"GOKU!!" Krillin cried out. "Please, you can't be dead… Come on, wake up!"
"He's gone… I can't believe it. Our Goku is actually gone," Bulma said, holding the unconscious Gohan in her arms. Tears streamed down her face as Goku's body slowly faded from sight.
"Figures this is Kami's doing," Piccolo muttered. "I can't think of anyone else capable of that. He's probably got some meddling plan like always."
"Well, if Goku isn't safe with the Guardian of Earth, then he's not safe anywhere," Master Roshi said grimly.
"All the same," Krillin added, kneeling to pick up Gohan's hat with the Four-Star Dragon Ball still inside it, "we need to gather the other six Dragon Balls and wish Goku back right away."
"We don't need to search for them," Alex said. "I gave Goku all of the Dragon Balls last time. They should still be at his house."
"That's good," Bulma replied. "We'll need all the help we can get. Of course, Yamcha's off running around who knows where…"
"Well, you're the one who chased him off," Krillin muttered under his breath.
Just then, another plane landed nearby. Mellon stepped out.
"Hey Alex! Are you alright? I was really worried," she said, hurrying toward him.
"I'm fine," Alex replied. "But where were you? I thought you'd be with Bulma and the others."
"Well, the plane Bulma brought was too small—it was getting crowded," Mellon explained. "So I followed in my own plane, but… I kinda lost track of them. That's why I'm late."
"That reminds me," Bulma said, thinking aloud. "How did Goku's brother track them down so fast?"
"With that device he was wearing," Piccolo said, still facing away from them. "Apparently, it reads power levels and can track locations."
"He means this." Alex held up the crushed scouter. "It's damaged, but still in one piece."
Bulma handed Gohan to Roshi and took the broken device from Alex. "Wow… this is some serious tech. It's pretty banged up, but I think I can do something with it."
"If I can get it working, we can use it to find Yamcha, Tien, and the others," she added.
"In any case," Master Roshi said, "we should all head back home. Bulma, you can work on the scouter there."
Everyone nodded. Roshi then turned to Piccolo. "And what about you, Piccolo? What are you planning to do?"
Everyone stared in surprise as Piccolo regrew his severed arm, the green limb regenerating before their eyes.
"You should collect those Dragon Balls," Piccolo said calmly. "Wherever Goku is now, he'll still need to be wished back. As for his son… I'm taking him from here."
He gestured at Gohan, still in Roshi's arms. Before anyone could object, he raised his voice.
"Look—I don't have time for this nonsense. I'm not asking for permission. I'll take the boy by force if I have to."
He levitated Gohan toward himself with a wave of his hand—but Alex intercepted the child, catching him in his arms.
"Really?" Alex said. "You sure you want to try that? I mean, sure—before the Raditz fight it would've been close. But now?"
Piccolo scowled. "You've seen what that boy is capable of. We need him. You people can't train him—you're too soft!"
"Huh… I guess you're right," Alex said with a grin. "I was just messing with you. You can take him."
He handed Gohan over.
"Wait—Alex, you can't be serious," Roshi said, shocked.
"At least someone understands how serious this is," Piccolo replied. "Once the year is up and his training is complete, I'll bring him back. Not a day before."
With that, Piccolo took off into the sky, Gohan in his arms.
"Don't worry, Master," Alex said quietly. "I'll be keeping an eye on him… from time to time."
---
Meanwhile…
"Damn it. Filthy humans think they can beat me? Just you wait. I'll show them," Raditz growled, flying low over the sun-scorched desert. The wind howled behind him, kicking up trails of sand in his wake.
Then—movement.
Below, a pack of police cars chased a motorbike through a rocky canyon. The rider, a wild-haired blonde woman, weaved through the narrow path like a desert snake, laughing wildly.
Raditz narrowed his eyes.
The woman turned sharply, raised a machine gun with one hand, and opened fire. Bullets pinged off a squad car's hood, sending it crashing into a boulder. The others kept up the pursuit.
Raditz hovered and scoffed. "Hmph. What kind of fool fights without Ki?"
Yet her fire... her recklessness… reminded him of someone. A Saiyan, even.
Then, she noticed him.
Without hesitation, she raised her gun and fired at him.
Raditz tilted his head lazily. The bullets zipped harmlessly past.
"You want to die that badly, woman?" he growled.
Launch grinned. "You lookin' to join the chase, pretty boy? Or just here to show off that hair?"
