Hello again in the new year! Stoked for the arrival we've all been waiting for!
Based on MasakoX's What If series "What if Gine went with Goku to Earth?", but a retcon with some changes of my own on how I think the story would have went down had Goku's mother escaped planet Vegeta with him.
DISCLAIMER: The following is a fan-based work of fiction. Dragonball Minus, Dragonball, Dragonball Z, Dragonball Super, and Dragonball GT are all owned by FUNimation, Toei Animation, and Akira Toriyama.
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CHAPTER 42: THE CONFRONTATION
All the color drained from Raditz's face. He could feel the presence of his former comrades, making landfall somewhere on the planet. It was so strange to be able to sense the ki of those he had known for most of his life, like a blind man seeing someone they've always known with their own eyes for the first time. It felt so alien and... well, wrong in a way. But there was no mistake, with the dark auras exuded from them, it was definitely Vegeta and Nappa.
"It's them." He whispered.
"But.. it can't be! It hasn't been a full year yet!" Yamcha panicked.
"Can you feel their power?" Krillin shuttered in terror, along with the rest of the gang. Although they all knew extraordinary power in the likes of Gine and Kakarot, none of them save Gine felt power that was so... fearsome.
"Yes... I've never felt such malignant energy before." Roshi muttered. The former marital arts master was shaken to his very core, for not even King Piccolo had scared him as much as the evil he was sensing now from these Saiyan invaders.
Gine herself was as shocked as the rest of them. How could this be?! Raditz and Kami each confirmed that they had exactly one year before their arrival. Had they miscalculated? They weren't as ready as she would've liked, and Kakarot was still in Otherworld. They could be utterly destroyed if they faced them now...
Well, whatever the reason, there was nothing more they could do now. The threat was here.
"What are we gonna do?!" Chiaotzu asked.
It took a few seconds for his question to register to Gine, and she realized that everyone was looking at her for guidance. This was the critical moment they have all been preparing for, and now was the time for her to take charge.
Her expression hardened. "We'll do what we planned to do: face them."
"But, we aren't ready yet!" Krillin protested. "And Kakarot is still in Otherworld!"
"We don't have much of a choice now, Krillin." Gine rebuked. She turned to speak to everyone. "We have to intercept them before they begin their rampage across the planet! Everyone ready?"
Fear was in everyone's eyes, but the Z-fighters knew that the time to act was now.
"We're as ready as we'll ever be, Gine. We'll follow you into battle no matter what!" Tien declared.
"Yeah, we're ready for them!" Said Krillin and Yamcha.
"Raditz?" She asked her eldest.
His fear could be felt by her. Although he had made it his mission to stand against his old friends to protect his new home, and was stronger than ever before, the immediate reality of his choice was now hitting full force on Raditz. He hadn't looked so scared since the day Vegeta handed him his death sentence over his scouter. And now it felt like the day of his execution had finally come. He looked like he knew he was going to die this day...
But... the old Raditz would've ran. But he wasn't the same as he was a year ago. Now... he had his mother. He had his brother. He had his new and improved strength. He had his new friends. He had Launch... He had a new life here... Something worthwhile to live for!
Even if he was going to die today, he was not going to go down without a fight. Not so long as he had his friends and family by his side, and as long as he drew breath.
Raditz clenched his fist and looked his mother in the eye with determination. "I'm with you, mother."
Chi-Chi, who knew the gravity of the danger from the Saiyans, had still not forgotten the words exchanged between her and Gine just moments earlier. She turned to her with an icy expression.
"This isn't over." She said, her voice just as cold.
Gine was momentarily confused by her words until she remembered that just a minute ago, she and her daughter-in-law were at each other's throats and why. She was exasperated that of all things, Chi-Chi was more concerned about their petty squabble than the immediate threat of annihilation by the Saiyans. But now was not the time for more arguing. There were bigger things happening...
"I know." Gine simply agreed. They can finish this later.
"Gine... are you there?!" Kami's urgent voiced echoed in their minds.
"We're here, Kami. You felt that?" Gine said, looking to the sky.
"I did. The Saiyans had arrived!" He confirmed.
"We're on our way to face them now."
"I shall meet you there. I will contact Kakarot and let him know he must return home as quickly as possible."
"Good. Do it. We'll see you there!"
Kami didn't reply as he cut the telepathic link and went about what he had to do. Things were moving quickly...
She looked about the assembled Z-fighters and all of her friends and family. Tien, Chiaotzu, Krillin, and Yamcha awaiting her instructions. Little Gohan in Chi-Chi's arms looking so scared, having forgotten the fight between her and his mother. Raditz, steadfast and emboldened. Then Bulma, Roshi, and Grandpa Gohan eying her worryingly...
This was really happening, she thought. The people here, all that she truly cared about, were in mortal danger. And she was ready to do what it took to protect them...
Then it occurred to Gine that the Saiyans would have scouters, and thus with all of the most powerful fighters on the planet in one spot, would be able to track them. They will surely come looking for them first...
Gine turned to Bulma and ordered: "Bulma! Take everybody not fighting over to Kame House and wait there where you'll be safe!"
"What?!" Bulma replied indignantly. "No! You think we're just gonna stay back? We're going to help however we can!"
"There's nothing you can do to help us, Bulma. You'll only get in the way." Gine said curtly. "Get everyone who can't fight as far away as you can. Now!"
