Hey everyone! Whew I am really, really late with bringing this chapter out. I have been writing like an absolute monster these last few weeks and am very glad I remembered to come back and edit this chapter. There is a bit of a time skip this chapter. Got to move the story guys.

We see the effects of Gohan's new, ferocious technique! We see everyone training, but have they done enough? The next threat that comes for them, may very well be the most dangerous! One can only hope that they've grown stronger! Find out this and more on this next chapter of Dragon Ball: BtG!

Reviews:

TheHiddenLettuce: Thanks for your review my friend. The level of hinting is annoying sometimes isn't it? But that's the thrill of it hahahaha! Consider he fought a newly christened Super Saiyan Blue Trunks with just Super Saiyan. Or didn't power up at Vegeta's use for Super Saiyan. I will give you more clues as the story progresses. Remember, Old Man Shepard's issues were never with Beerus, but if Beerus decides to get in the way, than the Old Man will handle it accordingly ;-) thanks for your review! Enjoy this chapter.

Spedyalarm: I will admit, I enjoyed reading your reviews. Finally somebody asks, why Tights? The way I saw it, Tights was one of the newer fixtures in the Dragon Ball Universe. I had thought about using Launch, but everybody uses her for Raditz, and I'm not doing that. I have something else in mind for Launch later on. Chi-Chi and Bulma for obvious reasons are off the table. Shepard needs Trunks, or some variation of him, from the future to show up. And he is very much aware of Bulma and Vegeta, plus the positive of having a fighter like Vegeta in the future. I could create an OC for Shepard, but do I want to try to create a whole new personality that fits into the DBU? Not really. He doesn't know where Maron is, nor does he know much about Mai. And by the time 18 comes along, Shepard will be closer to 30 without a family of any kind. Now, granted, my introduction sucked lmao I admit to you sir as I have read it back myself that I could have found a different way to introduce the pair, but I wanted them to be somewhere central. I didn't want them to just meet randomly on the street and hook up or anything. So I decided on a Christmas Party. And they didn't 'hook up' right away. Note that they met in December of 760 and Axel wasn't born until July of 762. Now I didn't write any of the going ons between the two, but that is a good amount of time. And 1,500 is not all that unbelievable is it? I mean Broly was at 10,000 in the old movie when he was born. We don't know Goten or Trunks birth power level, or even Gohan's. 1,500 sounded strong, but not overwhelmingly so. Thank you for your reviews and I hope I answered your questions or concerns. Please enjoy this chapter!

Location: Earth

"DRAGON HELIX CANNON!"

The roar from the small child sounded far more terrifying than anything Piccolo could remember hearing from the boy, possibly holding in some kind of beast. The twin blasts of blue, electrified dragons tore the ground underneath it as it made a beeline for the Namekian.

Gohan himself had been blown back, overwhelmed by the titanic force of energy that left his body. Piccolo's eyes widened in shock initially, then turned to utter terror as he felt his body pulled off of the ground as the first dragon plowed into him.

"ARGH! AHHHH!" Piccolo yelled as he was smashed into by the second dragon, forcing him further into the air.

"PICCOLO!" Chi-Chi yelled into the sky. The Namekian was already several thousand feet into the air when he finally righted himself. But as he did, he felt the first dragon coil around him as the second came rushing in with its mouth agape. Piccolo himself let loose a mouth blast, connecting with the head and giving off a massive explosion that he and the second dragon plowed through. Piccolo grit his teeth as the second head tried taking a bite out of him. Grabbing its mouth, Piccolo yelled, driving his energy as high as he could.

"GET…LOST!" Piccolo heaved with all his might, managing to spin the dragon-headed energy blast and throw it away with a hellacious effort. He was in the clouds, breathing heavily for several moments before he looked at where it went, gasping in shock!…

Mark and Videl had almost arrived, and then the shaking started.

"Sweetpea buckle up!" Mark took hold of the controls as the shaking got to a near uncontrollable level, nearly making his teeth shatter as the yoke nearly came off the bolts.

"Da-da-da-da-da-DADDY!" Mark's head snapped back at his daughter, seeing Videl's horrified face as her little arms pointed past him, making him look forward again.

"Wh-wh-what the-O-OH SO-SONUVA-"

BOOOOM

"Vi-Videl grab your b-bear and b-bag now!" Mark was trembling in shock, horrified at what had just happened as his ship was in a dangerous tailspin. He had pulled up on the yoke with everything he had, desperately trying to avoid whatever that was but at the last moment, his wing had gotten destroyed by the...Mark still didn't know what he saw, let alone describe it, but as he fumbled around, yanking off his seatbelt, he turned to retrieve his daughter but was blown back into his windshield.

"VIDEL!"

"DADDY!"

He reached out to grab for her harness, but the worst possible thing happened next as the hull of his airplane ripped away, tearing apart as Videl screamed in terror as she was pulled away!

"VIDEEEEEEEEEL!" Without hesitation, not even thinking to grab his emergency parachute that came with every Capsule Corp airplane, he jumped out after her. Completely disoriented in the sky, he heard his daughter's yelling as she was strapped in the chair in a free fall!

"I'M COMIN' VIDEEEEL!" He tried to maneuver in the air as best as he could, finding success when he pointed himself in the direction of the chair his daughter was strapped in, flailing for several moments but bringing his arms as close to his body, as he made a beeline for his screaming daughter!

He was just about to grab the chair when a green hand grabbed it before him, also grabbing him by his collar, stopping them short.

"Gotcha! Stop squirming!" Mark looked up, almost letting out a shout of fright. "De-de-de-de-demon k-k-k-k-"

"Blah blah blah, Demon King Piccolo, blah blah blah," Piccolo said in disinterest as he slowly let the pair down. Videl was still strapped in her chair when she looked up, gasping.

"A-A-Are you a m-m-monster?" Videl was frightened for several moments as the namekian looked at the small girl in the chair. Internally, he critiqued the pair. 'Hmph, this oaf feels stronger than a normal human. So does the girl. Could they be martial artists? How come they didn't fly under their own power then?' He snarled at the girl, exposing one of his canines.

"Maybe I am. What are you and this idiot gonna do about it?" Before Mark could retort in anger, his daughter beat him to it.

