Previously on Dragonball Z…
At long last, the fight is over. The abominable tyrant Freeza is dead. Destroyed by what he most feared – the legendary Super Saiyan. But with this victory comes a heavy cost. The planet Namek has been destroyed and the hero of the battle, the legend brought to life, the Super Saiyan Son-Goku, was caught in its destruction.
Meanwhile, on Earth, the survivors – thanks to the quick thinking of the young Namekian Dende – try to pick up the pieces.
“What about my Dad?” Gohans voice shouted to be heard over everyone else yelling at Bulma, Vegeta and Piccolo. “We should use the Dragonballs to wish him back to Earth too.”
“Listen, Gohan,” Bulma said, kneeling down to Gohans height. “Goku is definitely on my list of wishes, dont worry, but think about it, ok? If we use Shenron to wish for a new Namek, then we can use their balls to wish Goku back to Earth, not to mention Tien, Chiaotzu. and Yumcha. Can you be patient for a little bit longer? Besides, he might make it back here in the year before the Dragonballs are active again.”
“Im sure King Kai is getting sick of those idiots,” Piccolo muttered.
“I dont care what you do,” Vegeta said. “So long as I can get a ship.”
“And where are you going to go?” Bulma scoffed, standing back up.
“Wherever I want,” he spat and stalked off. The others just watched without saying anything. A small smirk appeared on Bulma’s face before quickly being replaced by determination.
“Right,” she said. “We have one year until we can wish everyone back. But until then, lets find these Namekians somewhere to stay.”
One year later; Kami’s Lookout.
The sun shone down and only a few fluffy white clouds hung in the sky as Bulma placed the seventh Dragonball on the tiled floor of the lookout. Behind her Gohan, Krillin and Piccolo watched in silence. At the doorway to the main building of the lookout, Kami and Mr Popo watched, almost with disinterest. A small distance away, Dende and several other, older, Namekians fidgeted nervously.
“Are you going to go to the new planet Namek, Mr Piccolo?” Gohan asked.
“I think he should stay here,” Bulma said, looking over her shoulder. Once upon a time, the Namekian watching over Gohan almost protectively had been a vicious tyrant, looking to drown the world in evil. Now, like his other half, he stood as a protector of it. “You never know when someone else super strong might show up.”
“We wont need him when Goku comes back,” Krillin said. “You should probably go with your kind,” Krillin said.
Piccolo grunted. “Those arent my people,” he said quietly, motioning to the other Namekians. “I dont share their culture. Im more human than Namekian.” Only Piccolo heard Kami scoff at the comment.
“You must be almost as strong as -”
“Im stronger,” he said, flexing.
“I was going to say my dad,” Gohan said nervously.
“I know,” Piccolo said, a smug smile drifting over his face. “But its been a year. I hate to say it, kid, but I dont like the chances of Goku making it back here on his own.
“What do you mean?” Gohan said, scared he already knew the answer.
“Well, Im about ready here,” Bulma said before Piccolo could answer. “Are we all ready?” she shouted so the Namekians could hear. They nodded. “Alright then,” she turned and winked at Gohan. “Here goes nothing,” she raised her arms to the sky and took a deep breath. “Mighty Shenron, rise from your sleep and grant us our wish!”
The sky immediately grew dark and the Dragonballs glowed with that familiar orange light. As they all watched, a beam of light, that same orange colour, shot into the sky and slowly formed itself in to the shape of Shenron, the Eternal Dragon. As the dragon became solid, its head lowered and came to rest before Bulma and the others.
“I am the Eternal Dragon,” it intoned in a deep, slow voice. “You have collected the seven Dragonballs and as a reward, I shall grant you one wish. State it now.”
“Mighty Dragon,” Bulma said. “We wish for you to create a new planet Namek. The individuals behind you shall give you all the details that will make it inhabitable for their people, we just need you to place it in a different location to where it used to be.”
The Namekians, upon hearing their cue, came forward and recited what had been written for them over the course of the last year to the dragon who listened intently.
“Your wish has been granted,” Shenron said. “Farewell.”
The dragon returned to being a stream of light as the seven Dragonballs lifted into the sky and shot off in all different directions at once. The sky returned to normal and it was if nothing had happened.
“Fantastic,” Bulma exclaimed. “I never get sick of seeing that.”
