While the light illuminated the large room, a yawn escaped from the soldier's mouth. The reptile scratched his head as his yellow orbs fell on the screen. As usual, there were no arrivals. No surprises since they were in a low-populated sector. He released a heavy sigh and looked elsewhere. There were three of his colleagues inside the room, drinking and playing some card game. He thought of joining them; after all, nobody would come to check them. Just as he was about to stand up, a hand tapped his shoulder.
"Hey, do you need anything? I'll go get more drinks and something to eat."
He glanced at the large-headed grunt and nodded. "Sure, why not. It's not like we have any work to do." His friend smirked while he rose from the chair. "What else to do when it's so boring." He moved his head left and right, causing the neck to produce a low, cracking noise.
"Well, at least be grateful those Saiyans aren't making any trouble. I tell you, Vegeta and his dog Nappa aren't people to mess with."
Of course, the Saiyans. Like most of the soldiers in the empire, he despised them. "Tch! Screw them! I hope they never return!" The reptile moved forward while his tail swayed.
The other guy didn't respond but mentally agreed. They went in separate directions when a noise forced both to halt. "Huh?" Everyone in the room was surprised by the sound coming from the large workstation. Naturally, the reptile and his large-headed colleague were the first to approach the device.
After he typed certain commands, an image appeared on the screen. "What? Three space pods are bound to land in five minutes." That was unexpected. He couldn't but wonder who was coming to this rock.
"Well, that's new... For a moment, I thought that Vegeta and Nappa were coming back. So, to who belong those pods?"
The crocodile typed fast the id he got from the space pods. Once the pictures and the information of the owners appeared on the screen, his expression turned into a scowl. "Tch! Saiyans..." Reluctantly, he opened the giant dome that protected the station and allowed the warriors to land.
"Hm, two pods have activated emergency protocol. Inform the medic to be on standby, and you two come with me!"
.
As the colossal dome closed, the noise coming from the pods died. While two space pods remained closed, the one in the middle began to open its hatch. Once the small, metal gate was on the floor, a rough-looking boy emerged from it. His expression softened as he got close to the other vessels. Acting fast, he smashed his fist on top of the nearby pod. He did the same with the other one while the soldiers rushed out of the station.
"Move aside, brat! We'll take it from here!"
Gohan's eyebrow twitched. The boy glared at the guy who shoved him aside. However, he did nothing. He complied and stuck to the plan laid out by his father and uncle. A nervous feeling brewed inside of him as he followed the soldiers inside. A drop of sweat rolled down his scarred cheek as they quickly walked to the medical wing. It was a high-risk plan, and he feared what Freeza might do to them. His fuzzy tail curled tightly around the waist as the fear of consequences began to cloud his mind.
The boy didn't even realize they already got to the medic because he got lost in his thoughts. While the soldiers took off the blood-stained clothes from the severely injured Saiyans, Gohan just remained quiet. He leaned against the cold wall and watched as his father and uncle got put inside the healing machines. While the green liquid submerged the two brothers, the hybrid suddenly felt weak. He slid on the floor and let out a moan. His heavy panting got heard by the doctor, who immediately approached the long-haired boy.
"What is wrong, child? Let me see."
On instinct, he snapped at the doctor. "D-Don't touch me..." He closed his fists tightly, forcing himself to stand, but everything was spinning. Before long, he lost all of his strength and collapsed on the floor.
Now that the young boy was out, the doctor could see what was going on. "Hm, very high fever and a few broken bones... Bring him to the table." The old doctor rose and walked to the table while the guard picked up and carried Gohan.
As the boy lay on the table, the doctor removed the torn suit and got startled. "Oh my... So many wounds, deep scars." He couldn't but pity the child for having to live such a life. The least he could do was to ease the pain and help the boy recover.
After the doctor finished vaccinating the unconscious boy, the guard put the hybrid inside the healing machine. Once the oxygen mask was put on Gohan's face, the hatch closed, and the liquid started to fill.
