Part fourteen: Party
Jadzia was dozing off in front of her computer with her feet propped up on the desk when a double-beep woke her. She opened one eye to peer at the screen where the mail icon was flashing.
"You've got mail!" She murmured to herself without humor. "That sounds like a movie title. Oh well." She reached out and double clicked on the blinking icon, and to her surprise, Bulma's face appeared. It was frozen in one of her huge welcoming smiles and Jadzia shuddered, a grin on her lips. She activated it, and her old friend came to life.
"Hey girl! Long time no see, huh? Well anyway, there's going to be a reunion at Master Roshi's tomorrow for the original Dragon Ball gang and you're invited. Hope to see you there, and I don't know about you, but I can't wait to see how grown up and handsome Gokou looks! (giggle) God I haven't seen him, or you for that matter, sense the wedding. And gosh, that was over six years ago! Kuririn will be there too. Hey, and I was really surprised that your address was so far away! Wow, North City, huh? You've really gone places. Oh well, I know this is kind of short notice, but if you even have half of the flying speed now that you did in the old days, you should be able to make it. We all really hope you're free! Bye!"
"A party over at Master Roshi's? Tomorrow? Alright! I finally have something to do besides train and go to school!" Jadzia said, punching the air. She picked up her Scouter and it immediately turned to a pair of glasses in her hands as she slid it on. She checked out her wardrobe, and settled on her dark blue training clothes and a deep red baggy weighted shirt to go over it. Then she sat down and sighed. "I can't wait until tomorrow!"
"Bulma!" Jadzia called as she landed on Roshi Island. "Master Roshi, Kuririn, Gokou!" She started walking toward the house, surprised when no-one answered. She looked down. "Hm. Maybe I got the wrong day."
"Jadzia?" A familiar voice called from the door way of the house. Jadzia looked up to see Kuririn's smiling face. "Hey, wow, it's really you!"
"Hey, Kuririn! Nice to see you, pal!" Jadzia ran over and gave him a hug. He grunted then hugged her back.
"What's with the accent, Ze-chan? Have you been holding out on us somewhere else?" He asked as they went into the house. Jadzia grinned sheepishly and nodded.
"Yeah. I got invited to go to North City a few years back and I liked it so much I decided to stay. I live in the northern part, so it's kinda lonely, but I'm doing okay. Because of legal issues I had to enroll in the local high school last year but-"
"What?" Kuririn asked, handing her a glass of water as she nodded a greeting to Roshi. "What do you mean, the local high school? Aren't you almost twenty two?"
Jadzia shook her head. "Nope. I thought I told you this. I'm turning seventeen next year."
"What?" Chorused both Kuririn and Roshi. Jadzia gave them a look.
"Yeah." She said shortly. There was a pause. "But anyway, where's the rest of the gang?" She asked looking around and moving to the edge of her seat. Kuririn shrugged as Roshi went back to stir whatever he was cooking on the stove.
"They should be here soon." He said, going over and helping Roshi. Jadzia got up and followed him. "So, you hungry, Jadzia?" Jadzia shook her head.
"Not really." She was about to say more when the sound of a craft reached her ears. "I think I hear something. Be right back!" She opened the door and stepped out onto the porch, resisting the urge to fly up and take a look around. Wow, this is really uncomfortable. It's not like the old days at all. She thought, stepping into the gentle waves.
Kuririn watched Jadzia from the behind the closed screen door. How weird. Her power level is higher then ever and she's not even powered up. "Master Roshi," he said aloud, turning around, "do you notice something different about Jadzia?"
"I never really knew the girl that well in the first place, Kuririn. But, yes, something does seem strange about her, I've known that from the first day we met."
Outside, Jadzia sneezed, then looked up to see the bottom of a hover vehicle. She scrambled out of the way and walked calmly into the house. Kuririn looked up.
"What's up?"
"Oh, nothing."
"Hello? Hell-low? Hey, you guys!" A voice called from outside. Kuririn and Roshi looked up and Jadzia grinned sheepishly.
"Hey, hi Bulma!" Roshi called.
"Hi Bulma." Kuririn echoed.
"Wow, it's sure been a long time, hasn't it?" She asked, closing the door behind her.
"Yep, and you look as beautiful as you ever did." Master Roshi said. Jadzia snorted good-naturedly and Bulma made a face at her.
"Hey." Jadzia said, grinning. Bulma grinned back.
"Hey. Oh, you men. You're impossible."
"These men are always impossible." Jadzia said softly.
"Hey!" Kuririn cried, Jadzia stuck her tong out at him.
"Well, it's true."
"I guess you forgot about my truffles." Roshi said, changing the subject quickly. "But that's okay-I forgive you."
Bulma held out a Chinese-take-out food box. "Surprise!" Jadzia and Kuririn looked over, sidetracked from their argument. "See, I didn't forget."
"Goodness, you're going to spoil this old man." Roshi exclaimed, taking the box. Bulma beamed.
"So, what's Yamcha up to nowadays, Bulma?" Kuririn asked. Jadzia punched him in the arm in a 'good question' kind of gesture and chimed in.
"Yeah? When's the wedding date?" Instead of looking happy, Bulma's face turned furious.
"Err, that idiot! He's playing baseball for one of the pro teams in the city."
"What's so bad about that?" Jadzia asked. "I thought you liked baseball."
"That's not what I'm angry about Ze-chan. He made me so mad I didn't even tell him we were going to be here today. I'm through with him!"
"Why?" Kuririn asked stupidly.
"He took someone else out!" Bulma crossed her hands over her chest.
"Breaking up is hard to do." Roshi murmured. Jadzia nodded, patting Bulma on the back.
"I wouldn't know..." Kuririn said glumly. Jadzia laughed.
"Just you wait, Bulma. He'll be back. You two are a team." There was an uncomfortable silence as everyone tried to think of something else to talk about.
"So, where's Gokou at?" Bulma asked into the silence.
"He said he was going to be here. I guess he's on his way." Kuririn said, opening the box of truffles and helping himself to some. Watching for her chance, Jadzia grabbed one, then leaned against the doorway, looking out and nibbling it.
"Kuririn, leave me some!" Master Roshi cried, grabbing the box away from him. Bulma laughed at their actions. Jadzia sighed and continued looking for Gokou. Suddenly she felt his power and another, only slightly smaller power approaching from her right. She looked in that direction and spotted the Nimbus streaking towards them. Suddenly nervous, she stepped onto the porch into the shadows.
"Here we are, Gohan!" Gokou leapt off the cloud, holding a young kid in his arms. As soon as the tall warrior had dismounted, the cloud zoomed away. Gohan looked around in interest. "Hey, is anyone home?"
The screen door slammed open and Jadzia cringed as it hit the wall inches away from her tail. She carefully slid it around her waist to avoid future complications. "Gokou! Hey, who's the kid?" Bulma cried. Kuririn rubbed the back of his head.
"Gokou, babysitting? Well, I'll be damned." He said.
"He's my son." Gokou said proudly. Jadzia blanched and walked over to examine the kid. "Hey Ze-chan."
"Gokou. Nice kid." She said, keeping an eye on the fuzzy brown tail. A tail?
"Pretty wild, huh?" He grinned. Bulma ran up, practically cooing.
"Oh, Gokou, he's adorable." She gushed. Gokou colored slightly.
"Gohan, say hi." He encouraged his son. Gohan bowed to them politely and they all bowed back.
"Hello...everybody." He said in a shy voice. Jadzia smiled gently at him and he smiled back.
"This is Gohan." Gokou said.
"You named him after your grandfather?" Roshi asked. Gokou nodded.
"That's right."
"And how old are you?" Bulma asked, kneeling down to be face to face with the boy. Jadzia rolled her eyes.
Gohan slowly held up four fingers to show her. "Four." He said.
"Are you going to be a brave fighter like your dad?" Bulma asked.
Gokou shook his head. "Chi-chi doesn't let him train." She looked up at him.
"Oh? No martial arts, huh?" She looked back at Gohan. "What do you want to be when you grow up?" She asked again.
"An orthopedist." He said proudly. Bulma stood up, a blank look on her face.
"Wow. An orthopedist. Huh." Master Roshi's turtle moved next to Gohan and he cringed.
"I don't even know what that is." Jadzia whispered to Kuririn. He shrugged.
"Neither do I."
"He's just saying hi, Gohan." Gokou said reassuringly. Gohan looked up at his dad, then back at the turtle. He turned to pat it and Bulma noticed something.
"A tail..." She looked over at Kuririn, Jadzia and Master Roshi. The turtle lowered his head and Gohan hesitantly raised a hand to pet him.
"Yeah, he was born with one, just like me. I think he wants to be petted, Gohan." Gokou said, not noticing the looks on the other's faces. Bulma leapt up, alarmed.
"Oh, man. Has anything strange ever happened to Gohan at night?" She asked as the others clustered around. Jadzia was thinking.
If he was born with a tail, that means he's also a Saiya-jin. But if Gokou is the father and He was born with a tail...oh man, could Gokou be Kackarotto? She turned back to the conversation.
"What do you mean?" Gokou asked. Roshi leapt into the conversation.
"She means, has Gohan ever looked at the moon at night when it's full?" Please let the answer be no! He thought.
"I don't think so. We all go to bed pretty early. Why?" Gokou looked around and everyone either shrugged or looked away, trying to act casual. Gohan climbed on the turtle's back and it started walking around.
