I have to start off by apologizing- this chapter is several days behind schedule! Due to an unfortunate combination of school and a bit of writer's block, I got thrown off for a while, but thankfully, that's behind. In what I hope will make up for it, part of or the entire next chapter (which will be released this weekend) is going to be from Vegeta's perspective, (something I'll do here and there when it's necessary for the story), but I don't want to spoil it! Here is Chapter 3, once again from Raditz's perspective:
Peacemaker
Chapter 3: A Past Forgotten
Shifting my gaze from my brother to Kalani, I raised an eyebrow, my grin growing deeper as I took a bow. Beauty truly does run in the royal family's veins. Kakarot was in luck when he was sent here with her.
"And of course, the lovely Princess Kalani."
I swiftly rose, awaiting a response from the two warriors. Instead, however, they, along with the rest of the... Earthlings… cowering behind them, appeared both utterly perplexed and astonished.
"Wha… What are you talking about?" Kalani finally managed, a look of utter confusion across her face. "Kalani? Kakarot? Princess? You're obviously lost; you've got the wrong people…"
"Lost? If anyone here is lost, it is you two. Why have you not carried out your mission? Why have you not laid waste to this planet?"
I waited a moment more as the entire group stood stupefied, but my patience was beginning to wane.
"Did you two fools hear me?! Kakarot, Kalani, answer my questions!"
"My name is Goku!" My brother finally responded, his brow furrowed. "And her name is Goha, not Kalani! Now leave us, we aren't who you're looking for!"
Now it was my turn to be plunged into utter confusion. Have these ingrates forgotten their objective? Or perhaps they're posing as natives to spy on them… a cunning tactic, but it shouldn't take years…
"What? No, your names are Kakarot and Kalani, and you are explaining to me why Earth is not yet conquered, now!"
The two dropped into combat stances; from beside them, a short, bald human stepped forwards, his hands on his hips and a smug, condescending look on his face. I smirked, holding back a chuckle- this one reminds me of Nappa. Well, a diminutive, weak version of Nappa. Why would two Saiyan warriors be associating themselves with such fools?
"Goku, Goha, let Krillin handle this one. Alright, look, man, you're obviously straight from the nuthouse, and you've got the wrong people here. If you don't stop bugging my friends with your crazy talk, I might have to beat some sense into y…"
With a single flick of my tail, I sent the babbling little man crashing through the walls of the nearby dwelling, almost disappointed that he hadn't put up a fight. If only I could do that to the real Nappa.
"He's got a tail!" Kalani cried, her fists dropping. "But… what… how…?"
"Do you two finally recognize me?" I retorted, folding my arms. Perhaps that's it. They were separated for so long that they forgot who I am.
"No, we don't know you and you don't belong here!" Kakarot snapped; I could sense his ki rising, though it was nowhere near mine. "Now leave us and our friends alone!"
"Friends?! You were supposed to destroy all life on this planet, not befriend it, you ingrates! This is treason!"
"That's it!" Kalani cried, pushing Kakarot aside and placing both of her hands together, facing me, as she began to charge a ki blast. "Enough of this! Now you are going to explain everything to me this instant, or I'm going to Kamehameha you back to wherever the Hell you came from!"
Feisty one, isn't she? Just like her brother, the Prince.
I was tempted to lash out at their incompetence, but instinct forced me to stay my fists in the presence of royalty, especially someone who looked so damningly similar to Vegeta. But how can I explain a history they should know? What could've happened to them? Perhaps battle injuries…
"I didn't spend a year coming here to explain myself to two amnesiacs, but I'll indulge you. Both of you are Saiyans, members of a proud, warrior race. We conquer planets and sell them to the highest bidder, and you, the daughter of King Vegeta, were sent here year ago with my younger brother to subjugate Earth."
Kalani's mouth hung open slightly, and she backed away as if I was poisonous, keeping her hands raised as her gaze grew troubled.
"What…No… that's impossible…"
Kakarot gasped as he realized the implication of my words, falling out of stance as his eyes grew in disbelief.
"Younger brother… you mean…"
"Yes, Kakarot," I declared smugly, relishing the two's shocked reactions, "I, Raditz, am your sibling; the wiser, more cunning, and more powerful between the two of us, as I can now see. No wonder father was so eager to be rid of you."
Kakarot fell to his knees, his teeth gritted.
"No… you're lying! Goha's right! This is impossible!"
"I hardly think so," I replied, chuckling, "but that is beside the point. What has happened that both you and the Princess have forgotten your mission? Were you injured gravely in battle? Perhaps you sustained trauma to the head early in your conquest?"
Kalani and Kakarot swiftly looked towards one another, their eyes widening with the revelation, and I knew that I had guessed correctly.
"Yes," Kalani finally retorted, not meeting my eyes, "We did. We both fell and hit our heads when we were with… Grandpa…"
She faltered off as she spoke, and as her head sank, a decrepit old man beckoned for the two to come to him.
