DBZ
The long flight from the village ruins to the plateau where Vegeta had stashed his five dragon balls in a deep crevice did little to alleviate his anger. When he first arrived on Namek, it never occurred to him that two insignificant Earthlings and a Saiyan waif would prove more troublesome than Frieza himself. It was simply too far fetched—and humiliating.
Of all the contenders vying for the dragon balls, Vegeta alone had managed to secure all seven. If not for the boy's interference—with the help of the girl's technology—Vegeta would have already summoned the eternal dragon. He would be immortal by now. He deserved it. By all rights, he had won the race.
To have come so far, only to be obstructed by those three weaklings… It was unthinkable. They didn't even have Kakarot to help them.
Oh, they would pay for this.
Fuming, Vegeta barreled down into the crevice, where he thankfully found all five dragon balls waiting for him. They had not been tampered with. He proceeded to make a quick perusal of the surrounding vicinity, searching for meddlesome pests.
Sure enough, a second Earth device, identical to the first, patrolled nearby, obviously keeping tabs on the dragon balls at the girl's behest. With an indignant fistful of ki, Vegeta destroyed it.
Now, as for Krillin…
There wasn't any trace of him. Either he had not arrived yet, or he wasn't actually coming—in which case, the girl had lied, and Vegeta failed to call her bluff. The possibility made his face burn.
She claimed Kakarot was her "very best friend." Odd, since they had nothing in common. Kakarot had been a valiant warrior—naïve to a fault—an obnoxious beacon of integrity. The girl, on the other hand, was a defenseless, duplicitous coward. Vegeta wasn't sure which he resented more.
As he pondered what Kakarot could possibly have seen in the girl, his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a massive—albeit distant—explosion that rocked the ground. He stiffened, glancing over his shoulder in the direction of the blast.
Frieza was attacking someone.
Or something.
Or nothing at all.
Moments later, a second explosion came from a different direction. Then a third, closer. Then a fourth, farther away.
Vegeta forced himself to relax. The tyrant was having a tantrum. Frieza had either run out of patience with Zarbon, or he suspected the truth. Zarbon had been killed. Needless to say, Frieza was justifiably displeased, and he expressed his frustration by discharging massive energy beams—like comets—across the Namekian landscape. Randomly, with no specific target. Just senseless destruction.
In a way, Vegeta could almost appreciate Frieza's foul mood. He even shared it. While Frieza had been robbed by Vegeta, Vegeta had been robbed by Gohan. It was enough to make anyone violent.
For now, Vegeta still enjoyed his advantages over Frieza. He had six of the seven dragon balls, and he could detect power levels without the aid of a scouter—while Frieza was more or less blind. But… those advantages were temporary.
With a frown, Vegeta placed the dragon ball he took from Krillin beside the others, and then he sat on it like a stool to consider his next move.
He had to find the missing dragon ball, and he didn't have much time. Frieza was no doubt waiting for replacement scouters to arrive, and if Vegeta was not immortal by then, he would be screwed.
In all likelihood, the missing dragon ball was near the place where Vegeta had discovered Gohan. He could easily find his way back to it, but not without some risk. The Earth girl had the location of this crevice. If Vegeta left his dragon balls here, she might find a way to steal them in his absence.
What should he do? Find a different hiding place? Hunt down the Earthlings and slaughter them? Risk it all to search for the missing dragon ball?
As Vegeta weighed his options, a faint power level traveling at a high speed somehow emerged in stark contrast to Frieza's volley of energy blasts.
Krillin?
Vegeta stood and gazed up at the sky in the Earthling's direction. He was moving away from both the Namekian village and the cave where Vegeta had killed Zarbon. Not to mention away from this crevice with the dragon balls.
Interesting. Where could he be off to in such a hurry?
Krillin had the ability to hide his power level, but for once, he made no attempt to conceal himself. He was channeling all his energy to push himself faster, choosing speed over caution.
Why?
Aside from the dragon balls, what did this planet have to offer?
Vegeta had to find out. He itched for answers… and he itched to kill something.
Like a shark drawn to blood in the water, Vegeta grabbed one of his dragon balls—to prevent thieves from summoning the dragon—and sprang up into the sky. He proceeded to give chase, all the while fantasizing over different methods to make Krillin suffer.
