Dragon Ball Z 1. Prologue

**A/N: This is a new idea that has been circulating in my head for a little while. I've never really seen any stories where Frieza decided to make an appearance earlier in the series…a saga early. To see how this change warps the "Saiyan Saga" and after, read the story.**

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_Planet Frieza No. 79_

Frieza's scarlet eyes peered through the circular window of his quarters to the landscape below. His soldiers were hard at work. Each performed a specific task to keep his station in order. A few could be seen carrying large boxes into various parts of the stations, loaded with equipment. Others were patrolling the outside to make sure nothing out of the ordinary went wrong. His gaze shifted over to the docking bay where the pods rocketed into space for purging missions while others landed returning from their destination. Yes, the sight pleased him greatly. No one dared to become off track from their assignments. If that were to happen, they would receive an undesirable punishment.

A devious smirk formed on his lips. This was one of the many reasons why he loved his position as the head of the Planet Trade Organization. No one dared to question him. He had the ability to take over any planet so he can build up his constantly growing empire. The mere mention of his name caused life forms to cower in fear or display unrelenting anger. Those who were competent enough to understand the differences between their power level and his quickly submitted to his orders without a fight. However, quite the opposite occurred in a few cases. The warriors of a planet will try to rise up against him in hopes of ending his life, but with a raise of a finger, he wiped them out along with the entire planet. One of the three things he hated most was military insurrection, and he simply would not allow that to stand under his rule.

Then, a thought entered his mind, _"I haven't heard anything from my little monkeys lately. I sure hope they're not planning anything."_

Using the black tips of his nails, he pushed the button on his scouter to listen in on any transmissions involving the saiyans. Just his luck, he happened to hear in on Raditz's conversation with someone else.

"You fool. You ended my brother's life just to be rid of me."

"If I were you, I wouldn't hold my breath. By the end of the week I'm sure Goku will be wished back to life by his friends."

"H-How is that possible?"

"That's because we have these objects known as the Dragon Balls, which have the ability to grant the user's wishes."

The tyrant listened intently on the exchange between the monkey Raditz and the warrior that defeated him. Some time ago, he remembered hearing of such fabled objects, but he thought nothing of it. However, since the mystical items were brought up again, they must exist.

"_Perhaps I should make a trip to this planet Earth and investigate these so called Dragon Balls,"_ Frieza mused. _"If these objects are real and have the ability to grant wishes, I can use them to gain immortality."_

Before he could end the transmission, two more very familiar voices could be heard over the scouter.

"Hey Vegeta, did you hear that? We can wish for anything!"

"I heard it quite clearly Nappa. We can use this opportunity to grant ourselves immortality and rule over this universe."

"That's a great idea, but what about R-"

That was all Frieza needed to hear. He no longer desired to eavesdrop in on the saiyans' conversation. He ended the transmission and continued to stare through the window of his quarters. His gaze slightly darkened and his tail thumped harshly on the side of his hover chair, "_It seems that those monkeys decided to grow some brains. I'm quite sure they're going to use this chance to overthrow me. And after all that I have done for them, this is how they treat me?" _His frown disappeared only to be replaced by his usual confident smirk, _"That's fine. I guess I will have to show them the punishments of disobeying orders."_

Meanwhile, the tyrant's right hand pretty boy had been standing off to the side quietly observing Frieza. It nerved him greatly whenever his superior became eerily quiet. The results of such demeanor never resulted in anything pleasant for those surrounding him. He had worked under him for a great number of years, so he knew something was to come.

"Lord Frieza, may I ask if everything alright?" he asked calmly.

An evil chuckle escaped the Arcosian's lips, "Yes Zarbon. I have found out very pleasing news from the saiyans without them knowing. You see, when Raditz went to retrieve his renegade brother, he was defeated. However, the insect that ended his life was thoughtless enough to tell him of their magical artifacts known as Dragon Balls without knowing it was sent to any listeners."

Zarbon was puzzled. For what importance did some backwater planet and its balls have to brighten his mood?

"When these items are brought together, they can call forth a dragon that grants wishes," Frieza continued. "If that is truly the case, I can use them to remain as the most powerful being in the universe. I will use them to gain immortality so no one may end my life if they attempt."

The green-haired alien eyes quickly reflected interest in the subject now, "Is that possible, my Lord? Aren't those objects just a myth?"

Frieza turned in his hover chair to meet the gaze of his faithful soldier. His smirk, beaming with confidence, never faded from his lips, "Perhaps, but those monkeys are going to that planet as well to acquire the same goal. I can use this chance to investigate the situation as well as show them just who is in charge."

"What a marvelous idea Lord Frieza," the henchmen commented. Zarbon allowed a grin to etch his features, "Those saiyans have always been foolish, but I didn't think they were **that **stupid enough to disobey you, Lord Frieza. Haven't they realized by now that there is no escaping your wrath no matter how far they travel? They were lucky enough that you even permitted them to live this long. Vegeta and Nappa have really pushed their limits now. I can't wait to see when they're under your foot, begging for mercy."

"You make quite the point Zarbon," he responded. "I have been much too lenient to my little pets. It's about time that I show them the true extent of my displeasure. Of course, I'll deal with them the moment I lay eyes on them."

"Exactly when do you plan on departing?" the loyal hazel eyed servant questioned.

Frieza closed his eyes for a moment, pondering his desired time of departure, "Very soon. I want to ensure Vegeta arrives after I have collected the Dragon Balls so that he may witness the start of a new era in the galaxy and that he can't disrupt any of my plans to satisfy his own needs."

"Won't it take those pesky saiyans at least a year since they're nearly half way across the galaxy?" Zarbon inquired once more.

"Of course. That will permit more time for me to find the Dragon Balls without interruption," the tyrant replied. He turned his back to the soldier once more to stare through his window, "Notify the soldiers to ready the ship for departure."

"As you command, my lord," Zarbon said with a respectful bow.

The soldier exited the room, leaving Frieza to his own thoughts. His wicked grin enlarged greatly, "Soon, I will have total control of this universe and no one will be able to stop me. Ahahahaha!"

His laughter filled the room and could be heard from the halls.

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**A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed the start of my new story. This was inspired by Cosmic Cannon's "Frozen Heart." It gave me the idea of how this change could affect the Dragon Ball Z time line. I will do my best to update this as well as my other two stories. I know it wasn't long, but the next chapters will definitely become longer.**

**Until Next Time!**

**xXMystic-HopeXx**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Here I am back with the official first chapter of Immortal. I know it took some time to update, but at least it's not as bad as my other two stories tend to get. I admit this chapter took a while to get really started. When I started writing, it took the longest just to get past the first page. I had to stop a lot trying to figure out how to exactly write out everything, but I eventually made it through. So without further ado, we will move on with the story.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the franchise.**

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**Chapter 1**

**Danger Lurks**

Similar to any other day of Lord Frieza, the Arcosian could be seen standing before his window, his piercing stare gazing upon the opposite side. Normally, it was to ensure the full workmanship of his henchmen. However, for this occasion, his eyes were focused on the blue planet ahead, growing larger into his view. From a distance, it didn't seem particularly interesting, but he could almost guarantee there was a special perk that can indeed alter the lives of those who embark a journey here.

A faint smirk was on his lips. Although he was enthused for traveling to his current destination, he still had to investigate it first to make sure everything was true. Long ago, he had heard of ancient objects such as lamps and bottles capable of granting wishes. Unfortunately, the results had greatly backfired on the user and ruined their life. Due to those few stories, he was discouraged from pursuing them for his own desires. Then, well before the death of Raditz, a few years ago actually, he caught wind of the items known as the Dragon Balls. Unlike the inferior tools, they gave just what one asked for. No one dared to speak of it in his presence for fear of the result, but if the topic was discussed, most brushed it off as a simple myth. He did not mind, because he knew in due time, the opportunity world present itself to him and he could finally get his hands them.

"_My patience has finally rewarded me,"_ he thought. _"If Raditz weren't dead, I would so kindly thank him for his services. Too bad for him, at least he provided his contributions before his demise."_

His eavesdropping habits on the saiyans' transmissions allowed for him to keep track of their current plans. One may call it paranoia, but he absolutely did not trust those monkeys, especially because of their growth in boldness. Every other time they came to report to him after their missions, he tended to receive a smart comment mainly from the prince. During transmission amongst the saiyans, Vegeta would state that one day they were going to rise to the top and kill him. They did not go unnoticed, but he withheld punishment for the time being. He was allowing them to build up over time until he would catch him one day by surprise and show the saiyan just exactly who he was dealing with.

"_Those saiyans will learn their lesson the next time I catch sight of them. They are in for a very rude awakening. Even if they gain a rise in power after their punishment, their combined forces will continue to be no match for my own. They are leagues behind me and I will crush any little hope they have trying to escape my wrath."_

He chuckled darkly to himself. Before long, Vegeta and Nappa will be at his foot begging for mercy, which he may…or may not grant. He continued gazing at the blue planet with anticipation. With every minute; every second that passed, he was just that much closer to his plans coming into fruition. Soon, the entire universe would be in the palm of his hands.

Suddenly, a knock came at the door; snapping him out of his musings, "Lord Frieza."

"It's open," he responded simply.

The moment he finished his answer, the door slid open automatically. Two soldiers stepped into the medium sized room, revealing to be his most trusted and loyal soldiers – Zarbon and Dodoria. They came to a halt in the middle of the room, each bearing a rather confident smirk. Frieza turned his attention towards his right hand men and motioned for them to speak.

"Lord Frieza, you'll be pleased to hear that we shall be arriving in approximately one day," Zarbon informed.

The ruthless overlord retained his smile and a small gleam could be seen in his eyes, "Excellent. It's only a matter of time."

Dodoria scratched the back of his head slightly, "I still don't get it Lord Frieza. Why are we traveling all this way for some balls that might not even be real? For all we know, we could be going on a wild goose chase."

"While you do bring up a decent point Dodoria, you know better than to question Lord Frieza," Zarbon berated.

"There's no need for that Zarbon," Frieza responded calmly. "I can under his skepticisms about these fabled objects. Quite frankly, I'm not too certain about it myself. However, the topic has been deemed necessary to investigate, especially since those barbaric apes are after them as well. Besides, the warrior who killed Raditz was confident about his comrade being revived in a short amount of time. All we simply have to do is retrieve every piece of detail from him or any of the Earthlings."

"I get it now," the large, pink alien stated. "At least we got here before them. I'm sure they would cause us more trouble than necessary if you had let them come ahead on their own."

He gave a slow nod in agreement, "Of course. They will use any means necessary to gain more power when they think I am not looking. While I may have been provided the detailed information about these Dragon Balls, my plans would be at a loss."

"I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when they see you when they arrive," Zarbon commented.

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On a beautiful day on Earth, its guardian Kami stood quietly at the end of the door's walkway, observing the human warriors sparring against one another. It had been almost a full five months since the warning of a new menacing threat: two evil saiyans even more powerful than Goku's elder brother. He took it upon himself to have the young men train under his guidance for the upcoming battle while Goku was in Other World seeking training from King Kai. Each individual warrior varied in strength, but none were close enough to even battle the first one. However, they were showing beautiful progress.

"_Goku's friends are capable of many things, but they may not just know it yet. Although, I am quite sure their efforts will prove fruitful against the saiyans." _He glanced to Yajirobe, who was dodging Krillin's attacks with a look of boredom while eating. The samurai worried him the most. He hated to say it, no matter how true it was, Yajirobe was quite lazy. He hardly participated in any of the training exercises and if he decided to do so, he put very little effort into it. The male was rather skilled with his sword, but not only that, he could even go toe to toe with Goku in one of their matches.

The guardian released a tired sigh from his lips, "_Everyone's contribution is needed in order to defend the Earth. Even young Gohan_, _who is only four years old, is being trained by Piccolo to grasp onto his hidden power and utilize it. Beside the point, I am confident in all of their abilities. In due time, they will no longer require my teachings."_

Suddenly, the sagely guardian sensed new ki headed towards Earth. Almost immediately, his focus left he five martial artists and onto the approaching force. What he felt were not two saiyans, but instead, practically an army. That part worried him, but not nearly as much what was amongst that army. He broke out into a sweat as he detected a massive and sinister force. As a matter of fact, it was overshadowing the other energy levels around it. He never felt such horror like this in all his days.

"_Just what kind of terror is this? It is unbelievable. It's too treacherous for even words. Surely, this is not what we were warned about, but an advanced power instead."_

Kami did not like this one bit. He had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach; one that would not let up. His hand began trembling as he held his wooden staff, causing it to have the same effect. He became quite terrified for his students, but the entire planet as well. They were not prepared for this mysterious menace. They would face casualties within the first seconds if they were to provoke it. Questions roared in his chaotic mind, but he had to remain level headed at this time of dire need.

He returned his attention to the five and cleared his voice, "Everyone! That is enough for today. Please gather round for there is something you must know."

