"Boys, breakfast!"
At Gohan's call, the two Saiyans out the house to fill their stomachs. They found that Gohan prepared them fried fish. Raditz thought it was a strange meal to have in the morning, but there was no complaining. When he purged planets he would end up having to eat the inhabitants at times. It may have seemed disgusting to sum, but you do what you can to survive.
Raditz ate down to the bone. Making sure not to leave any flesh untouched. "More," Raditz demanded.
Gohan was taken aback on how quickly the boy ate. He gazed over to Tarble who, unlike Raditz, was taking his time. Slowly picking off each piece and savoring the taste. With Raditz he wondering if the young boy was even tasting the food at all.
Gohan prepared and slide another plate over to Raditz. His curiosity made him observe the young Saiyan eat. It was so barbaric; he had only seen animals eat they way he had. "How could you do that?"
Raditz raised an eyebrow to what Gohan meant. Using the context clues he concluded he was talking about his large appetite. "Oh yes. We Saiyans have much higher metabolisms. In fact I'm not even full yet." Raditz threw his plate to Gohan who had just barely caught it. "I demand more!"
Gohan crossed his eyes; he stood firm and tall, not giving in to the boys demands. "You listen here, young man. I'm going to make something clear to you. I'm not your slave. If you want something you ask nicely."
Raditz scoffed. Who did this human think he was? Saiyans were superior and they serve no one. 'Not a slave. Pah, you might as well be.' Raditz stared Gohan down. Neither side backing down.
Gohan would have continued this battle of mentality, if only he didn't know there was another child present. One who (hopefully) had better manners than Raditz. Gohan looked to Tarble who had finished his plate and simply staring off into space. "Are you hungry for more, Son?" Him being a Saiyan, he shouldn't be full already according to Raditz.
"I'm fine." Tarble said.
"You're lying." Raditz accused, looking over to his fellow Saiyan. Tarble looked over to Raditz as if he was wrong. "Don't give me that look. You are a Saiyan, this meal doesn't even qualify as an appetizer."
"I said I'm fine." Tarble lied through his teeth. The truth was that he was too shy to ask for me and didn't want to be a bother to Gohan. The old man needed to eat something for himself, not waste his resources on them.
His shyness to demand for more food didn't sit well with Raditz. He was considering taking a more forceful approach. Gohan however could see passed what Raditz saw. The old man walked up, bent down, and handed a plate to Tarble.
Tarble denied the plate, pushing it away. "I can't."
But Gohan insisted that he ate something. "Look, Son. I want you to eat and stay healthy. Your appetite doesn't bother me none."
"There's really no limit?"
"I'm your grandpa, Son. My job is to take care of you."
Tarble felt that it was kinda...odd that Gohan said he was his grandpa. He barely even knew the man. But somehow it felt nice. He never knew his real grandfather. His father always told him he had a heart attack when he learned of his new grandsons power level. Though Tarble always believed that was a lie. Despite all that, Gohan wasn't blood and he was using a word that only associated with family. The Saiyan shrugged it off, concluding that humans were weird.
Tarble took the plate, secretly happy that Gohan cared enough to offer him more. Gohan smiled as the boy took the plate and started eating.
There was only one other person. One who who wasn't pleased in the least bit. "Well congratulations," Raditz started taking a stand. "your little heartwarming moment has disgusted me." Gohan sighed. Raditz was such a vulgar boy, how was he ever going to get through to him? No child was like this. There had to be something troubling him. "So, Gohan. If you refuse to serve me my next fill, I'll be going hunting. Don't wait up."
Raditz made his way off, into the woods alone. Gohan thought about stopping him, but Raditz would be too stubborn to listen and Gohan didn't want to use force. So he just let the child go. Hoping he would be alright.
"So, Tarble, you've been in that space magiger for about a week. I think you're over do for rainbox." Gohan told the younger Saiyan.
Rainbox? Tarble smelled both his armpits and he certainly did smell bad. Which led him to the conclusion that Gohan met a shower. 'What a odd way to say shower. Why not just say shower? Humans are such odd people. ' Tarble wondered how different their culture was. He would have to get used to it whether he liked it or not. "A...rainbox sounds good."
