Author's Note:
To anyone reading reviews, just ignore the idiotic spam scams that appear to be all over fanfiction net, and with no solution in sight, unfortunately... Thanks for the support, and be well!
A large spaceship abruptly materialized near the small, inhospitable world known as Vampa. The round vessel floated near the planet's orbit while the massive hatch on the roof opened. A horde of soldiers flew out of the ship, hurriedly flying towards the solid ground. The armada landed in an open valley and immediately assumed the combat formation. Among the vicious-looking soldiers, Zarbon stood in the middle with a hand on the scouter. The handsome officer walked towards the cliff to look over the horizon. He scanned the entire area while observing the wild beasts in the distance. The frown remained permanently, even after he turned around, causing the cape to sway and his earrings to swing.
"Zarbon, sir! Lord Freeza is on his way to the surface!"
Zarbon did not respond as he walked past a soldier. His golden orbs gazed at the sky, where he could see the tyrant descend. He halted and waited for the short Emperor to land from the heavens. While he waited, Zarbon suddenly shouted at the men.
"Spread out and locate the Saiyans! If you find them, don't engage them as they overpower you! Instead, call in and await your next orders! And once you find Cui's pod, report in immediately."
Upon hearing the new order, the soldiers nodded. "Yes, sir!" With a mighty holler, the men blasted off into the sky, searching for the Saiyans.
With the soldiers gone, Zarbon stood alone in the canyon until Freeza finally landed. "Sire, the men are already on the hunt. I'm confident we will find those troublesome primates soon." The long-haired officer bowed out of respect as he spoke calmly.
The crimson-eyed Emperor stared at Zarbon while comfortably sitting in his pod. "If they're still on this forsaken rock. Did you tell the men to search for Cui's pod?" Freeza slowly made his way to his officer, who nodded.
"Good. I'd be devastated if they took Cui's pod and left before our arrival. After all, I was really looking forward to meeting this incredible Saiyan."
Zarbon saw through the facade and the sarcasm. "My lord, what do you plan to do if the Saiyans aren't here? If they took pod, they could be anywhere by now!" He was interested in the tyrant's response. After all, his boss didn't like it when things went out of his control.
Instead of showing a furious or tense expression, Freeza responded with a chuckle. "Zarbon, I think you're forgetting who we are dealing with here. If those monkeys left this rock, their next destination would be a world closest to this wretched place." The cold-hearted Emperor rested his head against his palm while observing the fight between the beasts not so far away.
The officer raised an eyebrow, wondering if Freeza had come to Vampa knowing the Saiyans were possibly gone and just wanted to enjoy the hunt. "Sire, did you already know..." Zarbon halted when a transmission came through the scouter.
"Appule is reporting in! We've found a pod in terrible condition and, through a scan, discovered it belonged to the low-class runt Raditz! In addition, the floater device and the medical emergency kit are missing! Awaiting further instructions."
Zarbon didn't expect to hear that. "With the medical kit gone, that would mean Raditz somehow survived the crash. But what would he need the floater for? Or did it get lost during the fall?" He wondered out loud while holding the scouter.
"Appule! Take a few men with you and find the damn monkey!"
Just as Zarbon issued the order, Freeza decided to chime in. "That's a waste of time. I find it hard to believe that a mere low-class monkey could survive in this hellish environment. Instead, let the men focus on finding traces of those other Saiyans." The Emperor moved his hanging tail around while patiently waiting.
A couple of hours passed since the last report from the soldiers. While Freeza patiently waited, Zarbon could feel his nerves were about to explode. He couldn't stand the heat, humidity, and the constant shrieks from the beasts. The man went through his luscious hair and tied it into a ponytail when suddenly a voice came through the scouter.
"Urgent report for Lord Freeza and Officer Zarbon! After some time, due to the planet's interference with the systems, we can confirm that the Cui's pod is far from planet Vampa!"
Upon hearing that information, Zarbon bit his lower lip and barely contained himself from screaming and destroying the entire planet. "Hm, as I suspected. If I am correct, the pod's headed to the nearest habitable planet?" Zarbon glanced at Freeza and curiously awaited the response.
