Chapter 1 - Raditz
*Goku walks into the kitchen, where he notices that his wife, Chi Chi, is cooking up a stew. He makes a comment about its scent*
Goku: Chi Chi, that smells delicious!
Chi Chi: We haven't had any of mother's stew in quite some time, so I thought this evening would be a treat to you and Gohan.
Goku: Say, about Gohan...
Chi Chi: Yes?
Goku: He wants to go fishing. Don't worry, I'll go with him.
Chi Chi: Fine. As long as you promise to back before dinner.
Goku: You bet!
*Goku leaves the room, going to fetch Gohan. As Goku exits, Chi Chi wishes him well*
Chi Chi: Be careful!
*The scene cuts to Piccolo, who is meditating deep in the mountains. Piccolo seems distressed, as if sensing something ominous*
Piccolo: I sense...an incredible power. Could it be...Goku?
*Piccolo, quickly realizing the foolishness of his assertion, corrects himself*
Piccolo: No. Not only is it much stronger than Goku, it also seems much darker.
*The scene switches to an isolated farm in a small community, where a stout farmer is tending his crops. The farmer hears a distant but still distinct sound, specifically a loud crash. He quickly jumps into his truck and rushes to investigate. When he arrives at the impact site, he finds a large, round, white pod, the cockpit colored red with transparent glass. He isn't close enough to the pod to see who is inside, however. The farmer quickly grabs his shotgun from the back of his truck, fearing an alien threat*
Farmer: A...aliens?
*The pod slowly opens up, revealing a man with long, black hair, as well as a mechanical device over his left eye called a scouter. The man emerges from the pod and slowly walks toward the terrified farmer. The farmer points his gun at the man, firing ceaselessly. The man dodges all of his bullets with ease, none of them landing. The man, fed up with the nuisance, quickly kills the farmer with a single kick. Afterward, the pod the man arrived in explodes behind him*
Man: What?!
*The man looks above to find Piccolo hovering above. The man quickly discovers that Piccolo was the one responsible for destroying his pod. Piccolo slowly flies to the ground*
Man: A power level of 330. Unexpected, but you pose no threat to me.
Piccolo: Who the hell are you?
Man: My name is Raditz. I am a Saiyan.
Piccolo: A Saiyan?
Raditz: Clueless, I see. Very well, I shall enlighten you.
Raditz: I am a member of the Saiyan race, a race of powerful warriors; we were born to fight. We grow stronger with every battle.
Piccolo: Why have you come here?
Raditz: I came here to rid this pitiful planet of all of its inhabitants. I will then sell this planet for money. Goku will be the one to help me with this task.
Piccolo: Not if I can help it!
*Piccolo fires an enormous blast of energy at Raditz. When the smoke clears, Raditz is completely unaffected by the blast. Piccolo is speechless, in disbelief*
Raditz: Was that it?
Raditz: I have more important matters to attend to. I *am* after Goku, after all. However, we *shall* meet again. Until then...
*Raditz flies away, sparing Piccolo and heading toward Goku's energy signal, as indicated by the scouter on his left eye. The scouter is a mechanical device that measures the "power level" of a person. The average human has a power level of only 5. The higher a person's power level, the stronger they will be physically. Raditz used this scouter earlier to measure Piccolo's power level, which read 330*
Piccolo: I gotta warn Goku... He doesn't have a chance alone.
*The scene switches back to Goku and Gohan, who are fishing in a nearby river behind their residence. Gohan, bored, decides to dive into the river and search for fish manually. After diving underwater, Gohan manages to nab a small fish*
Gohan: Look, dad!
Goku: Good job, Gohan!
*Goku notices that Gohan, owing to the force of the current of the river, is drifting dangerously close to a nearby waterfall*
Goku: Gohan! Watch out!
*Before Goku can save Gohan, he falls down the waterfall, down into the water below. As Gohan is drifting along the fast current, crying, Goku summons the "Flying Nimbus", a yellow cloud given to him by Master Roshi, Goku's old teacher, when he was younger. The Flying Nimbus allows Goku to take flight without using up energy, as in ordinary flight. Goku quickly jumps on, flying down to the area where Gohan fell, frantically searching for him. After a minute of searching, he finds him struggling on a rock in the current below. Goku swoops down to Gohan*
Goku: Gohan! Take my hand.
*Gohan quickly complies, his eyes still in tears*
Goku: Everything's alright now. Just be careful from now on.
*Gohan stops crying*
Gohan: O...okay. Sorry, dad.
Goku: Hey, don't mention it. In any case, I think we should pay a quick visit to the Kame House. Are you ready to meet all of my friends?
Gohan: Yeah!
