A/N: Final Word Count- 12.3k Pre-A/N's.
Yataaaaa people! I present to you all a nifty little update on the latest ep of the DBZ AU! I'm rather excited for this one because from here on in (well moreso after but still), the changes to the series will start to commence ^^!
Before we start 2 things I want to mention- 1, thanks again to Raga2 for being the first of what i hope to be many peoples' request for the intro; in this case, the request consisting of "Goku and Caulifla meeting Chichi for the first time". I had a particular fun time with it and the more i wrote it, the more writing juices i felt growing up inside me again. That is to say, my writing speed coming back to what it was. How do I know that? Because 10k of this chapter i wrote in under a day just yesterday- 1 day AFTER my previous update ^^! While some might not understand the hype, to me, it's a big deal as it means i'm getting close to returning to my full writing powers! THEN THE WORLD WILL BOW BEFORE ME! MWAHAHAHAHAack cough cough... sorry about that, got a little carried away...
Anyway! The 2nd thing I wanted to mention was a little touch up on my previous explanation about the female "Gohan/Gohna" thing. As someone on Ao3 pointed out, which I was fully aware of, female saiyans are still aggressive and assertive, so don't let my previous explanation fool you. I think i was a bit dim on what I meant to refer to. What I was trying to say was that while they were still considered more assertive and whatnot, I felt making Gohna a female in this case while still being a full on Saiyan made it more likely for her to inherit her father's personality in terms of kindness and sincerity (also on said note- is personality something that can be passed on through genetics and whatnot? I mean I know a person can change their personality over time to, but if its never touched upon, is one inheritable? something to look into more perhaps..). So yes, Female Saiyans are STILL known for their aggression and assertiveness, i just felt like it was the easiest way to explain why Gohna still acts more considerate than the usual Saiyan would (and if that still doesn't convince you.. its just a story people XD).
Apologies for the potential mixup.
Now, with that said, assuming and 100% knowing im going to miss a mountain of stupid obvious things below that i'm going to have to go back and change like the last chapter XP ENJOY!
"Mmmmmh..."
"What's wrong Cauli?"
"I-I-I told you my name is C-C-Caulifla!"
"Oh, sorry. What's wrong Cacacaulifla?"
"Oh forget it!" She had enough of trying to get Goku to get her name right for the past week, she had bigger priorities to worry about.
LIKE HANGING ONTO GOKU FOR DEAR LIFE TWO HUNDRED FEET OFF THE GROUND!
From a day that went to the bizarre to the interesting to the terrifying, everything Caulifla experienced since starting her adventures with Goku had been all over the place! Take this morning for example; after finally getting out of the desert where they met, the group of four made their way to the legendary Ox King's Castle, the place notorious for it's oversized king that had a supposed tendency to cleave everyone who crossed his path in two, at least according to Oolong.. It also reminded Caulifla of her own home as she saw the rundown villages and houses outside the castle.
Needless to say, the two monkey-tailed kids of the group were rather interested in the idea of meeting such a big man, wondering if they would get the chance to fight him while scouring the area for the Dragon Ball. Upon learning it was within the castle, Goku attempted to cross the fiery walls that encircled it with his Flying Nimbus, only for his rear end to be set aflame, making a mad dash for the nearest body of water he could find while Caulifla, Bulma, and Oolong were left to contend with the Ox King who snuck up behind them.
It was at times like this Bulma was glad someone like Caulifla joined their group as the girl managed to distract the Ox King long enough for Goku to arrive, doing whatever she could to strike at the large man's head several times. Upon arriving to the scene, the fight quickly came to a pause as the Ox King noticed the Flying Nimbus the young boy was riding, both surprised and glad to meet someone who turned out to be related to his old training partner, Gohan, Goku's grandfather, which the boy found really surprising!
That was when the day came to it's terrifying moment when the Ox King instructed Goku to find his daughter so she could help him find the turtle hermit Master Roshi, the one man with the Bansho Fan they needed to put out the fire. Unwilling to let her own training partner leave her side for possibly over a day, Caulifla insisted upon joining Goku, something that both shocked and annoyed Bulma when it turned out the young girl could also ride atop the Flying Nimbus as well.
Granted, for whatever reason, she couldn't maintain a steady footing. To her, it felt like it was wobbling constantly whereas Goku stood perfectly fine.
And that's when she remembered, too late, about her incredible fear of heights, and the fact Goku practically road this thing up to the clouds themselves.
"C-C-Can't we get any lower to the g-ground?" Caulifla stuttered, still uneasy with the distance between her and a messy splatter on the surface.
"We won't be able to get a good view of everything from the ground." Goku was perplexed by the girl's seemingly weird behavior, feeling her nervous hands hugging him from behind as tight as she could. "And why are you shaking so much? Do you have to go to the bathroom or something?"
"N-No I don't have to go to the bathroom!" She gulped looking down again. "Although that might change if we go any higher... I just don't wanna fall!"
"Relax, it'll be fine." It was a wonder to her how Goku could smile so easily and confidently from a height like this. "If you do happen to fall, I'll just catch you before you hit the ground. I'm almost sure the Nimbus will be fast enough."
"T-THAT NOT FUNNY!" She grumbled, especially when Goku laughed at his own teasing.
After another minute of searching the rocky plains, the two finally came across the sight of a young girl with a pink helmet and strange blue bikini and cape on the ground below, the mysterious girl looking into the distance confused as Goku chuckled. "Hey, I bet that's her!" He assumed as the Nimbus lowered to the ground. He was too excited by everything that's happened to bother waiting as he jumped right off the cloud as it froze in the air.
"What- H-Hey! Goku!" Caulifla screamed as she pressed her body against the cloud, holding on terrified. It was hard to describe the bed of clouds in her own words, never feeling a surface like this before. The closest way to describe it was like a Waterbed that waved endlessly back and forth.
Thank goodness she didn't get motion sickness.
"I know, he must be the shy type!" Goku heard the young girl comment as he landed on his feet. "How romantic..."
"Hey!" Goku quickly greeted with a wave.
"Huh?" The young girl turned around in surprise. First a handsome-looking bandit confesses his supposed love for her out of nowhere and runs, now a mysteriously cute boy descends from the heavens. It was like a girl's dream come true!
"Are you Chichi?"
"Yes I am. You're the second boy I've met today who knows who I am. Ahhhhhhh!" The girl suddenly let out a shriek as she pointed to him. "You must love me too!" It really was a dream come true! First a man she never met before came to confess his undying love for her, then another boy shows up soon after to do the same thing! It was just like right out of a romance novel where the heroine must choose between two gorgeous guys by the end of the story, sometimes resulting in her choosing both of them at the same time!
At this rate, they were going to be going on dates, have a climactic fight for her love, then she was going to live happily ever after with both of them! She couldn't wait for the ending!
"Well you seem like a nice person to me." Goku casually replied, not understanding half of what she meant.
"But I'm not even sure my papa will let me have a boyfriend yet. Let alone two."
"Why not? You should be allowed to have as many boyfriends as you want."
"Ah! You really mean it?" Chichi swooned as she blushed as Goku just blinked in confusion. "Gosh, you're such a romantic~" Why was the girl acting so weird? If she met a boy she liked, she should be allowed to be friends with them. It made perfect sense to Goku. Was everyone like this when it came to boyfriends or something? "Oooh, but I can't focus on that right now." Chichi said as she remembered why she was out here in the first place. "I need to help my father put out a fire!"
