Here's Chapter 25! Thanks to firelifeblizzard, ALi, Nimarin Driggen, Gohandominates, icewolf, Laania, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, humancygrax, and Chimera Prime for all the reviews on chapter 24.
Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its' characters, Akira Toriyama does!
A/N: Saiyansweetheart is EVEN NOW STILL posting my chapters! Please forgive any typos!
…
Salsir could hardly believe his good fortune. Turles was practically in his grasp….. But wait! Didn't the filthy little mixed-blood always accompany the Saiyan pirate? The Sarhassan was furious. Where was the brat?
'My revenge won't be complete until I taste that mongrel's lifeblood, crush his spine under my boots and watch the light fade from his eyes as I …' the serpent-being's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by one of the huge blue reptilian bounty hunters that had agreed to help capture Turles.
"There he is! Surely the three of us can take him, we'll have the reward in our hands come morning!" the massive creature suggested.
"No, Marpas! I will have the life of the brat first no matter how great the promised reward!" Salsir hissed.
"Hah! We're not letting some half-breed hold us up!" the second of the reptilian hirelings huffed.
In a lightning-fast move, the Sarhassan had one set of his claws holding the partner of Marpas by the throat. His red eyes glittered with malice as he bared his long cruel fangs, a sickly green fluid oozed from them.
"Garban, Do you know what an agonizing death I can cause you with my venom? You will obey my orders without question. Am I understood?" Salsir said in an evil whisper.
"Yes, Sir!" both of the blue life-forms exclaimed fearfully.
"WE WILL WAIT!"
….
"A Charladon, Sir?" the green rat-faced pudgy merchant asked in disbelief. "Surely a warrior such as you would want something more appropriate. Something fit for hunting not this worthless waste of fur!"
"I ASKED for the price of the Charladon !" Turles growled.
"Yes! Of course! Forgive my ignorance, Sir!" the now frightened merchant declared. "Four tarinis, Sir!"
"I don't have anything that small!" the pirate commander snarled as he tossed a handful of the local currency onto the merchant's table.
"N-No problem, Sir! I'll get your change…." the rat-being squeaked.
"KEEP IT!" Turles snapped.
"So generous of you, Sir! DO enjoy your purchase, Sir!" the merchant simpered as he handed over the cage.
The tiny beast regarded Turles warily with its huge dark eyes. It pulled the tiny tail tightly against its frail haunches. Turles lifted the cage with his right hand and strode away without a second glance at the rat merchant.
'Saiyans! They give me the CREEPS! I'll just bet he bought that poor creature for an evening snack!' the merchant thought with a shudder.
….
Gohan thanked Daiz for the four books the dark green-haired pirate had given him.
Zailora had gifted him with a set of throwing disks and promised to instruct him in their use.
It warmed the boy's heart that his two crewmates had made an effort to make his birthday special in spite of his current situation. Even more surprising was the fact that Turles had allowed them to do so despite his obvious annoyance with the notion of it all.
"Ah buncha foolishness ifn' ya ask me!" Gartoas snorted.
"Nobody asked YOU!" Daiz growled.
"You didn't mind stuffing yourself with the cake!" Zailora snapped.
"SO WHAT? IT WAS GOOD CAKE, WENCH!" the Kardanagan shot back.
"Call me a wench again and I'll…." Zailora stopped in midsentence as Turles entered the ship.
"That's NO WAY to charm a lady, Gartoas. I suppose you're stuck with Daiz," the Saiyan pirate commander teased.
The dark green-haired female stifled a snicker as Gartoas gave her a murderous glare. Daiz gave an equally venomous look to his burly teammate.
"Sorry fer speakin' rudely, Commander," Gartoas sighed.
"I'm not the one deserving an apology," Turles pressed.
"Ah'd rather yank out muh…."
"Beggin' yer pardon, Miss!" the bearded bushy-haired pirate added quickly as he caught the dangerous glint in the Saiyan's obsidian eyes.
"No harm done!" Zailora chuckled.
Gohan wiped the icing from his face as Turles approached him carrying a small cage. Surely Turles wasn't going to give him a gift. Was he?
His stunned crew-mates watched in disbelief as the black and silver armored warrior lifted a small furry form from the cage. A tiny canine life-form with brilliant red and yellow fur hung in the Saiyan's grasp. Its thin tail with a small red plume of fur drooped.
Gohan eyed the animal with eyes as wide as saucers. Was the dog-like creature meant for him? He had never had a pet before, his mother had protested vehemently against the idea. Having an animal in their home would be unsanitary and its tending an unnecessary expense. But mostly it would be a distraction that would take Gohan away from his studies. Chi-Chi had stubbornly ignored even her own husband's pleas to allow their son to have a pet.
"This is for….this is to teach you responsibility. You will attend to this Charladon's care and will have the sole responsibility for its feeding and the cleaning of… anything it may deposit on the floor of this ship. Care for it improperly and I'll personally toss it out of the airlock. Am I understood, Brat?" Turles growled.
"Yes, Master Turles!" Gohan affirmed excitedly.
His teammates watched incredulously as the Saiyan pirate placed the Charladon pup into the little half-blood's arms. Gohan gently stroked the animal's silky fur and was rewarded with a lick on his face.
The boy could have sworn that he heard Turles whisper as he walked away," Treat it well".
"So there's a heart in that stubborn Saiyan after all," Daiz mused.
"That's good to know" Zailora quipped.
