Dragon Ball Z: The New Threat

01.04 The Fight Begins

I inch closer and closer to the battle that will ensue.

I stay out of sight; I can't afford Raditz to see me. If he does, it will ruin the plan we have discussed, but the closer I approach them, the more apparent it is for me to hear what they are talking about.

"Where is he? Where have you hidden him?" Spoke Goku in a relatively calm manner.

I peek around the boulder; they are still standing defensively, stance apart, giving themselves a better stance on the ground.

I look past Raditz, Goku, and Piccolo and notice the crater; he must have hidden Gohan down there. I need to find a way past him without being detected.

Goku began to raise his voice, "Where is my son?"

I could hear Raditz reply, but I wasn't correctly listening; I did hear him say he was behind Goku in the crater — inside a space pod.

Goku quickly runs to the crater and floats towards the sky, probably to get a better view.

Perfect. We know where Gohan is. But how am I going to get past them?

I scan around the area; no more boulders. I'll have to dash to the crater when Raditz isn't looking. If I fly, there is a higher chance Raditz will pick up my energy on his device. So I guess I'll have to find the right moment to risk it all.

I hide behind the boulder and take in a deep breath. All I can do now is wait.

I peek again and see Goku has floated back down, standing offensively this time. Goku widens his stance, crouches, and raises his right arm behind him while bringing his left arm in front of him.

Piccolo continues to defend — crossing his arms before him in a widened stance.

It's silent.

The distant conversations have seized as they all stare at each other — waiting.

The silence of it all was overwhelming. There were quiet sounds of nature going about with its daily routines: butterfly wings gently flapping in the wind, and the gentle yet powerful breeze of the daylight helped keep the butterflies afloat. The scratching of a groundhog as it appears from the ground. The sound of my heart pounding in my ears.

The calm before the storm.

I soon hear it — Gohan's cries for his dad.

I take in a deep breath. Don't worry. I'm coming.

With loud and powerful yells, Goku and Piccolo dash toward Raditz. It all happens quickly, yet I watch it unfold slowly.

Punches are thrown and avoided. They all begin to glide over the grass as the fight commences effortlessly. Indents are created on the grass, replicating skid marks. Punches and kicks are constantly being bombarded at Raditz, but it seems he hasn't gotten a scratch yet.

My gaze trails behind them as I see them distance themselves from the crater.

They need to be farther away...

A loud thump can be heard as I refocus back to the group; a powerful kick from the outsider sends Goku and Piccolo away.

They land a few feet away but quickly and nimbly land on their feet, propelling themselves toward Raditz — who masterfully dodges them without looking.

The fight is quickly airborne as they all jump upwards. Raditz waits for them to get closer and then expels two blasts from his palms. They both successfully manage to dodge the deadly projectile — colliding against the mountains behind them.