When Bulma looked to protest, Grandpa Gohan put his hand on her arm. "I'm afraid Gine's right, Bulma. This battle is way out of our league. Let her and the others handle this."
"I agree." Roshi echoed reluctantly. "As much as I hate to not do anything I can to help, I know my limits."
Bulma couldn't believe she was hearing this, she was the kind of girl who never turned away from helping others or get sidelined. Even Yamcha looked to agree that it would be best for her to stay out of it. In the end, she knew they were right.
She sighed in defeat. "Alright. Come on, let's go!" She filed into her Capsule Corp. jet with Roshi and Gohan.
Raditz suddenly perked up when he remembered someone important to him. "Find Launch too!" He shouted out desperately to Bulma.
"Don't worry Raditz, we'll find her!" Bulma assured.
"Chiaotzu, why don't you go with them." Tien asked his friend.
"No way!" The small fighter protested. "I didn't train so hard for nothing! Besides, I'm sticking with you."
Gine was touched by the bravery of Chiaotzu. Even though he most likely was the weakest member of the team, he stuck to Tien's side through thick and thin like a true warrior. Much like how she did with Bardock. She briefly wondered if her long gone partner would've liked her companions even if they weren't Saiyans...
"He can come with us, Tien." Gine vouched for Chiaotzu. "He saved me against King Piccolo. I can trust him against the prince and his minion."
Tien considered her words, then nodded reluctantly. "Alright."
Then Chi-Chi turned to Bulma. "And take Little Gohan with you!"
Little Gohan protested, "But, Mom, I-"
"DON'T ARGUE WITH ME, SON! JUST GO! I DON'T WANT YOU ANYWHERE NEAR THIS BATTLE!" She shouted angrily.
Gohan turned to Gine with a pleading look. He wanted to help them like everyone else, and he could. But her answer surprised them both.
"Do as your mother says, Gohan. We'll handle this." Gine said remorsefully. Although they will need all the useful help they could get, she didn't want to put her grandson's life on the line, and she didn't want to drive the wedge between her and Chi-Chi deeper than it already was.
Chi-Chi was surprised Gine had taken her side, and Gohan looked betrayed almost.
"But-" He said, but his grandmother cut him off.
"No buts! Do as your mother says!" Gine commanded.
Gohan was crestfallen and felt helpless. But ultimately, he relented.
"Ok." He said with his head downturned.
Chi-Chi handed her son to Grandpa Gohan as he boarded the jet. She looked back to Gine with the smallest hint of approval of agreeing with her for once, that Little Gohan's safety was more important than anything. But then that moment faded. The young woman still felt the slightest sting that her son would still rather listen to his grandmother than her...
Gine suddenly gasped in horror, clutching her chest. "NO!" She wailed, just as everyone felt and saw it...
A blinding white light that outshone the sun lit up in the northeast. It was so bright it could have been seen halfway across the planet. The roar of a thermonuclear explosion rocked the air, followed by hurricane-force winds. Through it, they felt the lifeforces of millions of people suddenly vanish...
"THAT... THAT'S EAST CITY!" Yamcha shouted over the rush of wind, shielding his eyes.
The blast slowly faded away, but through their mind's eyes the world felt irreparably wrong. As if a chunk of it was forcibly ripped away forever.
Chi-Chi placed a hand over her gapping mouth. "Oh Kami..." She whimpered, her lip trembling with shock and horror. She was about to cry. "All those people..."
"Gone." Tien finished just as they were all thinking it. This scale of death and destruction was far beyond what any of them could comprehend...
It wasn't something Gine hadn't seen before, she had witnessed hundreds if not thousands of cities get obliterated. But this time, it was different. Now that she could feel other people's energies, the experience struck directly into her soul and left her feeling weak in the knees.
She felt all those people's voices crying out in terror over what was happening to them, and felt the their searing pain as they were vaporized into oblivion. Millions of Earthlings that had always existed on the peripheries of her sixth sense that sort of acted as a comforting reminder that she lived on a peacefully uninteresting planet in the forgotten corner of the galaxy, now gone like a part of her was ripped away...
The cold pit in her stomach was replaced with fiery rage. The world that gave her refuge was under attack.
"WE HAVE TO STOP THEM! NOW!" She shouted. The more time they wasted, the more innocent people the Saiyans will slaughter.
Despite the appalling devastation of what just happened, Bulma wasted no more time and fired up the capsule jet, looking back to say, "Good luck, everyone." She then turned to Yamcha with moist eyes.
"Be careful, Yamcha." She said with choked-back tears. After witnessing the mass destruction of what these Saiyans were capable of, she suddenly had a feeling that she may never see him again.
The desert bandit gave her a warm smile. He must have thought the same thing too. "Don't worry, babe. I'll be fine. You stay safe! Okay?"
Bulma nodded and got out the word, "Okay." Before letting her tears fall. Despite the problems her relationship had with him, there was so much more she wanted to say to him now that the world was under threat of destruction, but now was not the time. She had to believe in them to save the world.
The couple took one long last look at each other as the jet closed it's doors and flew off into the distance away to the west, away from danger. The remaining Z-fighters watched it disappear over the horizon before Gine addressed them all.
"Alright, we got no more time to lose. Let's go!" She ordered just as she blasted off into the air at top speed. Everyone else rocketed off after her, struggling to keep up.
Gine put every ounce of energy she could into her flying, breaking the sound barrier as she did so. She didn't check to see if the others had caught up or if she should slow down for them. She didn't care. She was not going to let these Saiyans destroy her adopted home...
