Disclaimer: The amazing franchise that is Dragon Ball is in no way owned by me, any characters, themes and plot elements from the franchise is the property of Toei and the brilliant Akira Toriyama. In regards any future OC's or concepts I develop they are not technically my property however I respectfully request that if anyone wishes to use them they either ask permission or give me a mention in their authors notes.

Chapter 1: A Villain Emerges.

It's been five years since the climatic defeat of the evil Piccolo at the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament and the world is at peace. However, the heroes of Earth have not been idle in this time of peace, each has been training relentlessly to protect the innocent should Piccolo return from his self-imposed exile and seek vengeance and also to secretly to one day surpass the Earth's greatest hero; Goku. Little did they know that the results of their training would very soon be put to the test to an extent beyond anything they could have ever imagined.

"One day soon I'll be able to face that damn fool Goku and get revenge for my humiliation at his hands and avenge my father. I grow stronger everyday and I can sense Goku hasn't been training as much as he used to, overconfident fool," Piccolo thought whilst meditating.

Suddenly his concentration was broken by the interruption of a rapidly approaching energy level; it didn't belong to any of those pathetic humans Goku spent time with. No, he'd fought with them multiple times to train himself, by making faked revenge attempts that they always thought they'd foiled. This was unlike any he'd felt before, its magnitude made him unconsciously flinch in trepidation. He cautiously flew towards the area it was navigating towards.

"This should be a good test of my new abilities before I face Goku." Piccolo laughed to himself, not so much out of confidence but more out of self-reassurance. After all even if he was not quite as strong as Goku yet, surely he was stronger than anyone else on Earth, visitors included?

After a short flight he came to an open field area where an impact crater of roughly eight meters in diameter was to beheld, the thing that caught his attention however was not the crater but the strange, spherical craft that had made it which lay open in the middle of the crater. Hastily searching for the ki of the individual from the craft he failed to notice the shadow that was covering him until the figure that cast it spoke.

"Well, what do we have here? I thought the people of Earth were Saiyan in appearance, obviously your some horrifically weak mutant," smirked the tall, muscular and wild haired stranger.

Whipping around to meet this menacing voice Piccolo nearly gaped in disbelief at the mystery visitor's appearance. He was like an older, more muscular version of Goku aside from the hair which instead of being palm tree-like was bushy, jutting out and in long enough to reach the back of his knees.

Quickly recovering Piccolo snarled a response with as much confidence and arrogance possible, "I am no pathetic human or mutant, I am the son of the great Demon Lord, King Piccolo, and I'd be more respectful if I were you. I'm in no mood to suffer fools, particularly one resembling Goku so much." Inwardly though he suppressed his power level ensuring he retained his element of surprise if it came to a fight.

"Look I couldn't give a crap who you're related to, Namekian , how you got here or what a 'Goku' is. All I want to know is where Kakarott resides, if you tell me I'll spare you and the majority of planet. After all I don't enjoy killing when it's unnecessary but make no mistake, I will kill you if you're un-cooperative," Raditz drawled in complete boredom and exasperation. 'This green freak is starting to bug me,' he inwardly thought.

Suddenly a realisation struck Piccolo; this alien was somehow Goku's brother! The resemblance was too much and the energy signature was too similar for any other possibility…

'If he's close to Goku's power I'll need to prevent him from teaming up with Goku against me, I may have to fall back on my ultimate response, I wonder why he called me a Namekian?' Piccolo pondered as he considered his response. "Your brother is the one known as Goku, you're very alike and Goku's origin is shrouded in mystery. I suspect then that he and you are of another species, it explains your strength and Goku's unnatural healing ability and power gains from injury," Piccolo calmly stated, all the while concentrating his Ki just close to the surface of detection in order to fight at his limits immediately.

"Well if what you say is true I have no idea why my brother is known as 'Goku', or why he hasn't killed everyone on this planet… Well it's pleasant enough, if his pod was damaged he may have decided to wait until adulthood to carve a planetary empire independent of the Planet Trade Organisation, if so I'm rather pleased with his levels intelligence, mentality and overall taste," Raditz replied whilst adjusting the head device he was wearing.

Piccolo laughed thunderously in response.

"What's funny, slug?" snapped Raditz.

"Goku is no emperor, he's an out and out hero, disgusting if you ask me but it's the truth. Oh, and his intelligence is lacking, despite his skill in regards to fighting," Piccolo replied, still chuckling.

"Ok, Mr. Green, I've had enough, bring me to him or die!" roared Raditz, enraged by the insult Piccolo was giving Kakarott and by extension their bloodline.

"Go to hell, I take orders from no-one, Goku's redneck space brother included," replied Piccolo whilst slipping into a defensive fighting stance.

