Brand New Author's Note #5 (6-1-03): I'm rewriting this fanfic (see my author's profile on Fanfiction.net for order information) so to reiterate the above: you might not want to read this one. It'll be a while before I get around to it, though.

A Rift Between Worlds

Chapter 1

Tower of High Sorcery, Palanthas...

Raistlin Majere sat in the topmost room of his Tower of High Sorcery in Palanthas going over the reality shifting spell that he was going experiment with. He checked around to see if he had everything. His herbs for his cough was in a pouch at his side as always, he had the other pouches filled with spell components, a spell book, the dragon orb, and his Staff of Magius. He didn't need components to do some spells, but it didn't hurt to be prepared (see Raistlin Chronicles Vol. 2: Brothers in Arms).

He walked over to the door to his laboratory, his black velvet robes with gold trim rustling softly, and checked to see if it was locked. It was; his apprentice Dalamar would be sure not to disturb him. Tonight was prefect for black robed wizards to practice strong magics. Nuitari, the black moon, was full instead of Solinari, the white moon, or Lunitari, the red moon. Raistlin leaned his staff against the great table in the center of the room and stepped deeper into the vastness, ever careful not to go too far into the back. What was there he was reserving for another time (see the Legends trilogy).

He mentally prepared himself, slipping into the trance-like state that mages needed in order to complete a spell. He started to speak the words and tracing arcanic symbols into the air in the prescribed manner, each word making the magic in his blood intensify in such a way that only came to a selected few. At first it was only a small hole, a small rip in the air in front of him, but with each revolution of the mages outstretched arm. He continued until the rift was as big as he. He kept his right arm outstretched as to stabilize it, then he grabbed the staff with his left. He took a deep breath to ease his mind, then he stepped through, the rift closing upon his entrance.

***

Darkwood Forest...

Son Goku and Vegeta were in the middle of the forest, their usual sparring grounds, when the air in front of them sort of discolored. They both broke apart, staring at the ever widening rift in the air.

"What the hell is that?" Vegeta asked.

"I have no idea."

Just then they saw a figure step into view and faint, the rift closing upon his exit. Goku went over to him, felt for a pulse, and picked him up.

"I'm going to my house. Are you coming too?"

"No! I'm going home to pester Bulma for some of her deadly cooking. See you tomorrow, same time, same place." The two flew off in opposite directions.

***

The Son home...

Raistlin woke up about thirty minutes after he fainted feeling vaugely disoriented. He kept his eyes closed and his breathing deep and even. It was always best to analyze your surroundings before the people there analyzed you. That way you could have an advantage.

"I know you're awake."

That surprised Raistlin a little. He opened his eyes and automatically felt around for the Staff of Magius out of habit. "How were you aware and where is my staff?"

"I sensed the change in your ki and it's over here against the wall."

Raistlin stood up an went to fetch his staff. He noticed that he did not have the accursed vision he was so used to seeing through. "I thank you for caring for me, but I must be on my way. I need to take notes on this world and then return to my own." On the way to the front door, he passed a mirror and froze. "What the...?"

After his Test in the Tower of High Sorcery in Waywreth Forest he was changed not only in mind but in body as well. Par-Salian, the man who had administered his Test, had given him the hourglass eyes that sped up the passing of time as an attempt to teach him humility and compassion for others. His health had been shattered by his bargain with Fistandantilus. No longer was he just a weak young man from Solace but a mere shell of a person. He could not even take a deep breath or talk very loudly without coughing. The golden skin came from the magical fireball he had used to destroy those who pursued him from the tavern, power that had come from Fistandantilus. He had not been strong enough himself to survive without help and had given the dark mage a portion of his life-force to keep what remained of his body alive.

But now, as he looked at himself in the mirror, his appearance was similar to the one he had before: brown hair, hazel eyes, normal colored skin, and more muscle between his flesh and his bones. His energy had taken a boost as well, no longer did he feel perpetually tired and weak. What magic in this land cured his curse? He wanted to study it, that was for sure.

"Where am I?" he asked Goku.

"On Chikyuu. In my house outside the Western Capital. By the way, my name's Son Goku. What's yours?"

"Raistlin, Raistlin Majere." 'So he speaks the same dialect as the ancient Kryries as well as Common. Hmmm, interesting.' "What do you call the other language that isn't Common?"

"Huh? Common? I speak English and Japanese. Maybe we call it different than you do. Where are you from, anyway?"

"The language you are speaking we call Common, the other language is the one of the ancient Kyries. I am from a place known as Krynn."

"Oh you mean Japanese! So, do you have someplace to stay?"

Raistlin thought for a moment. "As a matter of fact, I don't."

"I would suggest that you stay with me, but it's all ready sort of crowded with my wife and two sons. I know! You can stay at the Capsule Corporation!"

"The what?"

"It's where my friend Bulma lives with her mate, son, and parents. It's really huge! I visit almost every day and I still get lost!"Goku laughed and walked outside with Raistlin following. "We'll be flying there." He floated in the air.

"Uh, flying?"

"You know, bukujutsu. You have *way* more than the amount of ki needed for flight so I'm surprised that you can't do it. Hey! I think I'll teach you!"

"Teach me?" He cursed himself for sounding so unintelligent during the entire conversation. Ignorance allowed people to take advantage of you.

