The cacophony of locusts and crickets chirping made an uproarious din in the dense jungle, over which Vegeta swore, clicking off his scouter.

"What was that all about, Prince Vegeta?" Nappa asked, all too familiar with the quick temper of his royal superior.

"Nevermind that, Nappa, just some blabbering woman on the other end. Probably has no idea how to work a sophisticated craft like ours." He said, tearing off a piece of meat from the insectoid limb and chewing it with a bitter expression.

"What's a woman doing in a Saiyan space pod?" Nappa chuckled as he too took a loud crunching bite from the green shell. Vegeta mulled over this, then said lowly,

"I don't know, but I don't like it. That ship's been dead in the water for over 25 years." Vegeta sighed, then swallowed the putrid flesh with a hard gulp.

"What I wouldn't do for some decent fucking food!" He growled, throwing the offensive meat into the large pile of Tritekian bodies.

"It's alright, Boss. We're just about done here, then maybe we can take a little detour, seeing as we finished so early without that blundering idiot, Raditz messing everything up with his boozin' an' whoring!" He laughed, tossing the meat down and walking farther into the dense jungle of Planet Tritek. The odd mottled light through the treetop canopy of pink and green leaves altered the golden paint of Vegeta's armour to green and illuminated his dense black mane to a sanguine shade of red, as the two strange suns of Planet Tritek began to set in the North Galaxy.

Goku had taken off faster than the speed of light on his nimbus cloud after the tense encounter with his newly reacquainted elder brother Raditz who had kidnapped Gohan.

Tien and Launch stared up at the sky worriedly as Goku's form became only a small dot on the horizon.

"Hmm. Maybe I should go after them. Goku could use my help.." Tien mused, looking down to Chiaotzu and then Launch.

"No! It's too dangerous, Tien!" Launch cried out, her raspy voice shrill with fear. Tien was startled by her sudden outburst, puzzled as to why she would care.

"Chiaotzu, stay here." He patted his friend on the head.

"I don't want you to go either, Tien! I'm scared!" Chiaotzu cried, clutching his green pant leg. Tien sighed.

"Well, I suppose this is Goku's personal business, after all." He said as he rubbed the side of his smooth head thoughtfully.

"He'll be alright, he's tough! He'll beat that muscle-headed creep, I just know it!" Launch said with enthusiasm, punching his arm playfully. Tien was pleasantly surprised with the amount of strength that was in it.

"You're right, Launch, no matter what happens, Goku always seems to beat the odds." He replied, looking at her now for perhaps the longest he ever had. He couldn't help but notice how beneath her hard exterior, Launch was after all, still a girl. A pretty one at that, especially under the light of the sunset, with bands of gold shining in her hair, the emerald green of her eyes luminous with unshed tears.

"Ok. I'll stay." He said, and was surprised when not only Chiaotzu but also Launch threw their arms around him, sobbing in relief. Master Roshi cleared his throat, looking to his old friend Turtle before the vast expanse of ocean blue.

"Goku will be fine. I always knew he was something special." He said softly and strolled down the shore with the sea turtle in tow, talking quietly amongst themselves. Tien pulled back from Launch's iron grip, chuckling nervously.

"Say, um, Launch, what do you say we take our minds off all this trouble. Let's do something fun later." She looked up to him with widened eyes, and Chiaotzu jumped up and down excitedly.

"Can we play a game, Tien ? Please, please, please?" Tien looked at his little friend and smiled.

"Perhaps, but you have to get to bed in a little while, Chiaotzu. Why don't you help Launch clean the kitchen real quick?" He said, knowing that Chiaotzu would soon become tired and go to bed on his own. If I'm being honest, I could really use a break sometimes from playing the act of big brother.

"Ok! I'll do it really fast, Tien, it'll be done in no time!" He yelled happily, taking off inside. Launch looked at Tien and winked subtly, her cheeks flushed pink.

"See ya later, handsome ." She said in a soft, sultry voice.

Tien was so startled his face turned a dark shade of red. All of his eyes widened as she giggled, his eyebrow twitching as he stared at her bunny-tailed rear swaying purposefully for him to see as she went inside.

Oh jeez. What am I doing? He thought, and turned away bashfully, taking off to the backyard to get some crane poses in. Hopefully, that will get this weird fluttering feeling out of my stomach.

Bulma sighed as she sunk deeper into the bathtub. She was slowly sipping on her bubbly champagne, staring at her wiggling red toenails as she stretched one leg out over the tub and relaxed. Bulma was feeling uneasy, and was trying her best to push the negative thoughts out of her mind about Yamcha. She wondered if he really cared as much as he said; if he did, wouldn't he have come over sooner and at the very least given her a call?