While the Saiyans floated inside the healing tanks, the doctor walked back to his desk and sat down. He typed something on his computer and waited. For a second, his silver orbs stirred to the soldier who was with him today. He stared at the guard until the light from the screen made him look away. As he scrolled through the data, his eyes suddenly stretched. He instantly glanced at the warriors who, according to the information, were declared dead.
The doctor snapped out of the shock and shouted at his guard. "You there! Make contact with prince Vegeta at once! Inform him that three members of his squad are back and alive!" While the startled soldier did as told, the doctor sat back in his chair and stroked his long beard. It wasn't unusual for soldiers to come back after being falsely declared deceased. Things like that happened, but since these were Saiyans, the news will spread like fire and cause some rumors.
Soldiers moved out of the Saiyan's way as he arrogantly walked through the corridor. The bald warrior couldn't stop smirking as others cowered in fear. He let out a low chuckle as a young soldier flinched and quickly moved out of his path. The feeling of superiority over others was what he enjoyed the most, of course, after killing and conquering the weak. However, he shifted his attention elsewhere.
A group of badly beaten soldiers got carried out of the training room. Naturally, he already figured out who did that to those poor souls. He walked into the room, ignoring the cries of the wounded. His dark orbs focused on the short person displayed on the screen. As he watched the short prince take out multiple opponents with only one hand, he couldn't but feel proud. He took care of Vegeta since the man was five and taught him everything, from Saiyans customs, combat, and legends. And seeing that little, talented child all grown up and so strong made him believe that one day, Freeza will get replaced.
He closed his fist tightly as he imagined the day Vegeta defeats and overthrows Freeza. His only worry was that he might die before seeing such a glorious event. Though, he wouldn't mind passing on a battlefield against a strong enemy like a true warrior.
Suddenly, the giant snapped out of his thoughts when a low noise came from the scouter. "Hmph, what now..." Annoyed by the call, the Saiyan released a grunt as he pressed the small red button on the device. "Nappa here, state your business." He spoke sternly and most politely, just in case a high official like Zarbon was on the other end.
"U-Um, we have an important message for prince Vegeta, sir! I must inform you that three members of your squad, Raditz, Kakarot, and Gohan, are alive! At the moment, the medical staff on planet Freeza 22 is taking care of them!"
Nappa's eyes were wide open upon hearing the information. "What!? Those guys are alive!? How!?" His loud voice echoed within the room. He couldn't believe those low-class Saiyans somehow survived and found their way to a station.
While still under shock, he barged into the red room. His presence froze the soldiers who were about to attack the super-elite warrior. "Vegeta, urgent news! Raditz's and his pathetic little family we thought dead somehow survived and showed on station 22! What do you want to do!?" He approached the prince, who didn't seem bothered with the news.
Despite not showing it, Vegeta was quite surprised to hear that. He thought he got rid of the unnecessary weight for good, but it appears he was mistaken. "Hmph! Naturally, we must go to that station, Nappa." He passed by the giant and walked toward the doors.
"Since I'm the leader, I'm responsible for those underneath me. And besides, I'm curious to know why they waited five months to get back."
The short prince could tell those guys were up to something, especially Kakarot. He didn't trust Raditz's younger brother at all. There was a sense of rebellion and unwavering will coming from the wild-haired warrior. He needed to do something about that, or it could bring trouble down the road. The last thing he needed was for some low-class fool to get in the way of his plans.
A beeping noise echoed within the dim room as the bubbles rose to the surface. The child's long hair oscillated gently inside the healing tank as he breathed through the mask. Most of the scars on his body healed and disappeared, but those carved deep from violent battles remained. Suddenly, his eyes started to twitch. Muffled groans came from the boy who seemed troubled by something. The noises grew louder by the minute as the hybrid struggled against something inside his head.
He was on a plain field under the green sky. The place didn't look anything like Earth, and it wasn't exciting. Confused and alone, he took a step forward in hopes of finding his father. Just as he took that initial step, flames erupted from the ground and setting the entire place on fire. The boy shielded himself, but the fire hurt and burned his arms. Forcefully, he lowered them and couldn't but look forward.
