The warm sunlight crept through the curtains and landed on the warrior. Despite his head, arms, and legs rolled up in bandages, Son Goku just couldn't stay in his bed and do nothing. Ever since they moved him to a normal bed, he worked out in secret. He couldn't do much because of the injuries he got from the Saiyan prince, but the wild-haired martial artist tried to at least do some sit-ups. Sweat slid down his exposed cheek as he pushed himself up. He clenched his teeth and closed the eyes. It was tough and painful, but there was a powerful drive that made him continue to do this.

He banged with his back against the cold floor and remained lying for a few seconds. The young warrior reopened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. His orbs shook and shined once an image of the arrogant flame-haired Saiyan appeared before him. It was only for two seconds, but it was enough to make his blood boil and for a smirk to appear on his face. He couldn't wait to face the warrior once again. Their first battle was amazing and he wanted to fight him again.

His entire body quivered from the excitement. However, he needed to keep his mind focused. This was serious and they still didn't receive any report from Krillin and the others. He was getting worried. What if Vegeta was already there? The Saiyan would try to kill Gohan and others out of spite.

And what of Freeza? What if that guy was on planet Namek as well? According to Raditz, this Freeza was the strongest being in the universe and everyone's power paled in compression. While he could hardly believe that, he just wondered how he would fare against someone so strong. Just thinking about that made him excited despite knowing how dangerous and severe this was.

He narrowed his eyes and pulled his body. A loud groan escaped through his clenched teeth as he pulled himself up. "Ugh!" He remained in the same position for five seconds, coping with the pain until he couldn't do it anymore.

The constant groans and murmur were going on his nerves. A throbbing vein appeared on his forehead while he rested in bed. He stirred his black spheres to the right and glared at the wild-haired warrior. The fool didn't even recover and there it was, trying to work out as if it would amount to something. Worse of all, he loathed that stupid grin on his brother's face. He wanted to punch him but couldn't do it since the cast and bandages got in the way. Plus, he was weaker than his younger brother.

Just acknowledging that drove him mad. There would be a change. He won't let his younger brother be the strongest. No, not a chance in hell. With rough and intense training, the title of the strongest Saiyan would belong to him. It wouldn't be that midget Vegeta or brain-dead Kakarot. He will make it so and show everyone who dared to mock him what he is capable of.

However, he needed to recover and some peace. But his brother's moaning didn't help. "Tsk! Would you stop doing that for just five minutes!?" He snapped at Goku, who paused midway and blinked in confusion.

"If you think you'll get stronger by doing this now, then you're a bigger fool than I thought." The long-haired warrior continued to glare at Goku, who scratched the head and smiled.

Slowly, Son Goku rose and approached his bed. "Yeah, I know... But I just can't lay in bed all day and do nothing. Just thinking about those strong guys out there makes me unable to stay still!" After he sat on the bed, the young martial artist reached for a banana in the bowl on the desk.

While his brother was eating the fruit, Raditz could only stare at him. A tiny smirk appeared on his face. His younger brother might have denied the relation to the Saiyans, but that right there was a proof that he was one. Despite the brain damage, he could see the fire in Kakarot eyes. The burning flames that relished and desired proper combat. For a moment, he pitied the younger Saiyan.

However, Raditz quickly shook his head and tossed those thoughts away. "Whatever! Just don't do that, it's annoying!" He turned around and tried to catch some sleep, but his brother had something to say.

"How come you find my training annoying but Piccolo's not?"

He closed his eyes and tried to remain as calm as possible. "Because unlike you, I don't have to hear him moan all the time! Just shut up and let me sleep!" The only thing he heard from Goku was some mumbling, but he ignored it. He opened his eyes for a moment and glanced at the Namekian who was quietly floating above the bed.

The pointless rambling was going on his nerves, but he stayed focused. He calmed and emptied his mind from all the outside noises. While he floated above the bed, surrounded by a blue glowing light, Piccolo tried to measure up his strength and condition. Just like the long-haired Saiyan, he wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. He hated being here. There were too many people. Those doctors, nurses, and visitors made him uncomfortable. However, he would endure it.

In the meantime, he needed to focus and think of his next training regime. The harsh workout in a gravity simulated chamber might do him wonders. He knew training under such a pressure would open up a path toward a new level of power. There was only one throwback. These Saiyans would be a much greater pain to endure than the rigid training.