"Correct, Lord Freeza! The pod's signal shows that the object is currently on planet Shamo! We're awaiting your further instructions."
The Emperor turned around and began to gain altitude. "Zarbon, have all the men board the ship at once. As for you, contact Dodoria and tell him to do as instructed." Despite having come to Vampa for nothing, Freeza enjoyed this game of cat and mouse.
.
Meanwhile, on planet Shamo, the Saiyans wandered the forest for food. As they searched for animals to hunt and eat, Raditz couldn't stop shooting glares in Broly's direction. While the tailless Saiyan was astonished by the trees, the grass, and the cool air, Raditz complained about Broly taking all the space in the pod while asleep. Naturally, the gentle Saiyan didn't hear anything as something caught his attention. His curious eyes shone with intrigue and wonder as he wandered off the trail.
Broly quicked the pace and pushed the branches aside, only to find a crystal clear lake. His eyes and mouth were wide open while he stared at the large body of water. He approached the lake quite cautiously and looked almost scared of it. Upon leaning forward, he saw his reflection until a small fish swam and caused a ripple on the surface. Broly stepped back and gazed at Raditz with awe in his kind eyes. Suddenly, his ears twitched at the joyful melody the birds sang. The scarred Saiyan closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. A big smile surfaced on his tanned face while a powerful sensation washed over him. Once he reopened his eyes and let the air out, he looked at Raditz, who scoffed while leaning against the tree.
"I guess I'd react the same after spending my whole life on a planet like Vampa..."
The long-haired warrior couldn't help himself and allowed a little smile to form. He let Broly look around and explore the lake. A genuine laugh escaped from Raditz's mouth when he saw the wild-haired Saiyan take a tumble and fall into the lake. While Broly awkwardly splashed around, Raditz shook his head and approached the struggling Saiyan. He grabbed the man's arm and pulled him out of the water. Raditz had to fight the urge to laugh at Broly because of the water lilies stuck in the Saiyan's messy hair.
"Alright, you had your fun. Remember, we're here only to find a substitute ship that Freeza and his goons can't track. You can do whatever you want once we reach the next planet."
While water dripped from Broly's hair, the Saiyan nodded. "Alright. Do you think people in this world are nice?" He stammered a bit because he was worried and anxious to see others.
"I don't know; in most cases, it's safe to assume the worst and go from there. It..."
Raditz ceased to speak as a pair of silver wolves emerged from the trees. The size of the beasts stunned Raditz while he stared at their long and sharp fangs. Broly stared at them in marvel and ignored the ferocious snarls. Raditz's surprise quickly vanished, replaced by intense hunger and a loud growl from his stomach. The long-haired Saiyan licked his lips and wickedly grimaced at the wolves. He leaped forward quickly and knocked the one on the left into the nearby tree with a backhand. The wolf on the right went straight for the jugular, but the Saiyan swiftly turned and kicked it in the jaw. While the wolf crashed into the tree and collapsed on the other, Raditz lowered his leg and gazed at Broly, who seemed melancholy.
"The one on the bottom's yours. After we eat, we're resuming the search for any signs of civilization and spaceship."
Raditz approached the wolves while Broly quietly nodded. The long-haired warrior barely stepped forward when something fell from the tree. Raditz lifted an eyebrow in wonder, and so did Broly. They soon discovered that a pair of small kids seemed hurt by the fall. Raditz walked closer while the children whimpered and held the spots that hurt. Upon realizing the Saiyan was getting close, the kids stood up and cried.
"P-Please don't hurt us, strangers! W-We have nothing and bear no value! P-Please, let us find our way home!"
Raditz glared at the red-skinned kid who, despite crying, seemed to protect the other one who didn't even dare to look up. "I won't hurt you as long as you don't cry. One of the things I hate the most is crybabies!" His stern tone and face frightened the children even more and caused them to wail ever louder.
