AN: Be warned: serious drama and angst in the first part of this chapter. I wince even thinking about it…^^;; Also, Chi-Chi and Goku flirt shamelessly…well, to the uneducated eye. Hey, they've been traveling together for years! They just like to tease each other…well, Chi-Chi at least. ^^;;
Oh! I keep forgetting…thanks for 100 reviews! All day I was staring at the computer, continuously refreshing the page. I seriously jumped for joy when I saw the wonderfully round 1-0-0 staring out at me from the statistics page.
Oh, and don't think that just because I got one hundred doesn't mean that you have to review anymore. I need to improve my writing, and the only way I can do that is for you guys to criticize me! Really, I'm serious; CRITICIZE me!
Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball. Do you know who's on Akira Toriyama's will? Because, hypothetically speaking of course, what if they were to…mysteriously disappear and the person on the scene was to inherit it? Completely hypothetical, of course.
* I also do not intend on harming anyone who is on Toriyama-sama's will. ^-^;;
Kat's Advertisement Corner
A really sweet/cute/funny Buruma/Vejita and father-son fanfic is The Last Chance by Stef-chan. Read it, it'll make you laugh and feel all fluffy inside. ^-^
NOTE: No Dragonball (Z) characters were harmed in the making of this fanfiction. Thank you for your concern. ::Bows and smirks:: Well…at least not yet. .
Through Thick and Thin
Chapter Fifteen: Irony
Radditz sat in his pod, pondering. Frieza wouldn't just have his two strongest and foremost warriors/ purgers to both retrieve two beings who are to be put into slavery. Even if they ARE Saiyajins, only one of them would be needed.
'Damnit, Frieza, I know you're hiding something from us.' He growled, irritated, and muttered the worst insult he could imagine. Of course, he would never have done this in his Master's presence. Master was capable of the unthinkable- something he had learned first- hand. It was not a pleasant experience, to say the least. Radditz still shuddered when he thought about the event, and a cold shiver ran down his spine. If he was a- what were they call again? Ah, yes- Chikyuujin, tears would've slid down his face, and Radditz would've erupted into hysterics. Yet, he was a Saiyajin- and true Saiyajins never let those…tears emerge from their eyes. It was ludicrous. None of his race had ever cried. A feeling of disgust washed over him of the mention of the very word. Cried. Those who cried were weak. And Saiyajins were the very essence of strength. The day a person spawned by a Saiyajin cried was the day that hell would freeze.
Yet in that experience, that one, tiny little incident…he had seen the two most horrifying occurrences happen. He tried to bock the first out of his mind, but the second, he cherished. Radditz had no idea why, but he admitted it- he had cherished emotions. His mind had tried many, many times to convince him that he didn't care- but he did. Deeply. So, finally, his mind had stopped trying and he had accepted it, reluctantly. Nappa, also, had experienced sadness and regret for the first time.
Vejita? Now he was the ultimate enigma. Radditz had dared not look into his eyes when their planet was…erased. Their people exterminated. Genocide, Chikyuujins call it. All he knew was that it felt…indescribable. No word could or would convey the inner struggle that he, and, he supposed, Nappa had underwent.
Once again, Vejita? He would never know. Perhaps, one day, if he learned that hell froze over, he could grasp what or if Vejita had suffered. As far as he was aware, though, hell was doing just fine that day. Actually, come to think of it, Satan probably was having a field day as the three Saiyajins watched their beloved planet turn into dust. Irony…isn't it wonderful?
Goku and Chi-Chi were resting, their heads titled back and looking at the clouds.
"Say, Chi…what do you think we should do now?"
"Goku, I'm fine with just resting." 'Can't you take a break?' She thought, being careful not to let Goku hear.
"No, I mean, where do you think we should go? Traveling is great and all, but…it kind of gets repetitive after awhile. And the Tournament isn't for another two years." Goku said.
Chi-Chi sighed. "I've been thinking about that too. I'd like to visit Kuririn and Buruma, and possibly my father while we're at it."
"Great! Then it's settled. We'll visit your father first; I think he's closer. Then we'll see Kuririn and Buruma. Wow, they must look really different. We haven't seen them in what, five years?"
Chi-Chi nodded. "Well, let's go! I want to get at my father's as soon as possible! Plus, then all the more time we can spend at the Kame House."
Goku grinned the Son Grin [AN: Well, currently it would be the Goku Grin, since there aren't any other Sons around…but…], and grabbed his backpack. "Sure. Shouldn't we call them first, though? They might get ticked off at us for just arriving at their doorstep."
"Oh, come on. They won't mind, once the initial shock wears off."
"They'll be that surprised?" Goku asked, unbelievingly.
"Goku, we haven't seen them for five whole years, and we just show up on their doorstep? To hell if they aren't surprised!"
Goku laughed suddenly.
"What?!" Chi-Chi said irritably.
"You haven't changed a bit, Chi. Anyone who knew you could recognize you just listening to a conversation."
"And that's a bad thing, my friend?" Chi-chi said, emphasizing 'my friend.' Goku looked on in mock horror, but then his expression softened into something unreadable by anyone…except Kuririn, as long as he hadn't lost his touch.
"No, I'm fine with you the way you are. I wouldn't have you any other way if you paid me." Chi-Chi grinned, a light blush staining her cheeks.
"Not even mountains of sushi and noodles?" She teased.
"Well… for your cooking, I'd do anything." Chi-Chi faked hurt. "Hey, that's a compliment! I was kidding, anyway." Goku said hurriedly.
"I know, I was teasing you. You don't have to get so worked up about it." Goku felt his face heat up, for some odd reason.
"I wasn't worked up!"
"Oh, yes you were! …Wait, you'd do anything?"
Goku smiled uneasily. "Yes."
An evil grin spread over Chi-Chi's face. "I'll remember that."
Vejita glanced out the window of the pod. A blue planet with white, wispy clouds covering it like a blanket was slowly coming into view. " I cannot believe what I'm doing," he muttered. "Damn those Chikyuujins. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have to retrieve Kakarott." He half-hated himself for needing Kakarott, let alone another Saiyajin. He was the Prince of his entire race! Why should he need anyone else? But, still, Frieza's empire extended too far throughout the universe. Frieza alone was powerful, and combined with his forces and allies, he was nearly unstoppable.
"Those cowards," Vejita said, to no one in particular. Radditz and Nappa joined with Frieza completely after their planet had exploded, courtesy of Frieza. Vejita knew why: they didn't believe that there was anything left for them. With Frieza, they would become the most powerful beings in the universe, besides 'master'. Vejita hadn't even considered it. He was the prince of Saiyajins- he would never serve anyone. He would become the most powerful being in the universe, and avenge his planet. None would cross him, none would defeat him. He would be the very essence of power and control.
Vejita didn't realize it, but…
He would be another Frieza.