Over these last few months, he got used to Raditz's character and all, but that didn't mean he wanted to spend any more time with the man. Not to mention, there was also Son Goku. The wild-haired martial artist was a person who stopped his idea of world domination. He wanted to fight him again, regain that same dream and fulfill his father's wishes. But that dream was fading away. He didn't even care that much about ruling the planet. Over time, he stopped thinking about that. And what was even worse, he knew who was responsible for that.

His smile quickly vanished when he sensed two familiar energies. He opened his eyes and dropped out of the meditation. "We have company." When he said that, both Raditz and Goku glanced at the door.

The doors slid open and they walked inside. "How's everyone doing? Are you boys any better?" Roshi looked at the warriors and only received a greeting and a smile from Goku. "Oh, right! Goku, uh, is Chi-Chi here as well?" A drop of sweat slid down his wrinkled cheek as he remembered he had an important message to deliver.

Son Goku shook his head left and right. "Nah, she left a while ago. I think she went shopping." Maybe it was for the better. He could tell and feel the tension each time his wife walked into the room. The young warrior really hoped Chi-Chi would forgive Raditz and Piccolo one day.

It relieved him to hear that. "Thank goodness... I received a message from Bulma a few hours ago and..." Before he could say anything at all, the fat samurai interrupted him.

"Stop there for a minute, old man." Yajirobe stepped in front while holding a little bag. "I really don't want to waste my time here. Here's the bag with Senzu Beans from Korin. There's only seven of them and Korin said don't waste them as you'll need them." The long-haired samurai tossed the brown bag to Goku, who was happy to hear that.

Goku's eyes were wide open and beaming with joy. "Wow, that's a good timing Yajirobe! I'll get one right now!" The warrior lifted the bag upside down so the beans could fall on the bed. Before he ate one, Goku threw the beans to Piccolo and Raditz.

"Eat the bean. They'll heal you and fill your belly for a week!" He shifted his head away and eat the magical bean.

His dark orbs stared at the little bean. How could this little thing heal their wounds and satisfy the hunger for a week? It was ridiculous. He stirred his eyes to the left and observed the Namekian. Much to his surprise, Piccolo instantly swallowed the bean. He was confident that the Namekian would be a lot more precocious, but it didn't seem so. However, what happened next almost caused him to fall from his bed.

Suddenly, the two warriors jumped out of their beds. They removed the bandages and cast, showing the miraculous power of the beans. Raditz's eyes were wide open from the shock. Piccolo and his younger brother moved around like they sustained no injuries. He moved his eyes to the bean and didn't doubt it anymore. Once he swallowed the bean, it took maybe two seconds before he felt the change. He closed his hands and forced the cast and bandages to burst.

The long-haired Saiyan repeatedly closed and opened his hands. "A-Amazing... To think this planet had something like this." He hated to admit it, but this world continued to surprise him.

While Raditz was mumbling to himself, Goku picked up the gi from the closet and put it on. "Master Roshi, what about Bulma and the others? Did they make it to planet Namek safely?" He sidestepped and adjusted the blue belt as he glanced at the old martial arts master.

The turtle hermit nodded, but there was more to it. "Yes, but I'm afraid they're not the only ones there. As we feared, both Vegeta and Freeza made their way to Namek" He squeezed his hand tightly behind the back. The old man was worried about Krillin and the others and how would they survive this situation on their own.

Upon hearing those names, Raditz frowned. "Just great! Those bastards probably got their hands on the dragon balls..." This was bad. If Vegeta or Freeza got their wish, everything was over. Just thinking of that made him livid.

Meanwhile, Piccolo remained silent and thought about the little half-breed. "We need to leave this place at once. What about the spaceship?" He looked at Goku, who shared the same thoughts.

"I think it's done by now... When Bulma's dad came to visit us the other day, he said the ship was mostly ready."

While Son Goku approached the window and opened it, the turtle hermit shifted to the long-haired warrior. "I guess you guys are going, huh? Well, I brought you this, so you have something to wear." He handed a bag to Raditz, who said nothing back. Nothing out of the ordinary. However, it surprised him that Raditz didn't snatch it out of his hands.

The tall Saiyan picked out the clothes and immediately put them on. "Humph, it'll do just fine." He wore a similar gi like his brother. The difference was in color and that it didn't have an undershirt. He would prefer the armor, but there was nothing he could do about it when Bulma wasn't here.

Seeing how everyone was ready, Goku jumped on the window and glanced back. "If the ship's finished, we should reach Namek in no time. Bye, Master Roshi! Say my thanks to Korin, Yajirobe!" With that being said, the young martial artist jumped out, followed by Piccolo and Raditz.