DBZ
"Dad!" Gohan called out nervously from the courtyard of an exotic palace. His voice reverberated as if inside an echo chamber, but there came no response. "Mr. Piccolo! Where are you?"
Overhead, the sky had been eclipsed by fearsome currents of red and yellow energy that spiraled like a whirlpool toward the gaping mouth of a black hole. Gohan stared up at it in pure dread, barely able to resist the pull of the vortex.
The green and yellow garments his mother dressed him in—fit for royalty—fluttered in the turbulence, along with Gohan's hair. It all felt so familiar… like a repressed memory clambering back up to the surface.
Gohan shook his head. He didn't want it.
He felt… so small.
From the corner of his eye, Gohan glimpsed an approaching figure. He flinched and whipped around to face an enormous demon with turquoise skin, pointy ears, enlarged muscles, and bulging veins. Dressed only in black pants, the demon towered over Gohan with a hungry expression. "I've been waiting for you, little one. Come closer. You are meant to be my disciple."
Gohan shook his head, but otherwise, he couldn't move. Couldn't run. Couldn't fight. "Where's my dad? Where's Mr. Piccolo?"
The demon laughed and gestured at the black hole. "They're well beyond your reach."
Gohan's heart sank as he looked up and squinted. There, in the distance, he finally caught sight of them, bloody and incapacitated… helpless against the current hauling them into the vortex.
"No!" he screamed, attempting to launch himself after them… desperate to save them… but his legs were frozen in place, and he could only watch as the two men he loved most in the world disappeared into the void. "No! Please!"
The demon walked towards him, slow but relentless.
Gohan cringed, struggling in vain to move. "Stop! Get away from me!"
"You're mine now, little one," the demon replied, still advancing. "I'm all that's left for you. I claim you."
"No! Please, don't!"
Suddenly, from behind, a large hand reached out to grab Gohan's arm. It yanked him backwards and aggressively tossed him to his hands and knees.
Startled, Gohan sat up and watched as Vegeta of all people stood between him and the demon.
"Now, who might you be?" the Saiyan prince growled. "And where did you find the nerve to make claims on my property?"
The demon paused, regarding Vegeta in contempt. "He belongs to me. I found him first."
"No," Vegeta protested. "He belongs to me. He's the last of my kind, and I have no interest in sharing him."
"He was born on Earth," the demon said. "And I'm the rightful Guardian of Earth. Therefore, he belongs under my jurisdiction."
"Stop it…" Gohan whimpered, clamping his hands over his ears. "Leave me alone…"
"What do you know of the Saiyan race?" Vegeta demanded. "He's certainly gifted, but he requires my expertise to achieve his full power."
Panic welled up inside Gohan until he thought he would burst. What could they possibly want from him? He was just a kid. He had nothing to offer, and he just wanted his dad back.
Vegeta glared down at him in disapproval. "You will never see your dad again, foundling. Your future is with me now."
"Gohan!"
"Get away from me!"
"Gohan!"
DBZ
"Gohan!"
Krillin?
Gohan's eyes snapped open as he recoiled from an oppressive crowd of potential enemies. Where was he?
Disoriented and struggling to see inside a gloomy chamber, Gohan scrambled to escape… or at least find some breathing room.
"Gohan, it's ok!" Krillin's voice anxiously assured him. "You're safe! You're with friends!"
Safe?
Gohan paused, waiting for his eyes to adjust. Sure enough, he found himself in a large dome-shaped house, in the company of four individuals who gazed back at him in genuine concern.
Krillin and the Namekian child, Dende, sat kneeling on the floor in the area where Gohan had been revived. Behind them stood a tall, lean Namekian warrior—who very much reminded Gohan of Mr. Piccolo. And occupying a gigantic white throne in the center of the room sat the oldest and largest Namekian Gohan had ever encountered. He must have been Dende's Grand Elder.
How in the world did Gohan get here? And how was he alive? "I don't…? Where's Vegeta?"
"He left you for dead," Krillin gently explained, climbing to his feet. "I found you and brought you here. Dende healed you. Bulma should be on her way by now, but it could still be a while, yet. Her capsule vehicles don't move as fast as we do."
As Gohan processed this bit of news, his thoughts swirled in all directions. Somehow, he managed to focus on Dende. "You healed me?"
