Here's Chapter 24! Thanks to Nimarin Driggen, 9thZFighter, Ingarra, firelifeblizzard, icewolf, Chimera prime,
Gohandominates, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Ali, ManonmarZ, Laania, and humancygrax for all the reviews on chapter 23.
Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!
A/N: Sadly my chapters must STILL be posted by Saiyansweetheart. Please forgive any typos!
….
"You're a success, ChiChi!" Bulma cheered. "Artruay couldn't praise you enough! It seems we both have secure employment for now."
The Ox-King's daughter nodded and gave her blue-haired companion a weak smile.
"Let's go celebrate and have an extravagant breakfast! Anything we want today!" Bulma suggested excitedly.
"I appreciate the offer, Bulma. I really do. But I don't feel much like celebrating today," Chi-Chi sniffed.
"But why not? You deserve to….." the former heir of Capsule Corps stopped in mid-sentence as she noticed tears rolling down her friend's face.
"What is it, Chi-Chi? What's wrong?" Bulma asked suddenly concerned.
"I should be celebrating something else," Chi-Chi sobbed.
Seeing the confusion on the azure-haired scientist's face, the slim brunette choked out her explanation.
"T-Today is…-today is Gohan's seventh birthday!"
"Oh, ChiChi! I'm so sorry!" Bulma put her arm around the sobbing woman's shoulders…..
…..
Gohan sighed softly as he headed to the bridge on Turles's ship. Today was supposed to be his big day. But there would be no birthday cake lovingly baked by his mother, no presents, no celebration of any kind.
Zailora immediately picked up on the little half-blood's mood. Something was bothering the boy. Daiz noticed as well, he wondered if Gohan was still tired. Turles had pushed the child hard in the training room the day before.
Gartoas glared at Zailora as he entered the bridge area," Ah was hopin' ya was just a bad dream but yer still here."
"YOU'RE the only nightmare on this ship!" Daiz teased.
"Ya refugee from a…" the burly Kardanagan's words stopped as Turles entered the room.
The Saiyan's spiky black hair was perfectly in place. His armor and boots gleamed as he strode toward the ship's controls.
"Wow! He sure looks put together nicely first thing in the morning," the Kabochan female whispered to the former prince of her race.
"Turles won't stand for less than perfection when it comes to his appearance," Daiz whispered back.
The dark green-haired male shook his head as he observed the female's admiring glance directed to the pirate commander.
"Don't get any ideas about Commander Turles. He'll break your heart,: he warned Zailora.
"Who said I HAVE a heart?" his feminine counterpart snickered.
"Ah knew it! Yer not even together fer a full day an' yer already whisperin' an' such!" Gatoas accused.
"Jealous much, Gartoas?" Turles taunted.
"When am Ah gonna learn ta keep muh big mouth shut?" the massive pirate groaned.
Zailora couldn't suppress a giggle.
"Ya just keep outta muh way, Woman," Gartoas growled.
….
The brilliant multi-colored sunrise of planet Gamor was lost on the son of Goku. He couldn't help feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness. Eating was the last thing he cared to do this beautiful morning. But he would have to consume something or risk being scolded by Turles.
Gohan's small tail drooped behind him as he entered the posh eatery Turles had chosen for their morning meal. The pirate commander was about to reprimand the boy for the disregard for his tail's safety when he noticed the forlorn expression on the little half-Saiyan's face. Was the Earth-raised child missing his former life again? Perhaps a good meal would lift his spirits.
Gohan forced himself to eat even though he could barely taste what he was ingesting. He almost gagged on his next forkful and felt Turles's grip on his shoulder.
"If you've had enough, feel free to stop eating, Brat," Turles declared.
"Thank you, Master Turles," Gohan said listlessly.
"Daiz, Have the brat looked over while the rest of us attend to business," the Saiyan full-blood ordered.
"Yes, Commander," Daiz agreed.
"He's not sick, Daiz. He's upset about something," Zailora hinted as she slid from her seat.
The male pirate gave her a nod as he motioned Gohan to follow him as Turles and the others departed.
"What's wrong, Squirt?"
"Nothing," Gohan said softly.
"I can't help if I don't know what's wrong, Kid," Daiz pressed.
Gohan hung his head,"It's my seventh birthday today."
Daiz sighed heavily. How was Turles going to react to this?
…
"What did the medic say ails the boy?" Turles questioned.
"A medic wasn't needed, Master Turles," Daiz informed him.
"You disregarded my order?" the Saiyan growled.
"Commander, The boy isn't sick. He's … he's just upset," the former royal spoke up quickly.
"And what pray tell is upsetting the brat?" Turles demanded.
"Well, Master Turles, it's the boy's birthday," the Kabochan informed him.