“Unless its a bad guy doing it,” Gohan muttered.
“Now for the next step,” she said, ignoring him. “Moori,” she called. “Its your turn.” The Grand Elder Namekian Moori, having had the responsibility passed on to him as Guru died, nodded and, along with the others, retrieved the Namekian Dragonballs, much larger than the Earth ones, and placed them before Bulma.
With a few words in Namekian, the phrase which awakens their dragon, Porunga, the sky once again went dark and the balls glowed, throbbed and hummed before shooting their light into the sky. In it, a much larger dragon formed. But like Shenron before it the giant head of the beast lowers down before the Namekians. It says something in a deafening tone and hovers, waiting for whatever happens next.
“He is ready for your wishes,” Moori says.
“Our first wish is for our dead friends to be brought back to life,” Bulma said. Moori translated this and everyone saw the dragons eyes glow red as it spoke more of its strange alien dialect.
“It is done,” Moori said. “You have two more wishes.
“We wish for all of them to be brought here,” Bulma said. Again, Moori translated and again the dragons eyes glow red. There is a small pop and behind them, as if they had been there the whole time, stood Tien, Chiaotzu and Yumcha. There was a brief moment of celebration before Gohan noticed.
“Where is my dad?” he asked. “Mr Moori, why isnt my dad, Goku here?”
The Namekian turned to the dragon and the two of them talked in Namekian for a long time before the Elder turned back, head bowed.
“Your father was indeed killed in the fight with Freeza,” Moori said. “But Porunga cannot locate his soul and therefore cannot bring him back to life, nor bring him to Earth.”
“What does that mean?” Piccolo asked. “Where is Goku?”
“Im afraid that knowledge is beyond that of Porunga,” Moori said. “He tried, but something else must have happened to Goku to keep him from being brought back. He has gone to some other place.”
Hearing the commotion, Kami approached the group and asked what happened. Upon hearing what Moori had to say, he grunted in the same way Piccolo did and returned to Mr Popo, whereupon he sat on the floor and started to meditate.
“What are you doing?” Bulma asked.
“I am contacting King Kai,” Kami said. “Now please be silent.”
In the world beyond life, a tiny planet hung amongst the cosmic clouds. High above, almost too high to see, the tail of a giant snake hung through the clouds.
On the small world King Kai sat and enjoyed his new found peace and quiet. He was almost asleep. There was a slight zap of electricity between his two antenna and a voice appeared in his head.
“King Kai, are you there?”
“Oh Kami. What do you want?”
“Have you heard from Goku since the fight on Namek?”
“We lost contact when the planet was destroyed,” King Kai said. “I assume he died.”
“It appears he did,” Kami said. “But the Namekian dragon cant bring him back. I was wondering if you had any insight or knowledge about what happened to him.”
“I dont, Im sorry. I can ask around, but Ive never heard about anything like that happening.”
“And if you cant find anything?”
There was a pause in the conversation.
“There might be another way to learn more,” King Kai said eventually. “But it would require a great sacrifice and an immense journey.”
“Im sure the warriors of this world will be up to the challenge. You know them.”
“Hm, yes. In that case, they should set out into space and seek the Super Dragonballs. If Porunga isnt powerful enough to grant your wish, then I can only think of the Super Dragonballs that might be powerful enough to help. But if I find out something else, I will let you know.”
“I will pass it on,” Kami said.
Kami passed on King Kais message to everyone on the lookout.
“Super Dragonballs,” Bulma said, with a low whistle. “I wonder if my radar will work on them?”
“I cant answer that,” Kami said. “But if King Kai tells me more, I will pass it on.”
“We appreciate it,” Bulma said. “I guess we should finish up here and then figure out how we should tackle the Super Balls.”
“We have one wish left,” Moori said.
“Then its time for you and your people to be moved from our planet to your new one,” Bulma said.
Moori nodded and spoke to the dragon one final time, the eyes glowed red and as one, the dragon and each of the Namekians – except Piccolo – popped out of the lookout and were transported to the new planet Namek.
The sky returned to normal and with heavy hearts, everyone left the lookout and headed back to Bulmas.
Goku has disappeared from the view of the dragon, and from King Kai. And only the dragon that would appear from these mysterious Super Dragonballs can help them. But how do they find them? Who will journey into space to try? Find out next time, on this alternate timeline of Dragonball Z.