The sky stretched overhead in a calm blue as the late afternoon sun dipped toward the horizon. Three figures soared through the air. Goku was riding Nimbus, holding his young son Gohan in his arms, while Raditz flew beside him. Close by, Daiko flew under his own power, carrying Bulma with one arm.
The air was quiet except for the wind rushing past their ears. Goku looked down at his son. Gohan, four years old and curled up against his chest, began to stir.
With a soft murmur, Gohan rubbed his eyes, blinking against the sunlight. He looked around sleepily, taking in the clouds beneath them and the sky stretching endlessly above. Flying wasn't unfamiliar to him, especially not on the Nimbus cloud, but something felt different. Then, his eyes focused on the person holding him.
He looked up and stared. For a second, he was silent. Then tears filled his eyes.
"Daddy…!" Gohan cried, voice cracking with emotion. He wrapped his tiny arms around his father's neck and buried his face in his shirt, sobbing loudly.
"D-Daddy…" Gohan whispered, his voice catching in his throat before he burst into soft sobs, clinging tightly to Goku's gi.
Goku let out a soft chuckle, his expression never wavering. He held Gohan closer, his hand gently cradling the back of his son's head. "It's okay, buddy… Daddy's here now. You're safe. No need to cry anymore."
But Gohan cried anyway. Not from fear. From relief.
A voice to the side cut through the warm moment. "Even now, the brat is noisy," Raditz said dryly.
Gohan's voice trembled as he pointed with a shaky hand. "T-The bad man! H-He's still here! H-He's following us!"
Raditz smirked. "Hmph. Even when I took him hostage, all the little brat could do was bawl like a baby."
Before Gohan could break into tears again, a loud crack! was heard as Raditz's head jerked downwards from a powerful kick.
"AGH!" Raditz cried, clutching the side of his head in surprise and pain.
Daiko hovered overhead, scowling.
"Funny," Daiko's voice came from above Raditz, "coming from the guy who used to bawl when the neighborhood kids picked on him for collecting bugs."
Raditz growled and turned toward him. "Shut up. I didn't cry."
Gohan peeked over Goku's shoulder, eyes wide. He saw the other man flying nearby, holding Bulma. The man wore armor similar to Raditz and even had a tail like his. Curious, he whispered to his father.
"Who's that…?"
Goku chuckled again, ruffling Gohan's hair as they descended lower toward the trees. "That's your uncle, Gohan. My older brother. His name's Daiko."
Gohan blinked, awed. "My… uncle?"
It was a word Gohan had never had reason to use before. His world had been so small. It was just Mommy, Daddy, and Grandpa Ox-King. He'd heard stories of Grandpa Gohan, the man he was named after, but had never met any other family.
Goku nodded. "Yep. And Raditz is your uncle, too."
At this, Gohan whimpered and buried his face into Goku's chest again, shielding himself from the sight of Raditz.
"I'll have to fix that cowardice when I train him," Daiko muttered.
Bulma's voice piped up, annoyed. "Maybe the kid wouldn't be so scared if a certain brute hadn't kidnapped him!"
Raditz rolled his eyes and said nothing, choosing to float in silence.
Moments later, the group touched down gently in front of the quaint, familiar house nestled in the clearing of Mount Paozu. The sun was dipping just slightly toward the horizon, casting a golden glow over the trees and the old wooden house.
As soon as Goku's feet hit the ground, Gohan slid from his arms and bolted toward the house, his little feet kicking up dust as he ran.
Chi-Chi, hearing Nimbus approach, opened the front door. "You're back so late. Dinner's ready," she called.
She stopped mid-sentence as Gohan ran straight toward her, latching onto her leg and hiding behind her.
"Mommy!"
Surprised, Chi-Chi looked down. "Gohan? What's wrong?" She glanced up to see the rest of the group walking up to the house.
She recognized Goku and Bulma, but the two men behind them were strangers. She narrowed her eyes. "Goku, who are they?"
Goku rubbed the back of his neck and gave a small smile. "Uh, they're my older brothers. Raditz and Daiko."
Chi-Chi froze, her jaw nearly hitting the floor. "What! You have brothers? Since when?"
Daiko stepped forward slowly, his eyes observing Chi-Chi critically, with the careful appraisal of a warrior. His gaze paused briefly on her stance, her expression, the way she positioned herself between the boy and the rest of them. Then he gave a nod of approval.
"Hmm. Her power's impressive ...for an Earth woman. She might just be the strongest female on this planet. And she's beautiful, too. Definitely stronger than the blue-haired one."
Chi-Chi was flustered and grew bashful while blushing. "U-Uhm… Th-Thank you?"
Bulma's left eye twitched as she glared daggers at Daiko, but held her tongue. She knew Chi-Chi could beat her in a fight—but still!