"You're kidding right?" the former prince muttered as he shook his head in exasperation.
"Maybe, maybe not," the female Kabochan said with a smirk.
"Blasted females! Nothin' but trouble, tha whole lot of em'!" Gartoas snarled.
….
Daiz looked in on Gohan who was sleeping soundly in his room. The Charladon pup was curled up at the foot of the bed. He hadn't missed the look of sheer happiness in the youngster's eyes when the boy had accepted the little ball of fluff from Turles. It amazed the pirate that Turles had even considered such a thing. As soon as his chores were completed, Gohan had spent most of the evening playing with his new pet. Turles had seemed to pay no heed to the child's laughter at the pup's antics. Why of all things had the pirate commander given Gohan a Charladon?
….
Gohan found himself quite busy training the Charladon to avoid leaving 'deposits' on the ship's floors. Gartoas never failed to be the one who managed to step into them much to the amusement of Daiz. After being ordered to clean the Kardangan's boots several times, Daiz didn't find quite as much humor in the situation.
Ember was the name Gohan chose for the Charladon . Her brilliant color reminded him of a spark from a flame. She learned quickly and sat at the little half-Saiyan's feet as he piloted the ship or read his latest book. The boy made a habit of bringing small treats from his meals back to the ship for his pet. It amazed Daiz that Turles never discouraged the child from doing so.
…
"Zailora, Report to the training room!" Turles ordered.
"Now we'll see er' took down a notch or two!" Gartoas gloated.
"I've got to see this!" Daiz said as he followed the Saiyan and the green-haired female towards the training room.
"Ah ain't missin' tha show!" Gartoas snorted.
The bearded pirate hurried after the trio.
Zailora blocked several small blasts fired by Turles. She managed to keep the Saiyan on his toes with her throwing disks. But the Kabochan female discovered that Turles was not above using underhanded tactics during their hand to hand combat. Dropping to the floor to avoid a vicious punch, Zailora gasped as the Saiyan warrior's left boot slammed into her ribcage. She lay motionless on the floor.
"That'll learn tha wench!" Gartoas snickered.
Daiz gave him a baleful look. He wondered if Zailora was okay.
Turles walked up to the female's still form. In a blur of speed, Zailora took the dark-skinned Saiyan from his feet. She held a razor-sharp throwing disk to Turles's throat.
"She's askin' fer it now!" the burly Kardanagan growled.
The former prince swallowed hard. What would Turles do now?
Both male pirates were startled by the sound of Turles's laughter echoing through the room.
"Excellent, Zailora!" Turles chuckled.
Zailora's eyes went wide as their positions suddenly reversed. The pirate commander's speed was unbelievable!
Daiz and Gartoas held their breath as it was now Turles that held the deadly disk. To the relief of the dark-green haired male pirate and his crew-mate's disgust, the Saiyan held out his hand and helped the woman to her feet.
"Enough for today, Zailora," Turles affirmed.
"As you wish, Master Turles," Zailora said wearily.
"Not too shabby, huh?" Daiz declared.
"Pshaw! Figures e'd go easy on er'!" Gartoas groaned.
…..
"You handled yourself pretty well back there with Turles," Daiz remarked to Zailora.
"So how come I'm so sore?" the dark green-haired female sighed.
"Get used to it. Turles pushes hard," the male Kabochan informed her.
"I noticed," Zailora said flatly.
"You know who I was back on Kabocha. Who were you?" the former prince inquired.
"I was the daughter of Phateus," Zailora answered.
"Captain of the royal guard, a fine and honorable warrior," Daiz affirmed.
"Your brother had him murdered for not agreeing with his policies on ruling Kabocha. Then he promised me in marriage to Asdespas," the female pirate spat.
"That old fat monstrosity?" the male pirate's lip curled in disgust.
"Yes. An hour before the 'wedding' I cut his throat and ran for my life. I've learned how to survive on my own ever since," Zailora declared.
"She'll slaughter ya while ya sleep, Daiz," Gartoas warned.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure YOU'RE wide awake, Gartoas," Zailora said gaily.
Daiz snickered.
"Woman needs ta learn er' place!" the burly Kardanagan barked.
….
The brown-furred feline bounty hunter purred in satisfaction as he stared down at the unconscious form of the dark-skinned Saiyan known as Turles. It had been all too easy to lure the pirate into checking out the news of a rare Arkalazian sapphire being available for purchase. The amount of gas it had taken to subdue the Saiyan warrior would have killed a lesser being.
"You snooze, you lose, Salsir," the feline life-form chuckled.
Queen Raychalla herself would come to collect Turles and he would have the reward all to himself. Salsir would probably expire from pure rage.
"All too easy. Now let's get you confined until her majesty arrives," the cat-being murmured with pleasure.
…
Turles awoke and found himself in a small dank cell. Chains made of Sharliean steel bound his wrists to the wall above his head. They were too strong for even his considerable strength to break. His legs were confined in the same manner. He snarled in disgust at the way he had allowed himself to be taken in by the promise of a simple gem no matter how priceless it might have been.
A tiny window allowed a small amount of light into his cell. The Saiyan's face was lit by an evil smile as he discovered the source of the illumination. It was apparent that he wouldn't have to endure such poor accommodations for the night after all.
"Raychalla..dear sweet Raychalla. You forgot to inform the imbeciles you hired about a few crucial details," Turles snickered.
The Saiyan pirate commander concentrated on the full moon and relished the surge of power that surged within him as his form began to change…
…
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