Pairing: RaditzxZarbon
Word Count: 2,522
Notes: AU. Written for an alternate universe challenge where I attempted a kinda-ninja thing. And this came out.
Disclaimer: I own nothing in connection with Dragonball Z, nor do I make any money writing this fanfiction.
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Points System
It appeared to be that, as a general rule, the Saiyan clan didn't just strike up friendships with others. Quite the opposite in fact because if any other clan happened to possess anything they wanted then they would go in and take it with success. Over thousands of years they had built themselves into a very large and extremely powerful group with strength which went unrivalled and they were all very proud of this. To continue the power of such an extensive clan, babies were tested and assessed for their power at birth. The very few who failed were destroyed because weakness could not be tolerated. It was practically taboo.
But the Saiyans could also appreciate the powers of other clans. When a Saiyan named Vegeta took the place of his father as ruler of the clan, he continued what had been started with forming alliances. Other clans of great power were chosen to form them with. It was understood that this was more of a political thing than anything else. The Saiyans had gained many enemies over the years and some of those were shared with other clans. So the main purpose of these agreements would be to unite clans against a common enemy and, in the event of an attack, back ups could be drawn on if needed.
The Saiyans were very clear to note that it would probably be the other clans who would be requiring such a favour.
xxx
"Both of us?" Raditz choked out. "The hell for?"
"I wouldn't know," Zarbon shrugged, holding up the papers for Raditz to see again. "But there it is in black and white."
"Search and destroy mission," Raditz read off the sheet. "Tch! I especially don't need a partner for that."
"It's policy."
"It's you."
"Must be somebody's idea of a joke," Zarbon said. "After we come back, I'll give you a rematch if you want. This time I'll even let you choose which part of the ground you're smacked into."
Raditz glared, thinking sourly about how it probably was some sort of joke that he should be paired for a mission from somebody of the Jabong clan of all things. Even if Zarbon's strength was somewhat noteworthy.
"How long will you need to get ready?"
"Twenty minutes," Raditz said. "No. Ten."
"Ten it is. I'll meet you by the boarder and we'll head off."
xxx
Search and destroy missions were rather common and very easy, especially for the Saiyan clan. Considering the enemy for this particular assignment was one shared by other clans, Raditz supposed that was why he had been paired with Zarbon.
He would have been fine with it if it weren't for the fact of Zarbon being stronger than him, knowing it and taking any possible chance to remind Raditz of it or just throw another insult his way. Raditz was able to bat most of them back after discovering Zarbon's very high levels of vanity which, after taking another good look at him, he supposed really was obvious from the start.
As time went on, Raditz felt his reluctance of the situation lower. It seemed there was a silent agreement between them that they would go in, take out of the enemy forces and leave again. If all went well, they probably wouldn't even have to look at each other and then the journey back would be mostly consumed with the debate about who had killed the most. If Raditz was honest, he was looking forward to it. Throughout his life he had welcomed conflict and challenge, just as any Saiyan would. He wasn't even on the battle field yet and he was finding a lot of such things from Zarbon. It sent a rush through his body which made his head swirl and his instinct scream for more.
Zarbon also silently insisted on taking the lead, so at least the view as Raditz went wasn't bad either.
xxx
Most of the day was spent travelling, moving swiftly over the landscape and looking for any signs of their target while trying to stay out of sight. When night came, they found a suitable spot to rest so they may continue and enter the assault fully rested.
At the mention of a fire, Zarbon had forbidden it, saying it would attract too much attention to them. Raditz had shrugged, saying that was fine, he could just as easily eat his meat raw. Zarbon's lips twisted down in displeasure and he rolled his eyes but said nothing. He wasn't eating anything himself but Raditz didn't question it. It wasn't as though things put him off his food but, all the same, he'd rather not find himself listening to an odd biology lesson.
Just as he was thinking about how much he'd love to avoid the biology lesson, he didn't properly pay attention to slicing a chunk off the animal he had caught. The result was him causing blood to fly out and splatter across Zarbon's face. While Raditz found it amusing, he also had to admire how quickly Zarbon was able to stop his surprised yelp and look around. They always had to keep in mind that an unfriendly presence may appear at any moment.
"You idiot!" Zarbon hissed after he was satisfied there was nobody else around but the two of them. "What did you think you were doing?"
"Accident." Raditz shrugged. "But if you're going to bitch, here."
They were both sitting on the same side of the fire. That was why the blood had hit Zarbon and it was easier for Raditz to lean forward towards him. There wasn't much blood so Raditz was able to catch it with one swipe of his tongue; from the corner of Zarbon's mouth to the top of his cheek. As he licked away the blood, he half-expected to hear some sharp intake of breath, a growl, a protest, even get a punch to the gut. But nothing like that ever came. As quickly as he had acted, Raditz leaned away from Zarbon again, able to get a good look at his face. The light of the fire showed the path Raditz's tongue had traced and the dancing flames reflected in Zarbon's eyes. They were watching Raditz and at first glimpse the expression appeared to be untrusting. But when Raditz looked again he could see contemplation and interest.
Zarbon was somebody he had brushed shoulders with before, exchanged glimpses and traded what were mostly insults. Only once had those heated exchanges of words ended in a fight. Or that was what everybody else called it, but Raditz didn't. If it were a fight, he would have been allowed to at least attempt a hit of his own. Instead Zarbon had done something, but Raditz couldn't for the life of him remember what. The only thing he knew for certain was one moment he was standing there, feeling his blood rush and his tail tighten around his waist. Then he was on the ground with a mouthful of dirt and one cheek larger than the other. He had been a laughing stock for months.