His announcement caught their attention. One by one, everyone dropped out of their stances and onslaughts and walked towards the guardian, forming a line one beside the other. They bore listening ears, but couldn't help the distraught features upon the elderly male's face.

"Kami, may I ask if there is something troubling you?" Tien asked politely.

"Yeah, it looks like you just seen a ghost," Yamcha added in, only to get a nudge from the shorter bald man.

Kami's expression darkened, "You could say that. However, I must inform you that it seems the events have taken a turn for the worst."

"W-What do you mean? Are the saiyans coming early?" Krillin asked nervously, fearing the answer he was to receive.

Piccolo's counterpart shook his head grimly, "I wish it were the case Krillin. No, moments ago, I sensed a presence of unspeakable terror of the greatest proportions headed for us. I'm not certain of the number, but it is not the two saiyans Raditz warned about. It could perhaps be an entire army."

"Wait, what do you mean?" Yajirobe questioned angrily. "I thought we only had to worry about two saiyans. Did he make the entire thing up?"

Truth be told, the samurai didn't particularly care about the upcoming battle. In fact, he just was not going to partake in it at all. Now that there was mention of a whole battalion, he was definitely keeping away from the war zone now. However, the others who were actually sensible were now in apparent shock about the recent info. They hadn't expected this! None of them did. Krillin started to worry for his life once more as he already died once by the hands of Piccolo's spawn. Chiaotzu was in the same boat as well, and his physic abilities could only work on someone so strong. Tien felt uneasy because they were preparing for only two invaders, not what could be hundreds. Yamcha was angrier than anything, but he was confident that he can pummel anyone that crossed him the wrong way.

"That is no longer the case," he answered grimly. "Our new enemy has a power and malevolence beyond comprehension. Even King Piccolo pales by comparison."

They had become silent for a brief period, though Tien broke it with a growl of frustration, "This isn't good. It seems we attraction more danger to Earth than we needed. It's possibly because of that guy's death and coming to get revenge as well."

Kami nodded in agreement, "You may be right Tien. However, I do know when Piccolo mentioned of the Dragon Balls, that is what sparked the saiyans' need to come here. Perhaps this higher force received the information as well and has decided to embark on a trip to see for themselves."

"Yeah that does make sense," Yamcha said with a thoughtful expression. "Any time a search for them is called for, things seemed to have gotten more dangerous over the years."

"If that's the case, what're we gonna do?" Krillin asked glumly.

Kami closed his eyes. He now truly regretted creating the mystical items. They brought nothing but unnecessary trouble to the peaceful individuals who only wanted to fix the mishaps in the world. Selfish and power-hungry characters only wanted them to rule the world and cause mayhem to the citizens of the planet. As a result, Goku and his friends had to throw their bodies in harm's way just to prevent all sorts of trouble. However, it was because of the boy's selfless and peaceful nature that kept him around. He was the reason why his faith in the human race had been restored. If something were to occur now, then Goku would remain dead for an even longer period of time. For right now, he had to keep them out of evil's hands until the time arrived.

"_I know this is risky, but it's our only hope for now," _Kami mused to himself. "Your friend Bulma collected all seven Dragon Balls correct?"

Krillin nodded in response, "Yes, and they're all at Master Roshi's house. Do you want one of us to bring them to you?"

It shocked everyone but Yajirobe, who couldn't care less, when the green man shook his head, "No. I have another idea. I want each of you to retrieve one and put them into hiding once again—far away from one another."

Their eyes widened, had they heard correctly? Yamcha was the first to voice his thoughts, "No disrespect Kami, but are you serious? We still have to wish Goku back. We're going to need his help."

"No, he won't be of any help at this moment," the guardian stated gravely. "With any luck, Goku has probably only just reached the end of Snake Way or very close to it. He will only be as strong as he was before his unfortunate death. Even with your combined efforts were he to be revived, it won't prove any match to the new opponent. Should they be after the Dragon Balls and get their hands on them, then all hope is definitely lost."

"_Just who is this new enemy?" _Tien pondered to himself. "_If Kami says they are truly lethal, how on Earth can we stand a chance?"_

Yajirobe became annoyed. He was not about to throw his life away in an already losing battle. This was the last straw, "I don't mean to be rude, but you can count me out. I'm not meant for these life or death battles."

"Why am I not surprised?" Krillin deadpanned. "Yajirobe, aren't you listening to what Kami is saying? The entire Earth is in danger. This isn't the time to be chickening out!"

The pudgy samurai folded his arms and glanced in the other direction, "It's not chickening out. I call it intelligently careful."

Before Krillin or anyone else had the chance to retort, Kami spoke once more, "He is right Yajirobe. The Earth is in grave peril and we need every available warrior to help protect it. You are as skilled as any of the others standing beside you today. Goku will not always be here to assist in the dangers. This is your planet and your home. You need to take the initiative and make sure nothing comes to threaten the peace you live in. I have just as much faith in you as I do Tien, Yamcha, Chiaotzu, and Krillin. We need your help so we can ensure our chances for victory."

The samurai mumbled quietly as he went over his choices, _"Go to war and get killed in battle or stay at the tower and killed later on? Geez, some choices I got. Sure my sword can easily slice the first person that come at me the wrong way, but it's not like I really want to waste my life. Even if I do die, I can just get wished back by the Dragon Balls. How am I supposed to fight against aliens with freakish powers? I'm only human and can survive so long against that type of stuff. Then again, Goku's an alien and I had no problem with him. I should at least have a brief debut. Besides, if I don't, Korin gonna make me go anyway, especially if I have to deliver the Senzu beans. I just can't get a break."_

"Fine I'll do it," Yajirobe stated, against his better judgment.

The guardian allowed a frail smile to appear, "Thank you. Your bravery will be rewarded in the future. Now, as a word of caution, _**do not **_engage the being with the largest ki. I suspect they will waste no time ending your lives. If anything, only worry about those who are closer to your range. Do you understand?" When he received five nods, he continued, "As for the Dragon Balls, hide them from the naked eye. Perhaps in the frozen north in the snow or a deserted island hidden within the trees. It is entirely up to you. It is best you get a move on as you do not have much time left."

"We won't fail you Kami," Tien said, speaking for the entire group. With a final nod from each of them, Kami allowed them to depart on their mission. One by one, they jumped over the edge to begin their trip to Kame House.

"Kami, what do you think will happen?" came the voice of Mr. Popo from behind.

"I'm not sure old friend, but I fear it will only become worse from here on out," he answered darkly.

The five soared through the blue skies at top speed. For the most part there was silence amongst them; each focused on the task at hand.

Krillin was rather anxious. It seemed like everything in his life always had to have some sort of wicked twist to it. When he and Goku went to retrieve a girl for Master Roshi, it turned out Launch had two personalities, one of them being a very gun-happy, violent woman. Then at his first tournament, he witnessed Goku transform into a large destructive ape. Afterwards, when the next tournament was over with, he decided to retrieve Goku's things only to get killed. Finally at the reunion, it was the appearance of Goku's brother who swatted him away like a fly into the house. "_Man, if it's not one thing, it's another. Sheesh, I just thought Goku attracted trouble, boy was I wrong. I hope I can avoid death this time around or that's it for me."_

"Hey guys, do you think we stand a chance?" Krillin asked, breaking the silence. "I mean there's only five of us and with Piccolo and Gohan, it's seven. There's no way we can defeat an entire alien army, and highly doubt the guy who's the head of this whole scheme."

"I'm not sure Krillin," Tien answered truthfully. "The odds are definitely against us and we don't know anything about them." The triclops was calm, despite what was to come. They all needed a cool head in order to brave the situation. They could not show fear in front of the enemy's face or it would be used to their advantage.

"Don't sound so glum," Yamcha said in a confident tone. "I'm sure we can take these guys no problem."

"While your confidence is admirable Yamcha, we can't take this lightly," the taller male commented. "Like I said, we have absolutely no idea what we're up against, except that they're comrades to these saiyans. Anyway, we should focus on the task Kami assigned us."

"It sure is going to be a pain trying to hide them," Krillin said dryly. "At least we can split up and make the process go a lot faster."

"At least it'll probably save all our butts," Yajirobe said.

"And besides, we can stall enough time for Goku to finish his training," Chiaotzu added happily. "They probably don't even know how to track them so they'll be looking all over the place with almost no luck."

"That's true," Krillin agreed. "I just hope they don't try to capture any of us, but if they do, it's best to play dumb."

"Way ahead of you Krillin," Yamcha replied with a smirk. "Anyway, once we finish with this don't you think it's a good idea we meet back and see how we'll deal with this guy?"

"Not a bad idea," Tien stated. "Hopefully, the time permits."

Before long, the five were flying above the vast ocean, stretching for miles and miles on end. The occasional fish were seen jumping into the air and plopping back into the waters. As they continued in their trip, a lone island soon came into their view up ahead and occupying it was a pink house. The group arrived only moments later ad landed on the sand to find Bulma, Roshi, and a blue-haired Launch already on the outside.

"Hey you guys," Bulma greeted as she approached them. A clear expression of shock was written on her face, "What're you guys doing back here so soon? Are you finished with your training?"

"Yes, while it is always nice to see you all, this is quite unexpected," Roshi said as he and Launch followed behind.

Tien's gaze darkened slightly as he began to speak, "No, we haven't because something's come up."

"My, I hope it's not anything terrible," Launch stated innocently.

Krillin scratched the back of his head, a bit unsure how to explain it, "Actually, it is. Long story short, there's some more invaders coming tomorrow and Kami wants us to hide the balls for time being because they might be after them."

"You've got to be kidding me," the scientist said, gaping in astonishment. "Are you for real?!"

"Yeah Bulma, I know it sounds crazy, but it's true," Yamcha responded. "And before you say anything about Goku, he can't be wished back yet. From what Kami said, he probably hasn't even started his training."

"I see. Kami has really thought this through," Roshi said. "Bulma, go get the Dragon Balls and bring them here. I know you're against this, but it's our only chance for now."

The scientist listened to the elderly master and went in the house for the things and returned moments later with them sitting on top of the pillow. Everyone with the exception of Tien and Krillin grabbed one of the shining orbs, while they grabbed two.

"I wish you all good luck," Launch stated.

"Yes, and you must be very careful," Roshi gravely warned. "The stakes have just been set higher and there are so few of you. While I can tell you all have increased in strength, you must not partake in anything reckless that can cause your deaths."

Yamcha gave a confident grin, "Don't worry Master Roshi, we won't let anything happen. Anyway, we better get going. And Bulma, make sure you hide the radar."

"Trust me, I'll have it under lock and key," Bulma stated with a smirk.

"Look, I don't know about you guys, but I'm outta here," Yajirobe stated, as he began to lift into the air. "And if I were you, I'd lock all my doors and close all my windows."

The samurai then departed towards the west. Krillin was next to speak, "He's right. You better get back home until its safe."

With final goodbyes, the Earth's protectors all left in various directions, hoping to find suitable locations to hide the magical orbs. Bulma, Roshi, and Launch watched go in silence, apprehensive about the near future. They could only put their faith in the fighters and hope for the best.

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**A/N: And that's it. I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed, favorite, and followed the story. It's gonna move kind of slow since it's only the beginning, but after a few chapters, it's gonna get better. I really don't have much to say. I'll try to make an update schedule for this and Lost Hope, but I hope I'll be able to follow it. Anyway, that's it for now and I'll be back later with another chapter. Make sure to review and constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.**

**Oh yeah, about Yajirobe flying - I think he should've learned how to fly during the training, so I decided to include that in.**

**Until Next Time!**

**Edit: I have posted a poll in my profile and it'll help me decide which story I should focus on more out of Immortal and Lost Hope.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the franchise. The characters, locations, and everything else belong to Akira Toriyama.**

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**Chapter 3**

**Arrival**

Yamcha sat in boredom in the middle of the Diablo Desert, his old home. In a matter of hours, he had already hidden one of the magical objects in a place no one would ever think of. Since he had spent most of his younger days in this location, he knew the perfect hiding places for objects of small sizes. Now all he had to do was wait for the rest of the group to finish their individual tasks, so they can think of a plan to somehow combat this evil villain.

The former desert bandit had faced many terrible situations growing up, especially when he met Goku and Bulma, but none quite like this one. Usually, Goku was there to help save the day, but he wasn't here now. Sure he could easily fight his own battles, no problem, but the saiyan always seemed to find the strength the humans didn't have to out power enemies such as Demon King Piccolo and his son, Piccolo. At the same time, in his own fights, he tended to become too cocky and underestimated his opponent, causing him to lose quite horrifically. However, the reality of the _entire _situation was beginning to hit him. Goku was dead for until the end of the year hopefully, but they were about to be invaded by an army in a matter of hours. Only six people could do so much against an army, but then again, you never know.

"I bet these guys aren't as bad as Kami makes them out to be_," _he mused to himself. "In fact, I bet I can take them out with one hand behind my back."

"Yamcha, you really shouldn't be overconfident," said the voice of Krillin. "It's only going to keep getting you in trouble."

