* * *

Morning hours. The day after the party described in Chapter Zero. Son Goten and Trunks exit the Gravity Chamber outside.

GOTEN
cheerful
Once again, thanks for the training!

TRUNKS
embarrassed
No problem. You're doing pretty well...

GOTEN
Oh, you don't have to pretend... I've really let myself go! In a full-on fight, I wouldn't stand a chance against you.

TRUNKS
awkward, unsure of what to say — then suddenly notices something in the sky
Hey, Goten! Isn't that your dad and Uub?

GOTEN
shocked
W-What? It is him! But he said he'd stay for at least a week... Mom won't be happy.

TRUNKS
soberly, with calmness
Maybe they're not flying far.

GOTEN
We'd have to follow them to find out.

TRUNKS
If you insist...!
takes off into the air

GOTEN
startled
W-Wait! You misunderstood me...! That wasn't a suggestion!

TRUNKS
smiles
Still, I think it's a pretty good idea! They surely won't mind if we follow them.  

GOTEN
I guess you're right... Alright, let's go after them.  

After waiting a moment longer, Goten and Trunks fly after Goku and Uub.

* * *

Son Goku and his apprentice land on the Lookout, where Dende, Mister Popo, and Piccolo are waiting for them.

GOKU

merrily
Hi everyone! How are y’all doin’?

PICCOLO
smiles to himself
Can't complain, Son. Glad you could make it.

DENDE
exulted
Goku! Uub! Good to see you!

GOKU
Good to see ya too, Dende!
after a brief pause
I got a little question for ya...

DENDE
ready to answer
What is it?

GOKU
After we sort them things out with Piccolo, can we use the Hyperbolic Time Chamber?

DENDE
placidly
Sure thing! Just be careful — I know you guys are mighty strong, but try not to wreck the Chamber.  

GOKU
You betcha, Dende!

DENDE
with a smile
Mister Popo will be watching over you.

POPO
nervously swallows

PICCOLO
impatient

Is everything settled? Come on, let's get going. The sooner I show you my work, the sooner you can start training...

Goku, Piccolo, and Uub move to another location.

* * *

Here is the Pilaf Gang, Goku's childhood adversaries, consisting of Emperor Pilaf himself, Mai, and Shu. They are climbing, trying to get to the Lookout, in grotesquely-looking mechs, which gradually begin to smoke — the prolonged climb is not doing them any favor.

PILAF
enraged
Argh! Blast it all! We still have quite a ways to go, and these scraps are overheating already!

MAI
embarrassed
Relax, Great Pilaf. They've been unused for quite a while... They'll surely hold out till the end! Besides, back in the day, fuming like this was normal...

PILAF
with melancholy in his voice
I hope you're right! But who am I kidding... Most likely, the Dragon Balls will slip through my fingers at the very last moment...

SHU
trying to be optimistic
Have more faith in yourself, Lord Pilaf! There's no reason why something like this should happen to us! No one knows we're sneaking onto the Look-...

Suddenly, Goten and Trunks, following Goku and Uub’s tracks, fly past the Pilaf Gang.

PILAF
terrified
AAAAAH! We've been spotted, the whole plan is for nothing!
releases the levers of his Mech, causing it to lose balance

Pilaf's Mech teeters dangerously close to falling off the tower. The Emperor notices it and begins to wave his arms in panic.

PILAF

panicking
Oh noooo! Shu, save me! Don't let the Great Emperor perish!

SHU
with concern
I rush to your aid, my Lord!
Shu's Mech releases a long tentacle-like arm, which catches Pilaf's Mech just in time

PILAF
with gratitude
Phew...! Thank you, Shu!
suddenly turns gloomy
Maybe it would have been better for me to die after all, seeing as my plan has once again  turned into ruins...!

MAI
rolls her eyes, then addresses Pilaf respectfully
There's no certainty that those two saw us. And even if they did, how would they know our intentions?

PILAF
regains composure and pride in his voice
Yes, Mai, of course! I, Pilaf, will make my wish today using the Dragon Balls! Let's go!

Pilaf's Mech continues climbing ahead. Shu and Mai sigh simultaneously and follow its lead.

