Written by: Mirai Catarina
Contact me at: WldWldWolf@aol.com or Mirai_Catarina@hotmail.com
Author's Note: This story takes place sometime during Dragonball GT. In the timeline of this story, Goku will never absorb the Dragonballs and leave forever, never to be seen again, so you have nothing to worry about. And also, Gohan does not become a super nerd or anything like that. I thank my fellow DBZ fans that gave me permission to use any characters that may have been in one of their own fanfictions. I am sorry if any part of my fanfic sounds at all similar to one that any person wrote. I do not intend for that to happen.
Disclaimer: No, I do not own any of the characters from DB, DBZ, or DBGT. Please ask me before using any of the characters that I have created myself (such as Gotu, Catarina, and Jacion), or before using any of the characters that my friends have created (such as Natalie and Kira), so that I can ask them if you may use them.
* * * *
Welcome to Earth Chapter 3 - The Hunt
* * * *
Gohan flew over the peaceful landscape, enjoying the feel of the fresh air blowing on his face. He had never been to New Namek before, and it was remarkable as to how similar it was to the Namek he had visited as a child.
'I wonder if Dende ever misses it?' he wondered. Truthfully, he hoped not, seeing as Dende was now the guardian of Earth, and they couldn't afford to have him leave with the Dragonballs.
As he soared across the sky, he noticed a couple of dots on the horizon.
"Alright! A village!" he exclaimed, picking up the pace a bit. When he reached the small group of buildings, he landed softly and looked around. Not seeing anyone, he walked to the largest of the buildings. He knocked on the door.
"Hello?" he called out. "Is there anybody in there?" Not receiving an answer, he stepped towards another one of the establishments, when he heard a clicking behind him. He turned around to see one of the Namekian children, peeking his head out. "Hey there little guy," Gohan greeted him, "can I see the village elder?"
The little tyke squinted at him and then gasped, his eyes growing wide. The little Namek boy then ran back inside.
A few minutes later, he came back out, the Elder in tow. The Elder walked up to Gohan, scrutinizing him. He then smiled, holding a hand out to him.
"Nice to see you again, son. How has life been back on Earth?"
"Well, it could be better - but hey, what can you say with twelve Saiyans living on Earth?" Gohan shrugged, accepting the Namek's hand.
"Twelve is it? Well, I guess you and your friends are doing quite well."
"Yeah, I guess," Gohan replied, thinking of his own family. "But anyway, my friends and I need to ask a favor of you and your people," Gohan said, growing serious.
"Oh? And what might that be, young Gohan?" the Elder asked, raising his eyebrow.
"Well, my father wants to collect the Dragonballs of Namek to make a wish, yet what exactly - he won't say."
"The Dragonballs, huh? Well, we'd be glad to help you out! Poco?" he said, referring to the young Namek standing off to the side.
"Yes, sir?" the youth asked, stepping forward.
"Please, go get Kael - and have him bring the Dragonball."
"Yes, sir," the boy said, disappearing into the small establishment to their left. He returned once again with the Namek called 'Kael'. What caught Gohan's eye, though, was the large, glistening, golden ball in Kael's arms.
"You wanted this, Sacomi?" the toughened Namek asked in a gruff voice.
"Yes, thank you, Kael. Our friend, Gohan and his companions are here looking for them," Sacomi explained. But Kael obviously wasn't very trusting, for he tightened his grip on the Dragonball and looked Gohan over.
"Gohan, huh? I recognize that name, but I can't seem to place it."
"Kael, Gohan is one of the Earthlings that helped defeat Frieza for us." At that, Kael smiled and walked over to Gohan, handing him the glowing orb. Gohan thanked them; gazing at the four dark stars that seemed to float inside the legendary ball.
"Thank you all. And take care. My father will be very grateful," Gohan said, wishing them farewell. He then flew back towards the appointed meeting place to wait for the rest of the group.
But wait, what was that? Gohan looked around, trying to find where the unfamiliar ki signature he had felt a second ago had gone to. 'I wonder if it's that Vegita look-alike.' He thought to himself. Then, he felt it again, this time, behind himself. He whirled around, searching - but once again, the signature disappeared from his senses. This could definitely not be good.
He powered up to Super Saiyan, hoping to scare off whoever it was. He then cautiously flew away, the Dragonball held securely in his arms.
* * * *
"Natalie! Slow down!" Catarina yelled.
"Sorry, Cat, it's just been a long time since I've been able to go out and be a part of the action," Natalie apologized.
"Okay. But...wait a minute...where did Goku say we would find the Dragonballs again?" Catarina queried.
"He didn't. But Trunks said that Gohan told him once that they're always located inside the villages."
"Good, because there's one located just ahead," Cat said pointing towards the horizon. Natalie looked in that direction, squinting. Her face took on a doubtful look.
