Authors Note: I do not own Dragonball, Dragonball Z, Dragonball GT, or any
related stuffs. Please do not copy any of the this fic with out my
permission! I apologize for not having updated in awhile. I wish I could
say 'I was on vacation!' but that would be a lie. The real reason is that
I've lost a lot of my steam for this story and I lose track of time during
the summer . . . I'm not quitting this story though! I'm gonna see it
through!!
I want to thank Digi fan! Thank you very much for continuing to read and review! I'm glad that my fic has interested someone ^.^ . . . . If anyone else is reading I'm sure that you know I would appreciate some feedback. I think that I've blabbered enough now so . . . Please enjoy chapter six of Saiyan Means Trouble!!!
Saiyan Means Trouble:
Chapter six:
Cat Diversions
"Hello Goku" Bulma greeted blandly when she opened the door to find that the warriors had returned. "Did you have a fun battle?"
"Yeah! Piccolo even payed us a visit!" Goku said happily.
"Why would you be happy about that?" Bulma exclaimed, her blandness a little shaken by her friends enthusiasm about a visit from their old nemesis. She silently questioned Goku's sanity.
"I don't know" Goku replied with a shrug. "Did you have fun shopping?"
"No! I haven't even had a chance to go yet!" Bulma burst out in complaint at the subject change. "I was about to leave when one of my dad's little experiments went wrong. There was an explosion and I've been busy helping to reorganize things. Thankfully no one was hurt but now I only have a few hours left before it's to late for shopping, and that's if I can even get out of the house without anymore distractions!"
"Gee . . . That's too bad Bulma . . ." Goku said sympathetically.
"Well . . . why don't we all go shopping right now?" Bulma asked suddenly. "Yeah! That would be great! I usually have Yamcha go with me but he's being a pig right now . . . This would be a great way for Raditz to see Earth at its best, too!"
"I don't know . . ." Goku said uncertainly. He had gone shopping with Bulma before and was not eager to revisit the experience anytime soon. "What about Gohan? Has he been any trouble? Does he want to go home?"
"Don't worry about Gohan! My mom is having a blast toting him around the house and he seems to enjoy helping her out." Bulma replied.
"I'll go shopping with you, Bulma" Raditz said as Goku tried to think up another plausible excuse. "I would like to see more of this planet and it would be a pleasure to go anywhere with you."
"I'll go too I guess" Goku said as he scratched his head in defeat. Raditz was walking into this blindly and as Raditz's brother, it's his responsibility to do what he can to protect him . . . or at least be there so he doesn't have to suffer alone . . .
"That's great!" Bulma beamed and plucked a capsule from her pocket as she headed for the door.
* * * * * * *
They had been 'shopping' for hours. Raditz had quickly discovered the true meaning of boredom within the first few minutes of hurrying from shop to shop behind the tireless blue-haired Bulma. He was also quick to realize that the actual reason for Bulma wanting them to come was so they could carry her numerous bags and packages of purchases. Raditz by this time was carrying five overflowing bags while Goku balanced four bags grasped in one hand and three clenched in the other. To subdue the overwhelming boredom that came from all this, Raditz had taken to counting street signs, which he found particularly interesting compared to 'shopping'.
'North Carp Street makes 342, Trout Brook Road is number 343, Sturgeon Way- I missed Dace Lane! So that's actually . . . I've lost count! Now I have to start all over again!!' Raditz thought angrily. It was at that moment, though, that he realized he could see neither Goku nor Bulma anymore.
He looked wildly around the crowded street and silently cursed himself for leaving his scouter at the Briefs house. 'This street is too crowded! If only I had my scouter I could find Goku's power level in a matter of seconds . . . wait, was that-!?' Raditz stopped thinking futilely of his scouter as he saw a flash of blue hair turning a corner onto a different street.
Hurrying to catch up, Raditz turned onto that street after the blue haired beacon. He reached out a hand toward her and turned her around. "Bulma-!"
"What do you want!?" asked the disgruntled transvestite as she straightened her blue wig.
"Sorry, I mistook you for someone else . . ." Raditz said slowly.
"That's alright, hun. I get that al the time!" She said in a raspy voice and turned away.
