In Otherworld, the land between heaven and hell, a young man appeared. He was wearing a weighted, orange training gi with the turtle hermit symbol on the back, and dark blue, even black in the right light, boots. His muscles were toned and fit, and his hair spikey and wild. Floating above his head was a golden halo, though he himself had yet to notice. His name was Son Goku. And he was dead.

"What the-? Where am I? Last thing I remember is fighting Raditz. And dying" Goku said as he looked around confusedly. He was outside, near Hell's check in station. Not that Goku knew what that was. He could see a long line of small white clouds, which he did not know were actually souls. Attending to the line were ogres, who differed from humans only by their small horns and Technicolor skin. Finally, he saw someone he recognized. An elderly green skinned man, covered in wrinkles and carrying a sturdy oaken staff. He was Kami, the guardian of Earth. "Kami!" Goku called out, happy to see a familiar face. "Where am I?" he questioned.

"This is Otherworld Goku, where souls go to be judged. You died in you battle against your brother. A week ago, i received a messenger from the Fortuneteller Baba, on the behalf of a mysterious informer. She warned me of your coming demise."

"So you knew I was going to die?" Goku said. There was no condemnation in his voice, Goku simply assumed Kami had a good reason. Nonetheless, Kami's next words had a definite tint of guilt "Yes. The message also warned me of a coming threat. In one year's time, your brother's sayian partners will arrive on Earth."

"What?! That's terrible! I have to be wished back as soon as possible, so I can stop them!" Goku said urgently. But Kami fired back immediately "No! If you are wished back so soon then you will not have the power required to save the Earth. With the week's warning I convinced King Yemma, who judges the souls of the dead, to allow you a chance to train with a powerful master known as King Kai. With any luck, training with him will give you the strength you need."

"Okay, but what about the others, Yamcha, Tien, Krillin, Chiaotzu, and Yajirobe?" Goku asked. "I will take them to the lookout and train them, and ensure that they grow strong" Kami replied. Goku smiled "That's good. But could you do me a favor, and train my son? I think he's got a power hidden inside that will come in handy." Kami shook his head sadly "I'm afraid I cannot train your son, Piccolo has taken him and intends to train the boy."

Goku thought for a second "Piccolo huh? Well, I suppose he is the best person for the job. He's harsh, but he's also strong and smart. Plus, I think Gohan can bring out the good in him." Kami was about to reply, but a voice rang out and interrupted him "Let go of me you bastards! Let go!" Goku recognized the voice immediately, and before Kami could even say a word, Goku had flown off. He flew through the walls of the check-in station, and said the owner of the voice. Raditz, his brother, was struggling against four muscular ogres. To the side, a building sized ogre watched in steadily mounting anger. His name was King Yemma, not that Goku knew that.

Finally, Yemma had enough. Raising his pointer finger, he called out "Yemma Lock!" firing a beam of white ki at Goku's long haired brother. The ogres quickly jumped away, and Raditz was struck. He found his arms bound to his side, by rings of white energy. "Now then Raditz, it's time to go to hell" Yemma said in a satisfied voice. "Wait!" Goku called out. The men in the room, who hadn't noticed Goku until then, turned their heads to look at him. Goku landed and walked over to King Yemma's desk. "You must be King Yemma. I'm Goku; Kami said you were letting me train with a guy name King Kai?"

"Yes, yes I remember. What is it?" Yemma responded, somewhat grumpily.

"I want you to let my brother come too."

"WHAT!?" shouted King Yemma, Raditz, and Kami, who'd just caught up to Goku.

"The way I see it, my brother never got a chance to be a good guy. He was forced to commit evil. I believe he deserves a shot at being his own person" Goku explained. Then he continued whilst grinning "Besides, almost all of my friends have tried to kill me, so I can't really hold a grudge for that."

King Yemma thought about this for a few moments, and then said "Okay Goku, you have a good record for this, so I'll allow it" The binds disappeared, and Raditz began rubbing his arms to help regain some of the feeling. As he did so, he thought 'I still don't understand you brother. But I suppose going with you is better than going to hell. And the prospect of getting stronger is a pretty nice idea.'

And so, Goku and Raditz went to snake way, and began their long journey.

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Piccolo Jr. was irritated. He'd expected Goku to at least have given his son a modicum of survival training; he lived in the woods for his other half's sake! But no, which meant Piccolo had to take time out of his own training period to look after him. Then again, if he hadn't, then he'd have missed the boy's transformation, and not removed his tail. At least now the boy was less of a liability. Eventually, Piccolo had just spat out an egg and ordered it to look after the boy and spur his growth. Violently if necessary.