The screech was so loud Raditz had to cover his ears and step back. Irritated by the deafening noise, the warrior snapped. "Enough! Shut up, or I'll permanently do it for you!" His threat worked like a charm.
The red-skinned boy instantly stopped crying while the blue-skinned one still whimpered. Raditz sighed while Broly crouched near the boy and curiously stared at them. The long-haired warrior ignored the gentle Saiyan and focused on the kids.
"Alright, now that we're done with crying... Tell us, where's the nearest city?"
The red-skinned boy nodded weakly and raised his quivering arm. "I-It's in that direction, I think. B-But you..." He wanted to say more, but the Saiyan disregarded the child.
"Broly, let's go."
Raditz was already in the air and flying over the lake while Broly stayed behind. The wild-haired Saiyan glanced back to the kids, who continued to tremble. He felt uneasy and looked at Raditz, who was pretty far away.
"The plan is simple. First, we observe the inhabitants, and depending on their nature, we decide whether to make contact or go after the ship. There shou..."
In the middle of a sentence, Raditz turned to Broly only to see the gentle Saiyan holding the boys in his arms. "Broly! What are you doing!? We don't have time to care for some brats!" His angry voice echoed across the sky, which caused the blue-skinned boy to cry.
"They live close to the city. I will take care of them; you don't have to."
Raditz's upper lip quivered while he glared at Broly, who tried to calm the crying boy alongside the brother. "Hah, trust me, I won't. They're your problem." He shifted his focus forward while muttering something to himself.
"T-Thank you, mister. If it weren't for both of you, my brother and I would be..."
The boy didn't dare to finish the sentence. Instead, the kid focused on a different topic. "Sirs, you must be very powerful to beat a pair of forest wolves! I never heard of anyone beating those wild beasts with such ease!" The boy addressed the Saiyans with admiration while his brother whimpered.
Raditz felt strange and uncomfortable hearing the boy speak so highly of him. The Saiyan shook his head and focused on getting to the city while Broly offered a warm smile to the boys. However, when he heard their conversations, Raditz's attention shifted back to the children.
"We're going to be home soon; there's nothing to fear or cry about. We have to be strong, brother!"
While watching the siblings, Raditz couldn't help but think of his younger brother. He wondered if his brother was alive and well and, if so, what he was doing. An image of his brother as a baby floating inside the incubator appeared before him. He could remember his excitement at the time and told everyone that the two of them would be the strongest siblings in Saiyan history. Realizing he was lost in some dreamland, Raditz snapped out of it and growled.
"I can see the city! And look, brother, our little house is just there!"
The Saiyans followed the boy's instructions and landed on the city's outskirts. While Broly lowered the kids to the ground, Raditz gazed at the large wall surrounding the inner city. The long-haired warrior frowned and wondered what was the deal with that when a weak, old voice caught his attention.
"B-Boys!? Oh, thank the Goddess, you're alive and well!"
An older male with a long, white beard moved as fast as he could for his age to reach and hug the boys. "Grandpa!" Tears rolled down his wrinkled, dark green cheeks when the kids hugged him.
The older man looked at the strangers and smiled despite their appearance. "Thank you for returning my precious but often too playful boys! I tried to find them for days but can't do much due to my age." He wiped away the tears while firmly holding onto the kids.
"If there's anything I can do, please tell me, and I'll try to help."
Broly stood silently with a smile. The Saiyan couldn't stop staring at them, who were so close and caring for each other. His thoughts shifted to his late father, and he wished their time spent together had gone differently, even a little bit. Sadness crept within the tall Saiyan, but he didn't let it ruin his happiness for the boys and their grandfather. He stirred his eyes to Raditz, who walked closer and spoke to the older man.
"Actually, you could be of help. You see, we're in search of a..."
Raditz's speech was interrupted by the noise emanating from his stomach. The warrior's face turned red out of embarrassment, and the boys laughed. Broly cracked a smile, which Raditz didn't appreciate. The long-haired Saiyan was about to yell in hopes of changing the topic, but the older male had another idea.