"What are you talking about? There's nothing there." She stared hard at Cat, then, her eyes widened in realization. "Oh, I see-Saiyan super-sight."
"Huh?" Cat asked, confused.
"Saiyans have senses that are extremely heightened. Seeing as you're a full-blooded Saiyan, and I'm only half, your senses are probably twice as good as mine," Nat explained.
"Oh...No wonder Goten always wondered why I could see things better than him," Catarina said thoughtfully. Then, her lips curved up into an almost Vegita-like smirk. "Then that would mean you probably can't see your father-in-law over there watching us-right?"
"What?!" Nat whirled around, searching for the aforementioned Vegita. She spotted him, but not seeing her son with him, she became worried. "I don't think that's him, Cat-I don't see Jacion with him."
"You're right-maybe it's that guy we saw earlier."
"Maybe-let's go check him out," Nat suggested. Catarina just shrugged her shoulders and followed Natalie towards the mysterious person.
But Cat saw something that Natalie was going too fast to notice. "Natalie! Look out!" Cat cried to her friend. But the green-eyed girl was too far ahead to hear her. Using all of the energy she could summon up, Catarina flew in front of Nat, blocking the blast the spiky-haired stranger had sent out.
Nat watched in horror as Catarina screamed out in pain, taking the full effect of the blast.
"No! Catarina!" she screamed. As the blast finally ended, Natalie caught Catarina to keep her from falling to the ground. Holding her friend close, she looked around angrily for the Vegita look-alike. 'When I find that guy...' she thought. But for now, Cat needed some help-and fast. Natalie peered in the direction that the unconscious Saiyan had seen the village in. 'Well, it's her only hope,' she thought, heading that way.
She sped through the sky, finally seeing the small grouping of buildings. Nat glanced down at the young woman in her arms. If Catarina didn't make it through this alive, she would never be able to forgive herself.
Landing just outside the village, she ran towards the nearest one of the odd-looking houses. Kicking at the door, she yelled for help. When no one answered, she grew frustrated, until a voice came from behind her.
"I'm afraid that you won't find anyone in there." Nat whirled around to see an old Namek behind her, as well as some younger, tougher-looking ones.
"Please, I need your help. My friend-she..." She then broke down into tears, falling to her knees while still managing to keep a hold on Catarina. The old Namek walked up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, we'll help her," he told Nat reassuringly. "Tank, Karmac, come take this young lady and her friend to the medical room-and hurry!"
"Yes, Pallau," the two said in unison, rushing forward to retrieve the two women. One carried Cat, while the other led Natalie towards the small building on the opposite side of the village.
Once inside, Catarina was placed on some sort of bed and hooked up to a monitor. Natalie knelt beside her unconscious friend, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Oh, Cat, I'm so sorry. Please be okay. I just wouldn't be able to forgive myself if you don't make it..." Nat squeezed her friend's hand. Then she realized something. 'What would I say to Goten?' she wondered.
Giving Catarina's hand one last squeeze, Natalie stood up-she had to go get Goten.
"Sir, I'll be back soon. I have to go get my friend's husband," Nat explained, dashing out the door. Turning around once more, she said, "Please take good care of her for me."
"Don't worry, my dear, we will," Pallau reassured her. Nat nodded her head and shot into the sky, following Goten's ki signature.
'I hope I can find him in time...'
* * * *
As Goku soared through the sky with his grandson clinging to his back, he thought he might have felt some sort of explosion of ki to the east, but he just shrugged it off.
He then became so absorbed in thinking about all of the events leading up to this day--starting with when he had first met Bulma-that he almost didn't feel Gotu tap his shoulder.
"Grandpa?" he asked, struggling to keep his grip as the wind tugged at his small frame.
"Yes, Gotu?" Goku asked, stopping suddenly. He reached up to catch the boy as his small hands lost their grip on the orange fabric of his grandfather's gi.
"What are those things?" he asked, pointing to a small group of buildings behind Goku.
"Those are houses, Gotu," he replied, laughing inwardly at the spiky-haired toddler's inquisitiveness. But, luckily for them, Gotu had spotted the village. "Come on, Sport, I'll race you there."
"Yeah!" the boy said as he took off in the direction of the small establishment. But, just as Goku was about to follow him, he stopped to look around. He knew now that he had felt some sort of ki blast go off earlier. For just now, he had felt two kis collide and then one of them seemed to quiver and disappear, but he wasn't sure who it was. 'I hope that Vegita look-alike isn't causing too much trouble.'
But for now, he had to catch up to Gotu. Then, he felt a gust of wind hit him as a golden-haired blur flew past. He quickly reached out and grabbed the small orange gi that his grandson was wearing.
"Whoa there! And where do you think you're going in such a hurry?"