Did… she just insult a Saiyan warrior?
Two squad cars drew close. She lobbed a grenade over her shoulder.
Boom. Smoke and sand erupted in the canyon. She jumped off the bike mid-movement, rolled, and disappeared into the rocks.
Raditz landed, intrigued. This human… isn't ordinary.
He glanced at the wreckage, then back toward her hiding spot.
"Maybe Earth isn't completely worthless after all."
With a flick of his hand, he fired a small energy blast—destroying the remaining police cars in one burst.
Launch peeked from behind a boulder. "Whoa… that's amazing! Hey, ever thought about going pro? You and me—we could make a hell of a team. Brains and brawn. Heists, fame, riches—live like kings!"
"I have no interest in your pathetic fantasies," Raditz muttered. "Do it yourself. I was just passing by."
He turned to leave.
"Wait! I'm not done yet—!"
Before he could take off, she sprang forward and clung to his back, grabbing a fistful of his wild hair.
"What the—?! Get off me, you crazy woman!"
Raditz struggled midair, launching upward with her clinging to him.
Just as she opened her mouth to shout, a tickle hit her nose. She sneezed—loudly.
Her hair turned blue.
Raditz blinked. "What the—?!"
Launch blinked back, equally confused. "W-where am I—AHH!"
She slipped from his back, panicked, and grabbed the first thing she could—his tail.
"LET GO OF MY TAIL, YOU'RE GOING TO GET US KILLED!" Raditz roared, as the two spiraled downward.
They slammed into the sand, kicking up a huge cloud of dust.
Raditz groaned, sitting up. "Ugh. This day just keeps getting worse."
He turned, glaring at the blue-haired woman now coughing on the ground. "Why the hell did you do that?!"
"I—I don't remember anything!" she whimpered. "I was just returning to Kame House and then… I was falling from the sky?!"
Raditz stared. Meek. Trembling. Her energy was nothing like the one before.
"You're… not the same one," he muttered, narrowing his eyes. He took a breath, trying to calm his rising temper. "Look, woman. I don't know what your deal is—and I don't care. Frankly, you should be grateful I don't kill you for grabbing my tail."
He turned to leave.
"Wait! Don't leave me!" she cried. "I think I've hurt my legs—please, help me!"
Raditz stopped.
He looked back. Her expression was pleading. Helpless. And her legs were trembling, bruised from the fall.
"Great," he muttered. "Babysitting duty."
With a sigh of absolute annoyance, he lifted her up in a princess carry and flew off into the sky.
---
Later that day…
The wind howled across the desert as Raditz flew low, scanning the rocky landscape for shelter. He gritted his teeth, Launch still cradled awkwardly in his arms.
"You're heavier than you look," he muttered.
"Th-thanks, I guess?" she said meekly, clinging to his armor. "You really didn't have to carry me like this…"
"I should've just left you in the sand," Raditz muttered.
Eventually, he spotted a shallow cave carved into a sandstone cliff. He landed roughly, kicking up dust, and dumped her down with all the grace of a sack of potatoes.
"Hey!" she protested. "Be gentle!"
"I'm not your nursemaid," he said, crossing his arms. "This is as far as I go."
Launch winced, trying to sit up, but her legs throbbed. "Ow—yeah, definitely sprained something."
Raditz looked away, annoyed. He didn't know why he was still here. He should be halfway across the planet by now, preparing for the next fight… not wasting time playing babysitter to a two-faced lunatic.
Still… something about her energy. That shift. It wasn't normal.
He glanced over. She was pulling her knees close, clearly in pain, trying not to cry.
"Tch. Pathetic," he grumbled. But he moved closer anyway. "It'll be okay. I've been through much worse."
She gave a weak laugh. "You're kind of terrible at comforting people, you know that?"
"I don't comfort people," he replied. "I destroy them."
There was silence for a moment. Launch watched him, eyes filled with curiosity.
"Who are you, anyway? You're not from somewhere around this area, are you?"
Raditz paused. "...No."
She tilted her head. "You've got some crazy power… but you helped me. Why?"
Raditz growled. "You ask too many questions."
Launch smiled softly. "Well, thanks anyway. Even if you're a grump."
Raditz didn't answer. He just looked out over the desert, arms folded, jaw tight.
But deep down… he wasn't sure what annoyed him more:
Her questions.
Or the fact that he didn't hate the company.