His black pupils trembled as the shadowy figure stood on top of a cliff and held his father tightly by the throat. "D-Dad! N-No!" Completely overwhelmed by concern for his parent's well-being, the hybrid dashed through the wall of flames.
It burned like hellfire, but he endured. He ran across the field as darkness consumed the sky. While the lighting struck the ground, he stumbled and fell. He cussed and quickly tried to get up, but then he saw the lifeless body of his uncle lying in front of him.
"R-Raditz?"
He tried to reach out to the warrior. Mixed emotions clashed inside of him. While he only cared and trusted his father, the time he spent on Zoon with the long-haired Saiyan made him somewhat closer to the man. Just as he was about to touch that ridiculously long hair, Raditz turned to ash. Tears poured out of his eyes as he clenched his teeth and screamed.
The boy got up and, with everything he had, run at the chuckling figure holding his father. He was a couple of steps from reaching the thing when something smacked him across the face. As he fell, the shadow turned in his direction and began to laugh while his father choked to death. He cried, pleaded with the creature to stop but all in vain. His screams fell on deaf ears as strength left his body. He was chained on the ground, weak and unable to do anything as the creature suffocated his father.
"No! Father, no!"
Suddenly, the boy fully opened his eyes. His breathing was out of control as the liquid slowly decreased. Once the water went under his jaw, he violently removed the mask and tossed it on the bottom. He needed to get out of here, fast. His tail swayed behind the back as he waited for the hatch to open. Once it did, he almost jumped out, but the doctor got in the way.
"Calm down, child. Everything is fine; you only had a nightmare caused by a high fever... Relax, all is well now."
Strangely enough, the older man's voice caused the child to slow down and relax. Gohan's hectic breathing stopped and returned to normal. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath while the drops dripped on the floor. Once he exhaled, the hybrid opened his eyes and realized it was all a stupid dream, a nightmare just like the doctor said.
His eyes stirred to the other healing tanks, and surprisingly enough, they were empty. "Father... Where's my father and Raditz?" He shot an intense glare at the doctor, who was disturbed by it.
"Ahm! They are fine, don't worry. Both of them suffered life-threatening injuries, but thanks to their Saiyan DNA, they recovered pretty quickly."
The boy nodded and looked away since the doctor's smile made him uncomfortable. "Hn, okay." His eyes caught a glimpse of something on the nearby table. "I assume those are mine?" His tail shifted around as he approached the table with new attire.
"Yes. Just like with all of my patients, I have new armor ready. While I don't think a young child such as yourself should have any need of those, I had them prepared for you."
Gohan raised an eyebrow as he put on a dark suit. He wondered why the strange doctor thought that, but only for a moment. The boy focused his senses on locating where the adults were. It didn't take long for the long-haired child to find them. He picked up the armor and walked toward the doors.
He was a step away, and the doors slid open. Suddenly, he halted and glanced back at the good-hearted doctor. "Thank you." That was the only thing he said, surprising the doctor, who just smiled in return. Gohan grunted and bolted out of the room.
As he marched through the hall, Gohan's thoughts got filled with that weird doctor. For some reason, that guy's warm smile reminded him of people from Earth. He bit the flesh inside his mouth and released a low growl. The boy shook his head and tried not to think of unnecessary things. He needed to be strong and improve, just as his father told him. They had dangerous and important stuff ahead of them, and there was no room for stupid things.
He ignored the stares coming from other soldiers and entered the cafeteria. His eyes quickly located the two Saiyans on the far table to the left. Before he joined them, the boy ordered lots of food and eventually joined his father and uncle.
"Well, how long do you think it'll take for those two to get here?"
Kakarot glanced at his son for several seconds. The Saiyan stared at his son until the boy looked at him and nodded as if telling him he was fine and began eating. A slight smile surfaced, but Kakarot had other things on his mind at the moment. He couldn't wait for Vegeta and Nappa to arrive.