Enraged, Raditz used his scouter to scan Piccolo's power level and the weak beep and subsequent readout he received back made him cry out in laughter. "Your power level is only 200! You're not even a sixth of my strength and you seriously hope to defeat me? Well if you're confident you can get a shot in for free," smirked Raditz, lowering his guard completely.

Piccolo without acknowledging the offer rushed in immediately and threw a right handed, sideways chop at the sensitive point of Raditz's neck. His blow whilst only less than half of his true power, did little more than move Raditz's head. Perturbed, Piccolo flipped away and raised his guard, wary of retaliation.

Raditz merely slowly moved his head back to its original position, grinning like a true sadist. "If that is the best you've got then I'm sorry for you," Raditz calmly stated. In an instant he'd moved from his position to appear behind Piccolo, who lunged to the right to avoid what he felt certain would be a sneak attack. Raditz however was still and laughing.

"You can't even keep up with my movements, how are going to fight me?" Raditz asked, secretly hoping Piccolo would abandon the fight, he'd had enough senseless death in his lifetime.

Piccolo's reply was simple, "I'll stop playing around." Powering up in the space of a few seconds a white aura surrounded Piccolo's tensed form. "Shit, he can raise his power whenever he wants! This is a problem," Raditz thought. "If Kakarott can do this there's a chance he could be a match for me, if he decides to stay here and not join me." Checking the scuter he was amazed but unworried that it now displayed Piccolo as having a power level of 472.

Rushing in Piccolo punched Raditz in the jaw and kneed him in the chest, whilst unhurt Raditz was winded and momentarily defenceless. Piccolo grinned ferally at this and continued his onslaught, punching and kicking Raditz at every angle trying to cause at least some damage.

"Damn, all I've managed to do is bruise him occasionally, I'll need to push harder if I'm to have any ho…" before Piccolo could finish his thought Raditz roared his frustration out and kicked Piccolo squarely in the solar plexus. He followed this up with an arm grab and threw Piccolo into the hillside.

"That actually hurt!" Raditz fumed. "He's a third of my power but it hurt. I can't waste time on him anymore," Raditz thought. By sheer luck his scouter detected another power level of 203, far stronger than any other reading bar Piccolo.

"It's been fun, freak, but I have a family reunion to attend!" Raditz shouted at the injured and struggling to stand Piccolo. "Don't follow me or I will have to kill you," Raditz added with a hint of sadness in his voice. He took to the skies and sped off toward Mt. Paozu.

Meanwhile at a mountain cabin area, Yamcha and Krillin were training with the ex-villains Tien and Chaoutzu, until they felt two very large power levels in the distance. They'd been tempted to go and investigate but reasoned that if it was Goku and Piccolo fighting, Goku would have sent Gohan to get back up. Now however, with one of the power levels approaching the general direction of Kame house they realised the scale of the power level and that it most certainly wasn't Goku.

"Shit, he's getting close and his ki signature is immense!" Yamcha exclaimed somewhat anxiously.

"He's strong but the four of us together could beat him," Tien coolly observed.

"He's heading to Kame House!" Chaotzu squeaked apprehensively.

"Yeah he is, how ironic is it that I was there only a few hours ago? You guys up for being Goku's cavalry again?" Krillin determinedly grinned. The reply he received was a collective nod and everyone took off to aid the man they all owed so much to.

At Kame House there was a small child of no more than four hanging off a man's shoulders giggling. He was dressed in a green and yellow traditional outfit with a hat that had a small, orange ball sewn into the top.

The man was Goku and he was laughing as he picked the child up and positioned him on his back.

"Gohan, you wanna play aeroplanes?" Goku beamed, fully enjoying his rare day off of training.

"Yes please Daddy," was the excited response from Gohan.

"Ok here we go..." Goku started before he felt something in the back of his mind "Gohan, get off me now and hide with Bulma, a huge power is heading this way," Goku said as he tensed and turned towards the power's direction. Stood up straight Goku was around 5 foot 8 inches and very muscular, particularly for his relatively young age.

"Ok Dad," was Gohan's scared reply as he made for the house only 10 metres away. Before he got halfway a ki blast gouged a trench in the sand in front of him and he stopped.

"I don't think so young one, this is a family reunion," rang out Raditz who'd fully descended in front of Goku.

"Who are you and why did you shoot at my child!?" demanded a now very wary and angry Goku.

"Wow, Kakkarot, you really have gone native… you don't even have a tail anymore. I assume it was removed after you first transformed." Raditz sighed slightly, dismayed at how un-Saiyan his brother was behaving and looking.

"My name is Goku and my tail never made me transform into anything!" snapped Goku hoping Gohan would be forgotten about by the stranger.

