"RADITZ! RADITZ, NO!" Brussa screamed, falling to her knees at the sound of her brother's last breath. The scouter reported his flatlining vitals.
"Brussa, we-" Meys reached out, but Brussa swatted his hand.
"Get away from me!" Brussa stumbled forward onto her feet, "I'm going to kill them! All of them!"
"Wait, Brussa! If Raditz couldn't beat them, you don't stand a chance!" Meys pleaded, but Brussa was already flying off.
"Go with her," Shive said, "I can handle this planet. Keep her from doing something too stupid, I'll...I don't know, I'll tell Vegeta something."
"By yourself? Are you sure?" Meys asked, "We're a team. We should stay together."
Shive gestured to the destruction around them, "We've already hit the core of their infrastructure. There's not much left to do to wipe out this planet. I'll call in help if I need it. I'll only be a couple days behind you, okay? Go help Brussa."
"Saving all the fun for yourself, more like," Meys chuckled, "Stay in contact."
"Absolutely. Keep her safe."
Shive watched Meys fly after Brussa. Once he was out of sight, he removed his scouter, and flipped some settings on it so that Vegeta couldn't listen in. He connected to a secure line.
"I know where and when Vegeta is going to be. If you're still willing to make that offer, I'm willing to take it."
XXX
Chi Chi stared at the wall, a dreadful ringing in her ears, and nothing in her mind. Dazed from the news, she couldn't do anything but strike Gohan's hair.
"Chi Chi? Honey?" she felt her father's warm hand on her shoulder. She looked up to him, and then to Roshi.
"You were there?"
"Right in the middle of it. If I could have taken his place, Chi Chi, I would have. Goku died a hero. He saved us all," Roshi confirmed.
"From the monster that took my Gohan."
"Mm hmm. I wanted to tell you in person...I know how hard this is...The boy, he...He didn't even hesitate to do what was needed. I wish we'd had more time to prepare, to get stronger, Goku could have taken him, but a week wasn't enough time…"
"How much time? How much time would it have taken for Goku to have been ready?" she asked. Roshi took a big swallow.
"Uh...I don't know. We did everything we could, but it was only a week. And...There's more coming...His mother...Raditz said that his mother would be furious. I'm afraid this isn't over, but Goku bought us time."
Chi Chi nodded, "Okay. I'll be ready."
The room was silent for a moment.
"What?" Roshi and Ox King said at the same time. Chi Chi looked up.
"Nobody is going to take my baby away from me again. When Goku's mother gets here, I'm going to give her a piece of my mind!" Chi Chi declared, standing, "Master Roshi, I'm going to train! I don't care how many Saiyans show up, nobody hurts my Gohan!"
She picked up Gohan and hugged him closely, "Besides, if Goku's not going to be here...Someone has to protect him."
"Well, now that you mention that, Chi Chi...Goku did ask me to train your boy, so he'd be ready."
"He WHAT?!"
Roshi held up his hands, "S-So this works out great! We can all train together! The best teacher is teaching, you know? You, me, everyone else, we'll all teach the boy while training, and we'll make sure he stays on top of his studies, too!"
Chi Chi took a deep breath, "Damn that Goku...Leaving us when I need him the most…"
"You've still got friends. We'll go through this together, Chi Chi. We're all headed to the lookout next week. Meet us at Capsule Corp, if you can."
"I'll be there, Master Roshi."
"And Gohan? You look after your mother until then, okay?"
"Okay Master Roshi!" Gohan nodded. Roshi ruffled his hair. He took his coat and hat, and stepped out of the house. He took a deep breath; almost as hard as the real thing.
"Master Roshi?" Ox King stepped out of the door, holding a pair of beer bottles.
"Hmm? Oh, hello."
"It's been a long time since we got the chance to just talk," Ox King popped the cap off one, and offered it to Roshi, who accepted the drink.
"I wish it were under better circumstances."
"Goku was something special. I'm gonna miss him. I don't think Chi Chi is going to be the same…" Ox King admitted, opening his own beer.
"We might not have to," Roshi said, pulling out a small package from his pocket, "Remember, we still have the Dragonballs."
Roshi opened the box, revealing the four-star ball. Ox King gawked for a moment, and smiled.
"Gohan's still looking after us, after all this time, huh? I miss him more and more every day."
"You and me, both. But look at what he's left for us, eh?"
Ox King smiled and sipped his beer, "I wish I'd done more with your training, Master Roshi."
"You went on to lead a good life. Sure, you needed a little help along the way. But those were different times, even without space warriors threatening our world. You've got a wonderful family. As your teacher, I'd say you've done an excellent job with your training. You keep taking care of them, hear? That's my final lesson to you, I think."
Ox King smiled, and nodded, "Of course, Master Roshi."
XXX
"Tao? Can you hear me?" Bulma flashed the light in front of Tao's face. The monitor that mirrored Tao's ocular input registered that they were, indeed, following the light she was shining.
"I seem to be," Tao said, "Though I'm having trouble moving."
"Well, that's because I've got most of your systems shut down. You took heavy damage in the fight, it was pretty touch-and-go to get you out of that alive. I'm surprised you didn't suffer actual brain damage. You're very lucky."
