7. Old Chains Reforged
The next day Goku saw Raditz coming flying into the Son house. It was laready late afternoon.
"Where were you? We thought that you'd run off or something! I mean we were all waiting for you and Gohan and then suddenly Gohan comes in fuming, almost breaks the door when he shuts it, just barely remembering in time, sees us and tells us that you aren't coming tonight. What happened?"
"Goku, I'm your older brother, You don't need to act like an anxious mother! If Gohan didn't tell you that's good. I sure as hell am not. Me and him had a little disagreement that's all."
"Did you guys fight Raditz? Thats just-"
"Goku, you're doing it again"
"what"
"acting like a mother"
"Oh sorry. It's just why didn't you come home"
"I decided to spend a night out. I've been in hell for a long time, needed to loosen up."
"Raditz that's not true! If you went out we'd have seen you on the news. We were watching it because we thought you and Gohan did fight. So stop lying and -"
"GOKU! STOP ACTING LIKE MY MOTHER!"
"Sorry, but you have to tell me, I'll owe you a favor but-"
"Look Goku, I owe you a favor for the whole thing when I last came here. I think if I was going to grant you a favor right now I would have. Not going to happen. Give it up."
"But -"
"I said give it up!"
"But -"
"I'm pulling rank on this, I am older then you and a Corperal of the Sayin Army, Tenth army, Forth platoon, third company, seventh squad. My most recent mission was aborted due to death."
"I thought you were going to let the Sayin traditions die. And wasn't it based on power, because I'm stronger."
"I only obey them when they suit me." Radtiz smirked just to show he was joking "They suit me now. And they were based on power in general, but you had to be promoted. As there is no one here who can promote you, you must still be at last known position, which is Private, First purge Recruit. Under 20 years of age. Status is MIA presumed dead. And if you doubt that then you have no idea how well I memorized your profile."
"Look Raditz you can't just pull rank, you -"
"This conversation is over." Raditz said, a Sayin smirk raising the corners of his mouth. Goku was so easy to maneuver, Raditz estimated it would be twenty minutes before he figured out that Raditz never told him what happened. He turned to go get something to eat, his belly rumbleing like a tiger. Turned and saw Vegeta standing behind him.
"So you are obeying the old laws are you? In that case you are a subject of mine, and under the oath to my house. Since I am the last remaining you owe me allegiance. Or are you going to go traitor like Tsii?" Vegeta's smirk grew as Raditz' disappeared.
Raditz stood there for a long pause Frantically seeking a way out. He knew almost all the Sayin law off by heart, it was the only book (or books rather, it was long and complicated) in his fathers house, or rather it had been the only book. Raditz had read it over and over trying to immerse himself in it, to ignore his father and the old anger there. Finally he found a loophole, then another. Praying that Vegeta hadn't read to carefully, because it did deal with these loopholes at one point, Raditz returned the smirk and answered.
"Actually, Vegeta, I am not under your command. You are the prince, whereas the oath specifically refers to the king. And there is no way you could become the king because that requires the marshall to induct you with four witnesses, not including the marshall or any other species, under a half moon on the rise.
You had neither moon nor witnesses at your disposal. Since you are the prince, I am the ranking officer here. That does not mean you are under my command, but rather that Kakerot is under my command, not yours. As such I have no intentions of giving him any orders against his will."
Vegeta grew red in the face and thought, then simply stated "If there is only one descendent of the royal house alive and the ritual cannot be instituted then he or she becomes King or Queen."
A sudden crash, and Goku looked up shame-faced, a broken milk bottle on the floor. Raditz and Vegeta turned back to each other.
Vegeta continued "As such" he said with a smirk and tone of voice "I demand that you -" "The oath specifically states the the allegence is only until death!" Raditz said triumphently. So neither Goku nor I have to obey you!"
"Actually the Oath says "Until I be found bereft of all life", written by one of the only poets Vegetasei ever knew. A slave, seems his master was a freind of the king, and the king wanted the oath to sound flowery..."
Raditz knew that Vegeta just wanted to gloat, he had proven his point. Raditz' body had never been found. Technically Vegeta was correct. And because the oath came before all laws (In terms of consideration) there was no loophole. He searched his memory frantically for any loophole he could find. There was none. he realized suddenly that Vegeta had stopped talking.
"Not listening are we? Well then let me repeat my orders. You are to be the teacher of the Sayin traditions, you must teach any Sayin who asks. And half-Sayins count." Vegeta had a malicious grin on his face, he was making Raditz eat his own words "...the only two remaining Sayins who remembers the old ways and I'm not telling!"
Vegeta turned to a startled Goku "and Kakerot you I will have-"
"GOKU DON'T LISTEN!" Raditz yelled, "If you accept one order, it means you accept him as king! Whatever you do do NOT accept any order from him if he says the he as king. Anyhting else and you can, but not if he says those words!"
Vegeta turned back, angry at Raditz. He smirked and told Raditz "I was going to let you try to find the loophole and then when you said it to me I would refuse. But just so you know, I as king absolutely refuse you the right to tell my mate about any of this."
Raditz's heart sunk. He'd been counting on that. Of course Vegeta was underestimating him if he thought Raditz would have told Vegeta before telling Bulma. He was trapped in a cage. He had to obey Vegeta, and he knew that it wouldn't be nice. Just when he'd thought he might be able to talk to his little brother it was snatched from him. For Vegeta would realize very soon that Raditz would be most miserable sent off alone, always alone. He hardly noticed himself get food and eat it. He was trapped in an all to familiar cage. Duty and guilt, duty and guilt forged in yet another layer around him.
He may have dispaired then if Vegeta hadn't left him and Goku alone. Goku walked over and said "He may have told you not to tell, but he never told me that." Then walked off. .:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'" "':.:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'"
The next day Goku saw Raditz coming flying into the Son house. It was laready late afternoon.