He could only watch the three dots disappear on the horizon. The old master released a heavy sigh. He truly wished he was younger and stronger so he could help, but unfortunately, that was impossible. However, the only thing he could do was believe in their strength and will to overcome this threat and come back with everyone.

"Yeah, say thanks to Korin... But what about me!? I'm the one who drove all the way here!"

0o0

It took them only thirty minutes to reach West City. The warriors followed Goku's lead and landed in an enormous garden. While Piccolo and Raditz looked around, the young martial artist put both fists against his hips and walked forward.

"Now, where does he keep it? On the other side?"

He glanced to the left, but nothing. As he moved forward and shifted his head to the right, he noticed a blonde-haired woman watering the plants. "Ah! Hi, Bulma's mom!" The wild-haired warrior waved at the woman with a warm smile on his face.

She immediately dropped the canister and approached her daughter's friend. "Oh, it really is you, Goku! And you even brought some handsome friends with you! Are you all better now?" Bulma's mother approached the warriors in the back without even knowing who they were.

Piccolo just shifted his head away and grunted something because of the comment while Raditz chuckled. "Why, yes, we are! Besides that, where's the ship? Is it ready?" As much as he wanted to see the Namekian struggle, he had much-pressing matters to attend.

While they waited for an answer, she put a hand on her smooth cheek and thought about it. "Well, I'm not sure... Last time I saw he was still tinkering around on something." Piccolo and Raditz instantly frowned while Goku took a step back, startled.

This wasn't good. "Huh!? You mean it's not ready yet!?" He hoped the ship was ready by now.

Bulma's mother pulled the long-haired Saiyan forward so she could wrap her other hand around Goku's arm. "I'll guide you there... But, oh my! I never thought little Goku would grow up so handsome." While the martial artist just smiled, Raditz wanted to free himself, but it was impossible.

"Hm, you two resemble each other. Are you related by some chance?"

Raditz almost stumbled when he heard that. They didn't resemble at all. He was sure this woman was crazy. "And what a beautiful long hair! How do you condition it? Do you cut the ends?" He could hear the Namekian snicker behind him and that caused a throbbing vein to appear on his forehead.

He didn't have the patience to chit-chat with the woman. Luckily, they arrived at the place where the ship was. "What a... You mean to tell me they build this ship from the scraps of the pods!?" Raditz was astonished by that. He could only stare at the big ship in front of his quivering orbs.

Their attention shifted to a small man who emerged from the ship. "Oh, hello! Better already!? Then come in and have a look!" The warriors did as they were told and boarded the spaceship while Bulma's mother went to the house to bring something to drink.

As he walked in, the long-haired warrior couldn't believe how spacious it was. "I underestimated her and her father... It never crossed my mind they could build something like this in such a short amount of time!" Raditz walked around and inspected the ship while Bulma's father spoke to his brother and Piccolo.

The old man light up the cigarette and exhaled. "It was tough to rebuild. I must admit, Saiyan technology is damn incredible! Oh, and here's the artificial gravity machine as you requested." Bulma's father pointed at the machine in the middle and walked toward it.

His ears twitched upon the mention of the gravity machine. He backed away from the ladder leading downstairs and walked toward his brother and Bulma's father. Raditz halted near the towering Namekian and listened to the instructions.

"So, this is the switch, this is the controller and most importantly... it can generate 100 times normal gravity." The Saiyans and Piccolo were pleased to hear that. "Don't you guys think it's a bit too much? Even for you?" Bulma's father placed a hand inside the pocket as he glanced at the men.

Son Goku grinned and crossed his arms. "That's okay. If we don't push ourselves, we'll never be able to beat Vegeta or Freeza." He just couldn't wait to train. "Uh, does this thing fly yet? We received a message from Bulma and we must hurry to Namek right away." There was no time to waste. Gohan and his friends needed him on planet Namek as soon as possible.

The odd scientist stroked his mustache as he thought about that. "Faster than anything I've ever seen. Just with a push of a button, you'll be on planet Namek in six days. But..." Bulma's father exhaled the smoke while Goku impatiently waited for him to continue. "I just don't know where to put the stereo speakers." He scratched his right cheek while Goku stared at him.

Goku shook his head and yelled at the man. "Stereo speakers!? I don't care about that! We're in a hurry! We need to leave right now!" While the young martial artist waved his arms around, Raditz approached the controls, causing Piccolo to wonder what was the Saiyan up to.