*Goku, with Gohan in his right arm, flies toward the Kame House, where all of his friends are eager to meet Goku's four year old son for the first time. Minutes later, they arrive at the isolated, oceanfront property. First up to greet them is Master Roshi, who was, prior to Goku's arrival, as per usual, lounging around on his chair reading a book. The rest of Goku's friends are inside Kame House, unaware of Goku's arrival*
Master Roshi: Goku! Is that...?
Goku: Yeah, he's my son. Gohan, say hello my former teacher, Master Roshi.
Gohan: U...um...h...hello.
*Roshi laughs*
Master Roshi: My my, you're quite the shy one, aren't you, Gohan?
*Gohan says nothing*
Goku: Anyway, Master Roshi, could you go inside and get the others? I'm sure they're all really eager to see my son for the first time!
Master Roshi: Sure thing, Goku.
*Roshi heads over to the door of the nearby Kame House, mere feet away from where he was previously standing. He opens the door, but does not go in*
Master Roshi: Hey everyone! Goku's here with his son! Come on out!
Bulma: Really?! Wow!
*As Roshi moves out of the way of the entrance to Kame House, Bulma, Krillin, and Yamucha exit Kame House, eager to meet Gohan. First up to approach the child is Bulma, who notices that his hat contains the 4 star Dragon Ball*
Bulma: Goku, your son's hat...it contains a Dragon Ball. I'm assuming you know the legend behind the seven Dragon Balls?
Goku: Of course. It is said that when all seven Dragon Balls have been gathered together, one is able to summon Shenron, the Eternal Dragon. Supposedly, Shenron will grant the summoner one wish, after which all of the Dragon Balls will disperse and become scattered across the earth. Once they are collected again, then Shenron can be summoned again. I've never seen it myself, though...
*Before Bulma can say anything, Yamucha approaches Gohan, patting him on the head*
Yamucha: Hey kid, you better grow up to be big and strong, just like your dad over here. You hear me?
*Gohan, like with Roshi, doesn't speak, owing to his shyness*
*Yamucha laughs, and then Krillin approaches Gohan*
Krillin: Hey kid!
Gohan: Um...
*Krillin laughs*
Krillin: Hey, it's okay, kid. You don't have to be shy.
Krillin: Say, Goku.
Goku: Yeah?
Krillin: I imagine you're going to have one hell of a time with Chi Chi if you hope to train the kid. You know stubborn she can be.
*Goku laughs, placing one hand on the back of his head*
Goku: Yeah, that's certainly true.
Bulma: Goku, I don't mean to be rude, but I can't help but notice that Gohan has a tail.
*Gohan is embarrassed by Bulma's comment*
*Gohan stares awkwardly at Bulma, clearly confused. Bulma ignores him and turns her attention to Goku*
Bulma: By the way Goku, I think it would be wise if you were to mutilate his tail.
*Goku is puzzled, and even seems slightly offended*
Goku: Hmm, why?
Bulma: Oh, that's right, I forgot that you hit your head when you were a baby. Basically, when there is a full moon, when a person with a tail, such as Gohan, stares at it, the tail reacts by transforming them into powerful, large, gorilla-like creatures called an "Oozaru". Oozaru's have incredible power. Your grandfather Gohan could certainly testify to that, were he still alive.
*Goku is stunned*
Goku: ?!
Bulma: That's right, Goku. When you were a baby, you turned into an Oozaru, nearly killing your grandfather.
*Goku is once again stunned*
Goku: !
Bulma: When a person transforms into an Oozaru, they lose all sense of purpose, all sense of good and evil. They are not satisfied until they destroy everything. This, Goku, is why I suggest mutilating Gohan's tail. Even *you* won't be able to stop him in the event that he transforms into an Oozaru.
Goku: I'll definitely consider it. Thanks, Bulma.
*Suddenly, Goku senses an enormous energy signal rapidly approaching. He quickly glances behind him, clearly in astonishment of the figure with such remarkable power*
Goku: What?!
*Goku, Krillin, Yamucha, and Master Roshi all sense the rapidly approaching ki. Bulma seems completely oblivious, confused even*
Bulma: Hey, what's the matter guys?
*Overcome with dread, the group ignores Bulma's question. Moments later, and before she can ask again, Raditz is seen hovering above Goku. Raditz lands*
Bulma: W...who are you?
*Ignoring Bulma's question, Raditz quickly turns his attention to Goku, who is standing in front of Raditz, with Gohan tightly clinging to his right side, fearful of Raditz's unexpected arrival*
Raditz: I've finally found you, Kakarot.
*Goku is puzzled by the name "Kakarot"*
Goku: Kakarot?!
Raditz: Don't play dumb with me, Kakarot. Have you forgotten your true purpose?
Goku: My true purpose? Explain yourself!
*Raditz chuckles mockingly at Goku, under the assumption that Goku is merely trying to play the fool. Before he can say anything more, Krillin interrupts*
Krillin: I don't know who you are, where you came from, or even what you want with Goku, but you better leave now if you know what's good for you!
