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| Playing Raditz's Game; Dark(ish) AU; rated T | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 13 2013, 07:10 PM (2,617 Views) | |
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Sep 17 2013, 12:10 AM Post #16 |
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Great chapter. I'm lovin' the little relationship Bulma and Raditz are forming, I truly wonder how it's going to end up with these two. But I'm also really lovin' the scenes with the Saiyans out in space. Nappa picking up Kakarot to take him in for training was just awesome. I'm ready to see how the training part is going to go. I'm really pumped to see what Prince Vegeta has in store for Baby Gohan. Don't keep me waitin' too long, don't keep me waitin' too long. |
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| foot soldier | Sep 17 2013, 12:36 AM Post #17 |
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Thanks, Progo. I really appreciate your input on the story. The feedback here is all I can really count on ![]() Nappa was surprisingly fun. Had a lot of fun with those scenes. Bulma/Raditz is my jam, bro. There's a lot more of that on the way. It's my obession. I can't stop. |
![]() Playing Raditz's Game | |
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| foot soldier | Sep 18 2013, 03:23 AM Post #18 |
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![]() Prince Vegeta didn't know what he had been expecting. Not this. Was this the way all children behaved? If so, Vegeta was certain he had never been a child. Kakarrot's brat had not stopped sniveling since he had collected the boy. It was both unseemly and embarrassing. Initially, Vegeta had brought the boy to one of the more laid back training arenas to test his prowess, but when it became apparent to the prince that the boy had no training experience they had left quickly before he could get hurt. He couldn't let the child die on the first day. No one would believethatwas an accident. Their next stop was the dining hall where Vegeta was currently trying his best and having no success at coaxing the child into eating something, anything at all, but the whelp just wouldn't stop crying long enough to eat. "If you don't eat your body will run out of energy," Vegeta reasoned with him, arms crossed stiffly across his chest. "I cannot be responsible for any hindrances in your development brought on by self inflicted malnutrition." What would have been a gut wrenching wail was the only response the boy made. In Vegeta it only elicited annoyance. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. This might be the worst assignment he had ever received but there was nothing to be done about it now. He was stuck with the brat until Frieza said differently and that was that. Vegeta swore he would murder Raditz when he returned for bringing this upon him. It was Raditz's blasted nephew, wasn't it? How then had Raditz completely shirked responsibility for both Kakarrot and the brat? Luck. Sheer luck. Luck was something that Raditz had in abundance and it was somewhat of a sore subject for the luckless Prince of All Saiyans. The lower class Saiyan had neatly avoided pain and suffering his entire life. When Frieza destroyed their planet, Raditz just happened to be off world despite the fact he absolutely shouldn't have been. At the age of 6 Raditz had only just returned from his first assignment as an infant, an assignment much like the mission his brother Kakarrot had botched, and should have been in training to prepare him to take on a more complex commission. Instead he had been rapidly sent back out into the field on a mission far too difficult for his weak power level and somehow survived it. When he returned Frieza spared his life, a fact which to that day Prince Vegeta didn't quite understand. Vegeta had seen the evidence of Raditz's uncanny luck in other ways since then, too. Raditz was constantly getting better assignments and allowed more freedoms than he or Nappa, probably because of his weaker power level and the fact he wasn't considered an outright threat to the Empire. He had even seen Raditz wiggle his way out of using the regeneration tanks, and there was no explanation as to how Raditz had gotten the go-ahead to go looking for his brother. Everything broke Raditz's way. It was all very suspicious. Not that Vegeta was by any means jealous. He could still blow Raditz into an oblivion just by raising his pinky finger, and power trumped luck every time. "For the love of... Just shut up," Vegeta growled. He reached across the table and grabbed a handful of food from the child's plate and shoved it into the brat's mouth. The silence that followed as the surprised toddler began to chew was as nothing short of cathartic. He swallowed and for a moment Vegeta dreaded that he would begin screaming again, but rather he began to feed himself first tentatively and then with fervor. The prince smirked. Typical Saiyan. Hunger would always win out in them. Kakarrot's boy was no different. "What are you