She downed the rest of the champagne, setting it on the side of the tub, sinking down and growling into the bubbles.

He better make this up to me, you know! I'm not just any ordinary girl, I'm better than that! I shouldn't have to beg to get some attention! She huffed, crossing her legs.

Bulma let her mind wander as it often did these days; she just felt so lonely, like there was something... missing in her life.

If only I could find my Mr. Right. I wish it could be Yamcha, but the way things are looking, I'm not sure it's him anymore. I want a real man, someone who isn't just tall, dark and handsome. Someone who is thoughtful, who can match me in a battle of wits, or just kiss me like I'm the only girl in the world...

Bulma sighed longingly, twirling her long, silky, conditioned hair between her fingers, tilting back her head. Yamcha kisses me like I'm his grandma or something... I need a man who's not afraid to get a little rough, to show me exactly how much he desires me... She shivered a little, trailing her fingernail down her slick throat, down to her soft chest and beneath the cover of the bubbles. I mean, is it so bad to want to feel like you're special? To want to have an unselfish man, who makes sure that I'm happy... and satisfies me... completely? Bulma's legs spread open under the water and she fluttered her blue eyelashes as she sunk down deeper, her face drifting to the side as she parted her lips and exhaled.

Oh yeah... that's what I'm talking about...

"Bulma, honey! You have a visitor!~" Her mother's voice calling up the stairs startled her, and she popped up out of the water, gulping nervously as if guilty.

"Just a minute!" She pulled the tub's plug quickly and closed the shower curtain. Bulma then turned on the water to rinse off, yelping at the sudden burst of cold water before it became warm. Bunny's voice on the other side of the door startled her as she attempted to clear her fuzzy head.

"It's Yamcha, and he says to put on a nice dress, he's got a surprise for ya!" She said giddily, and the words only caused Bulma more stress as she turned off the water and pulled a fluffy pink towel off the nearby rack. She wrapped it around herself, bundling her long hair up with another and stepping out.

"I wonder what it is this time?" Bulma said, slightly miffed. She hoped that it was something nice and not like before, when he just wanted to show her a new martial arts move he learned. Bulma didn't want to get her hopes up then shot down like before.

"Oh, don't worry sweetie, I think this time he's gonna really impress you! I know he sure did me!" Bunny said, fanning her face, slipping out of the room so Bulma could get changed.

"I'm going to see what your father's up to!" Bunny giggled. Bulma turned and looked in the tall vanity mirror at herself, then smiled a naughty little smile and pulled open the dresser to pull out a silk satchel that held something very special.

"Oh, I think he's gonna be the one who's surprised this time. He won't be able to resist me..." She said, pulling out the expensive lingerie and holding it in front of her. "Of course, how could any man?" She said, dropping the towel to reveal herself, the sunlight shining from the window and onto her pale, supple flesh.

The sun weighed heavy in the sky, over a long grassy plain littered with battle wounds, the azure sky was bright and beautiful against the white mountain range in the distance. Three warriors stood on the ridge of a circular concave in the earth, where small Gohan could be heard faintly crying, the pain from having his wrists bound by his own tail almost enough to make him lose consciousness.

"It's ok, Gohan, daddy will be there soon, just hold on!" Goku said, edging forward to the crater where his nemesis stood before. Raditz's black and brown battle armour shone flawlessly under the beating sun, untouched. The large warrior scoffed with disgust.

"Please, you're coddling the child! The pain will make him tough! If I didn't know any better, I'd say that bawling spawn has a better chance of beating me than his own moronic father!" He said with a scathing laugh.

Goku shook off the insult, only concerned with the welfare of his crying child.

"How could you do such a horrible thing? You know how painful it is to have your tail squeezed! You'll regret that, 'brother'!"

Goku said spitefully, his expression stern.

He burst forward quickly and punched Raditz in his sharp angled jaw, causing his head to be thrown back with the force.

Raditz lowered his chin and spat a mouthful of blood on the ground, and spoke, "You put up a proper fight, Kakarot. Perhaps losing your tail didn't completely kill the Saiyan inside," He grinned, wiping his mouth with the back of his arm.

"I don't care what you say, my home is here on Earth! And my name is Goku!" He shouted back, with one eye swollen shut, clutching a dislocated shoulder. Raditz chuckled, tilting his head forcefully to the side with his large hands, popping the various misaligned segments of his spine back into place.

"Enough talking and more fighting!" Piccolo growled, and they got back into a fighting stance. The three crashed together, their movements unintelligible to the human eye.

"Now, this is what I'm talking about!" Raditz said, entertained as they got close enough to one another to grapple. All three, punching and kicking one another in a sheer flurry of vicious blows, at an incomprehensible speed. Grass and dirt flew through the air with the intense speed and force of the blows.

