Disclaimer: Nope!
Author's Notes: This chapter isn't really a plot-moving chapter, but it's one—if not THE one—of my favorites. The entire story has been pretty fast-paced, no? Well this chapter is a momentary slow-down chapter, meant to play on your emotions more than develop the plot. Its been a while, but… I really don't think this chapter took that long to write at all, either. (Maybe cause it was so short. XP)
The Brute
Chapter Four
Kakarroto awoke the next morning to the disgusting, wet feel of saliva trapped between his cheek and the pillow. He lay quietly for a few moments, his eyes closed in a grimace, dreading the inevitable removing of his head from the fluffy object. Screwing his courage and taking a deep breath, he pulled away slowly, making a face as he suddenly felt cold air mix with the fluid on his face.
"Ew," he mumbled, rubbing his face clean with the heel of his hand, and in turn rubbing his hand on his bed sheets. He stood up, his eyes glazed with sleep, and rested a hand on his bedpost to steady himself.
Through the cracks between his door and its frame, Kakarroto was greeted with the first voice of his day. He would have preferred to wake up to an explosion in bed than that voice.
"Chi-Chi!" his brother called from right outside his door. "Breakfast is ready, darling! Father's made a meal for us all!"
Kakarroto didn't have time to express a groan in the solitude of his room. Not a second after Raditz's voice died away did the bedroom door's handle turn, and the door pull back to reveal the intruder. The elder greeted Kakarroto with a formal nod.
"Good to see you're awake. Father's got breakfast ready downstairs."
"I heard you the first time," Kakarroto growled back, rubbing a knuckle in the corners of his eyes. Raditz chuckled.
"Forgive me. It's my fault for not thinking first. Of course I shouldn't have screamed right beside your room, how foolish of me."
Kakarroto grunted and crossed his arms, silently demanding that Raditz leave. His elder smirked at him and began to close the door, but not without a first, "You might want to change into something other than your undergarments, while you're at it. It would probably offend Chi-Chi to see you in such… attire."
Kakarroto snarled and kicked at thin air when the door shut, desiring an object much sounder on the end of his violent gesture—more specifically, Raditz's large rear end. He grumbled and slapped at one of his four bedposts, which snapped immediately and flew out the bedroom window, shattering glass on its way out. Just for that comment, Kakarroto was highly considering strutting down to the breakfast table nude. How "offended" would Chi-Chi be then? But instead he closed his eyes and tried to calm himself, listening to the soft footsteps of the female in the next room.
As if Bardock wanted a mental breakdown for his youngest child, he had placed Raditz and his lover in the bedroom next to Kakarroto's. All night long, Kakarroto had had to listen to the sounds of chitchat, coos, giggles, and even laughter from time to time. But fortunately, oh so fortunately, he never heard any hints that intercourse was occurring. For that, Kakarroto could have bowed down and kissed his brother's feet.
Well maybe not that, but an expression of gratitude was certainly reasonable.
Raditz looked up from the table when Kakarroto entered. He smiled. "Morning. I was just telling Father how much I appreciate an early riser, such as yourself. Wasn't I, Father? Back under Frieza's rule, you had to be up by a certain time every day or you'd be whipped and denied your next five meals."
Bardock nodded as he set down the remaining plates and headed into the storage room to pull out an extra chair. "Kakarroto," father mumbled formally to son as he brushed by. The said Sayian rolled his eyes and sat down at the table, reaching for a handful of some unnamed, steaming meat.
"Hey," Raditz barked suddenly, causing the younger to falter and stop. "Don't you touch a thing! We're waiting to eat until the whole family is at the table."
Kakarroto scoffed and continued to reach out for the dish with an audible, "Make me."
Raditz stood up so fast that he knocked his chair over. Kakarroto started, looking up at the Sayian that was leaning over the table, and leaning over him.
"If you don't watch it, I will," Raditz whispered, a coal-black look in his eyes. Kakarroto stood up slowly, his eyes matched with Raditz's the entire time. "I'm trying to impress my lover, and I'm not going to have you ruin this gift to her just because you won't listen to me."
There was a knock on the door, one that made both Raditz and Kakarroto jump. For a few seconds neither did anything, but then Bardock's voice echoed from the storage room, "Someone answer that!"