Raditz stood awkwardly on the side walk at a loss as to what to do. After a moment Raditz realized that he was obscuring pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk and moved over to the opening of an ally. 'What am I going to do?' Raditz asked himself silently, 'I'm lost on this alien rock. I could probably find my way back to the Briefs' house by flying . . . but Goku and Bulma wouldn't know what had happened to me. They're probably worried. They might be looking for me even now . . .' Raditz's thoughts trailed off as he noticed he wasn't alone in the ally mouth. "Meow?" asked two glowing orbs that hovered in the shadows near Raditz's ankles. Raditz stared at it and after a moment his eyes adjusted to the semi-darkness and he made out the shadowed shape of a cat.
"Tama? What are you doing here?" He asked the cat.
"Reow!" The cat exclaimed and turned away. It started pitter-pattering down the dark ally and away from Raditz.
"Wait!" Raditz cried. The cat didn't wait. Raditz didn't waste any time. He ran after the cat into the shadows. The cat was amazingly swift on its paws, it pitter-pattered deeper and deeper into a maze of twisting back streets and musty ally ways. Beams of light shot down sporadically into the allies, illuminating dusty air and dirty pavement. The sporadic light beams occasionally threw the cat and his pursuer into light after which they would plunge again into shadow.
'Where is it going? Could it be leading me somewhere?' Raditz wondered silently as he followed the bobbing black tail. Suddenly the tail whipped around a corner, catching Raditz by surprise. Raditz struggled with the abruptness of the direction change. He slid to a stop and redirected his course. Raditz was running blind now, unsure of exactly where the cat had gone. He continued to run even though he had lost track of the cat. Just when Raditz thought he glimpses something moving ahead, he heard a terrible noise that stopped him in his tracks.
"YEEOOOW!!!" The strange shriek sounded hauntingly familiar and yet totally unnameable. Raditz had ground to a halt and stood rooted, straining his ears to catch the faintest sound in the darkness. Another sharp shriek sounded not long after the first but was abruptly cut off. Raditz's legs had began working even before he had registered that he was moving in the direction of the cry. He ran forward a few paces and then turned a corner, hoping that it would take him where he wanted to go. But that particular ally was a dead end. He back tracked and went a little farther down the back street from which he had heard the noise. Taking a new turn, the noise sounded again, this time Raditz distinctly detected the burr of pain in the screech. Raditz urged himself to move faster and took another turn. He halted suddenly.
Filtered light cascaded into this ally way revealing a brutal scene of bullying. Three boys surrounded the small black animal, keeping it from escaping. A fourth boy, the oldest, stood in the human cage and appeared to be enjoying a game of 'kick-the-cat' to his friends laughter. He pulled his foot back to deliver another blow and-.
"Stop it!" Raditz's firm command brought the boys' heads snapping in his direction. The oldest boy slowly lowered his foot as he turned to face Raditz.
"What do you want geezer. This is our territory." The boy said as he faced the stranger. The cat let out a little mewling noise and the boy absently sent his heel sharply into the cat's side. It was sent skidding sightly off the ground to crash into the brick ally wall where it then fell crumpled to the dusty, dirty pavement and stayed unmoving.
"If that cat is dead, you will regret it." Raditz said dangerously. The eldest boy just smirked. "You don't seem to realize that you're the one out numbered" The oldest boy, who seemed to be the leader, replied. The other boys had moved into a new semi-circle formation whose focus was Raditz.
Raditz slowly let the bags he had so far held onto drop to the ground. He didn't need his scouter to tell him that these boys were just a bunch of weaklings. Playing with them wasn't worth Raditz's time. But he couldn't let them continue to beat up Bulma's cat. "Don't be stupid, all of your power combined wouldn't even be enough to scratch me. Leave, before I get angry"
"Bold boast, hairy, but can you back it up!" The leader yelled last bit and charged at Raditz. Fast as a snakes strike, the boy brought his foot up in a power house kick.
The next thing the boy knew he was lying face down in the pavement. "Wh- What happened!?" He stammered angrily as he picked himself up and glared at the intruder. The other boys stood flabbergast, their gazes flicking between their leader and the stranger who had so easily and quickly dispatched him, they hadn't even seen what he had done.
"I saw you kick coming. I grabbed your foot and flipped you." Raditz explained to the dumbfounded boys.
