Disclaimer: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Super, Dragon Ball GT, and their characters are owned by Toei Animation, Shueisha, FujiTV, and Akira Toriyama!
-X-
Cold sweat trailed down his forehead; his dark orbs shook as he stared at the flickering light. With mouth wide open, he just stood there, unable to comprehend how he got himself in such a situation. It was supposed to be an effortless retrieval mission; pick up his long-lost brother and reunite with his comrades in a new world. However, the moment he set foot on this planet, everything went awry. People still roamed this world; his only brother suffered amnesia and didn't even know his true identity until a few hours ago. It was infuriating. He made such a long trip and bet on his younger brother, only to find him in such a sorry state. Naturally, he had a plan and hoped his brother would revert to the ruthless warrior, but no. Instead, the fool teamed up with some green warrior to save the crying brat he took from him. Of course, he had the upper hand through the entire battle. Still, despite being weaker, the abilities displayed by his younger brother were fascinating.
Those two caught him by surprise, but what shocked him the most was the little boy. That headbutt rendered him unable to move; it hurt like hell. The moment he got struck by that whimpering brat, he realized there was something dreadful within the boy. His instincts screamed and urged him to kill that thing. He was about to when out of nowhere, his stubborn brother caught him from behind. He tried to shake off the traitor but to no avail. His body was in pain from that strike, and he felt lightheaded and sick. And now, the one-armed warrior was about to fire that damned attack that was powerful enough to kill him.
What was most disturbing was that his younger brother was willing to sacrifice himself. He couldn't understand him at all. Why go so far for some earthlings? They were so fragile, yet his brother tried to protect them. Disgusting and so unsaiyan-like. It made his blood boil with rage. But instead of thinking about that, he needed to do something about that deadly attack.
"U-Ugh! K-Kakarot... Let go! T-This time, I'm serious! I-I'll leave and never come back to this cursed planet!"
He moved as much as he could, hoping to toss away his battle-damaged brother, but the earth's strongest wouldn't budge. The long-haired warrior cursed as his second opponent suddenly yelled. He stirred his trembling pupils forward, and shivers went down his spine. That bastard was ready to release it and kill them both.
"S-Stop... S-Stop this foolishness at once, Kakarot! Think about your son! Do you want your son to mourn its father once awake!?"
His scream echoed across the lush valley. The warrior clenched his teeth and attempted to break free but froze when words escaped his younger brother's mouth.
"I am doing this for him and the people of Earth! You betrayed my trust once, and I can't allow a monster like you free... Piccolo! Do it now!"
The idiot was firm and had already accepted its fate. Immediately, the ruthless Saiyan shifted forward and tried to think. He didn't want to die, not in such a disgraceful way—his whole life, he was labeled weak, despite surviving thus far. So, dying here was unacceptable in such a way and at the hands of two weaklings.
"So, you're willing to sacrifice yourself for the sake of this world and people... How noble of you, Son Goku. Here it goes! Special Beam Cannon!"
Piccolo's powerful attack twirled toward the brothers with incredible speed. Knowing what was coming, Son Goku shut his eyes tightly and increased the grip around his brother. The tall and robust Saiyan had other plans. Desperate to stay alive, the warrior thought of only one thing to do. He took a deep breath as he moved from the left to the right and pointed his head to the side. He fired a blast out of his mouth, using all the remaining energy left. The unleashed force was strong enough to thrust both of them out of the way.
However, the warrior didn't go injury free. The attack broke through the armor and grazed him. He cried out as they fell to the ground, while Piccolo couldn't believe what had just happened.
"No! That slippery bastard managed to get out of the way! Grr! What now!?"
While Piccolo nervously sweated and tried to think what to do next, the Saiyan punched the ground as he endured the pain. Blood dripped from the grazed wound. A piece got stuck into his body when the beam broke through the armor. He seized the part and clenched his teeth. Once he pulled it out, the warrior roared in anguish. It took him a minute before he lifted his head and searched for his younger brother.
"K-Kakarot, you... I'll make you pay for all this!"
Barely and very slowly, the long-haired Saiyan got on his feet and dragged itself towards earth's best martial artist. "To think you'd go so far for this worthless rock, you filthy traitor!" He screamed at Son Goku, but not without any reciprocation.
