Lost Connection

"Oh, will you shut up?!" screamed the eight-year-old long-haired boy as he hit Kakarot in the face. The four-year-old immediately burst into tears and howled in pain, drawing the attention of his mother.

"Raditz! What was that for?!" shouted Gine as she picked Kakarot up and cradled him in her arms, "He's your brother!"

"He's weak, annoying and there are many more reasons why I hit him. He should've left me alone. He's no brother of mine" replied the uncaring Raditz as he rolled his eyes and walked away, straight into his father. Raditz gulped in fear as he met Bardock's glare and felt his legs begin to tremble.

"You've got five seconds to apologise to both your brother and your mother" said Bardock sternly, "Get to it." Raditz, in pure stupidity, mustered up the courage to answer back.

"Why should I? I'm stronger than both of them combined. You should be on my side!" he argued only to receive a swift knee to his stomach. He hunched over in pain and shock at being hit by his own father. Bardock picked him up by the shirt and brought him to eye level.

"And I'm stronger than you so if strength means anything to you then you'll do as I say" he growled before dropping Raditz to the ground and making his own way over to check up on Kakarot who had calmed down by this point. Raditz glared at his father as he placed Kakarot on his shoulders.

"Wheee! This is fun!" exclaimed Kakarot with a massive smile on his face, "More! More!" Bardock complied and Gine held her hand over her mouth as she chuckled. The entire time this was going on all Raditz could do was watch. A hatred for his younger brother began to manifest, one that far outclassed his previous disdain for the young boy. Snarling, Raditz stormed upstairs to his bedroom and slammed the door. He couldn't care for his family.

"It's always Kakarot this Kakarot that! What does that brat have that I don't?!" he raged as his quirk sprung to life. He picked up an image of him and Kakarot which Gine had taken when the two were younger. In the image Kakarot looked happy and seemed pleased to be with his brother while Raditz looked revolted by his own sibling. An enraged Raditz did the only thing he could in that moment. He obliterated the image.

"He'll never be my brother. I want nothing to do with him."

By the time of Kakarot's fifth birthday later that year Raditz had kept his word. He avoided Kakarot and completely ignored him. As far as he was concerned his brother had never existed. Gine and Bardock tried everything they could think of but Raditz wouldn't budge. His mind was made up and nothing would change it now.

"Raditz! It's my birthday!" celebrated the now five-year-old Kakarot as he knocked on his older brother's bedroom door. There was no reply.

"Raditz! Did you hear me? What did you get me for my birthday?" asked the cheery Kakarot, still none the wiser to the situation.

"Nothing! Now get lost!" screamed Raditz as he slammed the door open and pushed Kakarot away. The boy fell backwards, tears brewing in his eyes as he stared up at the person he called 'brother' glaring at him with pure hatred.

"I just wondered is all" sniffed Kakarot. This set Raditz off. He saw red and picked Kakarot up at the shirt with his right hand much like his father had done all that time ago. His left lit up as his quirk sprung to life.

"Let's get something straight. I don't like you. No scratch that. I hate you. You're weak and stupid. You are not my brother. You say you want to be like dad when you grow up. Here let me help you."

Raditz focused his quirk into his index finger and moved to cut an 'X' into Kakarot's left cheek. The young boy squirmed in fear as his brother's finger neared.

"No! Please! Get off of me!" cried Kakarot in fear before lifting his hands to push Raditz off him. What neither of them expected was for Kakarot's quirk to manifest in that moment as two ki blasts shot out of his open palms and blasted Raditz back into his room. Kakarot dropped to the ground and scampered back, looking at his palms in fear and surprise. Raditz was shocked at what had happened.

"How?" he muttered as he stood. Kakarot looked at him in confusion.

"HOW DID A WEAKLING LIKE YOU GET A STONGER QUIRK THAN ME?!" he roared before lunging for Kakarot who attempted to block. Raditz didn't even get close to the younger boy.

"That's enough!" shouted Bardock as he appeared out of nowhere and hit Raditz in the chest. The older boy was sent flying and landed on his bed. He knew his father had held back but the blow still hurt like hell.

