Mount Paozu, 4 days later
Gokū and Caulifla were jogging through the forest, deftly avoiding any upturned tree roots and keeping a steady pace. They made stops to rest and eat when they needed to, but overall their pace was steady. Eventually they reached the familiar home clearing containing Gokū's hut and Caulifla's capsule house.
"Whoops," Caulifla said sheepishly. "I guess I forgot to pack up."
"Well, at least we're back," Gokū shrugged. "You wanna settle in, or check out the bamboo grove first?"
"Bamboo grove," Caulifla answered. "I wanna-"
A loud rumble erupted from Caulifla's stomach, interrupting her sentence and causing her to blush a tad from the abrupt noise.
"...Have some lunch first, since I'm feeling hungry," Caulifla muttered with a sheepish chuckle.
Gokū's stomach soon erupted into a thunderous rumble as if to agree with Caulifla's decision, causing him to laugh and scratch the back of his head. "Alrighty," Gokū said. "Lunch first! I know this great spot to catch some big fish."
"Actually, I just remembered," Caulifla said, causing Gokū to halt his trek. "We still have that leftover octopus from that pirate cave."
"Oh right!" Gokū exclaimed, now remembering as well. "Let's grill it! Maybe use the leftovers for takoyaki as well."
A good hour had passed as Gokū and Caulifla had just finished devouring some delightfully grilled octopus along with some takoyaki and were happily patting their stomachs, their massive appetites sated, if only for a moment. Gokū had also taken the time to put away the four star Dragon Ball and rest it atop the velvet cushion it had always been on before Bulma had arrived.
"Ready to check it out?" Gokū asked his friend, who quickly got to her feet.
"Yep," Caulifla nodded, genuinely curious as to what is within this mystery grove. "I can only wonder what we'll find there. Lead the way."
Gokū nodded and took the lead, taking the duo once again into the forest. They walked by a myriad of various animals, some of which gave friendly greetings, while others ran for the hills, knowing that their apex predator was crossing through. The trees soon turned to bamboo, indicating that the grove was close. Gokū saw the telltale sign of the grove's entrance, lined with several basic oni effigies and a sign saying 'KEEP OUT.'
"Spooky," Caulifla commented casually.
"I'm guessing Grandpa Gohan set these up to keep me out until I was ready," Gokū thought aloud. "Well, time to see what's inside."
The two marched slowly into the grove, looking around for anything that could be of interest. It did not take long for Gokū to see a large leather backpack tucked away within a cluster of bamboo reeds. The boy opened one of the smaller pockets and found a journal - the same one Son Gohan mentioned back at Uranai Baba's palace. His curiosity mounting still, he opened the larger pocket and found something very unusual.
"What… is this?" Gokū gasped as he pulled out what looked like a piece of armor, too small for him to possibly wear nowadays. The material was extremely unusual and oddly elastic, with large yellow shoulderpads and an overall black color scheme with a white trim. Deeper within the bag were a set of boots and bracers that matched the armor, and a blue suit that was reminiscent of spandex, but was certainly not.
"Is that… armor?" Caulifla muttered, seeing Gokū pull out the effects from the large backpack. "What kind of armor is that?"
"I'm not sure," Gokū answered in a hushed tone. A small ache began to develop in the back of his head. Nothing too major, but it was enough to make the boy wince and clutch where the ache was located. "Agh! My head!"
"Gokū, you alright?" Caulifla asked, surprised at Gokū's sudden headache.
"I'm fine," Gokū waved off. "For now, anyways."
"Let's see what that journal has to say," Caulifla suggested, now drawing her eyes to the booklet in Gokū's hand.
Gokū removed the small string holding the journal closed and opened it up to the first page. Caulifla motioned in closer to read for herself.
