The alien warrior stands in the center of the crater made by his spaceship. The armor he wears is made of a non-reflective material and consists of a well fitted torso piece with extending pointed shoulder pads. Three plates similar to the shoulder protection hang from the waist to protect the upper legs. These protrusions accent the black armor with their golden brown coloring. Under that is an equally form fitting black jumpsuit from neck to foot. White boots and gloves complete his uniform.
He reaches for a device snugly attached to his left ear. The device covers his entire ear as though it is some kind of headphone piece. An extension on it reaches forward towards his eye. Coming from this armature is a transparent, green lens that curves to cover his eye. He pushes a red button on the armature causing the lens to light up with symbols.
"Hm. No significant power levels in the area. I suppose I'll have to take a little tour."
He double taps the same button.
"This is agent Cui reporting in. I'm beginning my reconnaissance mission to determine if this planet has been prepared for colonization. So far no significant signs of destruction are visible. This could either mean Kakarot has failed his mission, or he succeeded early enough that local flora and fauna have been able to repopulate. I will check in with an update when I know more. End of report log."
The warrior begins to levitate off the ground, slowly at first but quickly gaining speed with an aura of energy growing in intensity around him. He shoots a couple thousand feet into the air where he stops for a moment. Then he rockets forward as his arua erupts around him again.
###
Goku sees Master Roshi's island on the horizon and urges his magic cloud to go faster. Soon enough he is directly over the tiny landmass and jumps from the Nimbus with joyful glee.
"Heyyyy!" he shouts as he falls to the beach below.
Inside Kame House, Goku's voice echoes through the ears of his gathered friends.
"Eh," says Krillin, turning to look out the window. "I'd know that shrill yell anywhere. Goku's here!"
"Goku!" says Bulma and Yamcha, simultaneously getting up and moving towards the door. They bump shoulders which sends an uncomfortable shiver down their spines. They jump away from each other with a glare.
"Hey you two," says Turtle in his calming voice. "Remember we're here as friends even if you two are no longer dating. Okay?"
Bulma and Yamcha continue to leer at each other for a moment before each turns away with a disgusted "hmph."
"Oh Yamcha," whispers Puar sadly.
"You know Bulma," Oolong says, "I'm single too."
"Not on your life pig," Bulma says.
Ah, to be young and having adventures in love, thinks Master Roshi, observing the scene and smiling. Even if these two didn't work out with one another, they have so much time ahead to find the right person.
A bead of blood runs down from his left nostril as he returns his attention to the perverted magazine he holds.
Unable to contain his excitement, Krillin jumps out of the large window of the living room instead of waiting for Bulma and Yamcha to settle their dispute about who would use the front door first. Just as his feet touch the sand outside, Goku hits the beach.
The two friends joyfully run to one another. When they get close enough to give each other a hug like normal people, they break into a sparring match throwing punches and kicks mixed with blocks and dodges. They both manage to land a punch on each other square in the cheek at the same time. They stagger backward stunned for a moment. Instead of crying out in pain, they just start laughing heartily.
"You boys haven't changed at all over these past five years," says Master Roshi after moving through the stalemate blocking the door and watching the end of their exchange. Everyone else finally shuffles out onto the porch with him.
"Hello Master Roshi," says Goku with a bow. "It's good to see you. Turtle, Oolong Puar. Nice to see you again too. And Bulma and Yamcha. Are you guys married yet?"
Krillin's short body turns cold at the question as the smiles sink from everyone's face.
"Married! To that jerk?" Bulma says, jumping back from Yamcha and pointing.."No way!"
"Well you're no prize yourself," says Yamcha.
"What was that?" screeches Bulma.
"Now, now. Let's all calm down," says Master Roshi, rubbing Bulma's shoulders. His hands start to move down her body, but Bulma slaps him across the face, sending him hurtling off the porch and head first into the sand.
"Hands off old man," says Bulma firmly.
"I guess you haven't changed much either Master Roshi," says Krillin helping his teacher stand up.