Said former bandit turned his gaze towards his shorter friend, a bit surprised by his sudden arrive, "Hey Krillin. I see you finished too."

"Yeah, but I already had some places in mind from the start," the former monk stated taking a seat of his own by his fellow martial artist. "But, like I said, you're gonna get yourself killed if you keep talking like that. We don't even know what we're going up against."

"You're worrying too much," the long haired male responded coolly. "We trained enough these past few months to overcome almost anything. We could probably take them out no problem."

Krillin gave his friend an annoyed stare. Sometimes he just did not understand Yamcha one bit. The guy had spent the past few years focusing mostly on his career in baseball; almost completely neglected his training, and talking as if he could take on any obstacle. They are only human and going into battle with his mindset will cause him to be the first one murdered by an alien. Even though he spent most of his days training after the tournament, he wasn't even in shape for an intense war. They needed everyone they could to beat this guy and save Earth from danger until the saiyans come at the end of the year, "Look Yamcha, I don't wanna be a downer or anything, but we have to think this through or we're all done for."

"I hear ya'," Yamcha said absently, causing the former monk to feel a bit ignored. He sat back on the ground, staring into the sky; enjoying the view before he had to go into a new battle once more. He preferred the peaceful lifestyle, but at the same time, he did miss the action caused by the world of martial arts. It gave him the freedom of what he wanted to do without much consequence.

"Anyway, why are you just sitting out here?" Krillin questioned, wiping his face of sweat due to the immense heat. "It's so hot. Don't you have a capsule house with you or something?"

"Nah, this is something I'm used to," the confident male responded. "I've lived out here for a good portion of my life so it's not that bad."

How could anyone survive in these conditions was beyond Krillin. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a capsule labeled '2' and sighed in relief, "It's a good thing I got this from Roshi just in case."

He pressed the button on the capsule and threw it on the ground. As it touched the dirt, a loud hissing noise could be heard followed by a pop, causing a ball of smoke to surround the capsule. When the smoke cleared, he saw small house, just waiting to be occupied. He looked to Yamcha who was half gazing at the home himself and spoke, "I don't know about you, but I'm going in. It'll probably be a while before the others get here."

Krillin stepped inside the house only for Yamcha to follow behind slowly. While he had become adjusted to the long hours in the desert heat, he knew it wasn't good for his skin.

Bulma ran into the laboratory to see her father sitting at his desk planning out another invention of his. He was too busy to notice her sudden appearance, but his daughter was sure to make him pay attention to her presence.

* * *

"Dad, I have some bad news!" she stated quickly approaching his desk.

He turned his attention to his only girl who bore a distraught expression on her face, "Hello Bulma. You don't look so good. Is everything alright?"

"No, far from it," she answered placing her hands on the sides of the desk, causing some of the papers to slowly fall off. To say she was currently scared was an understatement at this point after learning the news Tien and the others brought to her, "Earth is in huge trouble of being invaded by more than just saiyans. We're going to be attacked tomorrow by a whole bunch of aliens and we need to put this place on a high security lock down."

The old scientist stared at his daughter with his mouth wide open, but he quickly regained his composure, "Egad, where did you hear this from?"

"Tien and the others," she answered taking a few breathes to calm her nerves. "They said Kami told sensed it coming straight here and them to hide the Dragon Balls back all over the world."

Dr. Briefs closed his eyes as he placed his hand over his chin so his mind could fully process the information. He had always been interested in extraterrestrial life, especially since she had informed him of the events that transpired at the Kame House a few months ago. To think, there are more life forms out in the universe seeking interest in their quiet little planet. It bothered him greatly as majority of the human race were not accustomed to such delicate information. It would only send them into a widespread panic and pandemonium, "This is not good at all. With this recent development who knows what these aliens are capable of. Perhaps if I check the satellites, we can fully process the severity of the situation."

Bulma watched on as her father quickly typed in various passcodes to the network that would allow them to see the images of outer space. The fact they were the most influential companies in the entire world with their advancements in technology, it would not be a surprise to anyone among their planet about the various devices created to prevent large sources of danger. After moments of keystroking, the gray haired male finalized the process using the enter key and the image of the abyss came into view.

"Now let's see," he mumbled to himself, changing the directions of the visuals.

"I don't see anything out," Bulma pointed out examining the screen for herself. She pondered to herself if Kami was actually wrong and maybe whoever it was happened to only be passing by. If that was the case, she didn't need to worry a bit. The supposed idea remained until her blue eyes locked onto a large spacecraft of sorts. The younger scientist eyes bulged out and fear quickly overcame her being, "Is that thing really coming here?! It looks like it can house at least one hundred aliens or even more! We're doomed! What're we gonna do?"

Dr. Briefs stared at the screen in shock. His daughter was not exaggerating in the least. It could definitely hold quite a few aliens powered with techniques capable of producing catastrophic damage to their humble planet, "Egad! This is quite an unexpected development. We must inform the citizens immediately."

"I hate to say it dad, but I don't think they would actually believe us until it happens," Bulma stated in a matter of fact tone. One thing she hated about the population of her planet was the fact they refused to believe what they did not understand. So speaking of aliens would only lead to the citizens brushing it off as nothing but a myth or joke to scare them. However, a light bulb went off in the woman genius as someone came to mind, "On the other hand, there is someone that might just believe us, especially if you show him this."

* * *

The evening sky shined over the desert occupied by the former bandit and his comrade. They continued to wait in the capsule house provided by Krillin waiting for the other three martial artists to make their appearance. The two spent their time watching television or chatting about the old days, which included their adventures with Goku.

"Oh and you remember when Goku transformed at the tournament?" Krillin questioned as he recalled the terrifying revelation of the saiyan's powers. He didn't think he would live to see another day after the boy transformed into a large ape. It was too easy to get squashed by one of his feet or even the debris caused by the attacks.

"I'll never forget about that," Yamcha said as he released a sigh. He experienced that particular event one too many times in his life. The incident at Pilaf's castle was enough already, but then his tail had to come back again. "At least we don't have to worry about that anymore, but it makes me wonder if the other saiyans will do the same."

"They're the last of our worries right now," the bald man stated shaking his head. "If we make it through this one, then I'm sure the saiyans will be a piece of cake by the time they get here…if we're still alive that is."

It wasn't hard for the baseball player to figure out that his friend was anxious about the invasion. Who could blame him? He was already on his second chance at life. Should he die again by the hands of these aliens, then he was going to be forced to remain in the afterlife forever, without a hope of returning. He had to put some type of confidence in the former monk, "Hey, don't be so negative Krillin. Like I said, everything is going to be just fine. We just gotta be careful that's all."

"Easier said than done," the former monk stated dryly. "Either way, I'm going to put my all my effort into this so nothing terrible happens to Earth."

Yamcha smiled as he balled his fist leaving his thumb raised and extended his hand for the former monk to see as a sign of approval, "There ya' go buddy. That's more like it. With that kinda attitude we can beat anything they throw at us. They'll be running back to their ship after we're through with them."

"I wouldn't go that far," Krillin commented giving his friend skeptical side glances. Suddenly, he felt three power levels approaching from two directions. He instantly recognized who they belonged to and prepared to head outside. "It looks like they finally got through with their part. Let's go meet them."

"It's about time," the former bandit stated as he felt the various ki approached their location.

The two exited the capsule home to see their friends landing before them. Krillin chose to capsulize the house to be sure he didn't forget it and proceeded to greet the others.

"Man, it took you guys long enough," Krillin said a bit impatiently. "I hope you guys managed to hide them well enough."

"Don't worry, I think we all made sure they'll have to try really hard to find them," Chiaotzu stated happily.

"It wasn't easy, but I think they should be safe for now," Tien said tiredly. The former Crane student would not prefer to return to his ball's location any time soon as it included extra wild life than he remembered in that particular area that was each dying to make him their meal.

"So, you have any ideas on what we should do?" Krillin inquired to no one in particular.

"I was thinking of speaking with Piccolo of this matter so we're all on one accord," Tien answered calmly. This earned a few weary glances from his comrades, but he understood their reasons. The son of the Demon King was not exactly the purest of warriors and wanted most of them dead, but he wasn't exactly heartless, at least not at this point. "Look, I know you guys don't trust Piccolo and neither do I, but we all need to put our differences aside if we expect to defeat this evil adversary."

"When Goku died and everything, he actually didn't seem too bad," Krillin commented. "I mean, he was nice enough to tell us the saiyans were on the way and even offered or better yet, demanded to train Gohan to use his powers."

"I don't care either way, just as long as he doesn't double cross us," Yamcha said coldly. "Then again, we'd still have to work with him against those saiyans anyway. Besides Goku, he's the only other strongest person that we got on our side."

"So it's agreed, we'll speak with Piccolo to come up with a plan of defense," Tien finalized. He was relieved by the fact his comrades are willing to relinquish the initial hate they had for Piccolo to get the job done. Unlike them, he felt he could at least put a bit more trust in the reincarnation of the demon king.

"Let's just hurry this up," Yajirobe said impatiently. He was tired of flying all over the world when he could be in a safe place eating and resting up for a battle he didn't particularly a choice in participating in. "Where are we supposed to find him anyway?"

"Last I sensed him, he was in one of the wastelands not too far from the mountains," the triclops responded.

"Well, let's go then, we don't have a whole lotta' time left," the bald monk stated.

Not a moment too soon, the five ascended into the air and raced off into the evening skies in search of the Namekian warrior.

* * *

Piccolo watched over the silent form of Gohan as he slept peacefully on the dirt floor covered by leaves for extra warmth. The son of King Piccolo had spent the last few days training the young boy in the basics of the Demon style of martial arts, but today was the worst of all. He worked the boy to the bone to ensure he fully grasped onto the concepts that would greatly be useful him in battle. Despite the harshness of his teaching styles, the boy barely complained after learning from day one that he meant nothing but business. He had to admit, the few months of survival training in the wilderness toughened the boy up enough to know that life was dangerous.

The Namek still couldn't believe that he actually decided to take the kid on as his pupil, but he refused to allow an uncontrolled power go to waste especially when it can be harnessed for use in a fatal battle against foes of a whole new level. Another bonus that came with instructing the boy is that he caught onto various situations at an accelerated pace; a feat he was quite sure children his age won't accomplish. The boy reminded him of Goku who adjusted to his problems in a moment's time, "_You're definitely your father's son kid. You have more power deep inside of you than you think you have, but I'll be sure it's drawn out in a constructive manner. I find this ironic. I was born to kill your father and control this planet, but here I am training you so we can defend it from an even greater evil. With all that's even going on at the moment, I second guess myself about if it's even worth it anymore. Who knows? We'll see once it settles down."_

Piccolo focused his attention to the west skies, sensing the presence of five power levels coming in his direction. He already figured out who they belonged to and their reason for journeying their way to pay him an unexpected visit. He waited and watched as the five human martial artists landed feet away from him with serious expressions on their faces. He gave the sleeping child one glance and approached them with an equally serious demeanor, but what else is new.

A moment of silence passed before the green warrior decided to speak, "I supposed you're here to discuss about the invasion tomorrow."

"Yes, we are, I'm guessing Kami already told you about it," Tien responded back. "That'll make this whole lot easier. I know we have our differences, but considering the circumstances, we agreed it would be best if we worked together ahead of schedule in order to defeat this common foe."

"I can tell you now, none of us stand a chance," Piccolo stated bluntly. "We're barely prepared for the saiyans as it is and if we're lucky, the weakest aliens are about as strong as those two. If that's the case, we'll only get beaten with little to no effort."

"You're making it sound like we're going to die if we even try," Krillin nervously remarked.

"What do you expect us to do? Run and hide?" Yamcha questioned bitterly.

"I prefer that idea," Yajirobe said, approving of the suggestion made by the bandit. He truly did not want to find himself wrapped up into this problem anymore than he has now. However, his comment was ignored by the others.

Piccolo growled lightly, "Of course not. Our safest bet is to gather information on their specific motives for Earth, besides the Dragon Balls. The head of this ship could perhaps desire to take over Earth or even destroy it."

"I wouldn't be surprised if they try to pull that stunt," the former monk stated. "Anyway, any idea on what we should do?"

"Perhaps we should split up again and wait for them to come to us," Tien suggested. "If they send out some of their forces, we can probably question their presence on Earth."

"While that's not a bad idea, they're more than likely to know who you are automatically," Piccolo informed. "I have a feeling that they're going to be wearing those devices that tracks power levels. So it would be a wise idea to remain far away from the cities."

"Then how about we just meet back here tomorrow," Chiaotzu asked. "If they send out only so many people, then we can take them on together."

"That's only going to tip them off that we've been expecting them," Piccolo informed. "They will use their devices to their advantage and possibly send out enough soldiers to dispose or capture us. At least if we're separated, we won't actually provoke them into attacking."

"I don't like either one if you ask me," Yamcha commented sourly. He didn't like the idea of waiting for the enemy come to him; he'd rather take the entire army straight on, but from the way Piccolo worded it, no matter option they chose, it would end badly for them.

