A/N: What is it with my plot bunnies? Can't get the friggin' little furballs to sit still on one story long enough for me to finish it...stupid plot bunnies...

In the case of this story, I've actually already completed a lot of work on it. I managed to break it down into several separate pieces so I wouldn't lose the track that I wanted to follow while I was trying to write filler between pieces. Sooooo...now what I'm doing is filling in the missing pieces between each of the primary events in the story. Hopefully my plot bunnies will hold with me long enough to finish this one in a few months' time.

Oh, and welcome to my first DBZ fic! I'm a longtime fan of the show, but only recently got back into it. Goku is my all-time favorite character, but Future Trunks is a fairly close second. Then comes young Gohan (Super Saiyan 2 style from the Cell Saga, when he blasts Cell's ass into the ground ;) ), then Goten. That little guy is such a cutie in the Majin Buu Saga! God, I love little Goten...him and young Trunks are a riot in the movie Fusion Reborn, when they're battling the Dictator (is that what they call him? He's based on Hitler...)

And yes, there is a female Saiyan OC in this story. I recently started reading another Goku/OC fanfic that I absolutely fell in love with. I love how the author (and this is a shout-out to faded colors and her story Unspoken, featuring her OC Keiko, whom I have come to love dearly) built a long-time friendship between Goku and Keiko. Not trying to steal an idea here. Just like how she did it. And what can I say? I HATE CHI-CHI. Mostly when Gohan is growing up but she isn't much better through the rest of DBZ.

Anyway, what a long friggin' author's note...on to the story! Love if you will, hate if you must. I will take anything you care to dispense.

Sometime in the near future…

She was in pain. No, scratch that, pain doesn't even begin to describe what the last pureblood female Saiyan was feeling. It was raw, burning, bone-crushing agony. At least, those are the best words I can think of to describe this… She thought with a snarl, her turquoise eyes glittering with hatred as she glared at her tormentor over her joined hands.

The air around her was an ugly, unholy shade of green, random flashes of blue from her Kamehameha wave and gold from her aura flickering and brightening the air around her before the disgusting green surrounded her again. She was the last fighter standing, all of her friends and loved ones scattered randomly behind her, where the beast she was battling had sent them crashing only minutes before.

The female Saiyan could smell the blood that oozed from her friends' wounds. She could identify every single fighter's resting place just because each one had a unique scent, all the way down to his or her blood. Krillin was ten yards away, directly behind her, and he was barely alive, his chest blown wide open. Trunks and Goten, still mere boys but almost as powerful as their fathers, were off to her left, having fallen side by side. Tien, Chiaotzu, and Yamcha had hit the dirt somewhere between where the boys and Krillin had landed. Vegeta had been slammed into a mountain nearly a quarter mile behind her, a little to the right of Krillin. Gohan wasn't far from Vegeta. Both had been hit at the same time and had been smashed into the same mountain. Piccolo…Kami, she wasn't even sure where he had landed. Goku was the closest, a mere three feet to her right. He had refused to leave her side, even after taking a direct hit to the chest.

Goku… Even thinking his name brought tears to the female Saiyan's eyes as she glanced at her fallen friend. His hair had long since reverted back to its usual black, his eyes, back to their normal onyx tone, were closed, his huge, powerful frame limp and weakened to the point where he could not even move his hands. A guttural roar from her opponent wrenched her eyes back to him as he unleashed another wave of energy in her direction, laughing insanely as her Kamehameha was forced nearly into her chest.

I can't…let him…win… She thought savagely as her eyes flashed with a murderous light and she let loose with a howl in response, a massive burst of energy lighting up the sky as a pulse of pure energy surged from her hands and smashed into the ball in front of her, forcing it a precious few feet away and allowing her to breathe again. But not for long.

The monster seemed amused at the Saiyan's mighty effort, and he sent another surge of energy her way with a cruel grin as she dug her feet in and struggled to hold on. The energy was forced back towards her, one slow inch at a time. She couldn't help feeling helpless, and terror found its way into her mind as she thought of Goku and all the rest. Kami. If this thing were to hit me and detonate, they're all well within the blast zone. Unless…

The other fighter was laughing, certain of his victory, but that all faded away when he took in the female Saiyan's stance. Her head was down, her hands shaking from the effort of sustaining such a powerful attack, and her knees were bent to the point that they were nearly touching the ground. But then, she raised her head, and the look in her eyes made the laughter catch in his throat. The look of sheer, murderous rage had faded from her turquoise colored eyes, leaving behind a frightening sort of tranquility and peace as her wild golden hair waved in the wind created from their joined attacks. Her aura went from gold to the deepest, darkest shade of blue he had ever seen, and for a fraction of a second, he swore he saw her smiling. What is this? She's too calm...

Out of nowhere, a massive surge of energy flowed up and out of the mighty female Super Saiyan's stocky, powerful frame, racing down her arms, to her hands, and then out into the Kamehameha she was fighting to sustain. The burst of power was so unexpected that it blasted the other fighter's attack back right into his face, detonating as it struck him and started to tear his body apart. He had only a moment to analyze what went wrong, and how she won. I had her! I was certain she was about to give up and give in! Where did she get that power?

