The smells of the city met them before the sight. Radditz had taken the
lead the closer they'd gotten, eager to get some food, rest and travel
home. He'd thought often of his father and brother on the quiet trip. He
looked forward to training with his father and sparring with Kakkarot. As
he walked, he began to hum a tune his father had sung many times after a
hunt when they would huddle and wrap their tails around each other and feel
the heartbeats of their family (small though it may be).
Vegeta had looked at him oddly as he smiled and laughed to himself out of the blue as he remembered the days past. He had tried to explain he was thinking of his family but Radditz had gotten the feeling his traveling companion hadn't a happy home.
The city was bustling when they arrived. Smells of cooking meats, brass and mud. Radditz stopped at a street corner and slapped the small man on the back. "Well, it seems this is where we part, ne?"
The solid body beside him grunted before walking away. Radditz shrugged and headed for a small shop across the street with a sign in the window that said, "Beer". The place was small and musty, poorly lit and full of rouges but it was just the way he liked it. He set his basket and small bag on the floor by his stool and pounded the countertop. A greasy man, less than four feet tall and bald as a cue ball waddled over and asked him what he wanted. Without even looking, Radditz pointed to a bottle along a shelf of bottles and the greasy man set him up a shot.
Slamming his drink he motioned for another and turned to look at the others in the bar. It wasn't very full, only a few regulars at a corner table and a few lonely strangers that sat at least two seats away from everyone else. He pounded the second shot and paid with some change, picked up his things and headed back to the street. A small hotel sat amongst the shops, the place more like a rent-a-room at a bed and breakfast than a business. The family was gracious enough to let him have whatever room he'd wanted, Radditz had chosen the smallest that was also closest to the door.
"Where's the best place to eat around here?" He asked a small mousy woman, he assumed was the wife of the man he'd rented the room from.
"Jus' across the street. Serves the best stake I've ever tasted." Radditz looked at the bony woman and smiled, if she had ever eaten a stake in her life he would have been surprised. He thanked her and walked across the street yet again and entered heaven.
The restaurant was warm from the use of the ovens; it smelled of baking bread and stewing meat. He sat at small table in the back and could feel drool puddle in his mouth. The place was quite busy for such a small place, there were men and women packed around every table, sometimes no room for anyone to walk between chairs. The room rippled with light chatter and laughter, it felt homey but Radditz preferred the dank tavern. A too skinny waitress stopped at his table and smiled down at him, her makeup applied thickly. Eyelids pasted with blue and rouge two shades too dark for her skin tone. "What'll ya have?" She said with a wink.
Radditz looked at the specials on a sidewall, "I'll take that second one.sounds good." He grinned and gave her a wink back as she walked, swaying her tail and giggling. Radditz leaned back in his chair, stretching his long legs and resting his feet in the chair across from him. _I wonder how that guy made out. Hmmm, the way he looks, I bet he's pretty good at it too. _ Radditz shook his head, _Where the hell did that come from?? _ Before he could really think about the waitress had returned with a mug of beer.
"There ya are. Any thing else I can get for you while you wait?" She smiled and giggled again.
Radditz set he feet back on the ground and took a long draw from his drink before looking back at her, "Naw, I think I'm set for now." The woman pouted slightly and walked away. He watched her go and took another draught from his brew when a man burst through the window and landed on a table amidst food and screams. Radditz leapt to his feet, knocking his own table over and adding to the mess.
Running out into the street he saw a huddle of men advancing in a ring around somebody, all of them shouting orders to each other and talking to the person between them.
"Just take it easy._Watch him! _ Now come on.you have to come home, your father is worried. _Geezus look out! _" A sharp blow of ki burst through the ring, knocking several men on their asses and those it had been directed at were airborne. Radditz shielded his eyes from the blaze and ran forward, clutching his fists together as one and brought them down hard on the neck of one of the unsuspecting men. He crumpled and the attention of the other harassers turned to the hefty warrior who shook his hair from its light ponytail into a mane of ebony spikes that swept at his knees.
Radditz' voice boomed, "This is just what I've been missing, bring it on!" The circle of men forgot their captor and rushed Radditz as he sidestepped swinging fists and feet. Quick jabbing punches to one's face, sharp heavy blows to another's chest, and sweeping kicks and small ki blasts and the fight was over. Men lay scattered, moaning in pain and carefully picking their busted and broken bodies from the ground. Each took off in flight as Radditz howled and charged them as they stood.
"Good show." A low voice came from behind him. As Radditz turned he saw the man he had traveled with scraped up slightly and smirking. "Not that I needed your help."