Goku strained, trying to hold off the inhuman strength of his own flesh and blood, not understanding how he could move so fast and be practically unaffected by what normally would be too much for even him. Piccolo dived in and out of the flurry of limbs, ducking below to beat the larger warrior's stomach as Goku rammed his fists into his face. Raditz stopped them both with a blow, one to Goku's sternum, and a knee in Piccolo's face.

Although wounded they managed to wrench out of the close tangle Raditz had them in and took off flying. Raditz approached Goku and Piccolo quickly, cackling as he was reaching for their legs. They slowed by a fraction, looking back to see where he had grabbed them by the ankles but he was gone in an instant.

Raditz burst in front of them both, laughing cruelly as his long mane of hair whipped across his face on the furious wind. Goku and Piccolo attempted to evade and Raditz hit them both in the face with his boots, kicking them down unmercifully with the dirty move. Goku crumbled to the ground, feeling blood pool in his mouth, his eyes blurry with dirt.

Piccolo stood off to the side, panting and squinting his eyes. That was fast...! Faster than the speed of sound!

"Daddy! Don't hurt my daddy!" Gohan cried, Goku looked over, cringing in pain just to turn his neck to the side.

"Gohan...run on home! Don't watch this! Get help from someone!" He groaned, squeezing his eyes shut.

"No, daddy!"

Raditz reared back, floating up into the sky. He looked down, grinning maliciously.

"Come and catch me, if you can!" He teased, blasting up into the sky. They made to follow before Raditz lowered his arms and formed two large white ki balls from his sparking hands. The air around him crackled, and the massive orbs shot down to the ground with a great rumbling and cracking of earth.

Goku jerked to the right and flinched as he heard Piccolo bellow in pain, dark purple blood spattering from his severed arm. Goku gasped as the heat struck him head on, rocketing at him quickly before he could even blink. Goku fell down to the earth and landed hard on his back, screaming as the scorching heat surrounded, leveling the earth around them both. Raditz chuckled, floating down and observing their struggling on the ground.

"You just don't quit, do you? Face it, even as a child I was training on Planet Vegeta where the gravity was much denser. I grappled with the toughest of the tough alien kind as a small child. Moving here, it's like I weigh as much as a feather."

Goku and Piccolo looked at one another in question. Piccolo nodded, then stood and removed his cape, his turban, and wristbands with multiple resounding thumps.

Goku chuckled softly through his panting, tearing away the torn remnants of his gi. The blue weighted shirt hit the ground with a thud, followed by his armbands and boots.

Raditz's eyes widened as Piccolo and Goku's power slowly began to build back up, to his amazement.

"Hey." Goku winked at the green man beside him. Piccolo blinked back, grunting and they lifted their feet from the ground to speak more privately.

"Can you still use that special power with one arm?" Goku whispered.

"Yeah, that part's okay. But this technique takes quite a bit of time in order to build up enough ki. While I'm doing that, you fight him by yourself and draw his attention." Piccolo said back lowly.

"Got it! Will this technique work against him?" He asked hopefully.

"Probably. If this doesn't work, then there's no other way to defeat him. I was saving this in order to kill you." Piccolo responded point blank, lowering his chin and glowering.

Goku raised his eyebrows in surprise, "And instead, you might end up saving me with it, huh?" He smiled, with a laugh.

"If I am able to defeat him with this, then your turn is next."

"Is that right?" He chuckled again.

"This is no time to be laughing, you know." Piccolo said sternly, quelling the laughter with just one hard glare.

"What?! What are you two whispering about? Make it quick, this is a battle, not a social call!" Raditz screamed angrily, steaming at the unbelievable gall of his idiot brother. He let out a heavy sigh, if he didn't finish this fight pretty soon, he wasn't sure he would live to make it back to Lord Frieza. Raditz paused to wipe his brow with a forearm, then glared at the black bracer on his arm. He smirked, turning away from them slightly.

As the two conversed, Raditz pulled a syringe from inside his bracer and pressed the plunger down, injecting it directly into an artery in his throat. He then crushed the glass under his boot. It was enough to get him through this battle regardless of what ailed him. The mixture was made to keep warriors on their feet until they succumbed to their death from the extreme loss of blood due to the inability to feel pain. It would give him a boost of energy, and he could already feel it pumping through his veins.

I just need a little more time, at least until the others get here; then I can die proud, knowing that I never failed my mission. I will have recovered the last known Saiyan in the universe, and fought until the bloody end.

Goku and Piccolo floated back down to earth, glaring at him with new confidence.

"Enough idle chit-chat, ladies, are you ready to fight or are you admitting defeat?" Raditz said cockily, his eyes following them as they landed.