called, boy?" Vegeta asked, turning his attention to his own plate. His lectures on maintaining their bodies' needs would be meaningless if he didn't obey his own advice. Saiyan bodies were always burning through calories, digesting and converting the energy they needed to always be battle-ready. The boy picked up his cup with two hands and carefully drank. Vegeta wondered lazily if the boy was still young enough to require cups with lids. He had heard vaguely of such things before, after all. "I'm Gohan," he answered, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. Gohan sniffled a little. "What's yours?" What a stupid name, Vegeta thought. "I am Prince Vegeta," he replied. "How old are you, Gohan?" "I'm four. Where's my daddy?" "He's very busy receiving training from my subordinate," Vegeta said simply. "In the mean time you will stay with me." The boy looked skeptical and not a little bit afraid. "My parents don't allow me to talk to strangers." "Your parents aren't here, boy," Vegeta snarled. "Now finish your meal. Your body will run out of energy. Saiyan bodies require a great amount of sustenance, particularly at your young age." The boy swiftly ducked his head and focused intently on his food, whimpering faintly. Vegeta sighed heavily. "Just... just finish your meal and I won't hurt you." When Vegeta was certain that Gohan had eaten a sufficient amount, he took the boy to find new clothes. There were warriors in Frieza's ranks who were every bit as small as Gohan so it wasn't too difficult to find uniforms of the appropriate size. He couldn't train the child in the ridiculous outfit he had arrived in and at any rate the yellow outfit would soon be too small if Vegeta's guesstimates were correct. Given the proper environment and all that his body needed, Gohan would grow rapidly. It was simply what Saiyan children did, and what he was never allowed to do. Vegeta had grown up in a state of constant deprivation to prevent him from reaching the fullest extent of his potential, and while he didn't know how long Gohan would be in his care, he had no intentions of stunting him. He picked up a small suit and burned a hole in it with his ki to accommodate Gohan's tail. "Dress in these," Vegeta ordered, tossing the uniform and pair of little boots at him. Gohan fumbled awkwardly with his clothes, his fingers thick and uncoordinated. Vegeta cringed. This boy was an infant, an actual infant. While Gohan struggled to dress himself, Vegeta searched out spares for him and armor small enough. He tucked the things he gathered under his arm and turned to find Gohan clutching his hat and looking pale. "Can... can I keep it, Mr. Vegeta? It's very important to me." "Prince," Vegeta corrected him, assessing the garment that Gohan clutched so tightly. It was nothing but a child's hat with an ugly bauble attached to the top. Very harmless. "You may," he granted. "Though I would suggest not telling anyone that it has value to you unless you want it taken away." "Yes, sir, Prince Vegeta," Gohan said rapidly. Vegeta disposed of the rest of Gohan's clothes. After stopping at his quarters to put away Gohan's spare uniforms and hide away his sentimental little hat behind the books that no one had ever read, Vegeta showed him how to put on his armor. It took a few tries for Gohan to understand how it all clicked together, but he was bright and alarmingly eager to please. He looked up at Vegeta, eyes still puffy from his fits of crying, expecting praise that Vegeta didn't offer. Vegeta was never one to praise, especially not to anybody's face. Instead he brought the boy back to the training arena which had now emptied as most everyone else was finished for the day and began to work on fundamentals with the boy. It was slow going work, but by the end of the session he was already showing signs of improvement. The prince had no bunk mate so Gohan would be sleeping in the spare bed, a situation that Vegeta didn't much appreciate though he knew it was the safest thing for the child. He left Gohan, who was still in his new armor, sleeping and returned to the arena for true training before he himself would require sleep. Gohan's current performance was dismal. He cried a lot and Vegeta wouldn't be able to train the boy in the presence of others for a while yet for his own safety, but he could see the kid's potential. He was promising and Vegeta knew that alone sealed the child's fate. It wouldn't matter how weak or strong he was in the end; Frieza wouldn't allow that kind of undeveloped skill to be unlocked and come to fruition. It was obvious that Gohan would be terminated, Vegeta just didn't know when. ![]() Bulma was the most infuriating creature Raditz had ever had the displeasure of encountering. She got under his skin in the worst possible way, his brief brushes with her having repercussions that lasted for days without fail. She was the worst type of woman, the sort who assumed that she knew everything and thought it was her place to tell a man what she was thinking and why she was right. It was horrible. And yet he sought her again at her little metal house in the woods. 