Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

After besting Piccolo Jr., the world's strongest martial artist enjoyed a time of peace. Son Goku returned to Mount Paozu, but this time not alone. The young man married ChiChi, the daughter of Ox-King, and they lived together in a small house on top of the mountain near the river and a forest. Despite the time of peace, Son Goku diligently continued to sharpen his skills. The man stood outside in deep concentration until he suddenly swung with his fist. He unleashed swift and precise strikes upon his invisible enemy as he moved across the ground. His grunts rang over the mountain while sweat blew off his face and fell upon the exposed torso. Abruptly, he halted and leaned back as if avoiding a punch. He jumped, threw several shots, and spun before safely landing.

While Son Goku continued training, ChiChi smiled and walked through the house. She quietly opened the bedroom door and glanced at a child sitting at the desk with medium-long, messy hair. The black-haired woman tried to be silent as she approached the boy, who seemed to be reading a book. However, the floor squeaked, causing the child to look behind.

"Mommy! You almost scared me. I was concentrating on reading and didn't hear you enter."

ChiChi gently placed a hand on her son's back and softly spoke. "Sorry, I promise I won't do that again. How's the book? Do you need help reading or understanding it? It might be too heavy for a three-year-old." She gazed at the book and noticed her child was on the last page.

"Um, I did struggle at first, but now I understand it. It's so interesting! I also want to be a scholar and explore the world someday!"

When ChiChi heard that, she couldn't help but feel proud. She embraced her son and almost cried out of joy. "Of course, Gohan! You're going to be the most brilliant scholar in the world! And then, you'll get paid well, marry a pretty girl, have a family..." She trailed off, completely lost in her dream while clinging to the boy.

"M-Mommy, can't breathe..."

ChiChi snapped out of the trance and pulled away. She caressed her son's black hair and smiled. "Since you did so well, how about you go out and ask your father if he'll take you for a stroll while I make lunch? Your grandfather will also be coming, so preparing lots of food will take some time." Her heart almost melted when she saw the excited sparkles in her boy's eyes.

"Yay! Thank you, Mom!"

The boy jumped off the chair and hurried out of the room, swinging his furry tail behind the back. ChiChi gazed outside the window and saw Gohan run toward Son Goku, who was doing push-ups. She watched the two with a heartwarming smile before she pulled the curtains and walked to the kitchen.

Outdoors, Son Goku sat on the ground and rested after a hard workout. He wiped the sweat from his face while Gohan stared at him. The martial artist grinned and took the boy on his lap. He petted the child's messy hair while the tail moved around. His dark orbs remained locked on the furry appendage as he felt nostalgic and missing his tail. However, the man shook his head and talked with the boy.

"You must've done well with your studies today that ChiChi let you outside, Gohan. I'm proud of you."

Gohan giggled but had so many questions for his father. "Dad, how come you train every day? It looks so hard and violent." He turned around and gazed into Goku's eyes with curiosity.

"Yup, it's tough. I can barely move after a long, hard training. But I've been doing it my whole life and always liked it."

Son Goku reminisced about the challenging training regimes Master Roshi, Korin, and Kami put him through. Despite the ordeals, he cherished them because they made him a better man and martial artist. The young man smiled as he thought of the first person who showed him the way of martial arts. He stirred his dark orbs to the side and gazed at the little hut on top of a hill next to their house. Memories of Grandpa Gohan surfaced, which caused Son Goku to wonder how his grandfather was doing in the Otherworld.

"Um, Daddy? I heard Grandpa say that you had to fight an evil person. Is it true? W-Weren't you scared?"

When Goku heard the concerned tone and question, he snapped out of his thoughts. "Gosh, that was some battle! King Piccolo was a tough and strong opponent. He got me good when I first fought against him; I almost died." The martial artist honestly spoke while scratching the back of his head.

However, the gentle warrior quickly continued upon seeing Gohan's terrified expression. "But I survived and managed to beat him in our rematch!" The young man tried to do everything he could to prevent his son from crying.

"But after I beat King Piccolo, he spat an egg with a reincarnated version of himself inside. That was Piccolo Jr., who proved to be an incredible warrior in skill and strength! Fighting against Piccolo was amazing! And after an unforgettable battle, I barely beat him."