October 12th, Age 737
I've come across a most astounding sight! I was on one of my normal hikes when I heard a loud boom from up in the sky. It wasn't expected to rain, and I had no little aches from the difference in pressure such weather tends to bring. Suddenly, a round sphere fell from the sky and landed in the nearby bamboo forest. I saw fit to investigate. When I got there, the crater created by the sphere was easily 20 meters in diameter, if not bigger. I climbed down to investigate and saw that the sphere was open. That was when I was attacked by a baby boy wearing strange armor, and possessing a monkey's tail. I must thank Muten Rōshi for his training, for if I was the average human, the lad may have killed me.
The boy looked scared, running on pure instinct, and possibly not even a year old. I felt pity that this child from the sky was so lost and decided to take him in as my own, and decided to name him Gokū. Some days, he was docile, but those days are usually after I have to hold him at bay. The boy had a voracious appetite, the likes of which I had never seen. I can only wonder why he came here, and who he was.
October 14th, Age 737
This boy is nothing short of wild! Every time I tried to bathe him, he tried to claw at my arms. Sometimes I had to stop him from sneaking up on me as he tried to pounce during my sleep. He had a way of running people ragged, that's for sure. I'm running low on options, as Gokū keeps trying to test my patience, and even using that name seems to get him angry.
What surprised me the most was that during the evening, the boy looked at the full moon and turned into a giant monkey - an Oozaru! The boy's temper was seemingly amplified and I had no way to stop him, but I was able to make it through the night when I learned that squeezing his tail makes him lose all of his strength, almost like the scruff at the back of a cat's neck. He turned back to normal when the moon set, but he was still a violent child.
October 21st, Age 737
Gokū had me at my wit's end. I did all that I could to tame the lad's wild nature, but it seemed uncontrollable. I was on a hike one day when the lad fell out of my backpack basket in an effort to escape. This proved to be an error as he took a massive tumble down a ravine and hit his head on a particularly dense rock. I rushed down and found that he was still alive, but was bleeding profusely from the back of his head. Despite his temper, I could not leave him here to die, so I immediately took him back home to nurse his injury. He had not woken up since.
October 25th, Age 737
Remarkable! The head injury Gokū sustained should have been fatal, but in less than 4 days, he was back on his feet and better than ever! Even stranger still, his once wild and violent nature had been replaced by something more kind and loving. He was no longer off-put by the name Gokū, and viewed me as his grandpa! I still need to take care that he doesn't go out at night, especially on nights of the full moon, but I am glad he has calmed down. Perhaps one day I will explain what I can of his origins, but not while he is still so young. I may even leave this journal and his old armor back in the bamboo forest in case he grows curious. I also need to write to Muten Rōshi about this!
Gokū closed the journal with a dumbstruck look on his face. Before he hit his head, he was little more than a scared wild animal that fell from the sky. Reflexively, he rubbed his head where he usually scratches and suddenly, all of the memories he had during the journals recount flooded back to him, and the boy let out an agonized wail, clutching his head as his mind was assaulted with old memories long since locked away.
"Gokū!" Caulifla cried out, dropping to a knee and holding the boy up. "We can come back later if-"
"No!" Gokū shouted as he finally recomposed himself, the aching finally subsiding. "I need… to find out more."
"But can't it wait when your headache passes?" Caulifla pleaded.
"Caulifla, I need to go deeper," Gokū retorted, a serious look on his face. "I don't want to wait for this headache to pass just for it to come back when I want to try again."
Caulifla looked at her friend with surprise. "I get you're worried about me, but I need to do this," Gokū said as he got himself to his feet.
"Alright," Caulifla sighed in relentment. "Your Gandpa's journal mentioned a sphere falling from the sky. Any idea what that could mean?"
"I don't know," Gokū said honestly. "But… I do remember how I was before I hit my head now. I really was an animal back then. I don't know why I was so upset with my name back then though."
"That must be the source of your headaches," Caulifla deduced. "You're trying to remember, and these things are trying to jumpstart your old memories."
"Makes sense," Gokū shrugged. "Let's keep going."