"MY DADDY ISN'T AN IDIOT! TAKE IT BACK YOU BIG MEANIE!" Videl was squirming her little body in the chair as Piccolo finally made it to the ground, not far from where Chi-Chi was helping Gohan to his feet. His body was trembling under all the power he had used.

"Are you okay baby? Do you need some water?" Chi Chi said with a bottle in hand.

"I-I'm okay Mom. Thank you. Is everyone-is everyone okay? I'm sorry if I scared you." Gohan looked down at the ground as his body was slowly recovering. That was the first time he had tried to use his new technique in the outside world. He was going to need his teacher's advice... But a bunch of yelling started up, alerting the mother and son as they looked on with wide eyes.

"YOU'RE A POOPYFACE!"

"YOU'RE A PIPSQUEAK!"

"POOPYFACE!"

"PIPSQUEAK!"

"POOPYFACE!"

"PIPSQUEAK!"

Videl had gotten out of her chair, pointing at Piccolo while the Namekian had lost all semblance of normalcy at the childish insult. He was bent down, barely 2 feet from the little girl's face as she stuck her tongue out, a spray of spit hitting Piccolo's face. His face contorted angrily for several moments, emotions screaming to punch the little girl at the forefront.

"Uh...can...w-we-"

"NO!" Both yelled, making Mark nearly fall over, completely shocked at Videl's rebellion.

"I don't have to take this from you." Piccolo stood to his full height, intimidating Videl. He smirked as the little girl backed away slowly in fright, too afraid to try to run.

"Piccolo! Be nice!" Chi-Chi said as she walked over, Gohan walking beside her. He finally got a good look at the pair before he stared at the little girl. He was about her age. Her hair was long, put up in a pair of pigtails, but as he caught her eyes, they both looked at each other for several moments. He smiled bashfully at her, making her forget about the 7-and-a-half-foot giant in front of her. But Mark didn't, stepping in front of Videl.

"N-Now hold on a dang minute green man! I won't let you scare my little girl anymore!" Mark held his arms out, looking up at Piccolo, who snorted.

"Hmph! Oh yeah! What are you gonna do about it idiot?" Piccolo smirked as Mark trembled in building rage for several moments.

"Then I'll have to beat some respect into you big green!" Mark pointed at Piccolo. "No one threatens my little girl and gets away with it." Mark went to take another step before Chi-Chi stepped in between the two.

"Ok cool it! Both of you!" Mark was stunned when the small woman pushed him back a foot. He was about to retort in anger when a gasp from below made him look down.

"A-A-Are you really Ch-Chi-Chi? The-the fighter from the video? Daddy, it's her!" Mark snapped back, looking down at the woman in a new light. Now that he got a really good look at her, it was starting to make sense…

"W-Well yes, I am! And who would you be young lady?"

"M-My name is Videl! You're my hero! I hope I can be as strong as you someday!" Chi-Chi was taken aback by the little girl's beaming attitude. Only a minute before she was ready to take on Piccolo.

"Heh heh heh heh well heh heh heh I'm sorry. Please excuse my daughter. We uh, we were coming to Mount Paozu and something hit our plane."

"I-I'm s-so sorry Sir. It…It was my fault." Gohan said, almost wanting to cry. His attack caused this. He lost control of his technique, and it horrified the boy that he almost killed 2 innocent people.

"No, Gohan. The fault was mine, and mine alone. I was the one who threw that…what the hell was it? That…technique of yours needs a lot of work, boy." Piccolo looked down at Gohan. The boy looked ready to keel over. The… Dragon Helix Cannon was incredible. 'There was so much power in that technique. His power is only continuing to grow. If I wasn't as strong as I was, I would be dead right now. He needs a lot of refinement. But, I think he is onto something.'

"I will never use it again, Mister Piccolo." Gohan snapped Piccolo out of his thoughts with that declaration.

"Yes, you will."

"Now hold on a minute Piccolo I don't-"

"I said I'll handle this. Listen, kid. Everyone struggles at first when it comes to creating new techniques. This was NOT your fault. Truth is, and this will shock you, but I redirected the blast accidentally into their...plane or whatever."

"Uhh, are we gonna get uh, c-compensated for-"

"Shut up."

"Okay, Piccolo that's enough. There's no need to bash them. Now apologize. And yes, Sir. I will see to it that you get a brand-new plane. I... can't help but ask, just what the heck you're doing out here in Mount Paozu." Chi-Chi asked, confusion on her face.

Mark instantly puffed up. Seemingly small before, now mustering his impressive 6'2" broad stature.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA Well I'm glad you asked! I'm looking for the previous winner of the World Martial Arts Tournament! I'm here to challenge the one known as Goku! I must see where I stand, for I will be known soon to the world, AS THE GREAT HERCULE SATAN AAAAHAAAHAAAHAAA! Now where is that punk? Tell him to show himself at once so that I may test myself against the soon-to-be former CHAMP!" Gohan and Chi-Chi both looked stunned as Mark pointed at them with fierce determination. Piccolo gawked for a few seconds.

"Is he...Serious?" Piccolo looked down at Videl, who only slapped her forehead in embarrassment.

"Daddy, p-please don't-"

"Did you...you just call.."

"My...Daddy is not a punk!" Gohan's anger started to make his aura come out.

"OH YEAH! I'M HERE TO CHALLENGE GOKU! So...where is he? Is he too chicken to come out and face the next champion?"

"Oh...that does it! Look you...Neanderthal, you don't know who you're messing with! You wouldn't stand a chance against Goku! Hmph, you can't even beat me! Neither can you beat him," Chi-Chi pointed at Piccolo. "And I won't let your giant dirty hands near my son. Not that you could if you wanted to anyway! So get lost, you Oaf! Send me a damn bill for your Plane and it will be taken care of!"

"N-Now you hold on a minute-"

"NO! You know what? I could use a little exercise. And your daughter could use some more inspiration as I kick your WIDE BUTT!" Chi-Chi's eyes had fire in them! She had not fought someone in quite a while, and she was itching to defend her husband's honor.

"I would listen to her if I were you, Idiot."

"YAH!"

Videl, tired of hearing her Dad being insulted, stomped as hard as she could on Piccolo's foot.

"STOP CALLING MY DADDY AN IDIOT!" Videl shouted up at the namekian, who looked at his foot with a raised eyebrow. 'Hmph, this…child could be formidable someday. More so than this Oaf of a father she has, but I can't help but appreciate the fiery spirit. Children heh heh heh heh heh...savages.'