"Well, it is our best chance against them, so I'll try," Krillin said.

"I still don't want to be any part of this," Yajirobe grumbled to himself.

"So, that settles it," Tien stated, drawing the conversation to a close.

"If that's all you wanted, you can leave now," Piccolo said as he turned his back to the martial artists. "I have training to complete."

Seeing that as their cue to leave, the five began to depart. Krillin was the slowest to leave as he gazed upon his best friend's son. He wanted to question Piccolo about his plans for the young boy, but he knew better than to question him. He could only hope the child was protected in the ensuing battle.

Piccolo returned to his spot near the boy and gazed into the stars, "_Apparently, I've caused more trouble than necessary. This has turned into a battle for the planet itself. Unless a miracle happens, we're all doomed." _He glanced back at Gohan, slightly relieved that he decided to have a change in schedule, "Okay kid naptime is over!"

* * *

"The show will soon begin," Frieza said darkly, taking a sip of wine.

Finally, after a few months of dreadful traveling through the dark abyss of space, they were finally reaching Earth. His battle ship recently entered the atmosphere of the blue and green planet and soon it would be time for him to begin his mission for eternal life. The size of the planet surprised the tyrant slightly as he wasn't expecting such a feeble race to inhabit a large space. This would only cause his search to become unnecessarily time consuming, but he was quite sure his soldiers will be of great help.

"Lord Frieza, how do you suggest we find evidence of these Dragon Balls?" Dodoria inquired, as if reading Frieza's mind.

"Since Raditz's executioner is of their strongest warriors," the ruthless tyrant started with an evil gleam in his eye, "at least by their standards, I want all of their warriors scoped out and brought to the ship. They may hold even the slightest bit of knowledge of the objects. Once their usefulness of that precise subject is fulfilled, I may recruit them into the organization. I am running quite low on competent subordinates."

His two henchmen grinned at his statement. Most of the soldiers in Frieza's part of the PTO were frightful of their leader to the point where they would stumble over the simplest of tasks. As a result, he would end their life abruptly and fill the spot with another soldier in the department. It was quite funny, especially since it was them. Only a fool would show fear in the presence of Frieza. Maybe the Earthlings would be intelligent enough to complete a task without ruining it.

"Who do you suggest I organize for this assignment?" Zarbon questioned, ready to begin the duty.

Frieza smirked deviously and glanced back to his two most loyal henchmen, "With your inclusion as well as Dodoria's, any elite or mid-level soldier aboard the ship. I don't want these pitiful Earthlings to believe we have come peacefully. Should they resist surrendering peacefully, don't go too easy on them, but don't kill them. They must learn exactly who they are dealing with."

"You hear that Dodoria? You can't kill the potential servants," the blue male said in an amused tone.

The spiked pink male chuckled darkly at the accusation his cohort was hinting at, "I'll be sure they don't keel over after the first punch."

Frieza knew just how ruthless his soldiers could get when assigned on a hunting mission, but he didn't want his targets dead so early on. They would provide him with the important details he desired to know.

Before long, the ship descended into the skies of the peaceful Earth, allowing for a better view of the landscape of the area they were above. Due to the positions of the windows and the cruiser itself, they could only see a portion of a city stretching for miles.

Down below in one of the many cities of Earth, West City to be exact, the citizens watched in awe as a space cruiser gradually flew from one side of the city to the other. Pedestrians that filled the sidewalks completely stopped in their tracks just to stare, or take pictures, videos, and call others.

"Mommy, what is that thing?" a little girl questioned with excitement in her voice.

The girl's mother started to push her daughter towards the door of the house, "I don't know sweetie, but we need to get inside where it's safe."

Everyone in their homes, corporation buildings, and the like, gazed upon it in shock, unable to comprehend the situation. Quickly, they shut the blinds and closed all windows in fear they were about to be attacked. Those who were occupying their vehicle stuck their heads out the windows and curiosity getting the best of them, decided to follow behind the ship in hopes of discovering the reason behind its sudden appearance. They only hoped it was to promote space travel by one of the large companies such as Capsule Corp.

Frieza waited patiently as the ship finished its course over the city and continued to fly until reaching a long stretch of vacant land. The cruiser proceeded to land, but not before the many legs of the ship appeared to allow for ease of access to the ship's door. When the ship grew eerily quiet, only the tyrant's voice could be heard, "A new era is about to begin!"

_Frieza and his army have made his arrival on Earth! Will the Z-Fighters be able to handle the minions of the Planet Trade Organization or will they fall in combat? Will Frieza collect all seven Dragon Balls and gain his immortality? These questions will be answered in the next episodes of Immortal!_

* * *

_**A/n: **_**Okay, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. I know there's not much scenes with Frieza just yet, but it'll come in time. I like to focus on all the characters that are to be affected. Anyway, I am appreciating the support everyone is giving me and please continue with the reviews. I have a lot planned for this story. Also, the poll is still up in my profile. I will be taking it down at the end of the week so make sure to cast your vote. **

**Until Next Time!**


	4. Chapter 3

**1Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the franchise. It is owned by the one and only Akira Toriyama.**

* * *

**Chapter 3 **

**Announcement**

In the midst of the wastelands, Piccolo stood rigid as a board, staring off into the distance. He sensed the various power levels that landed on the planet moments ago, but one in particular stuck out the most. Beads of sweat dripped down the side of his face, _"This is ridiculous. I've never felt a power like this ever. That old fool wasn't bluffing when he said this guy was horrible. Even if we did combine our powers, we'd all be dead meat within seconds. I screwed up big time…"_

Young Gohan stopped in his exercises to stare at his mentor in worry, "Mr. Piccolo, is everything okay?"

"_It's a good thing the kid can't sense power levels yet, or he'll be too scared to do anything," _Piccolo mused as he glanced back at the child. "Don't worry about me kid; just get back to what you were doing."

The boy gave a reluctant nod towards his mentor and continued with his push-ups.

* * *

"My, what a quaint little planet," the self-proclaimed ruler of the universe commented.

While his loyal generals Zarbon and Dodoria were handling up on organizing the troops for scouting, he was busy observing the surrounding area from the roof of the ship. For miles on end, the sight of healthy green-leafed trees and green grass filled his view. In the midst of this, critters of various sizes could be seen from their locations behind the trees, slowly journeying away from the danger they sensed from the cruiser. Dividing the vast area in half was a paved road which led into the city they flew over prior to the landing. He noticed a few hover vehicles passing by in either direction, only for the drivers to come to a slight halt in their tracks to gaze upon his ship in awe before leaving for their destination once more. Besides that, it was absolute peace.

The fact the area was positively tranquil did not bother him so much. He actually preferred the silence for now as it was a change up from the usual activity of the station. However, the silence confirmed his belief that the Earthlings were unsuspecting of his presence. This meant taking over the planet would be quite simple once he obtained what he desired. Of course, he'd have to strike a bit of fear and misery into their hearts while completing his hunt.

"What do you have to report?" he asked glancing to his backside.

"Lord Frieza, the men are finalizing preparations for departure," Zarbon reported quickly. It never surprised the general when his master knew exactly when he and Dodoria had come to him, even if they were silent as rodents. He felt when others were in his presence, watching him from behind.

"Excellent, in due time these puny worms will know the name Lord Frieza," he stated with a sinister grin.

"I'm a bit shock no one has tried to attack yet," Dodoria stated, not quite adjusted to the lack of action upon arrival. During most of his assignments, the inhabitants of the planet were usually waiting at the landing point or at least on guard for the vicious onslaught.

Zarbon brushed a stray hair from the front of his face as the wind blew, "You have to remember Dodoria that this planet is isolated from those we have already conquered in Lord Frieza's name. If anything, they're ignorant of _any _alien life forms coming to intrude on them."

The large pink brute allowed a sadistic grin to appear on his lips, "So I suppose with an exception of a select few, they're totally defenseless. This will be too easy."

"Purging will come after we have collected the Dragon Balls," Frieza said, impressing the importance of their mission.

"Of course Lord Frieza," he responded, having caught the edge in his voice.

As the tyrant prepared to make his way back into his chambers through the small, removable roof, something caught his attention. He focused his gaze to the road that contained about ten vehicles that began to turn off onto the grass in the direction of his ship. He watched as they vehicles stopped and hit the ground before the occupants exited by ones and twos. They proceeded to approach the ship even closer and raised their phones in the air to snap pictures and take videos.

"Wow, just at the size of that thing," a male teenager said, his voice filled with wonder.

"Is this a promotion for a T.V. show?" a woman asked to no one in particular.

"Barbara, I don't think we should be here," a young man said nervously to his wife.

"Who are those people standing up there?" another young male questioned.

Zarbon examined the features of the humans from where he stood, "So, these are the Earthlings. They look somewhat similar to those awful monkeys with the exception of hair colors and lack of tail."

"True, but I doubt they hold the same power," Dodoria questioned. He pressed the button on his scouter. As he watched the scouter lock onto a few individuals, the alien figures displayed their power readings. "Hahaha, this is a too much. At most, they all seem to have a power level of at most five. These fools must want to die, especially if they keep standing there like targets."

"Well then, I saw we give them a proper greeting," Frieza stated deviously. He eased closer to the edge of the ship, shocking the humans a bit further. He raised his hand slightly to be parallel to the side of his face and extended his index finger to allow a purple ball of ki to form. He would surely leave a great first impression on the Earthlings, "I see that my arrival has not gone unnoticed. Allow me to introduce myself; I am the great Lord Frieza, ruler of the universe. I have come to make your planet mine and you will all soon bow down to me."

The group of humans grew a tad frightened at his introduction. Most of them believed their minds were playing tricks on them or a reality show was playing some sort joke on them. They began backing away from the ship so they could make their leave without harm.

"Are they really aliens?!"

"Barbara! We need to get out of here now!"

"This is kinda cool, but I'm not chancing it."

"Ha Ha Ha, don't leave yet," the tyrant chuckled deviously. He was becoming further amused by their actions, "I don't bite…much. I only wish for you to spread word of my presence here. While I am feeling generous, I shall allow you all to escape with your lives within the next ten seconds."

The Earthlings didn't need to be warned twice. As they had made it most of the way to their vehicles, the citizens quickly jumped in and vacated the area…all except for one. The driver was having trouble starting the engine to his vehicle. Ten seconds and a gleam of Frieza's piercing eyes later, the car exploded to smithereens as well as taking the life of the civilian.

"Aw to bad, your time has run out," the tyrant said in an amused tone.

"Well, that was certainly interesting," Zarbon said indifferently. "These Earthlings are actually a bit more intelligent than I thought."

The Arcosian turned his back to the grassy plains and hovered back over the hole leading to his quarters, "Perhaps, but any coward race will use any opportunity they have to escape from possible harm or death. They will become adjusted to this in due time. That is, if I decide to let them live of course."

The large pink brute released a scoff "Unless this feeble planet has something more to offer, it doesn't even need to exist any longer."

"We shall see," Frieza stated simply as he began to lower himself into the ship.

Dodoria followed behind soon after, but Zarbon remained on top. He spotted another vehicle in the distance approaching at a rapid pace. He raised an eyebrow, "_Maybe I spoke a bit too soon. Perhaps those humans __**are **__quite foolish. No sane individual would actually race to his own death."_

He watched as a van came into his view and turned into the grass yards away, coming to a screeching halt. Similar to the other batch of humans to investigate the ship, three people exited, from the vehicle and grabbed equipment from the inside.

"_What are these imbeciles planning?" _he thought to himself.

A blonde woman wearing a blue suit hopped out of the van holding a microphone. She was a reporter for the news station in West City who was offered the task of doing a broadcast on the mysterious alien ship that landed only a short distance away from her home. Quite frankly, she was a very skeptical about taking on the job, but no one else had the bravery to do it themselves as they were too fearful of the possible outcomes.

As her partners were making the final arrangements on setting up the equipment, she was in the process of giving herself a pep-talk to erase all the anxiety from her system, or at least most of it.

"Okay, you can do this," the woman mumbled, in an attempt to boost her confidence. "This could be my big break to climb the ladder of success. I just hope it doesn't end up being life threatening."

"Alright, we're going live," informed the cameraman. "In 3….2…1!"

The blonde female focused her gaze on the video camera and bore a confident expression. When the red light made itself know, she knew it was her cue to begin, "This is Cindy Pan coming to you live in front of what appears to be a large spacecraft. It was sighted above West City a short time ago and it seems it has decided just outside the city. We don't know of its origins and it is something we have not quite seen before. Maybe if we look around, we can learn of the details."

"C-Cindy, I don't think we have to look very far," the male stated hesitantly as he pointed to the top of the ship.

The reporter brought her attention to the top and her eyes widened in shock. Floating a few inches above the ship were three aliens with very different features staring down at them. Her mouth was wide open, enough for flies to come in. Her mind became a jumbled mess, unable to comprehend the situation. However, she had to quickly shake it off enough so she could continue her news report. She motioned for her partner to zoom in on the visitors and continued speaking, "As you can see folks, we have guests here. One can assume on first glance by their wardrobe they're just ordinary humans in costumes, but if we examine them closer, you can tell they're not from our dear planet."