The two trekked deeper into the bamboo grove, looking for any more clues to Gokū's past. At first it seemed like they were going in circles until they saw a new set of oni effigies guarding a clearing they had not seen before. The duo looked at one another and gave a knowing nod before stepping across the threshold. Looking around, they saw a lot of overgrowth - not an uncommon sight in this region, but up ahead they saw a massive depression into the earth. They slowly walked over and when they looked down into the crater, they saw a moss-covered white sphere with a red window.
"What… is that?!" Caulifla gaped at the sight, while Gokū deftly slid down the crater, seemingly on autopilot. "Gokū, wait up!"
Gokū approached the strange sphere which as he got closer, looked more and more like a spaceship. He felt compelled to get even closer to it. Caulifla's voice was now muffled as Gokū's hearing was muted, the only clear noise being a high-pitched ringing. He raised his hand slowly and placed it on the red window of the sphere. Immediately he buckled to his knees and let out an agonized scream as the pain in the back of his head flared up to intolerable levels. Suddenly, fresh memories flooded his consciousness, and he was taken back in time. The world as he knew it faded to black as new images began to flood his vision.
Apsara Plateau, Planet Vegeta, Age 737
A young boy sat in a sealed pod crying as loud as he could as it was being carried to an isolated location. The view from his red-tinted window bobbed as he banged against it in an attempt to escape. Despite this, he could hear the voices of a man and woman.
"Please, bardock, there has to be another way!" The woman croaked out, addressing the man.
"I'm sorry, but I don't see any other option, Gine," The man, now known as Bardock, gruffly retorted to the woman.
"Well, why don't the three of us escape together?" The woman known as Gine suggested.
"It's too risky for us to go," Bardock again retorted. "Those long range scouters would track us down, and by extension, our son."
"I… I have to ask," Gine said, her voice shaky. "Why are you going through the trouble to save your son? This isn't like you. Like any of our race. To care about your son like this, especially since he's so weak, almost like me..."
Bardock let out an audible sigh. "I guess you've had an impact on my thinking, Gine," Bardock answered. "Over time, after all those missions, all those planets I was forced to slaughter, I guess I wanted to do something right for once."
The boy's view suddenly shifted as the motion in his pod stopped and in the viewport came two figures he had come to know. The boy ceased his crying and looked at their faces with worry. One was a tall man with well-defines muscles who looked exactly like he did, but with harsher eyes and a jagged scar across his left cheek, and the other was a shorter woman, not nearly as strong-looking, but her eyes held kindness that was unrivaled, tears welling within, and her hair was long and disheveled. Both were wearing unusual sets of armor.
The faces of the boy's father and mother, respectively.
"We'll be sending him to a planet called Earth," Bardock explained. "The natives there have low combat scores and aren't technologically advanced as a civilization. Additionally, the planet isn't a valuable one, so he'll be safe there, away from him."
Gine approached the window with a worried look in her eyes, her eyes glazing over with moisture. "If… If your father is wrong about this, we won't hesitate to come back for you!" The mother croaked as tears finally rolled down her face. "We won't let you be harmed by that monster!"
"Listen, son," Bardock began, his gruff expression laced with a hint of sadness and worry. "I want you to do whatever it takes to survive and grow stronger. Got it? You are a Saiyan, and have a warrior's legacy in you to help you survive."
"We'll come back for you as soon as we can!" Gine said.
The boy placed his hand against the red window, and Bardock's much larger hand was placed on the opposite side in response.
"Good luck," Bardock finished as he closed his eyes.
Suddenly, the pod hummed to life and lifted up into the sky. The boy's hand still placed firmly against the window as he saw his mother and father grow smaller the farther away he went. He was about to cry once more, until a sudden drowsiness overcame him, and he fell into a deep stasis, the last words from his mother echoing into his subconscous.
"Don't forget us, Kakarrot…!"
Mount Paozu, Present Day
"Gokū?"
Gokū was snapped from his flashback by a familiar voice. His hand was planted firmly against a red tinted window and tears began to roll down his face. Memories that were once locked away by a near fatal head injury had resurfaced and he knew who he was once more.
