Hi!
I wanted to thank you for the comments. I'm very happy to see that many of you guys enjoy the fic.
Have fun!
xx
Chapter 16 – Raditz
It was early in the afternoon. Raditz left the soldiers' dining area, following Nappa closely.
''We could have brought him a piece of bread, don't you think?'' he said to the huge Saiyan in front of him.
The latter shrugged his shoulders.
''Eight days. He's seen worse, you know that. You remember the time on planet Traffla, we spent almost two months feeding on leaves. It sucks, but he'll survive.''
''I know he'll get through it, that's not the point. I just thought we could have sneaked something back to him.''
Nappa stretched his left arm, sighing. Raditz knew he wouldn't admit it, but this morning's training had cost him a few torn and painful tendons.
''You know the guy. He would have put everything in the trash anyway. He doesn't need our help, and even less our pity.'' said the giant.
''He must look like shit. I heard Zarbon bragging about Frieza allowing him to participate in the beating.''
''If it was Zarbon who did the beating, then his pride paid far more than his bones.'' Nappa laughed.
Raditz grimaced. Thinking about Zarbon's slimy, blue fists crashing against his jaw made his stomach churn.
''It's been five days of famine. He must barely be able to open his eyes at this point.''
''No matter how he feels at the moment, he will be better when he hears about what we have to say.'' Nappa added, rubbing his fist.
The long-haired Saiyan felt a shiver of excitement run down his spine. During lunch time, he and Nappa had caught part of the conversation between Guldo and Jeice, two members of the Ginyu Force sitting close to them. What they had learned had encouraged them to quickly finish their meal and leave the cafeteria to head at the medical unit. They absolutely had to share the information they just got with their prince.
At the medical unit, they were soon directed to a bed in the back of the room, a small space surrounded by white curtains. Raditz, impatient to see if Vegeta would be alert enough to welcome and listen to them, shot one of them open.
Speechless, he stopped abruptly.
Vegeta had gotten out of bed. He was wearing workout shorts, doing push-ups on the floor. His body covered in bandages was glistening with sweat, clearly indicating that this was not his first set.
''Damn, here I was, thinking I'd find you on your deathbed.'' Raditz said when he saw him. ''Frieza was in a good mood? Did he spare your bones this time?''
Nappa passed the curtain too. He crossed his arms on his broad chest and looked satisfied when he saw his sovereign was not as damaged as he thought he would.
''We were misinformed. We thought you had received a starvation sentence.'' he added. ''Unless you have developed a new technique to resist hunger. If so, you must show me how to do it.''
Vegeta did a final set of five push-ups and stood on his feet, proudly blowing air through his nostrils. He turned to face them, smirking. He was out of breath and clearly not in the best shape, this type of exercise usually not being strenuous for him.
''You have not been misinformed.'' he replied, stretching. ''Maybe I'm more resilient than you thought. Now tell me what the hell are you guys doing here?''
''We came to check on you and bring you flowers.'' Nappa mocked.
Vegeta turned his back on them and sat on the edge of the bed to catch his breath.
''You better have a good reason.'' he growled. ''Because if you don't, I'll beat the shit out of you as soon as I get out of here.''
Raditz sneered and walked over to stand in front of him.
''Don't worry. We didn't come here to massage your feet. We overheard Guldo and Jeice talking this afternoon. I'm sure the information we got from them will interest you.''
Vegeta raised his head to look at him. Raditz and Nappa exchanged a knowing look.
''Spit it out. What are you waiting for?'' the prince asked impatiently.
''Apparently, the Humans weren't very happy after the nightclub attack. They began to fight back and sent a whole bunch of armed units to attack Frieza's Terran military bases.''
''I know that.'' Vegeta interrupted, growling.
''Wait, this is where it gets interesting.'' added Nappa. ''A few days ago, right after you got your ass kicked, Frieza sent hundreds of soldiers to Earth to defend the bases. Even with their technology, Humans are too weak to fight against the trained warriors of the Empire. So, their army began to retreat.''
''We thought it was a win. That everything would return to normal and Frieza would regain control over his bases.'' Raditz continued with a hint of excitement in his voice. ''But this afternoon, Guldo told Jeice that three-quarters of the Empire's soldiers were suddenly pulverized in less than a single day.''
Vegeta, attentive, raised an eyebrow upon hearing the news.
''Wait, you haven't heard the best part yet.'' added Nappa, excited like a little boy. ''Recoome had been sent to lead these troops.''
''And according to Guldo, he got his ass kicked too. He even thinks he could be dead by now.''
This time, Vegeta got up from his bed.
''Recoome is… dead?'' he stammered, taken aback.