"I've gotta go help Mommy! She's hurt!" he cried, tears streaming down his cheeks. Goku whipped his head up and looked in the direction that Gotu had been heading. No wonder he couldn't recognize the ki signature: Catarina had never really had much of one.
He pulled Gotu close, hugging him. "It'll be okay-Natalie is with her. And we can go see her after we go get the Dragonball, okay?" Gotu just nodded his head in response. Then, Goku started flying towards the village, holding his grandson close.
Upon reaching it, he landed directly in the center and set the small boy down. He wiped the tears from Gotu's eyes and said to him, "Gotu, I want you to be tough okay?"
"Yes, Grandpa." he sniffled.
"Good. I know your mom, and she's very tough-she'll be okay. In fact, I'm sure that someone is probably taking care of her at this very moment."
"Really?" Gotu asked, brightening.
"Yes, and..." Goku trailed off as he watched Natalie fly overhead. Gotu looked up to see what had distracted his grandfather. 'I wonder what is over that way?' Goku thought to himself, searching the area to the west. His eyes widened as he found out-it was Goten. Whatever had happened must have been worse than he had figured.
"Come on, Gotu, let's get that Dragonball and go see your mom," he said, growing serious. He picked Gotu up and placed him on his shoulders, heading towards one of the white buildings. "Hello? Is anyone here?" he asked, lightly tapping on the entrance. Not receiving an answer, he looked up at the building. It seemed a little quiet around here...a little too quiet. Upon further inspection, he found the door slightly ajar. Pushing it open, he peered inside to find some Namekian children cowering in the corner. Setting Gotu down, he slowly approached them.
"What happened here?"
"A man came...he said he was looking for someone...someone exactly like him," one of the smaller ones replied cautiously. "When we said we didn't know of anyone, he blasted out the back wall, saying something about a twin something or other."
"A twin?!" 'Oh no! I think I know what he was talking about, but first, I need-'
"Grandpa? They look like Mr. Piccolo!" Gotu exclaimed, cutting off his grandfather. "Do you know Mr. Piccolo?" he asked, turning to them.
"We've heard great...stories..." the young boy that had started to reply trailed off. His eyes were fixed on the furry brown tail that waved playfully behind the young Saiyan. "You-you're just like-him," he said, growing more and more concerned as he spoke.
"What do you mean?" Gotu asked, confused. Goku explained it to him.
"He's talking about your tail, Gotu. What he means is that the person that came by here had a tail too." He then turned back to the boys. "Don't worry though, we're not going to hurt anyone." They relaxed a little. "We're here for the Dragonball-do you think you can help us out?"
The oldest-looking one stood up, "Your heart feels pure...I guess we can trust you," he said as he turned around, digging through the pile of rubble behind himself. Standing back up, he handed Goku the five-star Dragonball. "You're Goku, correct?"
"Yes, why?" The Namek smirked.
"Just wondering," he said, looking up at Goku. All of a sudden, his face took on a look of horror. He began to back away, keeping his eyes trained on the door.
Goku raised an eyebrow in confusion and turned towards the door. What he saw made him grow angry-it was the Vegita look-alike.
"Gotu, stay behind me," he said, handing the Dragonball to the small boy. He turned back to the intruder. "Who are you? And what do you want here?" he demanded, his voice growing angrier.
"What does it matter to you, you Namek scum?" replied a gruff and uncaring voice.
"I'm no Namek-I'm a Saiyan," Goku replied, stepping out of the darkness of the small building. The smaller Saiyan stepped back from Goku's towering form.
"General Bardock! I'm sorry sir! Please, forgive me!" the man cried mockingly. After which, he broke up laughing. "Do you, a third class soldier, really think you're going to get me to tell you anything? Besides, how do I know that you're even a Saiyan and not just some Bardock look-alike? I mean-you don't even have a tail." Goku just sighed.
"If I had the time, I'd tell you my life story. So to shorten it, let's just say that I had my tail removed a while ago." The new Saiyan looked taken-aback.
"Bardock? Why on Vegita-sei would you have your tail-your pride-taken away from you?"
"Well, let's just say-I didn't need it. And why do you keep calling me Bardock?"
"Why shouldn't I? That's who you are isn't it? I mean-you look like him, anyway."
"Really? Well, I guess you could say, 'like father, like son.'" At this, the shorter Saiyan's jaw dropped.
"Radditz? That's impossible-he was killed when he went to some puny planet looking for someone," he scoffed.
"I know-I was there. In fact, I was one of the one's who helped kill him," Goku told him, smirking.
"Wait a minute...to be exact, I think he said he was going after...a brother." Goku smiled, nodding his head. "You? You're Kakarot?" At this, Goku winced.
"Please, call me Goku. Only one person I know of calls me by my Saiyan name-and we don't get along very well." The stranger gave Goku the infamous 'Vegita smirk.'
"That wouldn't happen to be Vegita...would it?" Goku's expression grew very serious. What did this guy know about Vegita? "Thought so. So, weakling, where is he?"