His eyes searched the area, then fell on Goku, whom the female Saiyan had forced herself to move in front of even as she maintained her massive attack. Goku. He gave her this power. But what could have brought about such a sudden change? Where was this when I stomped him into the ground right in front of her face?

He had no more time to think, no more time to analyze what had given his hated opponent that final, unexpected burst of awesome power. With one final scream of pain and defiance, his body exploded and all the bits and pieces were decimated under the fury of the Saiyan's Kamehameha.

I…did it… She thought, watching in mild amazement as her opponent disintegrated under her Kamehameha. As the huge blast left the atmosphere, the air returned to normal and ever so slowly, she straightened from her fighting stance, her hands lowering to her sides as her eyes turned back to their usual cobalt blue and her hair went from gold to steel gray and fell in its usual wild style around her face.

Even as she stood shakily in front of Goku, she knew she was out of time. Gave…too…much… Her knees slammed into the dirt as she crumpled, her weakened frame unable to hold her up any longer. Her eyes grew misty and her breathing grew strained as her body struggled to fill the gap that her ki usually occupied. I…gave…everything…

No Saiyan can live without their ki. Ki is a vital life force within every creature, but the physiology of the Saiyan race relies on it. When a Saiyan's ki is gone, their body stops functioning. End of story.

Never got a chance…to tell him how I really feel…I am sorry, friends…I will see you all…when it is time…goodbye…

Present time…

It was early in the morning, still dark, but the sky was beginning to lighten slightly on the eastern horizon. Slowly, it grew lighter, the deep black of the night sky fading into a midnight blue as the eastern sky grew brighter and brighter. The strip of light blue began to spread until it reached halfway across the sky, the stars dimming and fading from sight as the clouds in the sky reflected the growing light in soft pinks and creams.

Not long later, the sun rose, a blazing orb peeking over the eastern horizon as its light and warmth woke one half of the world as the other half ended the day prior. Birds twittered and chirped in the trees, greeting the new day as other animals began to stir as well, filling the land with sound and bringing a sense of normalcy to everything.

Deep in a distant mountain range that was barely visible to the south, three of the Earth's greatest fighters sparred relentlessly, blood and sweat flying in the freezing air as they traded blows with alarming speed. Each fighter's individual power level was greater than that of any human alive, which made sense, since none of the three were human. One was a full-blooded Saiyan, the second was half Saiyan, and the last was a Namek.

Gohan flew backward with a yelp as Goku's huge fist smashed into his sternum, knocking him into a nearby cliff as Piccolo let loose with a roar and charged Goku, distracting the Saiyan from his eldest son's predicament for the moment as the two exchanged a savage series of blows that left both panting and cringing in pain. Each backed off, watching the other warily as a howl erupted from below them and Gohan came charging back into the fray.

Goku was his first target; the startled male Saiyan took a blow to the chin that made his eyes cross as Gohan followed up with a knee to the gut that bent his sire in half. The demi-Saiyan finished the series when he clenched his hands together and smashed them into the back of Goku's head, sending him plummeting into the deep snow a hundred feet below as Gohan disappeared before reappearing in front of Piccolo.

The Namek was expecting his former pupil, but as he sent a kick flying in Gohan's direction, the demi-Saiyan disappeared again, this time coming back into view above Piccolo. Piccolo was fast, but Gohan was faster; as the Namek turned to strike, Gohan's right foot connected squarely with his face, sending the green fighter flying. Again, Gohan disappeared, this time cutting off his mentor's flight path and rudely redirecting him with a stunning punch to the ribs that sent Piccolo crashing into the side of a deep ravine in less than three seconds.

Gohan waited, panting slightly as sweat stung his eyes. Piccolo will stay down for a bit, but Father should be up and about by now… He thought, his sharp dark eyes, inherited from his sire, flickering as he quickly scanned the area. His senses were tuned to the max as he felt for Goku's ki, his ears straining to pick up anything that would indicate where the legendary Saiyan was hiding.

I have to calm down or I'll never find him in time… The demi-Saiyan thought as he closed his eyes, slowing his breathing as he calmed down, allowing his senses to tell him where his father was. He felt Piccolo's ki, sensing that the fighter was beginning to recover, but he still couldn't feel Goku. And then…

"Gotcha!" Gohan roared, spinning just in time to block a kick from his father, who had appeared behind him. The two fighters remained locked, staring at one another as they both breathed lightly. Goku was barely any worse for wear, with the exception of a few new tears in his pants and shirt and a couple cuts and bruises. But the smile on the huge Saiyan's face was filled with pride.

"Well done, Gohan. You have not lost your edge." Goku said as they separated, still staring at each other as Piccolo rejoined them, a slight smile present on the Namek's face as well.

"Very good, Gohan. Considering you haven't been actively training for a few years, you have retained your speed and strength. It feels good to be fighting with you again." Piccolo stated softly as the three fighters relaxed, allowing the freezing mountain air to cool them down before they turned and started flying back to the Son residence, where Goku's wife and younger son waited. Gohan's wife was there as well, visiting with the Son matriarch while the three fighters had a day to themselves to spar.