"Birth day?" a confused look crossed the pirate commander's face.
"The day of his birth, Commander."
"What of it? He's a bit young to be pining for his lost youth," Turles remarked sarcastically.
"Some races have a celebration of sorts on that particular day, Master Turles," Daiz attempted to explain.
"Only the royal family of Vegeta-sei and perhaps some of the nobility made that a practice," Turles snorted.
"I suppose some other races regard that day for all ranks, Commander," the dark green-haired pirate declared.
The dark-skinned Saiyan's expression appeared as if he had just consumed something horribly sour.
"Perhaps, See what the brat requires for this 'day of birth'," the Saiyan ordered with an air of disgust.
"As you wish, Master Turles," Daiz replied.
'I hope you don't get us both killed over this, Squirt' the exasperated pirate crewman thought to himself.
….
Zailora threw herself into the preparations for Gohan's 'birth day 'to the apparent dispproval of Gartoas. As the daughter of a Kabochan noble, the day of her own birth had been the cause for much celebration. Turles had rolled his eyes and snorted at her suggestions but had allowed her free rein in assembling a low key observance of the boy's 'special' day.
Turles suddenly found a most pressing matter to attend to at the sight of a rather gaudy colored cake and a few sweets being assembled by the green-haired female in his ship's small eating area. He was having no part of this foolishness.
"Oh no! We forgot about gifts! Gohan will have to get SOMETHING!" Zailora exclaimed.
The Saiyan glared at Daiz who wore a sheepish look and the Kabochan male gave him a helpless shrug. Shaking his head, Turles stomped out of his ship. Had it been a mistake to take the female on as a crew member?
….
It took all of Turles's willpower to prevent himself from strangling the emissary from one of the planets under his control. The thin blue insectoid life-form prattled on and on for several hours over matters that could have been resolved in mere minutes. Perhaps a little time in the merchant area would cool his ire.
A display of artfully bound books made the Saiyan pirate think of Gohan. Would the brat actually expect a gift from him? Surely not.
'Only the members of the royal family were entitled to such expectations' Turles thought.
Would his crew actually present gifts to the brat? Daiz might choose to do so, he was clearly soft-hearted where Gohan was concerned. It appeared that the little half-Saiyan had charmed the newest member of his crew as well. Gartoas would most probably ignore the antics of his fellow crew members. Perhaps there was a bit of common sense buried somewhere deep in the Kardangan's tiny brain.
A soft barking noise interrupted the pirate commander's train of thought. The sound came from a small caged creature with brilliant red and yellow fur. It was a Charalon. Turles hadn't seen one since his childhood. Large dark eyes regarded the Saiyan and a thin tail with a ridiculous plume of red fur at its' tip began to wag cautiously. Long buried memories filled Turles's mind….
(Flashback)
A dark-skinned male Saiyan child laughed as the Charalon pup danced about for the small scrap of food he held just above its' head. The boy had found the half-starved creature wandering outside the training area. Two weeks' worth of food had quickly restored the health of the small beast. Turles had grown quite attached to the tiny life-form and he made sure to keep it hidden from his father.
"TURLES! WHERE ARE YOU, YOU WORTHLESS BRAT?"
The young Saiyan hid his little playmate beneath a basket and rushed to see what his angry and obviously drunk father required of him.
"You called for me, Father?" Turles said nervously to the powerfully muscled Saiyan warrior in brown and gold armor.
"Sniveling whelp! Nappa tells me you were slacking off again today!" his sire accused.
"No, Father! I was…"
"Are you calling the General of the Saiyan Army a LIAR?" Turles's father roared.
A savage blow knocked the child to the floor before he could reply. Several brutal kicks struck his ribs.
Suddenly the Charladon raced into the room. The small creature buried its' small sharp fangs into the muscular right calf of the adult Saiyan.
"WHAT THE HELL?"
Turles sucked in his breath to stop from crying out as the hapless pup was cruelly crushed beneath his father's boot.
"YOU brought that filthy creature in here, DIDN'T YOU? CLEAN UP THIS MESS!" the furious Saiyan elite warrior barked.
(End of Flashback)
Turles sighed heavily at the painful memory. The Charladon pup had been the one thing he had treasured during his miserable childhood. Would such a creature brighten Gohan's existence?
A low growl came from the Saiyan. Was he going soft where the brat was concerned? Of course not, surely a little reward now and then was simply positive reinforcement for the brat's obedience.
"How much for the Charladon?" Turles inquired of the merchant that stood behind the table that held the rare tiny life-form.
A hooded figure observed the Saiyan. His gray scaled appendages rubbed their sharp claws together.
"At last we've found you, Turles!"….
…
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