Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Ball Z, Akira Toriyama does and created it. My fan character Tomic, and any others not part of the series belong to me. This story means no harm to the anime or manga
Second Chances for Bardock's Sons chapter 7
By Trynia Merin
Beta read by Sarah Slutz January 2008
Another streak of fire bashed its way through Chikyuu's atmosphere. Urgently, farmers and other inhabitants unlucky enough to behold it, ran in panic. Word quickly spread throughout the small mountainous community that another star had fallen from the sky. Only an instant later, it slammed full force into the ground, not too far from where the first meteorite had landed only two weeks earlier. Most of the locals ran for their lives, hearing tales of the Red Ribbon army and of a strange green monster. For a hundred miles most people fled to North City. ZTV wanted to run exclusive, but civic authorities told everyone to stay away. The entire region was considered under quarantine for fear that radiation might leak from this second meteorite.
Out of the steaming crater, a tin sphere misted. A ZTV reporter brave enough to drive his van close waved to his camera operator to peer down into the hole. Straightening his tie the blond ZTV reporter cleared his throat, "Hello viewers, this is a live exclusive look at the second of only two meteorites to land in the same farm. We have obtained special permission from the Lord of North City to have this sneak peak. Scientists are on their way but we wan to be the FIRST to document up close and personal."
The camera panned down on the gleaming spheroid. Lifting his sunglasses, the reporter trembled as he held his microphone. He frantically flagged the camera operator to aim his recorder into the pit. Steam wafted off the shiny metal surface that resembled nothing like a rocky meteorite or even an iron one. A thin crack split around the front like a metallic baseball. Riveted to the spot, the reporter continued his diatribe; "It appears that this is NO ordinary meteorite viewers. In fact… it seems to be some sort of alien space ship. Will we be FIRST to see evidence of alien beings?"
Just then, local authorities descended on the crater, peering around as they dragged the cinematographers away. The chief of civic defenses wrestled with the camera operator. A reluctant reporter continued not missing a beat, "Uh oh, looks like our investigations are cut short as the local national guard has come in and said this is off limits! YOW… I HAVE a press pass!"
"Cut feed now! You're under arrest!" yelled the Chief, a dog with pointed ears not concealed by his cap. He snapped his fingers. Guards hauled the two reporters bodily away to a safe distance behind a small detachment of police gathering on the rim of the crater. Slowly, the hatch opened six inches by now, a dozen rifles and bazookas aimed at whatever was about to emerge.
"Halt, hold your fire till I say so!" the Chief shouted.
"But we don't know if it's dangerous!" the reporter protested.
"Shut up. You may keep rolling ONLY under MY orders, got it?" the Chief barked back. Fuming, the reporter moved back out of view, instructing his nervous cinematographer to keep the lens directly behind the line of soldiers aiming their weapons in the pit.
A large hand with five fingers slid around through the crack made by a semicircular hatch. Simultaneously a dozen fingers squeeze triggers on respective weapons a bit tighter. Then a metallic clang echoed up the bowl like surface indicating the hatch had been thrown or kicked open. Slowly the being pushed its way out of the ship, moving dark black boots. The hulking shape bent over double, climbing out of the round sphere, before straightening up. Standing tall, black tendrils of spiky hair blew like a black banner in the wind. Black armor gleamed in the sunlight as the occupant of the pod glanced up through a green lens device over one ear. Lights flickered across it, and the being grunted. To their spectators' amazement, it could pass for almost human!
"Identify yourself! Stop RIGHT there. You have landed on Chikyuu. If your intentions are hostile, you had best surrender. We don't want to fire!" called out the Chief.
Slowly the figure glanced up, shaking its head. It appeared bipedal, slowly punching buttons on its headpiece. Soon the grunts they heard were mere laughter as the creature said, "Idiots. I am looking for someone and you are not it. I suggest you MOVE away if you value your lives!" he snorted.
"You speak our language? If you can understand me, you had better come peacefully or else. We have already encountered one of your types, so you had better cooperate. Any hostile action…" the Chief called through his bullhorn.
"Are you the authority on this small world?" grated the alien. A furry band around his waist belted the armor, and he sported black gauntlets on his massive hands.
"I'm the Chief of Police for North City, but I'm the representative of authority. If you come peacefully into our custody, no harm will come to you. You are to make NO hostile moves, whoever you are."
"Humph, I don't have time for this nonsense, you insects," he snorted. "But I'll play your game for now."
Slowly he levitated up, startling everyone. Hovering over the pit the huge figure landed at the crater's rim, right before the Chief. Black eyes examined the Chief's uniform that gleamed with many ribbons and metallic pins. In contrast, the alien's spiky hair cascaded down his back, almost reaching the backs of his massive knees. Legs the diameter of tree trunks and arms blistered with muscles that would make a professional wrestler envious.
He towered over every figure there, shaking his head.
