Introduction:

I have just a few quick things to let everyone know about before you start reading this story. First of all, there are parts of it that are similar to a story that I found online about four years ago. The story was called Dragon Ball Next and it was one of the reasons that I became interested in fanfiction at all. If anyone is curious about Dragon Ball Next, I found a web page that still has it posted (I'll put the link on my bio page). Also, Trugeta (another author here at ) used the same story as a basis for one of his works, but the last time I checked he had deleted that story. If there is any part of the story that was taken either in part or in whole from Dragon Ball Next or anywhere else, I made sure to note it at the bottom of the chapter.

There is a pseudo-original character (you'll eventually see why I say pseudo) that is one of the main characters, but don't fret, this is not a self insert story and he won't be all powerful. What and who he is will be explained as the story progresses.

Even though this story is completed, I still enjoy seeing reviews. By all means tell me if you like something or if anything needs to be changed...heck you can even say you hate it all (though I'd like to hear a reason if you're going to flame, I can't get better unless I know what I'm doing wrong, can I?).

All thoughts will be in italics and have single quotation marks around them. Anything done through telepathy will have around it. Hopefully you'll be able to recognize when people are speaking as I will be using the universally (at least in all English speaking nations) recognized double quotation marks.

---At the moment, I am doing a bit of maintenance on this story, so thoughts might also have a little squiggle next to them. It's generally pretty easy to see when people are thinking, so I don't think anyone will have much trouble.

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball, Dragonball Z, or Dragonball GT. I guess you could say that I own any original characters in this story, but if any one else were to "steal" them and not give me credit, I'd probably never know and most likely not care. Also, some of the teachers in this story have names taken from the voice actor's for Dragonball Z, so I guess I can't take any credit for that.

Enjoy!!!

o

Chapter 1: Beginnings

It had been nearly ten millennia since he had been imprisoned. His body had grown frail and weak. The powers that had helped him conquer the galaxy were nearly depleted, but it didn't matter. When he escaped his power would return, as would his legions of followers, and then he would topple the Kais from their place as rulers of the universe.

The crack in his personal hell had been found hundreds of years earlier and since then the Dark One had been expanding it ever so slowly; it would not be long now. Then suddenly, it gave way. The seal that had held him for all these countless centuries buckled. With strength born of an impure rage, he tore free, at last pulling himself out of his prison and into the universe he'd been born to rule. Light had had its chance, now the Darkness was coming.

ooo

The sky over the small island grew dark as the storm announced itself with a bright flash of lightening and a deafening crack of thunder. Moments earlier the island had been picturesque; its palm trees gently swaying in the evening breeze and not a cloud in the sky. Then the heavens grew dark and swirling clouds materialized out of nowhere, sending the small inhabitants of the island scurrying for shelter.

After the storm had been raging for several minutes, a small rabbit poked his head out of his hole, hoping to see some sign that the worst was over. He was disappointed; he did, however, notice something odd. Near a small pond there now lay a young man who had not been there when the storm began. Another flash of lightening sent the small animal back into the hole. When he peaked out again, the man was standing, soaked from the storm and naked, a tail wrapped around his waist.

The stranger watched calmly as the clouds vanished as if they had never been. Then, with an explosion of white light, the man shot off into the sky and headed toward the mainland.

ooo

Gohan's eyes snapped open and he sat up in bed. His wife Videl groaned softly in her sleep, snuggled closer to him, but did not wake. Gohan extended his senses as far as he could, searching for the immense power that had awakened him, but there was nothing there. He shrugged and lay back down, draping an arm over Videl.

'I must have just been dreaming,' he thought, 'no one except maybe dad could have been that powerful.' He was asleep almost before he finished the thought.

ooo

At that same moment, Vegeta also awoke and met with the same results. Unlike Gohan, however, he didn't think for a moment that it was a dream; a lifetime spent as a warrior had trained his senses far to well.

"What is it Vegeta?" Bulma asked groggily, still not fully awake.

"Nothing woman, go back to sleep," the Saiyan Prince replied.

Bulma hated when he called her that, but at the moment was too tired to fight with him; she closed her eyes and was asleep in seconds.

Vegeta sat in bed watching her for several minutes; marveling for the billionth time at the unexpected twists and turns that had led him to this place. Then his mind turned back to what had awakened him. Whatever it was, it was huge and already on the planet. How it had gotten so close undetected was beyond him, but he knew he had to start training harder if he were to stand a chance against it.

'Damn! I've been hanging around these humans too much, I'm starting to get soft,' he thought as he climbed out of bed and headed downstairs to his personal gravity room. He stayed there the rest of the day.