exploding."

"Um, that's cool and all Bulma, but why do you need one? I mean, I'm pretty sure one of us could just teach you how to sense energy on your own." Yamcha pointed out, an odd smile still on his face despite having finally stifled his laughter completely.

Smiling back at the former bandit, Bulma put her hands on her hips and stated, "Thanks but no thanks. Technology is way more my speed, you guys can stick to the kung-fu." A potential problem making itself known in Bulma's mind caused the heiress' smile to drop, Bulma putting a hand on her chin as she said, "Hmm… I'm not quite sure if it works alright though. I've used it on dad and mom, but they're not exactly the strongest people around. I have no idea if this thing can actually take any real power."

Grinning cockily, Yamcha assumed a battle stance and stated, "Well, I'm not suppressing my power right now so go ahead and try it out on me. I wanna know how I stack up against the Saiyans…"

Smirking once more, Bulma reached for the largest button on the side of the scouter and said, "Well, as long as you don't mind." Pressing the red button, the purple visor lit up for a second before a yellow outline formed around Yamcha, various columns of numbers relaying information to the scientist.

"Awesome! It works!" Bulma declared, elated that she had been able to remake the alien hardware and software basically from scratch. There was still the occasional glitch and power issues but overall it was good as new.

Standing up straight once more, Yamcha kept a smirk on his face as he asked, far more excitedly than before, "Well, how do I look against a Saiyan? I feel like I could take down at least ten Nappas by myself right now!"

Her smile turning into a frown all too quickly, Bulma deactivated the device and took it off her ear. She was silent a few moments before responding carefully with, "I-I think it's best I don't say. I-I mean you're still healing, this thing isn't exactly fine-tuned yet and I don't wanna tell you a wrong number and throw you off your ga-"

The heiress was suddenly interrupted by Yamcha's clearly nervous laughter, the scarred fighter waving off the topic with his right hand and making a shaking fist with the left. "Nah, it's fine Bulma. I get it, really. I guess my head was just in the clouds is all. If anything, all this shows is that I need to work harder is all." Making his way to the door, Yamcha maintained his supposedly merry laughter and said, "Ya know I'm pretty sure the gym already delivered all the stuff I need, so I'll go and set it all up. After all, there's no time to waste!"

"Yamcha, I-" Bulma tried again, wanting to apologize but was cut off once more.

"Really, Bulma it's no big deal. I'll catch ya later, okay?" With that, Yamcha left the lab, struggling not to slam the door behind him in frustration.

Bulma stood alone for what felt like hours, holding the purple scouter in her hands and cursing herself for ever bringing the topic up. She knew Yamcha was trying his best to reach Goku's level of power, even higher in fact, and must have been feeling like he was left in the dust with everyone else. Maybe even further behind after being taken out of the fight by that green creature.

"For a smart girl, you can be really stupid sometimes…" Bulma stated dejectedly, turning around and placing the scouter back in its place once more.

Standing on the lawn just outside Bulma's lab, a scowling Yamcha's kept his eyes shut tight. Eyes springing open, the scarred warrior reached into his right pocket and pulled two movie tickets, crumpling the pink slips of paper in his balled hand before throwing them to the ground with a growl.

Looking forward and striding towards the complex's front gate, the former bandit declared within his mind, 'No. Not until I'm strong enough to protect her, protect her from everything and everyone, will I even so much as try again!' Stopping suddenly, Yamcha looked to the skies, brows furrowed and fists clenched as he said, "I don't care what's out there. One day, I don't know when, I'm gonna be strong enough to beat it all. I'm gonna be strong enough to keep Bulma safe."

One month later…

"Gohan! Lunch is ready!" Chi-Chi called as she stood by the kitchen sink, washing her hands prior to eating her meal. The mother and housewife smiled as she hummed a small tune, the song drowned out by rushing water from the tap, and slowly grew happier as thoughts of her husband soon returning home entered her mind.

She could practically see the big lug walking home with a giant fish slung over his shoulder and a spring in his step, the chirping of small birds outside adding to the realism nostalgic image. Even though it had been just over a year since the fateful day of Goku's demise and Gohan's kidnapping, it felt like little to no time had passed at all. Like the attack of the Saiyans two months ago had never even happened.

Moving over to where a brown towel hung, Chi-Chi began to dry her hands as she called for her son once more, her smile remaining despite this. "Gohan! Your food is getting cold!"

"I'll be there in a sec, Mom!" The young boy called back, his voice muffled behind the wooden door of his room.

Maintaining her smile, the former fighter placed the brown towel back on its rack and turned around, hands on her hips as she looked over the dinner table chockfull of plates of meats and vegetables. The spread wasn't the largest she'd ever prepared, given her lifetime partner's stomach seemingly equated to a black hole, but it was still enough to feed a family of four. It seemed her son was slowly developing his father's eating habits.