He halted and began to cough, only to realize blood was on his hand. "Tch! I-I'm in terrible shape... If I don't tend to my wounds, I'll die. How embarrassing!" The rough-looking male spat on the ground while sweat dripped from his bruised chin.
"P-Please, don't do anything to Gohan or anyone on this planet, Raditz... I'm the one you want. Then do it, kill me, but on the condition that you'll leave this world and everyone else unharmed!"
Hearing such a thing from his young brother, who couldn't stand up anymore, made him livid. Even now, the young man thought of others instead of himself. Why? What compelled him to think like that and be so attached to others? Confused, annoyed, and irritated, the Saiyan just snarled.
"Why you... Who do you think you..."
He was about to reach for his brother's throat and end it all. However, the pain surged through like never before. Somehow, he managed to keep his composure and not fall to his knees. Sweat slid down his jaw as he placed a hand in front of his mouth and prevented himself from coughing. A few seconds later, he calmed himself a bit and breathed normally again. He didn't have time to spare; the pain was too much to bear. It was time to leave this world or die.
"Ugh! My pod's destroyed... This better work!"
The Saiyan reached underneath his armor and, much to Goku's and Piccolo's surprise, pulled out a tiny remote controller. He pressed some buttons and tossed the grey device away. He glared at the warriors and hissed, causing them to focus on his eyes.
"If you think this is over, you're delusional. I swear it, Kakarot, once I tend my wounds, I'll be back and slaughter you and every single soul on this backwater planet! You might've surprised me, but I'll be ready next time..."
He had a couple of words for Piccolo, but a voice from the device on the Saiyan's face startled everyone. "Unfortunately, there won't be next time for you, Raditz." The voice caused the tall warrior to tremble with fear.
"I knew allowing you to travel alone to that backwater planet was a mistake. You're so useless and can't do anything right without us."
His tail nervously stirred around the waist as he tried to form a sentence. "V-Vegeta, don't be like that... Sure, I made a mistake, but I'll be ready to kill them next time! I'll also clear out the entire planet, so it's ready for sale!" His voice and demeanor were so different from before it was unreal to Son Goku and Piccolo.
"Enough! I already made up my mind. You've always been deadweight since the very beginning. However, I have some questions for you, low-class... That half-breed, he's still alive?"
His entire world was crumbling. The Saiyan just stood there; life extinguished from his eyes. "Y-Yes, unconscious at the moment." He shifted his orbs to the sleeping boy and wondered if Vegeta had already found a new warrior for their group.
"Excellent! Now, you have two choices! Either stay there and wait for our arrival and the unavoidable death or let those weaklings team up and hunt you down!"
The evil chuckle got overpowered by a loud laugh and a deep voice. "Ah, come on, Vegeta! You're so cruel! I want to be there and watch that!" He firmly closed his left hand and clenched it.
Suddenly, the warrior snapped. "Screw you! Both of you bastards go to hell! I've always hated you!" He removed the scouter and shattered it into little pieces.
While Raditz was having a meltdown, Son Goku just stared at his supposed older brother with pity in his eyes. Naturally, the older of the two caught that and marched toward him.
"You! Don't you dare! You're the one who made this mess! Because of you, I'm..."
The Saiyan stopped and took a step back. "Ugh! Dammit!" He couldn't endure it anymore. Lucky for him, the space pod just appeared above him. A little smile surfaced as the pod covered in moss landed several meters away from him.
As he walked towards it, he glared at Piccolo, who was always on guard. "You were lucky this time, both of you. Next time I'm back, I'll take your other arm before killing you..." He punched the top of the pod as he stared at the reincarnation of the Demon King Piccolo.
"However, let me warn you... Those two bastards will be on this planet in a year and are much stronger than me. Your chances of surviving their invasion are zero."
While he sat down, Piccolo and Son Goku couldn't but quiver upon hearing that statement. "Well, chances are close to none, but I hope to see both of you alive so that I can kill you instead of those bastards..." The Saiyan quickly inspected the condition of the pod and punched the start button. Once the doors closed, the round object levitated slowly until it suddenly blasted into space, leaving the planet Earth.