"Hmph, you want me to stop calling him an idiot, then maybe he should stop acting like one. If he had any ki sense at all, he would know he was outmatched. Any 3 of us could wipe the floor with your pathetic father."

"I-I'm not pathetic! I came here for a fight and I ain't leavin without one!" Mark pointed his finger at the trio. Chi-Chi sighed, realizing there was no other way.

"After I kick your butt, you'll leave?" She asked.

"HA! Like that'll happen! My name is Hercule of the former Satan Martial Arts school, and I challenge you!"

Minutes later, Chi-Chi, having removed her apron and lifted her sleeves, tying her hair back and making sure it was out of the way, was in a stance, resignation on her face. Mark took a step forward, laughing loud and holding his arms to the side.

"Go Daddy!" Videl cheered from the side. Gohan looked at her, surprised at the girl's eagerness.

"Y-you like martial arts?" He asked bashfully. Videl looked at him for a second before she beamed.

"I wuv it! It's the greatest thing ever! Bam bam bam! I'm tired of watching my Daddy beat those big bags of sand!"

"Mister Piccolo-"

"She means heavy bags. Boxers typically use them. If that's all this… Hercule has going for him, then this fight is already over." Piccolo wasn't interested in the fight that much. If anything, this would be good for Chi-Chi.

"This fight goes until one gives up or one is knocked out. NO KILLING!" Piccolo yelled the last bit, just to make sure he was heard.

"You better not hold back anything you hear me?" Chi-Chi smirked as she clenched her fist.

"Grrraaah! Don't you worry bout me! You just get ready to have that giant green man step in for ya when I'm done with ya!" Mark clenched his fists, screaming as he tried to implement what he had seen in the films. He could feel his power bubbling on the surface, but…

Piccolo quirked an eyebrow, intrigued at the human.

"Do it, Daddy!"

"HAAAAA!" Mark ran toward Chi-Chi who stood her ground, throwing a massive fist her way. She parried it out of the way, making it miss her face by a couple of inches. She took her hand, hitting Mark in the stomach with a Kiai, his eyes nearly bulged out of his skull as he was blown back nearly 50 feet, hitting the ground and sliding out of control.

"HAAAAAhahahahahahahahaha!" Piccolo burst into laughter.

"Whoa!" Gohan's own eyes nearly burst out of their sockets. Videl had a very different reaction.

"D-Daddy you gotta get up!" She said in fright as her Dad struggled to a knee. Mark hacked up a wad of spit, coughing out as his chest felt like it had been hit by a truck. A quick look over at his daughter made him struggle to his feet, trying to gain his footing. Piccolo stopped laughing, quirking an eyebrow.

'Th-that hurt! Dammit!' Mark shook his head, readying himself.

"You should quit while you're ahead." Chi-Chi retracted her arm, waiting for Mark to charge forward. Mark snarled, pissed that he had been caught off guard. "That won't happen again!" He ran forward, both arms out. He went to grab Chi-Chi but she dodged away. Mark ran after, throwing a fist forward, making Chi-Chi move back and knock it aside with ease. Mark kept pace, throwing punches and the occasional kick when he thought he could land something, but the woman was pushing everything away or dodging with little effort, easily using her lithe body to move ahead of the bumbling wrestler.

"MEGATON PUNCH!" Mark yelled. Chi-Chi saw it coming but was surprised at the translucent white energy that coated the man's fist. She moved her head as it whizzed by, driving an elbow into Mark's stomach. The man wheezed as he stumbled back, holding his stomach as he did. Chi-Chi flew in low, chopping Mark's knee as she did. Mark fell to a knee, ducking below as Chi-Chi missed her return kick, just grazing his afro.

"I missed you intentionally. I don't want to hurt you, so stop this." Chi-Chi said, getting back into stance only a handful of feet away. Mark got back to his feet, gingerly stepping on his injured leg. He winced slightly but was still game. He jumped forward, extending his leg.

"DYNAMITE KICK!" Chi-Chi jumped away as Mark landed, breaking the ground beneath him as he ran forward. Chi-Chi parried the incoming fist away, followed by a sidekick that Mark threw. Ending up behind him, she held back her strength, kicking Mark hard in the side. He was knocked away, shouting in pain.

"I'll give you credit, Hercule. If you had shown up back when Goku fought Piccolo over here in the tournament some years ago, you might have just given them a heck of a fight. You certainly would've beaten me back then. But you're eight years, and a near world-ending fight behind." Chi-Chi said sternly. Mark stopped his near-attempted charge. Standing back to his full height.

"Wh-wh-what world-ending fight?" Mark asked in confusion.

"Nearly a year and a half ago, a pair of aliens landed on this planet. They almost destroyed everything. We were the ones who stopped them." Piccolo stated.

"D-Daddy h-h-he's talking about the ones who hurt you!" Videl said, worried when she saw her father's face turn white. Piccolo felt the emotions change in the pair instantly, noticing Mark's sudden lack of fighting intent.

"What's going on here?" Piccolo asked, curious about the sudden change.

"I...I was in East City that day. Th-they landed. One-one of em was a giant, bigger than I was, much, MUCH bigger. The other was a...was a shrimp. I-I tried to fight em, but...but the big one grabbed me like I was a...like I was... nothin. Shattered my ankle. It was only thanks to-to these spiky-haired dudes that just showed up outta nowhere. Saved my life. I vowed I would recover... I swore I would become stronger, so that, so that my daughter doesn't have to suffer in the future!" Mark stunned everyone with that admission.

"D-Daddy? Wh-what-"

"I'll tell you in private Sweetheart."

"I don't think so." Chi-Chi walked up to the man, grabbed him by his shirt collar, and lifted him off the ground.

"I keep hearing about this future business. So out with it! NOW!" Chi-Chi yelled at the poor man. Dropping him, he fell to his knees pitifully, talking about the night a stranger had visited his former apartment with warnings, a letter that spoke of his daughter's ill fate if he was unable to prepare her, and enough Zenny to retire and put Videl through college. He spoke about how he used to work at a nightclub, making ends meet and scraping by with tips, and how he ended up quitting and making good investments with his money as well as studying former World Martial Arts tournaments.