"Well, when you put it like that... You sure you don't want the stereo?"

The wild-haired Saiyan shook his head right and left even faster. Their conversation came to an abrupt end when a voice caught their attention. "Old man... I suggest you leave the ship if you don't have any intentions of leaving your precious little rock." Raditz shifted his head to the side and revealed a smirk which caused Bulma's father to sweat nervously.

He barely put some distance. The wind from the engines almost blew him away. His cigarette flew out of his mouth as he turned around and watched the space ship flying to the dark and lonely space.

"Oh! For as quickly as I put that thing together, it flew."

The space ship already flew by the moon and moved with top speed toward planet Namek. Meanwhile, Goku stared at the endless darkness through the window. Unlike the wild-haired martial artist, Raditz took off the shirt and tossed it on the floor. He walked to the artificial gravity machine and without a single warning, turned it to twenty times that of planet Earth.

Goku fell with his face on the floor and groaned while Piccolo dropped on the knee. "Tch, I'll get you for that!" Raditz just chuckled at the Namekian's scowl and threat.

The long-haired Saiyan took a step to the side and tried to walk forward. "Stop your whining! We only have six days until Namek and I don't intend to get there unprepared." Sweat dripped from his chin as he fought against the heavy gravity. He dropped on the ground and released a grunt as he tried to start with push-ups.

Goku caressed his chin as he slowly rose. It was tough, even after spending his time training on King Kai's planet. Each step made him feel like he would crumble, but he wouldn't let that happen. The earth's hero walked around the machine so he could adjust a little better to the new gravity before he began his real training.

While he walked around, an image of a person very important to him flashed in front of his eyes. "J-Just hang on a little longer, G-Gohan... I-I'll get there soon!" With clenched teeth and tightly closed hands, Goku's eyes shone with determination.

00oo00

Meanwhile, back on planet Namek, Yamcha and Gohan were almost near their destination. After they took a little break to rest, the two brave warriors continued their trip to Grand Elder's house.

As they ran toward the location, the former desert bandit glanced at the radar. "We're almost there! Just a little more, Gohan!" He put the dragon radar under the blue belt and jumped above a boulder.

The young half-breed did the same and followed the taller man. "Yamcha... What do you think Grand Elder is like? Do you think he'll give us the dragon ball?" As soon as his feet touched the ground, Gohan bent and dashed forward.

He wondered about that as well. "Hm, the guy must be important like Kami back on earth. I'm sure he'll give us the dragon ball when we tell him everything." Or at least he hoped so. As they landed on another island, Yamcha lifted his head and saw a small house on top of a cliff.

"There it is! That must be the place!"

The warriors scattered and quickly approached the place. They jumped on the mountain and bounced from it into the air. Yamcha couldn't but smirk as he floated above the strange-looking house while Gohan wondered what would happen next. The little boy snapped out of his thoughts when he noticed the long-haired martial artist gesture to descend. Gohan followed the older male and landed on the ground.

While Gohan looked around, Yamcha wiped away the sweat from his face. "Phew, what a trip! We finally made it... I'm surprised nobody found this place." The scar-faced warrior was sure it was only a matter of time before Freeza or Vegeta find this place. They needed to hurry and get the business over with.

Yamcha barely made a step when he felt something. His orbs shifted to the entrance and saw a figure emerge out of the house. It surprised him when he noticed that the person looked a lot like Piccolo.

The strong wind caused the man's robes to sway as he glared at the aliens in front. "Greetings, visitors from Earth. The Grand Elder already knows the gist of what's going on." His deep and serious voice made the earthlings uneasy for a moment.

Gohan could only stare at the tall Namekian. The resemblance to his master Piccolo was strong. It was almost as if they were brothers. However, what surprised the chubby boy was that the Grand Elder already knew some things.

"Well, that'll save us the time of explaining a lot of stuff... Does that mean we're able to meet the Grand Elder?"

The strong-looking Namekian shifted his eyes to the long-haired earthling and nodded. "Yes. Both of you come inside, the Grand Elder will see you." He turned around and walked to the entrance when a childish voice caught his attention.

He hesitated at first, but pushed himself to ask the question. "Um, excuse me... Why haven't you left such a dangerous place? It's out in the open and Freeza's man could easily find you." Gohan halted and waited for an answer.

It pained him to say that, but there was no running from it. "Grand Elder has grown far too old. He knows his death is near..." He paused for a moment and looked away. "There was nothing we could do but remain here..." The Namekian closed his eyes and walked inside the house. If anything were to happen, he would protect the elder even if meant to die.