"That's why I'm here!" Goku happily revealed, glad the conversation was going somewhere he could understand. "I'm supposed to help you find Master Roshi so we can borrow the Bansho Fan!"
"Really?" The girl clasped her hands together in delight. "That's so sweet of you." First coming out here to confess his love, being open minded about her personal feelings, AND coming to her rescue in her time of need?! If he performed one more act of romanticism, she swore she was gonna accept his love right then and there!
"Yeah, we can use my Nimbus to get there. Hey, Flying Nimbus!" Goku called out. The girl watched in awe as the golden cloud above began to descend to the very earth itself.
It was official. Now on top of everything else he was doing, he was going to take her for a romantic ride on a flying object that came straight from the heavens, no doubt to sweep her off her feet and fly away with her! Her heart raced with every second as her pupils widened, face turning more red as it came closer and closer. The act- no. The very idea he would come out to her like this in the middle of nowhere was a sign of true love. She was finally going to achieve a happily ever after-!
"Mhmhmhmhmhmmh..."
-that was quickly cut short as she saw the strange figure trembling as it hugged tightly onto the cloud.
"... Who's that...?" Chichi's tone became flat in an instant as she noticed the strange figure waiting for them on the cloud. If she didn't know any better she could've sworn it was a-
"C-Can we please hurry this up?" Caulifla nervously asked, earning a chuckle from Goku.
Yup. Chichi could tell instantly by the face. It was a girl.
"Oh, this is Cauli. She'll be helping us find Roshi." Goku introduced, unable to sense the rising hostility or jealousy coming off of his new friend.
"... Is she your sister or something?" Chichi got her hopes up briefly as Caulifla sat up on her knees, noticing the similar color hair, outfit, and tail she was sporting.
"Huh? Oh no, she's just another girl I picked up along the way." Goku replied, referring to his adventures while being unaware of what Chichi assumed he was referring to.
"So you already have a girlfriend?!" No, it couldn't be true, it just couldn't! He came out of his way to meet her and be his girlfriend, and now she was finding out he had another?!
"What? ...Yeah I guess?" He shrugged as he looked back to his other tailed friend. "Hey Cauli, you're a girlfriend too, right?"
"Uh... yeah? I guess so?" Caulifla's heart quieted down a little as she saw how close they were to the ground. She was a bit unsure of what their relationship was given that they just met a week ago, but she could at least say he was a lot more to her than just a random kid she met out of nowhere. In fact, she could easily call him her training buddy!
And she had about the same amount of understanding as Goku did about the concept of girlfriends or relationships.
All the same, Chichi felt her heart shattering like glass. "So you... already have a girlfriend..." She repeated with even less tone than before. She was still trying to wrap her head around everything, still reeling from how her potential dreamy boyfriend was suddenly sporting another girlfriend at the same time.
"Anyway, we should hurry up. Bulma and the others are waiting." Goku stated, shocking the poor girl further.
"THERE'S MORE?!"
Yup.
It was official to Chichi.
This boy was clearly trying to round up his own Harem of women.
Unless Bulma turned out to be the name of some guy she never met, it was the only logical explanation for what was transpiring here. Whoever this Goku was, he wanted to round up potentially the most beautiful women he could find and begin a long relationship with each and every one of them, which would ultimately escalate to a final standoff between all of them as the main hero would eventually choose one of the mysterious girls to be his lucky bride, leaving the rest to wallow and weep in despair.
Just like the romance novels!
...At least she took solace with the fact that he counted her as one of the beautiful women he was going to add to his harem.
"Hop onto my Flying Nimbus, 'cause we really should get going." Goku said, snapping her out of her thoughts as he stood atop the cloud.
"You mean I can actually ride on this thing without falling?" Chichi asked pointing to the puffy material.
"Well, sure, but you have to have a pure heart to be able to ride it." He explained, remembering Master Roshi's own words.
"Oh, that's okay. When you're the daughter of the Ox King, you always behave well." She was sure she could ride the cloud just fine as she watched Caulifla scooting over to make room. It was as nice as it was annoying to her. Still, she wasn't going to be outdone by her potential rival as she grabbed onto the side of the cloud, struggling to get her legs up and over the floating gold.
"Do you need some help?" Goku offered.
As nice as Chichi found it, she didn't want to be outdone by her new rival, the young girl looking around for her own way aboard the slightly large cloud. As it so happens, she found the solution to her problems thanks to the wiggly protrusion she noticed on the girl's backside. "Nope!"
*yank*
"Gahhhhhhhh!" All the mystery and wonder she had about her potential rival quickly dwindled as the young Caulifla let out a yelp, going stiff as a board as Chichi pulled herself up the cloud.
"There we go!" Chichi's smile quickly dispersed as no sooner did she sit atop the cloud did Caulifla suddenly fall off of it, seemingly paralyzed for several seconds as she fell to the rough ground. "What happened to you?"
"Mmmmmhhhhhhh..." Caulifla moaned for a little while until she regained feeling in her limbs. The once shy and curious nature of her began to swap with one of complete outrage and frustration as she got back to her feet, rubbing her backside as she growled at the young girl. "Hey! Hands off!" She shouted before attempting to lunge at the girl.
"Eeeek!" Chichi shrieked covering herself, It took a few moments before she realized the attack never came, opening one eye to discover Goku casually, albeit barely, holding the swiping Caulifla back by her shoulders. "W-What's wrong with her?!"
"Oh yeah, sorry about that." Goku apologized cheekily, finding the recent tumble rather silly. "Cauli and I lose all our power when you grab our tails, it's the one thing we can't stand. Cauli especially hates when someone grabs it." He explained before looking back to Caulifla. "Come on, Cauli, she didn't know. Couldn't you ease up on her a little?"
"I-I'm sorry! I didn't know!" Chichi apologized hastily.
"Grrrrrrrrrrr... Hmph!" Caulifla puffed as she crossed her arms looking away. "Fine, I'll leave it at a warning just this once." As much as she wanted to bite at the girl, especially her fingers, she supposed she could allow it this one time. After all, if she did anything to make Goku upset, he might refuse to fight her again on a daily basis like they agreed. Lowering her temper, she looked anxiously at the cloud again as she shakily stepped atop it. Strangely, she noticed how it was slightly more sturdy than it was before, even if it did continue to wobble under her.
*sniff*
*sniff*
It was at the moment she kneeled next to Chichi that Caulifla's nose picked up on something. Sniffing around, Chichi became anxious then slightly red-faced as Caulifla started to sniff around her, getting a little lower and lower every time the scent appeared stronger. "H-Hey! What are you doing?!" Chichi stammered pushing the young girl away until she stopped.
"Sorry, it's just..." Cauli looked over the girl once more. "I swear there's a familiar scent on you." It was one of the few scents in the world she could recognize at heart, yet seemed improbable all the same. If she didn't know any better, she could've sworn the scent of Yamcha was somehow over this girl. But that couldn't be the case, right? Why would he be all the way out here instead of the desert?
Unbeknownst to the three of them, said bandit was currently hiding behind some bushes a good distance away, just far enough that he was still within earshot of their little conversation. "So that's why the boss never liked anyone grabbing her tail..." He said to himself as he came to realize. He always wondered why she was so protective of her tail all this time, he just never assumed it was due to some weakness she had. The very knowledge made him grin as he looked to the other boy who was a handful to him back then. "And if that's her weakness, then our little 'monkey friend' should have the same." He grinned.