"Given the fact that we're alive, I assume we won?" Tao asked. Bulma paused, and nodded.
"We did. Your poison definitely helped. But...Goku...He…"
Tao didn't respond as Bulma turned away to cry. He had to admit, he respected the man, now more than ever. From what he'd been told, Raditz was Goku's brother, but he stood against him despite being the only family he had. That took a lot of strength; Tao would kill Shen at the mere request, but few could harden their heart to that prospect.
"In the end, he surpassed all of us. The Earth is weaker for his loss. I regret I could only do what I could."
Bulma's crying halted, and she stood straight without looking at Tao, "Do you mean that?"
"Does it matter if I mean it? It's what you need to hear."
Bulma turned to him, not caring about her running makeup, "Do you mean it? Regretting you could only do what you could?"
"What do I have if our world is destroyed? Even if I managed to go to space, what would I have? No reputation, no money, no future."
"Good. That's what I wanted to hear," Bulma said, and she pulled up a briefcase, "Your payment for fighting Raditz is in here. But there's a lot more where that came from."
"I'm listening."
"You barely managed to hurt Raditz on your own. I've looked at your systems, and I think there's a lot more we can do. There's more like Raditz on the way. We're going to need every fighter we've got. You promise to fight them, and I'll not just rebuild you, but I'll make you the deadliest machine on the planet. We got a deal?"
Tao grinned, thinking, If only you knew.
"You have a deal, girl."
XXX
The two Namekians stared off with one another on the Lookout. They had no reason to speak with one another; they each knew what the other was thinking. Mr. Popo remained at a distance from Kami and Piccolo, still terrified of the being and his history.
"The world's so much smaller without Goku to hate, isn't it, Piccolo?" Kami asked.
"Goku was the last obstacle in my path. Now there's nothing stopping me from taking over this world," Piccolo insisted.
"No, there isn't, is there? None of Goku's friends can possibly hope to match you. This world is yours, if you want it - for a time, anyway."
"You mean the Saiyan's mother."
"No," Kami shook his head, "Not just her. There's more than just one headed this way. Two are already headed here, and they'll arrive in a short while. If you want to take over the world, you have less than four months to do it before they get here, and take this planet from you for killing their comrade. Neither are as strong as Raditz was, but not by much. And then, within a year, that is when Raditz's mother will arrive, and she's accompanied by two Saiyans even more powerful. One is more powerful than all the Saiyans put together."
Piccolo did not like that response, but said nothing. He and Kami shared all their thoughts; he knew Kami was telling the truth, and knew where he had gotten that information.
"So I'll get stronger. I'll put them down, and end their entire race!"
Kami nodded, "You can try. And you might have to. I know this isn't what you want to hear, but you don't have to do it alone-You shouldn't do it alone."
"You mean the fools Goku brought with him. They were worthless. They got in each other's way. If it had just been me and Goku, we could have-"
"You, me, and Goku, and everyone else, would all be dead if they hadn't gotten involved. Face it, Piccolo. You need them, if only to train with. Let them help. You're our best chance. There's little I would ever ask of you, but I ask this. Our times really are that desperate."
Piccolo scoffed, "We both know that I'm not your Plan 'A'. Don't even try hiding that from me."
Kami nodded, "It's true. I've sent Goku to train with King Kai in the Otherworld. If we're lucky, he'll be powerful enough to take on the Saiyans when he returns. But in the meantime, I believe we can find a way to defeat the Saiyans without him. I have to believe that, because we won't have Goku back in time to deal with the first wave.
"I know you're powerful, I know you've got your pride, Piccolo, but we need you here. Train with the others. You'll earn their respect, and I think they'll surprise even you with what they're capable of. I wouldn't be asking this of you if I didn't truly believe this. It's not a shame to admit that this is beyond you, at least right now."
"After that, what happens? What would stop me from defeating Goku and taking over the planet?"
Kami's grip on his staff tightened, "You heard what the Saiyan called you. He knew something about us. That word-Namekian. It means something. To both of us."
Piccolo fought the urge to deny it, but his curiosity was definitely piqued, "There may be a deeper truth about us. Beyond the explanation of Demon and Deity. What if we don't like the answer?"
"Then we live on, all the wiser for it regardless. The truth can only make us stronger. When the Saiyans are dealt with, we can find out more. But we have to worry about this world first, before we explore any others."
"Fine. When do the fools arrive?"
Kami smiled, "They're already on their way."
XXX
Raditz reached out, looking at his hands. He was supposed to be a cloud, his body taken by that red man with the desk, like all the other spirits. And yet here he was, with his arms, legs, torso, tail, hair...Even his armor was still there. He reached down to his abdomen; no hole.
"Where am I?" Raditz looked around what seemed to be a poorly lit castle. There were columns that seemed to stretch on forever, leading up to a red and blue throne, "Is there anyone here?"
"Just you and I, Saiyan," a voice called out. A red-skinned man with horns and long, pointed ears stepped out from behind the throne, and sat upon it. Raditz looked up at the man, and blinked.