The green man sneered at Raditz, his eyes full of hatred. "We're ready to finish this if you are, because as I see it, I bet your younger brother here is strong enough to overtake his elder brother." He said, grinning. Goku looked at him and grinned back.

"Piccolo just may be right, and I'm a betting man as well. Let's say you and I take this fight away from Gohan, and I'll show you just how serious I am! I would even bet my life for my son's!" He said, eyeing Raditz hatefully.

"Are you sure it's wise to bet on that, Kakarot? I am to bring you back to my home base alive, you know." Raditz smirked, cracking his knuckles.

Goku responded by smirking back, his ebony eyes glinting with the promise of a challenge. "...If you can survive this battle, then you can drag me home to your home base, but I won't take it lying down. You'll be long dead before that happens."

"Heh. I like your determination. Name the place and the time, brother."

I won't lie, my brother is more than strong enough to compete with the best soldiers of Frieza's army, Raditz thought with pride.

Goku jumped up and they took flight, dashing southward through the sky until they were far enough that he could truly unleash his power without harming Gohan.

" Ka..me..." Goku rose into the sky slowly, as Raditz stared up at him in amazement, his green scouter lighting with yellow digits.

"Impossible!" Raditz said, stunned. He stepped back a pace, amazed by the digits on the screen rapidly increasing.

"His battle power is rising!" He gasped, as the light spun and grew larger.

"Battle power, 924...925?!" Raditz exclaimed.

"Ha..." The wind rose violently around them, blades of grass and dirt whipping in small tornadoes at the level of power above.

"Me..." Goku felt the power surging through him, ready to erupt.

Raditz turned back, frantic, hearing a sound emanating from the Namekian as well, who was surrounded by swirling smoke and blue aura.

"T-this one's battle power is now 1020! U-unbelievable! It's still going up! " He cried out, turning back to Goku in shock.

"HA!" Goku exclaimed loudly, sending the blast rocketing to the ground with a great gust of wind and an ear piercing sound.

Raditz dodged back quickly then took off running, angrily looking over his shoulder.

"You've got some balls after all!" He growled out, half in admiration, half in agitation. He was dodging to and fro as Goku struggled to alter its path, looking behind his back with fear as it came up behind him and he turned, having no choice but to block it.

"He caught it!?" They echoed in their mutual surprise.

Raditz put his hands together and dug his heels into the dirt as the power hit him with a blinding white splash. His long hair blew backwards, and he was washed in blue light, clenching his teeth as he felt the sheer power nearly burning his hands.

Piccolo and Goku looked on, hopeful as Raditz's form was lost in the white energy, and it seemed that perhaps this had done it. Then, the light faded, the remnants still flashing in their eyes only to reveal that he still stood there, smiling.

"No... He didn't even get scratched..." Goku said in horror, lowering his hands.

Raditz stood, shaking, his hands frozen in the blocking motion. He looked up to where Goku was in the sky and sent back a large ki blast at him, viciously knocking him out of the sky. Goku went plummeting down to earth headfirst, and as he landed Raditz came up on him quickly, towering over his beaten, bloody form. He raised a fist in anger, his hand shook with the sheer rage he felt as Goku stared up at him dazedly, then his brother's half-lidded eyes flicked to behind him. Raditz turned to see the Namekian chuckle as his aura grew larger, becoming golden and bright as the atmosphere around them grew darker with the intense power.

"You! You're a persistent one, aren't you?" He muttered angrily, dashing out of the way. Piccolo only grinned as he brought his ki up to the very highest point, sweat dripping from his temples as he bellowed with the powerful blast. Raditz was startled by the intensity focused in the swirling ki, so concentrated into a corkscrew point that it was surely lethal.

The light became blinding with its final surge, and with a searing strike through the sky, Piccolo and Goku waited for the smoke to clear around the enemy. The smoke slowly dissipated, and to their horror he still stood there, smiling as the beam hit the far mountain beyond where they stood, making a clean, circular void in it.

Raditz looked to the shoulder plate of his battle armour and brushed it off where it was cleanly shattered. His shoulder was burnt and bleeding, but it didn't seem to affect him at all.

"..You pierced through this armor quite easily. I'm impressed..." He smirked, coming closer to Piccolo. Piccolo shuddered with anger, standing from his crouching position.

"I intended to strike you through the heart!" He responded, snarling savagely with the sheer rage he felt.

"Oh...? You're playing a hard game now, no more pussyfooting around what you're aiming at. Do you feel the same, Kakarot...?" Raditz turned to his fallen brother, frowning. Too bad they have to die now. I was quite enjoying grappling with them.