'Dyno caps' she called them. They were incredible technology for a planet so backwards. She was no where to be seen when he approached her clearing, but his scouter told him she was there. Probably hiding from him inside like the flimsy walls could protect her, he mused. She was such a stupid, stupid woman. Stupid and brave and... beautiful? Raditz cringed at his own thoughts. She was nice enough, but she wasn't beautiful. Beauty was found in strength, and the woman was very weak, just like her people. When he left her last she was a crumpled heap on the ground and he had barely touched her. How Kakarrot had failed to conquer her planet was a mystery. He hit his head, Bulma would tell him later. He hit his head and it made him kind. Raditz approached the house and tapped lightly on the door, feeling embarrassed as he did so. He shook away the feeling quickly and realized how ridiculous the entire thing was knocking. As if he needed her permission to enter her home. Inside of the house was still and when no one came to answer, he pushed the door lightly, finding it locked. He pushed harder and burst it open then stepped inside. Bulma glowered at him where she was hiding behind a sofa. "No one said you could come in," she complained haughtily. "As if you could keep me out," he scoffed, crossing the room in three long strides. He made himself cozy and took a seat on the couch near her, enjoying her discomfort. She grew stiff in his presence and tried to shift away from him without his notice. He smirked at her. "You're bruised," he remarked, gesturing to her neck. His hand print was clearly defined against her skin. She responded by tugging up her collar, effectively hiding the bruise as well as half her face. Her eyes were screaming at him, narrowed and with brows drawn. He reached out and tugged her sweater back down, revealing the her damaged skin once more. He wanted to look at it. She shivered as his fingers grazed her skin. Absolutely infuriating. "I stand by what I said," she insisted quietly in the moments that followed. She pleaded, "You don't have to do this." Then she did something he didn't expect; she reached out for him, her brittle human nails catching the tense flesh of his arm as if the gesture were meant to hold him back. "You're so strong, Raditz. You don't have to do some tyrant's bidding... you don't have to kill the rest of the people on this planet. Not really, you don't." Raditz blinked slowly. This woman was obviously delusional. He wasn't strong, not by a long shot. He had been kept weak by the Cold Empire, made sacrifices out of his own body to ensure the welfare of his prince. Vegeta was strong; Vegeta would stand against the Colds. Not him. Raditz was weak. But he would concede it felt... nice to hear his praise from her mouth. "No one can make you a killer," she whispered. Raditz looked down at her, at her tangled blue hair, her bruised skin and welling eyes. Her lip was torn where he had pushed her away earlier, and her clothes ripped from the struggles she had endured. But the way she looked at him... such sadness, and such hopefulness. Did she really believed he would stop and spare the remaining people of earth? Raditz closed his eyes and relaxed for just a moment. He allowed himself to believe that she believed in him. Again it felt... nice. He didn't feel like letting it go. "I will spare them," he said at length. "I will spare your home if you return with me to mine." Bulma reeled back and away from him as if she had been burned, and Raditz regretted the offer immediately. Of course she wouldn't come with him. He had killed all her friends and over 90 percent of her planet's population. He hurt her and took pleasure in it. In her eyes he was villainous. In his own eyes he was villainous, and he couldn't change that no matter how much ill-placed faith the woman had in him. She bit her bleeding lip and Raditz turned away from her. "You promise not to kill them?" she called softly. "On my honor," Raditz swore emptily without looking back at her. "Okay." Her voice was once again hollow. Resigned. Accepting. Raditz had no desire for her this way, not really. He should destroy this final city and finish his brother's task. He should annihilate Bulma along with the last of her planet's population. But he already knew he would do neither of those things. He could not would not kill the little blue woman. And he would not kill her people, either, because he would not kill the faith she had in him. It was the naοve faith of earth's people that had conquered Kakarrot. Raditz understood that now. And he had willingly let it conquer him. He stood. "I will come to collect you when my ship arrives. Do not hide, or I will consider our bargain forfeited." She nodded numbly and he took it as affirmation. "You may expect my return within the week." "Okay." Raditz left her then for the second time that day, unsure if he was pleased with himself or not. Chapter Six: Bump-and-Run Edited by foot soldier, Sep 18 2013, 01:07 PM.