"M-My favorite was Jackie Chun until I saw a little spiky-haired guy go toe to toe with em! He inspired me, so I... I found a school that trained in Martial Arts. I was well on my way...Why did he..." Mark thought about Hercule Satan, the man who had taken him in, who had shown him the proper way of growing up right. He had helped him in ways he could never repay.

"I take it something happened with your Master," Piccolo suggested.

"Taooooo." Videl had never heard her Father use such venom in his voice before. It terrified her.

"Tao? As in Mercenary Tao?" Goku had mentioned Mercenary Tao once before to Chi-Chi. She remembered he didn't have good feelings about the guy.

"It was an innocent joke. All it was. My Master and I were in a bar down in South City. We saw...Tao there and...and my Master said that Tao's hair looked like a black rat cuz it was...He approached us and knocked me out of my chair. Master Satan went to defend me, but...but Tao... he...My Master didn't stand a chance. It all happened so fast. I was angry, I charged at that sonuva... He probably took pity on me and left me to live in my Master's dishonor. I swore to myself that day I would never fight someone so strong again. Swore I wouldn't go into any kinda encounter that can have me lose so badly again. And then that, that guy just showed up in my apartment. Told me about energy, and showed me his energy. I've been trying to get stronger ever since." Mark finished his story, leaving the 4 people stunned. Videl had tears in her eyes, running to her father and hugging him. Chi-Chi and Piccolo both looked at each other, similar thoughts running through their mind.

"Well, for starters, Goku beat Mercenary Tao a long time ago. Tao tried to make a comeback but one of his former students took care of him. So you don't have to worry about him anymore." Chi-Chi stated.

"We-well...that's a relief I guess. I...I don't even know what to do now." Mark looked down at his daughter, remembering the promise he made to himself to make sure she was prepared.

"Stop whimpering like a sap." Piccolo had no time for soft emotions. Tough love was the way to go. "You lost because you didn't know how to use your energy properly. Your body is strong, sure. But that'll only get you so far."

"Are we gonna teach him how to use his energy, Mister Piccolo?" Gohan asked. Mark looked at the boy, somewhat shocked the boy knew about energy. 'Then again, if the boy is that woman's son, th-then I guess he knows too.'

"Hmph, and why would we do that?" Piccolo wasn't sold, but the little girl had promise. The namekian didn't care much about the oaf either way.

"Gohan, go inside the house. Get the yellow capsule in the cabinet in the living room." Chi-Chi asked. Gohan looked at Videl, who looked back in question before running toward the house. Mark was shocked at the little boy's speed.

"H-how is he so, so fast?" He asked, jaw stuck open.

"Heh…Simple. He knows how to use his energy." Piccolo answered with a snark.

"Here it is Mom." Gohan ran forward, handing the capsule to his mother.

"Thank you, Dear… So, Hercule, Mark. Whatever you want to call yourself. This here is a Capsule House. I just happen to know Bulma Brief, and she let me have this in case of an emergency. I'm at home and have everything here so I don't need it right now. If you're dead set on learning more about energy, pop that somewhere close by. The least we can do after we destroyed your plane is to give you a bit of shelter and offer you tips so that you and your daughter can learn."

"Y-y-ya mean it?" Mark beamed, standing up with his daughter in tow. Chi-Chi watched as the father and daughter smiled at each other, both looking back at her. She could see the resemblance. Videl had her father's eyes…

"I usually make breakfast for myself and Gohan in the mornings, but I have enough time so I can whip up something for you both. But make no mistake, this isn't a retreat. You want to learn about energy, you're going to have to sacrifice." Mark's happiness snuffed away, anticipation and dread seeping in. "Wh-whaddya mean sacrifice?"

"I mean your happy-go-lucky lifestyle is going down the drain for the time being. I know your daughter is old enough to be in school, but does she have a means of study outside of it?" The mother asked.

"We-well since I got all that money I hired a private tutor. I…I can give her a call and tell her to postpone for a little while." Mark would make that sacrifice if I meant his daughter would be strong enough to avoid her fate.

"Excellent! And to make sure your daughter doesn't get left behind in her studies, I can have her borrow some of my son's books. Gohan, why don't you take Videl inside our house and help her pick out what she needs. Her father, Piccolo, and I need to hash out more details about what's going on. And I'll get on the phone with Bulma and have a new plane delivered to you as soon as possible."

"S-Since when do I have to-"

"Piccolo here will gauge your power to see what we need to do to get you up to speed. Riiiight?" Piccolo gulped, knowing that Chi-Chi's feigned sweetness routine was a precursor for violence.

"F-Fine…damn it."

"Here I'll take you inside and you can check out my collection. I-I have lots of books." Gohan stammered out.

"Neat! Show me!" The young pair ran toward the house, Gohan making sure to not outrun the slower girl.

"V-Videl sure is taking to the boy. She…Since her mother passed away she's hard at opening up to people."

"Gohan is a sweet boy, but he does have his father's heart. I'm sorry to hear about her mother." Chi-Chi said sadly.

"Enough of this! I grow tired of the small talk maggot! If you want to learn how to use energy, then it's time for the fun to begin!" Piccolo pointed 2 fingers at Mark, causing the man to yell out as he glowed.

"H-HEY WHAT-" BAM

Mark fell flat on his face, the cape he was wearing lying heavily across him.

"Really Piccolo? You had to start him off heavy?" Chi-Chi admonished the Namekian.

"It's two hundred pounds," Piccolo said, looking dumbly at the mother. Chi-Chi looked at Mark, still laid out before smacking herself in the face.

"Ughhh…What did I get myself into?"…

Planet Yardrat

"Remember this pain, Vegeta."

BOOOM

"AHHH!" Vegeta woke up, immediately coughing as his chest was full of pain. He went to turn over on his back but was confused by the covering laid on him. 'What…is…' he was thinking before the smell hit him. "Gah, where the…hell?" Vegeta ripped the shirt that was laid on him, still smelling body odor. He quickly made it to his feet, trying to remember what happened. His chest ached and his body was immensely sore, but that wasn't what he remembered most. His emotions quickly became one of pure venomous hatred as he looked around, realizing he was back on Yardrat.

"So the old bastard brought me back to this trash heap?" He quickly reached into the drawer across from his temporary bed, pulling out a Yardratian outfit. "Thought I was done with these things." Vegeta scoffed as he put his old, cracked armor off to the side. He wouldn't leave it behind. 'I can sense that you think about her, even now.'