Snorting Radditz looked down at him, "Who said I was helping you?" The other's smile fell and he crossed his arms over his chest. Radditz scuffed his feet, "What did they want with you anyway? Are you running from something?" Vegeta didn't answer, only turned his back and began to walk away.
"Fine, but if they come back.and I'm sure they will.I won't be here to save your ass next time." Radditz grinned as he saw the man tense and turn, face flushed with anger and mouth twitching.
"I need no man's help, least of all a low class baka like you." He had uncrossed his arms and shook in rage. "I don't need to prove anything to you, father. Nothing!" A quick blur and Radditz was on his back in the mud, lungs screaming for air, and the small man pinning his arms high above his head. Radditz broken ribs screamed and he hitched in slow breaths and looked up at the crazed man still straddling his chest.
"Do you realize you called me your father?" The man blinked and released Radditz from his bonds. He turned away and crossed his arms again, looking at his feet. "I know you don't I? Or at least I should." Radditz sat in the muck and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. His eyes opened in realization, "You.but." Radditz pushed up on knee at Vegeta's feet. "Forgive me, Ouji. I didn't know."
Vegeta looked down at him and growled, "Get up you fool before someone sees you." Radditz rose to his feet, thoroughly confused.
"Why are you running, Ouji sama? Is there trouble home?" Radditz began to fidget, a nervousness making him restless.
"There's nothing wrong you fool. Stand still people are starting to stare." Vegeta cuffed him. Radditz stood still, though one foot was still tapping and his tail twitched.
"Well, you can't stay here. For whatever reason you're away, they know you're here now." Radditz looked down at Vegeta. Vegeta nodded slowly. "Come with me, Ouji." Grasping Vegeta by the arm, Radditz hauled him to the sidewalk and up into the little house where he was to stay. Vegeta struggled against him but the vice grip wouldn't loose itself. Radditz stuff his few items into a small sack, restocked his basket and hauled Vegeta back outside.
"Where are you going? Let go of me!" Vegeta huffed, being drug down the sidewalk. Townspeople gawked from their windows and Vegeta finally stopped struggling and walked in pace beside his captor.
"We'll camp in the woods overnight, but we need to get far away first."
"What do you mean, 'we'?"
Radditz grinned, "Well, since I pummeled half of those guys they're going to be looking for me too. And if I'm not with you they'll rip me apart." Vegeta released a deep sigh and trudged along side, the city lights now far behind them and the woods around them thickening.
Vegeta had looked at him oddly as he smiled and laughed to himself out of the blue as he remembered the days past. He had tried to explain he was thinking of his family but Radditz had gotten the feeling his traveling companion hadn't a happy home.
The city was bustling when they arrived. Smells of cooking meats, brass and mud. Radditz stopped at a street corner and slapped the small man on the back. "Well, it seems this is where we part, ne?"
The solid body beside him grunted before walking away. Radditz shrugged and headed for a small shop across the street with a sign in the window that said, "Beer". The place was small and musty, poorly lit and full of rouges but it was just the way he liked it. He set his basket and small bag on the floor by his stool and pounded the countertop. A greasy man, less than four feet tall and bald as a cue ball waddled over and asked him what he wanted. Without even looking, Radditz pointed to a bottle along a shelf of bottles and the greasy man set him up a shot.
Slamming his drink he motioned for another and turned to look at the others in the bar. It wasn't very full, only a few regulars at a corner table and a few lonely strangers that sat at least two seats away from everyone else. He pounded the second shot and paid with some change, picked up his things and headed back to the street. A small hotel sat amongst the shops, the place more like a rent-a-room at a bed and breakfast than a business. The family was gracious enough to let him have whatever room he'd wanted, Radditz had chosen the smallest that was also closest to the door.
"Where's the best place to eat around here?" He asked a small mousy woman, he assumed was the wife of the man he'd rented the room from.
"Jus' across the street. Serves the best stake I've ever tasted." Radditz looked at the bony woman and smiled, if she had ever eaten a stake in her life he would have been surprised. He thanked her and walked across the street yet again and entered heaven.
The restaurant was warm from the use of the ovens; it smelled of baking bread and stewing meat. He sat at small table in the back and could feel drool puddle in his mouth. The place was quite busy for such a small place, there were men and women packed around every table, sometimes no room for anyone to walk between chairs. The room rippled with light chatter and laughter, it felt homey but Radditz preferred the dank tavern. A too skinny waitress stopped at his table and smiled down at him, her makeup applied thickly. Eyelids pasted with blue and rouge two shades too dark for her skin tone. "What'll ya have?" She said with a wink.