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| foot soldier | Sep 18 2013, 01:06 PM Post #19 |
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![]() Bulma devoted the next week to trying to avoid her arrangement with Raditz. The effort proved futile; there was no one left to help her now. Master Roshi's entire island was a wasteland and it proved impossible to find any of her friends. Krillin, Yamcha,Tien... everyone was MIA. Probably literally, but Bulma refused to focus on that. She didn't dare venture to the Lookout to verify for the fear of exposing it and Kami to Raditz. She still had the vague hope of finding Goku and Gohan and escaping back to this ravaged earth with them, bringing back the four star ball with them and righting the wrong Raditz had caused. It was a long shot, but she hoped. On the seventh day Bulma returned to the little house in the woods and waited. She wondered if there was anything she needed to pack or if packing would just make her look silly. On the one hand she was certain there would be no luxuries where she was going and if she wanted nice things she would have to bring them herself. On the other she was aware that proving herself to be as frivolous as she looked probably wasn't be the wisest thing she could do. In the end she decided it was best to go without. She didn't really need any of her trinkets or gadgets out there in space, anyway. They probably had technology out there that would make her inventions look about as advanced as a caveman's club. Instead she took a long bath and pampered herself one last time (because who knew when she'd have the next opportunity?) and then dressed in the simplest outfit she could find. As intended, the blue tee shirt and khaki shorts she chose fit her frame loosely. She didn't want to stand out wherever it was Raditz was taking her. She didn't want to catch anyone's eye. Her hair was still dripping and wet when she felt him. Raditz's presence was nearly a tangible thing to her now, horrible and overpowering. He waited semi-politely outside of the house for her to emerge and only put one small dent in the wall when she didn't appear as quickly as he would have liked. Bulma rushed through the lacing of her boots, eager to get out before he brought the whole thing crashing down upon her. "Calm down," she berated, stepping out into the bright sunshine. She noted that worry flickered over Raditz's features for a fraction of a moment and wondered what it could mean. "Bulma," he said flatly. "As promised, I have not destroyed your planet." She looked around the still forest. There was no way for her to verify that, but she decided to take his word for it. "Uh... thanks." "My pod has arrived to return us to my home," he continued. "When we arrive you are to tell anyone who asks that you alone are the sole survivor of this planet." That sounded reasonable enough. "Okay, but what about when they come to sell this place to the highest bidder?" "They won't," Raditz said swiftly. He looked almost nervous. "I've already filed a report with my superiors labeling this planet as insufficient and unsuitable for habitation." Bulma's eyes went wide with shock. "You... what? You mean they won't come back here?!" Raditz nodded, "Not for a long time... I cited that my second Oozaru transformation damaged the..." "I don't care what you did," Bulma gushed, flinging herself towards him. He stiffened as she wrapped her arms around his thickly muscled body. "Thank you." He awkwardly patted her back. "We need to go now." "Whatever you say," Bulma chirruped, allowing Raditz to pick her up off the ground. She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, preparing herself for flight. She didn't even care, she was so happy. Raditz had lied for her and hidden her planet from whoever and whatever was controlling him. He was as good as golden in her eyes in that moment. Earth would be safe for a while yet and she could focus on bringing Goku and Gohan back home. Heck, maybe Raditz would even help her achieve it. He jolted into the air and she clung tighter to his frame, burying her face against his chest. As they flew, Bulma didn't allow herself to think too hard about Raditz's character. If she had she would have become concerned with the glaring inconsistencies he presented. One moment he said he would kill her, the next he lied to save her planet. First he exposed himself to her leering, and now he shied away from her touch. With her eyes closed and her head on his chest, she could feel his every breath, every beat of his heart. It was easy for a moment to forget he was a murderer and that he was stealing her away from her home. But only for a moment, then she mentally shook the false security his arms brought away. This was all just a part of his game. They landed in a desert on the precipice of a large crater. He sat Bulma down and she clung to his arm for fear of falling. A ship waited for them in its center he had called it a pod and she frowned. It looked awfully small. Hardly the kind of thing she wanted to be traipsing off into the unknown bowels of the universe inside of, that was for sure. "It looks small," she blurted. "You're not very big," he replied bluntly, lifting her again. He tucked her under his arm and jumped into the crater, keying in his entry. The door slowly lifted open, revealing a bare and functional interior. Bulma was unimpressed. She crossed her arms and he placed her back on her own two feet to settle down inside of the pod. She had half a mind to make a run for it. As if he saw the thought cross her mind he snapped his arm back out, grabbing her by the wrist and yanking her down into his lap. "No you don't," he growled in her ear. "You're not going anywhere, little woman." Bulma felt very small then as he held her still. The Saiyan began to fiddle