Although she would never admit it, Chi-Chi was proud of what her son had become… well, in a way. While she wasn't overly pleased with his newfound love of martial arts, she was glad her son had grown to be so strong over the past year. Gone was the pampered boy who could barely speak in public, instead there was a determined child who had had his fill of adventure and seemed all too happy to get back to his studies. Perhaps his year away had done him some good.

'Things are almost back to normal. Once Goku comes back, we'll be a family again!' The housewife clasped her hands together as she thought this, her eyes twinkling as she imagined the moments they would bond over, the times they would spend together and memories they would share. The Son household would complete once more, and neither hell nor high water, or the love of fighting, would break them apart again as far as Chi-Chi was concerned.

About to sit down, Chi-Chi noticed her son had still not yet exited his room to join her. Sighing with a proud smile, the mother began to walk towards the youth's bedroom, musing as she neared the hallway, "That kid is probably knee-deep in homework again. He missed a year and all, but maybe I should go easy on him. He was kidnapped after all. Maybe when Goku's back, we can discuss getting Gohan into a public school. Of course, I'll have to explain how that's different from home schooling to him first…"

Tapping away at his desk with a pencil and a complicated math problem on the page before him, young Gohan leaned back in his chair as numbers and possible answers traveled through his head. Scratching at his neck with the pencil, long, black locks traveling down his back, the boy was clad in a white dress shirt and long green pants, his mother having 'requested' that he put on some civilian clothing the moment he left the hospital.

Gohan, much like the other Z-Fighters, was having trouble slipping back into a quiet life. Everything in his room, his whole home in fact, felt like it was from a distant memory, most his old clothing far too tight and very itchy, his stuffed animals had lost most of their appeal and he simply couldn't find a way to sit still. It was like he hadn't been home in decades, opposed to one year.

Thus, it came as no shock to the boy when his pencil snapped in two as he began to tap on his desk once more, the piece of furniture itself now having a small dent where the stationery had struck.

Holding back a sigh, Gohan threw the broken pieces into a trashcan next to him, the pieces landing on several other broken pencils, and reached for a new writing utensil out of a jar filled with them, commenting to himself as he did so, "I don't get what's been up with my strength lately. Everything feels so… soft for some reason. I definitely wasn't this strong before I healed."

Knowing that his mother would have forbade it if he asked her, Gohan had begun having secret training sessions with Piccolo, the Namekian himself commenting on the boy's drastic increase in power.

Passing his newfound power off as nothing but struggling to adjust back into his old life, and his master giving a rare compliment, the boy felt something click in his mind. Smiling, Gohan looked down at the page and began to write out the answer as well as showing his work, thinking to himself, 'Homework isn't so bad, I guess. It's not as fun as training with Mr. Piccolo but it sure hurts a lot less.'

Suppressing a smile as he imagined what kind of face his master would pull upon hearing such a remark, the child's expression suddenly became one of shock as a cold shiver ran down his spine. Senses springing up to their fullest, the boy was alerted to the fact that he was not alone in his room.

His primal instincts warning him that this being, whomever it was, was not someone to be trifled with, Gohan turned around slowly, his knuckles white and his pale face one of pre-emptive terror.

But when the boy's eyes finally reached where this mystery being was supposed to be standing, he found nothing. Like that, the shiver was gone and so was his feeling of imminent danger.

Shrugging and turning back to his homework, the boy slowly forgot the odd encounter as he continued to work. His mother called for lunch, but he was too busy to notice. His mother called a second time and he hollered back that he would be there soon, turning in his chair to do so. After all he was almost done with the last question. If he finished it now then he could move on to-

"You did it…"

An old, grated voice whispered just next to Gohan's ear. The boy squeaked in shock, his throat seeming to block any other sound from escaping. Standing up suddenly and looking to his side, the child found that once more, he was alone. The boy stood there for a few moments, heart pounding and mind racing for answers before he was finally able to calm down.

Shaken, but still convinced his mind was just playing tricks on him, Gohan picked up his chair, looked to his sides just to be sure, closed his eyes, took in a deep breath and sat back down.

When the young fighter opened his eyes, however, he found that his page was no longer contained any semblance of math on it. Instead what greeted him was a page with the same words scratched into them over and over again

"YOUR FAULT"

"YOU DID THIS TO ME"

Gohan jumped back, out of his chair, landing on his rear with his mouth open in horror. The cheery world seemed to darken suddenly, the sun sinking below the horizon in an instant as the sounds of chirping birds were replaced by that of howling wolves and screeching owls.

"Your fault." A whisper to his right, characters from happy drawings staring back at him with angry eyes.

"Your fault." Now to his left, stuffed animals of varying species gazed at him from atop his bed, their lips moving as they chanted the phrase again and again in a monotone voice.

The boy panicked as his room seemed to come to life, drawings, toys, the walls themselves moving in closer and closer as the phrase was repeated again and again. Looking around frantically for some way out, some sort of escape, Gohan's eyes happened upon the Four-Star Dragon Ball that rested atop his bookshelf.