*Yamucha, inspired by Krillin's sudden audacity, quickly steps in front of Raditz, ready to combat him*
Yamucha: That's right!
*Raditz laughs, and then activates his scouter to scan the power level of the two warriors*
Raditz: You, the one on the left, the bald one, you have a power level of 200. And you, the one on the right, your power level is around 185. Hit me with everything you've got!
*Several moments pass, and Krillin and Yamucha still don't make a move. Raditz mockingly laughs at them*
Raditz: What's the matter? You were both so tough a minute ago. Where is your resolve *now*? Or could it be that you're intimidated? Heh heh... Yes yes, I think that's it.
*Yamucha becomes angered by Raditz's taunt, and suddenly, a mystical red aura surrounds him. Raditz, activating his scouter once more, notices that Yamucha's power level has increased*
Raditz: A power level of 250. Interesting. But you're still no match for me.
*Yamucha's ki continuse to build as the red aura continues to glow brighter and brighter. Raditz's scouter continues to indicate a gradual increase in power level*
Raditz: A power level of 266. 274. 282.
*Finally, Yamucha's ki has peaked, and, still surrounded by a bright red aura, throws a powerful punch at Raditz*
Yamucha: Wolf Fang Fist!
*As Yamucha throws the punch, a crimson wolf is seen radiating from his fist. Yamucha connects. He grins. Raditz laughs*
Raditz: Is that the best you can do?
*Yamucha is absolutely stunned, as Raditz was completely unaffected by the Wolf Fang Fist, Yamucha's most powerful attack*
Raditz: Now it's my turn!
*Yamucha, quickly removing his fist from Raditz's face, attempts to attack the powerful Saiyan with a barrage of punches and kicks, the red aura still glowing around him. Raditz is still completely unaffected despite the merciless onslaught of attacks. After standing still for a few minutes, letting Yamucha ceaselessly strike him, he grabs Yamucha's right fist as he goes to throw another punch. Raditz grins, and punches Yamucha in the stomach. Yamucha quickly falls to his knees, clutching his stomach in pain. Raditz, taking advantage of the wounded warrior, quickly teleports behind him, kicking him in the back, which sends him flying into the nearby ocean. Krillin becomes enraged at this, and he quickly holds up one arm, energy emanating from his palm, which is facing upward toward the sky. As the energy materializes into the shape of a large, oval-shaped energy disc, Raditz's scouter detects a sharp increase in power level on Krillin's part*
Raditz: A power level of 315.
*With Krillin's energy disc complete, he prepares to throw it*
Krillin: Destructo Disc!
*Krillin throws the Destructo Disc directly at Raditz, despite being at a fairly close proximity to Raditz. He aims for his head, but Raditz simply catches it with his left hand and breaks it in half, causing it to dissipate. Krillin is stunned, and Raditz simply laughs*
Raditz: Fool! You're no match for me. Just give up!
*Krillin, fearful but desperate, gives Raditz a swift and powerful kick to the left side of his neck. Raditz is stunned by the kick, but only for a brief moment. He quickly recovers, grins, and kicks Krillin straight into the nearby Kame House, smashing a large hole in the wall in the process. Goku becomes angry at this, but instead of attacking, he attempts to inquire of Raditz as to the purpose of his arrival*
Goku: What do you want?
Raditz: I wish for you to join me, Kakarot.
Goku: Elaborate.
Raditz: Are you aware of your heritage?
Goku: My...my heritage?
Raditz: What? Are you saying you don't know?
Goku: That's right!
*Gohan grips tighter onto Goku, his fear of Raditz steadily increasing*
Raditz: At first, I thought that you were lying. Now, however, it's become rather clear to me: you're totally clueless.
*Before Goku can respond, Roshi interrupts*
Master Roshi: Though I myself am unaware of Goku's true heritage, it's true that he was involved in an accident that involved him hitting his head and losing all of his memories both prior to and during the incident.
Raditz: Ah, so that explains it, then. Very well, Kakarot. I shall inform you of your heritage.
Raditz: You, like myself, are a Saiyan.
*Goku's face suddenly wears a look of severe confusion and simultaneous disbelief*
Goku: A Saiyan?
Raditz: That's right. Saiyans are a group of powerful, elite warriors, among the most powerful in the universe. Your son's tail, is the symbol of a Saiyan. You yourself used to have one, until it was mutilated. Am I correct?
Goku: That's right. What of it?
*Raditz chuckles*
Raditz: Your full potential will never be unlocked without your tail. No matter, you are still of use to me even in your current state.
Raditz: I want for you to come with me, Kakarot. You see, it is your destiny as my younger brother.
*Master Roshi and Bulma are greatly surprised by this news*
Master Roshi: Goku's...