"Yeah, been pretty busy, spending time with Videl and getting the house set up and all…" Gohan said before his words trailed away. His mentor and father both looked at him, each wondering what was on his mind before Goku took the initiative.

"Something wrong, Gohan?" The demi-Saiyan's dark eyes were troubled as he turned his head to look at his father mid-flight.

"Yes and no, Father. Videl is doing well, and so am I. We're starting to get used to the whole husband and wife thing…" Gohan laughed slightly before his expression became grave once more. "But to be frank, Father, that's not what's bothering me. I'm concerned…about her." Goku and Piccolo both jerked in shock, each instantly knowing whom the 'her' was that Gohan was referring to.

"Gohan, I'm sure she's fine. I can sense her ki, and it's normal. There have been no power spikes from her in the last couple weeks. There's really nothing to be concerned about." Piccolo stated factually, but Gohan's eyes remained troubled.

"You know, Piccolo, that fact alone is what really concerns me." The young demi-Saiyan said softly as they all stopped midair before dropping to the ground. They were within five minutes of the Son residence, but Gohan's uneasiness had the other two fighters on edge.

Goku looked pensive for a few seconds before starting softly, "You know, Piccolo, he has a point. It's really NOT normal for her to go more than three days without blowing something up…" All three fighters looked at each other for a long time before Goku spoke up again. "Go on ahead, guys. Let Chi-Chi know I'll be a little late. I'll go check on her; shouldn't take more than an hour."

With that, the great Saiyan shot into the sky before setting a course to the west, flying faster than the speed of sound without even realizing it. His son and his enemy-turned-friend both watched until he disappeared before looking at one another. "This day just got weird." Piccolo said, and Gohan nodded in agreement before both fighters took to the sky once more and flew to the Son residence.

Goku cut through the sky like a shark through water, his thoughts in a jumble. How could I not have noticed this when Gohan did? Have these peaceful times made me too complacent?

So deep in thought was he that he barely registered that he had arrived at his destination. Dropping out of the sky like a rock, Goku landed lightly on the balls of his feet, raising his dark eyes to stare at the house in front of him in a fond, yet uneasy manner. This place is like a second home to me…if only my visit today were on better terms…

Approaching in his usual, happy-go-lucky Goku style, the big fighter strode up to the door, knocking loudly but gently as he called, "Hey! Anybody home?" Silence was his only greeting. Not even the livestock on the property dared break the silence as the animals all stared at the Saiyan with wide eyes.

Goku looked around in utter confusion before tuning his senses to the max. Okay, let's see…where are you… The other fighter's ki, which had easily been strong enough to detect mere minutes before, had dropped to almost undetectable levels, as though she was trying to hide. What is going on here? Goku thought, growing more confused by the second.

The huge male Saiyan took two steps to the right, still zeroed in on his target. He was startled to note that as he moved, so did she, but in the opposite direction. She's avoiding me! But why? Goku stopped, put two fingers to his head, and focused. A second later, he faded from sight.

Reappearing on the opposite side of the house, down in the forest below, Goku lowered his hand, looking around. She should be right here… He thought, and then he spotted her. The fighter had her back to him, her shoulders hunched slightly as she stood perfectly still, as if in the hope that if she didn't move, he wouldn't see her.

"Hey! There you are!" Goku called with a laugh as he took a couple steps closer. Suddenly, a sharp smell hit his nose and brought him to a staggering halt. Holy crap, that's…blood. That's the smell of blood… Caught off guard, he stared at the female fighter stupidly before his eyes were drawn to the cuts and tears in the green gi she was wearing. His eyes widened as he took in the damage to her sturdy, powerful frame. Kami! She's taken one heck of a beating! But who in the world has the kind of strength to do that sort of damage to her?

As Goku was examining her, she slowly turned to face him, and he was confronted with an even more horrifying sight when she did. "Kami, Teagan! What happened to you?" Goku cried in shock as he stared at the terribly wounded fighter before him.

Lady Teagan Kimori, the last pureblooded female Saiyan in existence, was gravely injured. Her left eye was swollen shut and blackened, her nose was bleeding and broken, and an awesome cut stretched from above her right eye, across her shattered nose, and all the way down to the base of her left ear. Her right eye was only half open, barely showing her normally stunning cobalt blue iris, which was now cloudy and dull. Her spiky steel gray hair was drooping and spattered with blood. Her right arm was broken and useless, three ribs were crushed, and her left hand was broken. Her pelvis had been cracked in two places and her left ankle was broken. How she was standing, Goku would never know.

"Teagan!" His scream pierced the air as the fighter slowly fell to her knees. He reached her side just in time to keep her from falling on her face in the dirt. "Teagan…please, Teagan, tell me what happened here. Who did this to you? Teagan!" Goku's cries went unheeded as the female Saiyan lost consciousness, her head lolling to the side as her good eye flickered shut. "Hold on, Teagan. I'll get you fixed right up." Goku promised as he gently drew her into his arms, settling her snugly before he put two fingers to his forehead and concentrated. A fraction of a second later, they both vanished.