Like many kids, I grew up watching DBZ. However, even as a child, there were many things about the series that didn't jive with me. Having recently gotten back into the series as an adult, I found myself wondering how the story would have played out if things had gone just a little bit differently. This is my take on a different version of Z. I have a rough outline put together through the end of Z, up to and including Revival of F.

AGE 758

Just as the last rays of sunlight were relinquishing their grasp on Mount Paozu, congratulating itself on another fine spring day, a flash lit up the sky. A perfectly round orb of white, wreathed in flames from atmospheric entry, roared across the horizon before cratering itself into the woods surrounding the humble Son residence.

"Goku! Did you hear that? Goku! Goku?! Ugh, that man is never around when you need him!" Chi-Chi's annoyance was palpable. Her infant son, whom she had just finished rocking to sleep after an arduous day, screamed loudly from his nursery. Goku, however, was already on the move, having sensed the enormous power streaking towards his home moments before feeling the thunderous impact of the attack pod slamming into the forest. He now stood at the edge of a crater more than 20 meters deep and half again as wide. In the center, through the dust, he could barely make out the edges of the spacecraft. Just as he began to step over the rim, he heard a loud 'POP' as the door seal broke and the pod opened.

'Gosh, this strength is incredible! I sure hope this guy isn't here to cause trouble!' the wild haired man thought to himself, though he couldn't help but feel a sense of eagerness. 'I better suppress my power until I know what's happening.'

Meanwhile, some distance south, a reformed bandit and a bald headed monk were changing into their trademark orange and blue gi, preparing to rush to Goku's aid. Tien, having recently evaded Launch, had been meditating peacefully when he felt the presence approaching the planet. 'This seems serious' the three eyed man thought, 'better make sure Chaotzu stays put.' Leaving his ever tiny friend behind, he took to the air, barreling as fast as he could toward Mount Paozu.

Elsewhere, deep in the heart of a vast wasteland, a green skinned, pointed eared alien was also roused from his meditation, forced back to reality by the crushing pressure of the energy he was sensing. 'What is this enormous power? Surely Goku hasn't surpassed me by this much?! I... I better look into this.' He too, headed towards the source of the disturbance.

Back in the forest, a tall, long haired man was emerging from the pod. He paused for a moment to stretch, pulling his Saiyan battle armor, a simple black vest with green straps connecting the front to the back, down tight over his torso. Cracking his neck, he relaxed, then reached out with his senses, searching for the mightiest warrior he could find. 'These people... they might as well be ants. Surely my father gave me the wrong coordinates? There's no way there's a Saiyan here, on a planet this weak?!' The prospect was mind-boggling. His tail flicked, the only outward sign of annoyance.

'He's got a tail just like Gohan's!' his surprised caused Goku to reflect back on his youth, when he too had had a tail. 'Other than the two of us, I've never seen anyone else with a tail like that... Maybe we're related! Only one way to find out.'

"Hey, who are you? Friend or foe?" the warrior from Earth asked, throwing caution to the wind.

The tall man, having been unaware of Goku's presence, spun with a start, coiling his tail around his waist as he turned. "Neither. I was told there was a fellow Saiyan here, but from what I can tell this planet is chock full of weaklings. Certainly no one strong enough to be a Saiyan warrior." The wild haired stranger's smug look of disgust made his opinion clear.

"Well, I don't know what a Saiyan is, so I don't think I can help. I do have a question though, what's with the tail?" Goku couldn't help but ask.

"Hmph. Saiyans are the mightiest warriors in the universe!" His expression softened slightly. His pride for his heritage was strong, and he was in no real hurry. Perhaps he would humor this weakling after all. "Our strength is unmatched throughout the galaxy!"

Goku's eyes lit up, his excitement no longer containable. "Strongest in the universe, huh? That's a big claim! I'm a fighter myself, how about a friendly spar?" He began stretching, freeing the bonds he held on his ki. "I can tell you're a lot stronger than me, but I haven't had a good fight in ages. Whadya say?"