"How about you guys come in and get something to eat? You can ask whatever you want after your stomachs are full."
Raditz and Broly looked at each other and just responded with a nod. "Great! However, watch your heads! As you can see, our house isn't built to accommodate people from other worlds." The grandfather smiled while the red-skinned boy seemed the most enthusiastic about the Saiyans staying.
The Saiyans followed the Shamoians inside and had to lower themselves almost to the ground to fit inside the house. Raditz couldn't stop grunting and complaining to himself, but he ceased doing that once the aroma of a good-cooked meal entered his nostrils. The warrior's eyes were big, and he could barely wait for the food to be brought to the small, round table. Once the plate was before him, Raditz lost all senses and attacked the food. The flavors light up the warrior whose tail happily swayed behind him. The same could be said about Broly, who had tears sliding down the face.
"I-I never knew food could taste and feel so good. And what's this?"
Broly lifted a glass cup filled with a green liquid. He stared at it with wonder until one of the boys spoke. "It's apple juice. Drink it; it's delicious, and sweat!" The gentle Saiyan was puzzled about what apple juice meant but listened to the red-skinned child. He took a little sip, only to strongly react to it.
"W-Woah! T-This is so good! I-I like it!"
The older male laughed while Broly drank the whole thing and sought more. "Is this the first time you have had apple juice? Where are you coming from that you have never had it before?" Broly was too busy to answer, so the grandfather gazed at Raditz.
"We were unfortunate with our ship and crashlanded on planet Vampa. Our stay there was quite an ordeal, but we managed to get out of there, and that's how we got here."
The older man couldn't hide his shock after hearing the word Vampa and the Saiyan's circumstances. "V-Vampa, you say!? Oh, Goddess! It's a miracle you two are alive! You see, the Kings of our past would cast the offenders into exile on planet Vampa, which was practically a death sentence!" He paused a second and took a sip to soak his mouth.
"I hoped to never hear of that planet again, and all the pain it brought to people wrongfully sent to that hellish place!"
Raditz seemed intrigued and wanted to hear more, but the mere mention of Vampa appeared to affect Broly. The long-haired Saiyan noticed the shift in the man's demeanor and quickly changed the topic, not wanting to deal with a troubled Saiyan.
"Where could we get a spaceship to accommodate the two of us? We can't use the ship we traveled with because of its small shape and technical issues."
The grandfather stroked his beard while thinking about it. "Well, we do have some ships, but all of them are under the King's control. Only the royal family members and important officials can have vessels and travel to other worlds." He rose off the chair and took the empty plate to the sink.
"However, even if you somehow got a spaceship, the two of you couldn't pilot it because you're not Shamoian. I wish I could help you somehow, but.."
The old man looked genuinely sorry for not being able to help the Saiyans. He leaned against the sink and stared at the two until there was a knock on the door. Slowly, the grandfather walked out of the kitchen and opened the door. While conversing with someone, Raditz's tail angrily lashed behind him. However, the Saiyan shifted his focus to the left when he heard loud voices.
"I don't give a damn, old man! You give us money now, or you'll face the consequences of making me angry!"
Upon hearing the old man's shaky voice, the red-skinned boy jumped off the chair and went to his grandfather's rescue. "Leave Grandpa alone, you bullies! We already paid the bills; you have no reason to come and ask for more!" Despite being told not to get involved by his grandfather, the boy didn't listen and tried to protect the older male.
"Freaking kid hasn't been taught how to show respect. Get out of my face, brat!"
The poor boy got kicked in the gut and fell onto his grandfather. "S-Stop, you can't hurt a child! I-I gave you all I had for this month; I can't give you more! Please, be reasonable!" He pleaded, but it didn't do anything.
Upon hearing the commotion, Raditz uttered an annoyed grunt while Broly got up and walked out of the kitchen. The long-haired Saiyan released a long sigh and followed the man while nibbling on a piece of meat. Their sudden appearance startled the three men who had bullied the family. While Raditz stretched his body, Broly immediately stepped between the bullies and the poor family.