One of the boys broke formation and ran off. "L-lets get out of here!" another suggested. The boys had barely nodded agreement and were running, abandoning their leader to the strangers wrath.
"Who are you" The lone remaining boy demanded. His gang was gone but his angry glare was as hot as ever.
"Leave, before I change my mind about letting you live" Raditz said coldly. The boy remained unmoving. Just as Raditz though that he was going to have to take action, the boy turned and ran after his gang. Just before turning the corner he threw a look over his shoulder that promised payback.
After a moment of watching the corner where the boys had disappeared around Raditz turned to the cat. Amazingly the cat was sitting calmly and looking completely unharmed. Raditz took a step toward it and waited to see if it would run. The cat simply blinked its large yellow-green eyes. Raditz then walked the rest of the way to the cat and slowly extended his arm toward it. With his finger tips he gently touched the black furry head. The cats eyes slid shut and a low rumbling, grating noise made Raditz pull his hand back. The yellow-green eyes shot open and stared fixedly at Raditz. Raditz slowly extended his hand again and let it travel down the cats surprisingly soft neck and back.
After petting the cat a few more times he noticed that it had a white ear. "Tama didn't have a white ear before . . . you're not Tama, are you!?" Raditz exclaimed as he compared the memory of the Breifs' cat and the one before him.
"Reow!" the cat said and sprang up. The cat started moving off further down the ally and into shadow, limping slightly. Raditz hurried to grab up Bulma's bags and follow the cat. Turning down the ally the cat had taken he saw the tip of black tail turning another corner. He hurried to catch up and turned the corner to the next back ally.
The world exploded in light and sound. Raditz realized that he was back on one of the main streets. He felt that he had entered another world as he looked frantically around for some sign of the cat but all he could see was the ankles and feet of the people walking the sidewalks. The sun was setting now and shadows lengthening. He was sure that the cat was hidden somewhere in the shadows.
"Raditz!" Someone called from the crowd of humans. Hearing his name Raditz looked up from his futile search of feet and shadows to survey the crowd. A flash of blue hair and his brothers friendly wave caught his attention.
"Bulma! Goku!" Raditz hailed them as they pushed through the stream of pedestrians crowding the sidewalk.
"Where were you!? We were shopping and you just disappeared!" Bulma complained when they were in talking distance.
"Sorry, I won't do that again" Raditz promised and gave one last glace around the shadows before following his brother and Bulma down the sidewalk. Raditz made sure this time not to let either Bulma or Goku out of his sight.
* * * * * * *
In the orange glow of the sunset Bulma's uncapsulated vehicle hurried back to the Capsule Corp. Manor. Following the car at its own leisurely pace was a sleek, black shadow. Two glowing orbs stared unblinkingly at the car as it roared home and marked its course. A white ear twitched as silky black paws pitter-pattered against the pavement. "Meow!"
* * * * * * *
Once back at the Briefs home Bulma and her guests enjoyed a grand dinner made by Mrs. Breifs. After the dinner Goku said farewell to his brother and the Briefs and returned to his own home on the Flying Nimbus. Not too long after Goku's departure, the Briefs house settled down for the night.
* * * * * * *
"Good morning Raditz dear!" Mrs. Briefs piped cheerfully as Raditz entered the humble kitchen. "I hope you're hungry!" She said as she piled some more pancakes on a plate already piled high with cakes. "Breakfast is almost ready. Would you mind setting the table for four while I finish up?"
Raditz set about putting settings on the table. By the time he had four places set Mrs. Briefs had finished cooking up some breakfast meats to go with the pancakes. Bulma entered the kitchen as Raditz was helping Mrs. Briefs bring plates of food to the small breakfast table. "Morning" she mumbled as she sat at the table. They had all settled in and were beginning to eat when Mr. Briefs joined them.
Just as breakfast was ending the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" Mrs. Briefs exclaimed and sprang up to answer the door. A few minutes later she reentered the kitchen with Goku following.
"Good morning!" Goku greeted them all cheerfully
"Would you like some breakfast, Goku? We've just finished but there's still some left if you want it!" Mrs. Briefs offered politely.
"No thank you Mrs. Briefs, I ate before I came!" Goku replied and patted his stomach happily.