Vegeta scowled as he hovered over the smoldering crater of the city that Nappa had just destroyed.
"Hahahahahaha! Do ya think I was trying too hard to impress them, Vegeta?" Nappa chuckled darkly.
"There isn't anyone left to impress, Nappa." The Saiyan Prince admonished. "I should have known better than to let you have any fun."
Nappa looked at him with surprise. "Hey, what gives?! A little destruction won't affect the sale price of this planet. What's the big deal?"
Vegeta sighed in annoyance. "Try to use your brain. We came here to find Raditz and the woman, right? Remember?"
"Um, well..." The bald giant struggled to recall. "Yeah! We were gonna find him and his mother, to recruit, right?"
"And to set up a colony for us, right?"
"Uhhh... Yeah, I remember." Said Nappa, suddenly afraid that he may have done something wrong.
"And don't you think that destroying this planet's infrastructure would go against trying to build a new colony here? Huh?!" The flame-haired Saiyan added with barely restrained contempt for his comrade's stupidity.
A couple moments passed before it sunk in for Nappa, and he looked down at the crater in embarrasment "Oh. Gee, I, guess I should've thought of that. I'm sorry, Vegeta."
Vegeta shook his head. "Forget about it, what's done cannot be undone."
He looked down too at the crater to where their two pods remained imbedded in the vitrified surface. He almost wanted to kill Nappa for also nearly destroying their only means to leave the planet, but didn't act on the impulse. Besides, they had a mission here.
"Now, let's get straight to it and find who has the highest power level. They will most likely be the woman and Kakarot."
They both activated their scouters, circled their gazes around the horizon. After a few seconds, loud beeping alerted them towards the southwest.
Nappa gasped in shock. "What the? There's about half a dozen people here with power levels well over a thousand, all in that direction! How is that even possible?!"
"How should I know? Perhaps they have been preparing for us." Vegeta said, also looking concerned. If these Earthlings had been awaiting them and were ready for a fight it might pose a problem, especially if Raditz had been giving them aid and intelligence of their abilities. But the prince was unshaken, if anything he could use a good challenge.
"Not to worry. It's nothing we can't handle." Vegeta assured.
Their scouters beeped again, and Nappa frowned. "Looks like they are heading our way too!" He said.
Vegeta smirked evilly. "Really? Well good then, this might be interesting afterall."
Nappa, feeling invigorated by his superior's confidence, smacked a fist into his other open hand. "Alright! Let's get 'em!"
They flew off to meet the defenders in battle, leaving the smoking ruins of East City behind...
Meanwhile, in Otherworld...
Kakarot was in the midst of greedily scarfing down his fifty-sixth bowl of King Kai's homemade fried rice. Individual bits flew everywhere like sawdust, clinging to his ragged and scorched gi. He was eating so fast that he didn't bother with utensils and just practically inhaled the food. He didn't care if his mother would have disapproved, she wasn't here to scold him, and this food was just so delicious! Just as good if not better than his mom used to make. And he had good cause to eat well.
He was celebrating the end of his final day of training in Otherworld. It was an arduous day of final tests to see how much he had improved his speed, strength, mental prowess, spirit-energy management, meditation, and mastering the techniques King Kai had taught him. He had passed with flying colors, and was all set to return home to the world of the living with time to spare before the Saiyans arrived.
He couldn't wait to come home to his family and friends. Not just to teach everyone what he learned here, but to make up with his mother after such a rough goodbye, to hold Chi-Chi in his arms again, to play with his little boy, and to do a lot of catching up with his long lost brother! Eleven months was a long time to be separated from everyone he knew and loved, especially when he was in another dimension where time worked differently. But now he was so close to seeing them all again, so Kakarot requested a proper send off with a hearty Saiyan-sized meal to placate his excitement, and send him back to where he belonged...
His mentor, King Kai, sat opposite from him and watched with disgust at the gluttonous display and his student's utter lack of table manners.
"Ugh. I don't think I'll ever get used to this." The squat-sized, blue deity said grimacing. Bubbles and Gregory, his companions, nodded in agreement with Bubbles scratching his cranium.
"How does he not choke? Eating that fast?" Gregory wondered aloud.
King Kai was about to think of a hilarious reply when a voice echoed from nowhere...
"King Kai! Are you there?!"
"Eh?" King Kai perked up.
Kakarot stopped eating and looked up too in confusion, swallowing a mouthful of rice before speaking. "Hey... Is that..."
The omniscient King Kai knew that voice too. "Kami! Hey! King Kai here, what's up?"
"I have dire news!" Kami urged. "The Saiyans had just arrived on Earth!"
"WHAT?!" They both fell back in shock, knocking over the table and it's contents.
"But... But how?! It hasn't been a full year yet!" Kakarot said in alarm.
"I'm afraid it's true! They are here early! They have already destroyed one city!" Kami replied.
"Are you serious?!" Kakarot exclaimed, his appetite now completely forgotten.
"Hang on! Hang on, lemme check." King Kai said as his antennas twitched. After a few moments they settled in one direction, then he screamed in horror.
"OH NO! THEY ARE!"
Kakarot's face went pale and his stomach threatened to throw up everything he just ate. Kami was telling the truth.
"But... But HOW?! I thought we had a year!" He repeated.
"Ah! I forgot!" King Kai suddenly remembered. "I miscalculated their speed and lost track of them!"