"Gokū, are you alright?" The boy turned to see Caulifla next to her, her face riddled with worry. "You haven't said anything for several minutes."
"My name…" Gokū muttered as he finally removed his hand from the pod, and earned a confused look from Caulifla. "I remember my name!"
"Gokū, what are you talking about?" Caulifla inquired, almost weirded out from seeing her friend like this.
"No, I mean my name before Grandpa Gohan found me," Gokū clarified. "It was… Kakarrot."
"Kakarrot?" Caulifla repeated.
"I'm… I'm not of this world," Gokū choked out. "...We're not of this world!"
"What're you saying?" Caulifla asked, now almost scared at this sudden information, before an epiphany hit her. The village people that raised her called her a Child from Heaven. Heaven, as in from above. From space! "We're aliens from another planet?!"
"I was sent away by my mother and father!" Gokū exclaimed, the epiphany hitting him with full force. "I remember who they are! It seemed like something bad was gonna happen and they sent me away to be safe! So many things make sense now! The tails! The appetite! The need to fight! Caulifla, We're-"
Gokū turned to address his friend, only to find she had climbed out of the crater and began to run. At where she was once standing was the petrified six star Dragon Ball. Gokū gently picked it up as a new realization hit him.
He was ready for this information, but she was not.
"Oh no," Gokū muttered as he stared at the now stone relic in his hand. "What have I done?"
Gokū's mind now began to work in overdrive. Caulifla was clearly upset at this revelation, and it was far more than she could handle. Gokū now felt sorely responsible and wanted to apologize. He needed to apologize.
Tucking away the smooth stone in his gi pocket, he climbed out of the crater as well, only to hear a loud 'POI' in the distance. Caulifla had capsulized her house. Wherever she was going, she was going far. Gokū did a quick inventory check of his own capsule case, making sure he was ready to travel, and began to sniff. Caulifla's scent was still strong, and therefore he had a solid lock with which to follow. He refused to use Kinto'un, as that would cause the boy to lose the trail, and go against Muten Rōshi's wishes. Steeling himself, he raced off to find Caulifla so that he could try and make things right.
Menra Village Ruins, 2 Weeks Later
Gokū had been hot on Caulifla's trail for the past two weeks, but was unable to catch up to her. His travels led him through a myriad of terrains and biomes, all of which he was able to power through. He had almost lost the trail a few times when rainy weather threatened to wash away the scent, but Gokū only picked up the pace when it rained, making sure to stay ahead of the weather and keep up with the scent.
Eventually, on a particularly overcast day, Gokū arrived at what looked like a ghost town, but it was in complete ruins. The village entrance had a weathered arch sign that, despite the destruction seen in the village and the exposure to the elements, was still legible.
"Welcome to Menra Village," Gokū read aloud. Caulifla's scent was strong here, which meant she must have stopped here, then a new realization hit him. "This is her home…"
The spiky-haired boy dropped to his knees and offered a small prayer for the former residents of the village, offering his condolences and hopes that their spirits would forgive his friend. When he finished, he began to tread lightly through the ruined village, the overcast emphasizing the haunting nature of what had happened here. All around he could see buildings that were torn apart, and several depressions in what looked like the main road.
"Oozaru footprints…" Gokū muttered as he observed the damage. The footprints were very worn down, certainly not fresh, much like the rest of the visible damage here. What happened here happened a long time ago. Gokū soon took notice of fresher footprints, but were human-sized and carried Caulifla's scent strongly. He followed the footprints until he heard choked whimpering from around the corner. As the boy turned around, he saw Caulifla at the edge of a large crater, folded up and quietly sobbing to herself.
"Caulifla?" Gokū spoke in a soft tone.
"Go away…" Caulifla whispered, her voice laced with a hint of venom.
"Caulifla, please talk to me," Gokū pleaded, taking a few small steps forward. "I came to apologize."
"For what?" Caulifla retorted, her voice shaky as she kept staring at the crater. "Remembering your own family while I remember nothing?"