"Really? Well then, 'Goku', at around the age of eight to 10 did many people die on the night of a full moon? If so the beast that killed them was you transforming into an Ozaru," Raditz explained, forcing himself to call his brother by his human name, hoping that if he could connect with him he'd be able to avoid conflict.

"No… no, an ape beast killed my granddad Gohan… it couldn't be me…" Goku stammered, horrified by the revelation that he'd killed the person he considered his father. At first he didn't believe it but then it began to make sense when he thought about the destruction of Pilaf's castle by a beast while he was unconscious, still he was numb with shock and denial.

"I'm afraid so Kakarrot. Now I need you to join me and the last of our race against the evil overlord Frieza, who wiped out our home planet and our race," Raditz commanded, mentally and bitterly adding "and our parents" to the list of atrocities committed by Frieza.

"Look, I was raised on Earth and I have a family. I love this planet and them and while I sympathise I won't leave, also how do you know who I am and why am I so important?" Goku replied slowly overcoming his shock.

"Well that is regrettable, understandable but regrettable. I know your human name as I had to fight a very aggressive green alien to get here and he told me, I know your birth name as I am your older brother. As for your importance, well, you have great potential as a fighter and personally after seeing everyone else I was connected to die, I wish to fight by the side of the last of my kin," Raditz admitted willingly.

"If we are truly related then you're welcome in my family providing you give up your notion of vengeance and remain here, as I still won't join you," Goku answered still a little amazed by all that was transpiring.

"I almost wish I could brother, unfortunately if I don't bring you with me we all die." Raditz regretfully sighed. "Right, the boy goes with me to my pod. You have a day to kill one hundred earthlings as proof of your commitment to our cause or I leave with him," Raditz declared issuing the pre-determined ultimatum whilst moving towards Gohan.

"I will never kill any humans and you will not take my son!" declared Goku, lunging for Raditz. With careful delivery Raditz swiftly kicked Goku in the gut before elbowing him sideways to the ground. As Goku gasped in pain, Raditz grabbed the sobbing child with regret and rose up.

"One day Kakarot, I'll be over the south mountain range," called Raditz. A few moments later a distraught and agony wracked Goku was roused by a very scared Bulma and severely pissed off Roshi.

"S'up guys? Where's Gohan?" Goku asked in a groggy daze.

"That piece of scum took him!" Bulma fumed as she took a senzu bean out.

"If I wasn't making sure Bulma was safe I'd have helped Goku, as insignificant as my aid would be," sighed a momentarily remorseful Roshi.

"Ohh, Chi-Chi will kill me," moaned a still disorientated Goku. "Where's Oolong?" Goku asked, suddenly worried for his old friend.

"In my hovercar on the way to South City hiding," replied Bulma darkly, while feeding Goku the bean.

Revitalised, Goku sprang up feeling stronger than before and with one thing in mind: getting his son back. "My brother will pay for this!" Goku growled, powering up.

Just then Piccolo and the human fighters arrived and a chorus of confused questioning and violent threats towards Piccolo occurred.

"QUIET!" bellowed Piccolo, his eyes glinting dangerously. "Explain Goku," Piccolo ordered as an angry silence settled.

"The short story is that my so called brother wants me to join him in some murderous revenge quest, I declined and he kidnapped Gohan. He's given me a day to kill a hundred people as proof of my loyalty and then he'll release Gohan, this isn't going to happen," Goku explained.

There was a murmur of confusion and then each human pledged to aid Goku. "This is what's happening, I need one of you to join me in taking Raditz on, the rest of you need to take all the non-fighters to the Lookout whilst you train with Mr Popo and Kami in the event that I fail," Goku uncharacteristically commanded the assembled warriors.

"I'll go with Goku," was the simultaneous response from the fighters.

"No," said Piccolo. "I have a score to settle with him and honestly I can't beat him without help even if it's from Goku."

"Well you're probably the strongest other than me here, although not by much judging from the energy I'm reading off the others." Goku decided. "I'll happily accept your help, Piccolo."

"Fine let's go," Piccolo grunted. With that, he soared off towards Raditz's ki signature.

"Tell Chi-Chi not to worry guys, and make sure Gohan doesn't leave Earth if I fail," Goku called as he departed, flashing that winning Son grin for what might be the last time.

"Stay alive, man," Krillin whispered as he turned to the others in preparation to leave.

Will Goku and Piccolo rescue Gohan or will the somewhat conflicted Raditz be pushed to take drastic action? Find out in the next instalment of DBZ: Heroes of Humanity!

Authors note:

This story would not be possible without the brilliant advice from my amazing editor Apollo1147. Also as this is my first uploaded story so any constructive criticism is more than welcome. The power level for Piccolo was done by taking his DBZ Raditz fight power level without weighted clothes and just adding 50. The same will be done for Goku.