Bulma: ...Older brother?
Goku: My...older brother?
*Goku becomes angry*
Goku: No way! You're lying!
*Raditz chuckles*
Raditz: On the contrary. Now that you know your heritage as well as your birthright, it is time you accept it and serve me. Together, alongside myself, you and I can annihilate the useless inhabitants of this planet.
Goku: Never!
*Raditz smiles*
Raditz: You dare to defy me? Very well, I will be taking your son as a guarantee. If you do not join me within 24 hours, I will kill your son.
*Goku becomes stunned in disbelief*
Goku: W... What?! Gohan, get back! Quickly!
*Gohan reluctantly lets go of his father and walks toward Bulma, who picks him up, intending to protect him from Raditz. Raditz walks toward Bulma, intending to nab Gohan from her, even if he has to do so by force. However, Goku quickly steps in front of Bulma and attacks Raditz with several swift punches. Goku lands several of them, though some of them miss. Raditz is unscathed, just like with Yamucha and Krillin before him. Raditz chuckles and teleports behind Goku. Goku notices, but not in time. He, like Yamucha before him, is kicked in the back, traveling a fair distance, though not quite as far as Yamucha. Raditz notices that Goku, while in pain, isn't unconscious from the attack like Yamucha was*
Raditz: Hmm, still conscious, I see. Perhaps I underestimated you slightly. No matter, you're in no shape to move, so I'll be taking your son from you. I look forward to your answer, Kakarot.
*As Raditz turnes around and looks behind him, Bulma and Gohan, Gohan in particular, are absolutely terrified, helpless to defend themselves. As Gohan clutches tighter and tighter onto Bulma, Raditz grabs him from her arms, and Gohan begins to cry. Raditz turns around, approaches Goku, who is lying on the beach near the banks of the ocean*
Raditz: You hear that, Kakarot? Your son is terrified of me. If you value his life, then you will give in to my demands. Remember Kakarot, the deadline is 24 hours. Until then!
*Raditz flies off with Gohan in arms*
Goku: G... Gohan. No...!
*Just then, Master Roshi senses another incredible ki rapidly approaching. Fearing another Saiyan, he prepares for battle, despite his excessively old age and weakened ability in comparison to his prime. Before he can make a move, however, he looks toward the sky above, only to see Piccolo hovering directly above him*
Master Roshi: Piccolo, it's you.
Bulma: What do you want?
*Piccolo lands, standing mere feet away from Bulma and Roshi*
Piccolo: You don't need to be afraid of me. I can feel the terror radiating from the both of you.
*Roshi and Bulma, though Roshi moreso, are clearly perplexed at Piccolo's statement about not needing to feel fear. He was, after all, Goku's nemesis five years ago at the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournmanet. Not only that, but Piccolo had planned to kill Goku and his friends, and then rule the world as an evil overlord*
Master Roshi: What? You mean... you aren't here for Goku?
*Bulma becomes irritated*
Bulma: Why should we believe anything you have to say?
Piccolo: I don't particularly care if you don't believe what I'm saying. I have no business with you. I'm here for Goku.
*Bulma becomes frightened*
Bulma: So you *ARE* here to kill Goku! I *KNEW* you couldn't be trusted!
*Roshi, clearly intrigued by Piccolo's intent, interrupts before either Piccolo or Bulma can say anymore*
Master Roshi: Bulma, let's hear him out.
Bulma: But...
*Before any additional conversation can commence, Goku regains enough energy to get up from Raditz's earlier kick to the back. Goku quickly turns his attention to Piccolo*
Goku: Piccolo! What do you want?
Piccolo: I'm sure you heard. I'm here for *you*, Goku.
*Goku doesn't respond, but is wearing a facial expression of intrigue, prompting Piccolo to continue*
Piccolo: I ran into Raditz as well. Like yourself, I was unable to challenge him. It should be clear to the both of us at this point that we're simply no match for him. However, if we combine forces, we might be able to defeat him.
*Goku is genuinely interested in Piccolo's proposal, but still retains a degree of skepticism*
Goku: Should I accept your offer, how can I be sure you won't turn on me during the battle? Moreover, how can I be certain that you aren't working with Raditz?
Piccolo: Now Goku, you should know me by now. I want nothing more than to rule this planet, and if Raditz annihilates me, I won't get that chance. Moreover, if he annihilates *you*, then I won't have the pleasure of killing you myself.
Goku: I don't intend to let you take of the earth, but you're right about the need to work together.
*Piccolo chuckles*
Piccolo: Well, I'm glad you see things my way. Let's go, Goku. I'm sure you can detect his energy signal.
*Goku nods*
Goku: Flying Nimbus!
*After calling the nimbus, Goku jumps on it, flies off toward Raditz and Gohan, and Piccolo follows*