But before Goku could answer, a cry was heard from behind him. Gotu came running out and launched himself at the man. Before Goku could react, the other Saiyan had a tight grip on his tail, and he was crying.
"Grandpa, help me!" he bawled. Goku should have remembered his grandson's short temper. When it came to family honor, the young boy could get very defensive. Having his grandfather called third class and weak must have triggered that temper.
"Grandpa, is it? Ha! Well, then, maybe now you'll tell me where Vegita is?" he said, tightening his grip on the small boy's tail, causing Gotu to scream in pain.
"Give him here...NOW," Goku commanded, stepping towards the evil Saiyan that was currently torturing his grandson.
"Stop right there...unless you really want to see him hurt," he said. He flipped Gotu into an upright position, and grabbing him by the neck, he charged a small ki blast in his other hand. Upon seeing this, Goku became enraged, and burst into Super Saiyan form, screaming in fury.
"PUT HIM DOWN NOW!" he roared. The Saiyan looked scared, but he just backed up, keeping his hold on his young prisoner.
As he backed up, he tripped over a rock, causing him to fire the small blast. Luckily, the beam of raw energy was off and only hit Gotu's arm. But it still hurt the boy, and he let out a cry so loud it made Goku's super-sensitive ears ring. This made Goku even more furious, and his aqua eyes flashed, evidence of it.
But as Goku was preparing to attack, something in the green sky above them caught his eye. He looked up to see Vegita, still holding Jacion by the wrist. Then, as he began to charge a blast to throw down on the unsuspecting enemy, Goku realized something-Vegita couldn't see Gotu from his position, and the boy could be killed if he was caught in the blast. As Vegita threw the raw energy, Goku cried out.
"Vegita, no!" But it was too late; Vegita had no way of stopping the large blast. And all Goku had really done was to warn the other Saiyan of the oncoming attack. He dropped his hostage and jumped out of the way.
"Grandpa! Help me!" Gotu screamed in terror as he caught sight of the blast bearing down on him.
Goku ran with all his might, and at the last minute, he dove and grabbed the boy, rolling just out of range of the blast. As the raw ki impacted the planet, he turned away from it, sheltering his grandson's small frame with his own body.
When the blast had subsided, Goku stood up, brushing himself off. He set Gotu down, checking him for injuries. The only visible ones were some bruises on his neck and tail, as well as a severe burn on his small arm. Goku looked up, into his grandson's tear-stained face.
"Grandpa? Are you mad at me?" Gotu sniffled. Gradually, the serious look on Goku's face softened into a smile.
"No, of course not," he said reassuringly. "But next time, when I ask you to stay put, please do. I don't want to see you hurt. Okay?"
"Yes, Grandpa," he replied, looking down at the ground. But then, he looked up happily. "Can we go see Mommy now?" The small boy was practically jumping up and down in anticipation. Goku just nodded, his smile widening. "Yeah!" the small boy cried joyously, jumping around. Then, he yelped when the pain once again returned to his arm.
"Do you think you'll be okay? At least till we get somewhere where they can treat it?" Gotu nodded his head. "Okay, wait here while I go back and get the Dragonball. Alright?" The boy nodded his head once more, sniffling as he held his injured arm.
As Goku headed back to retrieve the Dragonball, Vegita called out to him.
"Kakarott, if you were smart, you wouldn't leave that brat out in the open to be preyed upon," Vegita yelled. Goku looked up at him, anger flashing in his still-aqua eyes. Vegita had let go of Jacion's wrist and was hovering with his arms folded over his chest.
"Vegita, I'm perfectly capable of looking after my grandson!" Goku yelled back.
"Right! From what I saw-" Vegita stopped abruptly and reached out to grab Jacion-only to find that he was no longer there. "Damn you Serori!" he cried in anguish. "Show your face!" Seeing what had happened, Goku looked back to where he had left Gotu, only to find him missing as well.
"No..." he whispered softly. Clenching his fists and squeezing his eyes shut, he finally cried out his full fury, hitting the fourth level of Super Saiyan. Vegita witnessed this and yelled out into the expanse of the green sky.
"When we find you Serori, there'll be hell to pay!" After that, he raced off into the distance. He thought to himself, 'Kakarot, if I find them, you'll be sure to know. As for you, brother, you can start digging your grave now. Because you picked the wrong people to mess with!' He looked quickly back to see Goku disappear with the five-star Dragonball under his arm. 'Good luck, Kakarot.'
'Same to you Vegita. Same to you...' Goku replied mentally. Vegita waved in the direction that Goku had gone, knowing somewhere inside that besides Bulma, 'Kakarot' was the only other person that would ever be able to understand him.
* * * *
Chapter 3b will be out soon! Keep an eye out for it!
Peace!
