Prodigal Sons
A Dragonball Z fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon
Disclaimer: This is a non-profit fan work of prose. Dragonball, Dragonball Z and Dragonball GT are the property of Funimation, Toei Animation, Fuji TV and Akira Toriyama. Please support the official release.
Unnumbered Freeza Planet
"Ugh! For such weak, soft beings, these creatures are quite tough and difficult," Vegeta spat, the fried corpse of one of the defenders of this world at his feet. He tossed the leg aside, making a face. "Yech!"
His taller subordinate, the bald and bearded Nappa, just laughed.
"I told you! You always overcook it!" Nappa chuckled, still digging into his own alien. "Ya gotta sear the outside then cook it more slowly!"
"Bah, that can't make it that much better," Vegeta snorted.
"It does when Raditz cooked for us," Nappa said. Vegeta sneered, and raised his voice in mockery.
"'I soaked it in it's own blood for an hour! That brings out the flavor!' I suppose his worthless mother had to teach him something."
Their scouters beeped. A new message had arrived: A compilation of what Raditz's scouter had been recording while the lowly Saiyan was unaware.
"Well, let's see how he fucked up this time," Vegeta sighed. He hit play and the two began to watch.
Vegeta made a face. "Ugh... This planet is so picturesque and wholesome! I want to burn it to ashes on principle!"
"Look Vegeta! A Namekian," Nappa said. "Haha! Strong enough Raditz didn't even try to fight!"
""Oh please Mister Slugman, don't hurt me!'" Vegeta mocked, and both laughed hard. The recording continued. Vegeta raised an eyebrow.
"Huh... Kakarrot is actually stronger than his brother! Not by much but enough. Too bad he looks like a moron. All orange, who would-?"
The appearance of Gine made him pause. Nappa whistled.
"Wow! A real live Saiyan female, Vegeta! And look: Her boobs got bigger!"
"How?!" Vegeta demanded. "I remember her-She wasn't like that at all!"
"You know her, Vegeta?"
Several years ago, in the palace of King Vegeta, Prince Vegeta was watching his father honor Bardock's gang. He made a face: a bunch of low class weaklings.
"Yes, Lord Freeza has said you are effective," King Vegeta said. "Good work."
"Thank you, your majesty," Bardock replied, nodding slightly but not bowing. It was disrespectful-Vegeta seethed! His father deserved more respect!
"So, where is Prince Sandwich-I mean, Vegeta?" Asked an unpleasant and butch looking Saiyan woman. A smaller, slighter female, standing in the back, tried to shush her.
"Selapya! Don't!" She hissed. King Vegeta looked confused.
"Why did you call him Sandwich?"
Selapya grinned defiantly up at the King. "Because he's inbred!"
KIng Vegeta glared. The rest of Bardock's squad... Laughed. The slight Saiyan girl smiled nervously. Bardock just smirked slightly. Prince Vegeta seethed. His father... Did nothing but shrug.
"Well, hope you enjoyed that joke, because it was your-"
"She is vital to our squad, Your Highness," Bardock said quickly. "Her death would make our effectiveness go down."
King Vegeta scowled. "... Fine. Now get out of here."
The low class scum left, the slight Saiyan woman muttering at Selapya as they walked out.
"You shouldn't have done that, Selapya! It was stupid!"
Selapya laughed. "Gine! You came up with the joke!"
In the present, Vegeta growled as he heard Gine's request for a meeting. He stood up.
"Nappa. Prepare the pods. We're going to Earth to kill everyone."
"Even Raditz's hot mom?"
"ESPECIALLY HER!"
The journey up to the Lookout was rather short. His mother of course could fly, as could he. Kakarrot and his wife could too, but instead they took a bright yellow cloud. Kakarrot called it the "Flying Nimbus". It kept up with them though, he gave it that. They soon reached a gigantic floating stone platform, glowing white underneath the light of the partial moon and the countless stars above them.
So... It wasn't like Raditz hadn't met beings of high power levels playing at being God over planets before. But this Kami was actually quite strong, and exuded an air of calm serenity rather than unearned arrogance. Like Vegeta.
The ancient Namekian stood on his floating platform calmly, his face grave, as the Saiyans and their family members approached. At his side was a strange, plump black creature, in white and red clothing with bright lips and an unsettling stare. Not that Raditz let his consternation show.
Gine immediately greeted the ancient Namekian, smiling widely. "Hello Kami! Hello Mister Popo!"
Kakarrot followed suit, grinning his silly grin as he waved. "How are you guys doing?"