Son Goku momentarily lost himself, thinking about the world martial arts tournament battle. He wondered what Piccolo was doing during this time of peace and when his rival would appear for a rematch. Just thinking of another fight against Piccolo caused his body to tremble out of excitement.

"T-That's so scary! I hope the evil guy never comes and tries to hurt you, Daddy!"

Goku nodded and smiled while hugging his son. "Don't worry about me, Gohan; I'll be fine. Although I'm not sure, maybe we won't need to worry about Piccolo. I've got a feeling that Piccolo could change..." The wild-haired martial artist gazed at the blue sky and the sailing clouds, hoping such a thing would ensue.

"Anyway, what you wanna do, Gohan? Wanna try fishing? Or you wanna do something else, you decide."

The little boy shook his head at the thought of fishing because he was scared of the big fish in the Mount Paozu river. "Can we go into the forest, Dad? I want to see the pretty butterflies and pick up those tasty berries!" Gohan enthusiastically exclaimed as he lifted his chubby arms into the air.

Goku laughed softly and nodded. "Of course! Just promise you'll be nearby." The man smiled upon receiving a positive response. "Hey, ChiChi! Me and Gohan are gonna go for a walk! We're gonna be back a bit later!" He raised his voice loud enough for his wife to hear him.

ChiChi leaned over the kitchen window and shouted back. "Don't take too long! My father's arriving soon with extra food and presents!" The raven-haired woman smiled when she saw how excited her son was.

As they ventured deep into the woods, Gohan sat on Goku's shoulder and marveled over the big trees and the sunlight creeping through the branches. His dark orbs stirred to the nearby branch from where a bluebird sang its song. The little bird captured Gohan's attention, and the boy wanted to get lowered to the ground. Naturally, Goku did so and safely placed his son on the floor. Gohan immediately rushed over to the tree, hoping to get closer to the bird, but the little thing flew away.

Upon seeing his son's pouting face, Goku laughed. "You need to be more careful and sensitive; the birds are easily scared because we're much bigger." He squatted near his son and pointed at the flower bed. "Look at those butterflies; they look nice, don't they?" The boy completely forgot about the bird once he showed Gohan the colorful butterflies.

Goku got up, and as he looked around, he couldn't help but remember his late grandfather. "This place brings lots of memories... Grandpa Gohan found me somewhere around here as a kid, I think. He would also take me here to collect wood, berries, mushrooms, etc." He walked toward an old-looking tree and placed a hand on it. "We even used the forest for training." The warrior stared at the worn-out tree until his son's voice brought him back to reality.

"Did I get my name after him, Daddy?"

Goku gazed at Gohan and nodded. "Yes, you did. He was a good man and a great martial artist. I know he's proud you have his name." He then stepped away from the tree and returned to his son.

The little boy seemed curious about something else and wanted to ask, but the colorful butterflies captured his attention. The child chased them, but they all scattered. Not wanting to lose them like the bird, Gohan ran after them while Son Goku collected the mushrooms.

"Don't get too far, Gohan!"

Of course, the boy didn't listen. Gohan continued to run after the pretty butterflies. "No, don't go! I promise I won't hurt you!" He desperately tried to convince them to stay, but the insects flew high above the branches.

The boy finally gave up and, in defeat, sat on the ground. He sat there for a few seconds when he heard a familiar melody. The boy immediately got up and walked toward a bush. He grunted as he pushed away the little branches and squeezed into the bush. His dark orbs moved to the left, where he saw the same blue bird from before. He wanted to get closer to it but remembered what happened last time.

"I need to be slow and careful! Slow and careful!"

Gohan repeated the words mentally as he quietly emerged from the bush and approached the fallen tree. While the bluebird continued to sing, Gohan got closer and climbed the collapsed tree with some trouble. Once he got up, he laid on his tummy and grinned. The boy moved his head left and right in rhythm to the bird's tune. He attempted to whistle, but it didn't go well.

However, the child was utterly unaware of the lurking danger. From the bushes, a mountain lion observed the boy. The wild animal sneaked out but stepped onto a twig, scaring away the bird. Gohan wondered why the bird had fled when he heard a faint growl. Frightened, the boy turned around and saw the drooling animal approaching him. A second later, Gohan screamed but lost his footing while attempting to get up and fell into the pit.