''Presumed dead.'' Raditz corrected enthusiastically. ''We haven't heard from him or his troops for a Terran rotation and a half!''
Vegeta opened his mouth in amazement.
''But how? And… Who could have done that?'' he asked.
Raditz smiled. Of all the members of the Ginyu Force, Recoome had the highest raw strength. It was unlikely he had been beaten by a simple missile coming from the Terran army. Vegeta knew this, and just like him, he had automatically thought of the most plausible option; this devastation could only be the work of another warrior with very high combat potential.
''No one knows yet.'' Nappa explained. ''But it seems that the majority of the losses are due to one person only!''
''And a very powerful one it seems! We underestimated the Humans.'' added Raditz, smiling. ''Maybe they're not so shabby, after all!''
Vegeta's sweat-covered face lit up.
''Recoome... killed by an Human...'' he said quietly, looking at them in turn. ''We must absolutely find out who is responsible for…''
He stopped talking abruptly when the white curtain behind Raditz flew open again. Three pairs of black eyes turned towards the intruder who had just interrupted the discussion.
Raditz, until then excited to relay his news to Vegeta and discuss a plan to return to Earth, spontaneously forgot the reason for his visit.
In front of him, a woman with familiar features had just appeared.
Blue hair neatly tied into a ponytail. A pretty face with delicate traits. Turquoise eyes rounded in surprise, which landed on him first, then on Nappa, before finishing their course on Vegeta. Raditz also remembered those perfect boobs and ass, this time covered by the navy dress of the medical services. Around her neck, a red scarf was tied and contrasted with the paleness of her skin.
Stunned, the Saiyan turned to Nappa. Just by the look on his face, Raditz knew he wasn't dreaming.
''Holy shit Geet…'' he finally blurted out, turning towards Vegeta, whose face had turned crimson. ''Now I understand why you're in such a good mood!''
The prince growled, a clear warning that he was venturing on slippery ground. The woman, who was carrying a large quantity of clean cloths in her arms, looked uncomfortable. She took a hesitant step towards the bed.
''Hum... I can... come back later...?'' she offered, looking at Vegeta.
''No.'' he replied firmly. ''They are my allies. I trust they will not say anything.''
Raditz frowned, wondering what he was referring to. The young woman hesitated. She studied the two enormous warriors, her blue eyes analyzing nervously their imposing build and their impudent looks. They definitely weren't making it easy for her, but she eventually had the courage to approach the bed, on which the prince had quietly sat down again.
She placed the cloths she was carrying on the mattress and grabbed the one that was under the pile. She handed it to Vegeta with a cute smile.
''There was sourdough bread and cheese on the menu today.'' she told him with undisguised joy. ''These are common food on Earth. I bet you've never tasted it. You'll see, it's delicious!''
Vegeta muttered some words in Saiyan language that even Raditz couldn't catch. He unfolded the cloth she had given him and discovered the bread and the weird-smelling white stuff that had also been served to them at lunch. He wrinkled his nose as he smelled the cheese, just as Raditz did previously when he had discovered the new food. But unlike him, who had thrown its share in the trash, Vegeta raised skeptical eyes towards the woman to question her.
''I know the smell isn't very appetizing, but the taste is excellent, I swear!'' she encouraged him. ''Come on, stop being such a princess and have a taste!''
She punctuated her encouragement with a sparkling smile, seemingly as excited as if she were the one about to enjoy the food. Vegeta lost himself for a moment in contemplation of her face, before clenching his jaw and finally biting into the cheese.
Raditz, speechless, looked at Nappa to confirm he was not dreaming once again. Had he really witnessed the scene unfolding before him? Had Vegeta, the proud and valiant prince of Saiyans, really answered to that weak Human the way he did? Without even grumbling or questioning her intentions?
Never. Vegeta would NEVER have accepted so easily to be helped by one of them. He would never have tasted food with such an unappetizing aroma without questioning its origin. He would never have let anyone approach him like that, when he was in such a vulnerable state.
Intrigued, Raditz approached the bed, observing the blue-haired woman more closely. Perhaps he had neglected the real power of Humans, after all. Perhaps women of this species possessed certain skills that explained the distracted and docile behavior of one of the most feared mercenaries in the galaxy.
''So? What do you think?'' the woman asked, impatient to know her patient's verdict.
The latter remained silent. In response, he bit into the cheese a second time, more eagerly this time. The woman's smile widened.
''I knew you'd like it!'' she congratulated herself.
She looked up at Raditz, who still hadn't stopped looking at her from the other side of the bed.
''You probably had some in your rations too.'' she said. ''I'm sure it's the work of my friend Chi-Chi! I knew she would be sent to the kitchen.''
''Chi-Chi…?'' Raditz asked, speaking to her for the first time. ''Is that the pretty brunette who was with you the other night?''