The obvious statement manages to make everyone laugh and regain their good humor.
###
"What's going on here?" says Cui. He frowns and the antennae-like tentacles extending from the corners of his mouth droop lower than usual. "All intelligent life should have been eradicated by Kakarot and yet there are signs of civilization everywhere I go on this planet. Did Kakarot fail in his mission? Did the native population kill him? He wouldn't have been sent here if the inhabitants had higher power levels than him, and I haven't found a single one higher than the last recording we have of him on file."
He pushes the button on the scouter attached to his face. This time it returns a reading that stops his flight dead in the air.
"Uh, what's this?" he says shocked. "A power level of 322! There's no way Kakarot could have increased his strength that much. This must be the one who killed him. Well whoever you are, I hope you didn't have any plans today because I have some questions!"
He blasts through the sky at top speed in the direction his device indicates the power level is coming from. As he flies, he notices the scenery of cityscapes give way to deserted, arid wastelands filled with rugged plateaus of rock.
###
Piccolo meditates atop a mountain far from the world he intends to one day conquer. He is interrupted by the sickening feeling of an evil presence. His eyes fling open.
"What is this power?" he says. "It can't be Goku. He couldn't have gotten this strong since the tournament. Besides, it's too ominous for his disgustingly goody nature. But then who?"
"Heh, I guess I'm about to find out because it's heading straight for me. And at that speed, I'd never outrun it."
###
Atop one of the earthly formations he flies over, Cui spots a humanoid figure which his device is directing him towards. Before he can sneak up on the person from his enormous height advantage, the figure turns around and looks directly at him.
How did he find me? thinks Cui. Does he have some sort of device like my scouter that can locate power levels? I didn't think this planet was advanced enough to invent such a thing. Oh well doesn't matter.
With that he descends rapidly to meet the person with the unusually high power level. As he gets closer, he makes out a few interesting details. This man does not look like the rest of the population. He has green skin and wears a turban and cape.
Just before landing in front of the strange man, the alien slows to a stop and gently touches down with his boots barely making a sound.
"I thought I sensed something foul in the air," says Piccolo, "I didn't think it'd be this ugly though."
"Oh very funny but have you looked in a mirror," says Cui. "I bet you hear that from everyone you meet."
"So just who the hell are you and what do you want?" says Piccolo. Then thinking to himself, if this guy wants a fight, I don't think I can take him. Better prepare something just in case.
Piccolo summons ki to his left arm which remains cloaked in his white cape while his right arm hangs out in the open ready to strike or block if necessary.
"Who I am is of little consequence to you. As for what I want, I'm looking for someone I'm hoping you've crossed paths with. Do you know anyone by the name of Kakarot?"
Piccolo's left bicep and tricep bulge with energy as it moves from the core of his body towards his hand.
"Kakarot huh," Piccolo says, nearly grunting while trying to continue the conversation and charge his ki blast.
The energy moves into his forearm letting the previous muscles return to their normal size while swelling those it now occupies. The strange device on his adversary's head makes a beeping noise accompanied by some flashing lights.
"Never heard of him. Maybe you could describe him for me," says Piccolo, stalling for time.
A wicked smile slithers onto Cui's face.
"Certainly," he says. "I've never met him myself, but he's a Saiyan, and all Saiyans have monkey tails."
Piccolo thinks for a moment as his ki passes into his hand almost ready to be fired. An old memory struggles to the forefront of his thoughts. One that was not his, but that of his father and previous incarnation, King Piccolo. The memory is of a much younger Goku when he still had a monkey's tail.
The look of concentration leaves Piccolo's face as he chuckles.
"Oh, you're looking for Goku," says Piccolo.
"Go-who?" says Cui. "Whe—"
Before he can finish, Piccolo uses the moment of confusion to thrust his left arm forward and unleash all his power in a single devastating blast. Most of the mountain peak decimates in the resulting explosion leaving Piccolo waiting for the smoke to clear. To his dismay, the sound of a clearing throat comes from within the cloud of debris.