"Blasted weak pathetic blue-haired wench! Why am I still stuck on that infernal woman?" Vegeta asked himself as he looked at his armor one last time before heading out the door.

Using his senses, he wanted to avoid Shepard and Goku for now, so as he approached Raditz, who was finishing up a plate of food before heading, the long-haired Saiyan turned around.

"Sup, Vuhgeeta? How wasth beating the old man gave you?" Raditz asked mockingly, sweet potato in hand as he took another bite. Vegeta scoffed, knocking the vegetable out of Raditz's hand.

"Hey I was eating that-"

"Answer me this question, Raditz. What do you remember about that old fool from our youth? Leave no details." Vegeta demanded, sitting across from Raditz, who finished swallowing.

"Umm, well I remember him being nice enough to feed us after he torched what was left of Nappa's hair," Raditz explained what he could remember from that day as Vegeta listened.

"So…why did you want to know about that? Did the old man let something slip?" Raditz asked.

"Hmph, he said enough. Damn it I was so close! I already had Commanders under my leadership waiting in the wings for me to claim my rights to be Emperor. Damn him!" Raditz watched as Vegeta slammed a fist into the table, shattering part of it under his power. Vegeta barely had a chance to rein in his anger when the one most responsible for it walked into the dining hall.

"Oh, there he is dude, the Prince of all Saiyans raaawrawrawwr!" Shepard mocked and roared at Vegeta as he walked in, Goku in giggles just behind him.

"YOU SONUVA BITCH!" Raditz didn't have a chance to grab the Prince as he flew from the table.

"OOF!" Shepard went through the wall, just missing Goku and almost trampling a small Yardratian family as Vegeta barreled him through another wall. Shepard hit the ground, trying to rise but was tackled hard by Vegeta.

"Dude what gives-" BOOM

Vegeta was enraged to the point he wouldn't be bothered by the brother's shouts. His hair turned golden yellow as he punched Shepard in the face. He was expecting blood to shoot out of the Saiyan's mouth, but Shepard turned his head quickly, grabbing Vegeta's next punch, his hair also turned yellow as he lifted his body off of the ground, throwing the Prince over him. Vegeta landed, sliding on his feet as he slammed a hand into the ground.

"Alright, what the FUCK Vegeta!" Shepard said in slight rage as he got up from the ground.

"You don't get to mock me like he did and get away with it! FACE OBLITERATION!" Vegeta held his hand out, firing a Big Bang Attack at Shepard. The Rogue caught it with both hands, pushing back on the energy bomb. Vegeta pushed with his mind, forcing the energy in as Shepard nearly got his hands broken from pushing at it. Vegeta was about to detonate it when the unthinkable happened.

Shlink

Shepard pushed the ball away just enough to give his hands enough space to extend, forming blue ki blades in each hand and slicing through the Big Bang Attack. Shepard pushed through the energy bomb, cutting it into pieces as it exploded into a smoke show. Vegeta snarled, extending ki blades in both his hands and charging the other Super Saiyan as he blasted through the smoke.

WOOSH

Before they collided, Soba teleported between the pair, extending both of his hands, he yelled out, sending both Super Saiyans blasting away in chaotically different directions.

"Enough of this. You are near a civilized city." Soba said. He knew they didn't hear him, but he had seen enough.

"You should've let them fight, Soba." Raditz didn't know where the sudden venom towards Shepard came from when it came to Vegeta, but this was only going to continue to build…

"I don't know Raditz. This seems pretty personal." Goku stated. He could remember feeling a certain way about a namekian several years ago…

"Regardless, they will not fight so close to the city. Take it on the outskirts as you have done for so many of your other battles." Soba left no room for argument, using his newly learned Instantaneous Movement to leave the pair of brothers to deal with the bitter rivals.

"I better go get Vegeta."

"Probably a good idea bro heh heh heh heh." Goku chuckled as he flew away to find Shepard. Raditz shook his head, rubbing his face with one of his hands.

"Fucking moron!..."

"Date is...July 13, 7 of 63. The time is 14:36 hours. 2:36 PM."

"The captured subject…Eric Clark. Age 27.. Occupation...Sports Athlete, the sport of choice being...Boxing. The subject was approximately 183 centimeters and carries an approximate weight of...97 Kilograms. The process of creating the perfect android has been exceedingly difficult. In light of the previous errors I have made, I will continue, for my quest to destroy Goku for what he's done is...Nothing else matters. Nothing. What he did to the Red Ribbon Army was…Unforgivable. But what he took from me can never be replaced. Gebo... My...My son... I will never stop. But...I have come across an unseen variable that could cause chaos to my plans of world domination. Many of my Scout Bugs that have already acquired the DNA of every fighter on this planet have stopped coming back to me. And their destruction centers around a set of Islands in the South. Not far from the one known as Roshi's place of residence. Must investigate this matter further. I will make more audio logs soon, but for now, I must see if I can fix this… unforeseen malfunction with the emotional matrix of my next series of Androids. If they are to be suitable for combat against Goku and his band of misfits then I must have complete control of my weapons. We shall start with Android 10."

"End Log-Signing out… Dr. Maki Gero…"

6 months had gone by for the Son Household. Mark and Videl left 3 months ago, both flying away under their power, a new plane in its Capsule. Chi-Chi had suggested they seek out Master Roshi on his Island. She didn't know if they would take that offer but they seemed interested in it.

Christmas had passed with little fanfare. Gohan received an assortment of sweaters and a new encyclopedia set from his mother, while Piccolo upgraded his sword, making it a bit longer and heavier for the growing boy. His hair now sat below his waist, and he liked it like that for right now, refusing a haircut from his mother last month when she offered. He had also taken to trying to refine his Dragon Helix Cannon technique. A combination of the Dragon Fist he saw his father use against the Old Man he still vaguely remembered, as well as the Special Beam Cannon his teacher invented, but he was still having difficulties with it.

Piccolo still couldn't sense the Saiyans in space. He sat meditating on the boulder outside the Son's home, waiting for some kind of sign. As the sun rose over the mountain, sending a bright, vibrant light across the horizon, Piccolo heard Chi-Chi stir, knowing breakfast would come soon.