Gohan was sad to hear that. The boy remained silent and followed the tall Namekian and Yamcha inside. It was his first time inside of a namekian house and it looked strange. He looked around, curious until the Namekian told them to fly up. After he and Yamcha reached the second floor, they could finally meet the Grand Elder.

"Grand Elder, I brought the visitors from Earth."

The elder's appearance surprised them. However, they didn't dare to comment on it. "Welcome, travelers. It pains me we had to meet under such troublesome circumstances." Grand Elder paused for a moment so he could cough.

Taking his chance to speak, Yamcha took a step forward. "Forgive me for talking out of place, but we'd like to ask you to let us borrow the dragon ball above your head." He noticed the frown from the strong Namekian but continued.

"You have our word we'll never allow Freeza and those bastards like Vegeta to get their hands on it!"

The little half-breed agreed with Yamcha. "Please, believe us, Grand Elder. We only want to revive our friends who died fighting the Saiyans... Our dragon balls can't revive a person more than once, so we thought..." Gohan stopped when he heard the surprised gasp from the elder.

His hands shook upon hearing that. "W-What? There are dragon balls on Earth as well? Then that could only mean..." After the initial shock passed, a warm smile appeared on his face.

"I see. It must have been the child of Katats. A gifted member of the dragon clan, the ones who created the dragon balls. What a pleasant surprise this is." He was glad to hear a small child survived the trip and the environment of another planet.

While Gohan and Yamcha glanced at each other, wondering if that meant they would get the dragon ball, the Grand Elder lifted his hand. "Gentleman from Earth, could I ask you to step over here?" Yamcha wasn't sure what would happen, but he didn't object.

"Um, sure." He walked to the pointed spot and stopped there.

The huge Namekian placed the hand gently on Yamcha's head and closed his eyes. "Oh, I see. I understand everything now. If only they became whole again, then the Saiyan would have no chance against them and your two friends wouldn't meet their demise. A pity..." While Yamcha blinked in confusion, the Grand Elder used his other hand to grab the dragon ball.

"Well then, I suppose it's all right. Your desires are pure enough. I shall give you my dragon ball, but I'm afraid you have little time left..."

Yamcha took the dragon ball but didn't understand what the Grand Elder meant by that. "Huh? Why not?" A drop of sweat slid down his cheek. He didn't like the sound of that.

Before he could reply, the elder coughed two times. "Ahm... As Nail already told you, my time in this world is about to end. Do you think you could steal the dragon balls from the one called Freeza in such a little time? It might be impossible, and once I die, the dragon balls will cease to exist." Once he said that, silence prevailed in the room.

The former bandit didn't know how to answer. He struggled to come up with an answer for almost a minute. Instead of him, Gohan responded to the elder's question.

Gohan closed his hands tightly as he spoke to Grand Elder. "You don't have to worry, Grand Elder! We'll protect the dragon ball no matter what!" The boy's voice carried the courage and determination which didn't go unnoticed by the Namekian. "Soon, my dad, Mr. Piccolo, and Mr. Raditz will come to Namek and help us as well!" He hoped his dad and others would arrive on planet Namek fast.

Nobody said a word until the Grand Elder laughed. "I see... Then I'll place my hope on you. By the way, I can sense you possess exceptional power. It would be a shame to leave it dormant. Please, come here and allow me to awake it." He pointed to the spot near Yamcha and waited for the boy.

The son of Goku wasn't sure about that. He doubted there was any dormant power inside of him. However, he complied and walked to the pointed spot. He waited for a few seconds until the Grand Elder placed a hand on his head. The boy glanced at Yamcha, who just shrugged with shoulders, confused as well. He waited and waited until the elder released a grunt. Suddenly, he felt it. An intense surge of power came out of him.

Enveloped in the radiant aura, Gohan could only stare at his hands, astonished at the power coursing through him. "W-Woah... I-Is this my power?" He lifted his head and stared at the smiling Grand Elder. "Thank you very much!" The boy bowed as he said that.

Yamcha's eyes almost popped out when he felt Gohan's new power. "U-Unreal! Hey, Grand Elder! Are you able to tap into anyone's power? Could you do the same to me and my friend Krillin?" He tossed the dragon ball to the boy and placed both hands on the huge throne as he stared at Grand Elder.

The old Namekian couldn't but laugh at the earthling's expression. "Worry not. If the dormant power is there, it is possible for anyone... For you as well." He put his hand on the earthling's head and repeated the process.