The stranger just smiled. 'Ah, so he's stronger than he let on. Something about that hair looks familiar too... He looks just like Bardock! But he doesn't appear to have a tail? Surely he isn't the guy I'm looking for, but if he's a warrior he may know where I can find him.' He rolled his neck, cracking it loudly. Extended both arms straight out, as far as he could, then touched his toes. Finally, he leaned back, joints creaking from their first real movement in weeks. 'Besides, I've been stuck in that damn ball for months.' He readied himself, dropping into his fighting stance. "A Saiyan never turns down a fight!"

Goku smiled back, assuming his familiar Turtle school stance. "Alright, let's do this." A moment passed, their eyes locked, neither willing to break the others stare. Finally, giddy with anticipation, Goku charged, right arm cocked back. "HYAAAAAA!"

The stranger, watching with amusement, still wearing his toothy grin, waited until the last possible moment to react. Instead of dodging, he slammed his face forward into his opponents fist. "YEEEOWWWWW! What's your face made of, granite? Sheesh." Goku shook his hand fiercely, feeling like he'd just broken his wrist. 'Guess I'm still using too much power,' thought the taller of the two. 'Better dial it down another notch.' He lashed out at Goku, who was still nursing his hand, striking him first with a right handed open palm in the face, catching him by surprise and sending him sprawling backwards. He gave chase, intending to drive his elbow into Goku's chest while he was still stumbling back.

Goku, however, had other plans. Still reeling from the blow, he twisted left and down, putting his arm on the ground and driving his feet up. The stranger dodged Goku's double kick, throwing a wall up with his ki to push off of and thrusting his right boot down for Goku's wide open arm. Goku avoided the telegraphed sweep, spinning with his momentum from the kick into a flip, landing smoothly on his feet.

'It appears he has some skill as well. I wonder... Can he use ki attacks, or is he just a brawler? As weak as he is, I'm almost afraid t-' his thoughts were cut short by a right hook, busting his lip. He allowed the momentum to roll him back, then slammed his left boot into Goku's wide open torso, sending the Saiyan from Earth flying.

Goku caught himself with his hands and flung himself back to his feet. 'Man, this guy is crazy strong, and he's not even trying! I'd hate to end up on his bad side.' "Alright, that was a nice warm up." He began channeling his ki, focusing it into his palms as he drew them back and down to his right side. "But I think it's time we step it up a bit." He smiled, feeling the warmth in his hands. "Kaaa-"

'I guess that answers that.' The stranger just smirked, allowing a tiny ball of his own energy to form in his left hand. He squeezed his fist tightly, then relaxed it, as the minuscule point of light expanded to a green orb twice the size of his substantial hand.

"Meee-" Goku shifted his weight to his right leg, sliding his left foot forward, bending his knees slightly. 'I hope I don't overdo it with this, I really don't want to tick this guy off.'

"Haaa-"

'Hmph. That attack is nearly twice as strong as he is. Curious.' The green light cast an eerie shadow on the moonless night, twisting his features cruelly.

"Meee-" 'This is it!'

'Time to see what this Earthling's got, then find out what he knows.' The extraterrestial fighter flung his left hand out, sending a pillar of jade energy racing right at the Bardock lookalike.

"HAAA!" Goku thrust his hands forward, leaning into his attack. The beams, bright blue from the hero of Earth, green from the taller Saiyan warrior, raced towards each other, colliding on the edge of the crater between the two, coalescing into a teal wall in the center. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Goku roared, cramming more and more of his ki into the Kamehameha wave. For a moment, it seemed as though he might have an edge, as the teal face gave a little. Then, just as his hopes lifted, the green energy from the tall stranger exploded forward, instantly enveloping the Kamehameha and indeed Goku himself. He was sent flying backwards for the third time in their brief battle, but he was grinning from ear to ear. This time, there was no smooth somersault back to his feet, only a loud THWACK as he slammed painfully through the trees.

'Whoops! Guess I went a little overboard there.' He walked calmly over his downed opponent, offering him a hand up. "Not bad, but I think I'm a little out of your league. Don't take it personally, like I said Saiyans are the mightiest warriors in the universe!" Goku gratefully accepted the offered hand, allowing the stranger to pull him to his feet.