* * *

Meanwhile, Piccolo, Goku, and Uub stand behind the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. On the ground lies something covered by the piece of cloth.

PICCOLO

with satisfaction

Here they are!

tosses the fabric aside, revealing the complete set of Black Star Dragon Balls

GOKU

widens his eyes and, scratching his head, says

Umm... Piccolo?

PICCOLO

perplexed

What?

GOKU

disappointed

They look just like regular Dragon Balls. Only they have different stars.

PICCOLO

exasperated

Of course they do! What did you expect?!

GOKU

hesitantly

I dunno, that they'd be big, like Namekian Dragon Balls... or... or r-really small...?

PICCOLO

sighs

Perhaps their looks is disappointing, but their power surely exceeds anything we've dealt with so far...

GOKU

Already wished for somethin’?

PICCOLO

with an ambiguous grimace

No... That time will come.

GOKU

scratching his head

So how do ya know how strong they are?

UUB
shyly
Master Goku, could we now head to the Time Chamber?  

GOKU
Easy there, Uub! You ain't no Saiyan, but trainin's callin' ya more than me!
laughs

PICCOLO
emphasizing
Son, getting back to the point...

continues in a normal tone
I created these Dragon Balls, so I know how much power I put into them. Besides, I drew upon both my power and Kami's, with whom I'm unified, much like many years ago he and my father were. So they must be capable of way more than the Orbs currently linked to Dende.

GOKU

blithely
That's good, Piccolo! We'll sure need another set o' them Dragon Balls someday... But now, sorry, I'm off to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
to Uub
Let's go!

Goku and Uub depart.

PICCOLO

sighs again

Thought I'd be more appreciated... Ugh...!

Piccolo covers the Dragon Balls with a cloth and then leaves as well.

After a moment, at the same spot, the Pilaf Gang's Mechs are seen climbing up to the top of the Lookout.

SHU

struggling to push Pilaf's Mech

Easy there, Pilaf...

with effort

Just a little... bit!

Pilaf is the first to reach the top, followed by Shu, and then Mai.

PILAF

after spreading his arms wide and letting out a sinister chuckle

Behold, it is I! Pilaf the Conqueror! On this day, my dreams shall be fulfilled!

MAI

placing her index finger to her lips

Pilaf, I suggest you speak a bit quieter, or we'll really get caught.

PILAF

suddenly starts whispering

Yes, yes... That's exactly what I'm ordering you to do…!

Pilaf cautiously approaches the rear wall of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, where the Black Star Dragon Balls lie covered with a cloth.

PILAF

From the shapes I can discern under this cover, I deduce the following...

turns to his Gang with a silly but earnest smile

...these are my Dragon Balls!

MAI AND SHU

show signs of genuine joy

PILAF

with tears in his eyes, looks up at the sky, spreads his arms, and says

Behold, the day has come! The day when Great Pilaf will fulfill his lifelong dream!

throws aside the cloth and rubs his hands together

Yes, yes, yes, yes...!

raises his arms up

This is it! Come forth, Divine Dragon!

Nothing happens. Mai and Shu are shocked.

PILAF

How come?

Suddenly, the Black Star Dragon Balls begin to emit steam, and then they start to spark.

SHU

worried

P-Pilaf... These might not be ordinary Dragon Balls...

PILAF

examines the Orbs and declares

Indeed! Their stars are... black!

The Dragon Balls begin sparking more intensely, after which a blinding pillar of light bursts forth from them.

PILAF

taken aback loses his balance and falls

Ah!

MAI AND SHU

shielding their eyes

AAAAAAH!

At the same time, Uub and Goku were about to enter the Hyperbolic Time Chamber when, unexpectedly, they were halted by the emergence of unusually powerful energy signature.

GOKU

gets serious

Uub, stay put.

teleports using Instant Transmission

Goku appears near Pilaf and, with his very own eyes, sees an enormous dragon, even larger than the Shenron he knows, appearing in the sky. This dragon is red with accents of yellow and pink.

PILAF

with unspeakable joy

Divine Dragon!

RED SHENRON

in a booming, deep voice

Greetings, those gathered! I have come to grant my first wish...!

PILAF, MAI AND SHU

euphorically

YEEEEEEES!

