Chapter Eighteen

"What?!"

Pan and 17 were shocked. Videl and Ava had filled in the blanks, Videl about what happened in the house and Ava about the tradition of it.

"But Dad's a mystic! Even Grandpa Goku has a hard time beating him! Grandpa Goku . . ." Pan tailed off horrified at all the gruesome possibilities.

"This is all your fault!" Ava snapped at her mate, "You and your big mouth!"

"You and your closed one!" 17 snapped right back, "If you had just explained what was going on to begin with-"

Videl and Pan just watched as the argument reduced to snarling growls. Mother and daughter looked at each other then back at the bickering couple.

Ava and 17 were nose to nose, her chest was heaving with indignation. When 17 grinned suddenly and growled something so softly it sounded like a purr. Her eyes widened as he gave her a small kiss on the nose.

Videl blushed when the saiyan woman attacked her husband with her mouth and turned away to give them privacy while Pan just watched curiously. This was were Zarah came from, was this how he would act? She could almost feel desire flowing from them as the world must have ceased to exist.

The couple pulled apart when their son walked out of the house with Gohan on his heels and Goten trailing reluctantly. Bardock intercepted Goku as he flew in.

Pan glanced back at the couple to find them both watching with as much emotion as a rock. The contrast was very startling.

"Now we will begin," Pan's head came up at the sound of Bardock's voice, "One last chance, boy, to back out of your claim. Do you wish to fight for her?"

Zarah narrowed his eyes, "I will."

"Then you will be challenged first by me, then Kakarot, Goten, and Gohan, in that order. Any loses will forfeit Pan," Bardock's face narrowed and became evil, "We begin now. Are you ready?"

Without hesitation Zarah slid into his perfected stance and while he appeared ready to fight physically, mentally he wasn't so sure. He had never had the pleasure of sparring with Bardock before, much less Kakarot, and the rest so he didn't know exactly what to expect, except that it was going to hurt.

**

Goku was a bit torn. He didn't see the big deal about Pan being married and, though he would like to spar, he didn't want to break them up but it wasn't in him to lose. I will match my power to his and go no higher, Goku smiled happy with his decision, that's the best I can do for you and it's fair.

Goten took a seat next to his new relations. Oh man, why do I have to fight him? I should have trained more.

"Oh Gohan," Goku turned to his eldest, "Your mom doesn't believe me. You'll have to tell her Pan's married yourself."

Gohan nodded sharply, a muscle in his cheek jumping. Zarah will not win against my dad, if he should get past Grandpa. I should have been first to fight him. He wouldn't have made it past me.

Videl glanced at her husband nervously, he had an evil gleam in his eyes that worried her. She had never seen him like this and she didn't like it. Sure, she wasn't happy about Pan getting married without their consent but, on the other hand, she didn't see the need to get bent out of shape about it. It's not like Zarah was a stranger without a job, he was a very successful business man/inventor and shared Pan's unique heritage. He might be the only man . . . er saiyan . . . hybrid that would be able to understand her.

Ava and 17 sat together as a unit, both as still as stone. 17 took his wife's hand in his own, pleased when she let him, and they looked at their son. They could see his determination and, since they knew him, his nervousness. You can do this, they thought as one.

**

Bardock studied the young man in front of him with interest. Zarah was poised to either attack or defend but waited for the more experienced fighter to make the first move. The boy was expertly trained and his fighting ability was only enhanced by his unique parentage. Bardock could tell the android's influence just by the way Zarah was standing, there was a looseness . . . a playfulness that was not usually common in a saiyan warrior. What's more, Zarah wasn't a brainless fighting machine and was one of the smartest people Bardock had the privilege to meet.

Zarah was, in short, everything Bardock would have wanted or his great granddaughter. however, he wasn't going to get away with just taking her.

"I pass you," Bardock narrowed his eyes at Zarah, "You pass my challenge."

Zarah went limp with relief as everyone else almost fell in shock.

"Why?" Zarah couldn't help but ask making everyone go quiet.

Bardock smiled, pleased with his curiosity.

"I am a warrior but I was also a soldier, captain of my crew. This is what was valued of me in saiyan society but not what I valued. Only a select few knew I was capable of complex thought, fewer still knew I was a scientist," Bardock paused reflecting, "Prince Vegeta was one."

Goku nodded, he remembered Vegeta bringing it up during their first fight. Jeez, that was a long time ago.

"Thus, my challenge is not a physical one. If you were anyone else I would have asked a question so complex it would have turned your mind into a pretzel," Bardock grinned, "but as it is, you are more likely to confound me then the other way around."

Zarah returned the gesture full heartedly, "So . . . next Tuesday?"

Bardock nodded, "Yes, invisibility must be conquered. Kakarot, you turn, challenge him as you will."

No, the boy was going to pay for just mating his great granddaughter without a care in the world. If Bardock read Gohan' murderous eyes correctly, the boy was going to pay dearly.

**

Vegeta paused as he felt Kakarot's power level rise. What's going on? Why is Kakarot sparring at such a level?

Bra mimicked her father and sent out a probing ki for some answers.