"Lord Frieza, what do you plan on doing with these two insects?" Dodoria questioned. "It appears they're here just to snoop around."

"I suspect they are performing a sort of broadcast to the population," Frieza commented in a bored tone. "I suppose we should give them what they came for then dispose of them afterwards."

Cindy and her partner watched in fright as Frieza slowly descended to the ground in his hover chair only feet away from them. The Arcosian tyrant kept his calm demeanor and his usual smirk. Step by step, the news broadcasters slowly backed away from the evil tyrant.

"_I'm beginning to think taking this story was a horrible idea," _the newswoman thought.

* * *

Meanwhile in Central City, King Furry was watching the current broadcast right outside West City. He frowned deeply at the confidence the unknown extraterrestrial was displaying. It was as if he had absolutely nothing to worry about, even the consequences.

"I know these aliens aren't here for anything positive," the canine leader said to no one. "It will only lead to another situation similar to King Piccolo. Their presence will only send the population into widespread panic once more. I am very grateful of Briefs for providing me with the details of their arrival as the necessary precautions have been handled."

"_To the insects of this puny little place you call home, I am Lord Frieza, your new ruler."_

A vein made itself known on the top of his head as Furry growled in anger. This Frieza character spoke with the utmost confidence, as if no one could argue against the fact. The screen suddenly went to static infuriating the king even further. He would show the invader a thing or two about coming to Earth with dark intentions.

He reached over to his phone, pressing only one button to contact who he needed.

* * *

Frieza's back was turned away from the scorched grass where the broadcasters and their vehicle once stood. It was obvious that he ended their lives swiftly once he made his announcement. He floated back to his ship and as he was, he could see his loyal soldiers exiting the ship and departing into different directions. They had already been given their specific orders, so everything should run smoothly.

He watched as the final group of scouts left the vicinity and went through the door to the halls. From these two encounters with the humans, he was becoming increasingly annoyed by their characteristics.

"_These insects were frightened by my mere appearance. They cowered in fear at my declaration and the smallest display of my power. Perhaps I should have my men purge it or I should just destroy it altogether once my business is finished. I have no point in allowing an insignificant planet being a part of my empire when the inhabitants are nothing but weak fools. I may spare the lives of their strongest warriors if they show promise."_

The Arcosian ruler detested weaklings, but at the same time he refused to have anyone close to him in power in his army. Call it paranoia, but he didn't want to risk any chance of having his men one day rising up against him to end his life. Sure his soldiers were years behind from achieving his glorious power though he wanted to ensure the entire situation was avoided. His purpose in life was to rule the entire universe with his hands alone and he would make sure absolutely _nothing _stood in his way. Anyone that dared to oppose him in his journey for conquest would perish in moments.

With a confident smirk, he returned to his quarters to find Zarbon and Dodoria awaiting him with some of his most capable soldiers. The five stood at attention as they awaited his orders while showing undying confidence. He was pleased. One thing he refused to tolerate from his soldiers was fear. Fear meant weakness; a characteristic that would lead to ultimate failure and deemed useless to his army.

"As you all know, while this planet is infested by insignificant worms, there are strong warriors amongst them," Frieza informed calmly. "However, I am quite sure they will be no match for your power. I want each of you to locate these warriors and return them. I don't particularly care if you use force, just don't kill them. To decrease their chances of possible escape before obtaining the information I need, the necessary items to limit their abilities will be ready upon your return. Is that clear?"

"Yes Lord Frieza," the five henchmen chorused.

"Move out and do not fail me," he stated returning to his usual spot by the window.

The five soldiers exited the room, leaving the tyrant to his musings.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, this was definitely the shortest chapter. I'm pretty sure the chapters after this one will become longer for sure. Sorry it took so long to get the chapter up, but I've been busy lately and playing DBZ Tenkaichi Tag Team to really get me into the spirit of writing. It has helped a lot. Nothing really went on in this chapter, but it'll get better from the next chapter on. I will be updating on Mondays, but it will likely change down the line. I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far, but again, things will pick up next chapter.**

**Until Next Time!**


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the franchise. It is the property of Akira Toriyama; I am merely a fan writing this for fun.**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**Encounters**

For the first time in a long period of time, the heiress to the Capsule Corporation business was frightened. No words could express the intense emotion she felt at this current moment. The blue haired genius had just witnessed the broadcast right outside her city. The alien invader known as Frieza had come to their humble planet in order to conqueror it. She automatically knew by the sinister tone in his voice and the dangerous gleam in his piercing eyes that pandemonium was going to brew quickly with his presence.

As a race, the humans were rather cowardly when faced with evil threats, but since majority of their planet had zero abilities in defending themselves from trouble she couldn't help but blame the population of Earth. In fact, she was one of them too. The only way she managed to get out of many situations was due to the fact she used her intelligence to draw a quick solution. However, the problem was solved because Goku's strength backed up her plans and unfortunately, her long time best friend was still dead to help.

Bulma peeked through the closed blinds of her window but she immediately regretted her decision. Soaring through the skies were countless aliens heading in different directions and seemed to be hanging around over the populated city. She closed the blinds once more and backed away carefully.

"Man, this is horrible," she said in a frightened voice. "We're being invaded by more aliens and it looks like they can pack a punch."

The blue haired maiden walked to the kitchen where she found her mother cooking lunch and her father reading the morning paper with Scratch sitting over his shoulder. She looked at her parents as if they had lost their minds. While they are being intruded upon by hostile, unwanted visitors, they were acting in their casual fashions. She released an exasperated sigh as she took a seat at the table by her father.

"I can't believe this is happening," she said to no one in particular. "And how can you guys be so calm about this? The Earth is in great danger!"

Dr. Briefs glanced from his reading and looked over to his daughter, "I understand you worries sweetheart, but there is really nothing we can do about it. They contain powers beyond our comprehension and probably won't waste any time trying to dispose of those standing in their way. We have to remain calm in this crisis and hope for the best."

"Dad, don't you think I know that?" Bulma retorted in annoyance. "I'm worried that for once that we won't be saved at the end of the day. The bad guys might win for once."

"Don't think so negatively," her father stated flipping to the next page. "Hopefully the royal army may be able to diminish their forces. If not, I'm sure Yamcha and the others can provide excellent defense from this Frieza character."

Bunny approached the table, handing a plate of food to Bulma and her husband. She gave a daughter a warm, knowing smile, "Believe me sweetie, we're all just as worried as you, but it's just like what your father said. We need to stay calm and everything is sure to be okay. Now eat up."

The young woman nodded reluctantly in response and began to eat her mother's cooking, "_I just can't help the feeling that that you guys couldn't be more wrong."_

* * *

"Lord Frieza, the items you have asked for have been completed as you requested," informed an elderly humanoid male from behind.

Frieza remained quiet; lost in his train of thoughts. Majority of his henchmen had gone off to scout he planet of information while his elites were in search of the planet's strongest warriors. So far, his plans were going accordingly and it seemed nothing would go wrong. How could it when the ball of dirt was infested with nothing but pitiful cretins? He knew they would merely hide in fear from anything out of their definition of ordinary. He chuckled ominously, "_The Earthlings I have seen up to this point are quite entertaining. They're afraid of power. They cower at the mere threat of their life being taken away from them. The curiosity of discovering something foreign to the home world will cause ultimate demise. I wonder if I shall receive more guests. Perhaps news has spread and they understand to not approach my ship, but I better not speak so soon."_

"Lord Frieza," the scientist called in an attempt to catch his ruler's attention.

"Did you say something Planthor?" Frieza questioned, sparing the male a small glance.

The scientist, known as Planthor held out bands colored in a brilliant gold color, "Yes my Lord. We have completed what you have asked of us and they are fully operational."

Frieza's turned his full body towards the soldier, taking interest in the subject at hand. He eyed the band being held out and smirked, "Ah yes. These shall be quite useful when these earthling warriors are brought to the ship. Are you sure they are functioning correctly?"

"Without a doubt," he responded confidently. "We tested it on one the men and it restricted their power to the point where they were as helpless as a kitten."

"Excellent," Frieza stated in a pleased voice. "It seems I shall have no trouble in the near future. You may go now. Make sure Zarbon and the rest of them receive them upon their return."

Without a word, the caped scientist departed the room, leaving Frieza to his own once more. Slowly but surely his plans were coming into fruition, _"I shall not allow any single being stand in my path of galactic conquest. My father is the true head of the organization, but very few know of that small fact. However, I wish to strip him of that title so I can claim it as my own. Then there is Cooler who wishes for the title himself. Our conversations have proved that he holds contempt towards me, but I am the stronger of the two of us and I shall reinforce that notion into his mind once I see him once more."_

Frieza darkened his gaze. He removed his body from his hover chair and slowly floated to the window of his quarters once again. He vaguely heard noise through the opening at the top of the ship and just as he thought, multiple vehicles were approaching his ship. However, they were very different from the ones he saw previously. There were a few that were four wheeled with no hoods and only a front window protecting their faces from flying objects. Right behind them were cars that seemed to be made of heavy duty material all around a dark tinted window to keep those on the outside from looking in.

He watched as the humans quickly exited their vehicles wearing orange and blue uniforms and carrying guns in their hands. The Arcosian allowed a nefarious smirk to appear on his lips, "Ah, it seems this planet does have a defense team. They may provide a bit of entertainment for me while I wait."

Frieza returned to his chair and ascended to the top in view of the "threatening" military forces sent by the king of the planet. He glanced to the skies to see helicopters hovering over his ship with more armed soldiers pointing their guns directly at him.

"_I wonder if they actually expect me to be intimidated by their numbers," _he thought amused by the sight. _"It's a shame really that they do not understand the caliber of my powers. They must think they are dealing with a tyrant originating from their own planet."_

"Do not move, we have you surrounded!" a head soldier stated on the megaphone.

Frieza somewhat complied with the orders as he remained in his position above the ship. Where he stood did not matter. His incredible power could easily wipe out a majority of the forces surrounding his ship. It required very little effort, but he chose to humor them for the time being, "Do you really expect to harm me with those pitiful weapons? I am the almighty Lord Frieza. I can do away with your entire fleet should you anger me."

The captain of the army glared darkly at the Arcosian. He disliked the confidence etched in his voice. It's as if he knew they could do no harm to them. Anyone with a brain cell knew that the invader was dangerous if the stay on their planet is prolonged. He refused to tolerate homicidal maniacs and their plans to kill the citizens he was sworn to protect. The incident with King Piccolo caused the army to build up the forces even more and upgrade their weapons to better match those with higher powers. Many had been killed and he planned on to keep the population alive this time around.

"We will not falter at your threats!" announced the captain. "If you do not leave, we will be forced to attack!"

Frieza chuckled darkly which quickly turned into a full out cackle, "HAHAHA! I do not plan on leaving until I get what I desire! Go ahead and send give me everything you have! I'm sure it won't hurt one bit."

The commander growled in frustration. He would not fall for the alien's bait. If he meant what he said, then it would only cause everyone's destruction in a matter of time. Unfortunately, if they didn't act at all it would lead to the same result. He raised the radio communicator on his shirt closer to his lips, "Prepare for necessary action."

"Have I frightened you?" Frieza questioned in a mocking voice. He raised a single finger into the air, forming a single purple ball of ki that was full of killing intent. His malicious gaze focused on a single vehicle as he released his attack onto the unsuspecting soldier. In a matter of seconds, the ki blast came into contact with the jeep, causing it to explode into millions of pieces and sent the soldiers within a few feet of the car into the others.

In retaliation, the soldiers raised their guns pointedly at the Arcosian and opened fire at the word of their commander. While the bullets approached the ruthless tyrant, he merely kept his confident smirk.

* * *

Elsewhere, Zarbon dashed upon the sky of the planet. The green haired male was heading to an unknown location in which his scouter detected two power levels. Before leaving the ship, the five henchmen to Frieza located the highest power levels on the mud-ball and settled in which locations they would travel to. While he and Dodoria had chosen to find the ones where it seemed to be two fighters, the others were sent to handle those that were on their own. From the power readings he was getting, he knew his opponents would not last more than 5 minutes with him in battle.

Zarbon glanced to the surface below, somewhat intrigued by the various landscapes. Many planets he visited were the same in every part of the world. There were very few differences in the vast regions, but here, he could tell whenever he transitioned from one area to another. They landed in a grassy plain right outside a populous city, but since he departed, he traveled through a foggy savannah filled with large creatures, a desert, and now what seemed to be more of a wasteland. Not one area seemed to disrupt the other.

However, that was of least importance. Currently, he was closing in on the two power levels that were not too far from his location. Soon, he started to notice cliffs, pillars, and small patches of grass and in the distance, two figures. A confident smirk appeared on his lips as he approached the figures and quickly came to a descent as they fully came into his view.