"I didn't expect you to be here so early, Goku!" a surprised Bulma said.
"Sorry," Goku said sheepishly, "Chi-Chi said that I should have called. I was in such a hurry, I must I have forgotten."
"Don't worry about it Goku!" Mr. Briefs reassured him. "You don't need to hurry. Your brother isn't going anywhere so soon."
"Actually . . . I have been meaning to mention that this morning" Raditz said guiltily. "I'm afraid that I must be returning to Vejiitasei today. It isn't that I don't appreciate your hospitality but I've been gone from my planet to long already. I have a responsibility to protect the king and if anything were to happen while I was gone, I could never forgive myself. I wish that I could stay here longer and get to know you all better . . ."
Goku's disappointment was visible on his crestfallen face. He had been hoping that his brother could stay longer and get to know his family, but Goku also respected his brothers responsibility. "I'm glad that you were able to stay as long as you have. I'll be visiting you soon on Vejiitasei and maybe after that you could come back here and stay longer! Mr. Briefs is building me a really nice ship too. I'll be able to train on my way to Vejiitasei he says. So I'll be even stronger and we test our strengths!"
"It's true! It's just a proto-type but in less than a weeks time it will be in ship-shape and ready to travel in deep space!" Mr. Briefs proudly confirmed.
"That's good. The sooner you can leave the better. The king will want to meet you." Raditz said with a nod.
"Are you leaving right away?" Bulma asked Raditz.
"Yes," Raditz replied, "I'm glad I met all of you. This planet really is not half bad. Who knows, maybe once the Saiyans are freed I could get some time off and visit" Raditz said and flashed a lop-sided grin.
"Well, we won't keep you here any longer dear! If you ever need a place to stay though, the Briefs household will always welcome you!" Mrs. Briefs said with finality and gave Raditz's arm a friendly pat.
* * * * * * *
Good-byes were said and then Raditz departed from the Briefs home. He returned to the space pod in which he had arrived. The farmer had erected a little souvenir stand beside the crater and signs that advertised an alien crash sight. Raditz entered the pod and blasted off from the blue planet. As the pod sped away from the blue orb, Raditz, his mission accomplished, gratefully greeted dark sleep in the form of stasis. His eyelids slumped and a thin frost formed a welcome blanket on him as the machine clicked and purred a soft lullaby that accompanied him into unconsciousness.
I want to thank Digi fan! Thank you very much for continuing to read and review! I'm glad that my fic has interested someone ^.^ . . . . If anyone else is reading I'm sure that you know I would appreciate some feedback. I think that I've blabbered enough now so . . . Please enjoy chapter six of Saiyan Means Trouble!!!
Saiyan Means Trouble:
Chapter six:
Cat Diversions
"Hello Goku" Bulma greeted blandly when she opened the door to find that the warriors had returned. "Did you have a fun battle?"
"Yeah! Piccolo even payed us a visit!" Goku said happily.
"Why would you be happy about that?" Bulma exclaimed, her blandness a little shaken by her friends enthusiasm about a visit from their old nemesis. She silently questioned Goku's sanity.
"I don't know" Goku replied with a shrug. "Did you have fun shopping?"
"No! I haven't even had a chance to go yet!" Bulma burst out in complaint at the subject change. "I was about to leave when one of my dad's little experiments went wrong. There was an explosion and I've been busy helping to reorganize things. Thankfully no one was hurt but now I only have a few hours left before it's to late for shopping, and that's if I can even get out of the house without anymore distractions!"
"Gee . . . That's too bad Bulma . . ." Goku said sympathetically.
"Well . . . why don't we all go shopping right now?" Bulma asked suddenly. "Yeah! That would be great! I usually have Yamcha go with me but he's being a pig right now . . . This would be a great way for Raditz to see Earth at its best, too!"
"I don't know . . ." Goku said uncertainly. He had gone shopping with Bulma before and was not eager to revisit the experience anytime soon. "What about Gohan? Has he been any trouble? Does he want to go home?"
"Don't worry about Gohan! My mom is having a blast toting him around the house and he seems to enjoy helping her out." Bulma replied.
"I'll go shopping with you, Bulma" Raditz said as Goku tried to think up another plausible excuse. "I would like to see more of this planet and it would be a pleasure to go anywhere with you."