Mirai Catarina
Contact me at: WldWldWolf@aol.com or Mirai_Catarina@hotmail.com
Author's Note: This story takes place sometime during Dragonball GT. In the timeline of this story, Goku will never absorb the Dragonballs and leave forever, never to be seen again, so you have nothing to worry about. And also, Gohan does not become a super nerd or anything like that. I thank my fellow DBZ fans that gave me permission to use any characters that may have been in one of their own fanfictions. I am sorry if any part of my fanfic sounds at all similar to one that any person wrote. I do not intend for that to happen.
Disclaimer: No, I do not own any of the characters from DB, DBZ, or DBGT. Please ask me before using any of the characters that I have created myself (such as Gotu, Catarina, and Jacion), or before using any of the characters that my friends have created (such as Natalie and Kira), so that I can ask them if you may use them.
* * * *
Welcome to Earth Chapter 3 - The Hunt
* * * *
Gohan flew over the peaceful landscape, enjoying the feel of the fresh air blowing on his face. He had never been to New Namek before, and it was remarkable as to how similar it was to the Namek he had visited as a child.
'I wonder if Dende ever misses it?' he wondered. Truthfully, he hoped not, seeing as Dende was now the guardian of Earth, and they couldn't afford to have him leave with the Dragonballs.
As he soared across the sky, he noticed a couple of dots on the horizon.
"Alright! A village!" he exclaimed, picking up the pace a bit. When he reached the small group of buildings, he landed softly and looked around. Not seeing anyone, he walked to the largest of the buildings. He knocked on the door.
"Hello?" he called out. "Is there anybody in there?" Not receiving an answer, he stepped towards another one of the establishments, when he heard a clicking behind him. He turned around to see one of the Namekian children, peeking his head out. "Hey there little guy," Gohan greeted him, "can I see the village elder?"
The little tyke squinted at him and then gasped, his eyes growing wide. The little Namek boy then ran back inside.
A few minutes later, he came back out, the Elder in tow. The Elder walked up to Gohan, scrutinizing him. He then smiled, holding a hand out to him.
"Nice to see you again, son. How has life been back on Earth?"
"Well, it could be better - but hey, what can you say with twelve Saiyans living on Earth?" Gohan shrugged, accepting the Namek's hand.
"Twelve is it? Well, I guess you and your friends are doing quite well."
"Yeah, I guess," Gohan replied, thinking of his own family. "But anyway, my friends and I need to ask a favor of you and your people," Gohan said, growing serious.
"Oh? And what might that be, young Gohan?" the Elder asked, raising his eyebrow.
"Well, my father wants to collect the Dragonballs of Namek to make a wish, yet what exactly - he won't say."
"The Dragonballs, huh? Well, we'd be glad to help you out! Poco?" he said, referring to the young Namek standing off to the side.
"Yes, sir?" the youth asked, stepping forward.
"Please, go get Kael - and have him bring the Dragonball."
"Yes, sir," the boy said, disappearing into the small establishment to their left. He returned once again with the Namek called 'Kael'. What caught Gohan's eye, though, was the large, glistening, golden ball in Kael's arms.
"You wanted this, Sacomi?" the toughened Namek asked in a gruff voice.
"Yes, thank you, Kael. Our friend, Gohan and his companions are here looking for them," Sacomi explained. But Kael obviously wasn't very trusting, for he tightened his grip on the Dragonball and looked Gohan over.
"Gohan, huh? I recognize that name, but I can't seem to place it."
"Kael, Gohan is one of the Earthlings that helped defeat Frieza for us." At that, Kael smiled and walked over to Gohan, handing him the glowing orb. Gohan thanked them; gazing at the four dark stars that seemed to float inside the legendary ball.
"Thank you all. And take care. My father will be very grateful," Gohan said, wishing them farewell. He then flew back towards the appointed meeting place to wait for the rest of the group.
But wait, what was that? Gohan looked around, trying to find where the unfamiliar ki signature he had felt a second ago had gone to. 'I wonder if it's that Vegita look-alike.' He thought to himself. Then, he felt it again, this time, behind himself. He whirled around, searching - but once again, the signature disappeared from his senses. This could definitely not be good.
He powered up to Super Saiyan, hoping to scare off whoever it was. He then cautiously flew away, the Dragonball held securely in his arms.
* * * *
"Natalie! Slow down!" Catarina yelled.
"Sorry, Cat, it's just been a long time since I've been able to go out and be a part of the action," Natalie apologized.
"Okay. But...wait a minute...where did Goku say we would find the Dragonballs again?" Catarina queried.
"He didn't. But Trunks said that Gohan told him once that they're always located inside the villages."
"Good, because there's one located just ahead," Cat said pointing towards the horizon. Natalie looked in that direction, squinting. Her face took on a doubtful look.