Swallowing hard, the Chief commanded, "As long as you remain non hostile, you won't be harmed. But till you are deemed NOT a threat… you should come with us."
"Why should I?" asked Raditz, folding arms across his chest.
"You are a stranger here. There have been some rather hostile attacks on our city and this territory, and its standard procedure on this planet to take caution. The lives of many depend on me," explained the Chief.
"It seems you say you've seen something like ME before. How about we play a little game? You tell me where and when you've seen this creature so like me and I'll refrain from vaporizing you."
"Tell us who you are first, sir," stated the Chief.
"I did not expect to get an inquisition, idiots," said Raditz annoyedly. "But I do like the locals to know whom they should fear before something bad happens to them."
"Are your intentions hostile?"
"They will become EXCEEDINGLY hostile, if you don't tell me where you've seen another like me!" Raditz frowned, baring sharp white teeth. Energy crackled as his hair stood on end, and he held up his hand. A sphere of yellow light formed there, shimmering and startling the men.
"What are you doing? Is that some sort of weapon?" the Chief questioned, his eyes widening at the sight of no visible gun.
"Weak fools," the alien snorted, suddenly vanishing from just before them. A dozen rifles opened fire, but the creature was now behind them. A fast series of kicks and blurs scattered the men in seconds.
"Stop him!" cried the Chief. Raditz snaked his hand out, grabbing the Chief by the front of his uniform. He dangled him in front of his men, snarling in anger. Bottomless black eyes with no visible reflection focused into the Chief's eyes. For a moment, he wondered if it was the face of death or something far more primal.
"I tire of this game. Tell me what I wish to know and I'll not harm you," he snarled.
"Hold your fire men! What are you looking for! Answer me!" the Chief shouted.
"You are mistaken. You should answer me fool. Where have you seen this creature like me!" Raditz snapped.
"Two weeks ago! In this same location! Now if you don't release me you'll be killed! I suggest you do so now if you wish to remain alive!" the Chief ordered.
"I'm Raditz, a Saiyan Warrior. You had best remember that name before you anger me further," said Raditz.
He dropped the Chief before him, with a loud thump before vanishing again in a blur. The next thing the troops saw was the black armored figure hovering overhead, laughing harshly at them. Before the Chief could stop them, his men automatically opened fire. Bullets ricocheted harmlessly against the black armor. Another ball of energy formed in the being's hand, hurtling cowards the men before they could scarcely blink.
"Retreat!" they cried. Those unfortunate enough to be in the way barely escaped with searing burns, while the others dove for cover.
"You… what are you!" gasped the Chief, shaking in his shoes.
"Now if you'll excuse me, I've got someone to find. I suggest for your sake that you leave me alone!" Raditz bellowed down. Breathless, the shaking troops glanced up to see the figure rocket away in a long streak of white like a comet. A loud boom echoed, indicating he had burst the sound barrier.
During this whole time, the television crew had been rolling the footage. Bewildered, the Chief of Police for North City shook himself off; relieved he was alive, but horrified at the state of some of his officers moaning from their smoldering burns. Amazingly, none of them was dead, but some were badly hurt.
As a microphone was shoved in his face, he gave the reporter a fierce shove. "Get out of my way! Captain, assess the damage and call the air force!"
"Right sir!" stammered the shaken captain.
"Cordon off that pit, and get some reinforcements here! Tend to the wounded. And get that damn reporter OUT of here!" the Chief yelled.
Angrily, Raditz burst through the air of Chikyuu at twice the speed of sound. Those unfortunate enough to be below him suffered the rattling windows or loud crack caused by his sonic boom. His scouter bleeped with three distinct traces, the highest on the small planet. He mumbled to himself, trying to sort them out. While he desperately wanted to kill those vermin for getting in his way, it would have wasted time and energy. Finding his mate was paramount.
"INSECTS! If the Prince didn't need slaves I'd have killed them all," Raditz bellowed.
"Two traces, one at three hundred and thirty, due west, and two, one of three hundred seventy five and one that's one thousand. That MUST be Tomic. I must find her before I destroy everything in my path!" Raditz snarled. Fists formed at his sides, his energy increasing the ki envelope.
Far from Raditz, out on the open plains, two Z warriors sensed the oncoming malevolence. Goku shivered in fear, sensing the presence of a power far greater then any he'd before felt. Krillin swallowed hard, seeing his friend so visibly shaken. They had only just turned in their entry forms for the Tournament when they were headed home to Goku's little house.
"What is THAT?" Krillin gulped.
"Something terrible. It's bigger than ANYTHING," Goku shivered.
"It's not Piccolo is it?" Krillin whispered, hands forming fists.
"No, it's… its familiar, and its passing RIGHT This way," Goku shuddered. Cupping his hand to his mouth, he yelled for Nimbus.
Both of them blasted off, hurtling in the direction of the contrail. Goku narrowed his eyes, soon overtaking Krillin on his shimmering gold cloud. "I think I'd better bow out, Goku, cause I'm hardly keeping up," Krillin gasped.
