A/N: SO SORRY for no updates! My internet connection needed some repair work. Hopefully everything is in order now so I can update pretty regularly.
Thanks to Nirmarin Driggen, aoj95, Dark Domination, Red Chimera, Perfect Carnage, Supernaturalfan007, SSJ2 Silven, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Hoshi124, icewolf, peanutbuttergurl6 and blackcoal for all the reviews on chapter 39.
Here's Chapter 40!
Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its characters, Akira Toriyama does!
...
Zailora was confused by her fellow Kabochan's actions. What was Daiz up to anyway? But right now she had another concern to occupy her thoughts. After they landed on planet Arlegis, Turles had left the ship without a word. He probably went to meet some strumpet of his. The very notion infuriated her but there was nothing she could do about it.
"Turles took tha brat wi' im so's Ahm goin ta see bout findin' somethin fit ta eat round here!" Gartoas called out.
Maybe Turles would behave himself after all. The Kabochan female hoped he'd behave with Gohan tagging along.
Just then Daiz appeared. The former prince seemed as if he just came from the ship's cleansing unit. His dark green hair was slightly damp and he had changed the garment beneath his green and black armor.
"I was wondering if you might care to join me for a meal. There's a great place here that serves Kradachan boar that just melts in your mouth," Daiz suggested.
"All right, what are you up to?" Zailora demanded.
"I'm not 'up to' anything. Can't two members of the same crew enjoy a meal together without any ulterior motives being involved?" the male pirate questioned.
Zailora stared at her male counterpart with just a bit of suspicion. But she certainly would relish a good meal especially one she didn't have to eat alone.
"I suppose I could go for a little something. Guess I'd better clean up a bit first."
"You're just beau...You 're just fine as is. Let's get going before the place gets crowded," Daiz insisted.
When the once heir to Kabocha offered his arm Zailora took it without comment.
Gartoas caught sight of them departing the ship just before he made his own exit.
"Doncha ya two look plumb right cozy! Ah knew ther wuz somethin goin on betweens ya!" the Kardangan muttered under his breath
...
Turles had no intention of behaving himself. That's why he had taken Gohan with him to the dimly lit malodorous place known as Kelgo's Tavern.
Gohan wondered why Turles had brought him to the strange smelly place. If not for the presence of the Saiyan pirate commander, the little demi-Saiyan would have been frightened. Scores of fierce-looking beings stalked about.
Turles wanted an entertaining way to judge the extent of Gohan's combative abilities. What better way to judge one's skills then a good bar fight? Plenty of opponents were readily available and the odds were always unpredictable. Besides it would take little effort to get an all-out melee started.
The stunned youngster was suddenly hoisted up by the elder Saiyan and tossed into a huge furry green ape-like being. The pricey beverage he had been enjoying now dripped from his lap.
"YOU STINKING RUNT! That drink cost me twenty zeni!" the outraged green simian bellowed.
"So what? Why don't you come DO something about it, banana breath?" Turles called out as he stood behind a horrified Gohan.
The son of Goku's eyes grew wide as saucers as the enormous ape-ling lumbered towards him.
"I'M GONNA RIP YOU APART!" the furry green creature roared.
"Oh yeah? I can take you AND those two purple freaks sitting with you!" the Saiyan pirate shouted.
Two furious purple wasp-like Aratosian warriors leapt from their seats heading menacingly in Gohan's direction.
"M-Master T-Turles! What do I do?" the terrified seven-year-old choked out.
"If you want to live you'll fight!" Turles snickered.
Gohan had no choice in the matter as the ape-ling suddenly attacked. The little half-blood caught him with a punch under the chin which sent him flying...right into the table of four Gergashan soldiers in black and yellow armor. The meal they had been devouring littered the floor. Their eyes blazed with pure rage as they advanced toward the Earth-raised youth.
"OH NO!" Gohan moaned.
Turles was enjoying the little half blood's plight immensely. Gohan would be forced to act. He would step in only if his assistance was really needed.
A strange excitement coursed through Gohan as he began to dispatch his opponents one after another.
'This is kinda fun!' the young fighter thought.
Although his antagonists landed quite a few blows, the injuries he sustained were not serious and they seemed to spur him on.
Turles smirked as he recognized the battle-lust that suddenly appeared in Gohan's eyes.
'The boy is fully embracing his Saiyan blood. With the right encouragement he can learn to dispense with his foolish human sensibilities' the dark-skinned Saiyan thought.
A wave of pride swept through Turles as he watched Gohan hold his own despite the unlikely odds.
Since Gohan was faring quite well there was no reason that he should be missing out on all the fun. Turles snatched a drink from a blue fish- faced Sarderian and flung it right into the startled life-form's face. Then he shoved a walrus-like denizen of planet Zardas headfirst into the bowl of hot stew he had been consuming seconds before. The two absolutely livid beings jumped to their feet to face Turles.
'I need more of a challenge than this!' Turles thought. He vaulted onto the tavern's long bar and proceeded to kick away all the drinks of the seven patrons seated at the bar. The fight was on!...
...
Zailora sighed with pleasure as she headed back to the ship. She had enjoyed the delicious meal as well as Daiz's company. He was quite polite and he could hold an intelligent conversation.
"Perhaps we could do this again sometime," Daiz said hopefully.
"Perhaps," Zailora answered.
A brilliant smile crossed the male pirate's face.
'Uh oh! I hope I didn't give someone the wrong idea' Zailora thought.
...
A badly bruised Gohan entered Turles's ship. He ambled along with a pronounced limp.