"Good." Gohan nodded. "Why don't you grab some towels from the house and we'll be on our way."
"Yes sir," With a smile on the boys face, Tarble ran into the house. Gohan legitimately seemed like a nice person. Raditz warned him that he shouldn't trust the old man so easily, but it was hard not to. Gohan had been nothing but good to them. Raditz was just being stubborn and bullheaded; he displayed that not long ago.
Tarble grabbed two towels from the table, that suspiciously had a bulge under it. The moment he removed the towels there was a shiny orange ball, with four stars on it. Tarble found himself entranced with the artifact. 'It's so pretty...and shiny.' Tarble reached his hands out to hold the ball-even if he shouldn't be-it would only be for a second.
His eyes shined parallel to the ball in his hands.
"Find everything okay?"
Startled, Tarble dropped the ball, turned to Gohan in panic and guilt. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to touch it." Tarble quickly picked the ball up and placed it back to its proper spot. The young Saiyan couldn't bare to face Gohan who could have been undoubtedly mad. There was only one thing he could do in this type of situations.
Tarble pounced himself onto the bed; he bent his neck down. Not bothering to look Gohan in the eye he said, "I'm ready for my punishment."
Gohan scratched his head in confusion. "I'm not gonna hurt you, Son." He was hoping Tarble was pulling some kind of joke-except he wasn't. This kid was dead serious. Who hurt this boy? He was only four at the most.
Tarble was mostly astonished that he wasn't going to get punished for this. Was Gohan only leading him to a false sense of security? Possibly. Tarble stepped off the bed, picked the towels up-making sure to look from the corner of his eye in cased Gohan tried anything. Surprisingly he didn't.
"Should we go?" Gohan asked.
"Mhm," Tarble said nervously.
/
"Holy shit..."
Gohan's suspicions turned out to be right. Watching Tarble drop butt naked he got the most untasteful, sickening of sights. Gohan fell quiet, the sound of the stream being the only ambience in the room. The boys torso and stomach were a mess. Scars and cuts crisscrossed over, hardly fading bruises marred his chest and ribs, the entirety of his skin a myraid of different colors and shades of purple and black and red. Bandages were placed haphazardly, now peeling off from the water, and the Saiyan was shifting uncomfortably, hissing in the area where a long cut was sliced across his abdomen.
"Alright, Son..." Gohan half-wished that he dIdn't see what he was seeing. Tarble seemed so small and fragile in the water; his eyes mixed with distrust and fear. Leading Gohan to believe that Tarble didn't have good experiences with his body. "You need to get into some cold water...good thing we are by a river, huh?" The old man tried to joke.
Tarble cringed his teeth, slowly stepping away from Gohan. "Wait...I can take a...rainbox by myself. Please..." He begged.
Gohan sighed. "Tarble, trust me. I'm not gonna do anything bad to you." Gohan grabbed Tarble by the neck and slowly placed him in the water. As Tarble sunk into the water; he noticed his cuts and bruises hurt less. "There, is that better?" Tarble nodded positively. "Good. Now stay there, some cold water will do you some good."
Tarble didn't even bother to ask where Gohan was going. Instead he thought about how embarrassing it was to have someone other than himself see that. Gohan probably thought he was some kind of freak now.
Half a hour later Gohan returned. Tarble had already bathed has much as he should and wrapped a towel around himself. Gladly, Gohan brought fresh clothes, bandages and a...tool of some sorts.
"Gohan, what's that?" Tarble asked-eyeing the odd tool. Whatever it was he had never seen anything like it on Vegeta or any other planet he had been to.
"This is an instrument. You don't have instruments on Vegeta?" Gohan raised a brow asking.
Tarble scratched his head. "Never heard of one of those a day in my life." Well, he was only four and there was a lot of things he hadn't heard of.
"I'll tell you all about them. First, we need to get these bandages on you, and then some clothes."