Assuming again that Goku shared the same weakness, his plan to rescue his boss from the seeming abduction would be well under way. He just needed to wait for the right moment to launch his attack to rescue her and get her as far away from the group as possible.
"Ok, here we go!" Goku announced. Without any warning, both girls found themselves each clinging onto one of Goku's legs for dear life as the young boy eagerly took off to the sky, flying at a rapid speed much faster and higher than before, to Caulifla's displeasure.
"S-Slow down!" She pleaded, holding onto her leg tightly. From the corner of her eye, Caulifla looked back to an annoyed-looking Chichi as she noticed the weird stare she was giving the girl. Turning her head around and back, Caulifla blinked in confusion at what the girl was staring at. "What?"
Chichi couldn't stand it.
The idea this girl was one of Goku's harem and her potential rivals was an outrage! Sure she looked like Goku and they likely had a lot of similarities, but there was more to love than that! Chichi herself was smart, charming, and came from a lot of money, presumably the top three things every guy in the world was looking for in a woman. And she wasn't about to let Caulifla steal him away from her!
"Just so we're clear, he belongs to me!" She whispered.
"He's yours...?" Caulifla blinked again. It took her a moment before she gasped quietly. Of course. It all made sense now. Why she was acting so weird, why she purposely grabbed Caulifla's tail, in her eyes anyway, and why she was staring daggers at her from behind Goku's back- She wanted to steal him as her training partner! "You can forget it! Goku's mine!" She declared.
There was no way she was going to lose such a valuable training partner to the likes of her! Goku was the only person she's ever met that could keep up with her in every regard. He was a strong fighter, he was tricky, and he had the stamina and strength to fight with her every day since they. And until Caulifla managed to finally beat him in one of their fights, she wasn't going to lose the one person who made life interesting to her!
"Hey," Goku turned his head back as he heard the girls mumbling, "what are you two talking about back there?"
"Nothing!"
...
...
"Congratulations." The warrior had enough toying with the remainder of the group as he brought up his hand once more. "You actually managed to scratch me, and for that, you will pay dearly!" And just like before, he charged his energy into his hand, prepared to deliver a blast that was almost assured to be deadlier than anything they could imagine.
Piccolo and Caulifla were at a loss at this point. Everything they tried, everything they fired at the guy proved ineffective. No matter how much they tried to push back, this Raditz guy just kept brushing himself off and hitting them back even stronger than before. Caulifla's speed barely did anything other than prolong the fight, PIccolo's newest attack proved useless as Raditz still managed to dodge it with ease, and Goku had ran out of tricks to catch Raditz off guard, barely having any to begin with.
What's worse, as Goku came to realize, Raditz had been toying with them all along. He wasn't using more than 60, maybe 70% of his true power to deal with the three of them and they were still in shambles. The moment Goku had the slightest edge against him Raditz turned the table and gave him a helping of his true strength, tossing him away in seconds.
And now that Raditz was aware of the fact these fighters could conceal their true power levels from the very start, there as no way he was going to go easy on them any longer. Their lives were in his hands.
Quite literally in Piccolo's case as Raditz raised his hand to the sky, gathering a ball of energy into it that steadily grew to the size of his palm. Just a small amount of energy and the fighters could already sense the overwhelming power that hailed from it. The moment he unleashed it upon them, it was over. "I hope you enjoyed what little meaning your lives had." He grinned, preparing to wipe them out once and for all.
Caulifla could only watch from the upside down view she had as she lied on her back, seeing the madman barely twenty feet away from her. She struggled to get any sort of feeling in her body, to force itself to move. But after all the injuries she sustained, she doubted she could do more than one last burst of speed, maybe twice if she really pushed herself, and only a short distance. "No..." She coughed weakly.
"At least take comfort in the fact your suffering ends here and now- GAHHH!" He stopped.
All of a sudden Raditz came to a halt as the energy from his hand dispersed all at once. What's going on?! He questioned to himself as his body went limp. Did Piccolo's attack do more to him than he thought? Was there some sort of secret technique the three used against him that he didn't expect, like Goku's Solar Flare? He could've sworn he was still in peak condition, he had to be! Nothing these fighters did had any meaningful damage to him. So what was causing this sudden sensation?
The answer came to him when he finally turned around, finding the source of his sudden loss of power. "You!"
"Hehehe!" Goku had to admit, he felt cheeky at finally getting the advantage for a change instead of the other way around. "Look what I got. Looks like you let your guard down too soon, huh?" And it was with a firm tug that Raditz was brought to the ground for the first time since their fight started.
"How... did you manage to..." He struggled to speak, the simple act of pushing against the ground seeming impossible with his current level of strength.
"Now Piccolo!" Goku shouted as he maintained his grip. "Hurry up and charge your attack again!"
"Atta boy..." Caulifla muttered grinning. It was times like this when she really admired Goku's strength. As beaten as he was, probably a little over half as bad as Caulifla was presently, he still managed to stand on his own two feet like this.
"Well done, Goku," Piccolo complimented as he brought his fingertips to his forehead one more time, "now hold him still. Don't let go no matter what!" Like before, lightning slowly started to streak along Piccolo's fingertips as he gathered his energy. "I only have enough energy to use this technique one more time." He was more than excited to finally shut the man up for good, doing everything in his power to speed up the process as he focused.
Raditz continued to grumble to himself as he cocked his head back, trying to look his brother in the eye for once. "Kakarot, please." He begged. "Would you really do this? Kill your only brother? Your own flesh and blood?!"
"Shut up." His brother snapped back. "We've already been through this. I don't have a brother, especially one as cruel and horrible as you! Besides, you tried to kill us first!"
"I-Is that what you think?" It took all of Raditz's effort just to get the words out. "Do you think I'd really try to kill my own little brother?"
"Goku..." Caulifla groaned, barely above a whisper. If she knew Goku as well as she did, this was about to take a sudden turn for the worse.
"I just... wanted to get you to join us... I never intended to actually kill you."
"You're lying-!"
"It's the truth!" He cut him off before Goku could retort. "Think about it. If I really wanted to kill you, I could've just done so on the island, while you were incapacitated." Goku's eyes opened a little to this. "I thought if I showed you the strength of our race, you'd be willing to join us again, but I was wrong. I see that now!"
"But... Everyone you hurt... Gohna... Cauli..."
"Goku! Don't listen to him!" Piccolo shouted, having the same sense of fear Caulifla was currently feeling. "He's just trying to trick you. He doesn't mean a word of what he's saying. There's no way he'll let us go after all of this!"
"Y-You're right, and I'm truly sorry for it." Goku struggled to ignore the sincerity of Raditz's words. "I let my anger of our mother cloud my judgement, and it was wrong. I took out my anger unfairly, it wasn't her fault. Please, Kakarot, I swear to all of you that if you let me go right now, I shall leave. You'll have your daughter back, and neither you or this planet will ever see me again. You have my word!"
"Do... Do you mean that?" Goku began to hesitate.
"I do, I promise! I swear it!"
"Goku..." Caulifla coughed again, this time catching Goku's attention as he saw the state she was in.
There was too much to process here. Piccolo could've been right about everything. It did seem like a desperate ploy, like he was lying or just trying to save himself. It didn't mean he wasn't being honest, he could've been trying to bargain for the chance to live again. All the same, he also could've been waiting or the perfect opportunity to launch a counterattack again at any moment.