"Hmm?" Piccolo opened an eye, hearing something…unnatural. It was not too far. 'There it is again. Is that…' He couldn't sense anything in that direction. He debated on waking Gohan for a few moments but decided to let the boy sleep. He would be up soon and they would be getting some progressive training done.

Standing, he gave his muscles a quick stretch before walking towards the disturbance.

10 minutes later, the Namekian had made it close to where he heard the noise. A clearing with a small lake, and trees surrounding him. He listened intently. Snapping his head to the water, he heard the sound, much closer this time.

"Sounds like...footsteps?" Piccolo walked over to the water's edge. With ears like his, he could hear everything, but that was also the problem. Compartmentalization was still a working effort. He had to disregard so much that...

BOOM

"AGH!" The water exploded outward as a body flew out, wrapping an incredibly strong hand around Piccolo's throat, slamming him into a tree. Piccolo gasped in pain as a fist slammed into his stomach before he was turned and punched again hard, blood forced out of his mouth as he was thrown across the lake. He shook his head, gaining his bearings as quickly as he could, quickly putting up a cross block as a fist slammed into it. He was sent back, going to the other side of the surroundings.

'Damn it I can't sense where he's coming from. He hits hard! I might be in trouble... Krillin, Roshi, get your asses over here, NOW!'...

"So, how do those Turtle Shells feel now?" Master Roshi asked his new students.

"Uh-Uhh, k-kinda heavy!" Mark stood strong, legs wanting to tremble under the weight of the 500-pound shell.

"There ya go. How's that Videl?" Krillin readjusted the strap on Videl's smaller, 25-pound turtle shell. Her legs were wobbling a bit, but she beamed, giving a thumbs up.

"N-N-Not bad, Mas-Master Krillin sir." Krillin chuckled as he shook his head.

"Now now...none of that. Krillin is perfectly fine heh heh heh." The monk said as he rubbed his head.

"Don't count yourself short, son. You're very capable. Just need experience. What better way than to actually do it." Master Roshi said, giving Krillin a wink. 'D-D-Does he mean it?' Krillin himself had questioned what they were doing when they agreed to teach the father/daughter pair. They were both insistent when they showed up just after the turn of the new year, requesting training. Master Roshi had been feeling their growing power up north and decided it was worth trying to help bring out more of the pair's energy. They could feel the potential they both had. However, both could feel a well of energy within the little girl just waiting to be used. Her potential was greater than her father's...

"Alright, both of you listen up. The way of the Turtle is not learned quickly. It takes a lifetime to master, and even then, those who fail to uphold the belief that they commit to can also fail. Each of you will wear these turtle shells all day, the only time they will be taken off is when you bathe, eat, and rest. Over time, these Turtle Shells will-" Master Roshi and Krillin both shook their heads, looking north. The master raised an eyebrow, looking at his bald pupil.

"Have you two learned how to sense energy when you were with Piccolo and Chi-Chi?" Krillin asked in a rush.

"U-Uhh well I'm still-"

"I-I think so. Is that... Daddy, I think that's Mister Piccolo, but, but why isn't Gohan with him or Miss Chi-Chi?"

"You have a bright future, young one. But yes, something feels wrong. Piccolo never raises his-"

"Krillin, Roshi, get your asses over here, NOW!!"

Like a bomb exploding in their brains, they felt Piccolo's energy increase to frightening levels. The master and monk both swallowed the pit down their throats that formed.

Piccolo was fighting for his life.

"We have to go. Stay, here. Do not go that way. Do you both hear me?" Master Roshi said, floating slowly in the air as Krillin followed. In a second, they were blitzing across the ocean!…

The…humanoid was bald, over 7 feet tall, maybe only an inch or two shorter than the namekian. Its skin held a greyish tone, its face rough-looking. The thing also wore what looked like a green trenchcoat that fell below its knees, legs covered in black pants, and feet covered with what sounded like heavy, black boots.

"What the hell are you?" Piccolo threw his cape and turban off immediately, sending them crashing to the side. The humanoid looked at where they landed for a split second before it fixed its cold, dead-looking eyes back on him again. Piccolo took a closer look at his jacket, seeing a flash of red before the thing cratered the ground in heavy footfalls, charging at Piccolo again.

"Not this time!" Piccolo was ready, flying forward, he deflected the incoming fist from the giant, sending a fist into the thing's face. The thing barely reacted, only taking a step back and looking at the Namekian. "Wh-What..the-OOF-"

Another punch to the sternum rattled Piccolo, pushing him back. 'D-Damn it! Well then! Guess it's a good thing I kept up my training!'

"Fine, you won't talk? Then it looks like I have some answers to beat out of you! HaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAA!" Piccolo roared out, sending shockwaves of white energy outward as his power rose higher! Pushing off of the ground much faster, he sent a punch into the thing's face again, this time he got the reaction he desired as the thing was lifted off of its feet, slamming into the ground back first 10 feet away. Rock exploded outward from its landing, but it was back up within moments. A scuff mark on its face was the only thing to show for Piccolo's attack.

"Attack…Substantial...Aligns with targeted numbers." The things deep, menacing voice chilled Piccolo.

'Not human then. Could he be like that Android Goku mentioned in the past? I couldn't sense his energy either. What is going on here?'

"So you can talk? Are you an android like Android Eight?" Piccolo asked, frantically trying to buy a little time. The android looked at him for several moments before it looked down at its hands. Pulling the black gloves it was wearing off slowly, it then looked back at Piccolo before it spoke once again...

Gohan had woken with a start, feeling his teacher's energy soaring not too far away. It made him curious.

"Gohan get down here right now!" Chi-Chi said from downstairs. Based on the tone, Gohan knew to worry. He was downstairs in moments, already in his Gi with his sword on his back, long hair flowing behind him. "What's going on with Mister Piccolo Mom? Why is his energy so high? He must be in an intense mental battle because-"

The sudden increase in Piccolo's power caused the mother and son to look at each other in alarm.

"W-We better go Mom. It's not like Piccolo to use this much energy." Chi-Chi agreed, even if she didn't want to. If Piccolo was having trouble with whatever this was, there would be no way she could help. But Gohan on the other hand… Making a split-second decision, she hurried over to the cupboard in the living room and opened the small satchel in the drawer. Opening it, she saw she had 4 senzu beans. It would have to be enough.