Kakarot couldn't believe what he was hearing. Earth was under attack!
"What about Mom and the others?! Where are they?!" He desperately cried out, realizing his friends and family were in grave danger without him.
"Your mother has gathered everyone who can fight and is about to meet the Saiyans in battle as we speak!" Said Kami. "I will soon join them. Kakarot, you must return to Earth as fast you can! NOW!"
"Right!" Said Kakarot. He shot up and stood there with fists clenched. "Well, what are we waiting for?! Send me back! NOW!"
King Kai knew what he was asking, but looked up to him with sad eyes. "Uhhh, Kakarot... I can't do that."
"WHAT?! WHY NOT?!" Kakarot demanded.
"I don't have those kinds of powers. I may be a god but... I don't have teleportation." The god of the North Galaxy admitted ashamedly.
Kakarot starred at him looking ashen. "But... King Kai... I thought you could just zap me back to Earth if you wanted to!"
King Kai clasped his head in despair. "This can't be happening! I'm afraid the only way back is where you came: from Snake Way!"
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! IT TOOK ME A WEEK JUST TO GET HERE FROM THERE! I'LL NEVER MAKE IT BACK IN TIME!" Kakarot exclaimed in horror.
"Um, yes, well..." King Kai stuttered, trying to reassure his student. "That was before your training. But now that you are much stronger, you should be able to get there much faster! If you go all out, it should only take you a few hours."
"ONLY A FEW HOURS?!" Kakarot angrily repeated. "KING KAI, THAT'S TOO LONG! IF MOM AND THE OTHERS NEED ME, THEY WON'T LAST! BY THE TIME I GET THERE, IT'LL BE TO LATE-"
"ENOUGH, KAKAROT!" King Kai shouted, cutting Kakarot off. "I'm not perfect, okay?! Even I make mistakes!"
Kakarot wanted to protest further, but he knew that King Kai was right, and that there was nothing he could say or do to change the reality of the situation.
King Kai took a deep breath. "Alright, now lets stay calm and do what needs to be done." He turned around and twitched his antenna again.
"Kami, you still there?" He said aloud.
"Yes, King Kai. I'm on my way to join Gine and the others now." Said the Guardian's voice.
"Good, Kakarot is on his way. He should be there in about..." He thought for a moment. "Three-and-half hours."
There was a long silence on the other end of the telepathic link before Kami responded. "Understood. We shall hold out for as long as we can."
They didn't like that answer, for who knew how strong these Saiyans were. But there wasn't much they could do about it.
Kakarot jerked up his head when he realized something. "Hey, wait! Kami... are you really going to fight the Saiyans too?"
"I am the Guardian of Earth, Kakarot. I have to do what I must." Said Kami. "But don't worry, I have already arranged for Fortuneteller Baba to pick you up at the check-in station to return you to the Lookout. There you can join us in battle."
Kakarot shook his head. "That's not what I meant, Kami. If... if something happens to you, we'll lose the dragon balls. Right? If you die, whoever the Saiyans killed... we'll never be able to bring them back!"
Even King Kai was alarmed by this reminder. It was true, for the damage done to Earth and the lives lost would be permanent if Kami was killed in combat. He knew this would be a risk for the Guardian to take chances with his life, but he never understood the gravity of it until the threat of it was real...
There was another long silence on Kami's end of the telepathic line. But then he responded with every ounce of seriousness he could muster. "I am aware of that, Kakarot. And I know I should in my right mind not put myself in jeopardy like this. But as you said, Kakarot: Protecting Earth is my job, and I must do what I have to do to protect the world that is my charge. Even if it means taking up fighting again."
Kakarot pondered Kami's answer. He remembered their conversation back at the check-in station almost a year ago, about having him take up Martial Arts again out of guilt for what his mother said about doing what was necessary to protect the Earth. Now in hindsight he regretted that conversation that led Kami to change his mind, for he didn't consider what it would mean for the dragon balls. But, on some level, he understood what Kami meant. Even if Kami was motivated by something his mother said to him when she was in a bad place, Kami wanted to feel like he was actually doing something rather than just let others do his job.
It was out of pride, pure and simple. But as a Saiyan, Kakarot understood.
"I understand." Said Kakarot, meaning every word. "Just... be careful. Okay?"
"I will." Said Kami. Kakarot swore he could almost hear the smile through the telepathic link. "And may you have a quick and safe journey home!"
Kakarot smiled. "Thanks Kami. You guys hang in there, I'll get there as fast as I can!"
"Will do, Kakarot." Was the last words Kami's voice said before the link faded.
Kakarot turned to his master. "Well, King Kai, it's been an honor learning from you. I can't thank you enough."
"Heheh. Don't mention it, Kakarot. The honor's all mine, you were the best student I ever had. And before you go, here's a little present for ya."
The tips of King Kai's antennas glowed, and the young Saiyan's filthy gi magically fixed itself up.
"Hey! New clothes! Neat!" Said Kakarot.
King Kai smiled. "Not only that, look on the back."
Kakarot did so, and saw his master's emblem taking up all the space on his back. "Whoa!"
"Yep. You get to wear my symbol since you were my student, and I kept your old master's emblem on the front."
That he did as Kakarot inspected the new gi. It was much lighter than his weighted one, that certainly would help cut down his journey time.
Kakarot stood tall and gave his master the thumbs up. "Thank you so much, King Kai. I'll wear your symbol with pride!"