But at the same time, seeing him like this reminded Goku of his time with Caulifla. She wasn't on the right path of her life, not at first, and look at her now. She wasn't just one of his greatest allies, she was also his wife. She risked her life on several occasions with him to save the world, take on trained assassins, and whatever else life threw their way. So what would happen if he did the same for Raditz? Would he redeem himself too in some way and lead a more meaningful and peaceful existence like she did?
Without that, there was still the fact he was, indeed, his brother, no matter how much Goku wanted to deny it. He wasn't just a member of his family, he was one of the last few people of their race, one Goku knew next to nothing about other than what Raditz told them earlier. Who knew what the 'Saiyans' were like that were on their way to Earth? If anyone could help them, could his brother? Could his brother perhaps train them to prepare for the Saiyans? Would he try to help fight them? There were too many questions that needed answering.
And only a single person who could provide those answers.
"No, Goku!" Piccolo shouted in anger, unable to believe what he was preparing to see. "Don't let go of his tail! This is all a ploy!"
"Please, Kakarot, you have to believe me!" Raditz shouted louder. "You have to believe me! ! I'm begging you!"
There was no other option to him. Only mistakes.
And it all started with the simple release of a tail.
"GOKU!"
"Heh heh heh..."
*BAM!*
"Gauuugh!
*CRACK*
"AHHHHHHH!" Goku cried out in pain at the unbearable weight crushing his leg.
It was to be expected. Why wouldn't it be? No matter how uncertain Goku was he couldn't just leave everything up to chance. If his brother could be redeemed in some way or help them with the Saiyans he was willing to take that chance. And it was with the release of Raditz's tail did he truly understand how foolish his choice was.
Within an instant of regaining his tail, Raditz showed his true colors once more as he bashed his sturdy elbow right into Goku's face, flailing him across the field a dozen yards away where he collided with the ground in a heavy manner. He wasn't given a single chance to catch his breath as Raditz immediately followed this up with crashing his foot right atop Goku's left knee, nearly breaking every bone in the joint and leaving Raditz with a satisfied grin.
"You fool!" Once again, Raditz proudly declared himself triumphant as he watched his brother squirm, wrapping his tail around himself for protection. "In all my travels, I've never met anyone as stupid as you!"
"Ghhhh... You lied..." Goku growled through his teeth. He couldn't believe what he had just done. The one chance they had at turning things around was now wasted.
"Of course I did. I'm a first class warrior. I do whatever it takes to survive, without hesitation, even if it means lying to my own brother." He explained gratefully. "I have to say you're far too trusting for your own good, brother. But then again, it would explain why you turned out so weak."
*piff*
"... Speaking of weakness..." His grinned widened as he turned around.
That one small insignificant blast of energy. That was call Caulifla could muster with her one good arm as she attempted to shoot Raditz in the back as she lied on the ground. There wasn't an ounce of strength left in her attack as she watched the small streak of red energy disappear in a puff of smoke the moment it collided into Raditz's back. It didn't even leave a scratch. All it did was tell Raditz she was still kicking and willing to fight tooth and nail to stop him.
She just wished she had more kick to her last ounce of strength. "Damn..."
It was then Goku realized what caught Raditz's attention, and why his grin was growing wider as he lifted his head to look in the same direction. "No, don't-!" Unlike Raditz's, his pleas fell on deaf ears as Raditz zipped across the field in the blink of an eye, leaving Goku to deal with his shattered kneecap as Raditz stood over Caulifla.
"Well, here we are again, Caulifla." He wasted no time as he harshly grabbed at her throat, lifting the smaller girl off her feet in a tightening grip .
'Agh..." There was nothing she could do anymore. She barely got a single bit of air down her throat as she struggled in vain to free herself, doing whatever weak useless thing she could do as she tried to grab his wrist with her only useable arm at this point.
"It's a real shame you refused to see reason, Caulifla. Truly, it is." For once, Raditz was being genuine with her. Too bad it was during her last possible moment of life. "With all that bravery, all that power, you would've been a welcome sight to behold among your race. Too bad you picked such a worthless excuse of a man to follow instead."
"Nghhhh..." Caulifla couldn't tell what was taking more of her energy at this point. The struggle to breathe, the struggle to open one eye, or the futility of trying to pull his hand off her throat with one hand. "Goku's more... than you'll ever be..." She sputtered.
"Is that so?" He threw his gaze over at the green man who was still concentrating all of his power into his fingertips. Deciding to make the most out of these last moments of entertainment, he happily held Caulifla in front of himself, blocking the direct light of sight between him and Piccolo. "What are you waiting for? Go ahead and give it your best shot." He insisted. "If you're lucky, you might hit Caulifla AND me! Hahahaha!"
"Damn it..." Piccolo swore under his breath, knowing he had no choice but to continue concentrating as the situation looked grim. "He knows the minute I fire, he's just going to dodge again..." They needed a plan, fast. A good one. But with two of their three fighters almost completely out of commission, what else could they try? There wasn't enough time to form a new plan and there wasn't a trick Raditz hadn't seen already.
It was over.
"Really now, are you just going to stand there?" Raditz smirked squeezing his other fist as he placed it in front of Caulifla's stomach. "Well if you refuse to make the first move, then allow me."
*BAM!*
"GAHHHHHHHH!" Caulifla cried out in agony. The pain was unbearable as Raditz rammed his fist into her stomach. Every nerve within her stomach was on fire as the pain intensified, no doubt the resulting impact damaging several more ribs.
*BAM!*
"AGGHHHHHHH!" She coughed up once more, a small handful of blood spewing from her mouth. This wasn't just a matter of pride or revenge anymore. Raditz was simply doing it for his own pleasure.
"Raditz, stop! Please!" Goku shouted, angered at what little he could do. He might've been able to jump to the two, but what then? He'd be in just as helpless a position as she was. And if he did anything to anger Raditz further, he knew Raditz would have no quarrel about finishing her off right there.
"Oh, don't worry, Kakarot." Raditz sneered with a brief pause. "I'll be sure to get back to you in due time. For right now, I'm just going to see how long she can last." And he couldn't think of a better way to find out than delivering another painful blow to the woman's stomach.
At the same time, within the confines of the Saiyan Pod, the young Gohna finally let up from her crying as she heard the cries of her own mother. "Mommy?" She sniffled, wiping her face a little as tears still settled in the corners of her eyes.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
"Mommy!" She pounded on the glass again, feeling the tears well up as she heard her cries of pain. She didn't know what was going on or what was happening right now, only that her own mother was crying out in pain. The woman who gave birth to the beloved daughter, the one Cauli was protective of from day to day. The one who promised to never let anything bad happen to her as long as she was around.
And now she was the one suffering.
"Stop it!" She shouted pounding on the glass repeatedly. She didn't want this! She didn't want any of this! She just wanted to go home!
*BAM*
"STOP IT!" Her tail twitched and her brows narrowed unknowingly as she squeezed her fist. She started to feel something she hadn't felt before, a sense of anger that was welling up in her chest. The bad man was hurting her parents, and they didn't do anything in their lives to deserve it!
*BAM*
"Ugh..." Caulifla was at the end of her ropes as her arms draped to the side. The pain in her stomach was too much, feeling her own tail going limp as she lost all resistance. Any amount of energy she had left consisted of staying conscious. Everything else was too focused on staying alive. From the reserves of energy she once had, she was now running on fumes just to keep her eyes open.