"You'd better let me handle it. I want to know who it is," Goku frowned.
Just then, other life forces compounded together in a huge burst that obscured the other. Master Roshi had taught all his students to sense ki in all forms. Even the weaker kis of normal humans were discernible. Of all of the Z Warriors, Goku's abilities were the best. He could discern life forms at least one hundred miles away, even if it amounted to one stray normal human. It was no surprise what he saw next. Glancing down Goku saw smoke rising from a farm field, and heard the cries of dozens of soldiers.
"Look at that! There are soldiers down below and a huge crater…" Krillin pointed.
"Oh no, it looks like a bomb went off, or a huge ki blast," Goku moaned.
"Oh man we're dead. Could that THING have d-done this?" Krillin stammered.
"You'd better get down there and see if everyone's OK, and call Dr. Briefs. Maybe he can call for help," Goku suggested.
"Be careful Goku! Remember Piccolo challenged you!" said Krillin.
"I didn't forget," Goku responded, biting his lip. "Come on Nimbus, let's GO! It's almost fifty miles away!"
Stretching his perceptions to the maximum limit, Goku urged his enchanted cloud far faster. Whatever it was could move as fast as any commercial jet or military plane. He sensed other kis not far away, but this huge one almost eclipsed them. Soon his keen eyesight caught a glimpse of a tiny speck shimmering with ki.
"It's using ki to fly," he marveled. While Goku could easily use the levitation technique, he preferred Nimbus so he could reserve his power for fighting. Across his back, he felt the slap of his power pole, tied just under his chin. Something made his stomach turn as he closed the gap with whatever it was.
Meanwhile, Raditz's scouter blipped urgently with the three hundred thirty-power trace. Gasping, he realized it was pursuing him, closing the distance between them. "What the hell," he wondered, peering intently at it the reading. He was fast approaching the huge power trail of what must be Tomic, but the ki of this other creature was the second highest on the planet.
He dropped his speed, wondering if it could possibly be what he most hoped and feared. It was either the Namekian or someone he hadn't seen for years and presumed dead.
"Could it be?" he mumbled. Then a small look of wonder crossed his face. Perhaps he could confront this new force and see if it might challenge him. Then he would go after Tomic.
Goku closed in on the figure, which shortly cut his velocity. The ki flared down to a minimum, at a dead stop hovering over the Rock Mountains. The speck blew up into a tiny figure, and then a recognizable shape that made his heart pound half in terror, half in anticipation. Long dark hair fluttered in the winds as the armored figure hovered under a huge surge of ki twice his own. Dark eyes fixed into his as the shape waited for him to come into visual range.
"What the heck is that?" Goku managed to get out as he drew Nimbus to a hover. Within two hundred yards, he stopped to seize up whoever it was. The shape of the armor, and the fluttering black hair just about matched the descriptions Bulma had given him, but there was something wrong. Instead of a she, it was a he.
"Hey, you there! Who are you?" Goku yelled.
"Well, isn't this a nice surprise," said the figure in his language. It He made no threatening moves, simply hovered there in mutual shock as Goku drifted closer, narrowing his eyes. Something passed between the two men, a wave of horror, shock, and something else. Every molecule of air tingled between Goku and this alien. Around his waist was a furry band that made Goku blink start in surprise.
"Um I'm the one surprised here," Goku commented, blinking at him. "Did you almost blow up those policemen back there?"
"Incredible, you look just like father," mused the figure. "Well, I hardly expected to see you grown up, but clearly it's a pleasant shock to see you alive and well."
"Who are you again? Because you're acting like you know me, and I could swear that we haven't met," Goku asked once more.
"Have you forgotten me so easily in this New World, Kakkarot?" asked the alien. Goku saw light flickering over the one eye veiled by a green lens. It was identical to the device Bulma played with.
"Excuse me, I'm not Kakkarot. You have the wrong name. I'm Son Goku, and I'm from west Province 439. Grandpa Gohan raised me, not too far from here! And he taught me to stand up to those that threaten my home. And that includes ALL of Chikyuu," Goku said firmly. Reaching behind him he pulled out his power pole, and brandished it in swinging arcs.
"Hmm, quite a threat you are with such a primitive weapon. It's rather amusing," chuckled the armored figure.
"Grandpa Gohan gave me this weapon. It's called a Power Pole, and it might not look like much to you, but I can guarantee it does a lot of damage! So, if you don't want me to show you, tell me what you're doing here? I know you could have killed those people but you didn't which is why I'm not attacking you right now!"
"You are correct that I caused that explosion. And you are the one mistaken. You are indeed Kakkarot. I would know your face anywhere. Even if you go by an Chikyuu name now, the fact is still the same."
"I swear that's NOT my name! Look you'd better be careful. I don't want to have to hurt you if I don't have to. I'm sworn to protect the innocent and defenseless and if it means from people like you so be it," Goku said quietly, realizing the power far exceeded his own.