"W-What's this!? Hey, old man! Are you harboring aliens now!? Well, ain't that something! The boss's gonna be livid when he hears of this!"
Broly remained silent while tightly closing his fists. He was about to say something to them when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Let me handle this." He watched Raditz walk past him and wondered what the long-haired Saiyan was up to.
"Oh, we have a brave one, fellas! This guy doesn't realize who we are and how much heat we packin!"
Raditz ignored the weapons and blew one of the guys high into the sky with a simple hand wave. "W-What?" The middle one didn't even have time to process what was happening when his other companion turned to cinder. He looked around, pale and sweating like never before. After swallowing hard, he stirred his gaze onto the Saiyan who stood right before him.
"M-M-Mercy... P-P-Please, have m-mercy! I'll get you anything: Money, women, cars, bikes, houses, jewelry, exotic animals! N-Nothing is out of reach!"
Raditz stared at the pitiful man, who dropped to his knees and bent over. The urge to squash the little pipsqueak was strong, but the Saiyan listened to reason. "You seem confident you'd be able to satisfy mine and my companion's needs... Then tell me, can you procure a spaceship by any chance?" He lifted the leg and placed the boot against the man's back.
"A-A spaceship? Y-Y-Yes, of course! I-If you let me go, I'll go and get it for you, I promise!"
Much to the man's surprise, Raditz did let him go. "Fine. Go then and bring us a ship. You have three hours. If the ship is not here within that time, I will obliterate you, like I did your friends." The Saiyan's menacing voice and glare terrified the bully, who nodded and ran.
"You can't trust him! He's a scumbag, just like his boss and the whole organization! They have been extorting us poor folk for years and targeting those who have been cast out of the Inner City by the royal family!"
Raditz turned to the grandfather and smirked. "Don't worry, old man. I have let him go for other reasons. Broly, our time here is over. We have to be elsewhere." The long-haired Saiyan had no further explanation and slowly walked away.
Broly seemed taken aback by the sudden departure but followed the other Saiyan. "T-Thank you for the food." He expressed his appreciation for the meal before catching up with Raditz.
While they walked away, the red-skinned boy ran a few steps forward and shouted, "Thank you for everything! I promise to become strong like you to protect my brother and grandpa!" Tears rolled down the boy's chubby face as he held his fist high.
Upon hearing the child's firm conviction, Broly smiled and waved goodbye. The gentle Saiyan focused forward but noticed the tiniest smile on Raditz's face. It didn't last long, but Broly saw it and decided not to say anything. The duo continued walking and followed the man Raditz let go.
After following the Shamoian for an hour and a half, the Saiyans finally got to the lair. They allowed the bandit to get inside before they decided to make their way to the gate. Raditz noticed the scattered, old pieces of various materials over the yard. The long-haired Saiyan picked up a piece and inspected it while Broly waited. A smirk surfaced while Raditz stared at the piece in his hands. He threw it away and aimed his open palm at the door.
"Well, let's introduce ourselves with a bang."
The violet sparks danced around Raditz's palm before transforming into a small orb. He fired the blast into the metal gate and destroyed it with ease. While the tremor continued and the panicked shouts came from inside, Raditz and Broly casually walked in. The duo moved through the rocky tunnel illuminated with flickering lights until a group of Shamoians got in their way. Before Raditz could even utter a word, the bandits opened fire upon them. Naturally, the beams from the weapons didn't even scratch the Saiyans. While Broly stood in the back, Raditz took it upon himself to eliminate the henchmen.
"Useless little bugs."
Raditz pushed onward with Broly just behind him. "You just hang back and follow my lead. I have experience dealing with this kind of people." A devilish smirk arose as they made their way deeper underground.
Eventually, they reached the hideout. Raditz and Broly stood in a large, underground enclosure surrounded by Shamoians. While the small creatures quivered with aimed weapons at the pair, Raditz intensely glared at the Shamoian with a purple mohawk. It was easy for someone with Raditz's experience to pinpoint who exactly was the boss here. Despite having weapons aimed at him, the long-haired warrior stepped forward.