"Awww, what's wrong, dear sister?" This was the moment Raditz had waited for the most. The moment Caulifla's resistance had completely drained. "Getting tired yet? Well you needn't worry." Pulling back his fist, he squeezed it extra tightly as he prepared the finishing blow. "I promise you this one will be the last thing you ever feel!"
And with those few words, someone finally snapped.
*CRACK*
"STOOOOOOOOOP IIIIIIIIIIIIT!" A voice shrieked from the crater as the ground trembled.. All eyes turned to the source of the sound as a lone figure suddenly appeared jumping out of the crater, bursting out of the very pod what once held it captive, and landing at the edge of it huffing and fuming with rage.
"WHAT!?" Raditz couldn't believe it, he almost refused to. That little girl who was crying her eyes out a short while ago had now burst through the Saiyan pods like a balloon, and was now exhibiting a massive amount of power that was sending the scanner off the charts. Piccolo and Goku were just as amazed and shocked at the turnout, almost as much as Caulifla who could only gasp in her mind while still being just as shocked as the rest of them.
"G-Gohna...?" Goku blinked, wondering if this was some sort of hallucination or reality.
"That's impossible... How did..." He couldn't help but look back and forth between the crater and the young girl as Piccolo tried to piece together what just happened.
"What is this?" Raditz tossed aside the frail mother to the ground without a care as he tried to get a reading on the young child.
It was one of the few moments Caulifla had to speak, craning her neck painfully to her little girl as she tried to warn her. "G... Gohna... get away..."
Gohna was terrified. Terrified of the large man who kidnapped her, terrified of the weird green man she assumed was the dread "Evil King Piccolo" her parents told her about, and terrified of the state she saw her parents in. She was terrified to tears the situation scared her so badly. She wanted to run, she wanted to hide, she wanted to get out of that situation as fast as she could.
But she was also angry.
Angry at the man who did all this, who hurt her parents so badly, and made her mom cry for the first time in Gohna's own life. For once, her mom was the one who was in tears instead of Gohna, and with how brave and strong she knew her mother was, she was just as sure whoever made her cry was even stronger! Yet, she didn't care. All she cared about was the rage seething inside of her, the anger telling her hurt the bad man that was hurting mommy and daddy.
She.
Was.
Pissed.
"How did she break out of that..." Raditz checked his scanner as he tried to gauge the girl's strength. Those pods were sturdy enough to survive a full collision with the surface of almost any planet, not to mention burning through the atmosphere. It would've taken tremendous strength to accomplish such a feat, a strength that shocked Raditz as he finally read the results. "No way... Her power level... I-It's at... 1,442!?" It couldn't be! IT WAS HIGHER THAN HIS!
The little girl's anger peaked as a small red aura emanated around her as Gohna squeezed her tiny fists. "You stop hurting... my mommy!" And in the blink of an eye, she lunged.
*WHAAAAAAM!*
It was faster than Raditz could anticipated. Almost as fast as light, yet untraceable to his own two eyes. In less than a split second, the once docile weeping girl who was crying her eyes out in the pod, had enveloped herself in a white aura of energy before she shot at Raditz like a rocket, crashing into his stomach headfirst with a strength he couldn't possibly imagine. The impact was so great that it managed to tear apart a solid portion of the armor, likely in part thanks to Goku's earlier kick straight into his gullet weakening it the first time. Raditz could only gasp for air as every breath left his body, his vision turning hazy as he was knocked fully to the ground.
And by a child no less.
Needless to say, everyone else was devastated on a mental level, unable to believe what they had just witnessed. Piccolo could only gape, Goku could only blink, and Caulifla could only stare as they all bore witness to the spectacle that had just unfolded. The four year old little girl just toppled the man giving the adults so much trouble in one blow.
"G... Gohna? Caulifla finally spoke in wonder as the little girl wobbly sat up again. There was nothing but swirls in her eyes, briefly dazed from the feat she had pulled off. While definitely impressive, perhaps slamming head first into the unknown alien that kidnapped her a short while ago wasn't the brightest plan.
Still, it definitely seemed to be effective as the girl shook her head again, snapping out of her disorientation and blinking in confusion. "Wha... how did I get out hewe?" She lisped, looking around. The last thing she could recall was her mother's screams, her own sadness and anger, then everything turned red. And when she snapped out of it, she found herself sitting on the ground like this. At least she was aware enough to see the state her mama was in as she turned around. "Mommy!" She cried getting back to her feet.
"That was... huh..." Caulifla was at a loss of what to say. On one hand, her daughter just pulled off a stunning feat that knocked the large man off his feat and made her look weak by comparison. That she could be proud of. On the other hand, her daughter just pulled off a stunning feat that knocked the large man off his feat and made her look weak by comparison!
"Geh... That... little... brat..." Raditz could be heard grumbling as he rubbed his chest. He nearly gasped at the sight of his armor, seeing the gaping hole the attack left and the large bruise over his gut. He could taste a small amount of blood dripping from the sides of his mouth which only fueled his anger.
Caulifla finally noticed the approaching alien as her surprise turned to worry. "Gohna... go... get out of here..." She coughed out.
"Huh?" Gohna's confusion quickly turned to fear again as she turned around, seeing what was supposedly her uncle approaching her in rage. "Ehhehhhhhh..."
He couldn't stand for this, not for a single moment. He, the proud member of the warrior race, was actually beaten down by a lone child, one who was practically a toddler! In some respects, it was almost pleasing that the rest of the race had died off, otherwise he'd never be allowed to live it down. And yet he still felt the overwhelming sense of shame and humiliation all the same, feeling as if the others were mocking him from the grave, hearing their silent voices belittling him and his power.
And to add on to his irritation, scanning the girl again, he discovered something that really upset him. "It went back down? It's even lower than it was before!" The action she took must've drained up a good portion of her energy, another thing he realized as it finally became clear to him. "Now I understand. Her power fluctuates with her emotions!" And it was almost terrifying in a way. If this is how much it changed from hearing a loved one in danger, how strong could it possibly get if a loved one had been killed?!
It was a question he refused to find out as he raised the back of his hand.
"GOHNA, RUN-!" Goku tried to yell to little too late.
*WHAP!*
The next thing the trio saw was the small offspring being flung at a distance, the savage brute having knocked the girl outside the head in anger as he smacked her out cold. It was some miracle that the girl had surprisingly survived, which meant little to the parents as they saw the man saunter over to the unconscious child, tempers flaring with each step he took.
"No..." Caulifla groaned in pain as she clutched her stomach, forcing herself to turn onto her tender front in misery.
"Stop, please!" Goku beseeched his brother as he stomped passed him. "Don't-"
"Don't what?" The tall brother barked, still outrage at the turnout. "Do away with the child? That girl has a higher power level than either of you. Do you understand what sort of threat she would be if I were to let her live?" There wasn't an ounce of worry, concern, or care in the man's voice as he continued his proud march. "But don't worry. Her parents will be joining her in the next world very soon! Hahahaha!"
"WAAAAAAIT!" Goku shouted in frustration, doing whatever he could to inch closer much like Caulifla was doing.
Raditz was finally at his wits end with this planet. He hated this "Earth", he hated these people. He hated how much it disgraced his own family and brother, and what it did to turn the proudest of them into lesser fools like his own flesh and blood. But more importantly, he hated how it humiliated him. He raised his hand to the sky as he began to gather energy, a sight that worried Piccolo to no end. While he cared little for the child, he knew the moment she was dealt with, he was going to turn his attention to the rest of them, and he needed more time to finish charging his attack.