GOKU

firmly

Hey, you guys! Where’d y’all come from?! How’d ya find out about these Dragon Balls?!

PILAF

terrified runs to Mai and Shu

Ah! It's...

PILAF, MAI AND SHU

...Son Goku!

GOKU

surprised

Y'all know me?

SHU

Of course, you're Son Goku! Our paths crossed when you were just a little bo-...

PILAF

covers Shu's mouth

Silence, you fool!

Piccolo, Uub, Popo, and Dende arrive. Same goes for Goten and Trunks who too land at the spot.

UUB

to Goku

Master, is everything alright?

GOTEN

confused

What’s going on here...?

GOKU

turns to the newcomers

Don’t worry, everythin’s under control...

turns back to Pilaf Gang

Y’all better leave. Ya shouldn’t be here...

PILAF

hysterically

NO! You’re not taking my triumph! Mai, fire!

MAI

pulls out a remote and presses a button, causing the reactivation of mechs, which then fire rockets at Goku.

To the amazement of the onlookers, Goku calmly adopts a fighting stance, then, without getting injured, destroys most of the rockets with his bare hands, and some of them shoots down with a few Ki Blasts.

PILAF

with helplessness in his voice

Dang it... It’s been so many years since we last met. You’ve become a great warrior...

with spite

I wish you were a kid again, like back then! You wouldn’t have thwarted my plans...

PICCOLO

vehemently, to Pilaf

No, you fool!

RED SHENRON

calmly

Your wish shall be granted…!

PILAF, MAI AND SHU

shocked

WHAAAAAT?!

GOKU

astounded

Say what...?

The eyes of the Red Dragon emit a blue glow, and a strange aura envelops Goku. His body rapidly de-ages, and his clothing shrinks to match his child-sized form. Everyone present watches in horror.

UUB

M-Master?

GOKU

in genuine astonishment

Is it just me, or did everythin’ just got bigger?

PILAF

desperately

Noooo! My wish!

RED SHENRON

grimly

My duty has been fulfilled, but before I depart, I must tell you something....

Everyone looks at the Dragon in fear, awaiting his words.

RED SHENRON

I am the Ultimate. My first wish may also be the last...

PICCOLO

sweat forms on his forehead, thinks

No, it can't be... Did I do something wrong?!

ULTIMATE SHENRON

with great dignity

My power comes from both a Warrior-type Namekian and a Healer-type, making it immense. There are but few wishes I cannot grant, yet it is not without consequences... The Earth cannot contain my power, so the Dragon Balls will disperse throughout the local planetary system...

TRUNKS

in disbelief

You mean... into... s-space?!

ULTIMATE SHENRON

in a firm tone

The Earth, as my birthplace, however, has to carry another burden! If all seven Black Star Dragon Balls are not gathered here within one month, then...

PICCOLO

in horror

No, no, no, no!

ULTIMATE SHENRON

with some trouble

...it will face annihilation. Remember my words, and until we meet again. Hopefully...

starts disappearing

PICCOLO

No, you stay! I command you, as your creator!

The dragon disappears, and the Black Star Dragon Balls soar into the sky, each flying into the unknown in a different direction.

SHU
bewildered, widens his eyes
Can someone explain what just happened...?!

PICCOLO

furious

Argh! Get out of my sight!

blasts Pilaf Gang off the Lookout with a gust of wind caused by Ki Energy

PILAF, MAI AND SHU

AAAAAAAH!

as they fall, Mai pulls a cord on her jacket, turning it into a parachute, which allows both her and Shu and Pilaf, who are clinging to her legs, to survive the fall

PILAF

crying

Again! Why again?!

MAI

sighs

What would you guys do without me...?

Meanwhile, on the Lookout.

PICCOLO

in shock

How could this have happened?!

DENDE

faints and slumps into the arms of a terrified Mr. Popo

GOKU

looks around at the gathered bunch with a dumbfounded look on his face, then says to Uub

Why’s everyone so scared?

TRUNKS

sits in astonishment

And here I thought I'd seen everything...

GOTEN

genuinely perplexed

T-Trunks? Do you know... why my dad turned into a little version of me?

* * *

* * *