The mystical orb alone shone our in what was now a pitch black room and called to the boy, seeming to scream protection. Standing up best he could on legs that felt like they were made of jelly, Gohan rushed over to the ball, grabbing it off its perch and falling to the floor again simultaneously. Turning over with his eyes closed and back leaning on the bookcase, Gohan felt warmth coming from the Dragon Ball as he hugged it tighter and tighter.

Memories of his father and mother poured into the young child's mind, especially one of Goku giving his son the orb as a keepsake. In the memory, Goku was explaining how Gohan's great-grandfather had passed it on to him, the great warrior believing that his grandfather's spirit still lived on inside the mystical orb. Gohan had seemingly taken to this and believed that a portion of his parent's souls now also resided within the object.

Daring to open his eyes once more, Gohan found his room to be normal once more, sunlight pouring in from open windows, walls and stuffed animals where they were meant to be and the haunting whispering a bad memory.

Sighing in relief, Gohan closed his eyes for a moment as his heartbeat slowed down again. Opening his eyes, however, made his heart thump at an even greater rate than before.

Gohan's eyes and mouth went agape once more, his features seemingly frozen in shock and horror as he stared forward. The boy attempted to scuttle away from what was before him, dropping the Four-Star Ball as he attempted to escape only for the back of his head to collide with his bed.

On the opposite side of his room, sprawled out on the floor, laid a bruised, battered and broken Nappa, the giant's face hidden away behind his barreled chest, but the sound of pained gurgles signified that the head was indeed there. The brute's body twitched every so often, seemingly surrounded by echoes of the battle that had taken his life.

"Gohan! Now!" "Quickly Gohan!" "He's going to kill them all Gohan!" "He'll kill Chi-Chi Gohan! Even she won't be safe!"

"N-no! NO HE WON'T!"

An eerie, all too familiar snap rung out, effectively silencing the voices of the past. Slowly, Nappa lifted his head as Gohan looked on in terror, unable to speak.

The Saiyan warrior's left eye was bruised and his neck was bent at an odd angle to say the least. The Saiyan looked, pained, confused, but above all, he looked angry.

"L-look at what you did to me!" The brute yelled, sound somehow moving through his stretched vocal chords clear as day. "Th-this is your fault! It's all your fault!"

Gohan tried to say something back, tried to even scream, but his throat remained shut. All he could do was look on as the broken warrior continued his verbal tirade.

"I could've had friends! Family! You took them all away from me! Your friends can blame Vegeta all they want, but we both know the truth: you did me in! Your dad could have stepped in and finished the fight, no one would have died! You didn't save any lives, you just took one away! I'll never let this down, never! I'll make you pay! If it's the last thing I do, I'll make you pay!"

"Alright champ, time to put down the pencil and pick up the fork-" Chi-Chi declared cheerily as she opened the door, stopping when she saw her son wasn't at his desk and his room looked like it had been attacked by rabid animals. Hearing quiet whimpering, Chi-Chi turned in the direction of the noise and found a terror-stricken Gohan, staring at white space in abject horror. Rushing over to her son, Chi-Chi wrapped her arms around the child as a look of worry took over her face. Moving Gohan back so they could speak face to face, the mother questioned, "Gohan? Gohan, what's wrong? You're scaring Mommy."

The boy didn't respond. Instead, he simply kept staring at the other side of his room, mumbling something that sounded like an apology. Curiosity getting the better of her, Chi-Chi turned around to see what exactly her son was so frightened of.

Unable to contain herself, the housewife screamed in shock, holding her son even more tightly upon seeing the intruder.

Standing outside their window, a diabolical sneer on his face as he drank in their mother and child's fear, was a blue-haired, pony-tailed man in battle armour much like that of the Saiyans. One would have assumed the man a major punk-rock fan, given his earrings, necklace and hairstyle, but his scouter and overall attire were a dead giveaway to the well-informed, in this case Chi-Chi, that he was no ordinary civilian.

Still sneering cockily as he jabbed a thumb at himself, the ruffian declared, "Hi there, I was in the neighbourhood so I thought I'd check out the locals. Name's Daiz, and I must say you have a lovely home. Give me that Dragon Ball, and I promise I might leave a few blocks of rubble for you."

Q&A

Q: Also are you planning to group Cooler into the Frieza saga as well?

A: Cooler will most definitely make an appearance, that's for sure. Whether or not he'll be in the Frieza Saga, I can't say…

Q: Oh! You're including movies too? Nice! Which ones, if I may ask? (GT? And stuff?)

A: At this stage, as previously mentioned, I'm only including Turles, Slug, Cooler and Broly. I may choose to include others later. GT would be a no, sorry, and I'm not quite sure what you mean by "and stuff".

Q: And what will Vegeta do he'd likely be wanted in Cold family territory and he's too weak to fight against the Ginyu'sor Zarbon transformed let alone Frieza, maybe Cooler has a job opening for him?

A: Well, given how Vegeta's basically going to be landing on Namek alone this time around… let's just say, he's going to be having a fun time…

Q: I have got one question. Will they go to namek?

A: Yes.