"You heard him," Raditz grunted, shoving his little brother backwards, away from the table. Kakarroto stumbled for a second and tripped over the chair that was behind him, but regained his balance before he came crashing down on the floor below. "Go answer the door. It'll keep you occupied till breakfast."
Kakarroto growled but consented nonetheless, should his stronger brother resort to extreme physical force. Grumbling under his breath all the while, he took several steps and opened the kitchen door enough to stick his head out.
"What do you want?" he barked, the sound not unlike Raditz's of a second ago.
It was a servant, and from the clothes and seal he wore, he was evidently from the palace. He bowed low and asked in a meek voice, "Is this Master Raditz's residence?"
"Yes," Kakarroto grunted through his teeth.
"I have a message to deliver to him."
"From who?"
The servant bowed low. "Forgive me sir, but all remotely personal information is to be given to the recipient."
"That's ok. I'm his brother, Kakarroto."
Kakarroto watched as skeptical looks began to replace the servant's former ones. But when the tall Sayian stepped fully outside and closed the door behind him, the previous, nervous look resurfaced. The servant took a step back and began to tremble.
"I'm sorry sir!" he squeaked, rapidly searching for Kakarroto's seal. But the attempt was in vain, for the youth had left his seal back on his dresser. For all the servant knew, and from what he was guessing, Kakarroto was of first class. "Terribly sorry if I have offended you, sir! Of course, sir, I'll let you know! It's from Prince Vegeta!"
Kakarroto extended his hand. "Let me have it, then. I'll take it to Raditz."
The servant seemed absolutely terrified, but he still held the letter firmly. "I'm sorry… but sir, I'd like to give the letter to Raditz personally. A letter from the prince must have its privacy respected."
"I understand," Kakarroto said, yet his hand stayed its position. "I would call Raditz out, but he's feeling a bit indisposed at the moment. He doesn't wish to see anyone this early in the morning."
"Oh," the messenger mumbled, thinking quickly. He expressed the slightest trace of a shrug and handed the letter to Kakarroto. "Here sir. Please make sure it gets to your brother, and no one else." And without another word said, the servant turned and scrambled into the air, flying back to the palace as fast as he could.
Kakarroto smirked and turned to the letter. Sure enough, it was sealed with the palace's golden symbol, which glistened in the rays of the rising sun. The Sayian turned the note over and slowly and carefully managed to open the envelope without tearing it. He smirked at his own talent, took out the piece of folded paper, and proceeded to read:
To Raditz of the Super Elite, former accompanier of Prince Vegeta, etc.,
From several Super Elites of the palace, North Wing, etc. and ultimately Prince Vegeta,
Addressing Raditz,
It has come to my (Prince Vegeta) attention that you are spending time at the accommodation of your relatives, yet have not said for how long. Should you wish it, permission for further residence is granted for as long as your wish, until otherwise authorized. Do not respond to my question in letter, for it will take too long. Instead, I have ordered Nappa to meet with you today in the northern side of South Wing. Speak with him about your decision. He will also have a few other things to discuss with you, those of which I wish not to speak of in this letter, so find a private place to conduct your conversation.
Formally closing,
Prince Vegeta
Kakarroto folded the letter back up and slid it into its cozy case, folding the envelope's lip inside. He scowled enviously, desiring to be the receiver of important messages. Just reading it, even though Kakarroto knew the letter wasn't for him, made his heart beat faster. He felt important. He felt required. And from the way the letter finished, he felt like a spy, going to receive critical information.
He sighed, however, for his mind rebuked him and told him he was none of these things. He shouldn't allow his imagination to get a hold of him like that. He was, and always would be, just another third class Sayian.
He growled and clenched the letter in his hand, careful not to wrinkle it, as he stepped inside. His eyes widened in shock, and he almost dropped that which he was holding.
There, at the table, was his father, brother, and Chi-Chi, all fighting over the food, like Sayians do at mealtime. Kakarroto could only blink, his jaw growing limp. His chair sat, empty, on his normal side of the table. His family was eating without him, not giving him a second thought, as if his empty seat wasn't even there. Kakarroto was too numb, too startled to feel anger, but he slowly lifted up the envelope and tore it in half. Everyone looked up at him.
"What's that you've got there?" Bardock asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Kakarroto just stared at them, dumbstruck, and tore the envelope into smaller pieces. Raditz wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood up.
