Chapter 2: Saiyan Pride

Raditz couldn't believe what was happening. Here he was, on this barren little world nobody had heard of, which Kakarot was supposed to have wiped clean of all life, and this green creature was somehow outclassing him.

"What happened to all that pride you had a minute ago?" Piccolo asked, the cruel smile never leaving his face. "I know your type. Lording it over lesser beings without ever facing how weak you really are."

Those words stung. Raditz had been called many things. Monster. Evil. Heartless. None of them meant anything to him, a warrior who had brought down whole civilisations on his own. But weak? That bit to the core. It brought back too many memories. Laughing saiyans. His own father. Their voices filled his head, overwhelming. To a saiyan warrior, strength was everything. Without it, he was worthless.

The saiyan growled, and Piccolo saw something dangerous in his eyes. Then Raditz vanished, and a fist slammed into Piccolo's gut. He staggered back, gasping for air. Raditz pressed his advantage, hammering vicious blows into his enemy. A sweeping kick sent Piccolo flying backwards, and he landed on his feet, skidding a little from the force of the impact. He panted, trying to regain his breath after the unexpected assault.

"I am not…weak." Raditz's chest heaved. His fists trembled. It was made worse by this being the first fight he'd been losing for many years. Piccolo spat out a cracked tooth, then grunted as a new one popped into its place.

"Touched a nerve, did I?" he asked, taking a step forwards. "You're just like a child, lashing out at everything that upsets you."

"Enough!" Raditz yelled. "I will not stand for this! You will pay for this insult!" He thrust his hand out, launching a brilliant beam of red-pink energy that detonated on the ground where Piccolo had been standing. But the demon was already moving. He was darting left and right as he dashed towards Raditz. The saiyan kept firing, sending out a volley of energy blasts, but none connected with their target. Within just a few seconds, Piccolo reached him, and smashed his elbow into Raditz's chest.

His armour cracked right in the centre, and he stumbled backwards as pain exploded through his body. "Agh…ah…huh…" he tried to shake off the pain, raising his guard to fend off any more attacks. But just as Piccolo was readying himself for another blow, his eyes widened. He turned to the left, staring off into the sky.

"Something's coming…" he muttered. Just then, Raditz's scouter beeped.

"Eh?" He tapped the button, homing in on the detected powers. "One—no, two…combined power level, almost 600. Closing in fast." But somehow this green thing had sensed them too. Could it be that it was possible to detect powers without a scouter? It was probably just a genetic feature—to do with his antenna, perhaps. But who could be coming? On this planet, they were more likely to be enemies than friends. Which meant Raditz's chances were getting even smaller…

An unspoken agreement was made—both fighters were curious as to the identity of the newcomers, and besides Raditz needed time to catch his breath. So neither made a move.

Soon, two dots appeared on the horizon, growing into humanoid shapes, until finally the two arrived. One, a bald man with three eyes, touched down on the ground, having flown under his own power, and the other, with spiky hair and wearing an orange gi, hopped off of an odd-looking golden cloud which had somehow been carrying him. Raditz stared in shock. Could it be…? It was! "Kakarot!" He exclaimed, waving to the one who had ridden the cloud. "All grown up, I see! You look just like our father…"

"Huh?" Goku asked, scratching his head in bewilderment.

"Goku, who's this?" Tien asked. "What's he talking about?"

"I don't know…but he's incredibly strong, and somehow…Piccolo's even stronger! No wonder I sensed this battle all the way from Kame House…you must have felt it, too."

Tien nodded. "Right. Chiaotzu wanted to come, but I couldn't let him get into something as dangerous as this..."

"What happened here, Kakarot?" Raditz asked. "Your duty was to exterminate this species! Did this green thing stop you?"

Piccolo, meanwhile, relaxed. It was only Goku and one of his friends. And, though he was using his weighted clothing to hide his power, Piccolo could tell he had barely improved at all. That was what happened when you settled down and let yourself grow soft.

"I've had enough of this!" he declared. "Prepare yourself! And Goku, you're next!" In an instant, both he and Raditz disappeared. Goku and Tien swivelled around, desperately trying to keep up as the battle between these two titans accelerated. Craters appeared in the ground. Gusts of wind rushed by as the fighters dashed past them, faster than their senses could follow. After several tense seconds, Raditz and Piccolo reappeared. Piccolo's fist was planted firmly in Raditz's face, and the saiyan flew backwards, spinning in the air from the force of the blow. He landed on his hands and knees, cracking the ground beneath him.

"Should we do something?" Tien asked.

"Honestly, I don't know who I want to win…I wish I knew who it was Piccolo's fighting," Goku replied. "And besides, they're so far above us—I don't think we'd make a difference."