The boy rolled down and eventually stopped by slamming against a round-looking rock. "Auuu! It hurts! Daddy! Help me, Daddy!" Gohan stood up and leaned against the rock covered in moss while crying.

However, the mountain lion was still there. Driven by hunger, the animal licked its sharp fangs and slowly descended. "N-No, don't come here! Don't hurt me, please! Daddy!" Desperate, Gohan tried to climb over the round stone but failed.

But Gohan's attempts caused something unexpected. Suddenly, the odd-looking stone detached a part of itself and revealed it to be some machine. Gohan stared at the seat inside and the weird buttons on the lowered part. The boy didn't have time to think because the animal was behind him. With nowhere else to go, Gohan rushed inside and hoped the beast wouldn't get him. He stepped over several buttons, which did something because the machine suddenly came to life.

The whole thing began to vibrate, confusing and frightening Gohan. Shortly after, a robotic voice came out of nowhere, startling both Gohan and the animal. "Travel sequence activated... Estimated duration of travel to the next Freeza Planet..." The strange voice disappeared, but the rock-like object began to levitate after the hatch closed.

"W-What is going on!? W-Where are you, Daddy!?"

Gohan curled into a ball and whimpered, tears rolling down his chubby cheeks. The boy called for his father to come and make everything better. However, as the light faded, a strange mist filled the insides of the pod. The boy yawned and, shortly after, fell asleep.

Meanwhile, Goku ran through the forest. "Gohan! I'm almost there!" When he heard his son's desperate cry, the martial artist rushed to save him.

He didn't know what was going on, but he hoped he was fast enough to prevent any harm from coming to his son because he would never forgive himself. Goku clenched his teeth and leaped over the obstacles before him. However, the warrior abruptly halted once he heard a strange noise. He gazed at the sky and saw a round object covered in moss slowly gaining altitude. Goku stared at it, confused, until he sensed Gohan's energy inside.

"Gohan, no! Don't worry, Gohan, I'm here!"

The warrior dashed forward and jumped to grab the floating machine. He touched the pod's surface when a luminous glow suddenly enveloped the object, causing it to blast high into the sky. Son Goku's eyes widened, realizing his son's ki had left Earth.

"G-Gohan!"

Son Goku called out for his son while he continued to fall to the ground. The man shouted the child's name once more with a desperate cry as he fell and crashed against the ground.

The machine flew fast through the dark, cold void to the designated destination for over forty days. The glowing object shook terribly, and pieces slowly began to fall off. Suddenly, the pod moved to the left and headed toward a small planet. The round machine penetrated the world's atmosphere and hurled to the ground. Instead of a loud crash, the impact got absorbed by a strange material on the floor. While broken pieces fell to the ground, men wearing battle uniforms surrounded the pod and aimed their weapons at it.

"Get out slowly and identify yourself! I repeat, get out of the pod and identify yourself!"

A humanoid soldier with long, brown hair between the two horns stepped forward, aiming the weapon at the old pod. Since there was no response, the man gestured with his head for the two soldiers nearby to inspect the object. They carefully approached the machine when the gate suddenly broke and slammed against the floor. The noise caused the soldiers to panic, but they prevented themselves from shooting when they saw a small child walk out of the pod crying.

"D-Daddy? W-Where am I? W-Where is my daddy!?"

The soldiers lowered their weapons and stared at the whimpering boy. "A brat? How did a brat end up here?" The long-haired man shouted, surprised as he stepped forward. "Brat! Who the hell are you, and what are you doing here!?" He yelled at the boy, who got startled and tried to run away but got caught.

"Not so fast, runt! W-Wait a minute, a tail!?"

His eyes were wide open as he stared at the monkey-like tail while the boy cried louder than before. "It can't be... Their species was supposed to be extinct! Just who are you, brat?" The man stood motionless while holding Gohan as other soldiers gathered around, intrigued by the discovery.

The man suddenly snapped and shouted at the soldiers. "Alright, that's enough! Get back to your outposts! I'll take the crying brat to the boss, and you guys will keep this between us until he says how we'll deal with this." He swiftly turned around and marched into the building, ignoring the child's wailing.