Zailora shrieked at the sight of him. His little face was swollen. Black and purplish bruises seem to cover everywhere that wasn't covered by armor. His lower lip was caked with dried blood.
"Gohan! What in Kami's name happened to you?"
"He got in a little'scuffle' at Kelgo's Tavern," Turles snickered.
"Master Turles! Do you really think Gohan should have been involved in a brawl at his age?" the exasperated female pirate questioned.
"Of course not! He should have engaged in one years ago!" Turles laughed.
...
An hour in the rejuvenation tank relived Gohan of his aches and pains as well as the evidence of bruises. He had taken quite a pounding but had dished out quite a battle in his own right. The demi-Saiyan relished the awesome increase in his strength.
'It strange how much I enjoyed fighting today. I wonder if that's why Dad always got excited at the thought of a real challenge?' Gohan thought.
Dad. When was the last time his father had even crossed his mind? He bowed his head in guilt. His mother would have been furious if she knew he had indulged in such behavior. Gohan could almost hear her infuriated cries of how she had raised a deliquent instead of the scholarly child she so longed for.
'But it sure was fun!' the confused youngster thought. Turles had told him it was natural to feel that way. He wished he knew what his father would say about it.
...
Turles removed his armor and sat down as he shifted his shoulders trying to loosen the tightened muscles in his shoulders. He hadn't taken on that many opponents at once in some time and he did feel some slight soreness. Not that he would use the rejuvenation tank for such a minor thing. After all he was a Saiyan.
Suddenly slender but strong fingers pressed into his shoulder muscles.
"WHAT THE HELL..." Turles began.
He whipped around and almost gave an angry verbal response to the Kabochan female. How dare she touch him without his express permission? But he relented as he noticed the immediate difference.
"You...you may continue,"the irritated Saiyan said tersely.
Zailora resumed kneading the pirate commander's shoulders.
Kami help him but the woman had talented fingers. Relief was suffusing throughout the once taut muscles. Turles craned his neck to the right hoping she would pick up on the reason for his action. He wasn't about to come out and ask!
Zailora bit back a grin as she started to work on the the stiff corded muscles in the dark-skinned Saiyan's neck. Turles had to bite down on his lower lip to keep from purring at the sensation. He turned his neck to the left. The female's expert touch had him fighting to keep his eyes open...
...
An angry Turles snapped awake. A Saiyan NEVER left their guard down and he had allowed himself to just doze off? He quickly looked about him. Gohan was at the ship's controls. Daiz and Gartoas were playing a game of Kardech. Zailora sat quietly polishing a pair of boots. No one seemed to act as if anything was amiss much to the Saiyan's relief.
Turles stood to his feet and was quite pleased to find that the stiffness and discomfort was gone. He left the bridge area and headed to his quarters. Zailora sighed in disappointment. She hadn't gotten so much as a word of thanks.
"Betcha ya sure liked pawin on Turles, eh?" Gartoas teased.
:SHUT UP!" Zailora growled as she stormed off to her own quarters.
"An Ah bet yer wishin that yer tha one she wuz pawin on . Huh, Daiz?" the burly pirate chortled.
A hard punch in his jaw was the response.
"Wuz it somethin Ah said?" the Kardanagan hooted.
...
Gohan scratched the ears of his whimpering pet. Ember's eyes seemed to radiate sadness as she protested being left behind.
"I'm sorry, Ember. But you have to stay here. It's not safe for you outside the ship."
A mournful whine came from the brilliant red and yellow Charladon pup.
"Aw, Quit spolin tha mutt an let's be goin!" Gartoas huffed.
Turles and the rest of the crew had already exited the ship. Gohan hurried out of the exit being careful to watch that Ember hadn't followed him. They had landed on planet Grildagaz. He was thrilled at the idea of exploring another world he had never seen before. Soft grass of almost florescent yellow cushioned his steps. A deep blue sky with three suns hung above him. Something caught his eye, a small but beautiful lavender flower. He reached out to touch it.
"GOHAN! DON'T TOUCH IT!" Daiz shouted.
But it was too late. The little demi-Saiyan gave out a yelp of pain. Tiny thin spines were deeply embedded into his right hand and arm as well as both sides of his face.
"Ah'll hold im down and ya can pull out tha spines, Daiz," Gartoas sighed.
Daiz and Zailora both grimaced. It would be a slow excruciating process to remove the poisonous spines of the Kquirdela flower. Not only were the were the spines difficult to remove but one had to be cautious of squeezing the poison into the affected areas of its victim.
"I'll handle this!" Turles spoke up suddenly.
The Saiyan stepped forward and pressed two fingers into Gohan's wrist.
"I can't feel my hand or my arm!" Gohan cried out.
"Precisely," Turles replied.
His stunned crew watched in disbelief as the pirate commander extracted the spines from the half-Saiyan child's hand and arm with uncharacteristic gentleness. He pressed a nerve in Gohan's neck.
"Ri crant freel my frace!" the seven-year-old sputtered.
Turles offered no explanation. He merely removed the spines from Gohan's face.
"Brat shoulda bin' howlin wi pain!" Gartoas whispered.
"I know!" Daiz whispered back.
A soft smile crossed Zailora's face. Turles had somehow caused a lack of sensation in the areas afflicted with spines so Gohan was spared the usual agony endured during the extraction of the tiny barbs. He hadn't wanted the boy to suffer.
Another touch from Turles restored the feeling in Gohan's face and in his right arm and hand.
"Remember Gohan, something that seems small and harmless can be quite dangerous," the dark-skinned Saiyan declared.
A frown crossed Zailora's face. Was Turles referring to the flower and did he mean Gohan?
...
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