"What are you talking about? There's nothing there." She stared hard at Cat, then, her eyes widened in realization. "Oh, I see-Saiyan super-sight."
"Huh?" Cat asked, confused.
"Saiyans have senses that are extremely heightened. Seeing as you're a full-blooded Saiyan, and I'm only half, your senses are probably twice as good as mine," Nat explained.
"Oh...No wonder Goten always wondered why I could see things better than him," Catarina said thoughtfully. Then, her lips curved up into an almost Vegita-like smirk. "Then that would mean you probably can't see your father-in-law over there watching us-right?"
"What?!" Nat whirled around, searching for the aforementioned Vegita. She spotted him, but not seeing her son with him, she became worried. "I don't think that's him, Cat-I don't see Jacion with him."
"You're right-maybe it's that guy we saw earlier."
"Maybe-let's go check him out," Nat suggested. Catarina just shrugged her shoulders and followed Natalie towards the mysterious person.
But Cat saw something that Natalie was going too fast to notice. "Natalie! Look out!" Cat cried to her friend. But the green-eyed girl was too far ahead to hear her. Using all of the energy she could summon up, Catarina flew in front of Nat, blocking the blast the spiky-haired stranger had sent out.
Nat watched in horror as Catarina screamed out in pain, taking the full effect of the blast.
"No! Catarina!" she screamed. As the blast finally ended, Natalie caught Catarina to keep her from falling to the ground. Holding her friend close, she looked around angrily for the Vegita look-alike. 'When I find that guy...' she thought. But for now, Cat needed some help-and fast. Natalie peered in the direction that the unconscious Saiyan had seen the village in. 'Well, it's her only hope,' she thought, heading that way.
She sped through the sky, finally seeing the small grouping of buildings. Nat glanced down at the young woman in her arms. If Catarina didn't make it through this alive, she would never be able to forgive herself.
Landing just outside the village, she ran towards the nearest one of the odd-looking houses. Kicking at the door, she yelled for help. When no one answered, she grew frustrated, until a voice came from behind her.
"I'm afraid that you won't find anyone in there." Nat whirled around to see an old Namek behind her, as well as some younger, tougher-looking ones.
"Please, I need your help. My friend-she..." She then broke down into tears, falling to her knees while still managing to keep a hold on Catarina. The old Namek walked up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, we'll help her," he told Nat reassuringly. "Tank, Karmac, come take this young lady and her friend to the medical room-and hurry!"
"Yes, Pallau," the two said in unison, rushing forward to retrieve the two women. One carried Cat, while the other led Natalie towards the small building on the opposite side of the village.
Once inside, Catarina was placed on some sort of bed and hooked up to a monitor. Natalie knelt beside her unconscious friend, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Oh, Cat, I'm so sorry. Please be okay. I just wouldn't be able to forgive myself if you don't make it..." Nat squeezed her friend's hand. Then she realized something. 'What would I say to Goten?' she wondered.
Giving Catarina's hand one last squeeze, Natalie stood up-she had to go get Goten.
"Sir, I'll be back soon. I have to go get my friend's husband," Nat explained, dashing out the door. Turning around once more, she said, "Please take good care of her for me."
"Don't worry, my dear, we will," Pallau reassured her. Nat nodded her head and shot into the sky, following Goten's ki signature.
'I hope I can find him in time...'
* * * *
As Goku soared through the sky with his grandson clinging to his back, he thought he might have felt some sort of explosion of ki to the east, but he just shrugged it off.
He then became so absorbed in thinking about all of the events leading up to this day--starting with when he had first met Bulma-that he almost didn't feel Gotu tap his shoulder.
"Grandpa?" he asked, struggling to keep his grip as the wind tugged at his small frame.
"Yes, Gotu?" Goku asked, stopping suddenly. He reached up to catch the boy as his small hands lost their grip on the orange fabric of his grandfather's gi.
"What are those things?" he asked, pointing to a small group of buildings behind Goku.
"Those are houses, Gotu," he replied, laughing inwardly at the spiky-haired toddler's inquisitiveness. But, luckily for them, Gotu had spotted the village. "Come on, Sport, I'll race you there."
"Yeah!" the boy said as he took off in the direction of the small establishment. But, just as Goku was about to follow him, he stopped to look around. He knew now that he had felt some sort of ki blast go off earlier. For just now, he had felt two kis collide and then one of them seemed to quiver and disappear, but he wasn't sure who it was. 'I hope that Vegita look-alike isn't causing too much trouble.'
But for now, he had to catch up to Gotu. Then, he felt a gust of wind hit him as a golden-haired blur flew past. He quickly reached out and grabbed the small orange gi that his grandson was wearing.
"Whoa there! And where do you think you're going in such a hurry?"
"I've gotta go help Mommy! She's hurt!" he cried, tears streaming down his cheeks. Goku whipped his head up and looked in the direction that Gotu had been heading. No wonder he couldn't recognize the ki signature: Catarina had never really had much of one.
