"Finally… I made it!"
As the hatch of the space pod hissed open, a familiar cheerful voice echoed out.
A man in an orange gi stepped into the light, instantly recognizable.
Son Goku.
His wild black hair puffed outward like crab legs, and with the wind blowing through it, he really looked like a crab scuttling along.
"So this is Planet Namek, huh?
Way different from what I imagined."
Setting foot on the ground, Goku inhaled deeply, savoring real fresh air.
Days trapped in a cramped metallic pod had nearly driven him insane.
If not for the emergency, if not for the chance to grow stronger, he would have broken long before arriving on Namek.
Thank goodness the ship had a built in gravity chamber with one hundred times Earth gravity.
Without it, he would have been climbing the walls.
After several deep breaths, steadying his emotions, he opened his senses and felt for ki.
"Whoa, they are that close?
Vegeta is there… and Bulma, Krillin, Gohan…
and they are fighting someone."
With a small grin, he shot into the sky without hesitation.
Goku was simply Goku.
He did not waste a single moment wondering if Vegeta might kill him the moment they met again.
They had been enemies the last time they saw each other.
He did not care.
He trusted his own strength enough to overlook that.
That was Goku.
Because Goku's ki surged toward them, Vegeta, Krillin, and Gohan sensed him instantly.
The others froze, completely confused.
Especially the Ginyu Force.
Even with scouters, they detected nothing.
Goku's ki was completely suppressed.
Only when he approached and landed did everyone finally see him clearly.
"DAD!"
Gohan launched himself forward, shouting with pure joy.
"Goku! You are finally here!"
Krillin's voice trembled, eyes filling with tears.
"Ha ha! Looks like I made it just in time.
Man, I am glad you two are alright.
And Gohan, Krillin, you have become so much stronger!"
Goku greeted Krillin, then crouched to examine the small cuts and bruises on Gohan's face.
One look told him the whole story.
"Was it that guy who did this to you two?"
He glanced casually toward Burter, his gaze relaxed and almost dismissive.
Gohan nodded, pointing at Burter.
"Yeah. He was way too fast.
Krillin and I could not keep up. That is how we got hurt."
Ah, having his father nearby really changed everything.
The toughness he showed in battle melted away in an instant.
"I see.
Well, you are fine now.
With me here, no one is going to hurt you again."
Goku nodded, then looked toward Jeice, Guldo, and finally Captain Ginyu.
He sensed their energy for a brief moment, and the picture was clear.
Ginyu was strong.
The other two, and the blue one who had injured Krillin and Gohan, were nothing special.
Then, finally, Goku turned toward Vegeta.
Except… the first pair of eyes he met were Bulma's, standing just behind Vegeta.
~~~~~~
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