"Why, oh, no reason, nothing..." They said. The turtle walked to the edge of the water with Gohan. Gohan started chasing waves, but ran away of them.
"He's a lot different than you were when you were a kid." Kuririn noted. Gokou looked down, frowning.
"I know. Chi-chi's pretty protective of Gohan. She makes him study all the time. She says martial arts are a waste of energy." In the background, Gohan started playing "rock, scissors, paper" with a crab; the crab kept coming up with "scissors."
"Well, what does that make us, then?" Kuririn asked heatedly.
"What does she know?" Jadzia chimed in, looking over her shoulder from where she had been watching Gohan.
"Guys, settle down, you can't expect everyone to agree with what you're doing. It would be all too easy, then." There was an uncomfortable silence in which every one turned to watch Gohan. The crab squirted water on Gohan and everyone laughed. "Watch out, he might pinch you, Gohan! That crab's a sore loser." Gohan, laughing, ran back to his father. Bulma, gazing down at the boy, recognized the decoration on top of his hat.
"That's a real dragon ball on your hat, isn't it?" She asked him.
"Yep." Gokou answered for his son. "It was my grandfather's. I've been collecting them for fun. Gohan wants to see the dragon, but he'll have to give his up."
"It's wild to think of all the things we went through to get those Dragon Balls." She murmured.
"Yeah." Jadzia agreed. Kuririn picked up a rock and skipped it across the ocean. It skipped about seven times, then sunk.
"Hey, Gokou; what are you guys going to wish for when you get them all?" Gokou picked up another rock and threw it. It skipped out of sight.
"I don't know, Kuririn. That's a good question. Come to think of it, I don't really want anything."
I thought Gokou would have less power now that he's settled down. Roshi thought. Instead, it seems that he has more, just like Jadzia. That's really strange.
"You're still one bad dude, Gokou!" Kuririn sighed.
Part fifteen: Raditz.
Wonder how long it'll be 'till they feel that Ki I just picked up. Jadzia wondered, looking toward the sky. For the next half-hour as the others reminisced about old times, Jadzia was strangely silent and observed Gokou at odd moments as he casually watched his son play tag with the waves. Bored finally, Jadzia walked over to Gohan.
"What's up, kid?" She asked, watching the waves. He shook his head shyly. "Humph. Not the talking type, are you?" She turned just in time to notice Gokou suddenly tense. She ran up beside him. "Do you feel that?" She asked softly, refraining from adding finally. He nodded.
"Man-something is heading straight for us..." At his words everyone turned to them in surprise.
"What? Are you sure?" Bulma asked, looking in the same direction.
"Totally sure." Jadzia answered. "I've been aware of it for a while now." Master Roshi gave her a dirty look.
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"It was so far away that you would've thought I was making it up."
"I've never felt a power like this before." Gokou said as Kuririn stepped over on his other side.
"I feel it now, too..." He whispered. Jadzia spared him a sidelong look, then returned to searching the sky.
"I don't like the feeling of this. It's to far away to be sure, but I recognize it."
"There's nothing there, you guys..." Bulma whispered fearfully.
"What is it? I've never felt anything this powerful-and it's a horrible power, too. I'm trembling..." Gokou said, glancing at Jadzia.
"Hell if I know. Wait, there it is!" A dark spot appeared in the sky, steadily growing larger as it got nearer.
"There-there! I see it, too!" Roshi exclaimed.
"It can't be Piccolo..." Kuririn sounded scared out of his wits. Jadzia couldn't blame him, the last time she had felt this kind of power was when she was still under Frieza.
"It's not." She growled. "I knew it, it's him. Or...or, or one of them anyway." She swore softly, concentrating so hard on the spot that almost everything around her blacked out. It's one of us. It's one of the Last Saiya-jin...Damn it!
"This isn't good..." Master Roshi whispered fearfully. The dark shape got big enough for Jadzia to recognize the figure. He landed and she looked up at him, having forgotten how tall he was.
Damn he's even taller than Gokou! Not good, this is definitely not good! She thought, staring at her former team-mate. He feels even more powerful then when I left! Oh shit, I hope he doesn't ask me about that...
"So we meet again, at last... You've grown up." The figure raised an eye brow as Jadzia scowled at him darkly. "Both of you."
"Huh?" Gokou asked, a blank look on his face.
"Up yours." Jadzia snarled. The man smirked.
"I recognize you, little Kackarotto." He said to Gokou, completely ignoring her now. Jadzia followed his gaze and blanched.
"That's Kackarotto?" She squeaked, turning to look at Gokou. "That's who I've been looking for?" She stepped up and poked the man in the chest. He recoiled slightly and was forced to look down at her. "Why didn't you tell me that he was on this planet? That that was him?!" She hissed.
"You never asked, Nursemaid." He looked at her consiteringly. "Why is it so important?"
"He's my father, dumb ass!"
"Nice of you to tell me."
"You never asked, Scout." She answered, somewhat smugly. He grimaced.
"We'll talk more about this later." They both turned back to Gokou, the stranger grinning, Jadzia scowling. "Sorry about the interruption, Kackarotto, unfinished business. You understand."
"Kako--rot?" Gokou asked, sounding out the name. The stranger smiled enquiringly, causing everyone to shudder.
"That's right." He said. "That's your name."
There was a chorus of "Huh? What?"'s from the gathered humans as Jadzia gritted her teeth. Suddenly she remembered something that was so completely obvious that she almost laughed aloud. Of course Gokou was Kackarotto! It made perfect sense. She tuned herself back to the conversation.
"Kackarotto, Idzia, what have you been doing here all these years? Your mission was to terminate all life forms on this planet. So, why haven't you carried it out?" Gokou looked nervously over his shoulder at the "life forms", while Jadzia harrumphed, her arms crossed over her chest.
"His mission, not mine. And my name's Jadzia." She said. Kuririn, foolishly, decided that it was time to show this rude guest who was boss.
"Listen, mister, I don't know who you are, but I think you've got the wrong party." He waved his hands at the man again. "Shoo! Shoo! I think you've been digging into the whisky. Allow me to show you off the island."
Gokou saw the flash of movement too late. "Kuririn, look out!" Something moved from around the man's waist and Kuririn was flicked screaming into the side of the house. Without thinking, Jadzia ran over and assessed the damage. Peering at the fallen warrior's face, Jadzia turned, gave Gokou a thumbs up and then proceeded to drag Kuririn out of the wreckage.
"Kuririn!" Gokou cried, worried for his best friend. At Jadzia's thumbs up he whirled back around and took up a fighting stance. The flick of movement caught his eye again and he realized what it was. "A tail! Hey, he's got a tail, too!"
"Duh! What the hell do you think he hit Kuririn with?" Jadzia asked acidly. Gokou glanced at her briefly, then back at the stranger's tail as it waived around then settled back around his waist. Despite how hard he was trying to hide it, Jadzia could see the fear in his eyes. The stranger smirked.
"So you know who I am at last!"
"What are you talking about?! I've never seen you before!" Gokou's voice was high pitched with fear. Gohan, who by this time was terrified, ran to his father, dodging Bulma's restraining arms. Distracted, Gokou looked down at his son. "Gohan, get back!"
The new comer narrowed his eyes. "Tell me; did you ever suffer a serious blow to the head when you were young?" He asked suddenly. Gokou looked up from where he was trying to get Gohan to let go of his leg.
"What?"
"When you were a kid, did you ever hit your head?" The alien asked again, obviously irritated. Gokou continued to glare at him as he tried to get Gohan to safety.
"Gohan..." Gokou half-pleaded. Trying to stay as far away from the alien as she possibly could, Bulma pried the child away and held him in her arms again. The alien was getting even more irritated then before.
"Did you hear me?" He snarled. Gokou's head snapped back around and he frowned, rubbing the back of his head and closing one eye.
"Yes! I don't remember it very well, but I did hit my head when I was a child. I still have the scar."
"You fool! You forgot!" The man cried. Jadzia itched to be by her father's side, but didn't want to leave Kuririn in such bad shape.
"You gunna be okay?" She whispered to him. He nodded, wincing. Jadzia grinned in relief, then Shifted herself over to beside a confused Gokou. The alien blinked in surprise as she suddenly appeared in front of him.
"Forgot what! Tell me!" Gokou yelled, not noticing Jadzia's abrupt appearance.
Master Roshi, seeing where the conversation was going, hastily stepped in, as scared as he was of the alien stranger. "Gokou! There's something your grandfather told me that I think you should know." Everyone turned in surprise. "A long time ago, your grandfather Gohan found a small spacecraft in the woods. And there you were; lying on the ground in a little round pod. Gohan tried to take you, but you were wild; down right uncontrollable! You were unusually powerful for a baby. You wouldn't have anything to do with Gohan's kindness. Then one day, there was an accident! You fell into a ravine, and badly injured your head. But you recovered. And from that day on, you became a happy, loving boy."
"I'm from outer space?" Gokou asked, shocked. Roshi nodded.
"Yes."
Gokou turned back to the alien. "All right, who are you? What do you want from me!?"
"I want to put you to work." He replied simply. By that time Kuririn had managed to crawl out of the hole in the house he had made. Gokou turned to him.
"Kuririn, you all right?"
"Careful, Gokou. He's not...er, normal." Kuririn growled back.