He pulled Gotu close, hugging him. "It'll be okay-Natalie is with her. And we can go see her after we go get the Dragonball, okay?" Gotu just nodded his head in response. Then, Goku started flying towards the village, holding his grandson close.
Upon reaching it, he landed directly in the center and set the small boy down. He wiped the tears from Gotu's eyes and said to him, "Gotu, I want you to be tough okay?"
"Yes, Grandpa." he sniffled.
"Good. I know your mom, and she's very tough-she'll be okay. In fact, I'm sure that someone is probably taking care of her at this very moment."
"Really?" Gotu asked, brightening.
"Yes, and..." Goku trailed off as he watched Natalie fly overhead. Gotu looked up to see what had distracted his grandfather. 'I wonder what is over that way?' Goku thought to himself, searching the area to the west. His eyes widened as he found out-it was Goten. Whatever had happened must have been worse than he had figured.
"Come on, Gotu, let's get that Dragonball and go see your mom," he said, growing serious. He picked Gotu up and placed him on his shoulders, heading towards one of the white buildings. "Hello? Is anyone here?" he asked, lightly tapping on the entrance. Not receiving an answer, he looked up at the building. It seemed a little quiet around here...a little too quiet. Upon further inspection, he found the door slightly ajar. Pushing it open, he peered inside to find some Namekian children cowering in the corner. Setting Gotu down, he slowly approached them.
"What happened here?"
"A man came...he said he was looking for someone...someone exactly like him," one of the smaller ones replied cautiously. "When we said we didn't know of anyone, he blasted out the back wall, saying something about a twin something or other."
"A twin?!" 'Oh no! I think I know what he was talking about, but first, I need-'
"Grandpa? They look like Mr. Piccolo!" Gotu exclaimed, cutting off his grandfather. "Do you know Mr. Piccolo?" he asked, turning to them.
"We've heard great...stories..." the young boy that had started to reply trailed off. His eyes were fixed on the furry brown tail that waved playfully behind the young Saiyan. "You-you're just like-him," he said, growing more and more concerned as he spoke.
"What do you mean?" Gotu asked, confused. Goku explained it to him.
"He's talking about your tail, Gotu. What he means is that the person that came by here had a tail too." He then turned back to the boys. "Don't worry though, we're not going to hurt anyone." They relaxed a little. "We're here for the Dragonball-do you think you can help us out?"
The oldest-looking one stood up, "Your heart feels pure...I guess we can trust you," he said as he turned around, digging through the pile of rubble behind himself. Standing back up, he handed Goku the five-star Dragonball. "You're Goku, correct?"
"Yes, why?" The Namek smirked.
"Just wondering," he said, looking up at Goku. All of a sudden, his face took on a look of horror. He began to back away, keeping his eyes trained on the door.
Goku raised an eyebrow in confusion and turned towards the door. What he saw made him grow angry-it was the Vegita look-alike.
"Gotu, stay behind me," he said, handing the Dragonball to the small boy. He turned back to the intruder. "Who are you? And what do you want here?" he demanded, his voice growing angrier.
"What does it matter to you, you Namek scum?" replied a gruff and uncaring voice.
"I'm no Namek-I'm a Saiyan," Goku replied, stepping out of the darkness of the small building. The smaller Saiyan stepped back from Goku's towering form.
"General Bardock! I'm sorry sir! Please, forgive me!" the man cried mockingly. After which, he broke up laughing. "Do you, a third class soldier, really think you're going to get me to tell you anything? Besides, how do I know that you're even a Saiyan and not just some Bardock look-alike? I mean-you don't even have a tail." Goku just sighed.
"If I had the time, I'd tell you my life story. So to shorten it, let's just say that I had my tail removed a while ago." The new Saiyan looked taken-aback.
"Bardock? Why on Vegita-sei would you have your tail-your pride-taken away from you?"
"Well, let's just say-I didn't need it. And why do you keep calling me Bardock?"
"Why shouldn't I? That's who you are isn't it? I mean-you look like him, anyway."
"Really? Well, I guess you could say, 'like father, like son.'" At this, the shorter Saiyan's jaw dropped.
"Radditz? That's impossible-he was killed when he went to some puny planet looking for someone," he scoffed.
"I know-I was there. In fact, I was one of the one's who helped kill him," Goku told him, smirking.
"Wait a minute...to be exact, I think he said he was going after...a brother." Goku smiled, nodding his head. "You? You're Kakarot?" At this, Goku winced.
"Please, call me Goku. Only one person I know of calls me by my Saiyan name-and we don't get along very well." The stranger gave Goku the infamous 'Vegita smirk.'
"That wouldn't happen to be Vegita...would it?" Goku's expression grew very serious. What did this guy know about Vegita? "Thought so. So, weakling, where is he?"