Gohan carefully wrapped the bandages around Tarble's body. Making sure not to leave a scar uncovered or untreated. Next, Tarble dressed himself in the clothes Gohan provided. They were only slightly too big, but he didn't want to complain, and they would work just fine.
"Now can you tell me about about instruments, Gohan?"
"Of course I can. You see, Tarble, instruments have all kinds of names. For example the one I have in my hands is called a ukulele. Instruments-like this ukulele-create music." Gohan strummed the strings on the ukulele, creating a pleasant tone that soothed his and Tarble's hears. "I haven't played in years, but you can have it if you like." Gohan handed Tarble the instrument. Said Saiyan looked at the instrument in awe. "You should right something-you should write a song."
"I song?" Tarble raised a brow.
Gohan chuckled a bit. "It's like playing a instrument, but with your mouth." Gohan pointed a finger to his mouth.
"Oh," Tarble didn't know how to feel. No one had ever bothered sparing him a gift before, not even on his day of birth. Him being the "runt" Vegeta was given the attention on his birthday. Even if he never wanted to attend. "...Thank you...Gohan."
"Don't mention it-oh!" Tarble tackled Gohan with a hug. He was only stunned for a moment, but he embraced the hug the Saiyan gave him. He felt like he had just heard his trust. Tarble released Gohan after about a minute of hugging. "Tarble could I ask you a favor?"
"Mhm," Tarble nodded.
"What are Raditz favorite hobbies?"
Tarble placed a finger on his lip; he didn't know Raditz too well. In fact all he did know about him was that he was a Saiyan and he liked fighting. "Raditz likes fighting and training and eating."
/
Raditz returned to Gohan's house later that afternoon. He was licking his lips after having one of the most delightful meals. When he arrived a few yards away, he found Gohan was waiting for him.
"What is it that you want, old man?" Raditz asked, crossing him arms.
"Nothing," Gohan tossed his cane away, then stepped into a fighting stance. "I was just wondering if you were willing to spar?"
Raditz eyes widened at Gohan's offer. The old man was more than he seemed. "You want to spar with me? Go ahead. I'll warn you that there's no guarantee that you'll come out alive."
"Try me." Gohan dared.
"Gladly," Raditz spirited towards Gohan with his right fist pulled back. He thrust his right first forward only for Gohan to block it. Raditz followed up a left swing that Gohan grabbed easily. Gohan tossed him a few meters over. Raditz spiraled in the air before he landed gracefully on his feet. 'He's not bad. For an old timer that is.'
Raditz dashed forward, Gohan stayed in place. Raditz threw punches faster than the eye could see, that Gohan still blocked effortlessly. Having his upper body on guard, Raditz took the advantage and swift his leg under Gohan's, causing the man to trip to the ground. Once he reached a ninety degree angel, Raditz elbowed him the chest. Causing him to hit the ground.
"Ah! That should teach to mess with-uh?"
Gohan got back to his feet and retook his fighting stance. "Come on Raditz. What were they teaching you on Vegeta?"
Raditz growled; he conjured a ball of energy in his hands, then thrust it forward. Gohan eyed it, once it reached the appropriate distance he pushed his palms forward, holding the energy in his tracks. Moments later he pushed the energy into the air. The next moment, by pure reflex alone, he blocked Raditz elbow that would have hit his left cheek. Raditz put himself into danger by bringing himself so close. Gohan took the opportunity and punched Raditz in the abdomen.
Raditz fell to his knees in pain. He was giving it all he had. Surely Gohan must have been worn out too.
"Done already, Son? I thought I would have to try harder than that."
Dammit he wasn't even trying! Raditz looked up to Gohan, panting and speechless. The old man had the same kind look in his eye when he offered Raditz a hand up. Raditz was hesitant at first, but he had to admit that Gohan had proven himself a warrior. Without further argument Raditz took Gohan's hand that helped him up.
Gohan placed his other palm over Raditz hand. "You know, Raditz? You have a lot of potential and there's a lot I can teach you." Gohan looked at Raditz expressionless look. "If you'll let me."
Raditz cracked a smile. "Old timer I wouldn't have it any other way."
/
Later that night.