With a simple snap of his fingers, the weapons within the room exploded, scaring the Shamoians. "Listen very well, you scum. If you value your life, you will provide my associate and me with a spaceship. Do it without any deceit, and you might live." His muscular frame and intimidating nature forced the weak-willed ones to scatter and run.
"S-Stop running, you fools! How can you let these ugly aliens scare you!? Where's your..."
Before the leader could finish, Raditz shouted at the boss. "Forget about them and answer my question. Or do you want to have the same faith as the one that brought us here?" He aimed his index finger at the cowering Shamoian and set him ablaze with a small ki blast.
"W-We don't have what you're seeking."
Upon hearing that, Raditz uttered two words: "Wrong answer." The Saiyan raised a hand over his head and formed a big energy ball. While the tremendous power caused tremors and a light show, Raditz addressed the Shamoian in charge.
"I'm giving you one more chance. I know you must have a spaceship here somewhere; I saw the remnants of many ships scattered outside."
The purple-haired Shamoian hesitated, but upon seeing what the strangers from space were capable of, he had no choice but to swallow his pride and give in to the demands. "F-Fine, I'll show you the ship. Just don't kill any more of my men." If more of his followers got killed, his ambition would crumble, and all the hard work over the years would be for nothing.
"Follow me. Men, keep guard and have someone positioned at the entrance gate, just in case."
Raditz followed the Shamoian while Broly trailed from behind. The silent Saiyan observed Raditz's methods and found himself torn. Raditz's tactics, in this case, reminded him of Paragus, and he didn't like it. However, he couldn't deny how effective his methods were. The wild-haired male shook his head and tossed the troublesome thoughts aside as they walked into a large hangar. Broly's eyes widened at the sight of a massive, triangle-shaped spaceship.
"There she is. It took me years and lots of effort to build her. In case you weren't aware, no one besides that accursed King's family and his cronies can own a ship and leave Shamo!"
Raditz was aware, but he didn't care. All he cared about was getting a hand on a ship without a tracker to get out of Freeza's reach. "It will do. However, I heard that only a Shamoian can pilot a ship. Is that the case with this one as well?" He approached the vessel and touched it.
"C-Correct. The Shamoian ships can only be utilized through our DNA. It's been that way since the dawn of time. So, I don't know h..."
The Saiyan turned around and shot a deadly glare in the boss's direction. "You will pick up the best pilot in your ranks and have him accompany us. Whoever you choose will be taken care of, and once we reach our destination, he will be free to come back home with your ship. How does that sound? Generous, don't you think?" Raditz approached the Shamoian and looked down upon the man with an arrogant smirk.
"I-It is. I'll have my guys prepare the ship for travel. How about you and your silent friend come back tomorrow?"
Raditz frowned and stared intently at the shorter male. He tried to find any signs of deception, but there were none. "Good... until tomorrow." He walked past the creature and gestured for Broly to follow.
Once the Saiyans were gone, the boss donned a scowl while yelling and kicking the rocks on the ground. "Those wretched aliens! How dare they come here and demand whatever they want!? I'll show them not to mess with me!" He picked up the blaster from one of his guards and fired at the ceiling out of frustration.
"B-Boss, I know it's unfair, but we can't defeat them! Perhaps the best option would be to accept our losses and regroup."
The purple-haired Shamoian's glare instantly caused the guard to go quiet. "No, I have an idea." A sinister smirk materialized as he handed over the weapon to the guard. "We will plant explosives inside the ship, and once those freaking aliens are in, we will blow them to hell!" His chuckle and plan surprised the guard.
"But boss, are you sure? You spent so many years building the ship as it is. Are you sure you want to..."
The leader smacked his guard and kicked him to the floor. "Silence! Yes, I spent decades building the ship from scraps, but I will not have a couple of filthy outworlders come here and walk over me and my pride!" A throbbing vein appeared on his forehead while he clenched his teeth out of rage.
"I swear, I'll make you regret crossing paths with me and underestimating a proud Shamoan!"