While they walked through the brightly illuminated corridor, Gohan received much attention from the soldiers and personnel. The boy hung and cried without stopping, and his persistence amazed even the man carrying him. However, the soldier's patience was growing thin. He was about to yell when he realized they were just in front of the door. The long-haired soldier knocked once before the metal door slid open.

"I got something for you, boss. That old signal that was coming to our planet was an old-model pod with a freaking Saiyan brat inside!"

A man sitting in a chair turned around with a frown. The man's fierce gaze forced Gohan to stop with the crying immediately. While the child quietly whimpered, the man rested his head against the palm while observing the boy. After a few seconds, the pointy-eared male sighed and leaned against the chair.

"Tss! Drop the runt to the doctors and have them care for him. If they start to ask questions, say they'll have to deal with me."

While the soldier smirked and nodded, the man rose from the chair and approached. "Hm... Who sent you here, runt? Are there other Saiyans?" His golden, sharp eyes frightened the child, who made no noise.

"This one's pretty stubborn, just like others of his kind. Are you going to notify the arrogant little prick?"

Upon hearing that, the pointy-eared man chuckled while he adjusted his armor. "Yes, only because I'll then be debt-free. I take it you dealt with the others regarding our little guest here?" He shot a menacing glare and instantly received an approving nod.

"Good work... I pity you, runt. I don't know who sent you here, but this is the worst place you could've landed. Welcome to hell!"

The man couldn't help but snicker at Gohan's expression. He waved for his underling to leave and take the child to the infirmary. With them gone, the warrior sat back in the chair and took hold of a small device with a blue screen. He put it on and pressed a small, red button on the side. After the static disappeared, the man opened his mouth to speak.

"Hello, Vegeta. The little present I have for you will shock you, so I advise you and your men to get here as fast as possible."

Chapter Text

A silent whimper echoed inside a brightly illuminated room. The sobbing originated from a small child who stood on a pedestal. While tears sailed across his chubby face, a device was attached to his head. The strange appliance constantly produced a slight noise, scaring the boy. There were other, smaller gadgets attached across his quivering, exposed frame. The terrified child pleaded for help, but the man wearing a lab coat ignored him. He couldn't understand why they wouldn't help him. His voice began to break, and his throat became sore from crying so much. The boy stopped, but the tears continued to drip on the gray pedestal.

Suddenly, an older male with a gray beard backed away from the computer and approached the frightening child. Naturally, the doctor startled the boy, but the man didn't care. He removed the devices and seized the child by the monkey-like tail. The man prevented Gohan from falling to the floor and inspected the furry appendage. After a few minutes, the man carried the boy over to the table and laid him on it. He released the hold and moved away.

"There's no mistake, the specimen has Saiyan blood flowing through his veins... Fascinating!"

The boy didn't understand what the man meant, but the strange look in the doctor's eyes horrified him. "P-P-Please, I want to go home... C-C-Can y-you get my daddy?" Asked Gohan weakly while stammering.

His question was dismissed. Instead, the doctor went back to the desk and picked up something out of the drawer. It was a little, round device with small spikes on the inside. A chilling shiver went down Gohan's spine once he saw the expression on the man's face. He didn't know what that gadget was for, but he didn't want to find out. Overwhelmed by fear, the boy jumped off the table and ran towards the door, screaming.

"Why, you damn little monkey... Come back here!"

Gohan disobeyed that order and ran for his life. While the older male could barely run, the boy was already in front of the door. Thankfully, the gate slid open, and he could get out of here and look for his father. Unfortunately, the child's hopes crumbled when he slammed into something rock solid. Gohan bounced on the floor with a smudge of blood under his nose. The pain caused tears to flow while he gently held onto his face.

"Well, seems like someone here doesn't like the doctor's office, not that I blame you, brat. That one's a nasty creep."

The deep, strong voice caused Gohan to look up, only to recognize the man. It was the same person who brought him here. He wanted to run, fearing the worst, but couldn't because of pain. Instead, he began to wail, thus annoying the bulky warrior. However, the child was forcefully stopped when he felt a firm grip around his little arm.

"Silence, or I'll let that creep do whatever the hell he wants with you... Understood?"

Upon hearing the threat and seeing the look in the alien's eyes, Gohan instantly stopped crying. "Good. Now, you'll be coming with me... You've been trapped in here for too long." The man rose and pulled the child by the arm to walk up front.