With a soft patter on the grassy surface, Zarbon landed before the ones he had been looking for. He examined the two figures before him from top to bottom. On the left was a tall, green warrior dressed in a purple gi and two antennas protruding from his forehead. On his side was a small child, possibly no older than 5 wearing the exact same gi with long black hair reaching past his shoulders.

Zarbon released an amused chuckle, "How fascinating. I didn't think I would be the one to come across a child and someone far from home. So, this is one of the best this planet has to offer? This is quite funny if I do say so myself."

Piccolo growled in frustration. Beads of sweat rolled down the side of his face as he analyzed the warrior opposite to him. While a large contrast to the power he felt upon their ship's landing, he had never felt energy so large before. It was unbelievable! Even Raditz power paled in comparison to this mysterious warrior.

"_Great, these aliens pick the wrong time to come to Earth," _Piccolo thought angrily. "_We're severely unprepared for this new menace."_

Almost half a year ago, he and Goku had to grudgingly team up with one another to defeat his brother. If it weren't for Gohan unleashing his hidden potential from watching his father getting hurt, he would have been dead along with his rival as well as the rest of the planet. He knew they wouldn't be so lucky this time around. They would be lucky if they even lasted a full minute against this foe and that's if he decided to go easy on them.

Maybe they should have combined forces. At least they would have stood a better chance against the invaders. They were going to have to do it anyway when the saiyans arrived. However, all he could think about was the fact that he had to open his big mouth that led them to this mess in the first place.

Zarbon continued to stand before the Namek and child, his cape blowing in the wind. He was relishing the fact his opponents were staring at him the way they were. They were anxious; horrified by his presence. However, he was the least of the worries for the time being. They had much larger fears to worry about once he brought them to Lord Frieza to release the information he desired about the Dragon Balls.

He glanced to Gohan first to observe him more closely, "_The child is definitely alarmed. He must be the student of that green man standing next to him since he's dressed in identical clothing. However, judging by his miniscule power level and open display of emotion, he has never fought in battle before. Then again, to say he is one so young and belong to a pathetic race, he does have quite the admirable power. Perhaps he is the son of Raditz's forgotten brother. As long as he is restricted, he could become Lord Frieza's new pet since Vegeta is clearly growing rebellious."_

"Alright, I'm getting tired of you just standing there and not saying anything," Piccolo stated in annoyance, growing anxious by the second. He had caught the male's gaze on his student and it could only mean trouble. "I'm in no mood for games. Who are you and why are you here?! If it's not for anything important then you can just buzz off!"

The hazel eyed male chuckled in response, "You should really learn how to approach those superior to you in a better fashion. It could lead to a few undesirable results; for you that is."

The Namekian warrior grunted, "I'm pretty sure I asked you a question. What are your reasons for coming to Earth and who are you?!"

"I suppose it would be beneficial to you to learn my name," Zarbon stated brushing his hairs back into place. "I am Zarbon, general to Lord Frieza and his most trusted elite soldier. I have come to collect you in his name so we can learn more about your planet's little _secret_."

"_Just like I thought, they're after the Dragon Balls," _Piccolo mused. "I have no idea what you're talking about, so you can just leave."

"I know you're bluffing," the soldier retorted, seeing right through the lie. "It's written all over your face. You know exactly what I'm talking about. I'm quite sure the words "Dragon Balls" ring some sort of bell in your puny little mind."

"Never heard of them," the Namek stated calmly and quickly. He'd never give away the information about the orbs so easily; especially to one who would only cause more trouble than necessary.

Zarbon was becoming highly impatient with the resistance he was receiving from the inferior alien. He hated having to get his clothes dirty, but it seemed that he had no choice. The male released a sigh and gazed darkly at the Namek, "Since you're being so foolish as to feign ignorance, I suppose I have to use force and drag you to Lord Frieza."

"I had a feeling this was going to happen," Piccolo stated as he began to crack his knuckles. "Give me your best shot."

While his mentor seemed prepared to face the evil opponent, the young saiyan hybrid was not as eager. He was scared to the bone. He had never had experience in a true battle against a real enemy. He had only sparred with Piccolo a couple of times in the past few days, but that was about it. This guy seemed so much stronger. He would be of no help trying to fight him. He would probably only get killed and he was way too young to die.

Then another thought occurred to him. The alien male had mentioned something about the Dragon Balls. He used to have the four star ball on his hat; a possession that once belong to his father's grandpa. It was something special to him and to think someone from a foreign planet managed to hear about them. If they obtain them all that could only mean one thing: his dad's friends won't be able to be wished back at the end of the year. Even if the odds were not in their favor, he needed to put forth his best effort so their powers could remain a secret.

He swallowed a lump that formed in his throat and shakily dropped in the stance Piccolo had showed him. It was far from perfect, but due to the limited time, he would only have to make do with it.

Zarbon released a small laugh, "You're telling me to give you my best shot when you clearly don't know what you're up against. In a matter of moments, you will regret your decision of fighting me. I shall allow you one free shot before I get down to business."

"That's all I need," Piccolo stated to the general. "Kid, give him everything you have and do not be afraid to attack. The slightest hesitation can lead to our demise."

"R-Right," the young child stuttered.

The general waited for the two to attack and when they did, he smirked deviously. Without a word, Piccolo charged at the general at full speed. He pulled back his arm and quickly brought it forth in the intentions of hitting the male in his face. Before his fist collided with the flesh, Zarbon caught it in the palm of his hand with no effort. With his visible eye, he gave the Namek a shadowy glare, "I will not tolerate anyone to disrupt my beautiful features."

Piccolo swiftly swung his right leg behind his opponent's legs and under his feet. As the general allowed his body to slightly fall towards the ground, his grip on the Namek's fist grew tighter. Using just the right amount of strength he flipped Piccolo over his body and just as he released his grasp, he forcefully kicked him in his gut, sending him flying. At the end of his flip, he planted his feet back on the ground.

The Namekian warrior landed into the cliff with a thud and slowly fell to the ground. Despite the pain he felt in his body, he rose to his feet and glared at the general, _"Despite his appearance, he really packs a punch. Facing him head on is a bad idea. I need to think of a way to outsmart him without having to get too close." _

"Is that the best you can do?" he questioned in a tone of disappointment. Zarbon delicately brushed his hair back into place once more and set his sights on the half saiyan child of Goku. _"I should take him out now_

Gohan had been preparing to attack, but what he just witnessed only petrified him even further. He managed to send his teacher flying with no effort at all! He barely even broke a sweat. Could he attempt to deal harm on the enemy? It seemed pretty hopeless. When he noticed the hazel eyes of the general on him, he stiffened in his spot once again.

"I can see now that you are of no use in battle at the moment," Zarbon stated in a matter of fact tone. "I'll make this quick for you and knock you out now."

"W-wha?" the boy stuttered in fright. Just before he could get another word out, Zarbon vanished from his sight and reappeared inches in front the young boy. When his mind processed exactly of the man's new position it was already too late. He bent over enough to meet the boy's level and punched him in the gut. Immediately, Gohan quickly placed his arms over his stomach in pain hunched over, "Gah! T-that hurts."

Using this chance, Zarbon elbowed the boy on his head, swiftly knocking him unconscious. He watched as the child fell to the ground helpless to any further threat and scoffed at the weakness he held, "A few days with Lord Frieza should change that. It's quite pathetic really. I've seen saiyan children that pack more of punch than you. Then again, it's obvious you are only a hybrid."

Suddenly, his scouter started beeping and locking onto an increasing power level close to his position. He followed it's arrow to find that it belonged to the Namek. He was standing in one spot with his fingers held to his forehead charging an attack. Zarbon crossed his arms in a casual manner, though somewhat interested in what his opponent was planning, "_Since he's concentrating all his energy into one spot, his reading of 1,000 has nearly tripled. He could actually be of use to Lord Frieza in the future."_

Zarbon coolly walk away from the fallen Gohan to ensure his master's new pet wasn't affected by the blast. He couldn't help but notice though that the Namek held a confident grin as he began to remove his fingers away from his body.

"Special Beam Cannon!" Piccolo yelled, unleashing the blast. The stream of light spiraled by-passed his arch-enemies son and straight towards the alien general, or so he first thought. When it came into collision with its target, a blinding light could be seen and an explosion erupted, causing debris to fly into the air and a dust cloud to form. A small smirk appeared on the Namek's lips, "I gave him just what he was begging for. Even if he wanted to, I doubt if he actually managed to avoid it."

"You would be surprised," commented Zarbon from behind.

Piccolo nearly froze in his spot; surprised to hear the voice of his enemy behind him so very soon. He turned around to meet the male's gaze and just as before, he continued to wear that cocky grin on his lips. He growled in frustration as he quickly jumped back from his spot. "_This is ridiculous! There's no way he should have gotten out of that without a scratch! It doesn't make any sense!"_

"By the look on your face, you hadn't been expecting me to appear behind you," Zarbon stated. "That should show you just how far apart we are in terms of power. Anyway, while this encounter has been amusing on my part, I should end this now. I cannot be wasting my time as Lord Frieza desires what he wants as soon as possible."

"Then you'll have to take me by force," Piccolo stated defiantly. "I'm not going anywhere with the likes of you."

"Well, since you continue to insist on fighting a losing battle, I'll take you up on your suggestion," the trusted henchman responded.

Zarbon flipped backwards in mid-air, kicking the Namekian before he had a chance to block. He was sent flying further into the sky and as he stopped himself, Zarbon swiftly approached him and kicked him multiple times before sending his body in another direction. He vanished from sight and reappeared on the other side, waiting for Piccolo to come closer, only to deal a right hook into his face and kicked him downwards to the surface.

The melee offered very little chances for Piccolo to defend himself. Helplessly, he dropped to the floor face front. He moved his hands closer together slowly and struggled to get back to his feet. Right as he got his body a good two inches from the rocky surface, a devastating blow to his back pushed him onto the ground once again. He released a yell of agony, but he refused to go down this way. Tried as he might, he attempted to push the force that was Zarbon's foot away from him to no avail.

"_D-Darn!" _he thought, before slipping into a state of unconsciousness.

When the outlandish soldier was sure his foe was down for the count, he removed his foot from the Namek's back and released a sigh. Finally, he had completed his task and all he had to do now was get them back to the ship.

* * *

On another part of Earth, Dodoria was in search of his victims. Just like his cohort Zarbon, he also had to find two Earthlings that were right amongst each other. There was no doubt in his mind that they had been expecting some company of the sort visiting their waste of a planet. It was too much of a coincidence. However, from the readings all their scouter's had picked up, even if they did combine their numbers, there would be no possible way to defeat them.

He actually didn't mind fighting multiple opponents. It just gave him more to look forward to in battle as far as the ridiculous plans they would come up with in hopes of defeating him. However, after a short period of time he would simply end their lives with no effort at all. This time, he had to be careful of his strength since Frieza wanted the prey alive for the time being.

"These Earthlings better put up at least a fight," he mumbled. "I highly doubt they will come willingly, but that makes it all the more enjoyable for me."

Soon enough, he arrived at the location of his targets that were in sort of a clearing by a waterfall. He landed on the edge of one of the cliffs hanging over a narrow path across from his prey. He scoffed as he analyzed his victims. On the left was the tall male triclops wearing a white t-shirt, a pair of green pants with a red sash tied around the waist, and black boots. Floating to his side was his trusty and long-time companion dressed in similar clothing. He was pale in skin coloring with a red circle on each cheek, making him look similar to a clown, and a red-tipped black hat.

Tien and Chiaotzu stared indifferently at their alien intruder. They had sensed him approaching their location a while ago, as his ki was one that could not be missed. They felt anxious about actually standing up against a foe's who power towered over their own. Just judging by his appearance and confident demeanor, it didn't take long to figure out he seen many battles in his day away from their planet.

"_This is bad. I was unsure of what we were initially up against, but now, it has me worried," _Tien mused as he released a frustrated growl. "_Chiaotzu and I don't stand a chance against this guy. It would be foolish to go against him because it would only lead to our deaths. I guess the best option is to figure out his motives before deciding on a plan."_

"So, this is the best your planet has to offer?" Dodoria questioned in a mocking tone.

The triclops darkened his gaze at the fearsome Spikariant, "It would be wise not to underestimate us. We are quite full of surprises. Now, I want to know just exactly who you are and what are your reasons for coming to Earth. We weren't expecting any _visitors."_

Dodoria folded his arms over his chest, "Ha, who I am isn't important. However, Lord Frieza, someone who you will get to know quite well very soon, heard a little rumor about these Dragon Balls you possess and requires a bit of background information."

"_Kami was right…" _Tien thought. "If it's only a rumor, then what makes you think I would know anything about them? Besides, isn't it pretty foolish to follow blindly after something you don't know for sure that truly exists?"

"You are correct on that last part," Dodoria admitted, with a slight grin. "However, Lord Frieza heard it for himself from the one who defeated our low-level soldier, Raditz, that his brother would be revived by his friends with those items. Since it's no doubt you are among the few with fighting abilities, you know Raditz's brother and therefore know of the Dragon Balls."