"I'm afraid I don't recognize you. Am I supposed to be impressed?" Raditz asked, crossing his arms.
"Yes, but I won't hold that against you. You're the Saiyan warrior, Raditz, one of the last of your kind. Your list of atrocities is long, and the oceans of my realm are quite filled with the blood of your victims. There aren't many down here that can match your accomplishments. You and your squad have made enough of a splash for me to notice," the man chuckled, reading from a piece of parchment.
"Well I'm glad I could entertain you. Now tell me what you want, or I'll be taking my leave," Raditz insisted.
"You can certainly try, but nobody leaves my realm without my permission. I'm afraid you'd be lost for eternity until I decided to pluck you out. You aren't going anywhere, Raditz," they said.
"Well then you can stop wasting time for us both, and tell me who you are and what you want!"
The throned man looked from the parchment to Raditz, "Do you know what happens to souls like yours when they die, Raditz? It isn't pretty. There's a hell for each world, and normally they get tormented by the Angels for all eternity. The things you've done, you're bound for some particularly harsh treatment. But once in a while, before someone like you dies, I get the chance to make a claim on their soul. Then they get to become whatever I decide."
"So you've saved me from Earth's hell? Why? How? I've never met you before."
"A little bit of tit-for-tat, really. Trades here and there, calling in favors. I've invested quite a lot just to be able to speak with you, much less get your body back. But you're a rare opportunity, Raditz, and I'm going to make you an offer."
Radtiz crossed his arms, "I'm not interested in switching tyrants. I'm dead, there's no reason for me to do your bidding."
"Of course not. But all I ask is that you listen. If you refuse, I'll just send you back to Hell, where you'll be a tormented little cloud for the rest of time, if that's what you'd prefer."
"Fine."
"I'm working on a little something, and it all depends on that world you died on, Earth. For a long time, it hasn't had what I need. But your arrival, and your potential, has changed that. You see, Earth has been lacking in quality warriors for a very long time, but your battle with your brother has caught my attention. Your sister is already on her way to avenge you, and your mother and the Prince won't be far behind."
Raditz winced at the mention of his family.
"And by the time your mother arrives, your brother will already be returned to life, far more powerful than when you fought him."
"What?"
The man grinned, "Yes, your brother has some dedicated friends. You remember their talk of the Dragonballs? They're real, and they work. They're going to bring back Kakarot. You can imagine the devastation on your team that conflict will bring."
"No...I can't let them destroy each other! It would be the end of the Saiyans! Of my family!"
"And that would be a tragedy, wouldn't it? You need to protect the Saiyans, and I ended strong warriors on Earth. So, I think we can come to an arrangement, Raditz. Earth is a perfect world for the Saiyan race to rebuild itself-lots of life, a compatible cousin species to repopulate with, and it's relatively obscure. The Saiyans have more potential than most, don't think I haven't noticed," the man said, waving the parchment.
"Why do you need strong warriors on Earth?"
"Like I said, I'm working on something. When the time comes, the Saiyans can again be conquerors under a power that will make Frieza look like a bug. All the galaxies will be ripe for the taking once we're ready. But, for now, all you have to do is train. We'll make sure that, when your brother is brought back, his friends will bring you, as well. Work with your brother, and make sure that none of the Saiyans are killed. Make sure they stay on Earth, and continue to get stronger. When you're ready, you'll surpass and destroy Frieza. When that time comes, we'll move forward with our plan, and the Galaxies, even the Other World itself, will be ours."
"I won't make deals with someone I don't even know the name of."
"You may call me Dabura. But it's imperative that you keep the name to yourself."
"What is this project?"
"It might not even come to fruition during your lifetime, Raditz. Maybe your grandchildren, or great-grandchildren, will reap the benefits of my plans. And if you choose not to trust me, you're still free to make whatever preparations you choose before then. All I'm asking is that you train, keep your people safe on Earth, and keep our deal a secret. 'Be fruitful, and multiply.' Nothing you wouldn't do already. Eat, fight, drink, and be merry."
"That doesn't answer my question."
Dabura scowled, "Getting the answer would cost you far more than what I'm offering you now, Raditz. Be happy I've noticed you at all. Don't make me destroy you."
A shiver went down Raditz's back at the threat; he could feel the power of this entity when growled at him in a way he didn't understand.
"All I have to do is make sure the Saiyans don't die?"
"And stay on Earth, yes."
"And will you train me?"
Dabura grinned, "At first, while your brother runs Snake Way. Then, I'll make sure you join him. It's important that you work together, even if it means fighting your own squad. When we're done here, you'll go to King Kai. Plead with him that you want the chance to redeem, and find a way for the Saiyans to stay on Earth. Don't be afraid to remind him of the threat that is Frieza. But we can go over that later."
Raditz took a deep breath, "All right, Dabura."
The Demon King grinned.
"Good. All I need is for you to sign this, and we can get started."
XXX
Author's Note: Before anyone asks how Dabura noticed Raditz, keep in mind the scale of what the Saiyans could accomplish if there were more of them, working more closely together. He's much more powerful here than in the original, meaning he's killed a lot more people, enough for Dabura to notice him.