"It depends, Kakkarot. You don't seem to recognize me at all do you?" he blinked.
"Knock it off what that name! I've never seen you before in my life!" Goku stammered.
"All right… Son Goku is it. I won't make any offensive moves, provided you answer one question," offered the alien.
"OK, but will you tell me WHO you are? And why you think I'm this… Kakkarot person!"
"All in good time, Son Goku. I'm not in the mood for a history lesson, but if you don't know who I am, it's clear that you must have forgotten. Am I correct in assuming you hit yourself on the head at any point in your life?"
"Yeah actually I have. You can see the scar. But what's this got to do with… are you like the other person who was here?" Goku abruptly realized, scratching the back of his head. Ironically, he fingered the very scar that caused his predicament.
"As I figured. You're suffering from amnesia. How unfortunate and frustrating. If I wasn't in such a hurry I'd stop and chat," he snorted, debating about telling the Chikyuujin who he was.
"Now tell me who you are, and how you think you know me!" Goku said, poking a finger in his direction. "You'd better not hurt anyone ELSE or else…."
"You'd best be careful, young one. Well to answer your first question, my name is Raditz, and I'm a Saiyan warrior from the planet Vegeta," said the being.
"A… Saiyan?" Goku muttered, shaking his head.
"An alien being from another world, which has long since been destroyed. Doubtless, you encountered another of my kind before. She is named Tomic. And in answer to your second question, I'm here to find her. But I'm also here to find YOU."
"ME?" Goku blinked.
"You really are a piece of work Kakkarot. And I see you've lost your tail, curse it," he grunted. Goku almost fell off his cloud when the band around Raditz' waist unfurled and slowly threshed back.
"You… you've got a tail just like I had as a boy," Goku gasped.
"That's because you're no Chikyuujin, fool. You're Saiyan just like me and I know you have the scar on your backside to prove it," said Raditz impatiently, coiling his tail around his waist once more.
"But that's impossible, how could you possibly know that about me?" Goku stammered.
"Believe me it is. Now if you don't mind, I have some business to attend to. I'd love to chat, but unless you insist on helping me, you'll have to step aside," Raditz grunted, turning about. Impossibly long black hair fluttered around his shoulders, landing against his back. Goku noticed that it mimicked the texture of his own wild style, the exact color and stiffness.
"Raditz wait, you can't go that way!" Goku suddenly shouted.
"Either come along and help me find the other Saiyan or get out of my way!" Raditz shouted back. "I don't have TIME for your games Kakkarot. You're of no use to me like this!"
"Hey, come back here!" Goku shouted as the figure blurred out, and streaked off. Gunning Nimbus, he streaked after him, suddenly realizing that this 'Raditz' was on his way in the location of the place where Piccolo held Tomic prisoner, and Bulma.
"Come back! You can't go there! If you do you'll he'll kill my friends!" Goku shouted. Barely had he managed to overtake Raditz, blocking his way.
"You really are pissing me off, whelp!" Raditz snorted. "OUT OF my way!"
"You don't understand, she's a prisoner of Piccolo. And you CAN'T rescue her or else…"
"Get OUT of my way now or I'll be forced to hurt you. And I don't wish to harm you of all the beings on this world!" Raditz shouted. He moved quickly, there one second and gone the neck. Goku gasped as a punch landed in his chest, causing him to double over.
"Ouch! Hey… come back here you can't do this! I can't let you! You don't understand!" Goku coughed, steadying himself as he urged Nimbus to trail Raditz toward the grounds. Again, he caught up, nursing his side as he drew his power pole.
"Kakkarot you idiot, stand aside!" Raditz yelled. Out of the blue, a long object swept out, slamming into his back. It only winded him as Goku circled whirling the staff.
"Don't make me hurt you, Raditz. You have to stop! Attacking them now means they'll die!"
"You really don't know when to quit, do you? You think a toothpick is going to stop me?" Raditz snarled, vanishing again. Blows rained on Goku from every side, and he barely managed to block them with the whirling strokes of his power pole. Raditz felt one end jab him hard under the left jaw, which was a lucky sucker shot.
Grabbing the end of the pole, he jerked hard and spun it, twisting it out of Goku's hands. Barely Goku compensated, whirling off Nimbus and levering around to swing at Raditz in a semicircle. The pole slid out of the larger Saiyan's grasp, then shot out again. Growling, Raditz hurled a blast of energy at an unsuspecting Goku. He threw up his hands, crossing his wrists before his face to block the ki ball exploding with unexpected force.
"Oh great, he can use ki just like me," he groaned.
"Enough GAMES!" Raditz yelled. "Get OUT of my way Kakkarot! Don't make me kill you!"
"I agree," Goku said. "You wouldn't listen to reason, so you've forced me to fight you. And I don't think you'll like finding out what will happen. And you STILL haven't gotten my name right, creep!"