Goku, usually apathetic to compliments toward his wife, furrowed his brow slightly. Something about Daiko's words stirred an unfamiliar feeling in him.
Without realizing it, he stepped between Chi-Chi and Daiko. His eyes were still wide and innocent as ever, but there was a subtle tension in his stance.
"Hey, Chi-Chi! Just in time for dinner, huh?" he said quickly.
Chi-Chi, returning to her usual fire, crossed her arms with a scowl. "You could've told me you were bringing guests. And your brothers, no less. They probably eat as much as you."
Goku shrunk slightly under her scolding, poking the ground with his toe.
As the group filed in—Gohan still clinging to Chi-Chi's leg as she walked—Daiko muttered with a smirk, "And she's feisty too… another good trait for a Saiyan's mate."
Chi-Chi blushed again, but the mention of "Saiyan" made her pause.
"What's a Saiyan?" she asked.
Bulma stepped in. "You've got a lot to learn about your husband."
XXXX
The aroma of freshly prepared food filled the air as Chi-Chi ushered everyone into the modest yet cozy home. The kitchen table was already set with bowls of steaming rice, vegetables sautéed to perfection, and an assortment of meats glazed in savory sauces. The windows glowed gold from the setting sun as the Saiyans entered, all of them instinctively drawn toward the smell.
Daiko's stomach let out a long, deep growl as he stepped into the house. His eyes locked onto the table, and his nose twitched as the scent of cooked meat wafted into his nostrils. Raditz inhaled as well, his mouth curling slightly at the edges in a rare show of anticipation.
Daiko leaned over to Goku and muttered, "Your mate is… talented. I haven't smelled anything this good since... actually, I've never smelled anything this good even back on Planet Vegeta."
Goku nodded. "Yeah… Chi-Chi's the best cook in the world."
Raditz said nothing, but the way he stared at the table spoke volumes.
Goku dove in first, and Raditz and Daiko followed. Daiko practically teared up at the first bite.
"This… this is actual food. Not wild creatures roasted with ki blasts," he said.
Raditz nodded, stuffing his face. "It's perfect. Way better than Frieza force food."
And then came a new sound: pat-pat-pat-pat.
Little feet tapped along the floorboards.
Gohan, having finally let go of Chi-Chi's leg, shuffled over to the table and hoisted himself into the chair between his father and Daiko. His tiny hands reached for a rice ball, and he began nibbling on it slowly at first, then took a larger bite, then another.
He was cautious at first, watching Daiko and Raditz with wary eyes. He sat on the opposite side from Raditz, clearly still scared of him, but he focused on his food like a soldier on a mission. One bite turned into ten, and before long, his cheeks puffed out as he chewed.
Daiko looked down at him and grinned. "Now that's how a young Saiyan should act."
They continued devouring plate after plate, bowl after bowl, chopsticks a blur.
Just as Daiko reached for another helping of beef, a loud shriek erupted from the hallway.
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"
Everyone froze mid-bite. Even Raditz's mouth stopped moving with a half-eaten skewer still in his hand.
Chi-Chi stood at the doorway, her mouth agape, eyes wide with disbelief. "You're an ALIEN, Goku?!" Chi-Chi then pointed a trembling finger at Gohan. "Then that means Gohan's… he's half alien?!"
Goku blinked slowly, a grain of rice falling from his cheek. "Yup."
Chi-Chi's mouth opened, but no words came out. Her eyes drifted down to her son, who was still calmly chewing a steamed dumpling
Raditz leaned back in his chair, speaking matter-of-factly. "Yes, your son is a hybrid Saiyan warrior. That's why he eats so much, since we saiyans require a vast amount of food to maintain peak performance. As well as... ya know... has a tail."
Daiko leaned back as well. "It's a good thing Kakarot picked well, even though he bumped his head and lost his memories."
At that, Goku paused. "What do you mean?"
Daiko explains. "Saiyan males are drawn to strong women. Women who challenge them. From what I can sense, you might have chosen one of the strongest on this planet. And she can cook exceptionally well."
Chi-Chi blushed so hard she nearly became a tomato. "I-I… thank you."
Bulma raised an eyebrow. "Wait… you guys fight your wives?"
Daiko shrugged. "It's how we bond. My parents used to spar often, though not during her pregnancies."
Raditz grunted. "Yeah. Most Saiyans wouldn't stick with someone weaker, but our parents were... different. Even though our dad could wipe the floor with our mother, they'd still stayed together."
Chi-Chi's flustered expression was replaced by something else—concern.
Chi-Chi internally sweats. 'So... Saiyans left partners who were weak? Does that mean… if I can't keep up with Goku, he'll leave?'
She glanced at Goku, who was listening to Daiko and Raditz describe their parents.
