Chapter Text
Project Cloud
Chapter 19 - Three Angles
The search for Kakarot was nothing more than a lingering disappointment for Vegeta and Raditz. It was enough that they had a hard enough time to get a reading for a high power-level that could have been him, though all they managed to find was some self-proclaimed samurai who just happened to be a fatso. Subsequent to taking care of him, the duo flew over more small populated areas.
"It doesn't even seem like Kakarot has done as much as laid a finger on this planet," Raditz mused. Observing the areas they flew over, everything appeared to be flourishing from villages, small towns, as well as cities. Neither of the two had any urge to destroy anything as their sole purpose was to search for the young boy. They would get to that later after they managed to recruit him. But as far as things looked for the time being, nothing seemed to add up. And as far as that concerned them, they were starting to doubt whether or not Kakarot was even alive. "That trollop from the Galactic Patrol that grabbed my tail was so outspoken about how he was terrorizing this planet."
Vegeta had to stifle a snicker at Raditz's remark. Given what he had seen so far, the people of this planet truly had no idea of terror. Regardless of if they found Kakarot or not, they were going to find out eventually.
"And you're sure about this?"
Bulma looked sternly over to the faces of friends that she missed dearly.
Earlier, Kami had passed out of nowhere. It was made clear by Mister Popo that the Guardian of Earth wasn't feeling good, but upon being asked why, he wasn't able to give any real answer. Holding onto his walking stick for what appeared to be dear life as Kami was sweating buckshots, he awaited Bulma to speak, the person who had arrived just as soon as he got back on his two feet.
"I'm sure as I possibly could be."
"How did you even find us?" Oolong asked.
"The door has always been opened for her," Kami answered the pig. "just on the off chance she were to have come back as to how she left, she would have seen this safe space."
"But I didn't," Bulma added on, "so he called out to me."
Getting back to the main point, Tights asked Bulma, "But are you sure this is what you want to do? It's dangerous!"
As she was getting closer to arriving back home, Bulma's mind was flipping at many different ways she can form a plan as to actually save this planet. She didn't expect the Saiyans to come so soon, which most definitely was unwanted. She had to scrap her original idea in order to work her away around salvaging Goku and getting rid of the Saiyans. She expected her older sister to express great concern over her. She also expected a certain someone to try and convince her otherwise, though Yamcha remained with his arms folded and a blank face to boot. It was as if he didn't even care, but she knew better than to contemplate on that when there were more things to worry about.
"You've been learning, guided, and mentored by elite members of an intergalactic force that have resources that exceeds even this planet's," Kami said aloud. "Whatever it is that you have planned, Bulma, you have my utmost confidence."
Bulma's heart was warmed at the comment. It couldn't have been just anyone to tell her that, but the man to call himself God - Kami. He had enough faith in her to believe whatever it was she wanted to get done to help save this world, that she would do so without issue.
Still, Tights showed she was discerned by the distraught look on her face. Her voice nearly cracked when she spoke. "Bulma...we've already lost people we love. I can't lose you, too. You're all I have left…"
Before Bulma could console her, Yamcha grabbed Tights by her wrist. Everyone had lost someone important to them at this point due to all the calamity that erupted thanks to Gero's evil genius. "Tights, Bulma is going to be fine...okay?" Smoothly caressing her cheek to get her eyes to look into his, he gave a small nod of reassurance. "At the end of the day, we'll all make it out of this alive. This has to work."
Tights wiped away at her eyes before the tears started to form.
Bulma, much like her sister, felt herself beginning to get emotional as well, albeit for a much different reason. The love of her life was consoling her older sister like how he would console her whenever she was in a down mood. She knew that look on his face and the soft tone of voice that just shouted passion. Yamcha had feelings for her and it was rather probable they were intimate judging by Tights' reaction. The fact that they didn't even care that she was in front of them was the real kicker. Not wanting to let her emotions get the best of her, Bulma turned around as she reached into a pouch attached to her waist.
Back turned to everyone, Bulma pulls out an armful of radar looking devices - seven of them to be exact. Turning around with her eyes nearly beat red, she tells them that each is for one person.
Seeing the widened eyes of those familiar with the Dragon Ball radar brought a smile to Bulma's face. She could see their hopes going up by the second and the fact that she was the one giving it to them made her feel like all her compromises weren't going to be for nothing.