Raditz, on the other hand, calmly ate his food. "Don't be so impatient, brother. They'll come, and with questions to be answered." He already knew Vegeta would be suspicious and whatnot, which is why they needed to be honest with the prince. "It wouldn't surprise me if Nappa barged inside this very..." The long-haired Saiyan wasn't even able to finish when a familiar voice echoed within the room.
"There they are, Vegeta! Look at those low-class bums, stuffing their faces with food without a care in the world!"
While Raditz rolled with his eyes, Gohan remained silent, and Kakarot leaned back and chuckled. "Oh, if it isn't the famous Mr. Baldy! You wouldn't believe me how happy we are to see your ugly mug, sir." The wild-haired warrior glared right into Nappa's eyes and didn't back down.
Nappa snickered back, but in truth, he was fuming. "Hoh, it seems you got even cockier. Did you hurt your head on that rock and forgot who's your superior, trash?" The older Saiyan got dangerously close to Kakarot, who rose from the chair.
The two smashed their foreheads as they clenched their teeth and released loud growls, causing other soldiers to wonder if there will be a fight between the Saiyans. The spectators eagerly waited for the brawl to start, shouting their names. Uproars raised even further as the prince walked inside. However, Vegeta ignored all of that and focused on Raditz, who always avoided eye contact.
"Superior? You!? Maybe five months ago, but not anymore, baldy. You'll be surprised just how strong I'm now!"
That sentence caught Vegeta's attention and interest. "Enough of this! If you two have some issues to solve, then do it in the training room." Everyone gazed at Vegeta, who finally spoke. "Raditz, you better explain everything, and please, don't try to hide anything." His fierce glare still terrified Raditz, who responded with a nod.
Surprisingly, Kakarot was the first to back away. "Great! I've been eager to fight you for a while now. I'll show you a low-class with hard training and strong will can break through the ranks!" He slammed against Nappa on purpose and walked toward the exit.
"Haha, as if! The miserable fool must've suffered from brain damage. I'll get that doctor to check on you once I'm done with you."
Nappa banged his fist against the palm as he followed the younger male. The two exchanged more verbal jabs at each other as they walked to the training facility. Meanwhile, the rest of the group quietly walked behind them while little Gohan carried a bowl filled with all kinds of meat and vegetable.
.
Once they got there, Vegeta, Raditz, and Gohan remained in a separate room and waited for those two to start their match. While they waited, Gohan sat down and resumed eating his meal. While the young hybrid got occupied with satisfying his hunger, Raditz couldn't but allow a little smirk to surface. The long-haired male was impressed by the child's will and improvement over the last several months. However, he looked away when the prince finally decided to interrogate him.
"Well, what are you waiting for? It's your only chance to explain yourself. As I told you before, don't even try to make things up because you know I can tell when someone's trying to make a fool out of me... and you are well aware of what I do to those who dare to cross me."
A drop of sweat slid down Raditz's jawline as Vegeta's menacing voice reached his ears. "You know I wouldn't dare, Vegeta. I'll tell you all, and this fight will be the proof of our hard work and loyalty towards you, our one and only prince." For the first time since they were children, he turned around and looked the shorter male straight in the eyes with determination and confidence.
Vegeta hid his emotions, thoughts, and whatnot very well. He couldn't deny that Raditz's tone, expression, and fierce look in the eyes didn't surprise him. The flame-haired prince approached the reinforced glass and crossed his arms. Now that his long-haired subordinate stated such words with heavy conviction, he was more than ever interested in this brawl between Nappa and Kakarot.
Meanwhile, in the red room, Kakarot warmed up while Nappa just stood on the opposite side, grinning. The wild-haired Saiyan paid him no mind and focused on himself. As he moved around, he tried to remember all the tips his older brother told him to utilize against the bald warrior. He couldn't but smirk as he turned toward the giant. After such a long time, he would teach that mindless guy to never again look down on him.
"Cmon! Don't tell me you're stalling because you're scared! Where's all that confidence from before!? Haha!"