"I know you will." King Kai smiled warmly. He then turned serious. "Alright, get going' Kakarot. Remember what I told you: don't expect those two Saiyans to give you a fair fight. Be on your guard at all times!"
"And if things get rough, give them a kick in the tail and run!" Said Gregory.
"Will do!" Kakarot acknowledged. "Thank you guys for all your help. I promise I won't let you down."
"Thank me when you beat those guys." Said King Kai. "Now go!"
"Right! So long!" Kakarot saluted them and turned, looking up at the literal tail end of Snake Way high above in the orange clouds. If he was going to go fast, he had to charge up as much energy as he could spare.
"HYAAAAAAHHH!" He let out a powerful scream as he summoned all of his ki, and in one giant leap Kakarot sprang upward with a blast of energy that sent King Kai, Gregory, and Bubbles flying backward. The contrail of Kakarot's energy arched over and flew along the direction of Snake Way, moving at hypersonic speed. Moments later, he was out of sight.
The dust settled on the tiny planet, and King Kai dusted himself off watching where Kakarot had disappeared. "Hard to believe someone that strong could be living in such a backwater planet." He remarked.
"He's stronger than you now, isn't he?" Gregory asked.
King Kai coughed in embarrassment. "Um, well, yes of course, but, uh... he's surpassed me in every way except one: I'm still the funniest man in the universe!"
"Uh..." Gregory and Bubbles started blankly at him...
Back on Earth, Gine was flying high over the clouds at supersonic speed with Raditz, Tien, Krillin, Chi-Chi, Chiaotzu, and Yamcha barely keeping up behind her. They were a third of the way towards East City, and they could feel that the Saiyans were heading their way too.
"They know we're coming for them." Gine said matter-of-factly over the rush of wind.
"Man, they are really moving!" Yelled Yamcha.
As they flew, Krillin glanced up and shouted. "Alright! There's Kami!"
They all looked up to see another contrail arching it's path from far above, and the flying form of Earth's Guardian meeting up along side them. He looked as worried as he was exerting himself trying to keep pace.
"Good to see you, Kami." Gine greeted.
"Likewise. I just wish it was under better circumstances." Kami said ruefully.
"We all do." Said Gine. "Any news?"
"I've reached out to King Kai. Kakarot is on his way." He informed.
"That's great!" Chi-Chi exclaimed from behind. As worried and focused as she was, the thought of seeing her husband again brought her a glimmer of joy.
Gine was just as glad, but she knew that it wasn't all good news. "How long until he can get here?" She asked hesitantly.
Kami's expression fell. "Approximately over three hours."
"What?!" Everyone exclaimed.
"But... can't he just zap back here or something?!" Krillin asked.
The Guardian shook his head. "No. Not until he can return to the check-in station. There, Fortuneteller Baba can teleport him to the Lookout and he can find his way to us."
"But, three hours... that's an eternity!" Yamcha complained. "You feel how strong these Saiyans are?! If we can't hold them off, there won't be much of a planet left if he can't make it back on time!"
"Can't be helped." Said Tien. "We're just going to have to try and hold them off until he gets here."
It wasn't what Gine would've liked. Despite how strong they all got, it was only enough to have a barely level playing field, and having Kakarot here would definitely tip the scales in their favor if he really did get stronger. But it was what it was.
"No matter, we'll still take them head on and do what we can." She told them all. The open-endedness of their task leaving them all uncomfortable.
Despite the screeching sound of rushing wind, the air around them was somber quiet as they flew. Like they were expecting to enter a battle they will not survive. Thinking this, Gine let some honest words pour from within her.
She looked back and said, "Whatever happens, I want all of you to know that I'm proud for each and every one of you for fighting by my side. I couldn't have asked for better comrades."
It wasn't cheerful words, for she didn't care for inspiring speeches if the struggle ahead meant survival was not guaranteed. But she told them the truth, that she truly was proud of them for how far they had come under her guidance, and admired their courage for standing by her. They would've made great Saiyan warriors.
"Thank you, Gine." Said Tien. "And we couldn't have asked for a better mentor than you either."
"Yeah!" Everyone agreed, even Kami. Raditz gave his mother a curt but approving nod that as a fellow Saiyan, he knew what she meant. His views of his mother had changed so considerably over the past year, and now saw her as a brave warrior worthy of being called a true Saiyan. He never thought he'd live to see this day where he'd see his once-weak mother in this light, and even if he died today, he couldn't be more proud to be her son. Chi-Chi remained silent.
Gine looked ahead again, her brows deep in worry. Kakarot, I hope you get here soon. She thought.
She looked down to see the grasslands they were flying over now giving way to a mountain range. The place was barren, nothing but towering granite peaks and wide valleys between them.
"Let's stop here." Said Gine, just as she slowed her flight to a stop in mid-air
"Huh?" Some in the gang wondered aloud as they all followed her lead, but still confused.
"Why?" Asked Krillin.
"They're already coming for us. At least here we can meet them at a place of our choosing." Gine answered.
Everyone looked at each other.
"She's right." Said Kami. "Here is as good a place as any."
"Probably better too since this place is empty. No one will get hurt out here." Tien seconded.
They all agreed and lowered themselves to the arid, rocky ground.
No sooner had they touched down that Gine's muscles tensed. They're very close now!
She jolted her head back up towards the sky. "THERE!" Gine pointed.
Everyone looked up and gasped as two flying dots grew in size to take humanoid shape, moving incredibly fast. Even from a distance, the golden shoulder guards of their armor shone brightly in the sun. The armor of the super elite-class warriors, Gine remembered.