Tarble was strumming his ukulele on the side of the house. He would master this contraption eventually, but for now he was far from it. He looked up, seeing Raditz coming from around the corner.
"Hey, Raditz. Time for training already?" Tarble asked.
"No," Raditz bluntly answered. "I've been meaning to ask you something. Why did you runaway?" Tarble gave Raditz a neutral look. The weaker Saiyan turned from him and back to his ukulele. "Don't ignore! I asked you a question. Why would you leave? You were a prince. If you wanted, you could have anything you wanted."
"Because I'm not like other Saiyans!" Tarble barked, surprising Raditz. Tarble took a deep breath before taking a sigh. "I'm weak...useless on my own. My father always told me I was a defect in the genes. I never wanted to kill and fight, so I was treated like an abomination for it. They even nicknamed me Tarble the screw up. It was so miserable there and I had to get away."
Raditz felt that he created an awkward sense in the air. He didn't expect to hear a tragic backstory. What was this that he was feeling? Empathy. This was such a odd and strange feeling. "I guess I could relate." Raditz admitted, shocking Tarble. "My life isn't perfect either you know. I live everyday trying to impress a man who probably doesn't even notice I exist. To add insult to injury his brother treats me like trash."
Seconds later Tarble and Raditz locked eyes with each other. At that moment they saw past the person on the outside. Now they saw someone whom they could have a mutual respect for.
"So how about that training?" Raditz bargained.
"Let's." Tarble positively nodded.
/
One year later.
Even when Raditz blew out the final candle, he wore a scowl. Gohan forced him to celebrate the day of his birth; which happened to be a big thing on Earth. On Vegeta only royalty got their birthday celebrated. Gohan and Tarble both got amusement out of seeing the birthday boy looking like a small spoiled child who didn't get what he wanted this year.
"So Raditz, what did you wish for?" Tarble asked him.
Raditz opened his mouth only for Gohan to cut him off. "Nuh-uh-uh. Don't tell anyone your wish or it won't come true."
Raditz thought that to be balderdash. 'Earthling's have such odd customs.' For the sake of Gohan he wouldn't tell, but he would always know what was on his mind. 'I wish to make my father proud one day.'
With that, Raditz scooted out the table and made his way outside. Tarble notice that he didn't even bother to cut the cake. 'He must have forgot.' Tarble took it upon himself to grab to cake and take it to Raditz. "Raditz, you forgot something."
Just as Raditz turned around, Tarble tripped on a loose floorboard. The cake somersaulted in the air before finally landing directly into Raditz face. Tarble stood back up to see Raditz quite unamused. Even then, he couldn't help but break out into laughter and Gohan followed.
"I hate both of you." Raditz grumbled.
/
Later that night Raditz and Gohan had since retired to bed. Tarble remained awake;he sat on top of the roof. His favorite place of the house. It had been a year and he learned to play the ukulele. Today he finally had a song of his own.
I strummed his ukulele and began his song. " I think Earth is a pretty gre-at place. That's saying something, 'cause I've been through outer space. I think it suits me, it's just my style. I think I'm gonna stay a little while. I think that strangers are just friends you haven't met.
I'm blasting monsters and I never break a sweat.
I'm really thinking I could call this place home!"
/
A/N: And here is chapter two. I had some fun with this one. For those of you wondering why I had Tarble sing and play the ukulele. It was to give him a sense of freedom, something that made him feel special.
Reviews:
pokeballs654: And so begins a grand adventure of these two Saiyans! I love it, keep it up!
I'm glad you love it! And I'm happy that you were my first reviewer.
HeroMadero: Great Great GREAT story! I absolutly LOVE this! You did a great job on character development, and polish in general. The dialouge is also pleasing to the eye. Please update soon! My only suggestion is to shorten the chapter a bit. 4 thousand words is too much for one chapter. Maybe about 1,500 to 2,500 words a chapter? Keep up the great work!
The praise is highly appreciated. To your concern for the amount of words I use. I'm don't want to rush events and I want everything to seem like it happened for a reason. I know most viewers like long chapters, so I try to keep my word count from 4K-7K.