Kakarot closed his eyes and laughed just as loud as Nappa. "Haha! You're such an idiot; I can't believe it. Just because someone's given a low rank at birth, you think that person can't change or prove those ranks are moronic. Today, I'll show you your thinking's outdated!" The young Saiyan shifted into a fighting stance that seemed weird to Nappa.
"Pfft! What's with that weird-looking stance? Haha, you're such a clown!"
While Nappa's laugh echoed across the room, Kakarot's expression changed. A stern expression and serious look in those dark orbs caught Vegeta's attention from the other room. The warrior's eyes suddenly flashed yellow as he vanished. A gust of wind rose to the ceiling as Kakarot dashed at the older Saiyan, who finally looked down once the scouter produced alarming noises.
Nappa, of course, grinned and swung the massive fist to the left and struck the target. "Got you! Huh!?" However, the thing he hit was simply a fading image of Kakarot. While the bald warrior blinked in confusion, Kakarot fell from above and slammed the knee in the back of Nappa's head. While the bigger Saiyan stumbled forward, Radiz's younger brother yelled and delivered a might blow to Nappa's back, crushing the middle section of armor to pieces.
Intense pain surged across Nappa's back. "Grr! You little bastard... I'll kill you for that!" Despite his large size, the warrior swiftly turned around and hit Kakarot in the head with an elbow.
The strike was tremendous and hurt Kakarot a lot. Before he could recover, Nappa blew away his guard and kicked him in the gut. "Guhh!" He almost puked after such a violent attack, but he remained firm. Kakarot dodged the next punch and ducked under another kick. While he was down, he swept Nappa's footing away and quickly jumped. Now that he was above the older warrior, he twirled his leg fast and struck the Saiyan in the head.
Nappa's head crashed against the floor, causing the tiles to break. "Ugh!" The giant moaned as blood leaked out of the cut above the left eye. "K-Kakarot... I'm done playing games with you!" A throbbing vein surfaced on his forehead as he got up.
Yellow ki gradually began to surround the older Saiyan as his already big muscles expanded. Veins popped all over his arms and thighs while the floor quivered. "You're done for!" As he declared that, the yellow aura erupted, and he charged with incredible speed at the warrior on the other side.
Kakarot's eyes widened after Nappa closed the distance so fast; however, he remained calm. A faint glow enveloped the younger male as he shifted to another stance. The white aura moved around Kakarot as the young male stepped to the side, barely avoiding Nappa's attack. Quickly, he lifted the arms, but the fist passed through and hit him in the jaw. Kakarot stumbled back but forcefully jumped above the giant. He avoided most of Nappa's vicious strikes, causing the taller male to lose himself to anger.
"Ahh! Stop squirming around and fight me, coward!"
A fast and strong fist grazed his face, but even that, it almost put him to the ground. Kakarot remained steady and pushed himself up. Just as Raditz told him, Nappa was consumed by anger, thus fighting sloppy. He could use that to his advantage but a few solid strikes from the older guy, and he was out. To avoid such fate there was only one thing to do. Focus on Nappa's ki, and when an opportunity presents itself, blind him.
However, a couple of Nappa's jabs hurt the younger male and disoriented him for a moment. His opponent took the chance and grabbed hold of his arm. Kakarot tried to resist, but Nappa pulled him closer and crashed a knee into his gut. The air escaped from his lungs, and he couldn't but fall on his knees. Kakarot tried to lift his arms despite the pain, but Nappa was faster and hit him with another knee. The Saiyan's body jerked backward, only to meet with the older man's kick.
Kakarot got sent flying and crashing into the wall. His body bounced off it and fell to the ground. While blood dripped from his chin, he could hear Nappa's annoying laugh. "Haha! I must say, you surprised me, but a little low-class can't keep up with the mighty Nappa!" Such self-boasting almost made him puke.
"Now, I'll finish this, and you'll know your place is right under my boots!"