"This isn't a game! We want you dead, Raditz." Goku said, getting to his knees, quivering with the very agony of moving. Raditz was taken aback by the hatred reflected in his brother's eyes. He took a shuddering intake of breath then lowered his brow; curling his lip back to bare his teeth, he snarled,

"I'll send you straight to hell! You can rot there, for all I care! I have no brother! You are not worthy to bear our name, Kakarot!" He bellowed.

With that, Raditz kicked Goku back down to the dirt carelessly, falling atop him and raining heavy blows into his nearly lifeless body, punching him until the reddened skin of his face was burst and bleeding and kneeing him in the abdomen until he was gasping hoarsely for breath.

"Hey! That's enough!" Piccolo growled.

"Oh...? Would you like a turn?" Raditz sneered, turning back to go after Piccolo next. Goku nodded to Piccolo and took hold of Raditz's tail and gripped it firmly. Raditz dropped to his knees, weakened.

"W-What are you doing?!" Raditz moaned, cringing.

"This is payback for what you did to Gohan! Hurts, doesn't it? How do you like it?" He said, and took both hands and squeezed it tightly.

"Piccolo! Hurry and do that beam thing one more time!" Goku grunted, twisting the squirming appendage in his hands. Raditz groaned and howled with pain.

"You got it! Make sure you keep a firm grip on that tail! I'm limited to only being able to use this technique one more time!" Piccolo panted, returning to firing stance and placing two fingers to his forehead.

"K-Kakarot! Are you planning to kill your one and only brother!?" Raditz cried out, struggling to turn and look at him.

" Shut up! I told you, you're no brother of mine! You tried to use Gohan as leverage to get what you wanted, not caring how it hurt him!" Goku yelled, then pulled it harder. Raditz fell to the dirt, nearly sobbing with agony.

"N-no! I promise, I didn't mean to hurt the boy! I only had to restrain him for his safety! I'll leave this planet, please, if you would only let go!" He cried.

"Don't be fooled, Son Goku! There's no truth in what he's saying! There's no way he would do that!" Piccolo urged, furrowing his brow as the golden light sparkled at his fingertips.

"P-please! Believe me, younger brother! I won't lie, I have done some cruel things up to now, I admit! But I will keep my promise, no matter what!" He sobbed into the dirt, digging his nails into the torn sod.

Goku gulped, his expression conflicted. "You promise...?"

"Yes! Yes, I swear it, on my honor!"

"Don't believe his lies for a second! Do not let go of his tail, I'm begging you, Son Goku!" Piccolo swore, frantic.

The tail had already slipped easily through his hands, for with Goku's forgiving nature he always tried to see the best in even the worst of villains. Raditz was no different, and he felt his heart aching with sympathy for him. It was impossible that he could be so cold and callous, that there was absolutely no love in his heart? Maybe all Raditz needed was to feel a little kindness.

Raditz got to his feet, wrapping his tail around his waist, snickering. "How pathetic! You would really be so naïve to allow me to convince you to let go of the only chance you had to defeat me? I take it back, you would be only a burden in our army! Weakness like that is what gets men killed!" Raditz spat, turning to Goku.

"That was a filthy lie you told, Raditz! I can't believe you!" Goku yelled.

"I am nothing like you, my soft-hearted brother! I have no qualms about deceiving another to get what I want! That's the way I had to be if I wanted to SURVIVE!" Raditz roared, and with that, he began throwing a barrage of white-hot ki balls to the already battered man on his knees. Goku didn't move from his kneeling supplication - he took the blows with a pained expression, a pleading gleam of desperation and hope in his eyes. Raditz squeezed his eyes shut to ignore the conflicting stare that vexed him, only pummeling him harder with a flurry of orbs, until Goku was screaming with agony.

"Yes, scream! Beg for mercy!" He cackled harshly, hearing the rising groan of Piccolo charging up his attack in the background.

"Oh, shut up, your turn is next!" Raditz snapped, whipping a few quick orbs back at Piccolo. He grunted as the balls made purple welts in his flesh, grinding his heels into the ground. Piccolo only charged his attack harder, filling it with his seething wrath.

"It's time for you to die, Kakarot!" Raditz returned to attack once more but found himself wrapped in Goku's arms. His eyes widened, startled as he turned them to face the swirling energy of the Namekian who was turning the sky into a dazzling array of violet and golden rays.

"...W-what? What!?" He asked the air sizzling with electricity, the acrid stench of hot sulfur. Raditz struggled to remove himself from the embrace, squirming frantically.

Goku knew, I have to do this. For Gohan, For everyone, For the fate of the world! Raditz struggled to move, but damn his hardy bloodline, his younger brother had quite the grip on him.