Both parents watched in horror as energy gathered in Raditz's hand like before, the Saiyan proud and willing to destroy the girl by any means necessary. Whether it was a girl or a child, Raditz didn't seem to care. All he was concerned with was destroying the threat to their race, even if she was one of their own. And with a single attack, he was going to end it once and for all. And it would be the easiest part of this invasion as he launched the attack!
...At least, that's what he told himself. Just a lone inch away from unleashing his devastating might did he froze. He caught a glimpse of her face for a final time. Seeing the unconscious expression dawned over her, and the familiar hairstyle that he knew all too well. He hated the sight of it, hated at the feelings it left him with.
Because he hesitated to do it.
"Why..." He growled to himself in a low tone. "Why do you have her face?!" He hated it. He hated it! He HATED it! This child, her face, all of it! It was almost the spitting image of his mother in almost every way. When she grew up, there was almost no doubt she would resemble his mother perfectly! And he fumed at it! The inability to understand why it made him hesitate, why it made him weak! Why his stupid emotions were getting the best of him at a time like this!
It's why she needed to die, because of the weakness it brought him. Once she was dealt with, he wouldn't have any attachments left to his past, no matter how much they meant to him. She was the last obstacle in his path to becoming a true Saiyan, and it was the final push he couldn't get passed.
Perhaps he just needed a new approach. If he crushed her under his boot, then surely it would be easier to deal with as he wouldn't see her face in the process-
*tug*
"What the?" His eyes must be fooling him. For a brief moment, he could've sworn that Caulifla, despite her personal injuries, was currently clasping onto his left foot tightly. She was doing little to nothing to pull him away from her, but doing whatever was useful in her power to keep his foot planted on the ground. "What do you think you're doing?
"I don't care... what happens to me..." She coughed, trying to get the words out. "You're not... hurting... my little girl..."
This was it.
This was the last she could do.
From what little burst of energy she managed to rain into her beaten and battered body, this was the last amount of effort she could put in to fight this guy. She didn't care if it was a foot, a hand, so much as a finger. If she could be display any semblance of resistance against her foe, then she was going to do it till her dying breath.
"This is getting ridiculous!" He couldn't tell what irritated him more. The depressing woman who claimed she was going to do everything in her power to protect her girl... or the fact she was actually keeping his foot from lifting. "Let go of me damn it!" He demanded lifting his other leg.
*bam!*
"Ngh..." Caulifla didn't care. He could batter the back of her head as much as he wanted to with his other foot, especially if it kept him from realizing it, as much as she wanted to. This foot wasn't coming off the ground until he was no longer a threat.
*bam!*
"Tch..." She squeezed her eyes tightly. She could feel it. A small trickle of blood stemming from the back of her head. It was times like this she was glad for all the bushy hair she had. If not for that, she was positive he would've crushed in her skull after the first stomp.
"I said let go of-!"
"HAAAAAH!"
Another growl emanated from behind as Raditz suddenly found himself locked in place. Turning his head, much to his shock, he saw his own brother standing behind him, limping badly with his crushed leg and maintaining his balance as best he could on his one good one. He had him in a full nelson that was taking every last ounce of energy just to keep him at bay. If it wasn't for Caulifla's assistance in keeping one of his legs stuck to the ground, he was sure it would've been more than easy to shake absurd Saiyan off his back.
"What are you doing!?" Raditz yelled, shaking with fierce determination to get his brother off him.
"PICCOLO!" Goku could be heard shouting. "QUICK! YOUR ATTACK! DO IT! DO IT NOW!"
"Finally!" If he gathered anymore energy, Piccolo swore his fingers were going to explode at the massive amount of energy he had gathered. "It's about time you decided to make your move." It was a risky venture, but as of right now, there was little choice in the matter. If they waited any longer, Gohna was surely going to perish. "Now hold him! It's almost ready!"
"Hurry, Piccolo!" Goku strained to shout, doing everything he could to keep Raditz from pulling him off. "I can't keep this up for long!"
"Are you really this stupid?!" He couldn't believe it. He refused to. All the fighting, all the attacks he shook off till this point, all the minor injuries he had suffered. It all culminated into the perfect recipe that left certain parts of his body too numb to fight back, too worn out from the energy he exhausted. He was completely at their mercy. "If you're behind me when he fires, the blast will hit you too!"
He couldn't see it, but he could feel the smirk on Goku's face from behind. "Heh heh heh, then I guess it's the way it's gotta be!"
"What!?" It was impossible. Was he really about to sacrifice his own life just for some kid's? What Saiyan would... no. Of course he would. Goku was the furthest thing from a Saiyan in his eyes. It was natural that he would risk lunacy like this to protect his daughter. And it was making Raditz panic. "Your Daughter, think about her!"
"I am! This is the only way to save her from you!" If Raditz didn't know any better he could've sworn Goku's grip was actually getting tighter with every passing breath.
"Heh, I won't lie to you, I've been dreaming of this moment for a long time." Piccolo commented as he neared the end of his charge. "I'm not gonna let this moment pass up if you change your mind."
"W-Wait! Release me! I swear to you I'll never bother your planet again!" The proud Saiyan warrior was reduced to begging for the last time.
"Hah, yeah, like you did before?" He was more than aware of Raditz's true colors now. Goku threw negotiations completely off the table at this point.
"I mean it this time! Let me go and you'll never hear from me ever again! Don't you trust the words of your own brother?!" This wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening. Were things truly turning out the way he thought they were? Was he about to lose? "You can't... Caulifla, reason with him!" He demanded. "Are you prepared to let your husband die? Are you going to tell your little girl why she has to grow up without a father?!"
For once, Caulifla listened to the man as she opened her eyes. The very idea, the very aspect of a life without Goku anymore was... frightening. After all their adventures together, everything they've fought for, all the training they did... Was it all going to end now? Just come to a complete stop? It... it made her heart waver a bit. She was going to lose either her husband's life, or her daughter's... it wasn't a choice she could make, nor a problem she could focus on.
For the first time in her life, she was at a loss. A horrible, terrifying loss...
"Cauli!" Goku's yell snapped her out of her thoughts. He could tell what she was feeling, even if he couldn't see it. It wasn't a decision he would be able to choose either, but he knew it had to be done. "It's ok, Cauli. Don't forget, we have the Dragon Balls."
"The what?" The news captured Raditz's ears at the announcement. It also made him worry further than he thought possible.
"Just gather them up... make a wish... and I'll be home in time for supper!" He chuckled, trying to make light of the dire circumstances the group was facing.
That's right. The Dragon Balls. The one source of power in this world that could perform boundless miracles, including the revival of the dead. It was the one chance she had to see Goku again, the only chance really. If she collected them all, managed to collect them before anyone else could, then it was possible. It was the one chance she had of setting everything back to normal, and making life the way it once was... but it still meant allowing Goku to die in the process.
"Goku..." Her voice trembled as water formed in the corners of her eyes. There wasn't a choice in the matter. She had to do it. Yet telling herself there was no choice didn't make it any easier. It felt more like she was just convincing herself there was none, when there were potentially thousands of other scenarios she could've picked from. And all the same, there was only one clear answer. "YOU IDIOOOOT!" She cried, holding the leg tighter than ever and praying Piccolo would hurry up and just fire already!