"Wait a minute, Kumquat! You can't just take him away when I was about to conduct a special experiment!"

The warrior ignored the doctor and, together with Gohan, walked out of the room, leaving the older male fuming. Kumquat dragged the child across the corridor, not paying attention to his pained grunts. The grip was too strong and was hurting the boy, but his silent voice didn't seem to help him. With tears rolling down his cheeks, he looked around, petrified to see other soldiers of various races. The soldiers who noticed his little frame laughed at his behaviour. Abruptly, Gohan was pulled to the side. Before the child could even process where they were, Kumquat tossed him in the room. The boy stumbled and fell on the cold floor while the towering soldier walked in.

"For your short stay, this'll be your room, runt... There's a uniform for you on this lousy mattress."

Gohan slowly got up and looked around. He didn't like the room. "B-But I don't want to stay here... I-I want to go home... To my m..." Before he could finish the sentence, the soldier got too close to him for his liking and glared down on him.

"Let me explain something to you, brat... I don't know where you came from, but for your own good, you should forget about it and whoever you care for. Others of your kind will be here soon, so take this time to accept this is your world now, you unlucky runt."

There was a slight hint of pity in the soldier's eyes, but only for a split second. The bulky male turned around and headed towards the door. "Someone's going to bring you food later. Anything else you need, you have here, so don't even try to escape or you'll regret it." The soldier stated firmly before he walked out, and the doors shut.

Left to himself, Gohan didn't know what to do or how to process what was said to him. He was confused, scared, and didn't understand what was going on. The boy climbed the small bed and just wanted to cry. No matter how much he adjusted, the bed was uncomfortable and nothing like the one back home. Tears soaked the sheets as he whimpered, calling out his parents.

"I-I just want to go home, why's no one trying to help me, I'm just a kid..."

While his tail curled around him, he squeezed the sheets tightly. "W-Why did that big, scary mister say I better forget my home and mom and dad? Am I never going to see them!?" His voice cracked as he panicked.

However, there was nobody to hug the lost child and assure him that everything was going to be alright. After some time, the boy cried himself to sleep, dreaming of walking through the lush forest with his mother and father holding his tiny hands.

Kumquat walked down the corridor. The bulky male adjusted his hair between the horns before he walked into a room. Before the sliding doors opened, the soldier lowered his arms. As he walked in, he turned his eyes toward the man in charge of this outpost. He waited quietly until other soldiers were ordered to leave.

"Kumquat, how's our little guest doing?"

The addressed warrior approached the desk while speaking. "Well, for a Saiyan, the brat's a pitiful crybaby... If it weren't for the black hair and tail, I'd never think of him as one of them. His power level barely registered at 5." He sat on the nearby chair when gestured by the devilishly looking creature.

A scoff escaped the man's mouth. "Hmph, so I've heard... The doctor's certain the runt's a hybrid, but can't determine what the other half is." Said Chidoru as he brought his hands together and shortly paused.

"I've had the guards check the pod, but the blasted thing broke down into pieces. They told me it was so old and ruined by travel; it's a miracle it endured the trip here. I've put two guards that have some engineering knowledge to try and retrieve data, but I doubt we'll figure out from where the brat came from..."

Kumquat nodded and couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, considering they put only the creeps and worst bastards here together with guys with almost zero knowledge on this station, that's not surprising... I bet if today anyone tried to attack the station, no one would care about it." The soldier leaned against the soft cushion, hoping for something like that to happen.

Chidoru couldn't help but agree with his trustworthy companion. "You got a point there... Well, what's important is that the Saiyans are going to arrive shortly, and I'll be debt-free." A smirk surfaced on the man's face while he crossed his legs.

"Speaking openly here, sir... I doubt you're doing this to clear your debt to Vegeta. I've a feeling you're going to try and get something out of this."

The small smirk turned into a wicked grin. "You know me well, Kumquat. Let's just say Vegeta and his ape squadron will have to do something for me, otherwise they'll have to deal with the boss, and that's worse than death." Chidoru's sinister laughter rang in the room while the soldier couldn't help but join in.