Piccolo strained, pulsing the power outward, knowing that Goku had chosen his fate already; he was prepared to do what was necessary to kill the enemy Saiyan. Once Piccolo had felt that power, and saw how the Saiyan crippled even Goku, he had agreed to assist him just this once, and had decided that if he had to, he would even train Gohan after his father's death in the case the other aforementioned Saiyans arrived.

Raditz grunted, using the last of the adrenaline from the powerful amphetamines injected into his system to move just the slightest amount that it was barely noticeable. Piccolo roared as it erupted from him in a dazzling beam of swirling light.

"Special Beam Cannon!"

The beam did exactly what was intended, as it made its high-pitched cut through the atmosphere, puncturing both Saiyans with a bright burst of blood - the blood that they had shared now mingling as Goku cried out, falling backwards before Raditz, who stood for a moment and felt his vision growing blurry, then fell as well as his hot blood eked out from the large wound in his chest and all grew dark.

Piccolo stood over them for a few moments, having removed the larger Saiyan off of Goku. He lingered with his eyes shut, trying to sense any traces of ki remaining, even if it were just the smallest spark of light. Raditz's head slumped to the side, the whites of his eyes stark against his dark brows twisted upwards in shock and agony.

He aimed his hand at Raditz, glaring at his lifeless form in anger, wishing to blast his scowling face. But, something in him hesitated, and he lowered his hand.

There is no point in disgracing the dead.

He didn't hesitate to cover them in soil and took flight to retrieve the squalling child who screamed in his mind; even as his cries had faded to mere whispers, all Piccolo could hear was his cries for help. The child's power was so desperate to reach the surface; if it could have been unleashed, perhaps the course of this battle would have changed.

I'm coming, don't worry child... I won't leave you, I will not forget the promise I made to your father...

The soil on one of the two graves became indented as Goku's body and soul were transported to the netherworld by Kami's will. He had a greater purpose to fulfill.

K.O! You Win!

"Yes! Yeah! In your face, Tien! Haha!" Launch jumped up, wiggling her butt in front of his face; he backed up, pushing it away and concentrating so he could see the screen.

"Just you wait, give me one more match! I'm gonna beat you again!" She said, clicking the buttons as they chose their characters, grinning.

"You only won twice so far Launch, I got you three times before that!"

The loud arcade music of Street Fighter played as he selected Dhalisim and she picked Guile.

"Oh you're crazy, not this weird dude again!" She snorted, "My guy's much better! Hell, I bet in a real match I could beat your ass!" She teased, as the countdown timer went on.

"What!? You? You don't know anything about fighting!" Tien shouted incredulously, his jaw dropping. Launch dropped her controller and stood in front of him with her hands on her hips, grinning evilly.

"Oh yeah?" Tien's eyes widened as he started backing up on the couch but found himself trapped as she advanced on him, jumping up on his lap and putting him in a headlock. He quickly recounted, throwing her onto her back on the couch and grabbing her sides and squeezing her pressure points. Launch squirmed, squealing, "Not fair, you butt-head!"

He started tickling her, furrowing his eyebrows deviously as she giggled and tried to kick him off, shoving her foot in his face. Tien pulled her leg over his shoulder and leaned down over her until she was crying out, "Tien!" With her face turning red, he let her go and looked confused.

"Are you ok, Launch?" She stood back up, growling with her face still red as a tomato. Tien stood and started backing away, and then she plowed him over onto the floor, pushing on his chest so he would stay down and pinching his nipples. "Ahhhh!" He cried out, all three eyes bugging out and pulled her hands off and turned her around so she couldn't get him again, holding her by her red suspenders with a smug look.

"Hey!" Launch cried out, only able to scratch her nails across the carpet. Tien took a handful of hair in his hand and leaned forward, chuckling in her ear.

"See, I told you, you don't know anything about fighting!" Launch gasped for breath, crying out then rubbed her rear against him as she tried to get away. Tien jerked his back up ramrod straight, feeling something going on downstairs that wasn't appropriate during fighting; he blushed, suddenly letting go of her and put the bowl of popcorn in front of him.

"Uh...woah! Heh heh! I'll come back later, you two, have fun!" Master Roshi said, holding his hand over his mouth and running out of the living room, holding in his snickering until he was back in his own room.

"Didn't think that boy had it in him, jeez! I thought he was taking a vow of chastity or somethin'?" Master Roshi muttered to himself.

Time's Up! The game announced and Launch sat up and exhaled loudly, wiping her forehead. "Let's do that again!" She chuckled, crawling forward on her knees. "Oh yeah, I forgot I made popcorn!" She said naively, reaching in the bowl and grabbing a handful. Tien gulped, looking down at the bowl then her.

"Uhhh... I need a drink or something, all this is making me thirsty!" He said, then ran out quickly to the kitchen. Launch went to grab the controller to pick her character for the next match, the dust settling from all their horsing around, and gasped as she was getting ready to sneeze, then sneezed loudly; her blonde hair turned blue and she looked at the T.V. screen with wide, dark purple eyes.