with the controls and the door shut tightly, the airlock hissing menacingly. The sunlight that filtered in through the window was tinted red by the glass and Bulma suddenly felt the fullness of her constriction. The reality that there was no going back now hit her and she wiggled against Raditz, struggling for some semblance of freedom. He could at least let go of her now; there was no possible way for her to escape anymore. She stopped moving when she heard him chuckle and blushed when he asked her why she stopped. A computer spoke to them initiating launch sequence, and before Bulma had time to even think about how such an odd contraption as the pod would fling itself into space, they were moving. Raditz sank further into the seat, creating more room for Bulma. She tried to shift out of his lap as best she could only for him to yank her body back towards his, securing her to him with both arm and tail. Whatever qualms he had had previously about contact, he seemed to be over them now. She craned her neck back to get a look at him and in the dim light she could just make out his face. His eyes were closed and his face was peaceful, as if he were resting. "The air filtration system will put you into artificial sleep before we leave the atmosphere," he explained before she could ask. "It protects our bodies by placing them in suspension for the duration of our travels." Bulma nodded she was already feeling sleepy. "How long does that take?" "Approximately two months," Raditz answered. Two months?! That was outrageous! She wanted to protest, wanted to complain, but whatever gas that was in the airstream was doing a number on her awareness, making her less and less alert by the second. Her eyelids drooped and her head lolled to the side, eventually resting upon Raditz's shoulder. She felt the Saiyan's breathing just beginning to even out as consciousness left her, traded for dreamless sleep. ![]() Goku had not seen Gohan since he and Nappa had begun training. His new mentor kept telling him that if he was good and if he performed well that something could be arranged, but Goku was beginning to believe Nappa was lying to him. Every day Nappa collected him from the room where he slept with some thirty or so other warriors and they went to the third training arena so that Nappa could beat him within an inch of his life. He would then be taken to the regeneration tanks horrible machines, all of them and be released from the infirmary in time to make the end of the lunch hours. His afternoons were devoted to pretending to learn things like the code of conduct expected of soldiers serving the Cold Empire, or how to use the scouters and other machines utilized by the warriors. Goku endured all the teaching patiently and did everything he was asked for the chance to see Gohan again as soon as possible. Yet there he was, three weeks into his stay on 2414, and he had yet to lay eyes on his son. He didn't know how that was even possible; the station was tiny, barely housing the 500 or so men assigned there. How they managed to conceal Gohan baffled him. If he focused he could feel Gohan's energy throughout the place, flickering up or down with emotion, but it was difficult to pinpoint him. His senses were dulled by constant use of the scouter, and even if he could locate Gohan's precise location, Goku knew he couldn't just rush in and take his son back from these people. This was their world and he had to play by their rules. They were still much, much stronger than him and Goku wasn't a fool. Naive maybe, but not foolish. "Get up, Kakarrot, we're not finished here." It was the middle of the morning and Nappa and Goku were training. Already Goku's armor was dented and cracked, and the skin tight fabric of his uniform was torn around the knees. Nappa's training was relentless and as much as Goku resented it, he relished it. He played along for Gohan's sake, but it would be a lie to say he wasn't beginning to enjoy himself. Training with another Saiyan gave Goku opportunities to test his limits like he had never had before. It was a challenge he could appreciate. "Get up," Nappa snarled, kicking him roughly. Goku coughed at the impact and pulled himself together, standing on wobbly legs. Once he was up Nappa took the go-ahead and laid back into him, fists connecting with his gut and jaw with such raw tenacity that Goku could only block half of what was thrown at him. Nappa was an incredible opponent. He had just split his lip when Nappa called off training. Goku wiped his mouth, wincing slightly as blood trickled down his chin. He could taste it, raw and metallic and not entirely unpleasant. Nappa smirked at him. "You're improving, Kakarrot," he said, clapping him on the shoulder. Goku's knees buckled, "Thank you, sir." "Still not good enough to see your son, though." The words were still ringing in his ears when Nappa lifted him by the shoulder and tossed him into the arena wall. Goku hit head first with a loud crack, and more blood splashed against the pristine white of the wall. At first he couldn't move; he was certain that he was dying. But then something lit inside of him, an absolute and final rage. He made himself stand up again, woozy from blood loss as the wound in his head flowed, and crouched into a feral battle stance. Now Nappa truly smiled. "There you are, Kakarrot," he boomed. "I was beginning to think you'd never come crawling out of there." Goku attacked him blindly. After that his memory blanked until he was waking up from the regeneration tank. The smelly goo was draining around his feet when he regained consciousness and he ripped the breather from his face, glaring at the doctors. They remained unimpressed at his temper tantrum, but the tech assistant released him nonetheless and he stepped out of the tank where Nappa was waiting. The larger Saiyan stunk of regeneration gel, too. "How are you feeling, Kakarrot?" he asked as the doctors fawned over Goku, passing him a towel first and then clothes. Goku wiped gel from his face and squeezed it from his hair, "Fine. I feel fine." Nappa nodded. "Are you ready to see your son?" He considered it, dropping the towel and pulling on the fresh uniform. He hadn't seen Gohan since his arrival three weeks ago, that was true, but it just didn't seem all that important anymore. He dug a finger in his ear and flicked the droplets of regeneration gel he pulled out away from him. After a while he answered, "I'd rather train." Nappa's face contorted to a contented scowl. "Excellent." |