"Don't make me laugh! You may be a Saiyan, but without your tail, you're hardly worth my time sans proper training," Raditz taunted him.
"Is that so?" Goku returned, sliding his power pole quickly into its sheath on his back. Raditz watched in amusement as Goku held his hands at his side, slowly gathering energy to him. Battle power rose to four hundred, then five hundred to Raditz surprise.
"You're stronger then I anticipated, Kakkarot," he mumbled, backing off.
"Ka… me… ha…!" Goku gritted, his voice reaching a cutting alto pitch that intensified the collected blue power.
"Very well, let's see what you've learned whelp about focusing power," Raditz mumbled, as he raised his hands to block.
"Me HA…" Goku shrilled.
"Double Sundae!" Raditz shouted, raising both hands. They shimmered with dazzling power. A blinding beam shot directly at him, slamming into his crossed wrists. Goku continued his blast, struggling against the being. Raditz shoved back with his own energy, quickly shoving back in the beam lock.
"Give up now… I don't want to hurt you… don't make me!" Goku yelled.
"You're… a surprisingly strong… young one but let me show you how it's done!" Raditz grunted, pouring into the beam against Goku's kamehameha. With a yelp, Goku flew back from the force of the beam exploding. He hurtled to the ground, hugging himself as the burning surged over his chest.
"I can't… believe it he's too strong, I can't give up I… must keep fighting," he gasped.
"I warned you Kakkarot!" he hollered.
The beam of gold pressed harder against Goku's ribcage, compressing it until he felt the spidery fingers of splintering pain. A snapping sound was heard, coming from inside of him to his amazement. Something about the look of sheer surprise and the lack of fear in the smaller Saiyan's face twisted something in Raditz' stomach. If he had fought his little brother six months ago, he would have not questioned leaving him to plummet to his death.
Power levels tanked, indicating Goku's energy was fading. Grumbling a curse to him, and regretting what he was about to do, Raditz shot forward to where his brother plummeted to the ground. Goku felt his ribs on fire with each breath he heaved. He was sure he had broken many of them. Before he could cry out to Nimbus, he saw an armored shape reach down and grab his wrist.
"Stupid, worthless waste of time!" Raditz spat as he caught the falling body. Just beside him, the gold cloud hovered, making him wonder what in hell it was. It was some strange element he couldn't identify, and it simply followed Kakkarot's every move. His brother had ridden on it with relative ease.
Goku heaved great breaths, hugging his chest as he felt something holding him up. Someone was cursing profusely, carrying him in their arms as they rocketed toward Piccolo's hideout. Before Goku passed out, he saw the stern frown from the being known as Raditz. Why had he saved his life?
"Idiot! Why am I even BOTHERING to take this weakling with me I'll never know. Trust Kakkarot to end up forgetting everything and becoming a weak vermin like the rest of these Chikyuujins," Raditz grumbled. He clutched his brother's injured form close to his armored chest.
"I'm going soft. Obviously, if I let Kakkarot perish I'd NEVER hear the end of it from Father if he's still alive. What sort of FOOL lets his TAIL get cut off, I ask!" the Saiyan snarled. His scouter bleeped with the continuing traces of the Namekian and Tomic, growing ever stronger.
Then all of a sudden, both traces faded. Raditz growled, streaking down to the ground and landing by pressing both boots into the sands of the desert. Transferring his injured brother to one arm, he punched buttons on his scouter, struggling to recapture the ki traces. "Stupid piece of junk! Come on, work!"
Nothing answered his string of curses, shifting into Saiyan. Glancing left and right, he saw a small stream and grove of trees nearby. Slowly the figure in his arms moved, groaning. Raditz exhaled his an angry breath in a long puff, struggling to reach a decision. If he tended to Kakkarot, perhaps the idiot could help him. After all, there had to be a reason he was stupid enough to stop him.
"Come on, fool," Raditz mumbled, carrying Goku to the shade of a tree. He lay his brother down on the sand out of the shade, and dropped to one knee. He removed the small medical kit he carried for such emergency field medicine, and set it to one side. According to his scouter, the battle power of his brother had dropped to a mere fifty, and was fast fading.
Kakkarot wheezed with each breath, from the rising and falling of the scorched red and blue cloth of his flimsy vest. Raditz tore the material, having difficulty with the blue shirt. To his astonishment, he realized it was far heavier than he'd anticipated. Metal felt cold on his fingers, many little bits of it woven in interlocking rings sewn between two layers of blue cloth. Some rudimentary chain mail no doubt. Not wanting to waste time, he tugged it off Kakkarot's torso.
To his relief, he noticed there was a burn, but the blast had been stopped. A quick feel with his hand told him the nature of the cracked ribs, at least ten of them, and one had punctured his brother's lung. Sighing, Raditz reached for one of the vials. He slathered the cementing compound all over Goku's chest, and then struggled to push the bones into their natural position. Warm ki surged over to reinforce the makeshift cast that would hold the ribs in place while he pushed his brother's immune system to regenerate.