"Even stronger than him... How are we going to deal with such a threat? Dammit! This completely changes my plans!"
While Piccolo tried to find some solution to such a dangerous problem, Son Goku relaxed and allowed his head to fall to the ground. He stared at the bright star in the sky until it was gone. So much was said and done that it was hard to come to terms with. The earth's strongest martial artist was glad everything was over and that they managed to overcome such an incredible treat. Now, they needed to tend to their wounds and rest. He was sure they would find a way to deal with the other Saiyans. Just thinking of facing someone even more powerful than Raditz made him excited for some reason.
Son Goku closed his eyes and exhaled.
A sharp pain coursed through his body and caused him to whimper. Suddenly, he was able to hear a familiar voice from above. "Goku! Look, master Roshi! They're down there and still alive!" Hearing his best friend's voice, Goku couldn't but smile brightly.
-x-
A lonely space pod traveled to its destination through the dark and endless void. The rusty and moss-covered object quivered as it raced to the nearest populated world. It was only a matter of time before the whole thing crumbled, and the Saiyan knew it. Despite activating the life support systems, he remained fully awake, only going to sleep for a few hours. How could he even sleep longer than that? The whole debacle repeated itself in his mind since he left planet earth. For 46 days, he thought only of his brother and the aftermath.
Cold sweat slid down his face as he breathed laboriously. "Kakarot..." Even pronouncing his younger brother's name was a pain. However, he couldn't but curse the Saiyan's name.
After everything he went through to get Vegeta's permission to go and fetch his brother, how could Kakarot reject him? They were connected by blood; the two were supposed to spread fear and conquer those beneath them. And yet, Kakarot rejected all that and him because of some insignificant earthlings. Despicable!
The man's tail furiously shifted around the seat as he released a faint growl. He would make his young and naive brother pay for doing that. If Kakarot thought he knew the meaning of pain, he was greatly mistaken. However, none mattered when Vegeta and Nappa were on their way there. Kakarot and that other guy or earthlings couldn't stand a chance against those two. The mere thought of his former companions made him livid. He didn't know who he hated more.
He tried not to think about them anymore and tried to relax, despite being in pain. Unfortunately, for the Saiyan, it didn't go like that. "System failure. System failure. Unable to reach the designated destination. Commencing search for the closest habitable planet..." His eyes were instantly wide open upon hearing that.
"D-Damn you, piece of trash! Take me to the nearest planet with medical help!"
Annoyed, he kicked the small control panel. He stopped when a piece fell from a ceiling. His tail immediately wrapped itself tightly around the waist as he anxiously waited for the robotic voice to come out of the speakers again.
"Search completed. Shifting course to these coordinates. New destination: Planet Pital. Time: 14 days."
The long-haired warrior wasn't genuinely pleased by that. He had to take a gamble and trust the pod's data. It was nerve-wracking, but there was nothing else to do. The station was even further away, so a detour it is. And it was for the better. This way, nobody will know where he is or how to find him. He will get rid of the pod, no more scouter, and all he needs to do is heal, blend in and get himself a new, untraceable ship.
An arrogant smirk surfaced as he finally relaxed a little bit. After so many decades, he would be out of their grasp, free to do what he wanted and when—no more taking orders or enduring insults. Freedom was so close, he could feel it.
-x-
"Warning! Warning! System failure! System failure! System shutting down! System shutting down!"
The loud noise woke him up, and the first thing he saw was the door of the pod getting blown away. "Crap!" He yelled while trying to hold onto something.
He spun around as the object continued to fall toward the earth. The Saiyan snarled, but at least he was glad the doors didn't break apart in space. As he approached the solid ground, the warrior decided to jump out of the broken space pod. He bit the flesh inside the mouth and tried to endure the pain while jumping out of the object. His long, black hair swayed uncontrollably on the wind as he allowed himself to fall toward the ground.
The warrior noticed many lakes, green hills, and valleys as he continued to fall. It was hard to tell without a scouter, but this seemed like a good world to have a new start. A grin remained on his face until he heard noises from below. A ship was going across the lake, and his brother's pod was about to crash into it.
"Hmph, so there are people here... How about I make a good impression."