"So sorry, brother," Raditz said. Kakarroto looked at him, and, without taking his eyes off Raditz, tore the scraps of paper in his hand for the third time. "You were just taking so long out there, we figured you wouldn't mind. But you may join us now, if you like."
After one last rip, Kakarroto let the multitudes of tiny pieces of paper fall to his feet like snow. He slowly clenched his fists, the numbness leaving him. Bardock pointed at the floor.
"What was that?" he repeated. Kakarroto hardly heard him, though, for he was too fixated on Raditz to notice. He felt a total rage spreading throughout his body, starting from his head and working its way down.
"I wouldn't eat with you, even if I were starving!" Kakarroto shouted, his voice echoing in the small room. Chi-Chi winced and stuck her fingers in her ears. Raditz portrayed a look of surprise, but his eyes were glittering.
"I'm—I'm sorry to hear you say that, brother—"
"Don't you 'brother' me, Raditz. I've had enough of this 'brother' shit to last me a lifetime! As far as I'm concerned, you're just some trash that fell out of the sky and convinced Bardock into letting you stay here!"
Raditz's smile faded, but his anger was concealed. It was replaced with a look of dead seriousness that coated his face. "You may insult me, Kakarroto, and I won't report this to the monarchy as an act of contempt for a superior. I'm greater than that, you see. I'm your brother—we share the same name, heritage, flesh, blood, and bone whether you like it or not. But what I will not tolerate is anything said against my Father—"
"—our father—"
"—and should you even try it, I will shut your mouth somehow—whether it be privately or publicly—but I will shut it."
"You're not my brother!" Kakarroto huffed. He threw his hands into the air. "Heck, all of my life—all twenty years of my life—you didn't even exist! Am I supposed to believe now—now that you've made a grand and glorious entrance into my home—that you're my sibling?"
"Well get this, Kakarroto," Raditz hissed back, glancing first at Bardock, then at Chi-Chi, "up until yesterday, you weren't a part of my life either. We can either accept that sooner, or accept that later. Personally, I prefer the former, because I don't want to cause any trouble for my family and friends." Here he paused and shared a thoughtful look with his father and lover. Kakarroto was literally trembling from hate, for here his brother was, making him look like the bad guy. Didn't those fools see behind that mask at all? "I advise you to do as I have."
Kakarroto then knew, somewhere in the back of his mind, that he wasn't thinking rationally anymore. Rage had controlled him, and he felt all-consumed by a blanket of red-hot passion. "It'll be a cold day in Hell when I follow in any sort of footsteps of yours!"
"Well of course," Chi-Chi snidely decided to add. "Of course you'll never follow any of his footsteps. He's four class levels above you. You couldn't follow him if you tried."
With a deep, angry cry of attack, Kakarroto stepped foreword, gripped the kitchen table with his hands, and flung it at the opposing wall. As glass shattered and food was tossed in every direction, Raditz side-stepped with speed equal to his brother's, grabbing Kakarroto's shoulders and forcing him against a wall. Kakarroto bared his teeth, struggled and howled for the heat he longed to release.
"That is it!" Raditz shouted in his face, bracing his hold on his younger brother with the weight of his body. "You need to calm down!"
Kakarroto told Raditz to do something that made Chi-Chi gasp in horror.
"I can't take this!" she shrieked, heading for the door. "You may not tell King Vegeta about him, Raditz, but I most certainly will!"
"No!" Raditz called, turning to her. During this moment of distraction, Kakarroto shoved his elder backwards against the opposite wall and stormed past Chi-Chi to the door. He opened and shut it with such force that it tore the door out of its frame. The fallen barricade of wood clunked about the ground, and Kakarroto heard his father say one last remark.
"He's not my son. I swear, in all my years, I've never had a son like that."
Mud still spongy from yesterday's shower squished underneath Kakarroto's boots as the Sayian pumped his feet as fast as they would go. Running would burn off more energy than flying, and he'd run around the outskirts of South Wing five times if that's what it took to burn off all his anger. He just wished his face would stop contorting into painful expressions and that his throat would loosen up a bit.
Because it's hard to run when you can't even gasp for air.
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Oooo… Cool, huh? Well, reading back over it, I guess I lied a little at the beginning. There was a teensy bit of plot development. Not much, though! ;; Hehehe… What'd you guys think?
Take care,
Pudgoose