"Can't have the whelp starving on me," he mumbled, closing up the kit. Reaching into his boot, he pulled out one of the mostly edible protein concentrates that they carried if nothing else was available. Most Saiyans hated the damn compressed bars, and this one was no exception.
For a moment, Raditz placed the flat of his fingers to Goku's forehead. He ran his hands over his skin, turning the young man's head back and forth. Finally, his fingertips found a small raised scar, at the back of the skull. Grimly he realized the injury's extent, and shook his head. Little wonder his brother acted so foolishly.
"Idiot. To come all this way for this. A half-imbecilic clown. But I suppose that with the right training I can make a Saiyan of you yet. You've got courage, taking someone on more powerful than you are. How much like Father you look. Rather disturbing. And that damn voice," he shook his head. Kakkarot's voice was much higher pitched then should be for one his age. Was it brain injury to the speech centers or something else?
Still, his brother had nicely filled out with muscle. Rolling him over Raditz tugged aside the waistband to see the rounded scar from where his tail had once been. His eyes narrowed in anger as he growled. Then he carefully rolled his brother over onto his back once more. His eyes fell upon the large round scar at the jugular vein, the shape of someone's teeth. Very small and puny, but unmistakably in the right place for a Saiyan love bite.
"Wonders never cease. You've found a mate," he mused. "And you've had her mark you. Perhaps the Saiyan instinct IS there after all."
He rose, turning his head back and forth to scan once more. To his anger, there was no sign of Tomic's trace or the Namekian's. However, the battle power rose behind him, with the moans of his brother coming around. Slowly Goku blinked up into the face of the frowning Saiyan warrior prostrated on one knee in front of him.
"Eat this, fool. I can't have you dying on me," Raditz growled, shoving the protein bar in his face.
"You… you're still here," Kakkarot said with a small half-smile. He took the bar and wolfed it down in only two bites. Raditz threw him another, followed by a third. Certainly, the moron ate like one of his kind.
"You are an insufferable IDIOT! Be glad I spared your foolish life! Legendary knows WHY I did it! Thanks to you, I've lost ALL trace of Tomic!"
Goku forced himself to sit up, and yelled back, "Hey don't' be so angry, Raditz! You didn't let me finish explaining!"
"Stupid, worthless half-witted CLOWN! If she dies I'll kill YOU!" the bigger Saiyan cursed.
"Hey, I know you're mad. Just listen to me please! There's a GOOD reason why I stopped you, and I want to help you, but you were the first one to attack me!" Goku yelled loud enough to cut Raditz off. The piercing sound of his alto voice and the grip he hand on Raditz' arm caused him to glare at his brother in rage.
"You have ONE minute to explain before I leave you here to ROT, Kakkarot!" he snarled.
"For the last time, my name is Son Goku, got it? And I may be a Saiyan or whatever kind of person you say, but you MUST listen to me! The reason I stopped you is that Piccolo has your friend. And he'll kill her if we attack directly!"
Goku suddenly grabbed Raditz' wrist and twisted it behind him. Desperately he pinned Raditz' arms behind him, with appreciable strength. Unfortunately, Raditz muscles were more for load bearing, and the advantage to break free was gone. Kakkarot had used this to his gain, used to Chikyuu's low gravity.
"NO! Damn you let me GO!" Raditz howled, straining against his brother. Just why couldn't he break such a simple lock was beyond him? Somehow, he had underestimated his brother seriously!
"Wait there! WHOA, listen to me! There IS a way to save her, and I'm already doing it! My friend's with her, and if we challenge Piccolo, he'll spare her! But attacking NOW he'll kill her!" Goku yelled. "Do you want her dead?"
"Not likely! I'll slay him!" Raditz snarled.
"Raditz PLEASE I want to help you, but you have GOT to stop!" Goku urged. "I don't want to break your arms but I could."
"Fine, you win, Kakkarot," said Raditz sullenly.
"I'm letting you go, but I warn you if you try to get away, I'll stop you. And I know more than you think I do!" Goku countered.
"Release me," he gritted. "I beg of you, she'll DIE! I cannot allow that to happen!"
"She means a lot to you, huh?" Goku asked, still holding tightly to Raditz who jerked his body back and forth.
"She's my MATE you fool!" Raditz snarled.
"Your WHAT?" Goku asked.
"My MATE! She's EVERYTHING to me!" Raditz roared, straining as tightly as he could. "If she is killed I can't be responsible for the consequences! You have a mate yourself! Would you let her die so easily?"
"I'm… I'm sorry I didn't' know," Goku apologized. Raditz shoved Goku away when he released him. Yet instead of turning on him as Goku feared, Raditz slammed his fist into the nearby tree.
"You don't understand, you half wit," Raditz cursed.