"You're not normal either, my forgetful friend." The alien said, that annoying smile still on his face. Jadzia wanted to punch him just for that, much less following her here and telling her that one of her best friends was the father she had been searching for so long. Once again Gokou brought his attention back to the alien.
"Huh?"
"You were born on the planet Vegeta-sei. You are a space fighter-a Saiya-jin warrior! Just like me." He paused, and jabbed a finger at Jadzia. "And her, I guess."
Gokou staggered back, his face as white as a sheet. Jadzia glared at the alien, growling under her breath. "Shake it off, Son Gokou!" She snarled. He shook his head a few times.
"Allow me to introduce myself." The alien said grandly. "I'm Raditz. Your big brother." This time it was Jadzia's turn to be surprised. She wrenched her head back and felt like the world was exploding beneath her.
"What?" She squeaked. She took a couple of deep breaths and then tried to adapt her attitude form the old days. "Raditz, if you survive this we are seriously going to have a good long talk about family relations."
"Gokou has a brother!?" Kuririn gasped.
"Gokou-he looks like you!"
"Why should I believe you?" Gokou asked, ignoring Bulma, Kuririn and Jadzia.
"Hey, that's right. Why would Gokou live on Earth if he's from another planet?"
"The same reason I would, Kuririn." Jadzia growled. "To get away from ass-holes like Raditz." Her uncle gave her a look and she returned it.
"That's simple." He said. "We had important clients who were desperate for a planet like this one. So Kackarotto was sent here to get it ready for takeover. You see, we Saiya-jin are sort of like...planet brokers. We find planets that will bring a high price in the galactic market, and we send warriors there to purge them of any life and make them ready for sale. We send adult fighters to planets with strong inhabitants, but for a weak planet like Earth, one of our babies is sufficient to carry out the order. Kackarotto was sent to clean out this planet, but he obviously forgot his mission." He looked at Jadzia. "Her, however, I have no clue why she's here."
"If what you say is true, you Saiya-jin are an abomination. You're space pirates, that's what you are!" Kuririn cried. Jadzia scowled at him.
"Watch it Kuririn, me 'n Son Gokou are two of those 'space pirates'."
"You send little babies off into space by themselves!" Bulma cried, hugging Gohan close.
"That's enough!" Raditz snarled. "Don't get me mad." He turned again to Gokou. "Kackarotto! With the help of the full moon, you could have destroyed them all in a few years! If you only had remembered...!"
"What's a full moon got to do with it?" Gokou was back to acting like himself by this time; completely confused. Raditz gasped and recoiled.
"What happened to your tail, Kackarotto?!" He screamed at the smaller man.
"My tail?" Gokou asked, looking down at where his tail used to be.
"Answer me, now!"
"It was removed for good a long time ago."
"You fool. Do you know what you've done? You true power is gone now! You've lost your ability to transform in the full moon. Now I see how you can be on good terms with these-weaklings!"
"Listen! This is my home, and these are my friends, so it doesn't matter what you say I am! You don't act like any brother I'd want to have." He stared at Raditz and Raditz stared back. "My name is Gokou, and I live here. Now leave us alone!"
"You heard 'em, get!" Jadzia snarled.
"Yeah, just go." Bulma chimed in.
"Even if you are brothers, he doesn't have to destroy peaceful planets like you do." Roshi added. Raditz looked at them, chuckling.
"Raditz..." Jadzia said warningly. "Don't do anything stupid."
"He even saved this planet once, mister, so go away." Kuririn said. Raditz chuckled again, then the look in his eyes changed from furious to sly. He walked over to Gokou.
"So baby brother wants to be left alone. Well, it's a pity, but I can't allow that. Our home planet Vegeta-sei met with an unfortunate accident. Years ago a giant comet crashed into it, destroying everyone. The entire Saiya-jin race was destroyed." Everyone looked at each other, Jadzia's cheeks were flaming with shame. "Only five of us were gone when it happened. You're one of the five, Kackarotto. You see, you're very valuable to us. In fact, we could use your help right now, little brother. We've found a choice planet that would go at a premium rate, but the job requires a little extra manpower. That's where you come in." He leaned over Gokou. "Well, now, what d'ya think? Are you excited? You should be! I've come to take you back into the fold."
"I've had enough! The answer is no!" Gokou proclaimed loudly. Raditz just smirked.
"Interesting." He looked past Gokou to his son. "A tail. Now there's a true Saiya-jin. All right; I'll take the boy instead." Bulma shrieked and hugged the boy tighter.
"We'll see!" Gokou snarled, setting himself.
"I see the fire in you, brother." Raditz held a hand out. "You should come with us!" His hand tightened into a fist. "It is in your blood! You love to fight."
"You're wrong, Raditz." Jadzia snarled, grinning fiercely. Raditz stopped and looked at her.
"Really?" He asked. "In what way?"
"Gokou may be a Saiya-jin, like us, but he was raised here on earth. He doesn't have the same evil inside him that is in you and I. He's a whole different breed of Saiya-jin." She glanced at her surprised friends, then foraged ahead. "That's my father, younger brother, and friends that you're threatening there, and if you don't hop back in your pod and fire yourself back into slavery, you risk not only the wrath of Kackarotto, but me as well."
Raditz simply raised an eye brow. "That was a touching speech, Idzia, but you have no power over me any more, you lost that when you deserted us."
"I never deserted you!" She cried furiously, feeling her eyes turn silver with rage. Raditz smirked, and walked towards Gokou, leaving Jadzia standing there with her hands balled at her sides, able to do nothing for fear of hitting her father.
"Get 'em, Dad!" Gohan yelled from his vantage point in Bulma's arms.
"We're right here with you, Gokou!" Kuririn added.
"Just stay close to Gohan!" Raditz suddenly blurred out of sight, then rematerialized in Gokou's face. He kicked so quickly that Gokou couldn't react. Gokou went up into the air, then came down hard on the sand. Gohan tore out of Bulma's arms and ran to his father.
"Daddy!" Every fiber in her being wanted to echo the cry, but Jadzia clamped her mouth shut and stayed where she was as Gokou held his ribs, moaning.
"Gohan, no!" Bulma gasped as Raditz chuckled again and grabbed Gohan by the back of his shirt and held him up so that the downed warrior could see his son.
"Kackarotto, listen carefully. I'm taking your kid with me while you think things over. It's high time the boy knew his uncle."
"Raditz, don't!" Jadzia cried helplessly. Gokou reached up toward his son as Raditz held the crying boy up higher and laughed.
"Put, me, down!" Gohan sobbed, reaching for his dad.
"Listen carefully, Kackarotto. If you want to see your kid again, you have to do exactly what I say. Understand?" Gokou sat up in the water and rubbed his ribs, grimacing. "I have a little exercise for you. Eliminate one hundred of the species here by tomorrow. Got it?"
"Hey, you!" Master Roshi yelled, trying to get Raditz's attention. "Stop your jabbering! Gokou isn't capable of..."
"Hush, old man. Kackarotto is a Saiya-jin. You'd be surprised at what he's capable of doing. It makes no difference. All of the people on this planet will be eliminated soon. We have a buyer for the planet. It is worth a great deal. We will take it from you."
"Take over Earth?"
"Keep your shirt on, old timer. It won't be as bad as you think. Our "clean-up" crew is very efficient." Jadzia winced, remembering when she had last used that line. "Now listen, Kackarotto! If you want to see your kid again, eliminate one hundred of the species by tomorrow!"
"Please-leave Gohan out of this!" Gokou pleaded, grabbing Raditz's ankle.
"I wish I could, Kackarotto. But then, I'd have no guarantee that you'd take care of the little job I've given you."
"Please! Don't go." Gokou begged again. Jadzia covered her face in shame.
"Son Gokou!" She groaned. "Be strong!"
"Humph. Look how pathetic you've become. Please, brother-have some pride." He kicked Gokou's hand away. "You have until tomorrow. Try and enjoy it." He lifted off, taking Gohan, who was still crying, with him.
"Stop..." Gokou groaned. Raditz merely laughed and vanished out of sight. Jadzia's eyes blazed with anger as she looked after him.
"Gohan!" Gokou pounded the water and the others ran into the water to drag him out. Jadzia hung back, torn between helping her father and going after the uncle and little brother she never knew she had.
"I'm sorry, but there was nothing we could do, Gokou."
"NIMBUS!" Gokou almost wailed. Jadzia's head snapped around and she Shifted to Gokou's side as the yellow golden cloud swooped down to stop in front of him. Gokou tried to stand up and almost collapsed in pain.
"Do you think you can beat him if you go after him right now!?" Kuririn demanded. Gokou fell back, defeated.
"We need to use our heads! He's stronger than you, Gokou! We're going to have to out smart him." Roshi told him.
"Yeah, and take it from me, he's a lot dumber then he looks." Jadzia murmured, looking her father full in the face.
"How-" Gokou looked up at her. "How do you know him?" Jadzia sat down in the water, ignoring the fact that she was now wet from the waist down.
"I used to work with him." She whispered, face flaming. The gasps from her friends made her duck her head and look at the water.
"But you're barely sixteen years old!" Kuririn cried, alarmed. Jadzia nodded.
"Mh. But I was fifteen when I arrived, Kuririn. Just think about it. In six years I age one." She looked up. "In the last six years I've been training hard. Son Gokou-" She leaned closer and took off her Scouter to see him better. "Father! You and me together can beat him!" Gokou shook his head and winced.