The Saiyan clan and the Jabong clan formed their alliance some time ago. Raditz had been young, just coming out of his teenage years; cocky enough to think he was immortal but not mature enough to know how to properly plan tactics as only experience would be able to teach him. With the forming of a new alliance came celebration, so Raditz and his comrades had filled themselves with as much alcohol as they could before their bodies decided enough was enough. He could vaguely remember Zarbon there, keeping out of the way, not drinking, being boring.
And...
"I remember now," Raditz said. "There was something about you bothering me ever since we left and now I know what it is."
"Well done, I'm sure." Zarbon rolled his eyes.
"When our clans formed the alliance, there was a woman with you, wasn't there?" Raditz said. He watched as Zarbon looked up at him, his golden eyes focused and fierce and his shoulders hunched up a little more than they had been. "I'm correct, aren't I? They say arranged partnerships are still done with you people. Was it?"
"I completely fail to see how it's any of your business," Zarbon said.
"It's going to be a long night anyway." Raditz grinned. "I can make yours even longer."
Zarbon sighed heavily. "Yes, that was how things were."
"Does she know how you really are? Care about what you do?"
"If she knew it was never brought up."
"Knew?"
"Knew. She's dead now. Killed in action not long after the alliance was formed. A re-marriage was never brought up and with any luck it never will be."
"When the alliance was formed, I didn't see any sign of a child between you two at all. The kid miss its mother?"
"There isn't one."
"Ah, so you two never got that far. Won't be too hard for me to get one up on her, eh?"
"No, it's more a case of any pregnancy never hap-hey!" Zarbon glared at him. "What is this sudden interest in my past marriage, if you want to call it that."
"Just want to see what I'm up against."
"It isn't a contest!"
xxx
The noises always sounded like they were coming from somewhere within the haze he could feel swirling around his head. Just a dream. Not really there. And most of the time the noises would merge with what he thought he was seeing to convince him even more.
Then Raditz would come to his senses a little bit more, realise it was nothing to do with dreaming and then remember the battle which was still raging around him. He suddenly remembered all of the soldiers, hundreds of them, who had suddenly emerged behind a swarm of arrows which blackened the sky above them and were then shot down in flames and harmless ashes.
After that, he couldn't quite remember anything clearly. In a battle situation, he had always forgotten most of his senses, taking only those which would alert him to enemy attack and allow him to strike. One attacking soldier after another had fallen before him and every now and again he had glanced Zarbon through them, who also remained constantly occupied.
And wasn't doing too badly at all, Raditz supposed.
Many had fallen before him, but Raditz didn't know how many. He never kept count because there wasn't time. All he knew was that a lot of bodies had piled up resulting from his strike.
The next thing he knew he was drifting in and out of consciousness. Once he realised this, dimly registering that something must have happened to cause his fall, there was only one soldier he wanted to find and that was the bastard who had done it.
If anyone ever found out about this, he'd never be allowed to live it down.
He felt a pain in the back of his head, which suddenly rushed up on him to make his skull sting and his body ache. Raditz tried to raise his head, but something shot in front of his eyes, blinding them with a white flash, and he was forced to lie back down.
There was still movement around him. Enemy soldiers were still darting everywhere. Raditz started to wonder if they had just presumed he was dead and instantly left him.
At that thought, the haze in front of his eyes started to clear a little bit more and, although it hurt, he was able to move his head from side to side. In doing that, he could see the bodies of definitely-dead soldiers around him.
A loud noise echoed through the clearing where the attack had taken place. Not exactly a roar, but too loud to be just a growl or a snarl. And the noise lingered as well, trailing off as though it were a monstrous hiss.
Out of the corner of his eyes, Raditz saw another movement, different to the soldiers. He moved his head, feeling the pain which came with it again, and had to strain the movement of his eyeballs before he caught a glimpse of where the noise was coming from.
There was a monster surrounded by dead bodies and splattered with their blood. The amount of soldiers which had seemed so endless was starting to thin now, Raditz could see, and they attacked the monster in groups. But it was all for nothing. They were either obliterated with a white hot blast of ki or dragged to the ground by the monster's claws and torn apart. The monster's teeth caught and crushed any weapons thrust upon it and its reactions were quick, killing any attacker coming from the front and then whirling around to catch those coming from the sides and behind.
Raditz started to black out again. As he did, he noticed something. The monster's skin. It was turquoise. And its hair was green.
xxx
The next time he came to, the noise had stopped. Night was beginning to settle but even through the gloom Raditz could see how dark the clearing was with dead bodies and blood. It had been a long time since death had been so strong around him and it made something rush pleasantly within Raditz's gut.
As a result, he nearly struck the body beside him which he suddenly saw move from the corner of his eye. But by then he had gained back enough of his senses to stop himself upon realising it was Zarbon. Like the bodies around them, he was also covered in blood but hardly any was his. His bottom lip was cut and there was some bruising around his forehead but that was all Raditz could see without moving his head to provoke the pain within it again.
Zarbon pulled some of his hair from in front of his face and rose from where he was laying enough to put some weight on his elbow. "How's your head?" He asked. "You took a fairly nasty hit. You'll live, but never mind."
Raditz smiled. "Give it a few more moments and I'll be able to get up and kick your ass for that."
Zarbon relaxed the weight he was putting on his elbow to lay back down again. "You can take over the watch then. I've done my part in making sure you don't die."
"Don't think I'm returning the favour."
Despite himself, Zarbon smiled.
A moment of silence passed as Zarbon closed his eyes and Raditz watched the tree leaves stretching out over them. Then he asked:
"Do you miss her?"
"Not really. She hated the arrangement just as much as I did. With the amount of time we actually spent together, we may as well have been strangers passing in the street every now and again."
"Ah, so I'm definitely winning."
The next thing Raditz knew, he was biting his bottom lip hard to stop himself wincing too much as Zarbon batted him on the head, right where the largest wound was, and reminded him that it wasn't a points system.
END