Another day went by, but Gohan couldn't tell because there weren't any windows or clocks. He was locked in the room with nothing to do but wander around the bed and sleep. The only time someone unlocked the door was to bring him food. However, he was too scared to ask for anything, especially other food. He didn't like the taste of it and left it untouched on the first day. He couldn't endure the hunger anymore and, with tears, ate the unpleasant meal. Each time he took a bite, he imagined his mother's cocking, hoping it would change the taste.

The boy sat in the bed, leaning against the cold wall while wearing the tight, blue uniform without sleeves. He wanted his old clothes back because they were a present from his grandfather and smelled of home. The child lowered his head and tried to hold back tears as memories came flashing, and the heartache was too much to bear. He shook his head in hopes of throwing the memories away, but it was easier said than done.

Suddenly, a noise coming from outside his room caught his attention. As he lifted his head, the door opened, revealing Kumquat standing there. "Well, it's time runt... You're going to be united with your kind today. They're about to land." Gohan could only stare in confusion and wonder what the bulky soldier meant by that.

Seeing how the child wasn't moving, the soldier stepped in and grabbed him. "That was your cue to go, just how slow are you!?" He pulled the boy off the bed and tossed him out of the room.

Gohan stumbled forward and almost slammed against the wall before he halted. "B-But I don't understand... Are you saying mom and dad are here?" The boy turned around and asked with a hint of hope in his voice.

Upon hearing that, the soldier couldn't help himself and burst out laughing. "Hah! Well, aren't you in for a disappointment... Come, brat!" Kumquat muttered something under his breath while dragging the child somewhere.

Meanwhile, three round objects flew through the vast and cold darkness at top speed. The machines flew by a large planet before they swirled toward the designated destination. Upon penetrating the world's atmosphere, the vessels turned into fireballs. However, their collision with the ground was absorbed by the special material constructed across the ground.

Once the heat faded and the engines died, each gate began to drop. Soldiers emerged from the main building with Chidoru following slowly from behind. Once the doors were on the ground, men emerged from each pod, intimidating the soldiers with their intense glares and stature.

"Ugh! Did we really have to come to this miserable place, Vegeta? Couldn't we have just sent Raditz instead?"

The voice belonged to a colossal man, who wasn't thrilled to be on the planet. His large frame petrified the guards, which didn't go unnoticed. A prideful smirk surfaced on his face while he stroked his mustache. The bald warrior placed both hands over his hips while he chuckled at the trembling soldiers.

Approaching the burly warrior was a man with ridiculously long hair. If it weren't for his height, the man's hair would drag across the floor. The warrior remained silent while wondering what they were doing on this planet. His dark pupils shifted to a short, flame-haired person who stood in front with arms crossed.

"Welcome, Vegeta. It's good to see you're still alive and well."

While Chidoru walked towards them with open arms, the flame-haired warrior frowned. "Cease with fake pleasantries, Chidoru. I'm in no mood for playing your games... Tell us why you summoned us to this disquisting place." His raspy voice and commanding tone spread nervousness across the crowd.

Even Chidoru was fazed by the shorter male. "Ahm, yes. Recently, I've come into possession of something which will, to say the least, knock you off your feet... But before I show you, would you like to eat or drink?" His golden pupils quivered at the murderous glare.

"I'll take that as a no... Well, follow me, gentlemen!"

As they walked down the corridor, the soldiers made way for the visitors. While some were scared and avoided eye contact, others glared at them with hate. The one called Nappa relished the attention and even dared some to attack. Naturally, the giant was told to cease such behaviour by Vegeta, who walked beside Chidoru. Raditz chuckled at Nappa, who muttered to himself.

"And here we are... Inside this room is something very special, not only for you, Vegeta, but for your entire kind. However, before we enter, I need confirmation that my debt is cleared."

A throbbing vein surfaced on Vegeta's forehead. "Yes, but if you don't open that blasted door, you won't need to worry about your debt because you'll be turned to dust." His low, threatening voice struck fear in Chidoru, who nodded.

Chidoru placed a hand over the panel, and the door slid open. He ventured in first, quickly followed by the warriors who immediately scanned the room. Their eyes locked onto Kumquat until they noticed a little boy in a blue uniform. They wondered what the big deal was until they saw a swaying tail.

"A-A young cub with a tail!? But that's impossible!?"