While the Grand Elder was puffing and trying to catch a breath, Yamcha jumped around. "Haha! I can hardly contain this power! Amazing!" He threw several punches at the invisible enemy and spun. As he turned around, he glanced at Gohan and noticed something. His mood changed when he figured out that Gohan's power exceeded his.

"Yamcha, I think we should give the dragon ball to Bulma."

The scar-faced martial artist nodded. "You're right! There's no way they'll find the dragon ball in that cave! I'm sure Krillin's back there as well." Before they left, Yamcha shifted to the side and spoke to the elder. "I'll bring my friend as soon as I can!" After he said that, he jumped down while Gohan waved to Nail and the Grand Elder.

0o0

Screams rang over the valley. Lifeless bodies dropped on the ground as he moved forward. With one hand on his hip and the other up, he shot anyone who tried to escape. Since they wouldn't cooperate, they were useless to him. With an arrogant smirk on his face, he killed every single person in this remote village. There was only one person left alive, the village elder.

He glanced at the old namekian and spat on the ground. "I have a distinct feeling you will not hand over the dragon ball, right?" His black hair swayed in the wind as he dusted off the armor.

The village elder shook with anger as he held a small boy in his hands. "H-How could you do this!? Why are you doing this to us!? Because of dragon balls!? You're a horrible monster!" His agonizing scream mixed with anger didn't bother the short warrior at all.

"I-I'd rather die than give the dragon ball to you!"

He amusingly raised an eyebrow as he closed his right hand. "As you wish!" The flame-haired warrior put a hand forward and fired a ki blast. "Tch, stubborn old man. I'll find the dragon ball myself." As he turned around, the corpses fell on the ground.

Since the villagers seemed desperate, it was clear the ball was here. He inspected all the houses, one by one. It took him maybe twenty minutes to find what he was looking for. He emerged from a demolished house with a big dragon ball in his hands.

"Fools. They didn't even try to hide it. This must be the rumored dragon ball."

He admired the orange sphere with red stars on it for a minute. This was just a first step towards his much-desired wish. He may only have one, but he was confident in his abilities to gain or rather, steal the dragon balls from Freeza.

The warrior stirred his dark orbs away from the dragon ball and walked away. "No then, this should do just fine." He tossed the ball into the lake and released a chuckle. "There's no way anyone will find or go search for it in here... I'll be the only one who knows where it is!" The man stared at the ball until it faded into darkness.

He turned and moved further. "Hm, I can sense several energies nearby..." His eyes shifted to the left from where he felt a strong power. "This power... It can only be Zarbon or Dodoria! Hehe, maybe I'll take my shot at them now that they're separated!" He flew in the air, however, a voice caught his attention.

"N-No way! What are you doing here, V-Vegeta!?"

The Saiyan prince immediately turned around and saw a familiar face. For a moment, he thought his name reached Freeza's ears through the scouter. But surprisingly enough, the soldier didn't have the device attached to the face at all.

A smirk appeared on his face as he eyed the purple warrior. "Well, if it isn't Appule. What are you doing out here? Oh, let me guess... Searching for dragon balls, right?" The expression on Appule's face was enough to confirm that.

The poor soldier was shaking out of fear as he stared at the super-elite. "H-How!? You shouldn't be here! Didn't Cui kill you!? How could you survive..." He couldn't finish his sentence. Before he could blink, the Saiyan appeared in front and struck him with a punch to the gut.

"Shh. I'm the one asking questions... Now, you'll tell me how many dragon balls are in Freeza's hands and where is he? What's the current order from your master?"

Appule could barely breathe. He held his abdomen and slowly descended to the ground. The moment he touched the ground, he dropped on his knees and groaned. He lifted his head and stared at the flame-haired Saiyan with terror. Before he could open his mouth, Vegeta kicked him under the chin. Blood flew out of his mouth as he slammed with his back against the ground.

Vegeta just crossed his arms and stepped near the soldier. "You should know I hate waiting. You have five seconds to tell me everything, otherwise, I'll kill you slowly." His menacing voice and dark expression frightened Appule more than anything.

0o0

The speed and sheer force created ripples and waves on the water. Now that he knew everything, this was his chance to take down Freeza's guards. Without Freeza even noticing, he would kill off his soldiers. They wouldn't even know it was him doing that. His laughter echoed over the place as he closed the distance between himself and his target. He could feel it. His prey was up ahead. The warrior's tightly closed hands shook from pure excitement. He narrowed his eyes as he swirled in the air and flew to the left. There it was, the pink blob floated above the island without even knowing he was coming.