"We don't know anyone named Raditz or who he's related to that lives here," Chiaotzu stated.

"Do you really take me for an idiot?" the spiked general questioned; his voice etched with annoyance. "There's no point in concealing it because we're just going to find out anyway, so it's easier to just come with me and start talking."

"Even if there were the chance that they are real, I'd never tell you anything," Tien responded defiantly. "Added, should you desire to harm the people of Earth, I'd never permit you to do such an act."

"Oh really? Care to back that up?" Dodoria questioned; goading the two Earthlings into assaulting an attack. "I'll tell you now. You don't stand a single chance against me. You might as well surrender and come peacefully. It'll save you from a few life-threatening injuries."

"Never!" Tien growled.

The Spikariant's eyes reflected sadistic glee at the male's declaration, "If that's the way you want it then I don't mind beating you and your little friend to a pulp. It just makes it that much easier in getting you to comply. So, come at me with everything you have."

Tien had a gut feeling a fight was going to transpire no matter which way the conversation went. He saw the eyes of the male standing across from him and they reflected malicious intent since the moment he landed. The only way he could avoid fighting this vicious foe was to leave peacefully, but he refused to cooperate with those with evil hearts. In the end, he would only become dead meat once his usefulness to these mysterious enemies has been ended. He refused to go down with a fight.

He glanced to his best friend worriedly, "Chiaotzu, I want you to stay this one out. It won't do you any good if you die again."

"No Tien, I'm staying by your side," the small male responded. "We're going to get through this together."

The triclops martial artist expected this answer. Despite the grim situations faced before them, the small man refused to leave his side and there was no convincing him out of it once his mind had been made up. He would offer his assistance in any way possible and who was he to deny him? Tien gave a firm nod to his friend, "Alright Chiaotzu. Let's give it everything we have."

"Gehehehe, it doesn't matter if one or both of you weaklings attack me," Dodoria stated confidently. "In the end, you're just going to be dead meat by the time I get through with you. Now, give me everything you have."

The former Crane students gave each other slow nods and dropped into their fighting stances. Even if the odds were terribly one sided, they would never back down from an enemy with dark intentions.

* * *

At the Son home in the Mt. Paozu district, Chi-Chi was in the process of washing the day's dishes. She had recently seen the news broadcast, but the second it ended, she turned off the T.V. She had received a call from Bulma about the approaching aliens, but she didn't really think it was true. Now that she saw it with her own eyes, she didn't know what to think, but her mind continued to stay on her only son. He was out in the world somewhere, far from home, and possibly in the midst of the new danger.

The Son matriarch was frightened that Gohan would end up being taken elsewhere by these evil creatures. If that were to happen, she wouldn't be able to see him anymore. Not only that, he'd never become a scholar that she'd always dreamed he would become.

"None of this should have ever happened," Chi-Chi said in a sad voice. "My little boy was supposed to be here studying instead of fighting for his life. He's too young to be involved with martial arts or fighting maniacs bent on destruction. I feel like I could've done more to protect him from what's going on."

She felt her heart clench as she thought of her child. Maybe it was her motherly instincts kicking in as usual, but she felt something terrible just occurred to Gohan, _"Oh sweetie, please be okay. Goku come back soon so you can save our little boy."_

* * *

"GAAHH!" Tien yelled as his back slammed into the cold, hard surface. His body was in excruciating pain from the few licks dealt by the alien soldier. He and Chiaotzu had tried starting out on the defensive by using the Solar Flare and attack from a distance, but the second he regained his sight, he unleashed an unforgiving assault. It didn't take long for him to knock out the small man and set his sights on the triclops. Due to the Spikariant's sheer strength and the speed he held over him, his evasion of techniques or simple blocking proved useless.

The Triclops turned his aching body around and began pushing himself to his feet. Unfortunately, the general wasn't having any of that. Dodoria smashed his elbow into the male's back, causing a roar of pain to escape from his lips.

"You might as well stay down," Dodoria stated in an amused voice. "If I do anything else, you're just going to die as a result."

"_What am I to do? I can't fight any longer…," _Tien thought angrily, before drifting off into a state of unconsciousness.

"These Earthlings are nothing but a bunch of weaklings," Dodoria grumbled. "They'll be lucky if Lord Frieza even decides to spare their miserable little lives. In fact, they're just better off dead. I guess I'll just have to wait until he gives the word for their extinction. Now I better get back to the ship before Lord Frieza gets too impatient."

He picked up the triclops by one hand and slung him over his back and proceeded to walk over to Chiaotzu and held him under his arm. Without a word, he departed into the skies towards the ship once again.

* * *

**A/n: And that is the end. I will try to make the chapters more to this length or possibly longer. Anything too short bothers me because I can put much more detail into it. I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far and things will pick up a little more again next chapter. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, put this on their favorites, and following it. Please be sure to drop your thoughts in the box below and see what happens in the next chapter.****If Malaka managed to make it off Vegeta before its destruction, shouldn't Planthor have done so too?**

**Anyway, Until Next Time!**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: I do not own Dragon Ball Z in any way. It is owned by Akira Toriyama, Toei Animations, and Bird Studios. I am only a fan writing this for fun.**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**Encounters pt. 2**

_Training Isle_

Krillin couldn't hate his luck any more that what he did right now. He was basically being forced into having an encounter with an oncoming evil space pirate from who knows where. It was bad enough in the beginning when he had train to face against two saiyans that weren't coming until the end of the year. Now, on such short notice, they had to deal with an entire space army for reasons slightly unknown. At first, he just believed his best friend was nothing but a trouble magnet, but since he was dead for the time being with zero knowledge of the current situation, he had to withdraw the belief.

He had to admit, the universe had its way of working. Usually, most of the events to occur had a reason for transpiring in the first place whether they liked it or not. In the end, it was to help them grow in ways they didn't think possible. There was always some type of life lesson at the end of the day that built a bridge for a better future. So, he really couldn't complain too much. Maybe the invasion was going to allow something positive to come out of it in the end. Who knows? He just needed to see this to the end; even if it meant he had to die trying. Hopefully, the dying part didn't need to come.

He shuddered a bit in his spot as he felt the presence of the intruder come closer to his current location. It was something he'd never felt before in his entire life. It was miles apart from his present standings in terms of strength. Actually, it made Raditz seem like a weak kitten. He swallowed a lump forming in the middle of his throat, "Man, I hope I get out of this alive cause this guy's power is just crazy. At least it's not as bad as the first one I felt when they landed. I don't wanna be the unlucky guy that has to face against _him. _I really wish Goku was still here. He'd know what to do."

The former monk gulped once more as the mysterious force quickly advanced towards the scene. In a matter of time, the alien landed right before him bearing a cocky grin. Krillin eyed the stranger to get a very good look at him. He had an indigo skin tone and his face bore the similarities to a fish face with two whiskers, one on each side, and it seemed that he even had scales. He wore a set of armor similar to Goku's brother, though colored in blue with brown padding. Underneath the armor was a black spandex suit that stretched to his feet covered by green boots though his arms were bare of the material and his hands were covered by white gloves. Finally, covering one of his eyes was a green scouter just like Raditz.

"_He doesn't seem so…scary," _Krillin assumed nervously. "_On the other hand, his energy says otherwise. Man, I hope the guys are having better luck than I'm having."_

The soldier, Cui, analyzed the former monk with a smug grin. The power reading the man was miniscule compared to his own. He wouldn't have any trouble getting him to surrender. It was a shame to say the few Earthlings he and his cohorts tracked with their scouters were considered the strongest among their kind. Then again, many in the universe didn't contain the power of those working in the Planet Trade Organization.

Cui did have a few annoyances about actually rounding up the peons on the planet. He felt low class soldiers would have been better suited to complete the tasks. One wrong look at the little worms would cause them to croak under their might power. Then again, those with the higher rank were competent and could actually finish the orders of Frieza with little to no problems at all.

"I can tell just by the look on your face you don't want me here," Cui stated bluntly.

Krillin growled as he put on his brave face, "Well of course I don't. Any time we have strange people pop up out of the blue, it never ends well. If you're here to take over Earth then you can just forget it. I'll never let you complete your goal."

"You talk big for one with only a power of 650," Cui stated with a slight frown. He had to admit, the weak human was showing courage right at the face of one who could kill him in the blink of an eye. "I will mop the floor with you if you even dared tried to attack me. Anyway, I will cut to the chase and make it easy for you. Come with me peacefully to Lord Frieza or you will face the consequences."

"This Frieza guy is your boss then, huh?" Krillin guessed. It was the only thing he could think of from the way the scaly alien addressed the unknown party.

"Correct, and in due time he will be the ruler of this planet along with the rest of the universe," Cui responded confidently. "If you swear your loyalty to him, he just might spare your pitiful life."

"Sorry, but I'm not going anywhere with you and this Frieza guy isn't taking over our planet," the bald male declined.

The scaly alien released an amused chuckle from his lips, "Heh, heh, heh, that's not a matter for you to decide on and you're coming with me whether you like it or not. Like I said earlier, I'm giving you a chance to come of your own will before I have to use force."

"My answer is the same!" Krillin proclaimed. "I'm not going anywhere."

Cui chuckled darkly as he shook his head, "Suit yourself. Personally, I don't mind showing weaklings their place in the world. Don't say I didn't warn you when you're on your knees begging for mercy."

"I'd rather die than serve the lunatic you work for," Krillin grumbled as he dropped into his fighting stance. _"I hope I don't regret this."_

"That can be arranged in due time," Cui said as charged at the male.

* * *

_Yajirobe's Prairie _

Yajirobe was in the process of trying to hide from the alien that seemed to be after him. No matter where he went, the intruder followed him. He just couldn't shake him off. From time to time, he would hear the octopus calling him out at a distance because it was no point in hiding. As he continued to scatter through the rainy jungle, he began to see truth in the statement. However, he wasn't about to let a weird creep capture him and whisk him off to who knows where to kill him. He wasn't about to lose his life; not today.

He slowly peeked from behind the large tree and to his relief he didn't see it any longer, "Finally, I thought I'd never lose him. I know I said I would help, but I never said exactly how. I'll wait until the right moment and figure something out."

Unfortunately for the samurai, he would have no such chance. The second he turned around to head to the little hut he once resided in, he was in for a rude awakening. His eyes widened and a few bead of sweats rolled down the side of his face when he came face to face with the one who had been chasing after him for a little while now. He was a purple octopus-like humanoid alien with yellowish spots all over his body. He wore he traditional armor of those in the Planet Trade Organization and a green scouter covered one of his eyes. He bored a very annoyed expression and a vein could be seen on the side of his forehead.

Yajirobe released a nervous chuckle as he gradually backed away from the freakish alien, "Heh heh heh, hey. W-Welcome to E-Earth."

"I've had enough of your foolish games," Appule stated bluntly. To say he was annoyed would be an understatement. Every time it seemed he was close to catching the samurai, the man would speed off further into the depths of the woods. When he hadn't been paying enough attention to his surroundings, he was attacked by snakes or spiders hanging on their webs in the dead center of the path. During the entire search, he questioned if it was even worth the trouble of chasing after the cowardly human. He clearly had little intention of talking to him, much less wanting to be taken to his boss. "You're coming with me to Lord Frieza."

"Look I don't know who you are or where the heck you came from, but I ain't going anywhere," Yajirobe stated, having forgotten about his previous state of fear. "And who is this Frieza guy anyway and what the heck could he want with me?"

"_Lord _Frieza desires your planet's Dragon Balls and you are going to tell him where they are," Appule said, reaching a hand towards the samurai.

He quickly slapped his hand away and began backing away from the alien, "Don't put your hands on me! Look, I don't know what you're talking about so it's no use in taking me to this Frieza character you keep speakin' of. Now if you don't mind, I have something to do."

The second he turned his back away from Appule, he felt tight grips around his wrists. The grunt was sure his grip was firm and any attempt of the samurai trying to escape would be useless. It didn't require much of his power to keep him restrained as his target wasn't strong in the first place.

"Not so fast," Appule stated, pulling him closer.

"H-Hey, let go of me," Yajirobe demanded, struggling against the alien's grip. "I already told ya' I don't know about them. Ya' just wasting ya' energy."

"I assure you, your tone will change soon enough," Appule stated as he kneed the plump samurai in the back.

"GAH! W-What's t-that for?!" the samurai questioned. "You're gonna g-get it the first chance I get."

"That'll be the day," the octopus grunt said in an unconvinced tone. Appule released swiftly removed his grip with one hand and chopped the man forcefully in the neck rendering him unconscious.

Appule released an annoyed sigh; relieved his task had been completed. He knew it would be a pain trying to locate a weak Earthling, but he never expected him to be quite the handful. It was no doubt in his mind that the human lived in this part, meaning he knew the area better than any visitor.

* * *

_Diablo Desert_

"Ka…me…ha…me…HA!" Yamcha yelled, thrusting his arms forward as a light blue wave of energy barreled towards the humanoid alien.