"Huh?"

Darkness took him beneath its sultry waves, the cool breath of night breathed a whisper into his subconscious as he gasped for breath. One arm shot out from the burial sight of the two Saiyans that had fought, and a man began to dig his way out. "I'm alive.." he gasped, "Alive..."

"At least let me pack him a lunch, Piccolo! It's not fair, he should be home where it's safe, studying! Not going out into the wildness! He's only four years old! I don't want him to grow up like Goku did!" Chi-Chi snarled, feeling her hands quivering violently as she sat across the table from the green-skinned man, glancing back to the other room where Gohan was sleeping after his long ordeal. She took a quivering sip of chamomile tea, considering all that the man had told her and tried her best to hold back her tears that threatened to burst out. Piccolo stared at her, not touching his tea - he simply gave her an unmoving glare.

"I am taking the boy."

Chi-Chi swallowed, feeling the porcelain cracking beneath her hand. "No. You can't! You've taken my husband, and now all I have left to remember him by is Gohan!" She said angrily, tossing the teacup at him. He dodged it with a slight tilt of his head, the cup smashing on the wall.

"You're making this more difficult than it needs to be. Simply cooperate or I will have to do this the hard way." He said with a level voice.

"Never." She spat, balling her fists and going into her fighting stance. Piccolo stood, reaching over quickly. He went to press the pressure point in her shoulder to stun her, but she quickly gripped his wrist, in order to toss him over her back. "You won't stop me that easily!" She laughed, and Piccolo allowed the flow of motion, rotating his arm around gracefully and landed on his feet softly, never losing his grip on her. Chi-Chi shivered, turning to see him towering behind her.

He frowned, unhappy with what he would rather not do, and pressed, stunning the woman just long enough to dart in the other room and retrieve the sleeping boy. Chi-Chi gasped as she heard the sound of breaking glass, and stumbled to her feet, toppling over the table and bursting through the door to see him taking flight.

"No! You can't take my baby! Gohan!" She screamed, running after the shadow over the ground.

"Mommy!" He cried, reaching for her and squirming, his cap falling off and dropping to the ground.

"Gohan! Gohan! My baaabyyyy!" She wailed, dropping to her knees and sobbing. She took his cap in her arms and clutched it to her chest, tears falling and running off the luminous glass of the dragon ball.

"Hey Babe, you almost ready?" Yamcha said from the other side of the door, making Bulma growl with irritation as she struggled with the clasp on her necklace.

"Just a minute, I'm just trying to get my necklace on," She replied, tossing her damp, braided hair over her shoulder. "Ugh!"

He opened the door a crack, knowing not to incite her wrath when getting ready. "Need a hand?"

Bulma dropped her tensed shoulders, laughing at how silly she felt. "Yes. Thank you." She smiled, and turned around towards the mirror as he moved her braid aside and clasped it for her. The necklace hung just below her collarbone with tiny teardrop rubies that twinkled as they moved. He stroked his hands down her arms, admiring her.

She wore a silky cheongsam dress that was dark royal blue, with tiny embroidered gold reliefs on the edges, coming up to her neck with a buttoned collar and a heart-shaped opening that was sexy enough to show the tops of her bosom, but only just enough that it was in an elegant manner. It came down to above her knees and split to mid-thigh with tiny embellished red poinsettia-like velvet flowers that crawled up her hip enticingly. She wore sheer maroon stockings and black pumps with a tiny silver anklet. Bulma thought out every little part of her outfit, As if Yamcha would be examining every inch of my body , she thought sheepishly.

"This is the necklace I got you for our third anniversary." He said sweetly, kissing her on the cheek. Bulma reached and placed her hand on his now clean-shaven jaw and kissed him, pulling him down to her and sighing inwardly as he wrapped his arms around her and returned the warm show of affection. He pulled away gently, taking her hand.

"You look beautiful, Bulma." He said, and she giggled.

"You're not so bad yourself! So, what's this surprise you have waiting?" She asked, not hiding her enthusiasm.

Yamcha chuckled. "You'll see, come on, let's go downstairs." They exited the room, Bulma grabbing her purse and slinging it over her shoulder.

Downstairs, Bunny had already put the bouquet of white lilies he brought in a vase on the table, the heavy fragrance lovely as she took a long inhale of the aroma. "Oh, thank you, Yamcha! They're gorgeous!" Bulma said and gave him another kiss. He walked her to the door and opened it, revealing the shiny red convertible sitting in the driveway.

"Wow, is that yours?" She awed; it was a classic car too, not a hover car.