But before Goku could answer, a cry was heard from behind him. Gotu came running out and launched himself at the man. Before Goku could react, the other Saiyan had a tight grip on his tail, and he was crying.
"Grandpa, help me!" he bawled. Goku should have remembered his grandson's short temper. When it came to family honor, the young boy could get very defensive. Having his grandfather called third class and weak must have triggered that temper.
"Grandpa, is it? Ha! Well, then, maybe now you'll tell me where Vegita is?" he said, tightening his grip on the small boy's tail, causing Gotu to scream in pain.
"Give him here...NOW," Goku commanded, stepping towards the evil Saiyan that was currently torturing his grandson.
"Stop right there...unless you really want to see him hurt," he said. He flipped Gotu into an upright position, and grabbing him by the neck, he charged a small ki blast in his other hand. Upon seeing this, Goku became enraged, and burst into Super Saiyan form, screaming in fury.
"PUT HIM DOWN NOW!" he roared. The Saiyan looked scared, but he just backed up, keeping his hold on his young prisoner.
As he backed up, he tripped over a rock, causing him to fire the small blast. Luckily, the beam of raw energy was off and only hit Gotu's arm. But it still hurt the boy, and he let out a cry so loud it made Goku's super-sensitive ears ring. This made Goku even more furious, and his aqua eyes flashed, evidence of it.
But as Goku was preparing to attack, something in the green sky above them caught his eye. He looked up to see Vegita, still holding Jacion by the wrist. Then, as he began to charge a blast to throw down on the unsuspecting enemy, Goku realized something-Vegita couldn't see Gotu from his position, and the boy could be killed if he was caught in the blast. As Vegita threw the raw energy, Goku cried out.
"Vegita, no!" But it was too late; Vegita had no way of stopping the large blast. And all Goku had really done was to warn the other Saiyan of the oncoming attack. He dropped his hostage and jumped out of the way.
"Grandpa! Help me!" Gotu screamed in terror as he caught sight of the blast bearing down on him.
Goku ran with all his might, and at the last minute, he dove and grabbed the boy, rolling just out of range of the blast. As the raw ki impacted the planet, he turned away from it, sheltering his grandson's small frame with his own body.
When the blast had subsided, Goku stood up, brushing himself off. He set Gotu down, checking him for injuries. The only visible ones were some bruises on his neck and tail, as well as a severe burn on his small arm. Goku looked up, into his grandson's tear-stained face.
"Grandpa? Are you mad at me?" Gotu sniffled. Gradually, the serious look on Goku's face softened into a smile.
"No, of course not," he said reassuringly. "But next time, when I ask you to stay put, please do. I don't want to see you hurt. Okay?"
"Yes, Grandpa," he replied, looking down at the ground. But then, he looked up happily. "Can we go see Mommy now?" The small boy was practically jumping up and down in anticipation. Goku just nodded, his smile widening. "Yeah!" the small boy cried joyously, jumping around. Then, he yelped when the pain once again returned to his arm.
"Do you think you'll be okay? At least till we get somewhere where they can treat it?" Gotu nodded his head. "Okay, wait here while I go back and get the Dragonball. Alright?" The boy nodded his head once more, sniffling as he held his injured arm.
As Goku headed back to retrieve the Dragonball, Vegita called out to him.
"Kakarott, if you were smart, you wouldn't leave that brat out in the open to be preyed upon," Vegita yelled. Goku looked up at him, anger flashing in his still-aqua eyes. Vegita had let go of Jacion's wrist and was hovering with his arms folded over his chest.
"Vegita, I'm perfectly capable of looking after my grandson!" Goku yelled back.
"Right! From what I saw-" Vegita stopped abruptly and reached out to grab Jacion-only to find that he was no longer there. "Damn you Serori!" he cried in anguish. "Show your face!" Seeing what had happened, Goku looked back to where he had left Gotu, only to find him missing as well.
"No..." he whispered softly. Clenching his fists and squeezing his eyes shut, he finally cried out his full fury, hitting the fourth level of Super Saiyan. Vegita witnessed this and yelled out into the expanse of the green sky.
"When we find you Serori, there'll be hell to pay!" After that, he raced off into the distance. He thought to himself, 'Kakarot, if I find them, you'll be sure to know. As for you, brother, you can start digging your grave now. Because you picked the wrong people to mess with!' He looked quickly back to see Goku disappear with the five-star Dragonball under his arm. 'Good luck, Kakarot.'
'Same to you Vegita. Same to you...' Goku replied mentally. Vegita waved in the direction that Goku had gone, knowing somewhere inside that besides Bulma, 'Kakarot' was the only other person that would ever be able to understand him.
* * * *
Chapter 3b will be out soon! Keep an eye out for it!
Peace!
Mirai Catarina