The two Saiyans stopped in mid-air for all to see, and everyone stood in tense silence as they gazed at the threat they had been dreading for almost a year.
The larger one was almost exactly the way Gine remembered him to be, although he had lost his hair since the last time she saw him, back in the days when she still crewed with Bardock.
General Nappa. Still a giant, still a brute, and still as dumb as he looked. And judging from what she could sense from him, not impossible to handle. A temporary relief, until she saw the other one...
He was much shorter, clad in a blue bodysuit under white and gold armor, his upright hair like black flames. The dagger-like glare in his eyes sending shivers down the spines of each of the Earthlings, Gine included. He was without a doubt, Prince Vegeta IV.
She had seen him only once, when Raditz was assigned to his crew as his first post-infiltration mission. He was six years old then, and he teased and tormented Raditz every chance he could for all of his low-class Saiyan shortcomings, and bemoaned the fact that he had to be saddled with someone far beneath his stature. Seeing him again now, he looked as if he had barely aged. Just as arrogant, just as mocking, and just as self-absorbed as he did all those years ago. He was even shorter than Gine expected him to be, about the same height as she was, not the tall and intimidating figure his father the king was. In fact, there seemed to be nothing like King Vegeta III in him, no trace of the dignity, respect, and fear that he commanded. No beard either.
His son, this brat, looked more like a rotten schoolyard bully than anything else. A little man in every way. But underneath all that, Gine could sense there was something worse. A deep well of power that was matched by a sadistic malice she could feel radiating from him...
"Whoa. These guys... are scarier-looking than I thought!" Krillin uttered, he was shuddering in terror at the menacing air the Saiyans gave off.
"You could say that again." Said Yamcha. He suddenly wished he was somewhere else right now.
The Saiyans lowered themselves and touched down a few yards ahead of the gang. Prince Vegeta crossed his arms in front of his chest as he eyed the group with mild interest, and the Z-fighters stared right back with undeterred looks. An ominous gust of wind whirled in the air between the two groups...
Nappa spoke first. "Hey, Raditz! Long time, no see! Looks like you made some new friends with the riff raff on this planet, eh?" He chuckled darkly.
"Nice to see you too, Nappa." Raditz said without humor, standing firmly besides Gine.
"Awww, look! You even brought your mommy with you! Ain't that adorable! Hahahah!" The brute laughed. Raditz could only look back with a mix of humiliation and hate. Gine said nothing.
Vegeta glanced over at Kami. "A bit far from home aren't you, Namekian?"
Kami could sense the vast and evil power these visitors had that eclipsed his own. It made the Guardian feel a fear he had not felt in a very long time, but he had a duty to fulfill. "Earth is my home. Now, who are you? And why are you here?" He asked.
Vegeta smirked. "Heheh. Well, now that you ask, allow me to introduce myself. I am Vegeta. Prince Of All Saiyans. My comrade, Nappa, and I are here for Raditz." He pointed at the long-haired Saiyan and addressed him.
"You, your mother, and your brother Kakarot are to accompany us back to Frieza Planet Seventy-Nine so you could answer to Lord Frieza himself... and face justice for desertion." He added threateningly.
Raditz gulped nervously, glancing to the side at his mother.
"I'm afraid you have no jurisdiction on this planet, Mister Vegeta." Said Kami. "I'm afraid I must ask you to leave immediately. You are not welcome here."
"Ohohohoh! Really? Did you hear that Nappa? They are politely asking us to leave! Hahahah!" Vegeta's mocking laughter joined by Nappa's gave everyone chills.
"Well then, I guess we'll be on our way..." His mocking smile didn't falter as his tone turned deathly serious. "...After we've killed all of you and everyone else on this pathetic little rock you call home, then sell it for profit. How do you like that, slug?"
Kami didn't flinch at the threat or the slur.
Vegeta turned back to Raditz and asked, "By the way, where is that worthless brother of yours, Raditz? Was he too scared to show his face?"
No one said anything. "Tsh, should've expected as much from a bunch of low-class cowards." Vegeta sneered.
"You shut your mouth about my husband you big bully, or I'll shut it for you!" Chi-Chi spat, everyone stared at her bug-eyed in disbelief for what she just did. Vegeta eyed her predatorily. He wasn't sure if the Earthling female had a death wish or was just plain stupid for insulting him. But either way, he found her intriguing...
"Oh, what's this? Kakarot found himself a native woman? Yuck! How retched!" Nappa joked in disgust. "She's a feisty one, though." He added.
"Quiet, Nappa." Vegeta barked. He kept his gaze on Chi-Chi a few moments longer, making the girl shrink back from where she stood, then turned his gaze back to Raditz. "So, Raditz. You going to come quietly? Or do I have to drag your cold and dead body back?"
Raditz growled as he finally worked up to courage to say what he wanted to say: "I'm not going back with you, Vegeta. Never in a million years!"
Vegeta arched an eyebrow. Since when did his always subordinate underling grow a spine? He wondered. After a moment he scoffed at Raditz's defiance.
"Hmph. You remember what I said to you a year ago? That'd I kill you if I ever found you? Well, I've been merciful so far in not vaporizing you where you stand, Raditz. So you have no right to object. You are coming with us, whether you like it or not. Or would you rather have me kill you now?"