"It works like a dream! Ready to go for a spin?" He said, and Bulma was still trying to get over her surprise as they walked to sit down inside.

"I have to ask, Yamcha, how did you afford this? You know, I would have let you use one of my cars, you didn't have to buy one just to impress me...?" She said nervously, feeling bad that he had done such a thing with barely any income.

Yamcha smoothed down his now washed hair that was pulled back in a neat ponytail, laughing uneasily as they pulled out of the driveway.

"Um, well I sorta forgot to tell you I took on a job in East City in between my wildness retreat. I've actually had it a little while."

Bulma screwed her eyebrows together, resisting the urge to start screaming like a banshee. She just shrugged, saying,"Oh, that's cool..." While in her head thinking; Hmmm, well THAT would have been nice to know...

"So tell me, Yamcha, what else did you do on your retreat?" She asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously but keeping her tone level.

"Oh, lots of stuff, you know, fishing, hunting, hiking, climbing trees, swimming, uh, just ya know using nature as my guide! I've gotten a lot stronger, you wouldn't believe how hard it is during the winter, that's why I got an apartment out there, just to stay the really cold nights in, and it's a long way from here so I didn't want to bother you." He explained quickly, darting his eyes back and forth as he looked to her and back to the road. Bulma swallowed, her heart feeling lanced,

Why didn't he come home if he was that close? I hate to say it but I was lonely this New Years, with Goku already married and having Gohan, and he's younger than me! I feel like a chump, my boyfriend doesn't even come home for Christmas... And he missed our last anniversary...

"Well, that makes sense... I can't blame you, it's not like I was begging for you to come back, I've been really busy. Oh yeah, I've been shadowing dad at work, learning all about the business, taking mechanics and engineering, starting the prototype for this new machine that alters gravity, and repairing this crazy spaceship that Chi-Chi found out in the woods! Yeah and I also-"

"Wow, babe, that sounds great, sorry to interrupt but what were you thinking for dinner tonight? I was thinking about just getting a couple slices of pizza and going to the new club they just opened in East City!" Bulma paused her train of thought completely, her mouth snapping shut and teeth gritting together.

"What? No reservations..?" She almost growled, clutching the strap of her Balmain purse so hard it threatened to snap.

"No...I guess I should have been more clear. I thought we could go out dancing - I was hoping you would wear that black little number with the cut out back tonight, I don't want you to ruin your nice dress... On second thought, maybe you should have worn sneakers instead of those high heels!" He laughed, trying to lighten the mood as Bulma felt all the blood in her body rush to her head and felt like she was about to pop. They pulled into the pizza parlor, and Yamcha jumped out excitedly, but Bulma still sat there, stiffly.

"What do you want? Pepperoni? Olives? We can get cheesy garlic bread too, I have a coupon!" Bulma put her hand to her forehead, rolling her eyes.

"Uh... Sure, ya know what, I have a capsule of spare clothes in my purse I forgot about, I'll just get changed in the bathroom real quick." She said as she was getting out, feeling totally humiliated.

You know what, I knew it! I knew I shouldn't have got my hopes up, I was just being an idiot to think any better of him! She thought, feeling foolish as she ran inside and into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

Once inside, she let out all her pent up frustration, kicking over the trashcan and yelling, "Fuck you, asshole!" Causing the woman and small child leaving the bathroom stall to stare at her and cover the little girl's ears. "Oh no, I'm SO sorry!" She said, and cringing with her hands on her face she ran into the stall and shut the door, leaning up against it with tears streaming out and dripping from her fingers as she wailed into her hands. You know what, I'm NEVER coming out, he can just go FUCK HIMSELF!

The dust particles of what was once Planet Arlia settled down in the atmosphere as two white meteorite-like pods raced across space. Vegeta watched, apathetic as they left the vaporized planet in their wake. It was their new objective now to follow Raditz to Planet Earth after hearing his scouter's last recorded log, wherein the events of the battle could be heard and also what sounded like his certain death.

With Kakarot dead as well, their main objective now was to finish the job that neither of the deceased could achieve: to assess the worth of Earth and its inhabitants, and if substantial, take it for all its worth.

If Earth proved it was worth anything to them, perhaps they'd even consider some small amount of decency, and take into consideration all the Earthlings had to offer. After all, Kakarot stayed there so long as a deserter, and hopefully for their sake. If so, the same fate would not befall them, for the penalty of all soldiers who abandon post is execution, preceded by torture enacted by Lord Frieza.

Nothing some worthless mud-ball planet has to offer is worthy of exchange for my life, regardless of whether it is only in eternal servitude to a hateful empire...

Vegeta's chest sank with a heavy exhale, his tensed expression relaxing, hard eyes closing softly as he fell into suspended animation.