"Hey, no hard feelings here! You're really strong, I've never fought anyone at this level before. I'm glad you're a ni-" Goku was interrupted, as is often the case, by his stomach growling loudly. He laughed, "Sorry about that, I guess I was so excited when I sensed you coming that I forgot I hadn't eaten supper y-"

The stranger, having not actually eaten himself in weeks, had also been stricken with a similar case of the grumbles. "Haha, you're not the only one that hasn't eaten in a while. What do you say, loser buys dinner?"

"Heh, no problem. My wife is a great cook! Let's go." Goku, satisfied that the man from space meant no harm, took to the skies, happily headed for home. "By the way, I'm Goku."

"Broly. Nice to meet you, Goku." At the mention of meat, both warrior's stomachs growled again, louder than ever. The two couldn't help but laugh as they touched down in the grass in front of the Son residence. As they walked inside, a shadowy figure watched from high above, cape flapping gently in the breeze. "That guy was way stronger than Goku! I guess I'll have to wait a little longer to get my revenge after all" Piccolo thought out loud. Satisfied that the action was over, he flew away, determined to train harder than ever.

Inside, Chi-Chi was rocking Gohan back to sleep, watching in horror as Goku and Broly annihilated dish after dish of food. After what seemed like hours, the two warriors leaned back, seemingly satisfied with the feast. No longer worried about the Saiyan warrior being a threat, with a mind no longer distracted by hunger pangs, Goku's curiosity returned in force. "So Broly, what's with the tail?"

"All Saiyans have tails," the taller of the two responded casually, "they allow us to take the form of mighty Oozaru on moonlit nights."

Goku's eyes widened, memories of his youth rushing back. "Oozaru, huh? Wouldn't happen to be a giant, uncontrollable, raging ape would it?"

Broly shifted his eyes from the ceiling to meet Goku's gaze. 'Surely if he knows of the transformation, he's seen the Saiyan I was sent here to find?' "There are warriors that can control the form, but generally, yes. Are you familiar with it? Perhaps you do know the Saiyan I'm looking for after all."

"Well," Goku began, "when I was a kid I had a tail, and used to transform on clear nights if I stared at the moon. I couldn't control it at all, which was a big problem back then, so I had to get it cut off. A buncha times, actually. Darn thing kept growing back!"

Broly was dumbfounded. "You... You cut off your own tail? INTENTIONALLY?!" the wild haired man, shocked to his core at the ridiculousness of what he was hearing, had lost control of his voice. This, of course, reawakened the fragile slumber of Gohan. His eyes darted to the now crying infant, a surprised look on his face. While he hadn't noticed before, it was clear the child had a long, dark furred tail, matching his exactly. "Your son has a tail as well... You must be Kaka-"

Chi-Chi, furious, had bounded across the room and begun beating the Saiyan savagely. "HOW DARE YOU, AND TWICE IN ONE NIGHT," she screamed. "Were you raised in the woods?! Have you no manners?"

Broly instinctively brought his hands up to block Chi-Chi's enraged onslaught. 'She's almost as strong as Kakarot! Outrageous!' "I'm sorry, I wasn't aware the child was here. Forgive me!" He looked to Goku for aid, only to see him laughing heartily at his plight. As quickly as it had come, Chi-Chi's tantrum subsided, and she began rocking Gohan back to sleep. Broly felt several power levels he hadn't noticed before approaching the house. "We've got company coming," the taller man said cautiously, doing his absolute best to suppress his voice.

"Feels like Krillin, Yamcha and Tien, they're friends" Goku responded, matching Broly's whispered tone. "Better go meet them outside before Chi-Chi kills us." The pair quietly crept out the front door, closing it gently behind them. Just as Broly was mulling over how to explain to Goku his theory, the three warriors from Earth landed next to them. 'I guess I better wait,' the giant thought, 'I don't know if Kakarot would want to share this information with his friends.'

"Hey guys, what's up," Goku asked calmly, smiling at his friends.

"Well, we felt an incredible power heading this way," began Krillin, eyeing the oddly dressed man with a tail cautiously, "so we figured we better come check it out."