Radditz looked at the specials on a sidewall, "I'll take that second one.sounds good." He grinned and gave her a wink back as she walked, swaying her tail and giggling. Radditz leaned back in his chair, stretching his long legs and resting his feet in the chair across from him. _I wonder how that guy made out. Hmmm, the way he looks, I bet he's pretty good at it too. _ Radditz shook his head, _Where the hell did that come from?? _ Before he could really think about the waitress had returned with a mug of beer.
"There ya are. Any thing else I can get for you while you wait?" She smiled and giggled again.
Radditz set he feet back on the ground and took a long draw from his drink before looking back at her, "Naw, I think I'm set for now." The woman pouted slightly and walked away. He watched her go and took another draught from his brew when a man burst through the window and landed on a table amidst food and screams. Radditz leapt to his feet, knocking his own table over and adding to the mess.
Running out into the street he saw a huddle of men advancing in a ring around somebody, all of them shouting orders to each other and talking to the person between them.
"Just take it easy._Watch him! _ Now come on.you have to come home, your father is worried. _Geezus look out! _" A sharp blow of ki burst through the ring, knocking several men on their asses and those it had been directed at were airborne. Radditz shielded his eyes from the blaze and ran forward, clutching his fists together as one and brought them down hard on the neck of one of the unsuspecting men. He crumpled and the attention of the other harassers turned to the hefty warrior who shook his hair from its light ponytail into a mane of ebony spikes that swept at his knees.
Radditz' voice boomed, "This is just what I've been missing, bring it on!" The circle of men forgot their captor and rushed Radditz as he sidestepped swinging fists and feet. Quick jabbing punches to one's face, sharp heavy blows to another's chest, and sweeping kicks and small ki blasts and the fight was over. Men lay scattered, moaning in pain and carefully picking their busted and broken bodies from the ground. Each took off in flight as Radditz howled and charged them as they stood.
"Good show." A low voice came from behind him. As Radditz turned he saw the man he had traveled with scraped up slightly and smirking. "Not that I needed your help."
Snorting Radditz looked down at him, "Who said I was helping you?" The other's smile fell and he crossed his arms over his chest. Radditz scuffed his feet, "What did they want with you anyway? Are you running from something?" Vegeta didn't answer, only turned his back and began to walk away.
"Fine, but if they come back.and I'm sure they will.I won't be here to save your ass next time." Radditz grinned as he saw the man tense and turn, face flushed with anger and mouth twitching.
"I need no man's help, least of all a low class baka like you." He had uncrossed his arms and shook in rage. "I don't need to prove anything to you, father. Nothing!" A quick blur and Radditz was on his back in the mud, lungs screaming for air, and the small man pinning his arms high above his head. Radditz broken ribs screamed and he hitched in slow breaths and looked up at the crazed man still straddling his chest.
"Do you realize you called me your father?" The man blinked and released Radditz from his bonds. He turned away and crossed his arms again, looking at his feet. "I know you don't I? Or at least I should." Radditz sat in the muck and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. His eyes opened in realization, "You.but." Radditz pushed up on knee at Vegeta's feet. "Forgive me, Ouji. I didn't know."
Vegeta looked down at him and growled, "Get up you fool before someone sees you." Radditz rose to his feet, thoroughly confused.
"Why are you running, Ouji sama? Is there trouble home?" Radditz began to fidget, a nervousness making him restless.
"There's nothing wrong you fool. Stand still people are starting to stare." Vegeta cuffed him. Radditz stood still, though one foot was still tapping and his tail twitched.
"Well, you can't stay here. For whatever reason you're away, they know you're here now." Radditz looked down at Vegeta. Vegeta nodded slowly. "Come with me, Ouji." Grasping Vegeta by the arm, Radditz hauled him to the sidewalk and up into the little house where he was to stay. Vegeta struggled against him but the vice grip wouldn't loose itself. Radditz stuff his few items into a small sack, restocked his basket and hauled Vegeta back outside.
"Where are you going? Let go of me!" Vegeta huffed, being drug down the sidewalk. Townspeople gawked from their windows and Vegeta finally stopped struggling and walked in pace beside his captor.
"We'll camp in the woods overnight, but we need to get far away first."
"What do you mean, 'we'?"
Radditz grinned, "Well, since I pummeled half of those guys they're going to be looking for me too. And if I'm not with you they'll rip me apart." Vegeta released a deep sigh and trudged along side, the city lights now far behind them and the woods around them thickening.