"I'll go too I guess" Goku said as he scratched his head in defeat. Raditz was walking into this blindly and as Raditz's brother, it's his responsibility to do what he can to protect him . . . or at least be there so he doesn't have to suffer alone . . .
"That's great!" Bulma beamed and plucked a capsule from her pocket as she headed for the door.
* * * * * * *
They had been 'shopping' for hours. Raditz had quickly discovered the true meaning of boredom within the first few minutes of hurrying from shop to shop behind the tireless blue-haired Bulma. He was also quick to realize that the actual reason for Bulma wanting them to come was so they could carry her numerous bags and packages of purchases. Raditz by this time was carrying five overflowing bags while Goku balanced four bags grasped in one hand and three clenched in the other. To subdue the overwhelming boredom that came from all this, Raditz had taken to counting street signs, which he found particularly interesting compared to 'shopping'.
'North Carp Street makes 342, Trout Brook Road is number 343, Sturgeon Way- I missed Dace Lane! So that's actually . . . I've lost count! Now I have to start all over again!!' Raditz thought angrily. It was at that moment, though, that he realized he could see neither Goku nor Bulma anymore.
He looked wildly around the crowded street and silently cursed himself for leaving his scouter at the Briefs house. 'This street is too crowded! If only I had my scouter I could find Goku's power level in a matter of seconds . . . wait, was that-!?' Raditz stopped thinking futilely of his scouter as he saw a flash of blue hair turning a corner onto a different street.
Hurrying to catch up, Raditz turned onto that street after the blue haired beacon. He reached out a hand toward her and turned her around. "Bulma-!"
"What do you want!?" asked the disgruntled transvestite as she straightened her blue wig.
"Sorry, I mistook you for someone else . . ." Raditz said slowly.
"That's alright, hun. I get that al the time!" She said in a raspy voice and turned away.
Raditz stood awkwardly on the side walk at a loss as to what to do. After a moment Raditz realized that he was obscuring pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk and moved over to the opening of an ally. 'What am I going to do?' Raditz asked himself silently, 'I'm lost on this alien rock. I could probably find my way back to the Briefs' house by flying . . . but Goku and Bulma wouldn't know what had happened to me. They're probably worried. They might be looking for me even now . . .' Raditz's thoughts trailed off as he noticed he wasn't alone in the ally mouth. "Meow?" asked two glowing orbs that hovered in the shadows near Raditz's ankles. Raditz stared at it and after a moment his eyes adjusted to the semi-darkness and he made out the shadowed shape of a cat.
"Tama? What are you doing here?" He asked the cat.
"Reow!" The cat exclaimed and turned away. It started pitter-pattering down the dark ally and away from Raditz.
"Wait!" Raditz cried. The cat didn't wait. Raditz didn't waste any time. He ran after the cat into the shadows. The cat was amazingly swift on its paws, it pitter-pattered deeper and deeper into a maze of twisting back streets and musty ally ways. Beams of light shot down sporadically into the allies, illuminating dusty air and dirty pavement. The sporadic light beams occasionally threw the cat and his pursuer into light after which they would plunge again into shadow.
'Where is it going? Could it be leading me somewhere?' Raditz wondered silently as he followed the bobbing black tail. Suddenly the tail whipped around a corner, catching Raditz by surprise. Raditz struggled with the abruptness of the direction change. He slid to a stop and redirected his course. Raditz was running blind now, unsure of exactly where the cat had gone. He continued to run even though he had lost track of the cat. Just when Raditz thought he glimpses something moving ahead, he heard a terrible noise that stopped him in his tracks.
"YEEOOOW!!!" The strange shriek sounded hauntingly familiar and yet totally unnameable. Raditz had ground to a halt and stood rooted, straining his ears to catch the faintest sound in the darkness. Another sharp shriek sounded not long after the first but was abruptly cut off. Raditz's legs had began working even before he had registered that he was moving in the direction of the cry. He ran forward a few paces and then turned a corner, hoping that it would take him where he wanted to go. But that particular ally was a dead end. He back tracked and went a little farther down the back street from which he had heard the noise. Taking a new turn, the noise sounded again, this time Raditz distinctly detected the burr of pain in the screech. Raditz urged himself to move faster and took another turn. He halted suddenly.