"No, Ze-chan, I can't let you." He gasped. "Even more now knowing you're my daughter." Bulma, giving Jadzia a dirty look, got between them and helped Kuririn and Master Roshi get Gokou out of the water.
"Easy-easy-that's it-there..." They dragged him to the front step where he sat, miserable.
"I hope Gohan's all right..." Gokou whispered.
"Don't worry. I don't think he's going to hurt Gohan. You're the one he's interested in." Bulma reassured him.
"That guy's a beast! He stunk." Kuririn waved a hand in front of his face and Bulma nodded grimly.
"Yeah, I noticed that."
Gokou seemed to be ignoring them, he was thinking so hard. No one noticed as Jadzia stood up, walked over and sat down behind Gokou, like she usually did. It was accepted, just like how she placed her hands on his back and healed him with a little burst of Ki.
"I've got it. His tail." He said suddenly, bringing his head up. The others looked at him, and Jadzia grinned. "That's his weakness." He staggered to his feet, not noticing the pain was gone. "Remember how I used to get when someone grabbed my tail? It hurt! I couldn't even move!"
"Yes, good one!" Roshi cried.
"But that guy's strong! Do you think you'd be able to grab that tail of his fast enough, Gokou?" Kuririn asked.
"I don't think so. Not by myself, anyway." He looked back at Jadzia, who was shaking her head.
"Not me. My power level is at five hundred, but still, I can't fight him."
"Why not?"
"I can't battle here, on this planet. I...it's the same reason I couldn't attack him a few moments ago. Something here makes it so that when I power up, I get so heavy I can't move. You remember, Son Gokou, when facing you I couldn't even power up. And I can't move fast enough without it." She bowed her head in shame. "I'm sorry." At her words a horrified look appeared on Kuririn's face.
"Don't worry; Kuririn and I are ready!" Master Roshi said confidently. Kuririn looked like he wanted to find a hole and crawl into it. "We'll put that space pirate out of business!"
"Well, there are four of us. I guess it's possible." Kuririn muttered. "Possible, but ... not likely. Hey, wait a second! Should anything happen to me, wish me back with the Dragon Balls!"
"You can count on me! I'll do it!" Bulma said, striking a pose. Jadzia snorted, and stared to say something, then Gokou interrupted.
"Wait, you guys. It's no use. Kuririn, you've already been restored to life once with the Dragon Balls. So has Master Roshi." Master Roshi and Kuririn's faces dropped. "So that's it. In this case, it's for keeps. The Dragon will not grant the same wish more than once. I know...it's risky."
"Wow....Bummer." Kuririn sighed, plopping down in the sand.
"You guys should just stay here." Gokou said.
"Nonsense!" Roshi protested, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"You can count on us! You know, I'd be history by now if it wasn't for you." Kuririn swallowed. I hate this...
"Hey, I know." Bulma said slowly. "How does this sound? We get the Dragon Balls and we ask the Dragon to save the Earth. Whatdaya think?"
"Yeah, why not!" Kuririn said hopefully.
"Kuririn, we can't gather all those balls in a day."
"Oh, that's right..."
"Well, I say we go right now and attack him head on! That's the one thing he'd never expect. That's an advantage and we need everything we can get!" Gokou said, looking back at Jadzia again.
"Right on. I'm with you, Son Gokou." Jadzia said, not mentioning that it was her idea in the first place.
"But how are we going to find him?" Master Roshi asked.
"I don't know! I haven't figured that part out yet."
"Wait, look!" Bulma held out the Dragon Radar. "Gohan was wearing a dragon ball on his hat." They all bent over as she focused on one of the yellow dots; it was moving. "Man, that's fast..."
"Look, it stopped!"
"Well, at least they're not in outer space somewhere." Gokou said with a little smile. "I say we go for it!"
"Yeah, you never know. We might just beat that guy. I'm in! Let's go!" Kuririn cried.
"That's the sprit, Kuririn." Jadzia whispered.
"Well, whatever happens, you two should know you're the best pupils I ever had." Master Roshi told Gokou and Kuririn, they both smiled.
"I'll scout ahead." Jadzia said, seeing a perfect time to go talk-beat-some sense into Raditz. On impulse, she hugged Gokou. "Bye, da." She flew off. Master Roshi and Kuririn looked after her, confused.
"To think, she's your daughter, from the future!" Bulma exclaimed. Gokou nodded.
"Chi chi's going to be mad." Everyone shuddered. "All right then! Ready?" Gokou asked, quickly changing the subject before their enthusiasm could wear off. Master Roshi and Kuririn nodded, but just as they were about to take off...
"You'll never succeed!" A voice from above shouted. "You're too weak!" The four looked up and gasped.
"Piccolo!"
Part sixteen: Trouble.
Jadzia cursed herself as she followed the pointer from her Scouter. She should have guessed that one of the Last Saiya-jin would follow her to this planet! Well, now at lest she knew how she would have been received if she had appeared wearing her armor. She smiled a little at the thought.
To think, Raditz had grown in arrogance so much he didn't even think Gokou could beat him! True, Raditz's Ki level was higher, but Gokou possessed something she had never seen in a warrior before. After all, his Ki level isn't half what mine is, and he beat me before. Why do I suddenly have the feeling that he's not going to survive this? Jadzia shook her head and looked through her Scouter at the land ahead. Seeing a figure below, she floated down.
"Raditz you stupid sniveling son-of-a-bitch!" She yelled, letting her fury override her caution. He looked up and smiled, driving Jadzia to even higher fury. Glancing around, she didn't see Gohan anywhere. "How dare you-"
"Don't try that stuck up crap with me, Idzia." Raditz said smugly. Jadzia screamed her anger in a wordless howl, letting her power out in a vortex of flame that consumed everything but herself and Raditz in a two hundred feet radius.
"Don't call me that!" She screamed, holding a hand out in front of her. A ball of pink-blue energy collected at her palm and she grasped it, creating a one hundred fifty centimeter long beam of solid Ki. Calming down, she smirked evilly. "I've learned some new things here on this planet. Weak these humans might be, but they are quite good at strategy and torture." She leaped at him suddenly, taking the moment that she knew he would be distracted by her little speech. It worked, sort of. At the last moment Raditz saw her coming and threw up his arms to block her, her blade died in her hands. Not expecting this, Jadzia tried to turn her attack into something physical, but Raditz was one step beyond her. He swept her aside with his arm, sending her straight into a tree. Jadzia crumpled and slid to its base.
"Looks like these last five years of leisure have dulled your fighting edge, Idzia. Lucky for you, Vegeta said that if I ever ran into you, your life was to be spared. Although," He continued, walking toward her with a considering look on his face, "I think I could manage to exclude the fact that you where alive when I found you."
"Raditz, that Scouter you're wearing is a transmitter." Jadzia reminded him, looking up. He frowned and stopped, giving Jadzia time to stand up and wipe most of the blood from her face. While he was thinking, Jadzia faded out then re-appeared behind him, Ki sword in hand. Silently, she raised it to strike, but his Scouter gave her away.
"Oh no you don't, kid." He said, grabbing her wrists. All of the claws she had in her right hand extended into his fist, making him drop her with a yell. "Damn you!" He cried, holding his hand and leaping away from her. She sheathed her claws with a flick of her wrist.
"I picked up that little trick from a friend of mine. He's kinda like you, only he's from Canada and a lot nicer, to look at and to be with." She sneered, brandishing the metal again.
"Yaaaah!" He cried, ricocheting off a tree and letting the momentum carry him into her. She struggled against his hold, trying to grab his tail. He alone of the Last Saiya-jin hadn't undergone what Vegeta had liked to call 'the evolution training', leaving his tail vulnerable to an attack. But Raditz also knew this and kept it well away from her, taking her head and slamming it into the ground repeatedly. Cursing the fact that he was wearing armor and she wasn't, she pummeled him with punches, every one landing but having little affect. Still punching with her right hand, her left reached down and gabbed dirt and grass from the ground, then flung it up into his face. He yelled, loosening his hold. She squirmed free and flipped backward, narrowly avoiding the tree he was obviously pent on smashing her into. He, however, wasn't that lucky and hit it head on. Unfortunately, it had little affect and Jadzia soon found herself in another hopeless situation. He knocked her up, his fist hitting the small of her back and making her cry out in pain.
"Raditz, you ass, just give the kid back, and I'll go away!" Jadzia cried, using her Ki to hover above him. Her clothes where torn and she wiped blood from her mouth as she looked down at him. He laughed.
"Idzia, you're loosing this fight. What makes you think you can make demands?" He called, flying up to her. She swore and flew higher, looking around.
Where the hell are Gokou and Kuririn? They should have been here by now! She thought franticly. "I've beaten you before, Raditz, and I'll beat you again." She said, trying to sound cool and light. This planet's done something to my Ki!
"Wrong. You won't beat me this time, Ze-chan. You see, Your Ki level may be higher than mine, but this planet does things to you. I've noticed it from the first I read your energy on the Scouter."
Jadzia growled. "I know that." He reached up and grabbed her ankle.
"Your dead, Ze-chan." He said sinisterly. He threw her down and she screamed, trying to collect her Ki to buoy her up, but none came to her. She screamed again and landed heavily on her back beside a truck With her right arm crumpled beneath her. Feeling something give in her shoulder, she knew the battle was lost. She looked to the side and saw Gohan cowering behind a wheel.
"Don't worry, kid, Daddy'll be here soon." She whispered, then all went dark.