The opponent, Namole, avoided the energy blast seconds after the former bandit unleashed it in his direction. Before the bandit had the chance to disperse the energy blast, Namole charged to his side, unleashing an energy ball of his own mere inches away from him. Upon collision, it sent Yamcha flying to the side. He skidded across hot rocky surface, scraping his skin and his clothes. He landed roughly on the ground.

"I'm getting tired of this, you're not going to win," Namole stated as he approached the human warrior.

Despite the pain he was in, Yamcha shakily stood to his feet. A trickle of blood from his forehead slowly rolled down the side of his face, but he wiped it away as if it weren't anything to worry about. His body was bruised rather badly from his assault against the PTO soldier, but he refused to stay down. He'd never bend to the will of a dangerous enemy in a million years. He had a planet to defend and he wasn't about to let the citizens of Earth or Kami down.

Namole on the other hand, was aggravated of the one-sided battle. He had a task to complete and if his boss became angry at the extended period of he was gone from the ship, his very life would be in danger. He lived in fear every single day while trying to please the cruel Arcosian ruler as his temper was one to best be avoided and at this moment, he'd rather not die for taking too long. It was best to call it to an end and head back.

During the entire trip and even now, he wished Frieza would've let him remain on the station. He'd rather be far away from Frieza and his mood swings as much as possible whenever possible. It was too easy to get on his bad side. In many occasions, he had seen some of his comrades blown to bits just for looking at him the wrong way. Sometimes they had found a way to screw up an assigned task, which hadn't always been their fault. It was usually the result of a force outside anyone's control that caused the trouble in the first place. Finally, if it wasn't for a small reason, he'd simply kill them out of pure amusement or their services were no longer required and the worker who generally appeared afterwards in the same department was promoted if the deceased held a higher position.

"I'm not…going to…give up," Yamcha stated between breaths. "I'm not talking and you can't make me. So give me your worst."

Namole folded his arms over his chest, "I would if it weren't for the fact that you're needed alive and if I do any more damage, you're just gonna die. Stop while you're still ahead."

"N-Never," the former bandit responded, dropping into a fighting stance once more. He started charging at his opponent with one arm hanging over his head and the other hanging below his shoulders, each with his fingers curved inwards. It was his signature attack that he hadn't used against an enemy in quite some time. "Wolf Fang F-"

The humanoid soldier brutally punched the turtle student in his gut mid-attack, sending a wave of pain throughout the man's body. He dropped to his knees as he clutched his stomach tightly, trying to soothe the pain he felt in that area. Yamcha wasn't sure if he could take any more of the torture of fighting his adversary. He glared up at him with only one eye opened, but his vision was becoming rather hazy. The weariness of trying to keep up and the damage inflicted upon him since the first blow had caught up to him.

"Man, I-I can't make it,"Yamcha grumbled as his world faded to black.

* * *

_Frieza's Ship _

Since the time Zarbon and the other soldiers departed the ship and the Royal Army arrived, the surrounding area had become a war zone. The vehicles that once barricaded the cruiser were now engulfed in wicked flames. Bodies were laid across the grass in pools of their own blood. When the defenders of the citizens of Earth began their barrage of bullets on the Arcosian, this was the end result. Very few had survived the monstrous retaliation, but they now regretted taking on the order of getting him to surrender. It wasn't worth the trouble. He had killed their comrades with ease.

The captain of the now diminished fleet sat behind one of the few jeeps not destroyed by the merciless tyrant. He had recently contacted the king, informing him of the terror they had just witnessed. Deep in the back of his mind, before they even traveled all this way, he knew they would not make it out alive. Dealing with strange beings of other worlds never ended terrifically for them. It only led to despair and destruction. Any chances of surviving were always shot midways through the encounters.

He peered from behind his hiding place to the ship to find Frieza preparing another blast in order to lower the numbers once again. He growled in frustration as he wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. "_There's no way we can leave. If we even try, he's just going to send us all to our graves! I feel like our hard work has gone to complete waste! Is there any way to subdue him?!"_

Frieza examined his marvelous handiwork. The carnage, despair, and destruction gave him an overwhelming sense of glee. The sound of the soldiers crying for mercy seconds prior to their obliteration amused him. They had come to his ship in hopes of making him surrender to their wills, but the moment he unleashed his power, they became frightened and shock by his abilities. Nothing pleased the Arcosian more than the sight of his beautiful fireworks as his targets were burned to small crisps or fallen to bloody corpses. He was sure to vanquish any hope they had of killing him.

He released a mighty, wicked laughter into the skies as unleashed another beam one of the cowering human's vehicles. A roaring explosion sounded off, destroying the transportation as well as the one hiding behind it. A gleam appeared in his eyes as he watched the dark colored smoke fill the air while the fire burned its contents to smithereens. As his mind continued to check further out the office, he readied his beam. While he couldn't spread terror with most of the population on this Kami forsaken rock just yet, he would make do with what he had. Unfortunately, his prey was down to only a handful meaning his fun would come to an end quite soon.

"AHAHAHAHA!" Frieza roared with laughter. "Why don't you come out and face your deaths like the little worms you are?! I promise I will end your misery swiftly so you won't feel any pain!"

Yes, the Arcosian ruler was in a terrific mood. The best thing about his victims was the fact they couldn't fight back no matter how hard they seemed to try. Knowing he can cause pain and suffering with little effort pleased him greatly. By the end of the day, it reminded him just how much his power towered massively over his subjects and those of other planets. It truly showed the tyrant that he was the strongest being in the entire universe and no single person would live to tell the tale if they engaged in combat.

"_Seeing as how fragile these Earthling creatures are, there is no purpose in keeping them alive," _he mused. Similar to many other occasions, his top henchmen were exactly right. After the planet's use of the Dragon Balls had been fulfilled, he should simply destroy it. Then again, he could always sell it to one of his highest bidders.

He pointed his finger at one of the final three jeeps and within seconds, it was exploded into millions of pieces along with the others. The soldier that had been hiding behind it could be seen skidding across the grass as a result, but he was still alive, to the pleasure of Frieza of course. The army man took cover once again and opened fire at him. The ruthless lizard caught the tiny bullet in the palm of his hand and crushed it into gunpowder. He sharply gazed at his target until a red light shined in them and destroyed the soldier where he stood.

A howl of laughter escaped his lips once again and said, "AHAHAHA, how wonderful! They are foolishly giving me their lives thinking they can stop me! Haven't these worms realized they cannot defeat my great power?!"

"That's enough!" he heard a male yell. The captain walked into the open, in Frieza's sight, glaring daggers at the ruthless tyrant. He was tired of hearing his obnoxious laughter and declarations of unbeatable power. "The people of Earth will never bend to your will! You are living in your dream world coated with fantasies of being the most powerful! Your terror will be put to an end by someone stronger than you!"

"I highly doubt that," Frieza stated, now having regained his calm demeanor. He formed a ball of ki in his hand, triple in size of the others, and unleashed onto the captain as well as the remaining vehicles with humans hiding behind them.

The Arcosian relished in the destruction once more before turning his back and lowering himself back into the confines of his chambers. In that short amount of time, he sated his lust for devastation among. Now, he just wanted to wind down as he waited for his top soldiers to return to the ship. Waiting for him in his quarters was one of his servants holding a tray with a fine glass containing his delicious wine.

"Ah, just what I needed," he stated, taking the delicate glass. He motioned for the grunt to leave and turned his attention to the window. He placed his chin on his free hand and used the other to swish the drink around in its container. He took a small sip and placed his hand on the arm rest. After a wonderful display of his dastardly heart, nothing relaxed him more than his sweet drink. "Those Earthlings are quite the entertainment. They try to face me with confidence, but on the inside, they are quaking in their boots fearing the inevitable. It's almost quite sad really that they are actually unable to even defend themselves from even the slightest threat. No matter. They're death wish had been signed the second I departed from the station."

He drunk from his glass as savored the sweet taste of his blood red beverage. The peaceful atmosphere permitted him to simply enjoy his alone time while his soldiers were busy. He knew it wouldn't be long until they returned with the strongest of their kind and with that, waves of disobedience and reluctance of handing on secretive information they wished to withhold from him. He was quite sure he'd have to result to torture to get any details out of them, but he was going to take pleasure in that as well.

As he continued to sit in the privacy of his tranquil chambers, he started to hear noises outside his ship once again. He could no longer deny the fact he was growing quite annoyed with the uninvited humans coming to gawk at his ship. He looked through his large window to see two helicopters landing in front of his ship. Frieza growled slightly in annoyance as he ascended to the outside. As soon as he came into view of the large aerial hovercrafts, a male dressed in all black clothing with a helmet and goggles, un-boarded one of them. He advanced towards the ship confidently and with purpose, stopping feet away to remain in the Arcosian's line of sight.

"The King of Earth desires your presence in Central City," the man informed.

"_This worm infested planet has a ruler?"_ Frieza questioned, his eyes reflecting interest in the matter. "My, how pleasant of your king to extend an offer to make my acquaintance. I will gladly take him up on his delightful generosity."

"Added, he insists that we provide your transportation," the man added afterward.

"I gladly accept," Frieza stated with a gleam in his eyes. "Allow me a moment before we leave. I have to be sure everything is in order."

The Arcosian descended into his quarters once again, chuckling at the ignorance shown by the Earthling ruler. He removed his body from his chair as he continued to chuckle. "_Perhaps I can use this meeting to my advantage. I could learn straight from the source about the details of the inferior mud-ball. If what he says does not meet up to my expectations or interest me in the slightest, he can say goodbye right there. Such ignorant fools these Earthlings are."_

He went over to his control panel and pressed a few buttons before heading outside for the last time for his departure. When he exited the ship, the hole leading to his quarters closed slowly. He landed on the soft grassy surface, awaiting the darkly dressed male to say the word. The escort glanced at the tyrant through his shaded glasses to receive a dangerously wicked smile written on his face. The evil behind it was enough to send chills up his spine and he quickly looked away. He motioned for Frieza to follow and walked to the helicopter.

When they arrived at the door, Frieza stepped on the inside without a word and took his seat in the back behind the pilot. The man hopped into the passenger seat after placing it back in its usual position and nodded at the other human as an approval of departure. In a matter of seconds, the helicopters ascended into the blue skies, headed towards Central City.

* * *

_Kami's Lookout_

The elderly guardian released an incredibly heavy sigh as drops of sweat rolled down his head. He had seen the engagements between the Z-Fighters and Frieza's henchmen; the result had worried him. No matter how much effort they put into the encounters, nothing seemed to work against the terrifying foes. The henchmen had them like putty in their hands. Anything that was thrown at them had been waved off like a fly and swiftly knocked them unconscious.

He had better hopes the human warriors and Piccolo would stand a decent chance against the mysterious armed forces, but the hope was quickly shot down. While the orbs had been safely hidden away for the time being, he was distressed about the well-being of his students. At worst, they could be killed if they didn't comply with the sinister Frieza's orders similar to the recent tragedy he caused to the Royal Army.

"The events have turned for the very worst," he said to no one. "Should he find out the remaining secrets of the Dragon Balls and get a hold of the device that locates them, all hope is lost."

For the tyrant to go to the lengths of sending out his greatest soldiers to retrieve the planet's only defense from danger confirmed the guardian's beliefs that he should have kept the orbs destroyed. The creation of the objects he created for the betterment and hope of his home had caused nothing but despair. He wished there was another way to defeat the cruel enemy. A light bulb went off in his head. He turned his gaze towards the doors of his sanctuary and proceeded to walk in.

He walked through the quiet halls with a purpose and climbed the few flights of stairs until he arrived at a set of double doors where hour glasses stood on each side with the times of sand slowly dropping to the bottom. He was standing before the Time Chamber that could allow a year's training in one single day. During his old age and the lack of use, he sometimes had forgotten about the very existence of the alternate dimension beyond the doors. However, due the restrictions and limits of the chamber, he wanted to save this for a _real _emergency. Had he known well beforehand that the diabolical Frieza was to trek to Earth, he would've allowed his students to enter; that is if they could have survived it.

Training inside the chamber required great will if they expected to endure the harsh conditions. The temperature changed in the flash of a dime and the further one went out, the thinner the air pressure. Only Goku could last a certain amount of time in the endless void before he made his exit. It was definitely a trump card if the circumstances in the fate of the Earth became extremely dire. He could only hope that his former pupil managed to complete his training and return to the living world before all hope diminished completely.

"Kami, how are you feeling?" questioned the voice of his faithful friend.

"Oh Mr. Popo, I am quite worried about the current state of things," he answered, glancing at the genie. "I hate to say it but this may be one battle that we have already lost from the beginning."

* * *

**A/n: That's it for now. I hoped you enjoyed another chapter of Rise and Fall. I am very thankful of all the reviews have all been sending in. It's giving me the motivation to keep going as usual. Next chapter includes a lot more Frieza and his meeting with King Furry. You'll see just how well that goes.**

**It's not the best chapter and it took a bit to get through it. I hoped you enjoyed it though.**

**Until Next Time!**


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