Filtered light cascaded into this ally way revealing a brutal scene of bullying. Three boys surrounded the small black animal, keeping it from escaping. A fourth boy, the oldest, stood in the human cage and appeared to be enjoying a game of 'kick-the-cat' to his friends laughter. He pulled his foot back to deliver another blow and-.
"Stop it!" Raditz's firm command brought the boys' heads snapping in his direction. The oldest boy slowly lowered his foot as he turned to face Raditz.
"What do you want geezer. This is our territory." The boy said as he faced the stranger. The cat let out a little mewling noise and the boy absently sent his heel sharply into the cat's side. It was sent skidding sightly off the ground to crash into the brick ally wall where it then fell crumpled to the dusty, dirty pavement and stayed unmoving.
"If that cat is dead, you will regret it." Raditz said dangerously. The eldest boy just smirked. "You don't seem to realize that you're the one out numbered" The oldest boy, who seemed to be the leader, replied. The other boys had moved into a new semi-circle formation whose focus was Raditz.
Raditz slowly let the bags he had so far held onto drop to the ground. He didn't need his scouter to tell him that these boys were just a bunch of weaklings. Playing with them wasn't worth Raditz's time. But he couldn't let them continue to beat up Bulma's cat. "Don't be stupid, all of your power combined wouldn't even be enough to scratch me. Leave, before I get angry"
"Bold boast, hairy, but can you back it up!" The leader yelled last bit and charged at Raditz. Fast as a snakes strike, the boy brought his foot up in a power house kick.
The next thing the boy knew he was lying face down in the pavement. "Wh- What happened!?" He stammered angrily as he picked himself up and glared at the intruder. The other boys stood flabbergast, their gazes flicking between their leader and the stranger who had so easily and quickly dispatched him, they hadn't even seen what he had done.
"I saw you kick coming. I grabbed your foot and flipped you." Raditz explained to the dumbfounded boys.
One of the boys broke formation and ran off. "L-lets get out of here!" another suggested. The boys had barely nodded agreement and were running, abandoning their leader to the strangers wrath.
"Who are you" The lone remaining boy demanded. His gang was gone but his angry glare was as hot as ever.
"Leave, before I change my mind about letting you live" Raditz said coldly. The boy remained unmoving. Just as Raditz though that he was going to have to take action, the boy turned and ran after his gang. Just before turning the corner he threw a look over his shoulder that promised payback.
After a moment of watching the corner where the boys had disappeared around Raditz turned to the cat. Amazingly the cat was sitting calmly and looking completely unharmed. Raditz took a step toward it and waited to see if it would run. The cat simply blinked its large yellow-green eyes. Raditz then walked the rest of the way to the cat and slowly extended his arm toward it. With his finger tips he gently touched the black furry head. The cats eyes slid shut and a low rumbling, grating noise made Raditz pull his hand back. The yellow-green eyes shot open and stared fixedly at Raditz. Raditz slowly extended his hand again and let it travel down the cats surprisingly soft neck and back.
After petting the cat a few more times he noticed that it had a white ear. "Tama didn't have a white ear before . . . you're not Tama, are you!?" Raditz exclaimed as he compared the memory of the Breifs' cat and the one before him.
"Reow!" the cat said and sprang up. The cat started moving off further down the ally and into shadow, limping slightly. Raditz hurried to grab up Bulma's bags and follow the cat. Turning down the ally the cat had taken he saw the tip of black tail turning another corner. He hurried to catch up and turned the corner to the next back ally.
The world exploded in light and sound. Raditz realized that he was back on one of the main streets. He felt that he had entered another world as he looked frantically around for some sign of the cat but all he could see was the ankles and feet of the people walking the sidewalks. The sun was setting now and shadows lengthening. He was sure that the cat was hidden somewhere in the shadows.
"Raditz!" Someone called from the crowd of humans. Hearing his name Raditz looked up from his futile search of feet and shadows to survey the crowd. A flash of blue hair and his brothers friendly wave caught his attention.
"Bulma! Goku!" Raditz hailed them as they pushed through the stream of pedestrians crowding the sidewalk.
"Where were you!? We were shopping and you just disappeared!" Bulma complained when they were in talking distance.