Jadzia was dozing off in front of her computer with her feet propped up on the desk when a double-beep woke her. She opened one eye to peer at the screen where the mail icon was flashing.
"You've got mail!" She murmured to herself without humor. "That sounds like a movie title. Oh well." She reached out and double clicked on the blinking icon, and to her surprise, Bulma's face appeared. It was frozen in one of her huge welcoming smiles and Jadzia shuddered, a grin on her lips. She activated it, and her old friend came to life.
"Hey girl! Long time no see, huh? Well anyway, there's going to be a reunion at Master Roshi's tomorrow for the original Dragon Ball gang and you're invited. Hope to see you there, and I don't know about you, but I can't wait to see how grown up and handsome Gokou looks! (giggle) God I haven't seen him, or you for that matter, sense the wedding. And gosh, that was over six years ago! Kuririn will be there too. Hey, and I was really surprised that your address was so far away! Wow, North City, huh? You've really gone places. Oh well, I know this is kind of short notice, but if you even have half of the flying speed now that you did in the old days, you should be able to make it. We all really hope you're free! Bye!"
"A party over at Master Roshi's? Tomorrow? Alright! I finally have something to do besides train and go to school!" Jadzia said, punching the air. She picked up her Scouter and it immediately turned to a pair of glasses in her hands as she slid it on. She checked out her wardrobe, and settled on her dark blue training clothes and a deep red baggy weighted shirt to go over it. Then she sat down and sighed. "I can't wait until tomorrow!"
"Bulma!" Jadzia called as she landed on Roshi Island. "Master Roshi, Kuririn, Gokou!" She started walking toward the house, surprised when no-one answered. She looked down. "Hm. Maybe I got the wrong day."
"Jadzia?" A familiar voice called from the door way of the house. Jadzia looked up to see Kuririn's smiling face. "Hey, wow, it's really you!"
"Hey, Kuririn! Nice to see you, pal!" Jadzia ran over and gave him a hug. He grunted then hugged her back.
"What's with the accent, Ze-chan? Have you been holding out on us somewhere else?" He asked as they went into the house. Jadzia grinned sheepishly and nodded.
"Yeah. I got invited to go to North City a few years back and I liked it so much I decided to stay. I live in the northern part, so it's kinda lonely, but I'm doing okay. Because of legal issues I had to enroll in the local high school last year but-"
"What?" Kuririn asked, handing her a glass of water as she nodded a greeting to Roshi. "What do you mean, the local high school? Aren't you almost twenty two?"
Jadzia shook her head. "Nope. I thought I told you this. I'm turning seventeen next year."
"What?" Chorused both Kuririn and Roshi. Jadzia gave them a look.
"Yeah." She said shortly. There was a pause. "But anyway, where's the rest of the gang?" She asked looking around and moving to the edge of her seat. Kuririn shrugged as Roshi went back to stir whatever he was cooking on the stove.
"They should be here soon." He said, going over and helping Roshi. Jadzia got up and followed him. "So, you hungry, Jadzia?" Jadzia shook her head.
"Not really." She was about to say more when the sound of a craft reached her ears. "I think I hear something. Be right back!" She opened the door and stepped out onto the porch, resisting the urge to fly up and take a look around. Wow, this is really uncomfortable. It's not like the old days at all. She thought, stepping into the gentle waves.
Kuririn watched Jadzia from the behind the closed screen door. How weird. Her power level is higher then ever and she's not even powered up. "Master Roshi," he said aloud, turning around, "do you notice something different about Jadzia?"
"I never really knew the girl that well in the first place, Kuririn. But, yes, something does seem strange about her, I've known that from the first day we met."
Outside, Jadzia sneezed, then looked up to see the bottom of a hover vehicle. She scrambled out of the way and walked calmly into the house. Kuririn looked up.
"What's up?"
"Oh, nothing."
"Hello? Hell-low? Hey, you guys!" A voice called from outside. Kuririn and Roshi looked up and Jadzia grinned sheepishly.
"Hey, hi Bulma!" Roshi called.
"Hi Bulma." Kuririn echoed.
"Wow, it's sure been a long time, hasn't it?" She asked, closing the door behind her.
"Yep, and you look as beautiful as you ever did." Master Roshi said. Jadzia snorted good-naturedly and Bulma made a face at her.
"Hey." Jadzia said, grinning. Bulma grinned back.
"Hey. Oh, you men. You're impossible."
"These men are always impossible." Jadzia said softly.
"Hey!" Kuririn cried, Jadzia stuck her tong out at him.
"Well, it's true."
"I guess you forgot about my truffles." Roshi said, changing the subject quickly. "But that's okay-I forgive you."
Bulma held out a Chinese-take-out food box. "Surprise!" Jadzia and Kuririn looked over, sidetracked from their argument. "See, I didn't forget."
"Goodness, you're going to spoil this old man." Roshi exclaimed, taking the box. Bulma beamed.
"So, what's Yamcha up to nowadays, Bulma?" Kuririn asked. Jadzia punched him in the arm in a 'good question' kind of gesture and chimed in.
"Yeah? When's the wedding date?" Instead of looking happy, Bulma's face turned furious.
"Err, that idiot! He's playing baseball for one of the pro teams in the city."
"What's so bad about that?" Jadzia asked. "I thought you liked baseball."
"That's not what I'm angry about Ze-chan. He made me so mad I didn't even tell him we were going to be here today. I'm through with him!"
"Why?" Kuririn asked stupidly.
"He took someone else out!" Bulma crossed her hands over her chest.
"Breaking up is hard to do." Roshi murmured. Jadzia nodded, patting Bulma on the back.
"I wouldn't know..." Kuririn said glumly. Jadzia laughed.
"Just you wait, Bulma. He'll be back. You two are a team." There was an uncomfortable silence as everyone tried to think of something else to talk about.
"So, where's Gokou at?" Bulma asked into the silence.
"He said he was going to be here. I guess he's on his way." Kuririn said, opening the box of truffles and helping himself to some. Watching for her chance, Jadzia grabbed one, then leaned against the doorway, looking out and nibbling it.
"Kuririn, leave me some!" Master Roshi cried, grabbing the box away from him. Bulma laughed at their actions. Jadzia sighed and continued looking for Gokou. Suddenly she felt his power and another, only slightly smaller power approaching from her right. She looked in that direction and spotted the Nimbus streaking towards them. Suddenly nervous, she stepped onto the porch into the shadows.
"Here we are, Gohan!" Gokou leapt off the cloud, holding a young kid in his arms. As soon as the tall warrior had dismounted, the cloud zoomed away. Gohan looked around in interest. "Hey, is anyone home?"
The screen door slammed open and Jadzia cringed as it hit the wall inches away from her tail. She carefully slid it around her waist to avoid future complications. "Gokou! Hey, who's the kid?" Bulma cried. Kuririn rubbed the back of his head.
"Gokou, babysitting? Well, I'll be damned." He said.
"He's my son." Gokou said proudly. Jadzia blanched and walked over to examine the kid. "Hey Ze-chan."
"Gokou. Nice kid." She said, keeping an eye on the fuzzy brown tail. A tail?
"Pretty wild, huh?" He grinned. Bulma ran up, practically cooing.
"Oh, Gokou, he's adorable." She gushed. Gokou colored slightly.
"Gohan, say hi." He encouraged his son. Gohan bowed to them politely and they all bowed back.
"Hello...everybody." He said in a shy voice. Jadzia smiled gently at him and he smiled back.
"This is Gohan." Gokou said.
"You named him after your grandfather?" Roshi asked. Gokou nodded.
"That's right."
"And how old are you?" Bulma asked, kneeling down to be face to face with the boy. Jadzia rolled her eyes.
Gohan slowly held up four fingers to show her. "Four." He said.
"Are you going to be a brave fighter like your dad?" Bulma asked.
Gokou shook his head. "Chi-chi doesn't let him train." She looked up at him.
"Oh? No martial arts, huh?" She looked back at Gohan. "What do you want to be when you grow up?" She asked again.
"An orthopedist." He said proudly. Bulma stood up, a blank look on her face.
"Wow. An orthopedist. Huh." Master Roshi's turtle moved next to Gohan and he cringed.
"I don't even know what that is." Jadzia whispered to Kuririn. He shrugged.
"Neither do I."
"He's just saying hi, Gohan." Gokou said reassuringly. Gohan looked up at his dad, then back at the turtle. He turned to pat it and Bulma noticed something.
"A tail..." She looked over at Kuririn, Jadzia and Master Roshi. The turtle lowered his head and Gohan hesitantly raised a hand to pet him.
"Yeah, he was born with one, just like me. I think he wants to be petted, Gohan." Gokou said, not noticing the looks on the other's faces. Bulma leapt up, alarmed.
"Oh, man. Has anything strange ever happened to Gohan at night?" She asked as the others clustered around. Jadzia was thinking.
If he was born with a tail, that means he's also a Saiya-jin. But if Gokou is the father and He was born with a tail...oh man, could Gokou be Kackarotto? She turned back to the conversation.
"What do you mean?" Gokou asked. Roshi leapt into the conversation.
"She means, has Gohan ever looked at the moon at night when it's full?" Please let the answer be no! He thought.
"I don't think so. We all go to bed pretty early. Why?" Gokou looked around and everyone either shrugged or looked away, trying to act casual. Gohan climbed on the turtle's back and it started walking around.