"Daddy," she frowned, "Why is Zarah surrounded by the Sons? Is he in danger?"

The power levels she had felt were very conflicting. Goten's energy kept fluctuating as if he was nervous while Gohan just seemed to radiate fury. Kakarot was Kakarot.

"Your aunt is there as well," Vegeta's eyes changed direction, "and Sasoli is heading away from the battle. She would not be traveling away if Zarah were truly in danger but why would . . ."

Bra watched her father curiously as he shook his head obviously coming to a conclusion.

"Bra, go check on your cousin tomorrow and no sooner," Vegeta muttered darkly, "Zarah will be fine no matter what it feels like."

Bra became concerned, her father was not usually this vague unless something really bad was about to happen.

"I don't understand."

"You will when you see him tomorrow."

Bra glanced worriedly in Zarah's direction, paying special attention to Gohan's almost malevolent energy. What's going on?

A hand on her shoulder interrupted her thoughts.

"Bra, it would be better if you didn't try to sense anything for the rest of the day."

Bra bowed her head in compliance with her father's wishes.

"Yes, daddy."

**

Gohan gritted his teeth, he could understand Bardock's logic but as the father of the female in question, he was by no means pleased. Zarah was one step closer to taking his daughter away from him.

Sure, he could understand Zarah's position in this situation, after all, Hercule had not been pleased to find out his daughter was dating. However, he had at least gave Hercule enough time to get to know him! He hadn't just swooped in and married her . . . without her consent!

Well, he knew Zarah but he didn't know him know him. All he really knew was what Goten had told him while recanting Trunks influenced adventures. That was another thing, Zarah was a Briefs!

Not that he had anything against the Briefs but come on! He had spent a lot of time with Bulma while traveling to Namek and Vegeta had always been a dominate figure in his life, both good and bad, but Gohan at least knew them. He knew nothing about Zarah's parents. In fact the only ones who really knew what made Ava and 17 tick was each other, offspring, and siblings.

Gohan vaguely knew 18, mostly because she went to the reunions with Krillin. 17 never went even though he was invited even before he was married to Ava. Hell, in future Trunks' time 17 and 18 ran rampant killing and destroying everything in sight. No one really knows why they are so different around this time and for all anyone knew 17 could be only temporarily amused with is family, nothing against Ava.

Speaking of Ava, Gohan had only met her once and that had been during Sasoli's kidnapping incident. He knew better than to judge her during that time where grief thrummed just beneath the surface.

Zarah and Sasoli were mysteries in themselves. From what Gohan had heard Sasoli was some sort of spy for Capsule Corp. and a deadly fighter according to Goten. Though, Gohan puzzled, now that he thought about it, why would Goten refuse to fight Bra when he didn't hesitate when it came to Sasoli? Goten had also said she could be one of the funniest people to be with when she was in the right mood.

All Gohan really knew about Zarah was he was an inventor and as big a loner as his parents. All Goten had told him about Zarah was he was very protective of Bra and since Bra didn't like him, Zarah didn't like him.

Gohan pushed down his energy, he was not going to be given the opportunity to fight the younger man, not with his father on the job.

**

Zarah watched his next opponent warm up warily. Here was the Great Kakarot, the only one to fight his Uncle Vegeta repeatedly and win.

"Ready?" Kakarot grinned.

No sooner had Zarah nodded then Kakarot had fazed from sight. He had just enough time to blink when his arm snapped out in reflex to block Kakarot's fist. The force of his hit propelled Zarah back a few paces. The younger saiyan took a precious moment to shake out his throbbing arm and then fazed out from sight as well.

Goku was pleased, Zarah was fighting him with everything he had and wasn't doing too bad. At least with Goku matching his strength to the young man.

He easily ducked under a punch and returned it to Zarah's gut. The younger saiyan slumped forward and before Goku could hit him again he swung his head to the side cracking his head against Goku's.

"Ow," Goku raised a hand to his head, surprised that Zarah would give him a sideways head bunt.

Hoping to catch Kakarot off guard, Zarah charged him at an angle only to have the older saiyan stick out his fist absently. Zarah immediately dropped to the ground into a slide bent on taking out his opponents legs.

Goku jumped nimbly over the boy and automatically swung out his leg to hit Zarah before he could recover his control.

Zarah grunted as the foot clipped his shoulder and sent him on a painful roll. knowing Kakarot was probably tracking his movement, Zarah kept rolling and sprung to his feet in a move he learned from his father. His mother liked to call it the punch-in-the-box since it resembled a jack-in-the-box.

All motion stopped after Zarah's hit landed across Goku's cheek bone. Zarah panted lightly, holding his position, this was the first real hit on the mighty Kakarot. Goku smiled at the young man despite the slight pain and then his expression turned serious.

Zarah tightened his stance once more. He had heard about this happening before, his Uncle Vegeta called it the 'Kakarot Phenomenon.' The Kakarot he had known was gone and here in his place was a fighting machine. The transformation, Zarah knew, was inevitable; the real question was would he be able to win when he was winded.

End of Chapter Eighteen