"I have been lenient throughout all of this," Bardock started in a low voice, "I gave you every opportunity to abandon this path and accept your brother, but you shrugged me off. You shrugged your mother off as well. Then on the day of your brother's fifth birthday you attack him for asking whether you had got him a present or not. You go to carve the same scar that I have on my face onto his. How twisted are you? No wonder his quirk manifested as he attempted to fight back."

Every word stung. Raditz felt rage and sadness at the same time. Tears began to well in his eyes, but he didn't let a single one of them fall. Gine was comforting Kakarot while looking at Raditz with sad eyes. She was ashamed of what he had become.

"Fine! If you're going to defend him, I'll just leave and get out of your way!" threatened Raditz. He was bluffing but Bardock's lack of response spoke volumes. His father no longer cared. Then the tears fell. Raditz shoved on his shoes, grabbed a bag and shoved clothes into it as well as blankets. He picked up a pillow and hoodie and shoved his way past his family. Bardock didn't move to stop him and Kakarot watched him go with sadness.

"Raditz! Wait! You don't have to do this!" cried Gine in despair, her own tears staining her face as she rushed after her eldest who was already by the front door, "Please don't leave. I love you." She was begging now and Raditz paused. With a glimmer of hope Gine believed she had gotten through to him. Then Raditz turned and with poison on his tongue he spoke.

"No, you didn't. You never loved me. You only ever loved Kakarot. You were never my mum and never will be," he said before looking the weak pathetic creature he used to know as 'Mum' in the eyes, "I hate you." With that he opened the front door and slammed it behind him. Gine broke down then and there and her sobs could be heard all throughout the house. Kakarot attempted to calm her and she pulled her into a hug. He wrapped his arms around her and cried as well. Bardock just stood where he had been standing the entire time. His hands were bleeding from where he had clenched his fists and his arms were shaking in emotion. Whether it was rage or sadness, it was unclear. What was known was that as Kakarot glanced over at his father he saw something he had never seen before and something he would never see again. He saw his father with tears on his face. Raditz had disowned his entire family and left. No one heard from him.

Some months later Kakarot's world changed. Bardock betrayed Cold and Frieza after years of blackmail resulting in the pair attacking his house. Cold was killed by Bardock in combat while Gine protected Kakarot. Then Frieza ended the life of the married couple while Kakarot was whisked away by All For One who transferred two extra quirks to him and gave custody of the young boy to Son Gohan. Kakarot was renamed Son Goku, unwilling to return to his birth name but forever trying to keep his promise to his parents. Then a few years later Goku's world changed again. Gohan refused to hand him over to All For One resulting in his death by his own grandson's hands from All For One's meddling. The event was erased from the boy's memory and he was led to believe a villain had been responsible. Two years later and Goku was living by himself and had gotten into UA High School where he would learn to become a hero. Throughout all this he not once heard from Raditz. Whether he was dead or not he was unsure. One thing was clear. His old family was gone. But now he had a new family.

Author's Note

Bit of a different chapter. Remember how Raditz was mentioned way back when in S3 Ch1? And how a person resembling someone Goku used to know appeared at the end of S3 Ch9? Well this is a flashback chapter of sorts. I figured it would be fun to write and explore more aspects of Goku's childhood (which was really depressing in this story). This includes what happened with Raditz and the role he played and will play in Goku's life. Plus mini sum up of everything Goku experienced until he started UA.

I hope you enjoyed this. I enjoyed writing it. The calm after the storm is how I see it. Season 3 is nearly over and Season 4 is to begin soon. Goku's work study teacher was originally going to be Fat Gum and he would join Kirishima and Tamaki. Well after the latest two episodes of Season 4 in the dub (yes I watch the dub and picture these characters sounding like their English dub selves) I've changed my mind. Let's just say this character has only just been shown in the anime and is already a favourite of mine. You'll meet them soon enough. Overhaul arc won't change story wise, but this character will get involved where they originally didn't.

Anyway that's enough from me. Expect another chapter today. See ya!

Ethan