"Ok Gohan, let's go!…"

"Hah!"

"Yah!" BOOM CRASH

BOOM

"HAAA!" Yamcha and Sarada were battling fiercely inside Yamcha's Gravity Room. The settings set on 185 Times Earth's Gravity, they were intent on getting lost in their battle, each having gotten used to the intense gravity upon them.

Sarada had taken to her regime with a strictness that could be respected. After her thrashing from Yamcha months ago, she had taken to learning everything she could about her body. She discovered just by standing still and feeling herself in and out with a mental check, she could decipher when she was still not satiated with food, or that she had not bathed, or brushed her teeth. That was one she had to learn the hard way when her breath nearly knocked out the Desert Bandit up close. He went and bought her a toothbrush with minty toothpaste. Sarada would only admit to herself that she found joy in caring for her welfare. It sure beat what Cooler used to allow her to do, which was hardly anything.

One habit that Yamcha was still trying to break her of was her sleeping on the floor, in front of Yamcha's bed. The Desert Bandit still remembered one of the first mornings with her here, waking up to his bed nearly falling over from one of her nightmares. He had made a bed for her in the other room but she refused to sleep in there. She wouldn't say why, only that she would die again before she did.

They were phasing back and forth, their blows sending shockwaves into the Katchin wall. The walls held as their hands came together. Yamcha had not used the Kaioken, wanting to give Sarada a better fight, which made the Saiyan Princess snarl in frustration. She still wanted her shot at Piccolo. She used her much smaller size, pulling herself down, forcing Yamcha on top as he was caught off guard. Sending both her feet into his stomach, he was pushed up in slight pain, using his energy to keep from hitting the Katchin ceiling that was only a foot away. She charged yellow energy in her palms, unleashing a torrent of energy balls toward the Bandit, making the man hop over a pair of them before ducking his head to avoid several more. He knocked a few more aside before making his way to Sarada, who put up both arms to block his axe handle.

"HA!" BAM Yamcha's knee was blocked by one of Sarada's hands while her other forced a Kiai into Yamcha's stomach, pushing him away a few feet. She charged forward where they clashed, fists and kicks flying all over as they darted back and forth. Each phased in, facing away from each other, both turning. Sarada with a kick, Yamcha with a block ready for it. He lightly struggled as he took in the Saiyan Princess. Her tail was wrapped around her waist, her body gaining proper muscle after learning more about her metabolism. It was a wonder how such a small person could have so much power, but she had gained leaps and bounds since the early days of struggling under much lighter gravity. They could have fought at 225 Times Earth's Gravity...

"Grrah! Stand still Scarface!" Sarada demanded as Yamcha broke away. He laughed as he backflipped several times.

"If I do that you might hurt me. Heh eh heh heh whoawhoaoaoa!" Sarada fired a one-handed yellow beam of energy, tracing it towards the fleeing Bandit before she smirked, phasing away.

She almost got him, just missing his back as she phased above him, looking to kick him into the ground. She growled, chasing after Yamcha. Catching up to him moments later, they started exchanging, speed increasing as Sarada put more energy into her attacks. She may have been tiny, but she had become quite adept at using her size, dropping low quick enough to sweep Yamcha's legs out. He fell back, but experience and practice had him flowing with the momentum, landing with one hand on the ground and kicking up at Sarada. She put her arms up to block, being driven back across the metallic floor as she did. Grunting, she halted her momentum several feet from the wall, watching as Yamcha flipped forward, landing back on his feet again, clawed hands extended.

"You've gotten so much stronger than you were before, Sarada. It's amazing." Yamcha still felt small under the intense woman's violet gaze, gulping down a breath as she raised an eyebrow. "It doesn't change the fact that you're still beating me. Nor does it change the fact that I still want to destroy the giant." Sarada grumbled, crossing her arms. Usually, when Yamcha did this, it was a sign that the fight was over. She was a bit miffed about it, but she felt good enough about today's training. She felt much stronger than she did months ago, easily catching up in strength to the Bandit. But he still had the Kaioken...

"Okay...Sarada you do know Piccolo only did what he did so we could find out what was wrong with you. Would you rather still have that bomb in your throat?" Usually, Yamcha didn't like to be this stern, but whenever Sarada mentioned wanting to kill Piccolo, he had to remind her that he wouldn't do it again now that she had her voice, but it still pissed her off.

"You may have a point...but it still doesn't change the fact that I want to hurt him." The Princess said, walking away from Yamcha and out of the Gravity Room. All Yamcha could do was sigh.

"Whew..."

Hours later, Yamcha was sound asleep, having showered and eaten a good meal, making sure to take care of the black hole of Sarada's stomach. Knocked out in bed, he did not hear his door slowly creak open. Puar shifted, lying on the corner on the other side of the bed.

Sarada was restless, her desire to train still lingering, but her body also wanted to rest. Some at the very least. But she refused to go into the other room. Seeing the covering in front of the bed, likely something Yamcha put there for her, she silently scoffed at it, slowly making her way to it and picking it up. Tossing it aside, it made almost no noise. She had finally forgone her armor at night. She still didn't fully trust the human or the shapeshifter, but she could at least take the comfort and food that was given...

The Princess, in a graceful motion, slunk down to the ground in front of the bed, the floor welcoming her. It was colder than the covering, but warmer than Cooler's ship floor. 'S-So many nights, left alone without even a covering to warm me. Why has this human treated me so...I have nothing to offer, except the desire to destroy him and the others. Why do I still want that? I should not, and yet...'

Sarada welcomed sleep, softly snoring away uncomfortably on the ground...

The Bandit had heard her, shocked he didn't show his surprise at not hearing his door. He was groggy, careful not to give anything away as he used his senses. 'I-I told her not to come in here. Gah...Saiyans and their hard heads.' Yamcha listened as Sarada picked up the covering he had set out for her in case she did come in here again. Disappointed she had rejected it, he was even more disappointed when he heard her try to be silent, making her way to the ground. It wasn't that soft, and it was still cool at night in this part of the desert. 'N-Not again...Dammit.' Fully awake now, he waited until he felt her energy reach resting levels. Surprised she had gotten comfortable enough to allow sleep, Yamcha would take it. As silently as he could, he sat up, looking over to see Puar still knocked out.