"Sorry, I won't do that again" Raditz promised and gave one last glace around the shadows before following his brother and Bulma down the sidewalk. Raditz made sure this time not to let either Bulma or Goku out of his sight.
* * * * * * *
In the orange glow of the sunset Bulma's uncapsulated vehicle hurried back to the Capsule Corp. Manor. Following the car at its own leisurely pace was a sleek, black shadow. Two glowing orbs stared unblinkingly at the car as it roared home and marked its course. A white ear twitched as silky black paws pitter-pattered against the pavement. "Meow!"
* * * * * * *
Once back at the Briefs home Bulma and her guests enjoyed a grand dinner made by Mrs. Breifs. After the dinner Goku said farewell to his brother and the Briefs and returned to his own home on the Flying Nimbus. Not too long after Goku's departure, the Briefs house settled down for the night.
* * * * * * *
"Good morning Raditz dear!" Mrs. Briefs piped cheerfully as Raditz entered the humble kitchen. "I hope you're hungry!" She said as she piled some more pancakes on a plate already piled high with cakes. "Breakfast is almost ready. Would you mind setting the table for four while I finish up?"
Raditz set about putting settings on the table. By the time he had four places set Mrs. Briefs had finished cooking up some breakfast meats to go with the pancakes. Bulma entered the kitchen as Raditz was helping Mrs. Briefs bring plates of food to the small breakfast table. "Morning" she mumbled as she sat at the table. They had all settled in and were beginning to eat when Mr. Briefs joined them.
Just as breakfast was ending the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" Mrs. Briefs exclaimed and sprang up to answer the door. A few minutes later she reentered the kitchen with Goku following.
"Good morning!" Goku greeted them all cheerfully
"Would you like some breakfast, Goku? We've just finished but there's still some left if you want it!" Mrs. Briefs offered politely.
"No thank you Mrs. Briefs, I ate before I came!" Goku replied and patted his stomach happily.
"I didn't expect you to be here so early, Goku!" a surprised Bulma said.
"Sorry," Goku said sheepishly, "Chi-Chi said that I should have called. I was in such a hurry, I must I have forgotten."
"Don't worry about it Goku!" Mr. Briefs reassured him. "You don't need to hurry. Your brother isn't going anywhere so soon."
"Actually . . . I have been meaning to mention that this morning" Raditz said guiltily. "I'm afraid that I must be returning to Vejiitasei today. It isn't that I don't appreciate your hospitality but I've been gone from my planet to long already. I have a responsibility to protect the king and if anything were to happen while I was gone, I could never forgive myself. I wish that I could stay here longer and get to know you all better . . ."
Goku's disappointment was visible on his crestfallen face. He had been hoping that his brother could stay longer and get to know his family, but Goku also respected his brothers responsibility. "I'm glad that you were able to stay as long as you have. I'll be visiting you soon on Vejiitasei and maybe after that you could come back here and stay longer! Mr. Briefs is building me a really nice ship too. I'll be able to train on my way to Vejiitasei he says. So I'll be even stronger and we test our strengths!"
"It's true! It's just a proto-type but in less than a weeks time it will be in ship-shape and ready to travel in deep space!" Mr. Briefs proudly confirmed.
"That's good. The sooner you can leave the better. The king will want to meet you." Raditz said with a nod.
"Are you leaving right away?" Bulma asked Raditz.
"Yes," Raditz replied, "I'm glad I met all of you. This planet really is not half bad. Who knows, maybe once the Saiyans are freed I could get some time off and visit" Raditz said and flashed a lop-sided grin.
"Well, we won't keep you here any longer dear! If you ever need a place to stay though, the Briefs household will always welcome you!" Mrs. Briefs said with finality and gave Raditz's arm a friendly pat.
* * * * * * *
Good-byes were said and then Raditz departed from the Briefs home. He returned to the space pod in which he had arrived. The farmer had erected a little souvenir stand beside the crater and signs that advertised an alien crash sight. Raditz entered the pod and blasted off from the blue planet. As the pod sped away from the blue orb, Raditz, his mission accomplished, gratefully greeted dark sleep in the form of stasis. His eyelids slumped and a thin frost formed a welcome blanket on him as the machine clicked and purred a soft lullaby that accompanied him into unconsciousness.