He knew it was harsh to accept and impossible to go along with, but it made Goku smile to know that her mind was made up.
"NOOOO!" He knew. He knew what she was going to go with. He knew it was the end of him. And most importantly, Raditz knew that his fate was sealed.
"PICCOLO, HURRY UP!" As much as Raditz assumed otherwise, Goku felt his strength waning away with every nudge. If Raditz slipped out of his grasp for so much as a second, they were all done for.
Which is why it was fortunate, that moment would never come to pass.
"Sorry to keep you waiting... Are you ready Goku?" It was now or never. While happy he was going to do away with two of his enemies at once, he regretted it was not by his own strength.
"DO IIIIIIIIIIIIT!"
"STOP!"
"RIGHT!" And now, it was finally at an end.
"SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!" Like before, Piccolo shouted at the top of his lungs as he fired the swirling beam of tremendous light and power. Cauli and Goku closed their eyes as they waited, every second feeling like an eternity until the impact. No sooner did Goku feeling it piercing his back did he lose all sense of feeling in itself. From behind, he watched in pained satisfaction as he saw the beam pierce out the front of Raditz himself. And from below, Caulifla knew it was over the moment she felt Raditz flying out of her grip.
It was over.
Both fighters flew forward as the beam passed through them, both of them now sporting massive holes in their chest right next to their hearts. Raditz somehow felt everything and nothing as his nervous system shot throughout his body, pain reeling and fading with every breath he took.
He found it strange, in a way, as the last thing he saw was Gohna's face. For a brief moment, the memory of his mother came back to him, the final look on her face as she smiled to him back then. It was only now, in these last few seconds of his life, that he understood. He understood the very reason she smiled that day, the reason she seemed so peaceful in her last moments of life. It wasn't because she was happy that she got her way, it wasn't because she knew her own children were going to be okay.
It was because she had hope.
Hope that one day her children would go on to meet again. A hope that they would be able to carry on their legacy and become a family once more. One where they would be there to support each other through thick and thin, maybe even have kids of their own one day. Just as long as they could live happily one day, that's the thought that gave her reason to smile, a vision to hope for.
And now, because of Raditz, it was a vision that would be left unfulfilled.
"M-Mother..." He weakly muttered as he stretched out a hand. His vision wavered between images of Gohna to images of Gine's last moments. For the first time in his life, Raditz truly understood what his mother meant to him. Beyond that, it was the first and last time he would ever feel regret. "I-I-I'm... s... sorry..."
"Save your apologies." Piccolo spat as he walked up to the fallen warrior. "You brought this on yourself." He had to admit, he lightly commended Goku on his brave sacrifice. He wondered if both parents would've made the sacrifice in full if given the chance.
He was still fuming a little on the inside. All this time, all this wastefulness. He just came to realize his mother's intentions and it was literally right when he was about to die, along with his brother. He didn't fully understand what the deal was with these Dragon Balls as his mind was too focused on the revelation and memories he recalled. All he cared about at this very moment was how he would spend the last few seconds alive.
What would make his mother smile.
"T...The Saiyans..." The mention gave Goku reason to lift his head again, almost forgetting about the looming threat to their future.
"When... When will they... arrive...?" Goku craned his neck to look. "When will they be here?" They needed as much information as they could afford before their time was up.
"I-In... one year... a short year..." Raditz spat a small bit of blood as his throat filled. "Th-They... They won't show... a-any mercy... to any... one..." And with that, the light had finally faded from his eyes. Piccolo was a bit bewildered with the Saiyan's final words. Why would be bother mentioning this at the last moment? To instill some sense of fear into them before his dying breath? Or was it... did he possibly-
"Augh!" Goku's coughing cut the demon's attention away from his train of thoughts, turning back to the wounded warrior who proudly gave his life.
Unsurprisingly as he lowered his gaze, he noticed Caulifla still staring at him with tears in her eyes, the weak girl trying everything she could to keep them open. "G-Go... ku..." She felt nothing but pain at the moment, both physically and emotionally. She had the choice to potentially save Goku, possibly call Raditz on his bluff and she refused to take it.
"H-Hey, Cauli... heh..." Even now, for reasons Caulifla could never explain, Goku managed to let out a small laugh at the situation. "Guess we beat him... huh?" He knew she must've been feeling the worst out of this, and that wasn't counting the actual injuries she was suffering. After spending more than half his life with her, he could tell how she was feeling. "H-Hey, i-it's okay." He looked briefly at the unconscious child ahead of her, noting the peaceful expression on her. "And l-look, she's safe. We really pulled through."
"..." Caulifla had a lot she wanted to say right now. Dragon Balls or not, it was the second time in her life she felt like such a tremendous loss was coming, ever since her very own aunt passed away. It wasn't something she could bare, possibly never would have if it wasn't for Goku. All she could do was squeeze her fist in anger, dismayed at her own powerlessness in her fight against Raditz.
At the same time, a small tan aircraft was flying through the air, housing a few familiar faces which both the proud parents and the green-skinned demon were familiar with.
"Look, there they are!" Krillin pointed out as he looked out the window.
"Oh no," Bulma gasped as she flew in closer, "only one of them's still standing!"
"What?!" The frantic blonde Launch yelped as she shoved Krillin aside to look. "Which one is it? Is it Cauli?" Her worries were heightened at the sight of the one standing, and the sight of one of the shriveled up fighters on the ground near him.
"I'm afraid not." Despite being so far away, Roshi could tell what the outcome of the fight was, and feared the worst. "It's Piccolo!"
"Make this rust bucket go faster!" Launch demanded, kicking at the console.
"Hey, watch it! You're going to make me crash!" Bulma grumbled, doing her best to steady the landing.
Thankfully the blonde Launch knew when to push her limits as she waited for the craft to come to a complete stop, popping open the overhead dome and jumping out of it the moment it hit the ground. "Cauli!" She yelled, rushing over to the girl's side. She was almost shocked at the state she was in, from the mangled arm, the clearly broken bones. God... how is she still alive? It was a thought she wouldn't say out loud as she shook her head, doing her best to give a smile to the young woman. "Hey, ya did it champ." She mostly assumed, still unaware of what exactly transpired here as she patted her shoulder.
*tap*
"Ahhhhhhhhh!" Caulifla squirmed a small nudge as she cried out in pain, making Launch jump in a panic.
"Ah! Sorry! Sorry!" She waved her hands frantically unsure of what to do.
"Goku!" Krillin yelled worriedly as he and Roshi ran passed Launch while Bulma checked in on the Cauli and Gohna right next to her. "What happened to you two?" He glanced over at the tall green giant standing near him.
"Before you get ahead of yourselves, you should know they did this to themselves." Piccolo stated with certainty.
"You honestly expect us to believe-"
"Krillin," Goku's voice brought his eyes to him, "it's the truth... Piccolo's innocent."
"H-How... How is that possible?" Krillin refused to believe such a thing if it came from anyone other than his best friends. So to hear it come right out of Goku's mouth of all people made it even more tragic to believe.
For the next few minutes, Piccolo regaled them with everything that transpired over the last half hour. From the numerous failed attempts to take Raditz down, Gohna's unexplained power that broke her out of the pod and saved her mother, and Goku's incredible sacrifice to save both their lives. Every sentence of the explanation was more depressing than the last, but it surprised none of them to hear about how selfless the two were for their daughter's safety.