"I do understand, Raditz," Goku said quietly. "I just got married a few weeks ago. If anything happened to Chichi I don't know what I'd do."
"Damn it!" Raditz shouted, swinging his fist at another tree.
"Relax, I want to help. I swear to you we'll help find your wife, I mean mate or whatever. If it's the last thing we do. But flipping out won't help her. I've got my best friend in there, and she'll DIE if we both charge in!"
"What would you have me do, Kakkarot?" the alien snarled, wheeling on him.
"Wait. Piccolo challenged me to a duel at the World Martial arts tournament in two days. As long as I enter he'll leave your… mate and my friend Bulma unhurt. He's got some honor," explained Goku.
"You believe him?" Raditz sneered. "Idiot!"
"I have to. Please Raditz, if you're patient and TRUST me we can get your wife Tomic back. And my friend Bulma. Bulma was captured trying to help Tomic. Because Tomic saved her life."
"Why should I trust you, fool! You who don't remember who you are!"
"Hey, wait, I'm angry too!" Goku snapped, shoving in front of him. "But this won't help. We got to plan and outsmart him."
"Am I hearing things or did the word 'smart' pass through your lips?" Raditz smirked. "You are hardly one to outsmart ANYONE."
"Hey, I'm not stupid. I might not be smart in the way most people are but I'll fight for my friends. And anyone who's crying out for help. Your mate saved my friends, so that means I owe her. And if she's your mate then I owe you a favor. Especially since YOU saved my life, OK?" Goku shot back, gripping Raditz' arms tightly with a crushing pressure that impressed his brother. Black armor heaved with each of Raditz' labored breaths. Sighing, Goku released him.
"Trusting naïve FOOL," Raditz grumbled, slapping his hand to his forehead.
"I guess you're not exactly the happiest guy in the world," Goku commented.
"Not without Tomic," confessed Raditz, meeting Goku's gaze. "And if you comprehended what drove me here, you'd be angry as well."
"Is someone forcing you to do things that you know are wrong?" Goku suddenly asked.
Shocked, Raditz blinked at him. "What would YOU know of such things! You, who grew up with few enemies on this paltry world?"
"You are being forced. I can tell that you like fighting as much as I do, but you'd rather find your wife then kill people. Am I right?"
"Saiyans kill. We are predators. We hunt to survive," said Raditz expounded the older brother.
"Are you here to kill people? Because if you are, I'll have to stop you, no matter the cost, Raditz," stated Goku unwaveringly.
"I won't kill anyone, if you help me find Tomic," Raditz replied firmly.
"Good. Because I'll be watching you," Goku said.
"So, what is this tournament you speak of?" asked Raditz, leaning against a tree as Goku levitated up to pick oranges and other fruits from the various trees. He sat in the shade, eagerly stuffing his face as his brother watched.
"It's a martial arts tournament held every so often. My friends and I enter for prizes and money, but mainly I do it because it's fun," intoned Goku, spiting out seeds to his side. He punched the tree Raditz was standing under, raining a great deal of apples from all around that caused his brother to dodge them. Making a pile, he offered one.
"Huh," Raditz muttered, through bites of apple. "Sounds remotely interesting. But hardly a challenge for one such as me."
"Hey, why don't you enter the tournament with me, and we can BOTH surprise him."
"Have you lost LEAVE of your senses, Kakkarot? Wasting my time entering a… martial arts whatever it is?"
"It's a fighting tournament. And everyone has a chance to spar and fight to become world champion. Piccolo's challenged me because I killed his dad, although I didn't want to. And if I face him in the tournament fairly he'll release them," explained Goku, his eyes wide.
"You have no guarantee, Kakkarot," Raditz rejoined. "Not with your powers. Even though you are the strongest fighter on this world when first I landed, the power trace of your other has grown steadily."
"How can you tell?" Goku asked.
"This device tells me power levels," Raditz said, pulling off his scouter and handing it to Goku.
"You need a machine to tell you something you can sense? Well the first thing I can teach you is how to sense ki without that. Because he's hiding his true power, like you suggest noticed. And I'm no pushover either," said Goku nodded.
"Sense battle power without this?" Raditz blinked.
"It's easy."
"Show me, and I'll show you a fighting style that will guarantee your victory against this Piccolo," promised Raditz. "You know much, but you move far too slow. I can show you a way of moving that no eye can follow."
"You mean that?"
"It is an equitable trade, Kakkarot. If you love fighting as much as I, then you cannot deny the love for growing stronger," the Sergent shrugged. "Doesn't it stir your blood?"
"Um, Raditz, one thing, my name isn't Kakkawhatever. It's Goku. Son Goku. Why are you calling me by that name?"
"It's your true Saiyan name, you idiot," Raditz snorted in disgust.
"Look, we've got lots of work to do. You can both wait and be patient, or enter the tournament. I'm sure with us working together we can stop Piccolo. Or he'll kill all my friends," warned Goku with a sad tone of voice. "Do you WANT that?"