He didn't need to see or hear his opponent because he could feel the ki approach him. The young Saiyan remained calm and didn't move a muscle until Nappa was only two steps away. Just what he wanted. "Solar Flare!" With a swift motion of his hands, Kakarot unleashed the unique technique and illuminated the entire room with bright light.
"Ughhh! My eyes!"
The light was so intense it almost burned Nappa's eyes. While the older Saiyan was blinded, Kakarot arose surrounded by radiant energy. He struck the opponent again and again, with quick jabs, kicks, and an uppercut. Nappa's heavy body got lifted in the air, only for Kakarot to grab him by the leg and spun around. Once he gained enough momentum, he released the hold, and Nappa slammed against the wall.
As the giant fell, Kakarot rushed at the fallen warrior. However, an alarm got set off in his mind. He halted and quickly raised both arms as Nappa fired a ki blast from the mouth. The heat from the blast burned away the gauntlets and a left shoulder guard. Once the energy attack passed, steam rose from Kakarot's body. The Saiyan breathed laboriously while Nappa stood up.
They glared at each other as sweat and blood combined and dripped on the floor. Neither moved for almost a minute until Nappa suddenly lifted two fingers. Yellow light appeared beneath Kakarot, who knew he needed to flee. He managed to escape, but the force was strong enough to deal some damage. The Saiyan cursed and lunged at Nappa, who did the same.
The two clashed in the middle of the room, creating shockwaves. As they moved around exchanging blows, the tiles broke, and the ceiling started to fracture under pressure. The two Saiyans didn't even bother to block anymore. Both focused on their striking and, like two animals, growled at each other. Their fight was quickly coming to an end; both were aware of that. Nappa wanted to win and focused all the strength into a punch. The fist was about to strike the younger Sayan, but Kakarot lifted his arm and redirected the punch to the side. He slammed his foot against the ground and delivered a powerful uppercut. While Nappa stumbled a few steps back, the wild-haired warrior moved to the side and bent as he placed both hands near the right hip.
Blue light shone from his hands as the orb grew a little. Since he didn't have much time to pour all he had into the attack, Kakarot quickly fired, "Haa!" He put his arms forward and shot the ki blast at Nappa.
Nappa could only watch as he had no time to defend or move out of the way. The mighty, arrogant warrior released a thunderous roar as the blue light swallowed him whole. He fought back with all he had and didn't let the blast carry him towards the wall. Half of his armor got destroyed while deadly burns appeared across the body. Once the blast faded, Nappa's entire frame twitched as the steam rose to the ceiling.
Again, they glared at each other. Both suffered severe injuries and inflicted so much pain. Their breathing sounded shallow and mere seconds separated one of them from falling. However, the stubborn warriors didn't want to admit defeat. The last battle was who had a stronger will. Kakarot's and Nappa's knees trembled as they tried to remain standing until the very last second. Suddenly, the pain was too much for his body to handle, and all functions shut down. Once the older warrior fell on the floor, Kakarot smirked and lifted a fist high in the air.
However, Kakarot's triumph didn't last long. Just like it happened to Nappa mere seconds ago, his body shut down as well, and the wild-haired male dropped to the ground, losing consciousness. The two Saiyans lied close to each other after a fierce battle.
Meanwhile, in the other room, Gohan released a sigh and placed the bowl on the table. The boy jumped off the chair and walked out to help his injured father. While Gohan was busy with that, Raditz smirked as he watched the hybrid carry Kakarot. He couldn't but praise his younger brother for such a well-put show. Now, all that remained was for Vegeta to take them back. The long-haired Saiyan didn't utter a single word; he patiently waited for the prince to say something.
Once Vegeta uncrossed his arms and turned toward the doors, Raditz moved slightly. "Hmph, looks like there was some good in leaving you to rot on that rock; consider me impressed. I'll take care of the report, but don't think you accomplished something by beating Nappa." The stern tone coming from the prince didn't faze the taller warrior this time. Raditz couldn't but chuckle once the doors closed behind the flame-haired Saiyan.