But the egg had reminded him of his father's action, using cannon fodder as guards, and using them to get a preview of his opponent's skills. That had given him his current plan. He couldn't make that many eggs himself, it'd weaken him too much. Piccolo was shaken for his thoughts as he reached his destination, the Z TV building. On the other side of the wall, the nightly news was giving a story about the recent obliteration of the moon. Piccolo floated through the left wall, casually destroying it. The cameras immediately swerved to look at him. The camera men gulped in fear, but knew better than to run. He addressed the cameras, and thus the viewing public as well. "Attention, some of you may know me as Piccolo, the tyrant who conquered the world 8 years ago. Others know me as the second place winner in the 23rd world martial arts tournament. Well however you know me, heed my words. Yesterday I and the first place winner Son Goku fought a powerful enemy known as Raditz. He was an alien, a sayian. Through great difficulty we managed to defeat him, but there are still two more sayians, who dwarf Raditz in power. In one year's time those sayians will arrive and wipe out all life on Earth. I'll be training, Goku will be training, Tien Shinhan, the winner of the 22nd world martial arts tournament, will be training. If you have any power worth talking about, start training now. Get as strong as you can and go to the wastes of area 44. They're the other fighters will group and fight the sayians. If you're thinking I've had a sudden change of heart, don't. I have to stop the sayians for my own reasons."

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After Piccolo's message ended, King Chappa stood from his seat in his home, and began to walk to the door. He felt something tug on his arm, and turned to see the youngest of his 4 children, his second daughter Lucy. "Father, you can't go, it's too dangerous!" She said, tears streaming down her eyes. "It is my duty as a martial artist Lucy. I have heard tale of a place known as Korin's tower, a training ground for worthy martial artists. I must go and train."

"Then I'll go too!" shouted the voice of Lucy's husband, a man named Mark. They'd been married for a little over a year now, and had recently given him a grandchild. Mark was martial artist as where, and Chappa's finest student. Nonetheless, Chappa shook his head "No, you must stay here and defend your daughter. I promise you that I will come back."

And with that he strode out the door

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Meanwhile, in a faraway village, a man named Nam knocked on the door of one of his neighbors. The door opened, revealing Giran, the strongest martial artist of the Giras, a race of draconic beasts with the intelligence of man. The humans and the Giras had been living in harmony for years, thanks to the work of a young fighter named Son Goku. "Did you see the broadcast?" questioned Nam. Giran grumbled in reply "Yeah. I'm gonna fight those sayians, how about you?"

"It's not even a question" Nam replied with a smirk. Giran gave a toothy grin "Excellent. I've heard rumors of a place called Korin's tower. I think we'll be able to get training there."

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"Spike! Bandages!" Call out Fortuneteller Baba, summoning her two strongest fighters. Both appeared before her immediately. "What is thy bidding?" Spike, the devil man, said kneeling before her. Baba then said "I've foreseen the coming of a pair of monstrously powerful fighters known as sayians. You two will train so that in one year's time you can fight them."

"Yes mistress, but who shall train us?" Spike asked.

"You will train against history's greatest combatants in my illusion chamber. And Spike, no using your Devilmite ray during training. It will only hinder your growth."

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Gohan limped towards a large building he'd seen in the distance. He'd been alone in the wilderness for a month now. He'd quickly adapted to the wilds, but then it showed up, a green, scaly man with big lips and wings. Gohan had been running from the creature for 2 weeks now. He'd hoped he could get help in the building, but as he got closer he saw that it was over grown with vines and the walls were cracked in several places. Gohan was disheartened, until he saw an old man lying up against the walls of the building. His face was gaunt and his hair blue and wispy. He was wearing red tinted sunglasses, and mud caked robes of green and yellow. A bottle of alchohol was in his hand, and judging from his breath he frequently partook. Gohan ran up to him and began to shake him. "Sir! Sir! Please wake up."

The old man stirred and began to speak. He was clearly drunk, and his words confusing and slurred "Hey there kiddie. Do you know me? I was great once. People came from far and wide to train with me…" Gohan interrupted him "Train with you? Does that mean you're strong?" The man chuckled "Strong? I was great! It all changed when my students were beaten by some punk!" Then man said. Then he peered closer at Gohan, and poked his cheek. "Huh, you look kinda like him. Meh, probably coincidence. Anyway, the punks beat my prize students, and the ungrateful clods abandoned me! After all I did for them. After that, I was disgraced. No one wanted to train under me." The man said despondently

"Sir, could you please train me?" Gohan said eagerly. The man stared; confused by the fact that someone actually wanted to train under him. Gohan began to explain about the coming of the sayians, and his training under Piccolo, and how Piccolo had left him in the wilds to survive, and about the monster chasing him. The man listened as raptly as he could in his drunken state. Afterwards, he grinned "Sounds dangerous boy. Very well, I'll train y-"