"Goku, Goha.," he began anxiously, "There's something I need to tell you. That I've needed to tell you for a while… I just didn't know how before now… One day, many long years ago, your Grandpa Gohan, my good friend, was walking through the woods, when he heard a terrible noise, as if the sky itself was falling down. When he went to investigate, he found two small spaceships landed next to each other, each with a small child in them: one male, one female, and both with tails. He named you Goku and Goha, and tried to take you in as his own, but something was terribly wrong. You were unruly, temperamental, powerful, and violent children- especially you, Goha! He had almost given up on you when, one day, you both fell into a deep ravine, one after the other! He was afraid he'd lost you, but you both survived, and from then on were fairly normal, happy children..."
The man paused to allow his message to sink in, and I smirked. That explains everything. Now I just need them to join me once again, and we can finish conquering this filthy planet while Vegeta and Nappa travel here.
"Are you two satisfied? Once you've stopped gawking like buffoons and accepted the facts, join me, and we can continue your mission of subjugating this pathetic race."
"Join you?!" Kalani cried, her power level rising to near that of Kakarot's. "Join you?! Of all the asinine things I've heard… Never! We're sworn to protect this planet! To protect its inhabitants!"
"Fools! Why stoop to protect such a lowly and pathetic race, one to which you are vastly superior?! Two Saiyans could have killed off every living being on this planet in months!" I paused and gazed skyward; a slim, silver crescent was visible even at this time of day. "Especially seeing how large of a moon Earth possesses…"
"I suppose that was meant to be destroyed as well?" she snapped in retort.
My eyes narrowed, and I turned back towards to the two traitors in front of me. Are they playing me for a fool?!
"What?! You're joking! Surely you know the power the full moon grants you! You must've seen it before!"
"What the Hell are you going on about now? I don't think I can take another of your Kami-damned stories!"
They don't know about the moon?! About Oozaru?! But… how?!
"How can you possibly…"
Then, I saw it.
"Wait! Your tails! Where are your tails?!"
The Princess blinked, surprise momentarily registering in her eyes.
"Our tails? Why does that matter?"
"ANSWER ME! NOW!"
"We both lost our tails permanently, long ago. Why does it matter to you?"
"Because, Kalani," I growled, barely holding back my rage, "those tails were key to unlocking your true power! Now, you can never transform at the full moon! Your true power is gone! No wonder you're on such good terms with these weaklings!"
"Stop!" She roared, her ki continuing to rise. "Stop your damn posturing this instant, before I put an end to it myself- I don't care if you're Goku's brother! This is our home! These are our friends! My name is Goha, his is Goku! Leave us now, before I have to send you into orbit in a bodybag!"
I chuckled softly as their human friends began to rally behind the two. She still has true Saiyan blood in her. The rage, the power is there, but it's been hidden well; we can use that.
"You think you can shirk your responsibilities to your race because you've made a few friends here? Well, my highness, I'm afraid that's not an option. Years ago, after you were sent towards this planet with Kakarot, our home planet was destroyed by a… shall we say, unstoppable force. There are few of us left, and to stay alive, we have to keep fighting for a living. The more warriors we have, the faster planets fall, and the faster planets fall, the more we're rewarded. You two are to join my team, effective immediately- by direct orders of your brother, Kalani."
Kalani's ki wavered momentarily as the shock hit home, and Kakarot stepped in front of her.
"No! You may be my brother, and I regret what happened to our people, but we're not joining a crew of space pirates! You can get off of this planet this instant, head back to your team, and tell them that Son Goku and Son Goha refuse to be pieces in their games for money and power!"
"This is your last chance, Kakarot. You will join me!"
"Over our dead bodies!"
Then it's decided.
"I suppose that settles it. Your actions are unbecoming of true Saiyans- especially you, Kalani! I would expect… more… from royalty, but it seems like you're both disappointments… and disappointments must be dealt with."
I might have felt a spark of remorse in my heart for my brother as I began to charge a ball of ki in my hands, but I quickly shrugged it off. They're traitors now, and traitors must die, even if they're family. A pity, they would've served Vegeta's plans well…
"Daddy!"
I faltered as a small child broke free from the group behind the two Saiyans and rushed to Kakarot's side, tears welling in his eyes.
A tail… He must be Kakarot and Kalani's son…
"But then again, if you two won't join me, perhaps your son will…"
"Never, Raditz!"
Without heed to my brother's futile words of resistance, I began to swiftly make my way across the beach towards the child. Kakarot attempted to stave me off with a hook, but I dodged it easily, connecting my knee to his stomach with a crack that tossed him through the air like a rag doll. I hoisted my nephew up by his collar, ignoring his cries of protest as I looked down on his pathetic father.
"I'll give you a day to reconsider, brother. If you by some chance have some sense knocked into your thick skull before then, come and find me; if you waste this final chance, the next time you see your son, he'll be part of my team as we return to conquer your worthless planet!"
Farther down the beach, Kakarot and Kalani's human companions were backing away from me, retreating in the opposite direction.
"Ha! Craven scum! You won't even stand by Kakarot's side in battle! What is this?!"
Before the words had even left my mouth, I began to sense an immense power growing behind me, and pivoted on my heels, cursing my hubris; I had forgotten Kalani. The princess stood behind me in all of her terrible Saiyan glory, her aura glowing around her as a massive blue stream of ki erupted from her hands. Too close to dodge…
"THIS IS GOHA, MOTHERFUCKER!"