"When I told everyone about the Dragon Balls, people would always nag at me to get them one. I made hundreds of replicas but nobody really knew where they were. I suspect one knew but he always kept his mouth shut whenever I brought it up to him. I happened to have seven remaining, which is perfect."
"It's almost like this was written to be," Turtle commented.
So Yamcha, Upa, Tien, Krillin, Puar, Oolong, and Tights are all individually given a Dragon Ball radar.
"I also have a jet capsule so you can travel when looking for one," Bulma informed Tights. Tossing it over to her sister, she watched as she caught it with no problem and thanked her for keeping her in mind considering her limited capabilities in comparison to those who trained.
"Man…" Oolong started to scratch the back of his head. "I'ma have to make this trip quick. You do remember that I can only shapeshift for five minutes, right, Bulma?"
"Why don't you just turn into a rocket or something?" Upa asked him.
"Oh." Oolong chuckled. "Good idea."
"Keep your head in the game, Oolong," Tien warned him.
Though everyone for the most part was talkative, the one person who didn't bother speaking finally popped up with a question of his own.
"And how do you really know that this is going to work? Say you do get your wish, do you think he's just gonna turn back from a murderous psychopath back to the oh so happy boy that Krillin, Upa, Oolong, Yamcha, and Puar keep yammering on about all the damn time!?"
This voice of concern was from Lapis, and rightfully so. All of them had been hurt by Goku in some fashion or another. As for Lapis, he was the most recent. He was still struggling to process that the young boy who kidnapped his sister killed a man in cold-blood right in front of him carelessly before flipping a truck on his leg. To say it was traumatic was an understatement, even for a boy who's been in the streets running a plethora of dangerous cons with his sister through the years. Nobody was upset he pointed out his reasoning of worry; mainly because they understand exactly why he felt the way that he did.
"All I can do is tell you to trust me," Bulma responded. "I'm not going to go off about how I'm a brilliant daughter of the smartest man on the planet who's also learned universal science. I won't explain myself, but my friends here can all vouch for me. I promise it will work."
Lapis huffed. Not hearing any of it, he turned his head away with a deep scowl. Given what he witnessed in addition to the stories he heard of Goku subsequent to his conversion, there was no thing in hell that would be capable of setting him straight to a remote pinch of what he used to be.
"Yeah, we'll see…"
Due to their insane speeds, it took no time for Raditz and Vegeta to travel around the Earth. In just minutes, they had hovered above a plethora of largely populated areas, hoping to find one of the last Saiyans. Yet unfortunately for them, there was nothing.
"A waste of time!" Vegeta grit his teeth. Clicking his scouter off, he looked over to Raditz. "To even think that a lower-class Saiyan would actually rise up to subpar expectations!"
Raditz could feel the stink-eye Vegeta was giving him, but he didn't make eye-contact as he just looked on at the city with a blank stare. Given the power-levels these two were able to capture from the majority of the people, it didn't make sense as to how Kakarot couldn't complete his mission. "None of this adds up," Raditz explained. "An old man, a doll looking creature, and a fat weakling with a sword were the strongest here and they would have been taken care of easily if Kakarot were to transform under the full moon."
"Maybe he's just that weak," Vegeta said, expressing his frustration with a huff. He didn't like the idea of going back to Freeza empty handed. If there were to be a punishment, he didn't expect it to be anything physical, but more so mental. Not only that, but he wouldn't hear the end of it from Freeza's lackeys, which got to Vegeta more than anything.
"He could have been detected and exterminated by the Galactic Patrol," Raditz concluded. Of course, it was disappointing to come to this thought, but this was the sad reality. There were quite a few Saiyans over the years that had fallen at the hands of the Galactic Patrol, but judging by how his little brother was in a nursing capsule for longer than what he should have been, it made sense as to how a weaker child with little promise would be killed off easily.
"Whether he was killed by some officer or a weakling of this world doesn't matter," Vegeta shot back. "At the end of the day, all of this adds up to a total waste."
"You're right." Raditz, stretching his hand out, began to form a ball of energy, aimed right for the town below him.
"What in the hell are you doing?" Vegeta asked.
"A little town being blown up to ashes won't hurt the resale value." He then grinned. "Let's finish up what Kakarot never started."
"Hmp. Go for it."
With no hesitation, Raditz fired away. He expected the town to blow up in just a millisecond as it bulleted down for the concrete ground. Much to his surprise, the ball of energy had been swatted away. Both Vegeta and Raditz looked up and watched the ball of ki leave the planet's presence as it got smaller and smaller the further it went.