He was interrupted as a kick lashed out and struck him, propelling the old drunk through a wall. Gohan screamed in shock and backed up. The kick had been thrown by none other than the same monster who'd been stalking. "Naughty little brat aren't you." The beast said, wagging a finger. "I think you should be punished. Let's here you scream" he said. He raised two fingers and pointed at Gohan, firing a ki blast cackling with electricity. The blast lanced towards Gohan. Gohan was paralyzed by fear. He closed his eyes and waited for the pain. And then he heard

"DODON RAY!"

Gohan's eyes shot open. He saw a bright yellow beam intercept the monsters' blast. Gohan, and the beast himself, looked over in shock, and saw the old man standing, his arm out and his index finger extended. "Well then, young Gohan. It's time for Master Shen to show you what you'll be learning. "

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Above the winding path of snake way, Goku and Raditz flew. They'd been flying for a few weeks by this point, and been talking a great deal, as they had nothing better to do. Raditz told Goku of their father Bardock, and Goku told Raditz of his life on earth. They got along well, considering how their first day knowing each other had ended. "You know, you're a lot nicer than you were when we first met."

Raditz shrugged "To be honest, I was on a power high. I'm just a rank and file soldier for the Planet Trade Organization. You and that green man are the first time I met someone who could actually fight, but were still inferior. I let the thrill take over. I'm usually more pragmatic."

Before Goku could reply, a figure leapt between them. He wore a baggy blue ensemble with parted in the middle to show off his chest with white boots and gloves. The figure's identity was hidden by a white hood that tapered into a cape. The clothing was baggy, but they could tell he was muscular. Time seemed to slow down as the figure passed between them only to jarringly return to normal when he grabbed them by the ankles and swung them into each other. They impacted with a grunt and a thud. He let go of them, then used an invisible ki blast to knock them into snake way. The two quickly got to their feet.

"Raditz, keep him busy while I charge up a Kamehameha!" Goku said.

"On it!" Raditz said, rushing at the Mysterious Man.

"Ka-"

Raditz swung a clothesline at the man, but he ducked under it.

"Me-"

Raditz used the momentum from his failed swing for a roundhouse kick, but the man stopped it with a single finger.

"Ha-"

Raditz back flipped away then rushed at the man. He used the after image technique to sneak behind him. He was now poised to deliver a double fisted blow to the man's skull.

"Me-"

Before he could bring his fists down, the man turned and backhanded Raditz down to snake way.

"HA!"

The Kamehameha shined bright and barreled toward the man, who brought up his hand and caught it, before closing his fist and crushing the blue orb. Goku was shocked "What?! But, that had enough power to vaporize a continent!"

"Just how powerful is this guy?" Raditz said, before bringing his hand up to his scouter. The result shocked him "10,000!" he yelled in surprise. Then he shouted to his brother. "Goku! We have to run; he's nearly 10 times as strong as I am!"

Before Goku could respond, the man appeared in front of him and floored him with a punch to the stomach. Goku fell to the road of snake way. The man stood above him, and summoned a ki blast in his palm. Raditz was torn. 'If I run, Goku will die but I might survive. If I stay and fight, we both die. I should run. There's no point in us both dying. But, can I abandon my brother? Of course, I nearly killed him just 2 weeks ago. So why aren't I running? Dammit brother. Damn your unceasing friendliness. I can't leave you to die.'

Raditz charged the man, warrior tears streaming down his face as he knew he was about to die. He summoned all his strength into a single punch. The man blocked it with ease, but the force threw up a wind that blew back the man's hood. Raditz gaped, as he recognized him. His hair was a bit grayer than Raditz recalled, and he had quite a few more scars than before. But he was unmistakable.

"Y-You!" Raditz stammered.

"I'm proud of you. You passed the test." Said Bardock, father of Raditz and Kakarrot

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And that's the first chapter! Welcome, to Dragon Ball Z Keep Your Eye on the Butterflies. The title is a reference to the butterfly effect, by the way.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. By the by, the premise of this fic is not just "Raditz turns good", it's a bit more involved than that. If you can guess the premise, shoot me a PM. If you're one of the few I've already told, don't spoil it for everyone.

Anyway, as a treat for you I'll give you some power levels. Don't expect this every chapter though

Shen: 100. He's dipped a bit since the 22nd tournament

Mysterious Beast: 400

King Chappa: 87

Giran: 99

Nam: 97

King Yemma: 1800

Spike: 93

Bandages: 72