"Why, oh, no reason, nothing..." They said. The turtle walked to the edge of the water with Gohan. Gohan started chasing waves, but ran away of them.
"He's a lot different than you were when you were a kid." Kuririn noted. Gokou looked down, frowning.
"I know. Chi-chi's pretty protective of Gohan. She makes him study all the time. She says martial arts are a waste of energy." In the background, Gohan started playing "rock, scissors, paper" with a crab; the crab kept coming up with "scissors."
"Well, what does that make us, then?" Kuririn asked heatedly.
"What does she know?" Jadzia chimed in, looking over her shoulder from where she had been watching Gohan.
"Guys, settle down, you can't expect everyone to agree with what you're doing. It would be all too easy, then." There was an uncomfortable silence in which every one turned to watch Gohan. The crab squirted water on Gohan and everyone laughed. "Watch out, he might pinch you, Gohan! That crab's a sore loser." Gohan, laughing, ran back to his father. Bulma, gazing down at the boy, recognized the decoration on top of his hat.
"That's a real dragon ball on your hat, isn't it?" She asked him.
"Yep." Gokou answered for his son. "It was my grandfather's. I've been collecting them for fun. Gohan wants to see the dragon, but he'll have to give his up."
"It's wild to think of all the things we went through to get those Dragon Balls." She murmured.
"Yeah." Jadzia agreed. Kuririn picked up a rock and skipped it across the ocean. It skipped about seven times, then sunk.
"Hey, Gokou; what are you guys going to wish for when you get them all?" Gokou picked up another rock and threw it. It skipped out of sight.
"I don't know, Kuririn. That's a good question. Come to think of it, I don't really want anything."
I thought Gokou would have less power now that he's settled down. Roshi thought. Instead, it seems that he has more, just like Jadzia. That's really strange.
"You're still one bad dude, Gokou!" Kuririn sighed.
Part fifteen: Raditz.
Wonder how long it'll be 'till they feel that Ki I just picked up. Jadzia wondered, looking toward the sky. For the next half-hour as the others reminisced about old times, Jadzia was strangely silent and observed Gokou at odd moments as he casually watched his son play tag with the waves. Bored finally, Jadzia walked over to Gohan.
"What's up, kid?" She asked, watching the waves. He shook his head shyly. "Humph. Not the talking type, are you?" She turned just in time to notice Gokou suddenly tense. She ran up beside him. "Do you feel that?" She asked softly, refraining from adding finally. He nodded.
"Man-something is heading straight for us..." At his words everyone turned to them in surprise.
"What? Are you sure?" Bulma asked, looking in the same direction.
"Totally sure." Jadzia answered. "I've been aware of it for a while now." Master Roshi gave her a dirty look.
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"It was so far away that you would've thought I was making it up."
"I've never felt a power like this before." Gokou said as Kuririn stepped over on his other side.
"I feel it now, too..." He whispered. Jadzia spared him a sidelong look, then returned to searching the sky.
"I don't like the feeling of this. It's to far away to be sure, but I recognize it."
"There's nothing there, you guys..." Bulma whispered fearfully.
"What is it? I've never felt anything this powerful-and it's a horrible power, too. I'm trembling..." Gokou said, glancing at Jadzia.
"Hell if I know. Wait, there it is!" A dark spot appeared in the sky, steadily growing larger as it got nearer.
"There-there! I see it, too!" Roshi exclaimed.
"It can't be Piccolo..." Kuririn sounded scared out of his wits. Jadzia couldn't blame him, the last time she had felt this kind of power was when she was still under Frieza.
"It's not." She growled. "I knew it, it's him. Or...or, or one of them anyway." She swore softly, concentrating so hard on the spot that almost everything around her blacked out. It's one of us. It's one of the Last Saiya-jin...Damn it!
"This isn't good..." Master Roshi whispered fearfully. The dark shape got big enough for Jadzia to recognize the figure. He landed and she looked up at him, having forgotten how tall he was.
Damn he's even taller than Gokou! Not good, this is definitely not good! She thought, staring at her former team-mate. He feels even more powerful then when I left! Oh shit, I hope he doesn't ask me about that...
"So we meet again, at last... You've grown up." The figure raised an eye brow as Jadzia scowled at him darkly. "Both of you."
"Huh?" Gokou asked, a blank look on his face.
"Up yours." Jadzia snarled. The man smirked.
"I recognize you, little Kackarotto." He said to Gokou, completely ignoring her now. Jadzia followed his gaze and blanched.
"That's Kackarotto?" She squeaked, turning to look at Gokou. "That's who I've been looking for?" She stepped up and poked the man in the chest. He recoiled slightly and was forced to look down at her. "Why didn't you tell me that he was on this planet? That that was him?!" She hissed.
"You never asked, Nursemaid." He looked at her consiteringly. "Why is it so important?"
"He's my father, dumb ass!"
"Nice of you to tell me."
"You never asked, Scout." She answered, somewhat smugly. He grimaced.
"We'll talk more about this later." They both turned back to Gokou, the stranger grinning, Jadzia scowling. "Sorry about the interruption, Kackarotto, unfinished business. You understand."
"Kako--rot?" Gokou asked, sounding out the name. The stranger smiled enquiringly, causing everyone to shudder.
"That's right." He said. "That's your name."
There was a chorus of "Huh? What?"'s from the gathered humans as Jadzia gritted her teeth. Suddenly she remembered something that was so completely obvious that she almost laughed aloud. Of course Gokou was Kackarotto! It made perfect sense. She tuned herself back to the conversation.
"Kackarotto, Idzia, what have you been doing here all these years? Your mission was to terminate all life forms on this planet. So, why haven't you carried it out?" Gokou looked nervously over his shoulder at the "life forms", while Jadzia harrumphed, her arms crossed over her chest.
"His mission, not mine. And my name's Jadzia." She said. Kuririn, foolishly, decided that it was time to show this rude guest who was boss.
"Listen, mister, I don't know who you are, but I think you've got the wrong party." He waved his hands at the man again. "Shoo! Shoo! I think you've been digging into the whisky. Allow me to show you off the island."
Gokou saw the flash of movement too late. "Kuririn, look out!" Something moved from around the man's waist and Kuririn was flicked screaming into the side of the house. Without thinking, Jadzia ran over and assessed the damage. Peering at the fallen warrior's face, Jadzia turned, gave Gokou a thumbs up and then proceeded to drag Kuririn out of the wreckage.
"Kuririn!" Gokou cried, worried for his best friend. At Jadzia's thumbs up he whirled back around and took up a fighting stance. The flick of movement caught his eye again and he realized what it was. "A tail! Hey, he's got a tail, too!"
"Duh! What the hell do you think he hit Kuririn with?" Jadzia asked acidly. Gokou glanced at her briefly, then back at the stranger's tail as it waived around then settled back around his waist. Despite how hard he was trying to hide it, Jadzia could see the fear in his eyes. The stranger smirked.
"So you know who I am at last!"
"What are you talking about?! I've never seen you before!" Gokou's voice was high pitched with fear. Gohan, who by this time was terrified, ran to his father, dodging Bulma's restraining arms. Distracted, Gokou looked down at his son. "Gohan, get back!"
The new comer narrowed his eyes. "Tell me; did you ever suffer a serious blow to the head when you were young?" He asked suddenly. Gokou looked up from where he was trying to get Gohan to let go of his leg.
"What?"
"When you were a kid, did you ever hit your head?" The alien asked again, obviously irritated. Gokou continued to glare at him as he tried to get Gohan to safety.
"Gohan..." Gokou half-pleaded. Trying to stay as far away from the alien as she possibly could, Bulma pried the child away and held him in her arms again. The alien was getting even more irritated then before.
"Did you hear me?" He snarled. Gokou's head snapped back around and he frowned, rubbing the back of his head and closing one eye.
"Yes! I don't remember it very well, but I did hit my head when I was a child. I still have the scar."
"You fool! You forgot!" The man cried. Jadzia itched to be by her father's side, but didn't want to leave Kuririn in such bad shape.
"You gunna be okay?" She whispered to him. He nodded, wincing. Jadzia grinned in relief, then Shifted herself over to beside a confused Gokou. The alien blinked in surprise as she suddenly appeared in front of him.
"Forgot what! Tell me!" Gokou yelled, not noticing Jadzia's abrupt appearance.
Master Roshi, seeing where the conversation was going, hastily stepped in, as scared as he was of the alien stranger. "Gokou! There's something your grandfather told me that I think you should know." Everyone turned in surprise. "A long time ago, your grandfather Gohan found a small spacecraft in the woods. And there you were; lying on the ground in a little round pod. Gohan tried to take you, but you were wild; down right uncontrollable! You were unusually powerful for a baby. You wouldn't have anything to do with Gohan's kindness. Then one day, there was an accident! You fell into a ravine, and badly injured your head. But you recovered. And from that day on, you became a happy, loving boy."
"I'm from outer space?" Gokou asked, shocked. Roshi nodded.
"Yes."
Gokou turned back to the alien. "All right, who are you? What do you want from me!?"
"I want to put you to work." He replied simply. By that time Kuririn had managed to crawl out of the hole in the house he had made. Gokou turned to him.
"Kuririn, you all right?"
"Careful, Gokou. He's not...er, normal." Kuririn growled back.