The child nodded. "I'm glad it worked. I've never healed anyone before." His hesitant voice prompted the Grand Elder to speak encouragement.
"You did well, my son. Although I would have preferred your abilities to develop on their own, we've found ourselves in a situation that demands expediency, and you readily adapted. I am most relieved."
Dende offered a meek smile while Krillin's worried expression brightened into excitement.
"You're never going to believe this, Gohan!" he enthusiastically exclaimed. "Grand Elder Guru has the ability to unlock latent powers! He gave me a power boost when I met him earlier, and then, just now, when we arrived with you in such bad shape, he activated Dende's healing abilities!"
"Thank you," Gohan whispered, staring down at his feet. Although his body felt strong—stronger than ever, in fact—his heart felt broken. Shattered. Tears brimmed in his eyes.
Krillin faltered. "Gohan?"
"Vegeta said… He said… Krillin, my dad?"
It was enough to make Krillin wince. "He told you?" When Gohan nodded, Krillin crossed over to him and gripped his shoulder. "I'm sorry, kiddo. That's not how I wanted you to find out. But… this isn't the time to grieve, Gohan. We just need to get the dragon balls, and we can sort this all out."
It was too much. "But we only have one wish, and we have to bring back all our friends, and all the Namekians who have been killed…" Gohan wasn't the only one grieving. Dende deserved his family back, too.
Krillin clenched his jaw, at a loss for words, while the Namekian warrior cocked his head. "On the contrary," he spoke with a calm demeanor, so different from Mr. Piccolo. "You would have three wishes."
Gohan looked up in surprise while Krillin gaped. "Three?"
The warrior nodded, but failed to elaborate. Instead, he glanced over at the wall, as if peering through it. "Someone else approaches."
Alarmed, Gohan followed the warrior's gaze and concentrated on sensing power levels. The nearest one advanced like an avalanche, full of anger and hatred.
Gohan shrank back while Krillin steeled himself for a fight—one he could not win.
"That's Vegeta," he told the Namekians. "He found us. I'll try to hold him off, but I'm not strong enough to last for more than a few minutes, if I'm lucky. Mr. Guru, sir, would you please unlock Gohan's hidden powers? He has more potential than the rest of us combined."
With that, Krillin hastened out of the house.
Gohan stared after him in shock. Hidden powers? Why did everyone think he was so talented? He had yet to win a fight when it really mattered.
His face flushed in shame and inadequacy as he turned toward the Grand Elder, who gazed down at him in regret.
"You are too young for the burden you bear," he said apologetically. "It is never appropriate to send children out to war."
If only it were that simple. Gohan shrugged. "I don't have a choice, sir. It's fight or die. And Krillin needs my help."
Not that it would do any good against Vegeta.
The Namekian warrior sighed. "Perhaps I could be of assistance, Lord Guru?"
"Thank you, Nail."
As the warrior, Nail, followed Krillin out of the house, the Grand Elder beckoned Gohan to approach his throne. "Be at ease," he coaxed when Gohan hesitated. "This technique will not cause harm."
Once again, Gohan bowed his head and held back tears. Why was he so hesitant, anyway? Logically, to fend off Vegeta, Frieza, and all the other monsters on this planet, Gohan needed all the strength he could get.
It was necessary.
And yet…
Gohan hated everything about it.
"Gohan?" Dende asked nervously.
They were relying on him. He couldn't just refuse. Too much was at stake.
Without a word, Gohan crossed the distance over to the Grand Elder's throne.
"Your heart is yet innocent," the Grand Elder observed as he gently placed a large hand on Gohan's head. "It is both a blessing and a weakness. To survive the battles ahead, you must cultivate a stronger will to fight."
At that, he tapped into Gohan's ki, reaching deep within to access a mysterious reservoir the boy didn't recognize. It was both astonishing and terrifying. Gohan gasped as the Grand Elder carefully nudged aside hidden barriers to unearth power beyond anything he had ever experienced.
As the power heightened, the Grand Elder's voice lingered in Gohan's mind.
"But victory at the expense of your gentle nature is by no means a true victory. Only through balance—which neither succumbs to evil nor embraces it—will you find the peace you crave."
DBZ
Author's Note: Quick question! Would you all prefer me to keep writing at this pace for the Ginyu Force, or would you rather I fast-forward to Frieza?