"Impressive, little brother!" Raditz bellowed. "But not nearly enough to defeat me!"
Piccolo was suddenly on him, slamming his hand against Raditz's open mouth. The Saiyan blinked as he realized that something had been shoved between his teeth…
…before an entire banana cream pie appear between his lips.
"Fuck I grabbed a food one," I muttered even as Raditz, startled, dropped Goku who slammed into the ground in a heap.
Raditz spat and hissed as he yanked the tin out of his mouth before he delivered a double-fisted haymaker down on Piccolo's back, sending him crashing down next to Goku.
"And so it ends," Raditz whispered, panting and wiping more cream away with his forearm. He dropped down, pressing his foot on Goku's back, making the younger Saiyan groan. "Surrender, brother!"
"Hey!" Krillin shouted as he flew in. Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu were right behind him, all landing with their fists clenched and bodies tensed as they prepared for battle. "You stay away from them!"
"Oh look, brother," Raditz said with a pleased growl, "more of your little friends are here to see you submit." He pressed his foot down more and Goku let out a cry. "Do you see… at your very best you had no hope of defeating me. Now surrender!" Goku said nothing and Raditz snarled and kicked him in the ribs hard. "You are beaten! Know your place, brother! Acknowledge me as your better!"
'Your very best,' I thought as my brain screamed out a way for us to get out of this mess. It might lead to my death… but at this point with Goku and Piccolo down and the rest of the Z Fighters no where ready to take on Raditz? It was our only chance.
I stepped forward.
"You're wrong, Lord Raditz!"
He turned towards me and I forced myself to meet his gaze.
"Oh? And what mistake have I made? Kakarot is broken. Defeated. Unable to even rise. The Namekian proved to be a disappointment. And these other humans are barely worth my time. I could destroy them with a single blast. So tell me, servant… what mistake have I made?" He narrowed his eyes, the threat clear if I didn't answer in a way that pleased him.
'All or nothing,' I thought. "Goku wasn't at his very best. He hasn't fully been training for five years. He worked out, yes… but he isn't in fighting shape."
"So what?" Raditz asked with an annoyed huff.
"So you can't claim you beat him at his best. You didn't break Son Goku at his prime."
Raditz… considered that.
"You think he can do more?"
"I do," I answered. "And I think you want to see that. You need to know that you can beat him when he's prepared himself for you. Because if you don't… him dying at your hands? It means nothing. It proves nothing. And you'll spend the rest of your life wondering if you could have beaten him if he had been ready. The whispers will always follow you."
Goku let out a moan as Raditz lifted his foot from him.
"And how long do you think he would need, human, to reach his prime?"
"2 years?" I offered. 'With that we could use the Dragon Balls multiple times… even have a chance to maybe go to Namek and see if Guru could unlock everyone's potential. Get everyone up to a power level where they could survive the Hyperbolic Time Chamber…'
Raditz scoffed. "I don't have two years."
"You'd be able to train to," I suggested. "That way no one could claim either side had an advantage. You prepare, we prepare. Truly determine who is the best, so there is never any doubt."
"Krillin, who is this guy?" Tien whispered.
"Bulma's friend but let him speak," Krillin hissed. "Anything that keeps that guy away from Goku…"
"What is Piccolo doing here though?" Yamcha asked.
"We can ask later if we survive," Chiaotzu said softly.
Raditz shook his head again though he had considered my suggestion for far longer. It was his Saiyan blood, after all. He couldn't help but hunger for the fight. "Like I said… I don't have two years. Six months."
'That won't work. The gang was barely up to snuff against the Seibermen with a year.' Outloud I offered, "18 months."
"9 months."
'Time to go for the kill.' Outloud I offered, "13 months earth months. One month for them to recover from this, as well as allow you to find where you want to train, as I imagine you don't want to stick around this shithole we call home. One year to train."
"…deal," Raditz said after a moment, kneeling down and grabbing Goku by the hair, lifting his head up. "Did you hear that, brother? In 13 months time we will all return to this spot… and if you give me as pathetic of a showing as this then I will have you submit to my authority. You fall into line and do as I say. As is my right." He slammed Goku's face down into the dirt before rising up into the air.
I let out a sigh of relief as he took off.
"OH!" Raditz called up, causing my head to snap up in time to see his hand out, palm glowing. "I NEARLY FORGOT! I WARNED YOU WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO YOUR NEXT FRIEND WHO SHOWED UP UNINVITED! SATURDAY CRUSH!"
"NO!" Goku cried out, struggling to get up. But it was too late as the energy ball raced right at Krillin, the first of the Z Fighters to land. "Krillin!"
Goku's best friend could only stare in horror before shielding himself with his arms but as he did so I knew he didn't stand a chance. The blast was simply too strong and-
Krillin went flying, shoved to the ground.
Yamcha screamed as the blast struck him in the side, making him shake in place for a moment before he was sent flying, his body falling a few meters away, skidding through the grass. When he landed he remained utterly still.