"No. I've already lost a good number of friends, and family," Raditz revealed.
"What ARE Saiyans? Besides being aliens?" Goku questioned curiously, sitting Indian style in the shade. Raditz reclined down opposite him, and took the container of water Goku had filled from the river. He finally partook of the gathered fruit, munching on it.
"You have much to learn," Raditz mumbled quietly.
"Why did you just KILL those people?" asked Goku.
"That's what Saiyans do. We kill. We're fighters, space warriors, and predators. Fighting is in our blood. Surely you must wonder why you love to fight," inquired Raditz, glancing over at his brother slyly.
"Yeah I DO like fighting, and hunting. Bulma was shocked as heck when she saw me eat raw meat!"
"So you ARE a hunter," Raditz smirked. "Well, well not ALL of our ways have been lost. Your instincts remain intact. Tell me, when you had your tail, did you EVER look at the full moon?"
"Not lately. A terrible monster comes out. The first time I DID look at the moon I fell asleep and when I woke up, everything was smashed, and Yamcha and Bulma barely survived," he shuddered. Raditz blinked, his mouth dropping in shock.
"Do you realize WHAT you're saying?"
"I tell you that monster exists! It trampled my grandpa!"
"You IDIOT! That monster was YOU!" Raditz exploded in frustration. "When a Saiyan has his tail and looks at the full moon, he reaches his TRUE potential! No wonder you were able to fit in here!"
"Are you kidding me? You mean that my tail… no way!" Goku blinked.
"Yes brother. That's another thing a Saiyan does. Damn you've much to learn… and there is so little time," Raditz snorted in further disgust, cursing in Saiyan again. Now he knew how the Prince must feel, or his own father must have felt dealing with relatives. Having a little brother was far more irritating then he'd ever imagined.
"Brother? Why did you call me that?" Goku asked, grasping Raditz' shoulder.
"Because you are my brother. My little brother, who crashed here when he was a baby. That knock on your head made you forget WHO and what you are," spat Raditz.
"Wait, you're saying… you and me… are... brothers?" Goku stammered.
"Yes, Kakkarot. You and I are of the same blood. That's why I'm here. To find my mate, and you, to teach you what you are," stated Raditz tightly, trying to keep his cool.
"But Grandpa said he found me…" Goku trailed off, shaking his head. He dropped to sit on the ground in shock, head spinning.
"I'm more like you than you realize, Kakkarot," said Raditz not unkindly. "That bite on your neck. Surely you wonder WHY you bit your OWN mate."
"You know?"
"Saiyans bite their mates to mark them. You've taken a mate here. Have you any children?" Raditz asked.
"Not yet…" Goku blushed. "But soon."
"For the sake of your mate and child to be, you had best let me teach you what it is to be Saiyan. All this could be gone in days if you don't assist me. This Piccolo being is a Namekian. And they're capable of GREAT power beyond what you've seen."
"He's a what?"
"Piccolo is from Namek. Another planet. Namekians are fierce fighters as well as strong healers. Although the planet is distant from Vegetasei, and our current base Alvegasei, their explorers have crossed swords with our kind in the past. And let's just say they were quite formidable. Conquering their world proved to be a waste of resources for they had ways of diverting any invasion fleet. Plus the planet was far too remote from any galactic center to be of viable use. The closest planet of any desirable strategic value is Yardrat, and even that has not been well surveyed," exposed the long-haired Saiyan.
"Huh, weird name for a planet," Goku scratched his head.
"The beings of that world are all said to travel instantly from one place to another, but few have actually gone there to find out. They are explorers who travel by mere thought, and always escape before they can be captured, at least according to what Father said," Raditz muttered.
"But you vanish. I know you're probably moving very fast, but you're far faster then even any of me or my friends can move," Goku panted.
"Your body structure is ten times as dense as any creature on this world, save that Namekian," said Raditz. "Doubtless you've noticed you're impervious to almost any harm? It's your molecular structure's cohesiveness."
"If that was the case you could have let me drop, but you didn't," Goku pointed out, grinning.
"A momentary lapse. I need your assistance. If you can sense ki then you can help me locate Tomic," said Raditz. "I cannot sense her without this device."
"That thing only reads what's going on right now, doesn't it?" Goku asked, as he put it over his face and randomly punched buttons. "Neat, I'm assuming these are big numbers. Not that I'm that GOOD with math and all. But Chiaotzu isn't either."
"Hmm, well… that isn't important now. But my readings indicated you were the strongest, and then the Namekian's powers overshadowed yours. The highest power reading was Tomic, whose level is almost equal to mine. That's when she's not powered up. But it seems that I cannot rely upon it as you say," Raditz mumbled.
"I know. And that's not the worst part! Piccolo could get the Dragon balls and make a terrible wish. Wait, I forgot to tell you," he exclaimed, seeing Raditz shake his head again.
"What are… Dragon Balls?" Raditz groaned.