The Namekian's grave expression shifted into a gentle smile, filled with genuine affection. "I am quite fine, Gine, Goku, Chichi and Raditz I believe?"
"Yes, I am Raditz," the Saiyan warrior replied. He hesitated. "My mission to your world was-"
The old Namekian held up his hand. "I am aware of your compatriots, and their power levels. They are on their way here as we speak."
Raditz gaped. "How did you know that?! Did you read my mind?" Psychics always unsettled Raditz. That little toad Guldo would always use his abilities to torment and humiliate him. The old Namekian's gentle smile didn't waver.
"No. I did a few inquiries with my friends in the Otherworld," Kami said. "The moment you arrived on the world though, I was aware of you. I am thankful you did not try to fight Gine and Goku-It would have been quite destructive."
"Would have been fun," Kakarrot mumbled, looking petulant. Gine sighed, and shook her head. She looked at Kami imploringly.
"So, how long do we have?" She asked. Kami sighed.
"Approximately one year." He looked intently at them. "And your powers, while formidable, are not sufficient to face them now."
"We're aware," Gine said gently. "We're going to ask Bulma for help, of course. And we're going to get everyone together, but we were hoping you might be able to aid us more directly?"
"Yeah! Can you train us like you did back in the old days, Kami?" Kakarrot asked eagerly.
Kami sighed. "There is very little else I can teach you," he admitted. "At this point it, would be insufficient to help you achieve your aims."
"Also, you are aware... I mean, you do know you are a Namekian, right?" Raditz blurted out. Kami smirked slightly, the aged lines on his green face shifting in irony.
"I am aware of what I am, yes," he said to Raditz with a nod. "I'm surprised you know of my race. I was unaware they were well known."
"Mostly as a legend," Raditz admitted. "And a few space pirates. Strong enough to make trouble for certain parts of the PTO."
"Hrm, I see," Kami rumbled. "I would like to talk more about this later. For now though, I must make some inquiries about getting you all better training. I will have something for you by tomorrow, at the latest."
"Yeah, it is getting pretty late," Chichi admitted. She shifted the young Gohan in her arms, who was already looking sleepy. She smiled at Raditz. "We do have a spare room and bed, Raditz! If you'd like to stay?"
Raditz nodded. "Yes."
Gine gave him a hard look, and Raditz blinked. "What?" He asked.
"What do we say?" Gine prompted. Raditz grimaced.
"I don't know-"
"Thank you!" Kakarrot said cheerfully. "That's what you say!"
"Thank you," Raditz managed, flushing a bit in embarrassment. His mother's smile eased things a bit though.
Kami nodded. "Mm. I will contact you all tomorrow, then."
Kakarrot took off, carrying his wife to the edge of the Looktout platform. Below, the Flying Nimbus waited. He turned his head and gave Raditz a big grin.
"See you at home, Raditz! Mom'll show you the way, right?"
"Of course I will," Gine said with a smile. She wrapped an arm around her son's larger bicep, beaming at him. "We have a lot to talk about."
Raditz found a small smile growing on his face. "Yes, we do," he said with a nod.
While the future was uncertain, underneath the glimmer of moonlight with his loving mother, he couldn't help feeling some happiness. For the first time in a long time.
Normally, Raditz couldn't care less about the rotation of a planet, or the rising of its sun. He had fought on so many worlds with so many kinds of suns, moons, and other primaries it had all begun to blend together. Just another world to decimate for Freeza. Just another chance for Vegeta and Nappa to use him as their punching bag, meatshield, and slave.
If he was lucky, in that order.
Now though? A night of talking with his mother. A night of learning what she and his little brother had experienced here.
Yes, today, the sun rising over the horizon was different. He found in himself... A sense of hope. Even with the looming threat of Vegeta and Nappa coming after him, he felt hope.
And as the light began to shine red and purple through the window of his room-his room!-Raditz felt another equally strong and almost unfamiliar sensation: Anticipation!
Not just for the fight, but also for breakfast-Which he could already smell down below with his keen Saiyan nose. Kakarrot's mate must be up, and so...
He got up and opened the door, now dressed in some larger, lighter clothing his mother had obtained for him: A black linen shirt and orange pants. His armor was lying by the wayside, though he kept his Saiyan boots. He walked to what he was sure was Kakarrot and his mate's room, and dramatically kicked the door open.
"KAKARROT!" He shouted. "THE WORLD HAS TURNED AND NOW WE TRAIN-!"
His face turned red... And he was soon barraged with an assortment of household items and feminine screaming.