Broly, realizing the diminutive bald man was referring to him, couldn't help but smile at the complement. "Unless someone slipped by my radar, I assume you must mean me."

The three were looking at the pair of Saiyans quizzically, noting Goku's disheveled appearance and seemingly relaxed attitude towards the newcomer. "This is Broly. He said he's here looking for a friend of his," he paused, shifting his eyes from the group to the wild haired warrior from space, who nodded back at him, before continuing his story. "A warrior from his home planet. But from the sounds of things, I think he meant me." The trio let out a gasp of surprise. A moment passed as Broly nodded again, trying to decide where to start his tale.

"I guess I should start from the beginning. Twenty-one years ago, a planet called Vegeta was destroyed. Though it was claimed to be an asteroid, I later found out it was a deliberate attack by a tyrant known as Frieza. A mighty race of warriors, known as Saiyans, had come to call that planet home. Kakarot," he paused, indicating Goku, "and myself are among a dwindling handful of survivors." He paused for a moment, letting this revelation sink in. "I too grew up on an unfamiliar planet, with no knowledge of our home until recently." Broly's mind couldn't help but wander back to his youth on Yardrat. He cleared his throat, refocusing on the present. "Although the residents of that planet looked very different from you and I, they raised me as one of their own. When I was old enough, they showed me the ship I landed in. Inside, I found this," he gestured to the armor he wore, "and a wealth of information on my heritage. An entire library worth of knowledge on our history, customs, culture, biology and technology. Unfortunately, I also found a message from my father. He explained that Frieza was attacking the planet, and instructed me to seek out the son of Bardock. Unfortunately, the message stopped there." He paused again, giving Goku a disappointed look. "Though it seems Kakarot here is unaware of his heritage. Where is your attack ball?"

To his credit, Goku had taken all of this rather well. He took a moment to respond, thinking hard about what he'd just heard. "I... I don't know." Broly, having maintained his hope for answers up to this point, was obviously devastated. Upon seeing this, Goku placed his hand on the man's shoulder. "But, I think I know someone that can help."

"Who could possibly know anything about this, Goku?" Krillin had been listening intently to Broly's tale, but could wait no longer. The fact that his oldest and best friend was from another planet was mind-boggling, but the idea that someone knew about it and said nothing was almost too preposterous to bear.

"I'm not sure, but there's a chance Kami might know. At the very least, maybe he can help us find my ship." Goku thought about it for a second longer, then grinned broadly. "Yeah, I'm sure he can help us!"

This turn of events pleased Broly greatly. "Excellent, when can we see this Kami?"

"Well, it's kinda far, and it's getting pretty late. We should probably wait until morning. I guess everyone can crash here for the night, just be careful not to wake Gohan."

"This is to be avoided at all costs," Broly added quickly, "the woman is very sensitive about the child's sleep!" The other three grinned toothily at his comment, imagining Chi-Chi berating the man fiercely.

"Sounds like someone found out about Chi-Chi's temper!" the scar faced bandit joked.

"Don't worry buddy, it's happened to all of us." At Tien's comment, the gang shared a laugh, then went inside the house, content that, at least for now, all was well.

It begins! Semi-important things to take note of, right off the bat. While this is the same Broly from the movies, this is a version that wasn't twisted and controlled and tortured his entire life. His back story all the way back to birth will be tweaked (and explained). The Saiyans of this story are also not quite the bloodthirsty genocidal maniacs of cannon, but are otherwise quite similar. Several characters will be altered slightly, but outside of completely rewriting Broly, nothing terribly far outside the realm of their cannon selves. Additionally, several aspects of their lore (Zenkais, Super Saiyan transformations, Oozaru etc) will be tweaked (and explained) to avoid things like Goku and Vegeta going from under 100k to over 1m in 1-2 near death experiences and wild magic power ups. I will be maintaining a power level list, explaining the numbers as necessary and attempting to maintain some semblance of logical reasoning as I go along.

Power Levels, Chapter 1

Broly (sleeping in ship): 10,000

Broly (initial suppressed level, headbutt): 1,000.

Goku (suppressed): 5

Goku (spar): 400