Bulma, still listening intently, glanced sideways at Daiko. Her expression didn't shift, but somewhere in the back of her mind, she noted the way Saiyans seemed to favor strong-willed partners. The idea of bonding through combat and mutual challenge was... fascinating. Alien, sure, but oddly romantic in its own rough-and-tumble way. Without realizing it, her gaze lingered on Daiko a second longer than necessary.
"So you're still going to show me your ship, right?" she asked.
Daiko grinned. "Sure. Right after I finish—"
He froze. The table was empty. Plates clean. Not a scrap of food left.
He looked over to Gohan, now slumped in his seat, belly full and fast asleep.
Daiko's anger grew. "The little brat ate all the food!"
Raditz grabbed the sleeping boy and shook him. "You little glutton!"
Gohan blinked awake and began to cry again.
In a flash, Chi-Chi appeared behind Raditz and grabbed him from behind. With surprising strength, she suplexed him head-first into the floor.
A dull thud echoed through the house. Everyone stared.
Chi-Chi huffed. "Don't shake my baby."
Daiko blinked, then burst into laughter. Then, Goku and Bulma followed.
XXXX
After the laughter died down, Raditz picked himself up out of the floor.
Gohan, still wiping his eyes, looked up at his mom with admiration. She didn't just protect him. She threw the scary man like he was made of paper. In that moment, he felt safer than ever.
Chi-Chi returned to the kitchen to make more food. She knew how Saiyans ate due to her husband and son. Whatever she thought was enough before clearly wasn't with two more Saiyans added into the mix. She moved around the kitchen with practiced speed. While Goku went over his life on Earth, telling his brothers about his adventures. Raditz often acted like he didn't care or challenged the belief that some of the things Goku did even happened. Like him supposedly, dropping off a rabbit on the moon to make mochi.
Daiko was interested in how his little brother's life turned out so far. Though both Raditz and Daiko were surprised to hear about the dragon balls. Magical wishing orbs with great power.
Raditz says they could wish for immortality. But Daiko just smacks his head, saying what good would immortality be as a Saiyan? It'd just make battles not worth having. He then suggests they should bring back their parents and the rest of the Saiyans. However, Goku states that Shenron can only bring back those who have died within the past year. Daiko just sighs, as while he'd like to speak to his parents again, he wasn't really concerned with bringing the Saiyan race back.
Daiko was sort of different from regular Saiyans. He still went out and conquered planets when he was younger, had no problems with being brutal to his enemies, and loved a good battle. But, he had no interest in bullying those weaker than him, he kinda of liked his family and wasn't indifferent to familial relationships, and was more thoughtful.
Raditz retracts his idea for a wish, especially since, besides those two, he didn't really have anything he'd want to wish for.
All three brothers were unaware that they'd experienced the power of the Dragon Balls since they were young. In fact, a wish made for his sons by their father led to them thriving, especially when two were fated to die against each other, but the oldest ended up saving both.
As the conversation went on, Chi-Chi returned to the dining room with another batch of food, this time more than double what she'd originally made. She set the trays down and motioned for everyone to eat.
"Alright. Round two," she said, placing her hands on her hips.
Daiko's eyes lit up. "This smells even better than the first batch."
Raditz didn't wait. He reached forward and piled a mountain of food onto his plate. Goku followed right behind, and soon the table was filled with the sound of chewing, swallowing, and appreciative hums.
Then, out loud, with the same curious spark she'd had since they met, she said, "I'd really love to learn more about Saiyan culture. Like, what's the deal with that giant monkey transformation? How does it even work?"
Raditz explains. "If a Saiyan with a tail looks at a full moon, their body reacts to the light waves and triggers a transformation. We grow in size and power, becoming an 'Oozaru.'"
Chi-Chi immediately stiffened. Her brows furrowed, and she frowned. "Wait, I don't want Gohan turning into some giant monkey monster," she said.
Goku, casually chewing on some rice, swallowed and waved his hand like it was no big deal. "Well, if that's what you want, we can just cut off his tail like I did. Problem solved, right?"
The room fell silent.
Two heavy, invisible pressures suddenly filled the air as both Daiko and Raditz turned their eyes to Goku. Their glares were sharp, almost predatory. Goku blinked and looked around, confused at the sudden shift in mood.
Daiko leaned forward, eyes narrowed. "Kakarot... do you want me to cut off your arm?"
Goku paused, chopsticks halfway to his mouth. "Huh? What are you talking about?"
Raditz crossed his arms, tone cold and flat. "That's exactly what you're suggesting for your own son. Do you even hear yourself?"
Bulma raised her hands quickly. "Whoa, whoa, guys, let's not blow this out of proportion. I mean, Goku's been fine without a tail for years. It's not that serious."
Daiko turned toward her, his face showing anger once again. He'd heard about Goku's tail getting removed earlier, but blew over it since he was shocked about hearing how Kakarot didn't know he could transform. His voice was steady but heavy with tension.