They truly were some of the world's greatest parents.
"Goku, c'mon... hang in there!" Krillin begged as he held Goku's hand tightly, the grip from Goku's end lessening with each passing minute.
"I think Gohna's gonna be okay." Bulma announced, much to both parents' relief. "I think she just got knocked for a loop, but she should come out of it just fine."
"Thank... goodness..." Caulifla muttered as she lied on her back, her head in Launch's lap. It was the most Launch and Bulma could do to ease the girl's pain so she wasn't on her stomach. Bulma found it no less surprising that Launch did that she was still alive, especially given the status of her ribs.
Goku noticed how she struggled to stay awake, the girl wishing with all her heart to stay awake for this moment. "It... it's okay, Cauli. We'll see each other... real soon."
Cauli teared up at that remark. She wasn't going to get to say goodbye to him before he passed, but at least this would be the closest she'd get to her final exchange with him. " S... soon..." With the safety of her child secured, and the guarantee to see each other again, the battered mother could finally close her eyes peacefully, nearly giving the other two women a heart attack before they realized she was just sleeping.
"I'm glad... Gohna's safe... Everything worked out... in the end." It was inspiring to the others how much Goku's optimism could climb even in his last moments. "Chici'd... prob'ly kill us... if her goddaughter... got hurt..."
"Oh Goku..." It was taking everything Bulma had to hold back the tears. It didn't matter if the Dragon Balls could bring their friends back or not, it was still agonizing to watch someone die in front of you.
As for Goku himself, he just chuckled as he saw her expression, then gazed upon his wife and daughter. He didn't care for his own life at the time. What mattered to him most was that the two closest people to him were safe and out of harms way for the time being. As long as those two were alive, he would've been more than glad to die all over again just to make sure they were okay. He also found it a bit humorous how identical their peaceful expressions looked while they were sleeping.
Like mother like daughter, in some regard.
"K-Krillin..." The bald man tightened his grip as he heard his name. "Please... t-take care of... them for me..."
"Yeah, sure buddy," Krillin sniffed, "but it's not going to come to that, okay? You're going to make it! That's all there is to it!"
"Heh... No, not this time." He wanted to keep a positive outlook at times like these, but he felt it would've been much crueler to give them a false sense of hope. "I'm too... far gone..." He turned his head as crookedly as he could towards Cauli's direction. "And Launch? Bulma? Take her... to the lookout. K-Kami can... heal her... I'm sure of it..."
Even Launch was having a hard time watching the scene unfold, something none of them would've thought possible if Cauli never came into her life. "Damn it, Goku..." She almost teared up. "Hey, quit talking like that, alright! You're gonna come back real soon, so enough with the sob story!"
"Soon..." That was all he had left to say before he closed his eyes for a final time, Krillin gasping as the grip on his hand disappeared at long last.
"No... Goku..." Krillin squeezed his eyes as the inevitable happened. Goku, the greatest hero this planet had ever known, had finally died. "GOKUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"
...
...
Meanwhile, on a now-desolate planet on the other end of the galaxy, two warriors were gathered around a small campfire surrounded by the corpses of an insectile humanoid species. The scenery before them was devastating, with steams of smoke and debris filling the background sky as the hooey trees of the forest were bent, battered, or destroyed in their entirety from their once noble standing. Nothing on this planet survived, save for a small ounce of wildlife and the vegetation that made the air breathable. The only two humanoids left alive on this planet were the ones who brought about it's utter destruction to begin with.
That, was Nappa and Vegeta. And everything they knew about, they heard through the Scouters.
"Hmph... Raditz... got himself killed." Nappa noted as the two feasted on the limbs of the local wildlife. There was a small twitch in his eye at the loss of their fellow comrade, and one of the few Saiyans left in the universe.
"Serves him right." Vegeta's remark was less than cold. He didn't bother to give Nappa his gaze at the subject as he continued eating. "If he couldn't handle a couple of puny fighters with power levels less than a thousand..." It wasn't like he wanted Raditz to die, given how few of their race remained, but if he truly was so weak he couldn't handle them, then it was only right that his weakness was removed from their race.
"So what now?" Nappa wondered. "Should we put this planet on hold and head to Earth?"
Vegeta thought about everything that transpired, everything he heard through the earpiece. "...Did you catch the last bit?" He spat out a speck of food from his teeth.
"The Dragon Balls?" The bald man guessed, looking up as he contemplated. "Do you really think they're real? To have the power to grant any wish desired?" It was hard to tell what to believe in at the time. They didn't know what sort of power was capable of bringing back the dead, or if it really existed. Then again, they also didn't believe Raditz could be killed by such an inferior species, and look how that turned out.
"It's worth investigating." Vegeta replied as he stood, crossing his arms as he paced ahead a little. "If the story is true then we can have anything we want. Immortality Eternal Youth."
"We'd be more than unstoppable with that sort of power!" The very notion of it excited Nappa to no end.
"Yes, but there's also something else I want to look in on, to see if it's really true." The spiky haired Saiyan revealed, a grin forming over his expression.
Nappa was actually a bit confused by the detail. What could one want more than the power to have any wish granted to them for free? "What's that, Vegeta?"
"Weren't you paying attention to their earlier conversations, you oaf?" The proud prince smirked as he gazed into his open hand. "There's a female Saiyan among them." It didn't take a genius for Nappa to understand what he was getting at, growing the same look of amusement as Vegeta did.
A female Saiyan. Possibly the last of their entire race stood at the other end of the Galaxy If she was truly what Vegeta thought, then this could be exactly what he needed. A Saiyan, a warrior of their proud race, that would be capable of passing on his genes and their noble bloodline in its purest form. It wasn't just a matter of personal pride or nobility. It was a matter of keeping the race in it's complete and truest form, one that fully embraced the bloodline of their people, that wasn't mixed with any inferior species capable otherwise. And right now, it was ripe for the picking, something that filled Vegeta's mind with a satisfied glee.
"Why don't we pay this 'Earth' a visit..."
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A/N: And Viola and hootinany! I have no idea what that word even is or if it even is a word, it just felt like the best way to say "Huzzah"! Lol, once again, we come to a glorious end of our 6 chapter and 3rd episode, and the beginning of where things start to take a change!
Now before I take off, I would like to comment that, as some people may have noticed, writing towards the end of the raditz fight might appear a little jumbled (and if im noticing it it's only too obvious then XP) to which I apologize for but have a legit reason- as I was nearing the end I was debating between a certain "thing I had planned" for later in this fic, and was debating between whether or not to go through with it. After some thought, and seeing the changes I already had in store, I decided to actually flip it around in another way I hadn't previously considered at the start of this entire fic but decided to swap into. I hope it's not that distracting, if you have no idea what the heck im talking about, then all the more for it ^^
Moving on, thanks again to Raga2 for being one of the first Intro/flashback requesters I've had that I've managed to actually get done. For those who'd like to make requests for flashback scenes that took place during Dragon Ball with Caulifla's involvement, be sure to leave said request after you finish reviewing, preferably in the review itself so people know i'm taking legitimate requests and not just making this up (which all the same, i have no problem taking requests through PMs either ^^).
Hooftah! Now folks, the story is going to get interesting (or at least start changing from here on) ^^! I hope you all enjoyed the story up to this point and continue to do so for the foreseeable future!
With that said, hope you all enjoyed! Leave a like, fave, follow, and review if you enjoyed the story and hope to see you soon! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!