"Caulifla…"
"When you found your pod, you remembered your original name, who your parents were, and who knows what else. Me? I got no memories. Just the pod repeating an automated message telling me to exterminate everyone on this planet…"
Caulifla began to break down into tears and hid her face with her arms. "I really am a monster…"
"Caulifla, you're not a monster," Gokū retorted softly.
"Then what the Hell am I?!" Caulifla suddenly shouted, turning to face Gokū, her eyes red from spent tears. "What am I if not some alien were-monkey sent here to bring Genocide?! Answer me that Gokū! Or should I call you 'Kakarrot,' since that's your real name!"
Gokū had no answer, as he internally winced at the sight of Caulifla in so much emotional pain. She turned away and hid her face in her arms again, renewing her crying. Gokū's mind meanwhile was in full overdrive. He followed her to make things right, and he would do what he could.
"You're my friend," Gokū answered finally, causing Caulifla's sobbing to cease. "You've helped me understand so much that I never would've found out on my own. We took down an evil military organization together, and used the Dragon Balls to undo the damage a world-class killer had caused. You even saved my life. No monster I know would do that."
Gokū walked up to Caulifla's side and sat at the rim of the crater, placing a hand on her shoulder. "If anything, you're a better person than I am," Gokū continued. "You didn't need a head injury to set you straight. And the way I see it, if either of us were sent here to be monsters, then I say to Hell with that."
Caulifla removed her face from her arms to see Gokū, who had an earnest smile on his face as he continued. "The people of Menra village raised you to be a good person, just like how Son Gohan tried to raise me right. Why we're here shouldn't matter. What should matter is what we'll do going forward."
Caulifla let out a small sniffle and wiped the tears from her eyes, soon smiling herself. "That's the smartest thing I've ever heard you say," Caulifla said, followed by a small chuckle. "It almost sounds like it came from a fortune cookie."
"I don't really like fortune cookies," Gokū retorted with a warm smile. "They tend to get stale, plus the paper inside isn't all that tasty."
Caulifla couldn't help but giggle at the boy's joke and pulled him in for a hug, which Gokū reciprocated. "I'm sorry I ran away like that," Caulifla croaked as she buried her face into her friend's shoulder. "Thank you for the pep talk Gokū. Uh, I mean, Kakarrot."
"You can still call me Gokū," the boy suggested with a shrug. "If anything, you could think of it as a nickname."
The two separated from their embrace, only for them to both look to the side and notice their tails were tangled up. Immediately they undid the coil and stepped backward.
"Oh I'm so sorry! I didn't realize!" Gokū hastily apologized, his face tinted red.
"No, It's fine, I didn't notice until you did!" Caulifla apologized with the same vigor and same blush.
The two let out an exasperated sigh and tried to avoid each other's eye contact for a little while, until Gokū spoke up. "I don't think we can hide it anymore," the boy sighed as he looked at his friend.
"Yeah," Caulifla nodded. "Well, if you're up for it, could we... resume our training?"
"I'd like that," Gokū agreed with a smile. "Oh, before I forget..."
Gokū reached into his gi pocket and pulled out the petrified Dragon Ball. "You dropped this."
Caulifla couldn't bring herself to say anything, but simply smiled and took the sphere. "Thank you," She said. "Probably not the best time to make the joke, but I promise I won't haggle you about marriage, food or otherwise."
Gokū couldn't help but chuckle at the joke. "Thanks, Caulifla."
The two stood up and left the ruins of Menra village with one final prayer and bow, ready to begin their training for the 22nd Tenka'ichi Budōkai with renewed vigor.