Gine clutched her fists and stepped forward. "If you do anything to move against my son, I will kill you both myself. Now leave!" She barked at the prince.
Vegeta looked right at her. Gine never felt as nervous as she did feel as angry at the same moment.
"Ah, you must be Bardock's woman. We meet at last." Said Vegeta.
Gine ignored the prince's words. "I'm not going to say this again: leave this planet and never return."
Vegeta's mocking smile turned into an annoyed frown. "Well, well. Looks like they aren't going to cooperate with us, Nappa." He said, sounding not-too-disappointed.
"Wanna bet?" Nappa chuckled. He was waiting for an excuse to fight. "Alright. Let's see how strong you guys really are."
He pressed a button and activated his scouter.
"The Earthlings and the Namekian are a thousand each..."
Gine remembered Raditz telling her that Nappa had a power level of four-thousand. If her math was right, then the entire gang should be able to overpower him, and she was sure the hulking Saiyan, dim as he was, knew this too. But he didn't show it though.
"And Raditz..." Nappa's scouter beeped for a few seconds, and then he burst out laughing. "HAHAHA! Only two thousand?! Hahaha! Aw, poor Raddy! You had a whole year and didn't improve one bit, did ya?! Hahahah!"
Raditz was trying as hard as he could to not to let his anger show. Despite the hazing, he was suppressing his power. He could probably double it if he went all out, and he was holding back now in order to catch these buffoons off-guard. He wanted to lure them into a false sense of security, and then let his new power lose to see the looks on their faces... But he'd be lying if he said the years of abuse and taunting he had suffered under Nappa wasn't making the task rather difficult.
"And as for you, lady..." Nappa looked at Gine and activated the scouter one more time. A few seconds later, he frowned.
"Huh? Five-thousand?" He muttered, sounding impressed yet underwhelmed, even a hint of relief.
Even Vegeta raised an eyebrow at that. "What's with all those power readings you took before, Raditz? Did your scouter break or something? I wasted a year of travel time expecting a real challenge from your waste of a family but got a false alarm?!"
Gine, despite the stakes, allowed herself a smirk. They fell for it.
"You wanted a challenge?" Gine asked. "Here's one!"
She unfurled her tail, squeezed her fists by her sides and let out a low yell, crouching as she did so. All at once, the ground beneath everyone's feet began to rumble. The yell slowly went up an octave to a shout and then was amplified into a powerful scream as Gine unleashed all of her power. Rocks floated up into the air, the quaking intensified, a white aura enveloping her, sending out a rush of air and debris in all directions, pushing some of the Z-fighters over...
Both the Saiyans' scouters went crazy, and their faces were expressions of utter shock.
"What the- her power level is skyrocketing! Eight... Nine... Ten?!... ELEVEN?! TWELVE?!" Vegeta exclaimed in disbelief. Nappa's scouter simply exploded on the side of his face, leaving only a patch of scorch marks.
Then... all was quiet. The quaking stopped, and the rocks fell back to the ground. Gine breathed raggedly as she glared at the Saiyans murderously. Raditz dusted himself off, and gazed at his mother with a mix of pride and awe.
Nappa reluctantly turned to Vegeta.
"Wh-what did the scouter say?" He asked, the slightest twinge of fear in his voice.
Vegeta removed his scouter, his expression inscrutable as he said: "Fourteen-thousand."
Nappa snapped his head back at Vegeta looking dumbstruck. "WHAT?! BUT... THAT CAN'T BE RIGHT! HOW?!"
Vegeta had no answer, and Nappa looked back at Gine looking truly afraid of her.
Gine would never have thought to see such a look in the Saiyan general's eyes before, but only allowed herself a moment to savor the look. She wasn't going to lower herself to their sadistic levels of terrorizing their enemies. She had a mission.
Moments went by as Vegeta just stood there with his scouter in hand. No one knew who was going to do what next.
But then, to Gine's surprise, Vegeta smiled and crushed his scouter in his hand. It's fragmented bits scattering all over the ground.
"Well, this might turn out better than I thought." He said to himself.
"Huh?" Gine asked in confusion. Even Nappa wasn't sure what he meant.
"Uhhh, Vegeta... why did you-"
"Quiet, Nappa!" The prince snapped. He crossed his arms again and addressed Gine directly. "Now, I can speak freely without having Frieza eavesdrop on what I'm about to say."
Gine raised a curious eyebrow. This was unexpected...
Vegeta chuckled at her. "Oh, don't worry. I'm not going to kill you. In fact, I have a proposition for you."
Gine had no idea what the prince was playing at. Was this a trick? She wasn't sure, but at least he wasn't going to attack her right then and there. She could stall for a little more time by humoring him.
"And what's that?" She asked.
Vegeta smirked. "I want you to join us."
"What?!" Practically everyone gasped at once, especially Gine.
"You see, I know that Frieza destroyed our home planet. I overheard everything you said..." Said Vegeta.
Gine should've expected that. She remembered that day when Raditz reappeared, his scouter should've picked up their entire conversation.
Vegeta went on. "So, with that knowledge in mind, I'm not too keen on staying his lackey forever. I want to avenge our race, and I know that as fellow Saiyans, you do too. I saw the power you possess, and I will admit that for a low-class warrior, you are very strong. So that is why I, Vegeta, Prince of all Saiyans, am offering you the opportunity to stand beside me in this little conquest as my new queen."
Gine was speechless. Me? His queen?! She thought to herself in disbelief.