"What in the hell was that? Some kind of force field?"
As Raditz marvelled at the sky, Vegeta was looking down. There was a figure down below that slowly started to hover. The closer he got, the more apparent that it became. "No. It was Kakarot."
"What?" Raditz looked over to Goku, who just ascended to their altitude, hovering ten yards away from them in the sky. "Kakarot! What in the hell was that for?"
"My name's not Kakarot," Goku told him. "And you were going to destroy the merchandise."
"Merchandise?" Raditz looked over to Vegeta for a brief moment. In perfect motion, both Saiyans cocked their heads back and started howling with laughter. Though anyone would be put off and made just a tad bit uncomfortable at two people laughing their asses off at them, Goku just waited for them to stop.
"Y-You mean...hahahaha...to tell me…" Raditz continued to snicker. "that you actually see value in these weaklings!? Hilarious, truly, hilarious, little brother!"
"Don't tell me you're actually protecting these people," Vegeta said. "We heard on the other end that you were going about killing and wreaking havoc."
"Heh!" Raditz snorted. "I don't see much of that."
"I don't protect, I recruit. And my work is clean. You two were gonna make a big ole' mess."
"That's a part of the job, Kakarot. We really didn't come to unleash hell onto this world until after we've gotten you back into the fold. You belong with us, little brother. Together, we can finish the task."
"My task is different than yours," Goku responded.
"Explain," Vegeta told him.
Before Goku could open his mouth, Raditz interrupted as he clicked his scouter. "I...I can't get a reading from him…"
This was definitely brought to Vegeta's attention. He, like Raditz, attempted to get a power reading from Kakarot as well, yet it came up as the same result as the big junk of metal they faced earlier.
"So you're a machine now, little brother? They've turned you against us, haven't they!? They made you into one of those- those things!"
"Yeah, they did," Goku answered. "And it's about to be your turn to join in on the fun."
Raditz scoffed. "I see now...so my little brother may still have an existing body, but his soul is gone."
"No trouble," Vegeta said. "We'll be sure to put his body back to rest."
"So this is what he truly comes from…bloodthirsty savages"
Bulma watched down below in the town she was in. Having a tracker follow the Saiyans' every movement proved to be very useful as she hovered up below in her ship, using a piece of advanced technology in the form of binoculars to watch them as her tracker picked up their voices through a manner of transmission.
"If you want me on your side, then you're going to have to force me."
Raditz grinned. "Gladly."
The collision followed up as they both struggled against one another. Raditz was putting in obvious effort, grinding at his teeth, as Goku remained with a blank stare. After a few seconds, Goku shot backwards a few yards, as did Raditz to increase the gap between them.
"Don't tell me you're actually having trouble with that pipsqueak!" Vegeta taunted.
Raditz ignored Vegeta and scoffed. "At the very least, your defense is up to par."
"And you need to work on your offense," Goku shot back.
"That smart mouth of yours will begin to swell soon enough, little brother."
"My turn."
Goku blitzes at Raditz. Instead of trying to trick him as his older brother did, Goku remained on the frontend. Raditz was given no choice but to defend himself as Goku unleashed a flurry of punches that he could even barely keep up with.
Vegeta watched on, stroking his chin. The thought of underestimating Kakarot started to creep in. For a child his age to have such a high power-level wasn't truly common. The only Saiyan children capable of such feats were elite warriors.
And yet, Kakarot was keeping up with Raditz, who is barely starting to scratch the surface of having a battle power of one thousand.
Goku stopped his endless assault once he managed to graze Raditz's face and used his speed to maneuver from behind. Raditz saw this coming, and tried to counter with a back kick, but Goku was ready for it. Raditz was tossed away after being grabbed by the leg.
As he regained control and stopped spinning, Raditz fired off a bright pink wave of energy. Goku mimicked Raditz's attack and cancelled it out, shaking the entire city below them, breaking windows and causing cracks in the streets. Even Bulma, who spectated above, was no longer able to receive any kind of audio as her tracker was busted upon impact.
"Impressive…truly," Raditz commented. "But I can't say having all this power can be worth it when you lose the knowledge of who you truly are. Your lack of tune with your Saiyan nature will be your downfall in this battle."
Vegeta couldn't help but scoff at Raditz's words. Of course he'd say anything to keep his ego in check. Admittedly, Raditz was worse then he himself when it came to this. "I highly doubt that," the Saiyan prince muttered under his breath.