"Where were you? We thought that you'd run off or something! I mean we were all waiting for you and Gohan and then suddenly Gohan comes in fuming, almost breaks the door when he shuts it, just barely remembering in time, sees us and tells us that you aren't coming tonight. What happened?"
"Goku, I'm your older brother, You don't need to act like an anxious mother! If Gohan didn't tell you that's good. I sure as hell am not. Me and him had a little disagreement that's all."
"Did you guys fight Raditz? Thats just-"
"Goku, you're doing it again"
"what"
"acting like a mother"
"Oh sorry. It's just why didn't you come home"
"I decided to spend a night out. I've been in hell for a long time, needed to loosen up."
"Raditz that's not true! If you went out we'd have seen you on the news. We were watching it because we thought you and Gohan did fight. So stop lying and -"
"GOKU! STOP ACTING LIKE MY MOTHER!"
"Sorry, but you have to tell me, I'll owe you a favor but-"
"Look Goku, I owe you a favor for the whole thing when I last came here. I think if I was going to grant you a favor right now I would have. Not going to happen. Give it up."
"But -"
"I said give it up!"
"But -"
"I'm pulling rank on this, I am older then you and a Corperal of the Sayin Army, Tenth army, Forth platoon, third company, seventh squad. My most recent mission was aborted due to death."
"I thought you were going to let the Sayin traditions die. And wasn't it based on power, because I'm stronger."
"I only obey them when they suit me." Radtiz smirked just to show he was joking "They suit me now. And they were based on power in general, but you had to be promoted. As there is no one here who can promote you, you must still be at last known position, which is Private, First purge Recruit. Under 20 years of age. Status is MIA presumed dead. And if you doubt that then you have no idea how well I memorized your profile."
"Look Raditz you can't just pull rank, you -"
"This conversation is over." Raditz said, a Sayin smirk raising the corners of his mouth. Goku was so easy to maneuver, Raditz estimated it would be twenty minutes before he figured out that Raditz never told him what happened. He turned to go get something to eat, his belly rumbleing like a tiger. Turned and saw Vegeta standing behind him.
"So you are obeying the old laws are you? In that case you are a subject of mine, and under the oath to my house. Since I am the last remaining you owe me allegiance. Or are you going to go traitor like Tsii?" Vegeta's smirk grew as Raditz' disappeared.
Raditz stood there for a long pause Frantically seeking a way out. He knew almost all the Sayin law off by heart, it was the only book (or books rather, it was long and complicated) in his fathers house, or rather it had been the only book. Raditz had read it over and over trying to immerse himself in it, to ignore his father and the old anger there. Finally he found a loophole, then another. Praying that Vegeta hadn't read to carefully, because it did deal with these loopholes at one point, Raditz returned the smirk and answered.
"Actually, Vegeta, I am not under your command. You are the prince, whereas the oath specifically refers to the king. And there is no way you could become the king because that requires the marshall to induct you with four witnesses, not including the marshall or any other species, under a half moon on the rise.
You had neither moon nor witnesses at your disposal. Since you are the prince, I am the ranking officer here. That does not mean you are under my command, but rather that Kakerot is under my command, not yours. As such I have no intentions of giving him any orders against his will."
Vegeta grew red in the face and thought, then simply stated "If there is only one descendent of the royal house alive and the ritual cannot be instituted then he or she becomes King or Queen."
A sudden crash, and Goku looked up shame-faced, a broken milk bottle on the floor. Raditz and Vegeta turned back to each other.
Vegeta continued "As such" he said with a smirk and tone of voice "I demand that you -" "The oath specifically states the the allegence is only until death!" Raditz said triumphently. So neither Goku nor I have to obey you!"
"Actually the Oath says "Until I be found bereft of all life", written by one of the only poets Vegetasei ever knew. A slave, seems his master was a freind of the king, and the king wanted the oath to sound flowery..."
Raditz knew that Vegeta just wanted to gloat, he had proven his point. Raditz' body had never been found. Technically Vegeta was correct. And because the oath came before all laws (In terms of consideration) there was no loophole. He searched his memory frantically for any loophole he could find. There was none. he realized suddenly that Vegeta had stopped talking.
"Not listening are we? Well then let me repeat my orders. You are to be the teacher of the Sayin traditions, you must teach any Sayin who asks. And half-Sayins count." Vegeta had a malicious grin on his face, he was making Raditz eat his own words "...the only two remaining Sayins who remembers the old ways and I'm not telling!"
Vegeta turned to a startled Goku "and Kakerot you I will have-"
"GOKU DON'T LISTEN!" Raditz yelled, "If you accept one order, it means you accept him as king! Whatever you do do NOT accept any order from him if he says the he as king. Anyhting else and you can, but not if he says those words!"
Vegeta turned back, angry at Raditz. He smirked and told Raditz "I was going to let you try to find the loophole and then when you said it to me I would refuse. But just so you know, I as king absolutely refuse you the right to tell my mate about any of this."
Raditz's heart sunk. He'd been counting on that. Of course Vegeta was underestimating him if he thought Raditz would have told Vegeta before telling Bulma. He was trapped in a cage. He had to obey Vegeta, and he knew that it wouldn't be nice. Just when he'd thought he might be able to talk to his little brother it was snatched from him. For Vegeta would realize very soon that Raditz would be most miserable sent off alone, always alone. He hardly noticed himself get food and eat it. He was trapped in an all to familiar cage. Duty and guilt, duty and guilt forged in yet another layer around him.
He may have dispaired then if Vegeta hadn't left him and Goku alone. Goku walked over and said "He may have told you not to tell, but he never told me that." Then walked off. .:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'" "':.:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'""':.:'"