"You're not normal either, my forgetful friend." The alien said, that annoying smile still on his face. Jadzia wanted to punch him just for that, much less following her here and telling her that one of her best friends was the father she had been searching for so long. Once again Gokou brought his attention back to the alien.
"Huh?"
"You were born on the planet Vegeta-sei. You are a space fighter-a Saiya-jin warrior! Just like me." He paused, and jabbed a finger at Jadzia. "And her, I guess."
Gokou staggered back, his face as white as a sheet. Jadzia glared at the alien, growling under her breath. "Shake it off, Son Gokou!" She snarled. He shook his head a few times.
"Allow me to introduce myself." The alien said grandly. "I'm Raditz. Your big brother." This time it was Jadzia's turn to be surprised. She wrenched her head back and felt like the world was exploding beneath her.
"What?" She squeaked. She took a couple of deep breaths and then tried to adapt her attitude form the old days. "Raditz, if you survive this we are seriously going to have a good long talk about family relations."
"Gokou has a brother!?" Kuririn gasped.
"Gokou-he looks like you!"
"Why should I believe you?" Gokou asked, ignoring Bulma, Kuririn and Jadzia.
"Hey, that's right. Why would Gokou live on Earth if he's from another planet?"
"The same reason I would, Kuririn." Jadzia growled. "To get away from ass-holes like Raditz." Her uncle gave her a look and she returned it.
"That's simple." He said. "We had important clients who were desperate for a planet like this one. So Kackarotto was sent here to get it ready for takeover. You see, we Saiya-jin are sort of like...planet brokers. We find planets that will bring a high price in the galactic market, and we send warriors there to purge them of any life and make them ready for sale. We send adult fighters to planets with strong inhabitants, but for a weak planet like Earth, one of our babies is sufficient to carry out the order. Kackarotto was sent to clean out this planet, but he obviously forgot his mission." He looked at Jadzia. "Her, however, I have no clue why she's here."
"If what you say is true, you Saiya-jin are an abomination. You're space pirates, that's what you are!" Kuririn cried. Jadzia scowled at him.
"Watch it Kuririn, me 'n Son Gokou are two of those 'space pirates'."
"You send little babies off into space by themselves!" Bulma cried, hugging Gohan close.
"That's enough!" Raditz snarled. "Don't get me mad." He turned again to Gokou. "Kackarotto! With the help of the full moon, you could have destroyed them all in a few years! If you only had remembered...!"
"What's a full moon got to do with it?" Gokou was back to acting like himself by this time; completely confused. Raditz gasped and recoiled.
"What happened to your tail, Kackarotto?!" He screamed at the smaller man.
"My tail?" Gokou asked, looking down at where his tail used to be.
"Answer me, now!"
"It was removed for good a long time ago."
"You fool. Do you know what you've done? You true power is gone now! You've lost your ability to transform in the full moon. Now I see how you can be on good terms with these-weaklings!"
"Listen! This is my home, and these are my friends, so it doesn't matter what you say I am! You don't act like any brother I'd want to have." He stared at Raditz and Raditz stared back. "My name is Gokou, and I live here. Now leave us alone!"
"You heard 'em, get!" Jadzia snarled.
"Yeah, just go." Bulma chimed in.
"Even if you are brothers, he doesn't have to destroy peaceful planets like you do." Roshi added. Raditz looked at them, chuckling.
"Raditz..." Jadzia said warningly. "Don't do anything stupid."
"He even saved this planet once, mister, so go away." Kuririn said. Raditz chuckled again, then the look in his eyes changed from furious to sly. He walked over to Gokou.
"So baby brother wants to be left alone. Well, it's a pity, but I can't allow that. Our home planet Vegeta-sei met with an unfortunate accident. Years ago a giant comet crashed into it, destroying everyone. The entire Saiya-jin race was destroyed." Everyone looked at each other, Jadzia's cheeks were flaming with shame. "Only five of us were gone when it happened. You're one of the five, Kackarotto. You see, you're very valuable to us. In fact, we could use your help right now, little brother. We've found a choice planet that would go at a premium rate, but the job requires a little extra manpower. That's where you come in." He leaned over Gokou. "Well, now, what d'ya think? Are you excited? You should be! I've come to take you back into the fold."
"I've had enough! The answer is no!" Gokou proclaimed loudly. Raditz just smirked.
"Interesting." He looked past Gokou to his son. "A tail. Now there's a true Saiya-jin. All right; I'll take the boy instead." Bulma shrieked and hugged the boy tighter.
"We'll see!" Gokou snarled, setting himself.
"I see the fire in you, brother." Raditz held a hand out. "You should come with us!" His hand tightened into a fist. "It is in your blood! You love to fight."
"You're wrong, Raditz." Jadzia snarled, grinning fiercely. Raditz stopped and looked at her.
"Really?" He asked. "In what way?"
"Gokou may be a Saiya-jin, like us, but he was raised here on earth. He doesn't have the same evil inside him that is in you and I. He's a whole different breed of Saiya-jin." She glanced at her surprised friends, then foraged ahead. "That's my father, younger brother, and friends that you're threatening there, and if you don't hop back in your pod and fire yourself back into slavery, you risk not only the wrath of Kackarotto, but me as well."
Raditz simply raised an eye brow. "That was a touching speech, Idzia, but you have no power over me any more, you lost that when you deserted us."
"I never deserted you!" She cried furiously, feeling her eyes turn silver with rage. Raditz smirked, and walked towards Gokou, leaving Jadzia standing there with her hands balled at her sides, able to do nothing for fear of hitting her father.
"Get 'em, Dad!" Gohan yelled from his vantage point in Bulma's arms.
"We're right here with you, Gokou!" Kuririn added.
"Just stay close to Gohan!" Raditz suddenly blurred out of sight, then rematerialized in Gokou's face. He kicked so quickly that Gokou couldn't react. Gokou went up into the air, then came down hard on the sand. Gohan tore out of Bulma's arms and ran to his father.
"Daddy!" Every fiber in her being wanted to echo the cry, but Jadzia clamped her mouth shut and stayed where she was as Gokou held his ribs, moaning.
"Gohan, no!" Bulma gasped as Raditz chuckled again and grabbed Gohan by the back of his shirt and held him up so that the downed warrior could see his son.
"Kackarotto, listen carefully. I'm taking your kid with me while you think things over. It's high time the boy knew his uncle."
"Raditz, don't!" Jadzia cried helplessly. Gokou reached up toward his son as Raditz held the crying boy up higher and laughed.
"Put, me, down!" Gohan sobbed, reaching for his dad.
"Listen carefully, Kackarotto. If you want to see your kid again, you have to do exactly what I say. Understand?" Gokou sat up in the water and rubbed his ribs, grimacing. "I have a little exercise for you. Eliminate one hundred of the species here by tomorrow. Got it?"
"Hey, you!" Master Roshi yelled, trying to get Raditz's attention. "Stop your jabbering! Gokou isn't capable of..."
"Hush, old man. Kackarotto is a Saiya-jin. You'd be surprised at what he's capable of doing. It makes no difference. All of the people on this planet will be eliminated soon. We have a buyer for the planet. It is worth a great deal. We will take it from you."
"Take over Earth?"
"Keep your shirt on, old timer. It won't be as bad as you think. Our "clean-up" crew is very efficient." Jadzia winced, remembering when she had last used that line. "Now listen, Kackarotto! If you want to see your kid again, eliminate one hundred of the species by tomorrow!"
"Please-leave Gohan out of this!" Gokou pleaded, grabbing Raditz's ankle.
"I wish I could, Kackarotto. But then, I'd have no guarantee that you'd take care of the little job I've given you."
"Please! Don't go." Gokou begged again. Jadzia covered her face in shame.
"Son Gokou!" She groaned. "Be strong!"
"Humph. Look how pathetic you've become. Please, brother-have some pride." He kicked Gokou's hand away. "You have until tomorrow. Try and enjoy it." He lifted off, taking Gohan, who was still crying, with him.
"Stop..." Gokou groaned. Raditz merely laughed and vanished out of sight. Jadzia's eyes blazed with anger as she looked after him.
"Gohan!" Gokou pounded the water and the others ran into the water to drag him out. Jadzia hung back, torn between helping her father and going after the uncle and little brother she never knew she had.
"I'm sorry, but there was nothing we could do, Gokou."
"NIMBUS!" Gokou almost wailed. Jadzia's head snapped around and she Shifted to Gokou's side as the yellow golden cloud swooped down to stop in front of him. Gokou tried to stand up and almost collapsed in pain.
"Do you think you can beat him if you go after him right now!?" Kuririn demanded. Gokou fell back, defeated.
"We need to use our heads! He's stronger than you, Gokou! We're going to have to out smart him." Roshi told him.
"Yeah, and take it from me, he's a lot dumber then he looks." Jadzia murmured, looking her father full in the face.
"How-" Gokou looked up at her. "How do you know him?" Jadzia sat down in the water, ignoring the fact that she was now wet from the waist down.
"I used to work with him." She whispered, face flaming. The gasps from her friends made her duck her head and look at the water.
"But you're barely sixteen years old!" Kuririn cried, alarmed. Jadzia nodded.
"Mh. But I was fifteen when I arrived, Kuririn. Just think about it. In six years I age one." She looked up. "In the last six years I've been training hard. Son Gokou-" She leaned closer and took off her Scouter to see him better. "Father! You and me together can beat him!" Gokou shook his head and winced.