"We may not be able to take on Frieza now, but with a woman like you, it changes everything. With this forsaken rock as our hideout, and a few brats with royal blood in them, we can start a new world for the Saiyan race. And eventually, with our combined strength, we can overthrow Frieza!"
No one made a sound as Vegeta talked, but they were dumbstruck by what he had in mind. Even Nappa was taken aback.
"Think about it: With him gone, we will be free at last. There will be nothing in the universe that can stop us from doing what we want. You could have anything you desired, and together we can rule the galaxy. Nothing will be out of our grasp!" His voice carried an excited tone, as if he had been anticipating such a future with all of his might.
He gave her an oily grin that hovered somewhere between a flirtatious gesture or a threat of violence. "So... what do you say? Are you interested?"
Everyone in the gang was utterly silent and waited for her to answer. Even Raditz gave her a quizzical look to see if she was considering the prince's offer, the fact that the prince made no mention or guarantee of his life being spared if she agreed was rather concerning to him. But it was out of his hands, dependent on what his mother said...
But they didn't have to wait long, for after a few tense seconds, she gave her answer.
"You're insane." Gine declared.
The grin on Vegeta's face disappeared.
"What makes you think that I'd even consider siding with someone who threatened my family and friends after just slaughtering millions of innocent people?" She said contemptuously, spitting on the ground between her and the prince. "Thanks, but no thanks. I've got everything I need right here on Earth."
The offer to eventually overthrow Frieza and avenge Bardock was... tempting. But only for a millisecond. The memory of the city that the prince just vaporized upon landing was still fresh in her mind, and the idea of being taken as a concubine by this spoiled brat made her skin crawl.
"So... as I said before: get the hell off of our planet!" Gine demanded.
"YEAH!" Everyone behind her yelled in unison. Gine felt her spirits being lifted by the rallied support of her friends behind her, it almost made her feel invincible.
Fury filed Vegeta. Not only had some low-class trash insulted him, but any fantasy of establishing a rebellion against Frieza, essentially his means to eventual freedom, was taken from him just when it was at his fingertips...
"So be it. I will do what I came here to do." The prince said with deadly intent.
He turned to his confused minion. "Nappa, break out the Saibamen."
Nappa was still lost on what the whole exchange was about, but that was owed to his sheer mental shortcomings more than anything else. But now that his charge was ordering them ready for battle, the one thing he knew best and was most comfortable with, the big bald brute couldn't be happier.
"You got it, Vegeta!" Nappa said eagerly.
He reached into a pocket in his armor and pulled out a small bottle with green pods inside.
"Six total! Like you said." Said Nappa.
Vegeta smiled evilly. "Perfect. One for each of the riff raff while you deal with Raditz..." He said as he leered at Gine. "...and I'll deal with the woman."
Gine leered back at Vegeta with the same level of ill-will as he gave while the others fearfully awaited what these "Saibamen" were.
Shaking the bottle, Nappa planted the seeds in the dirt and watered them in turn. Gine thought for a moment if she should kick the bottle out of his hand's but thought better of it. They already had a plan of attack, they just had to wait a minute longer. Plus, the more they stalled, the sooner Kakarot could get here...
Six mounds rose from the ground and burst open as hideous, goblin-like figures emerged. Their wrinkled bulbous heads, razor claws, glowing red eyes, and the hideous squelching sounds they made had everyone recoiling in disgust.
"Eek!" Chi-Chi squealed in horror, compulsively wiping her hands on her dress as if the sight of the things was dirty.
"Eesh, these things give me the creeps!" Yamcha shuddered.
"Well, at least... they're shorter than I am." Krillin joked, his voice trembling with fear.
Gine never got use to the sight of these things even back in her old purging days, and they seemed ever more repulsive now than they did back then. Whoever thought that these things would make effective weapons to terrorize their foes were definitely geniuses if they wanted them to look this ugly...
"These Saibamen seem spunky. This should be a good match up." Said Nappa as the Saibamen eyed their prey. "You are to kill all of them, understand?" Nappa ordered the creatures, which chittered in response.
Tien called out to the other Earthling members of the Z-fighters, "Right. One of those for each of us then."
"Got it!" Chi-Chi, Krillin, Yamcha, Chiaotzu, and Kami said. They all crouched into their fighting positions, facing the Saiyans and Saibamen, ready for battle...
Out in the distance, from over the mountain tops and approaching the valley were scores of news helicopters. Like flocks of dragonflies swarming around them with their watchful electronic eyes, they were broadcasting what they were seeing to people all over the world. Gine didn't care about all that now.
"You ready, son?" Gine asked Raditz.
Her eldest son got into the Turtle fighting position she had taught him. "I was born ready, mother." He said seriously. Even in the midst of this danger, Gine couldn't help but feel the edge of her lip curl up into a smile.
Vegeta cracked his neck and stepped forward. "Are you ready to die here, woman?"
"Are you?" She shot back.
The prince was surprised by her flippant response but laughed it off to his opponent's nerves. "I must say, you have quite the bravado. Such a shame you had to throw away such a bright future."
Gine smirked. "Well, let's just say that I got something even brighter."
"Huh?" Said a confused Vegeta.
"NOW!" Gine telepathically shouted to the Z-fighters. Everyone except Tien closed their eyes, then he and Gine held their open hands before their faces.
"SOLAR FLARE!"
A/N: The battle for Earth begins! Find out how it unfolds in the next exciting episode! Lol.
See you then! ;)