It took a lot, but he gathered a little ki into his palm and fired the tiny ball of energy at the pod. Naturally, the object exploded mere seconds before landing on people. While the people cheered and were happy to be alive, the warrior closed his eyes and fell into the lake. Bubble rose to the surface as he kept sinking to the bottom. The Saiyan didn't open his eyes until he felt somebody touching him. Slowly, upon opening his eyes, he saw a young man trying to bring them to the surface. He stared at the stranger up. Without further problems, they reached the surface, and the people on the boat tried to help.
"Make room, people! This person is badly hurt! I apologize, but captain, I would like to request something vital. Sir, please, cut this vacation short and take us to the nearest hospital!"
Naturally, the captain agreed without needing any persuasion from other people. The young man felt at ease now and smiled. "Don't worry, sir. Soon you will feel better than ever before! Our whole purpose in this beautiful world is to heal and improve anyone's health, no matter who they are." He said that proudly while everyone around him agreed, missing a wicked smirk forming on the Saiyan's face.
-x-
A gentle breeze swayed the white curtains through the open window while a man lay on the bed. His brows twitched every few seconds, indicating something was bothering the large male. He ran across the darkness, but they kept going after him. Their wicked laughs echoed all over the place, confusing him and startling him as he kept running. He was exhausted and stopped just for a second. The long-haired warrior looked around, but there was nothing, just darkness. He cursed loudly, but suddenly he felt something. He glanced below when a hand emerged from the water and seized his ankle for some reason. He screamed and pointed the palm downright, firing a ki blast at the damn thing. Once again, he was free. He resumed running, but the creatures were after him. Not even a couple of meters further, something pulled him by the hair, and the man fell back. He winced out of pain when the shadows took shape. His eyes widened upon recognizing the shapes.
"Ah! S-Screw you both! Die!"
Completely out of control, he fired a barrage of attacks at the shadows. "Die! Die! Die!" He screamed and screamed until he was totally out of energy. His skin turned pale as the sweat dripped on the surface.
"You'll never be able to reach us. A coward like you will forever remain weak, pathetic, pitiful. Someone like you has no right to call himself a Saiyan warrior. You are a nobody! A warrior with no name or origin!"
The man began to breathe out of order and panic while the laughing shadows danced above his exposed back. He cursed, screamed, and even tears trailed down his cheeks until everything collapsed by force.
Raditz opened his eyes immediately and found himself sitting on the bed. Cold sweat trailed down his face and body as he tried to comprehend what had occurred. He placed a hand over his face and tried to remember the nightmare, but nothing.
He released an irritated growl but only for a mere second. The Saiyan just noticed the bandages and the medical equipment. He tried to move his arms and legs, and much to his delight, everything was in proper working order. An arrogant grin appeared as he shifted to the edge of the bed. The warrior got on his feet and walked to the open window, curious to see the outside and inhale some fresh air.
As he moved the curtains away, he looked outside and saw several ships coming and going off the planet. What piqued his interest was that almost all of them had a medical emblem. Acquiring such a ship would allow him to go anywhere he wanted undetected, and nobody would even question him. However, now that he didn't have a scouter, he couldn't gauge people's power levels, which meant he would have to gamble. He didn't like it, but what else could he do?
He stared at the people outside, trying to find something resembling a warrior, but there was none. "Hmph, this is going to be easy... Well, they'll perish without knowing what hit them." The warrior shrugged his shoulders when his tail stirred.
Just when he was about to turn around, the doors slid open, and people in long, white coats walked into the room. "Oh, I see you are already up, sir! First, let me thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving the people and me! Please, take this; it's from the good people you saved." The Saiyan raised an eyebrow in surprise when he received a giant plant with a spiky fruit hanging from the branch.
"This seems like a silly gift to a stranger, but I assure you this is a very rare type of fruit. There is a mythical legend, but I don't want to bore you with it, sir."
Raditz closed his eyes and shook his head. "Not at all; I'm quite mesmerized by it. Please, tell everyone from the boat I greatly appreciate it." A warm smile emerged as he shook the smaller male's hand. He tried not to crush his little hand in the process.