"My, my. I'm impressed. You've managed to upset my allergies," says Cui's voice. The wind brushes away enough dust to reveal his unharmed self. "Unfortunately for you, my scouter has picked up another power level a little higher than yours which makes you … disposable."
"What! No wai—," screams Piccolo as the invincible warrior fires his own energy blast without warning.
Piccolo's body limply falls from the mountain as his attacker watches the charred remains plummet to the ground far below.
"Now let's see if this next victim is a little more cooperative," says the warrior as he flies off towards his target.
###
On Master Roshi's island, Chichi lands the plane she flew over. She, Gohan, and Ox King get off the craft and are greeted not with hellos but stares.
"Who's that boy you're holding," asks Bulma. Gohan twists away from all the unwanted attention.
"This is our son Gohan," she replies.
"Wait, whahhh?" says Yamcha. "Goku has a son. Woah. And here I thought I'd be the first one with a kid."
"In your dreams," scoffs Bulma.
"Hey what's that supposed to mean?" says Yamcha.
"It means you're not father material let alone boyfriend material," says Bulma.
Krillin moves in for closer observation of the new member to their group. Before he can say hello to the child, he notices Gohan's most defining physical feature. The boy has a tail just like Goku had as a child.
"Ahh … uh, uh, uh," he stammers with his whole body shaking.
"What's the matter Krillin?" asks Oolong. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Krillin turns to the pig and then shakily points out Gohan's tail. Oolong immediately joins Krillin in his tumultuous panic. Bulma, Yamcha, Puar, and Roshi all take note of the unassuming appendage that once transformed Goku into a mindless, rampaging monster.
"What's wrong guys?" asks Goku, noticing the pale, horrified expressions of his friends.
"Uh, Goku," says Bulma, "Your son has a tail."
"Yeah, but so did I when I was a kid," says Goku. "What's the big deal?"
"Oh it's nothing," says Bulma quickly. "I just wanted to make sure he wasn't experiencing any, um, abnormalities."
"Abnor–what?" asks Goku.
"Oh you know, like strange body changes such as growth spurts or becoming hairy."
"Oh no nothing like that," Goku says. "Besides, that kind of stuff didn't happen to me until I was a teenager."
"Oh, kay, ew," says Bulma.
"What Bulma means," says Yamcha, "is that we want to know if he's safe, is all. Like does he come inside before dark and stuff."
"Oh yes, absolutely," confirms Goku. "Chichi has him on a strict bedtime before sunset."
"Whew," sighs Goku's friends in collective relief.
"Besides, he's with me, and I'm the strongest person on the planet."
And as soon as he spoke those words, almost as if the universe wanted to correct his ignorant hubris, a terrifying presence sets off his ki sense. Goku never experienced true fear in the face of a strong adversary before because of his love of a good challenge, but this feeling is different. The overwhelming power and malice of spirit he can sense is nothing like ever before, even King Piccolo could not compare. And the ki signature is heading straight for him and his loved ones.
"Chichi," says Goku.
He looks at her. She has never seen a worry in her husband's eyes like this one before. "Take Gohan inside now."
"What? Why?" she asks.
"Do it now," he says on the heels of her last syllable.
"What's wrong Goku? Are you feeling okay?" Krillin asks.
"Too late! It's already here," Goku says, looking around frantically. "It's even faster than I imagined it was."
"What is? What's here…"
Krillin trails off as he finally senses the enormous power.
"I feel it too," says Yamcha, shifting his eyes across the horizon. "But where?"
"There!" says Goku, turning his head to the sky.
Everyone whips their gaze upward to find their intruder. Cui descends rapidly upon them from several hundred feet in the air. His landing causes a forceful gust of wind to blow sand across their faces. They wince. Everyone is too stunned to do anything, so the uninvited guest breaks the silence.
"I'm looking for Kakarot. And for your sake, I hope you know where he is."