"Dodoriaaa!"

His loud voice reached the pink warrior, but the bulky man didn't even have a second to turn around. He smashed his boot against Dodoria's back and sent the soldier toward the ground. However, he didn't let Freeza's guard reach the ground just yet. He appeared near the falling man and crashed his other leg against Dodoria's rib-cage. The man's painful groan only brought pleasure to his ears. He let the soldier be and plunge into a boulder.

The boulder crumbled and buried the pink warrior while the Saiyan just crossed his arms and waited. It took only five seconds for Dodoria to blow all the rocks away.

Blood dripped from his chin as he rose from the ground. "Ahh! Who dares do this to me!? I'll kill you!" His eyes shook with fury until he noticed a figure standing on the left side. "V-Vegeta!? Impossible! Cui should've got rid of you!" He didn't know how it was possible, but the monkey prince was right in front of his eyes.

He just enjoyed seeing them surprised by his presence. "Long time no see, Dodoria. I take it you didn't like my little greeting." Vegeta could barely hold himself from laughing as he stared at the man.

Dodoria clenched his teeth as he wiped away the blood from his chin. "Bastard! You won't get away with this! Now that I know you're here, I'll beat you up and drag your body to Lord Freeza! Haha, you made a mistake by attacking me, you stupid monkey!" Without wasting time, Dodoria launched himself at the short Saiyan.

Vegeta chuckled before even trying to evade the attack. "Humph, you're underestimating me too much, Dodoria!" He swiftly ducked and dodged Dodoria's punch.

From below, he head-butted the pink soldier who after that took two steps back. The Saiyan prince ran toward the warrior and leaped into the air when Dodoria tried to strike him. While he was in the air, Vegeta spun and landed a heavy kick to the soldier's cranium. Dodoria stumbled forward, which allowed the flame-haired Saiyan to land safely and deliver fast but precise shots on the warrior's back.

"Ahh! W-Why, you little..."

Dodoria turned around and fired a quick ki blast, but Vegeta slid to the side. With a smirk on his face, Vegeta closed his hand tightly and struck Dodoria in the face. The power behind the punch was too much for Dodoria, whose legs gave up. That pleased the Saiyan prince greatly. As the pink warrior couldn't get up, Vegeta used him as a punching bag. Dodoria's cries rang all over the place along with the loud blows. After a few minutes, the Saiyan had enough and moved away.

While he adjusted his crimson gloves, Vegeta glanced at Dodoria who was barely alive. "Hah, how the mighty have fallen... Any last words before I kill you?" He shifted to the side and raised a hand as he grinned.

His entire body was aching. There were several bones broken. He couldn't even run away if he wanted. "D-Damn you, V-Vegeta... H-How can you be stronger than me!?" Dodoria stammered a lot and coughed blood while he glared at the Saiyan.

He obliged and answered. "Don't you know that already? We Saiyans grow strong after we survive a near-death experience. The stronger my opponent is, the more my strength increases! So, after nearly dying on Earth, my strength grew beyond anything I'd ever imagine!" While he hated thinking of his loss, at least he got something useful from it.

Sweat collided with the blood and dripped on the grass as he stared at Vegeta. "E-Earth? T-That bald midget who saved the namekian runt must've been an earthling then..." Before he knew it, Vegeta slammed a boot against his throat.

"What did you just say!? Explain yourself, you ugly bastard!"

He was sure this was it, but somehow he was still alive. Maybe, just maybe, he could get out of this mess alive. "V-Vegeta, I'll tell you more if you let me live... P-Promise that and I'll..." He wanted to scream but the pressure on his throat didn't allow that.

The short warrior lifted his boot and yelled. "Hurry and spit it out!" If the earthlings were here, then that would mean they were searching for the dragon balls as well. Were Kakarot and his idiotic brother here too? That didn't seem possible!

"Ugh! W-When I found the namekian brat who escaped from the village, I-I saw him together with a b-bald midget who wore orange clothes... T-The bastard used some weird move and blinded me. T-They escaped who knows where..."

Vegeta's expression darkened. He knew exactly who that was. "They're here. Somehow they're here and trying to collect the dragon balls for themselves!" A throbbing vein appeared on his forehead. Not only did he have Freeza to watch for, but also those earthlings as well.