Eastern Mountains
A small cloaked figure with a cane was climbing several steps carved into the mountainside. The cold, humid air would thwart anyone wanting to climb, but this figure held firm, seeking a secluded dojo that taught only the best. The figure's destination was just a few dozen meters away, which was the Tsuru-Sen style dojo of Martial Arts. The figure gently slid open the door and stepped forth after wiping their feet on the mat outside, closing the door behind them. At the far end of the chamber sat a very old man - older than some may realize. He wore sunglasses and a green qipao with a red trim, with a yellow long-sleeved shirt underneath, and matching trousers. The most striking feature of the man's gi was the large "鶴" emblazoned in red on the front. The only hair he possessed was at the sides of his head curled up, and along his upper lip in the form of a thin pointed mustache. The most odd accessory to the man's look was an effigy of a crane's head sticking up out of his cap.
"Well well well," The old man greeted. "Congratulations on making it to the top of this mountain little girl, but you wasted your time and energy. Turn back now. I, the Tsuru-Sennin, am not taking new students."
The figure said nothing and tossed a small satchel at the foot of the man, a myriad of gold coins spilling out from within. The Tsuru-Sennin took a coin and gave it a quick bite to test its quality. The metal was to his liking and he looked at the cloaked figure. "You have my attention," The old hermit grinned. "Explain your purpose here."
"I'm looking for revenge," The figure spoke, clearly belonging to that of a girl, but laced with venom.
"I've had fools come to me seeking my teachings for petty revenge before," The Tsuru-Sennin retorted. "You'll have to do better than that."
The Crane hermit could not see, but the figure was smirking. "Revenge against two students of the Kame School of Martial Arts," she said. "The very same that brought an end to Tao Pai Pai."
The figure tossed a set of pictures on top of the pile of gold, showcasing Son Gokū and Cauilfla easily defeating the world-class assassin. The master's eyebrows arched upward with surprise at this information. "These two killed my brother? Now that is interesting. Though from your demeanor, I sense you've had training from the Kame School yourself."
"My father is Gyūmaō," The girl clarified, removing her hood to reveal fair skin, coal-black eyes and long straight hair to match. "And my name is Chi-Chi. I don't care about the Kame School, or any affiliation I had with it. I want my revenge against Son Gokū, and especially Caulifla. Those two also won first and second place of the Tenka'ichi Budōkai, as well as two others from the semifinals. So wouldn't it be all the sweeter to have another student show them up as well?"
The Tsuru-Sennin heard all these words and mulled it over for a moment, but then slid into a devilish smirk. "The funny thing is I know you're playing me, but you're right," The master nodded. "Very well. Just know that my training will be nothing compared to what the Kame School had to offer. Welcome to the Tsuru-Sen Dojo. Tenshinhan! Chaotzu!"
Two figures emerged from down the hall. A tall, muscular man with no hair on his scalp, but a third eye in his forehead. The other was a doll-like boy with pale white skin and red cheeks that seemed to float, complete with a small cap with a cotton ball on his head. Both were wearing the same style qipao as their master
"Show your new fellow student to her chambers," The Tsuru-Sennin ordered, to which they quietly bowed and gestured for Chi-Chi to follow them. The Frypan princess followed the two with a cold expression, eager to become stronger and exact her revenge.
'I will have my revenge, you thistle head…'
Tenshinhan - Tien Shinhan
Chaotzu - Chiaotzu
Tsuru-Sennin - Master Shen
A/N: Holy crap, 2 chapters in one weekend! Do not expect this to be a normal thing. (I'm looking at you, RulerOfAnimes...) I just felt a super drive to write this one, as it dealt with some super-dee-tuper juicy plot points. Gokū remembers his past before a certain big dude with long crazy hair had to clear things up. As for the name Menra Village, I derived that name from the word Ramen. I just scrabbled the syllables. With this chapter, I wrap up the arc for the timeskip. I may churn out a special sometime soon, but do not expect anything for the main story shortly after, as I want this to float about on its own until I pick it up again. I hope this was a fun read, and I hope this special chapter I have in the works will be a good read when I get it out. (Fair warning, it's gonna be purely for hyuks, and may, or may not, have inspiration from a certain spoof idea by a certain team.) I also apologize in advance if this seemed too rushed. At least I had the majority of this plotted out beforehand.