The Human started to laugh. Even though he knew she was nervous by her fast heartbeat and the scent she gave off, there was a disarming charm and confidence emanating from her. For a sociable Saiyan like Raditz, it was hard to ignore.
''I see you remember us.'' she said.
''How not to remember such pretty girls passing by?'' he replied with confidence, his natural seductive side being activated.
''Tsk!'' Vegeta said, his mouth full of bread. ''You really can't shut it up, huh?''
He swallowed his mouthful and turned to the blue-haired woman.
''You, leave us alone now. Get out of here before I ask one of these idiots to take care of you.''
Raditz felt his spine bend over when he heard the tone Vageta had just used to give her an order. Even though it wasn't addressed to him, he could easily sense the urgency emanating from it.
The woman did not seem to be affected the same way he did. She held his gaze without qualms and placed her fists on her hips, a gesture that automatically made Vegeta wince.
''What a jerk!'' she said. ''Are you trying to get rid of me? Without even saying thank you, even after I gave you food you clearly enjoyed?''
Raditz held his breath. Nappa's smirk faded momentarily. Anyone who retaliated so brazenly against Prince Vegeta could begin to pray for their lives. Both Saiyans had seen him respond with violence for much smaller offense.
But this time was different from the others, because the only thing the prince did was clenching his jaw and fists to contain the burning rage.
Then, a flash of excitement crossed his irises.
''Nappa, Raditz.'' he said, pointing at them in turn. ''I'm sure you remember that Human we met on Earth.''
He stared at the Human in question, who held his gaze in silence for several long seconds. Then, the prince stood up proudly and raised a questioning eyebrow.
''Satisfied now?'' he asked her.
''It's better than nothing.'' she conceded without hesitation. ''But you still need to learn some basic politeness skills.''
It was Raditz's turn to raise his eyebrows, impressed that this woman hadn't already been reduced to ashes, and especially intrigued by the glimmer of amusement that shone with increasing intensity in Vegeta's eyes. The woman turned towards him and, with a radiant smile, held out her hand.
''My name is Bulma.'' she told him. ''On Earth, Humans are accustomed to shake hands to get to know each other.''
Raditz hesitated. He glanced at Vegeta to make sure he wasn't opposed to this meeting. As he didn't seem eager to rip his head off, he took the woman's outstretched hand in his and squeezed... just a little bit to avoid breaking her knuckles.
''Wow!'' Bulma exclaimed. ''Have you seen the size of your hand next to mine? You Saiyans really are huge!''
With marked hesitation, she then turned to the most inaccessible of the three men, pretending to introduce herself again. Nappa, who was watching the scene in the corner, crossed his arms over his chest and began to laugh heartily when he saw her do it.
''Would you like to know how we, Saiyans, get to know each other, pretty lady?'' he asked, his voice full of innuendo.
Clearly, he would not embrace Earth's customs. Raditz decided it would be better to intervene. Over time, he had learned to compensate for the inhospitality of the other two.
''Nappa, stop being so annoying.'' he said, standing in front of the woman. ''You know that with a face like yours, it doesn't take much to make them run away.''
He loosened his tail from his waist and flicked it happily behind his back.
''Don't pay attention to him. It's not his fault if he was never taught good manners.''
''Oh! I was starting to wonder if it was the norm for Saiyans to be this rude.'' she retorted, glaring at Vegeta, who had rolled his eyes when he saw Raditz being... Raditz.
''Nah. We are not all so grumpy and unpleasant, I swear!''
Nappa began to chuckle. Raditz ignored him and ran a hand through his hair to intentionally roll his bicep under his skin.
''So, Bulma.'' he said in the honeyed tone he liked to use with women. ''It's been what, a week since you arrived on the Imperial ship? How do you like it here?''
She blinked and looked at him strangely. For a moment, she seemed to analyze his facial features in detail.
''Let's just say… it's not as… unpleasant as I thought it would be.'' she eventually replied.
''Ah! You see!'' exclaimed Raditz, looking at his compatriots in turn. ''All the hostages piss themselves when we take them with us, then they quickly realize that life is a lot nicer on the ship than on their rotten planet.''
His remark made her frown.
''I wouldn't say that.'' she corrected in a firm voice.
''Let's see... A clean room and nice bed, food three times a day, current water and showers, a job that suits you... What more could you ask for? Frieza may be a piece of shit, but he certainly makes sure to meet the needs of everyone on his ship.''
Bulma blew air through her nostrils in forced amusement. She stepped forward confidently and raised her head to stare straight into his eyes. Raditz, a two meters tall man, felt strangely intimidated by the intensity emanating from her azure-tinted irises.