"GET OUT! OUT OUT OUUUUUUTTTTT!"
Raditz quickly shut the door and hurried away, down the stairs to the kitchen. His face was red in embarrassment, a fact he tried to hide as he saw his mother sitting at the table.
"A sock on the door on this planet usually means not to barge in, dear," Gine said calmly, sipping some kind of hot beverage from a small ceramic mug. Raditz's flush would not go away as he scowled.
"I-I didn't know that!" Raditz spat. "How-how could he-with his own-I mean-There's training to do!" He protested. Gine chuckled, and continued to sip the beverage. It smelled of herbs and sugar, and the steam from it wafted gently into the air.
"One thing you learn on Earth is to appreciate everything that exists besides fighting," she said. She stood up and held the cup in her hand. "Come along, breakfast time." She headed outside, to a small picnic table. Raditz followed, and began to drool: There was so much food on the table, and it all looked delicious! The smells were enticing in every way his overwhelmed senses could process. He walked up and sat down at the table. Gine piled on the food onto several plates, and set them all down in front of him. She beamed.
"Go ahead! Eat up!" She said. Raditz dug in... And let his Saiyan instincts take over. The food tasted even better than it smelled! The proteins, the carbohydrates, the lipids, the sugars-All seemed created to reward Raditz for every bite. The drinks were just as good-Something fruity, he thought? He sighed happily, leaning back and patting his belly. The sun was a bit higher, as he had lost track of time eating such a smorgasbord. He empty plates were stacked in front of him, yet there was still so much more! And there was his mother, having finished her own breakfast-Nearly as large, but she had eaten it in a far neater manner.
"Wow," Raditz breathed, "all this delicious food... For a cook like you, this world must have been like heaven!"
"Oh, I quite enjoy it," Gine said with a smile. "I'm always discovering new dishes and new methods of cooking!"
Raditz's mind and heart may have still been conflicted, but his stomach was already declaring that Freeza, Vegeta and Nappa could fornicate themselves with one another. This world was never going to fall to them.
"Well," Raditz said, rising from the table, "I'm ready to spar. I'll uh-"
Gine rose from the table and wiped her lips daintily with a napkin. She then set it down and smiled at her eldest.
"I did cook them breakfast so they could sleep in. Wouldn't you like to warm up a bit before Kakarrot is ready?"
Raditz nodded slowly, and smiled. "I would like that," he said.
Gine flew up into the air, and Raditz followed. She led him to some airspace a fair distance away from the Son house, above the mountains. Raditz got into a fighting stance, a smile on his face. His mother was smiling just the same, gentle and kind.
"Now," Gine said, "let's avoid energy attacks for the time being. Just physical arts. Come at me."
Raditz nodded, and lunged. He wasn't even close to his full power, just a few cautious, probing punches!
His mother... Didn't even move, just calmly deflecting the punches with one hand. Her smile turned into a frown.
"Raditz," she said, a hint of reproachment in her voice, "what are you doing?"
"Huh?" Raditz paused. "Well... I mean, this is a warm up..."
Gine sighed. "Raditz, you are a Saiyan. I am a Saiyan. And I may not enjoy bloodshed and violence, but I do appreciate a good fight."
"I... It's just that, I mean, you were always so..." Raditz winced as he remembered every terrible thing Vegeta, Nappa and any other Saiyans had said about his mother. "... Soft."
Gine raised an eyebrow. "On Vegeta-sei? Yes, I was. But, things do change."
"Well," Raditz muttered. He felt so strange. Yes, he was a Saiyan and yes he loved a good fight, but... Years of fighting Vegeta and Nappa just to be humiliated flashed through his mind. His own mother, the only being in the universe who had ever shown him kindness... Wanted a fight? It was incomprehensible!
Gine continued to smile gently. "It's all right dear," she said. "You never have to hold back with me. With anything. So please," she floated backwards, one hand held behind her back as she reached out with her other, "let loose!"
Raditz sucked in a deep breath. He nodded. "All right," he muttered. He charged up to full, his aura flaring brilliantly! He charged for his mother, a fist speeding its way right for her face-!
WHAM!
And... Now he was in a crater. On his back. Staring up, stunned, the wind knocked out of his lungs.
His mother descended, her tail twitching as she smiled down at him. Her eyes crinkled in gentle mirth.
"See what I mean?" She asked.
"... Yes," he managed.
Based off of Masakox's What If Series, this is yet another story I have written to throw against the wall and see what sticks. My own ideas and some other What Ifs might be integrated if this goes further. Feel free to send the link to MasakoX if you'd like.