Piccolo leapt at Raditz to deliver the finishing blow, but Raditz rolled sideways at the last second. What had appeared to be a furry belt unrolled itself, and Raditz caught Piccolo around the neck with his tail, mid-lunge. He spun around, hurling Piccolo away. Piccolo somersaulted, landing upright, but had trouble keeping his balance after the attack.

"What the—a tail?!" Goku stared. "Just like I used to have…"

Raditz nodded. "So, now you know who I am?"

"Uh…no…"

"What?" Raditz was getting exasperated. "How could you have forgotten me, or your mission? Did you take a blow to the head, Kakarot?!"

"You keep saying that name!" Goku scowled at him. "My name is Son Goku!"

"You're insane! It must be the result of brain damage!"

Goku rubbed his head. "Okay, fine! I did hit my head, but I barely remember—I was a baby back then!"

"Damn it all, that would explain it…" Raditz clenched his fists. "Then you probably don't remember that you are not from this planet! You are a saiyan, part of a great warrior race!" He indicated himself. "And I am Raditz…your older brother!"

"No way…" Tien whispered. "Goku's an alien?"

"Take it back!" Goku growled. "If I'm one of these saiyans, why am I here?"

"Well, you may not like the answer…" Raditz grinned. "We saiyans are in the planet trade business. We locate suitable planets and sell them to rich customers. But first, of course, we must exterminate the native inhabitants! Adult saiyans like me are assigned to the most difficult worlds, with the toughest inhabitants. But first, for practice, our infants are sent to depopulate the weaker worlds…like this one. Or so we thought, anyway…" he glanced over at Piccolo, who was still coughing and clutching at his throat. "Say, who is that, anyway? I had no idea the inhabitants of this planet could grow so strong…"

Goku looked shaken. "That's, uh, Piccolo. I'm not even sure if he's from this planet…but that's not the point!" He took a step forwards, discarding his weighted wristbands. "You're telling me that my 'mission' was to kill all the humans living here? I'd never do something like that! It's just plain wrong!" He stepped out of his shoes and slipped his undershirt off too, removing all his weighted clothing.

"Getting serious, Goku?" Tien asked.

"Even at my best, I don't think I'm a match for them," Goku said, flexing and stretching, "but I don't think there's a 'good guy' here. I need every advantage I can get, no matter which one wins."

Raditz frowned. "So, you really are brain-damaged…irritating. But I'm not leaving without you. I suppose you've forgotten that our homeworld, planet Vegeta, was destroyed by a meteor. Our entire race was wiped out…all but four, you included. We three recently found a planet that would fetch an excellent price on the galactic market. However, the locals are powerful—even three of us might struggle to conquer it. But four? Well, it's a good thing I remembered you! And while your power isn't exactly impressive—" he tapped his scouter again, "—even with that increase, it's only just over 400—I'm sure, given some real training, you'd be in good enough shape to help us."

"I told you, I'd never kill innocent people!" Goku shouted. "Get it through your head! I'm not this 'Kakarot' anymore! I'm Son Goku—leave my planet alone!" Raditz was about to reply when Piccolo, having recovered, kicked him in the side. The pair of them immediately resumed fighting, each blow resonating through the ground and shaking Goku and Tien to the core.

"Now that's some serious power!" Tien exclaimed. Raditz swung a quick jab, which Piccolo blocked with his forearm, sidestepping and countering with his elbow. Raditz ducked under it and jumped up towards Piccolo, who smashed his knee into Raditz's face. He followed up with a flurry of punches and kicks, then jumped away to avoid Raditz's clumsy counter-attack. He vanished, appeared again in time to punch Raditz in the exact same spot on his face, then retreated again, skidding to a halt several metres away. Raditz shifted to face Piccolo, trying to stand upright. "Damn you…I come all this way to this planet, and instead of my brother, I get you, you damn irritating freak! And then when Kakarot does turn up, he's brain-addled and in no fit state to help me win! It's like the whole universe has it in for me today!"

Piccolo laughed out loud. "Don't be foolish! You're blaming your own failure on luck now?" He raised his guard, assuming a combat stance. "You're simply outmatched. I'm stronger than you—faster than you—and even with your armour, it's clear you can't stand up to as much punishment as I can. My energy manipulation is superior to yours, you rely on that silly gadget to sense energy, you're arrogant beyond belief, and if all that wasn't enough, I know your mental weak spot." Raditz snarled, shaking slightly. Piccolo grinned. "Isn't that right, you pathetic weakling?"

Raditz roared, a faint purple aura flickering to life around him, and launched himself at Piccolo.