Dodoria lifted his quivering arm and spoke to the Saiyan. "N-Now that I told you this, please h-help me Vegeta..." However, that wasn't happening. Dodoria's eyes were wide open when he spotted the prince's dark eyes. "N-No, that wasn't the d-deal Vegeta! N..." There wasn't even a scream from Freeza's guard because the blast vaporized him to dust.

Annoyed, Vegeta turned around and cursed. "Damn it! As if I needed those insects around!" He swung his hand and the force behind it was enough to destroy a boulder to pieces.

"I must find them! There's no way I'll rest easy knowing they're here! I'll crush that bald fool for cutting my tail!" He spoke through clenched teeth as an image of Krillin flashed before his eyes. "They can sense my energy... I must be careful and sneak behind them if there's an opportunity." Acting fast, he closed his eyes and relaxed.

He remained still on the spot for almost a minute when he felt something. "There are two strong powers on the move..." The Saiyan shifted around and narrowed his eyes. "It must be them. I can't sense anyone else... Guess it's time to exact my revenge on Kakarot's friends!" Vegeta laughed as he blasted into the sky.

0o0

Unaware that the Saiyan prince was after them, Yamcha and Gohan landed on the island where they left Bulma. The two found the cave and walked inside. It took them only a minute when they saw the lights. As they passed by the corner, they saw a small house. Happy to be back, Gohan rushed in front and opened the door.

"Hey, Bulma! We're back and we even have a dragon ball!"

The blue-haired genius instantly rose from the couch. "Oh, you're finally back! I thought Freeza or Vegeta got you." She went through Gohan's hair and smiled when she saw Yamcha walk inside. "Wait, a minute! That's a dragon ball!? Wow, they're huge!" Bulma picked up the orb from the boy's hands and moved back to the couch.

Meanwhile, Gohan and Yamcha noticed Bulma wasn't alone. "Um, Bulma? What's the deal with mini Piccolo over there?" Yamcha pointed at Dende, who didn't seem very comfortable at all.

Before Bulma could answer, Krillin walked out of the restroom. "Yamcha, Gohan? Wait, don't tell me those incredible energies I felt were you guys!? What the hell happened to you!?" He almost fell because he forgot to pull up his pants.

While Gohan and Bulma laughed, Yamcha tried to hold back. "There's a lot we need to tell you guys. We meet with the Grand Elder and he gave us the dragon ball." Krillin blinked in confusion, but Dende was the one most surprised to hear that.

"Y-You were allowed to have an audience with Grand Elder? Please, tell me he's still all right!"

Gohan and Yamcha understood what bothered the little namekian. "Yeah, the Grand Elder looked fine. He even awakened mine and Yamcha's dormant power! Thanks to him, I'll be able to fight and protect the dragon ball until my father arrives!" The chubby half-breed sat close to Dende, who was relieved to hear that.

While Dende and Gohan got to know each other, Krillin spoke to Yamcha. "That sounds amazing! No wonder you guys seem so strong!" He couldn't believe these were the same Yamcha and Gohan from before.

Yamcha just continued smirking. "Yeah, feels great! You must get over there too. The Grand Elder said he'd be more than happy to help us out." As he said that, he walked into the kitchen and poured some coffee into the cup.

It delighted the short martial artist to hear that. "Really!? That's great!" He lifted his fist in the air, but only for a moment. "But wait! What if I don't have any dormant power?" Now he doubted he even had any hidden strength at all.

"I'm sure you have, Krillin. Hell, even I doubted myself and look at me now!"

While those two laughed, Bulma remembered she didn't tell the news to Gohan and Yamcha. "Oh, right! Guys, I received a message from my dad. He said Goku, Piccolo and Raditz are on their way to Namek! And guess what, they'll be here in only five days!" Her words made the little boy jump out of joy.

"Yay! My dad's coming! I can't wait to see him!"

Yamcha, Krillin, and Bulma could only smile as Gohan celebrated with Dende, who looked very confused at what was going on. However, their moment of joy would soon end as the Saiyan prince already set foot on the island.


First of all, thank you for the new follows and reviews. I'm glad you guys are liking this fanfiction so far. I'll try to keep the updates going now that I can't go anywhere, but since I started reading the masterpiece that is Berserk and watching Hunter X Hunter, I forgot to finish this chapter sooner.

Anyway, I'll just mention that I have no intention to pair Raditz with Launch. A lot of other fanfiction did that and I would like to make this at least somewhat different. But, thanks for the suggestion nevertheless ServantofElShaddai13.

So, that's mostly it for now. As always, I apologize for poor grammar/spelling and I hope everyone's doing all right in this f times. Bye!