While Raditz's shocked voice echoed within the room, Nappa shook his head and marched forward. He towered above the quivering boy and glared at him. The bald male stood frozen, only blinking and breathing while he stared at the child. After a while, he reached for the frightened Gohan and lifted him by the uniform. Naturally, the child produced a loud cry, but Nappa wasn't fazed.

"Vegeta, can you believe this? A Saiyan runt! Hah!"

The bald warrior shifted his gaze from Vegeta to the child. He stared at the boy with a huge smile plastered over his flabbergasted face. Raditz had to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him and got closer. The long-haired warrior observed the boy and couldn't help but feel something once their eyes connected.

As everyone was preoccupied, Vegeta quickly masked his shock. He once again crossed his arms and cleared his throat, gaining everyone's attention. The short warrior finally made a move and approached his compatriots. He stared at the crying child until he raised his hand and placed it under Gohan's jaw. The warrior turned the hybrid's head left and right, thoroughly inspecting him. His eyes drifted onto Raditz, but he did not comment.

Vegeta released the boy and shifted his attention to someone else. "Chidoru, you'd better explain yourself, and if I catch you lying..." The Saiyan didn't need to finish his sentence to make it clear what he implied.

Chidoru smiled warmly before he started to speak. "Vegeta, you're one of the few people in this rotten universe I would dare lie to. That's why I called you immediately, without telling anyone of what fell into my hands..." He spoke quietly as he got closer to the short Saiyan and gestured for him to follow.

"I literally mean what I said... I don't know from where nor why, but the child got here on an older model pod in a disastrous state. Before we could figure out where it came from, the piece of junk broke apart."

The two roamed the corridor as they talked. "Once the runt was brought to my office, I notified you secretly without informing you know who... And I swear it can stay that way, I won't report anything, giving you the chance to do it first, if you could do me a favor." He fought hard to prevent himself from smirking in the Saiyan's presence.

"Chidoru, you're treading dangerously on thin ice... What's stopping me from killing you and everyone on this station before you can press that button on the scouter?"

Cold sweat rolled down Chidoru's scaly face while he walked alongside the warrior. "A hunger to be challenged? There's a planet called Watrin, not too far from here, that's crawling with strong creatures. It's the world I failed to conquer and suffered terrible losses! It's because of that wretched rock that I'm stuck on this station as punishment!" His anger was evident to Vegeta, who remained silent.

"All I'm asking is for you and your group to head there and eradicate those filthy creatures! Take revenge for me, do me this favor, and you won't ever hear from me!"

The two made a full circle and stopped just in front of the training room. "I guarantee you'll find the planet thrilling; it's suited for you. So, what do you say, Prince Vegeta? Are we in agreement?" Chidoru spoke respectfully, even addressing the Saiyan by his birth title.

The flame-haired Saiyan gazed into the training room while he thought about it. "Hmph, consider it done... But if you break the agreement, I will make your life a living hell." He shot a chilling glare in Chidoru's direction, causing the male to quiver and sweat.

"T-Thank you, Vegeta."

Vegeta paid no mind to Chidoru and walked inside the room, announcing his presence to his fellow men. "Nappa! Raditz! We're leaving this hellhole! One of you carry the brat and share the pod with him! We've got a new mission!" His commanding voice caused the Saiyans to snap out and march behind him.

"Where are we going, Vegeta? Do you think we should go on a mission before we test the brat?"

The flame-haired Saiyan walked through the hall while Nappa carried the whimpering child, and Raditz tried to figure out where they were going. "Planet Watrin... It's a favor we're doing to that lousy low-life. Apparently, it's a world inhabited by strong creatures, and I want to see it with my own eyes." With his quick pace, they had already reached the exit.

"At the same time, we're going to test the brat... I've a feeling he wasn't raised as a warrior, and we can't bring him to Freeza before he's of any use."

Raditz and Nappa nodded, agreeing with their short leader. Each of them got into their pods, with Nappa taking the crying Gohan with him. "Get a nice rest, brat. Soon, you'll see and learn what it means to be a true Saiyan warrior!" While the giant laughed, Gohan dreaded to think what the burly male meant by that. The child wanted to protest, but the sudden blast off startled him. Before he could even shed a tear, a mist engulfed the pod, causing the boy to fall asleep.