'Hmm, she's small enough that she shouldn't bother him. But, to be on the safe side.'

"Buddy," Yamcha whispered, waking his companion as he brought his hand to his mouth, making the tired changeling get the message. Floating away to the window, Puar laid down again, watching as Yamcha slowly got out of bed, lightly landing on the soft ground. He walked around, silently sighing at Sarada's small, visible form. It looked like she was shivering.

The Desert Bandit had a choice to make, and for once, he dreaded either decision. He wanted to keep things as fair weathered as possible with the Saiyan Princess. Once Vegeta arrived, he would likely be taking his permanent leave, along with his younger sister. No doubt in his mind that it would be pointless to develop any kind of feelings for her. She didn't know anything about feelings. She would probably only see any of his advances as some kind of attack and respond in kind.

'N-N-No...It's better this way. Vegeta would rip me to shreds if I came anywhere close to his sister! I already screwed up with Bulma. I'm better off not letting this go further. Once Vegeta gets here it's all over anyway, right? But what would she tell him? Would she send him after me to kill me for disrespecting her?'

He stood over her, really not knowing what he should do for a few minutes. 'She's gotten so much stronger than before. She could probably keep pace with Vegeta not too long before he became a Super Saiyan. B-But she looks so-'

His thoughts stopped as he silently gasped as the woman started trembling. Deciding to throw caution to the wind, he reached down, lightly picking up her small frame in a cradle. She didn't wake in a frenzy, but her hands were shaking as her body followed, groggy and unknowing of the disappearance of the ground. Yamcha walked her over to the bed, placing her on the softer mattress. Her body stilled as Yamcha put the cover over her, lifting her head lightly and placing one of his pillows under it. Standing back and breathing in peace, Yamcha shook his head before he laid back down, laying his other cover over him. They were separate in that respect at least.

"Hope that helps, Princess." He watched as her body slowly stilled the trembling, easing back into a deeper sleep. Yamcha looked at her as she softly started snoring again. 'Sh-She looks so innocent… Man Yamcha, you're playing with fire here. Vegeta will rip off your arms this time heh heh heh heh… Can't believe they're related.' Thoughts raced across his mind. He would admit to himself that Sarada was very attractive, and her eyes… But no, his mind was telling him this was not the hill to die on. Vegeta would take care of this when he arrived. Better for him to keep out of the way of dangerous family connections.

Before he could allow his mind to get lost in despair, he forced those feelings down, turning himself over and scooting over to the far side of his bed. The last thing he thought about was a very, very cold shower...

Sarada expected many things, but something soft underneath her was not one of them. The first thing she noticed when her eyes opened was that she was closer to the ceiling than she should be. The next thing she noticed was that she was under a mountain of covers. On top of all that, she felt the slight leveling of the mattress. It dipped down further than the part behind her back.

Then her nose hit her, and it reeked of meat. She didn't mind it. She threw the covers off of her, snarling as she realized she was standing on Yamcha's side of the bed. She threw her arms up, stretching as she felt her bones crack. It was time to confront the Bandit...

Yamcha expected many things, but the first thing he consciously remembered as his body returned from the land of slumber was the hair on his face. He blinked his eyes several times as a spiky fluff of hair was in his vision. Tickling his nose, he held a sneeze off as the next thing assaulted him. The arms that were wrapped around his waist were like a vice, and one of his legs was trapped. The sun hadn't even had a chance to peak over the mountain, and Yamcha was suddenly alert as he felt the woman practically wrapped around him let out a snore.

"Wh-Wh-What is...Going...Oh...Crap." At some point in the night, Sarada had maneuvered out of her covers and had made her way into the Bandits, curling herself under the cover. With careful ease, he twisted, lightly grabbed and jostled himself out of the bed, leaving the Princess grasping for warmth. He bundled the covers over her and darted out of the room as quietly as he could, heading right for the shower.

After a cold, biting shower, Yamcha made his way to the kitchen, pulling out some stuff to start breakfast. Trying to keep his mind off of the Princess as much as he could, Yamcha started getting some meat ready. He knew it wouldn't be long before he felt her energy rise, first in waking, then confusion, before it finally settled on anger.

'Great...This should be fun.' He sarcastically thought to himself, heart nearly skipping a beat when Sarada stomped her way into the kitchen. She made no bones about it, walking past the frightened shapeshifter and nearly crowding Yamcha's preferred zone of comfort.

"U-Uhh, good morning?" He said as he looked down at her huffing and puffing, arms crossed, making her cleavage perk up. Yamcha took a gulping breath as a sweat bead dropped down the side of his head.

POP

"OW! Owwie! Will you back up for a-"

"Why the hell did I wake up in your...bed this morning? I was comfortable on the floor and did not require your...covers." Her voice, still a bit tired, had a certain raspiness that Yamcha found...sexy. 'FUUUUCK! What do I do what do I do what do I do? Uhh...' Yamcha would never admit to himself that when he woke up, he was certain that she would too when his hard-on was poking her stomach.

He took an ice-cold shower this morning for a good reason. He had a choice to make as Sarada's violet, simmering eyes demanded an answer. 'Screw it... she's a Saiyan. Bu-but she's also a Princess. Shit!'

"We-Well uhh...I told you not to come into my room at night! You had your own room or you could always sleep on the couch!" Yamcha said, taking the bacon off of the stovetop. His forearm kind of stung from that grease. He really needed to talk to Bulma about that state-of-the-art Griddle Capsule Corp was going to make...

Sarada scoffed, turning her head. She wouldn't admit to anybody that waking up in that bed was the most comfort she could ever recall having. Cooler never gave her anything like this. She struggled with the very idea of having something like comfort.

How long would something so good last?

She was about to look up and answer when she noticed Yamcha looking out the window, slightly shaking. It took a few seconds for the Princess to look out and notice something off.

"Why is the giant's power increasing so much?" She asked, confused.

"Go get your armor, I think Piccolo might be in trouble." Yamcha looked down at the Princess, leaving no room for argument. She could scarf down breakfast on the way!...

Oh shit! Is the terrible Doctor Gero already looking to cause some devastation? This early though? If it is in fact him, why? I'm going to do my best to get another chapter out to you this week, if not the weekend. So sorry I was late. I will do power levels in a couple of chapters. Will the heroes arrive in time? You will find out on the next chapter? Until next time :-D!