However, it didn't go undetected to the warrior's suspicious and scared looks from the doctors and nurses behind the younger male. "Everyone, my dear colleagues, please stop doing that! Just because he is of that race doesn't mean he is like the rest. Sir, I apologize, but it seems some of my colleagues are hypocritical." He gazed back at the short and young doctor and smiled.
"No need to apologize. Before crushing on your beautiful world, I knew I'd have to explain myself... I know what kind of reputation my kind has across the galaxy. Still, I promise I'm one of the few non-combative Saiyans."
Raditz took a deep breath and looked at the floor. "My battle power was so low my mother sent me away in the pod. Shortly after, I ended up on a planet I would call home and share with wonderful friends. Everything was great for a long time. Thanks to my natural abilities, I worked in a meat factory and occasionally helped catch crooks and petty thieves." He smiled as he lifted his head, but it only lasted a second.
"However, it's just like they say; all that's good soon comes to an end. My world got invaded; friends and colleagues died at the hands of a powerful army led by a demon! I-I tried to fight, being a Saiyan and all, but alas, I failed... Cowardly, I jumped into my old pod and left my home in ruins."
He turned away and glanced at the window, from which he could see their reflection and reaction. "I apologize for forcing you to relive such horrendous memories. While I know this isn't much, you are welcome to stay here for as long as possible. This is a safe spot, and no harm will come to you or anyone for that matter; I promise you that!" The Saiyan couldn't believe this man. He indeed was a bigger idiot than Kakarot.
"I'm grateful."
Raditz moved and bowed for a split second, primarily to hide his grin. "Oh, I meant to ask. Is it possible for me to get some food? You see, I haven't eaten in quite a long time." He needed proper nutrients right away. His stomach was empty, and he wouldn't hesitate to kill them all so that he could eat them.
"Of course! The nurse will bring you anything you want, naturally only healthy food."
He nodded politely, but he was quickly getting tired of this charade. "Just bring lots of plates; we Saiyans eat a lot." Raditz and the doctor laughed while the nurse went to get him some proper food.
"Well, there is so much I want to talk with you, sir, but we have to move on; this job is quite demanding, and I was supposed to be on vacation. It was a pleasure, mister..."
Raditz glanced at the extended hand and stared at it for a few seconds before shaking it. "Toma. Just call me Toma." It was the first name that pooped in his head, and now that he thought about it, he was sure he knew somebody with that name before.
"Toma... Great! I'm Enema, and you can also call me Enema. I will see you after we are done with all check-ups, and we can go for a walk outside."
The Saiyan nodded again positively and continued smiling until the doors shut. Raditz's facial expression changed as he approached the doors. He was far enough for the doors to remain sealed yet close enough to hear stuff.
"Enema, please reconsider! That man is a menace! We can't harbor a Saiyan on our planet any longer! Word of his existence had already spread like wildfire! Chairman, we need to call the Galactic Patrol right this instant!"
"But why!? He didn't harm you, the chairman, other people, or me! He saved me and everyone on that boat! How can you accuse him of anything just because he is a Saiyan!? That is wrong! Chairman, please give him a chance!"
"Hm... Doctors, please calm yourself. I still haven't decided, but each of you raises a fair point. Let me decide for another day. Now we should focus on our job and help people in need."
Raditz backed away and tried not to burst laughing. "What a bunch of morons... Oh well, I guess I'll exercise after I've eaten. Now, let me see what ship I'll take." The Saiyan walked by the gifted plant and took the spiky purple fruit; a second later, he bit a large chunk of it and enjoyed it quite a lot.
While he ate the fruit, he observed the ships which remained behind. In the meantime, the nurse brought him food and immediately left the room, more than likely scared of him. The Saiyan liked that because he wanted to be alone and plan his next curse of action. It was a simple plan. Wait for a few hours so the ship left behind is filled with fuel, then make sure everyone on this planet is dead. He couldn't let anyone go and tell he was here or say a Saiyan was on this planet. Not only would the Galactic Patrol hunt him down, but even everyone from his former organization.
He scoffed as he ate some vegetables and fruit. "Humph! I'll make them all pay! I need to find a suitable world and train properly... Never again will I be disgraced, humiliated, or looked down upon by others; I've had enough!" Fierce hatred and determination shone in his dark eyes as he tore a large chunk of meat, splashing the juice over the bed.