"Sure! It's not that hard. Watch." Goku floated a couple of feet from the ground. "You can't be lighter than air so you use your ki to move you around in it."

The two began to practice after Raistlin had gotten the theory of flight down, something that was sure to last almost all day.

***

Solace...

Tasslehoff Burrfoot ran up the walkway and into the Inn of the Last Home. He nimbly dodged several rotund people and hightailed it straight to Tanis Half-Elven's table in the back, gasping for air.

"Tanis! Look outside! There is something weird going on!"

Tanis, Tika, Laurana, and Caramon looked at him with unreadable expressions.

"Now Tas, what have we told you about too many Dwarf Spirits?" Laurana asked gently.

"I'm not drunk!" the little kender protested. "Come on, I'll show you!" And before they could object, he was gone in the direction of the door.

"I say we go. It isn't like anything interesting is going on here anyway." Caramon said. Otik Sandath, the inn keeper, heard him and frowned fiercely. They all shrugged in unison and followed Tas out of the door.

***

The Road to Haven...

"Tas, where are you leading us?" Tanis demanded to know.

"I told you! To the hole!"

"WHAT HOLE?!" Tika, Caramon, Tanis, and Laurana asked in unison.

"The hole on the path!" All four groaned.

They walked a little further until they saw that there was indeed a "hole" in the air in the middle of the path.

"What the hell is that?" Caramon asked everyone's unspoken question outloud.

"I really don't know, but I plan to find out!" Tas started forward, but hesitated after a few steps.

"Why'd you stop, Tas?" asked a curious Caramon.

"It wouldn't be polite if I didn't ask you if someone else wanted to go first. Tika, Caramon, Tanis, anyone?" If sweatdrops existed in that world, there would be huge ones on the side of their heads right now.

"Why would we deprive you of such an honor, Tas? Go ahead, be our guest!" Tanis' voice was just dripping sarcasm, but naturally Tas misinterpreted it.

"Why thank you!" And with that said, Tas bounded forward and disappeared through the rift.

"Tanthalas Half-Elven!" Tanis cringed at the use of his full name. "Why in the gods names did you tell him to do that? You know sarcasm is lost on kender! Now you just march right in after him and bring him back here!" she finished in a no-nonsense wife voice.

"Now Laurana dear, you know I would like nothing more but to do that but, I uh," his voice dropped lower. "I don't want to go alone."

"Well since you're acting like a 103 year-old baby, I guess I'll go as well." She grabbed his arm and dragged him after Tas.

"We'll stay here and wait for your return! Good luck!" Tika waved and called after them. She turned to her husband. "Do you think that they'll find Tas?"

Caramon shook his head. "They haven't a prayer."

The Son home an hour later...

"You're doing good Raistlin! Keep trying!" Goku called to him. Sometime in the training, Goten and Gohan had come outside to watch and were very amused by the sight. Raistlin could barely hover a good 3 inches from the ground, but he'd come a long way from the jumping from chairs and falling on his backside.

"Don't lie to me Goku, I'm doing just as bad as I was before aren't I?" Raistlin asked panting.

"Yeah..." Goku admitted sheepishly.

"Tousan! Can we help?" Goten and Gohan called from the doorway.

"Great, just another audience to whitness my failure..." Raistlin gave up hovering and layed down on the soft, green grass on his back.

Goten just laughed and walked over to him, leaning over and blocking the suns rays. "Step number one: Never give up no matter what."

Gohan walked over as well. "You know what? You're lucky. Piccolo-san just dropped me from a cliff."

Raistlin shuddered at the thought, him splattering all over a group of rocks did not sound pleasant. He decided to change the subject. "Who's Piccolo?"

"My former sensei." Gohan answered with a thoughtful smile on his face. "But we're not here to discuss me, we're here to teach you how to fly."

Raistlin groaned. Could this day not get any worse?

"Now, we actually get into the air!" Goku said cheerfully.

Yes, yes it could. And it did.

The darkspace in between rifts...

"This is strange..."

"Hey! You were the one who insisted we follow him!"

"Tanis, calm down. It won't due to have us arguing."

"You're right. I apologize." After the brief quarrel was over, they paused to realize that they really couldn't see anything.

"Okay Tanis, I see a light ahead. I say we go towards it."

Tanis began to nod, then realized she couldn't see him and voiced his affirmation. They both moved toward it, Laurana in the lead, until after she left the darkness he couldn't see her anymore.

"Laurana! Where are you?" Like any concerned husband should, he ran after her and ended up suffering the same fate she did.

***

In the DBZ world, Japan...

Both screamed and screamed until they realized that they were only about three feet from the ground and they both hit it hard, Laurana first and Tanis on top of her.

"Ugh Tanis. Can you please remove your 1 hundred and 25 pound body from mine? You're not light you know!"

Tanis stood and offered her a hand, noticing that she looked different. She still had blond hair and blue eyes, but they were... more defined. "I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm fine." Suddenly the duo heard a rumbling in the distance.

"What's that?" Tanis' voice was hushed.

"I have no idea..." they both crept to a bush bordering a clearing and gasped. There was a very huge T-Rex looking at them, drooling.

"Uh, that's one big animal and I think it has a taste for elf! RUN!" Tanis grabbed Laurana and they both took off for their lives.

So how was the beginning of this story? Comments are always appreciated!