''I understand that most people on other planets live in deplorable conditions and that everything offered to them here is comparable to a five-star hotel. But this will never be the case for Humans!'' she explained. ''Life on Earth is far too lenient to make us believe that you are doing us a favor by kidnapping us!''
She raised her chin and displayed a haughty and proud attitude, a look he regularly saw appear on Vegeta's face.
''The beds are small, and not even comfortable. The food taste awful. And the showers don't even have hot water! Can you imagine? Do you really think you're going to convince me that Frieza cares about my well-being when the shower I take every night is COLD?''
''Enough!'' Vegeta suddenly thundered behind them.
Sitting on the edge of his bed, he had closed his eyes and was massaging his temples. Everyone's attention was focused on him. The woman's gaze suddenly softened.
''Your stupid conversation is giving me a headache. Go away! All three of you!''
Bulma, without hesitation, approached the bed with measured steps. She grabbed the clean cloths she had taken with her.
''You're right.'' she said in a lower voice. ''You must rest. I'll come by later to change your bandages.''
Vegeta gave a low growl without even bothering to look at her. Her arms cluttered with towels, she turned on her heels to head towards the curtains. Just before leaving the premises, she paused to greet them one last time.
''Raditz.'' she said with a smile in her voice. ''I'm so glad we met!''
The Saiyan answered with a charming wink. She turned to look at Nappa in a much less friendly way.
''And you, I hope you didn't leave my bracelet lying around too far, because I intend to get it back one of these days.'' she concluded, punctuating her words with severity, before finally disappearing with elegance.
Raditz couldn't help it. As soon as she was gone, he turned to Vegeta with a large smile on his lips.
''Holy shit!'' he exclaimed. ''To think that you went to the Quarters to find her! You get beaten up by Frieza and this is where you two get reunited? Isn't that beautiful?''
''I really don't know what you're talking about.'' Vegeta grumbled as he made himself more comfortable in his bed.
''It's even better than the time Raditz was kidnapped by three females on planet Kirpoh.'' Nappa laughed.
''You're so fucking lucky.'' added the other. ''I swear I'm about to ask Zarbon to beat me up too, just so I have some bandages to change too.''
''Enough with your bullshit!'' Vegeta exclaimed.
He glared at them and Raditz felt his body tense when he saw the prince stand up, his particularly powerful aura blazing in this cramped space.
''She's a slave. A weak and pathetic Human with an innocent spirit who has no value. How dare you think of lowering yourself to staying in bed to enjoy her care? How dare you call yourself a Saiyan warrior while being distracted by a pretty female?''
''Come on Vegeta. You must admit, that ass, in that dress… And do I really need to mention this huge pair of tit…'' tried to justify Raditz.
Vegeta clicked his tongue loudly, a look of disgust on his face. His cheeks subtly tinted red.
''Shut up!'' he cut in, halfway between embarrassment and anger. ''With the news you just brought, you should think about finding a way to go back to Earth and face this warrior who killed Recoome. Not the cock you have between your legs!''
Nappa and Raditz's attention was once again captured by the mention of the warrior responsible for Frieza's decimated troops and all salacious thoughts were immediately chased away. True to their instincts, the Saiyan blood that flowed in their veins started boiling at the idea of facing a new, potentially very powerful opponent.
''It's time to get you back on track.'' Vegeta declared seriously. ''My convalescence has lasted long enough. The combat simulation room. Tomorrow morning. We must be ready if Frieza agrees to send us down there to face this guy. ''
Raditz and Nappa nodded silently, both more than ready to do what was expected of them.
''Good.'' concluded the prince. ''Now get out of here and let me rest. I need to regain as much strength as possible before I give you a good beating.''
Nappa laughed while Raditz rubbed his fists in anticipation of tomorrow's training. Vegeta always knew how to appeal to their natural interest in fighting.
The two Saiyans walked towards the curtains, ready to return to their daily tasks. But Raditz, true to himself, couldn't help but have the last word about that woman. Vegeta looked far too affected to let it go.
''No matter what you say… I still think you should enjoy it a little, Geet. Seeing how she looks at you… woah! It makes me hot! I'm sure she wouldn't say no to a little fuck session right there, by the window.''
Vegeta began to growl, his tail thrashing furiously behind him.
''I heard from soldiers posted on Earth that Humans female love to be kissed. With tongues and everything! You could…''
''RADITZ! GET OUT OF HERE! '' were the last words he heard before seeing a purple orb heading straight towards him.
He narrowly avoided it, the heat of the raw energy emanating from it brushing his shoulder before crashing into a medical cart, which instantly vanished into thin air.
This was clearly the last warning before Vegeta personally cared for him to shut the hell up... at least, for the rest of the day.