"No, Ze-chan, I can't let you." He gasped. "Even more now knowing you're my daughter." Bulma, giving Jadzia a dirty look, got between them and helped Kuririn and Master Roshi get Gokou out of the water.
"Easy-easy-that's it-there..." They dragged him to the front step where he sat, miserable.
"I hope Gohan's all right..." Gokou whispered.
"Don't worry. I don't think he's going to hurt Gohan. You're the one he's interested in." Bulma reassured him.
"That guy's a beast! He stunk." Kuririn waved a hand in front of his face and Bulma nodded grimly.
"Yeah, I noticed that."
Gokou seemed to be ignoring them, he was thinking so hard. No one noticed as Jadzia stood up, walked over and sat down behind Gokou, like she usually did. It was accepted, just like how she placed her hands on his back and healed him with a little burst of Ki.
"I've got it. His tail." He said suddenly, bringing his head up. The others looked at him, and Jadzia grinned. "That's his weakness." He staggered to his feet, not noticing the pain was gone. "Remember how I used to get when someone grabbed my tail? It hurt! I couldn't even move!"
"Yes, good one!" Roshi cried.
"But that guy's strong! Do you think you'd be able to grab that tail of his fast enough, Gokou?" Kuririn asked.
"I don't think so. Not by myself, anyway." He looked back at Jadzia, who was shaking her head.
"Not me. My power level is at five hundred, but still, I can't fight him."
"Why not?"
"I can't battle here, on this planet. I...it's the same reason I couldn't attack him a few moments ago. Something here makes it so that when I power up, I get so heavy I can't move. You remember, Son Gokou, when facing you I couldn't even power up. And I can't move fast enough without it." She bowed her head in shame. "I'm sorry." At her words a horrified look appeared on Kuririn's face.
"Don't worry; Kuririn and I are ready!" Master Roshi said confidently. Kuririn looked like he wanted to find a hole and crawl into it. "We'll put that space pirate out of business!"
"Well, there are four of us. I guess it's possible." Kuririn muttered. "Possible, but ... not likely. Hey, wait a second! Should anything happen to me, wish me back with the Dragon Balls!"
"You can count on me! I'll do it!" Bulma said, striking a pose. Jadzia snorted, and stared to say something, then Gokou interrupted.
"Wait, you guys. It's no use. Kuririn, you've already been restored to life once with the Dragon Balls. So has Master Roshi." Master Roshi and Kuririn's faces dropped. "So that's it. In this case, it's for keeps. The Dragon will not grant the same wish more than once. I know...it's risky."
"Wow....Bummer." Kuririn sighed, plopping down in the sand.
"You guys should just stay here." Gokou said.
"Nonsense!" Roshi protested, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"You can count on us! You know, I'd be history by now if it wasn't for you." Kuririn swallowed. I hate this...
"Hey, I know." Bulma said slowly. "How does this sound? We get the Dragon Balls and we ask the Dragon to save the Earth. Whatdaya think?"
"Yeah, why not!" Kuririn said hopefully.
"Kuririn, we can't gather all those balls in a day."
"Oh, that's right..."
"Well, I say we go right now and attack him head on! That's the one thing he'd never expect. That's an advantage and we need everything we can get!" Gokou said, looking back at Jadzia again.
"Right on. I'm with you, Son Gokou." Jadzia said, not mentioning that it was her idea in the first place.
"But how are we going to find him?" Master Roshi asked.
"I don't know! I haven't figured that part out yet."
"Wait, look!" Bulma held out the Dragon Radar. "Gohan was wearing a dragon ball on his hat." They all bent over as she focused on one of the yellow dots; it was moving. "Man, that's fast..."
"Look, it stopped!"
"Well, at least they're not in outer space somewhere." Gokou said with a little smile. "I say we go for it!"
"Yeah, you never know. We might just beat that guy. I'm in! Let's go!" Kuririn cried.
"That's the sprit, Kuririn." Jadzia whispered.
"Well, whatever happens, you two should know you're the best pupils I ever had." Master Roshi told Gokou and Kuririn, they both smiled.
"I'll scout ahead." Jadzia said, seeing a perfect time to go talk-beat-some sense into Raditz. On impulse, she hugged Gokou. "Bye, da." She flew off. Master Roshi and Kuririn looked after her, confused.
"To think, she's your daughter, from the future!" Bulma exclaimed. Gokou nodded.
"Chi chi's going to be mad." Everyone shuddered. "All right then! Ready?" Gokou asked, quickly changing the subject before their enthusiasm could wear off. Master Roshi and Kuririn nodded, but just as they were about to take off...
"You'll never succeed!" A voice from above shouted. "You're too weak!" The four looked up and gasped.
"Piccolo!"
Part sixteen: Trouble.
Jadzia cursed herself as she followed the pointer from her Scouter. She should have guessed that one of the Last Saiya-jin would follow her to this planet! Well, now at lest she knew how she would have been received if she had appeared wearing her armor. She smiled a little at the thought.
To think, Raditz had grown in arrogance so much he didn't even think Gokou could beat him! True, Raditz's Ki level was higher, but Gokou possessed something she had never seen in a warrior before. After all, his Ki level isn't half what mine is, and he beat me before. Why do I suddenly have the feeling that he's not going to survive this? Jadzia shook her head and looked through her Scouter at the land ahead. Seeing a figure below, she floated down.
"Raditz you stupid sniveling son-of-a-bitch!" She yelled, letting her fury override her caution. He looked up and smiled, driving Jadzia to even higher fury. Glancing around, she didn't see Gohan anywhere. "How dare you-"
"Don't try that stuck up crap with me, Idzia." Raditz said smugly. Jadzia screamed her anger in a wordless howl, letting her power out in a vortex of flame that consumed everything but herself and Raditz in a two hundred feet radius.
"Don't call me that!" She screamed, holding a hand out in front of her. A ball of pink-blue energy collected at her palm and she grasped it, creating a one hundred fifty centimeter long beam of solid Ki. Calming down, she smirked evilly. "I've learned some new things here on this planet. Weak these humans might be, but they are quite good at strategy and torture." She leaped at him suddenly, taking the moment that she knew he would be distracted by her little speech. It worked, sort of. At the last moment Raditz saw her coming and threw up his arms to block her, her blade died in her hands. Not expecting this, Jadzia tried to turn her attack into something physical, but Raditz was one step beyond her. He swept her aside with his arm, sending her straight into a tree. Jadzia crumpled and slid to its base.
"Looks like these last five years of leisure have dulled your fighting edge, Idzia. Lucky for you, Vegeta said that if I ever ran into you, your life was to be spared. Although," He continued, walking toward her with a considering look on his face, "I think I could manage to exclude the fact that you where alive when I found you."
"Raditz, that Scouter you're wearing is a transmitter." Jadzia reminded him, looking up. He frowned and stopped, giving Jadzia time to stand up and wipe most of the blood from her face. While he was thinking, Jadzia faded out then re-appeared behind him, Ki sword in hand. Silently, she raised it to strike, but his Scouter gave her away.
"Oh no you don't, kid." He said, grabbing her wrists. All of the claws she had in her right hand extended into his fist, making him drop her with a yell. "Damn you!" He cried, holding his hand and leaping away from her. She sheathed her claws with a flick of her wrist.
"I picked up that little trick from a friend of mine. He's kinda like you, only he's from Canada and a lot nicer, to look at and to be with." She sneered, brandishing the metal again.
"Yaaaah!" He cried, ricocheting off a tree and letting the momentum carry him into her. She struggled against his hold, trying to grab his tail. He alone of the Last Saiya-jin hadn't undergone what Vegeta had liked to call 'the evolution training', leaving his tail vulnerable to an attack. But Raditz also knew this and kept it well away from her, taking her head and slamming it into the ground repeatedly. Cursing the fact that he was wearing armor and she wasn't, she pummeled him with punches, every one landing but having little affect. Still punching with her right hand, her left reached down and gabbed dirt and grass from the ground, then flung it up into his face. He yelled, loosening his hold. She squirmed free and flipped backward, narrowly avoiding the tree he was obviously pent on smashing her into. He, however, wasn't that lucky and hit it head on. Unfortunately, it had little affect and Jadzia soon found herself in another hopeless situation. He knocked her up, his fist hitting the small of her back and making her cry out in pain.
"Raditz, you ass, just give the kid back, and I'll go away!" Jadzia cried, using her Ki to hover above him. Her clothes where torn and she wiped blood from her mouth as she looked down at him. He laughed.
"Idzia, you're loosing this fight. What makes you think you can make demands?" He called, flying up to her. She swore and flew higher, looking around.
Where the hell are Gokou and Kuririn? They should have been here by now! She thought franticly. "I've beaten you before, Raditz, and I'll beat you again." She said, trying to sound cool and light. This planet's done something to my Ki!
"Wrong. You won't beat me this time, Ze-chan. You see, Your Ki level may be higher than mine, but this planet does things to you. I've noticed it from the first I read your energy on the Scouter."
Jadzia growled. "I know that." He reached up and grabbed her ankle.
"Your dead, Ze-chan." He said sinisterly. He threw her down and she screamed, trying to collect her Ki to buoy her up, but none came to her. She screamed again and landed heavily on her back beside a truck With her right arm crumpled beneath her. Feeling something give in her shoulder, she knew the battle was lost. She looked to the side and saw Gohan cowering behind a wheel.
"Don't worry, kid, Daddy'll be here soon." She whispered, then all went dark.