"A Saiyan's tail is part of their body. It's not a toy or some decoration you can just get rid of. When a Saiyan loses their tail, they don't just lose the ability to transform into an Oozaru. They lose a lot of their ki and a good chunk of their potential. A Saiyan's power level growth rate depends on their potential as a child. But, if a Saiyan loses their tail too early and it doesn't grow back, and they are tweaked, then expected when they reach their adult growth spurt."
(Author explanation: In DBZ, when a character loses a limb, they lose part of their power. Future Gohan experienced this when he lost his arm against the androids, causing his power level to drop slightly. Also, a Saiyan's tail helps them regulate their ki. All the saiyans in Universe 7 have poor ki control, so the drop in their power level when they lose their tail is a result of them gaining poorer ki control, but this is unknown to the saiyans as they haven't prioritized ki control so they assume getting rid of their tail makes a Saiyan weaker.
Daiko went on. "And that's not all. The tail is connected to the spine. If you cut it off carelessly or near the base, it can damage spinal nerves. That's why it hurts so much when someone grabs it. If it's not trained, the nerves are extremely sensitive. That kind of injury can permanently affect how a Saiyan moves or fights, potentially crippling them."
Bulma's mouth parted slightly, and for once, she didn't have a quick comeback.
Chi-Chi's face paled. She looked from Goku to Gohan.
Goku blinked and looked down at his own tail-less back. "You mean when I got my tail cut off... I could've been crippled?"
"Yes," Daiko said. "If you hadn't been lucky in how you lost your tail, you'd be lucky to even walk."
Raditz added, "That's why I was angry when I first found out you didn't have your tail. Among our people, tail-less Saiyans are treated the same as warriors who've lost a limb. It's seen as pathetic and they're seen as cripples."
Bulma slowly nodded. "I guess I never thought of it that way. I mean... the Oozaru thing seemed scary and kind of dangerous, so we were more focused on that. But, as a scientist, I should have thought about how the removal of his tail would affect his health."
Goku scratched his head. "I just figured it didn't really affect me and was unnecessary."
Daiko shook his head. "That's why I'll be training Gohan to master his transformation. Properly."
Turning to Raditz, Daiko asked, "What about you? Can you control your transformation?"
Raditz gave a half-shrug. "I can at least aim it. I don't go crazy and uncontrollable, but full control? I can't. Besides, that's usually for mid or high-class Saiyans. It's even surprising Daiko had managed to gain control of his form."
Daiko nodded. "That's fine. I only learned to control it because I had to. Planet Savage wasn't forgiving. Sometimes the only way to survive was to use the form, until I eventually figured out how to control it."
They all continued discussing their pasts, Goku, Chi-Chi, and Bulma weren't thrilled to learn that Saiyans were essentially mercenaries and conquerors, but Daiko explained that it hadn't always been that way. "For the most part, we were a warrior race who kept to ourselves. But, King Cold enslaved us with his immense power. After that, we did what he ordered, before he gave up control of the empire to his son Frieza."
He didn't bother to mention the Saiyans taking the Tuffles' planet or the original Saiyan homeworld that was lost due to civil war. That felt like too much history for one night.
By the time they finished eating, night had fallen.
Daiko stood, gently lifting Bulma in his arms as he was in a good mood. "It was nice meeting you, sister," he said to Chi-Chi with a warm nod. "You've earned your place."
Raditz nodded too. "You picked well, Kakarot."
Chi-Chi smiled, cheeks red. "You're welcome here anytime. We're family."
Bulma kept quiet, still thinking about Raditz's earlier actions and deciding not to tell Chi-Chi how her son was almost kidnapped. She didn't want to ruin the moment, so she let it go.
As the trio stepped outside and took off into the sky, Chi-Chi looked at Goku, who stood beside her, watching the stars.
"Goku," she said, "I think... I think we should start training together."
Goku blinked. "Really?"
She nodded. "If I'm going to be your wife and the mother of a Saiyan, we should bond like how Saiyans do."
Goku grinned. "Yahoo!" He didn't understand her sudden shift, but he wasn't about to question it.
Later that night, they sparred gently in the yard under the moonlight.
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Power Levels:
Gohan (After battle): 140
Chi-Chi: 146
Master Roshi (Full power): 180
Goku (After battle): 623
Raditz (After battle): 1313
Daiko (Full Power): 6,000,000
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Author's Note: Please read and give me feedback. The next chapter will come sooner, in like 2 weeks, since this chapter was more for me to set up some context that'll be crucial to the story and character relationships. But, I want to speed up the timeline to get to the training and battles. Anyway, join my patreon Bah_Goat as it gives me motivation to write especially when I experience writer's block or lose motivations for writing chapters.