-x-
After such a long time, it was exciting to go back to work. Of course, he loved his job and enjoyed helping people in need. But after a while, it became stale and not as engaging as before. Each day was the same, with no excitement at all, and he started to get worried. They went on vacation at his wife's request, thinking it would do him good and how correct she was! Ever since that day, he couldn't wait to go to work. He was helping a hero get better, and that same hero became a Saiyan. Naturally, he heard the scary stories about Saiyans like everyone else. Still, they fascinated him ever since he was a mere child. Their drive and lust for battle were remarkable; their sheer willpower to overcome adversities and their genetics were incredible. Now, he could help a warrior in need; even better, the man was a Saiyan of a kind heart. He knew there were warriors of good in them. Of course, nobody was born evil; he believed in that.
Doctor Enema walked back to the hospital through the gorgeous garden filled with various flowers and giant trees. He wanted to bring his savior here and show the true beauty of this fantastic world. The excellent doctor halted for a minute to gently pick a couple of flowers for his wife, who waited for him at their home on the other side of the planet. With a smile on his tender face, the doctor resumed walking only to see a bright light over the horizon.
"Huh? That is strange... It's still not time for sunset. What is going on?"
Just as he took a step forward, a big cloud in a shape of a mushroom soared high into the sky. His eyes widened when the ground began to quiver. Taken aback, the young doctor fell and dropped the flowers. Confused and consumed by fear of the unknown, he quickly got up and rushed back to the hospital from where the smoke came, leaving the pretty flowers behind.
"No, no, no! Please, the one above all, keep everyone safe!"
He was pretty fast and closed the distance within five minutes. Doctor Enema pushed away the giant leaves and jumped over the bushes, only to go through the flames. His clothes got on fire, but he quickly removed them and rolled across the ground. He winced out of pain as the burns got to his back. Despite that, he got up and looked around. Fear, horror, and despair were visible in his green eyes. Tears slid down his bruised cheeks as he moved forward.
"This can't be... W-Why? H-How did this happen?"
The distraught man walked toward the burning building while everyone else tried to run away and save themselves. People pushed each other to reach the ships, but that was a trap. Flames devoured everything; actual hellfire descended on this once beautiful and serene world.
"E-Enema... Enema, you fool! It's all your fault! Look what you have done!"
He shifted his head to the right and saw the chairman lying underneath a giant, heavy boulder. "C-Chairman... W-What do you mean..." Doctor Enema got cut off when a limp body of his colleague fell in front of his feet.
While the man's eyes quivered and the sickness quickly reached his throat, a voice from above echoed over the place. "The old baldie's kinda right. If you listened to your dead colleague over there, this probably wouldn't happen, but you were naive and living in some fantasy." The Saiyan slowly descended with a proud smirk on his face.
"H-How could you?! Nobody did any harm to you! We helped you recover and gave you food and everything you needed! And this is how you repay us!? H-How can you live with yourself after killing so many innocent people!? Children!"
Raditz found the man's rant quite amusing, especially when the devastated doctor tried to punch him. "Because I exist for this. I'm a true Saiyan warrior! I don't care who's in front of me! If they're in my way, everyone will die. If you're angry, disgusted by it, then blame whatever higher power you believe in for making you and these people a bunch of weaklings!" With a swift motion, the Saiyan smacked the doctor across the face.
Doctor Enema stumbled backward and fell to the ground. The slap was strong enough to knock out a tooth and make him spit blood. "Y-You demon... You and your kind truly are a bunch of rampaging demons! Curse you and..." The doctor got interrupted when Raditz put an open palm in front of the man's face.
"Enough, you bore me. I've other places to be. Thanks for everything."
With no hesitation at all, Raditz obliterated the doctor. "Let's end this and leave this place before somebody gets here." Raditz's blasted high in the sky and went to purge the entire planet. Since the warrior didn't have a scouter, it took some time before he finished clearing the world. At dawn, only a single spaceship left planet Pital, a world once famous across the galaxy as a medical institution, a safe place, and a fantastic planet.