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| Dankness Lava | Sep 18 2013, 07:19 PM Post #20 |
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Dankness Forever
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Looks like even Goku is capable of turning. |
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| foot soldier | Sep 20 2013, 10:32 AM Post #21 |
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So it would seem *bad grin* |
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Sep 20 2013, 10:05 PM Post #22 |
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Yeah, I'm pumped to see what will happen with Goku. Ready for that next chapter, that's for sure. |
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| foot soldier | Sep 22 2013, 02:41 AM Post #23 |
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![]() Goku and Nappa didn't train as soon as they left the infirmary. Instead they went to the dining hall, where meals had been set aside for them at Nappa's request. They had missed dining hours when their last session went over and Goku had spent an inordinate amount of time in the regeneration tank, presumably from the trauma of his head wound. Even now it still felt tender, but that was alright. It was something he could work through and as soon as he finished his meal, he was itching to return to training. Nappa wasn't as eager but conceded to break schedule and the pair had returned to their usual arena, but what occurred there was anything but usual. Training was a different experience this time. Goku was totally uninhibited. The realization that he legitimately couldn't hurt Nappa finally set in and it left a bitter taste in Goku's mouth. After years of being the strongest he was suddenly at the bottom of the totem pole and angrily he threw himself into the conflict, burned that this was his best. Nappa was laughing at him and Goku was offended. A desire to be taken seriously had been seeded in him and his emotions were raw and unrefined. Everything bothered him. Vaguely he was aware that he should have chosen to see Gohan, his son. In the back of his mind the father in him was screaming at the warrior to back down and out of the fight, but Goku refused to yield to the call. It could wait, and so it did. Nappa swore that Gohan was being taken care of elsewhere in the compound; he wasn't in any real danger. Weeks passed and the voice in Goku's head crying out for Gohan gradually silenced, only to shriek back to life and ebb away slowly once more. It was disorienting and always left him unsettled, so he immersed himself in his training and excelled like he always had. His days fell one into the other seamlessly and never ending. Sleep eluded him but tiredness didn't creep into his bones, and if his attitude soured he wasn't aware of it, or maybe it was just expected. No one on 2414 was particularly happy. Sometimes it made Goku sad, and sometimes he just didn't care. He was constantly waffling back and forth and back, leaving him confused and agitated. Nappa only offered to let him see Gohan on days when he had no desire to see him. On the shrieking days, when his entire being craved just the sight of his son, just a glance to make sure he was okay if nothing else, Nappa didn't let him out of his sight. Then they would hit the arena and the bigger Saiyan would keep him there most if not all of the day, beating him black and blue without remorse. On a normal day Goku could almost be fooled into thinking of Nappa as not quite a friend, but a definitely a comrade. But the moment Nappa thought Goku showed any sign of weakness the facade was torn away and it became clear just how distasteful Nappa found him. But Nappa's abuse was making him stronger in leaps and bounds. The regeneration tanks didn't help the process very much that was true, but regardless Goku was exhibiting marked improvement. Nappa said he was getting smarter and soon they would begin work integrating him into 'the team.' It was abundantly clear that Goku had very little experience fighting as a unit and since the unit was the basic premise of Frieza's army, he would have to learn. Nappa had already explained that he would probably be paired away with Raditz since the pair of them were now likely on the same skill level. "Wouldn't be surprised if you passed him over soon, though," Nappa said between bites. They were taking their evening meal after a gruesomely long day in the training arena and they were both famished. The topic of Goku's brother had come up because Raditz was due back on 2414 any day. Knowing that Raditz was on his way back left a hollow feeling in his chest for which Goku couldn't account. He knew it meant that the earth had been purged, and that made him feel sad. He also knew he wasn't supposed to feel that way. Not at all. The more he thought about it the more he felt like he was supposed to be mourning, so instead he hid his grief with laughter. Goku shoveled his food into his mouth carelessly. He didn't want Nappa thinking he was weak. Instead he chose to capitalize on the moment to mock Raditz, which seemed to be a favorite pass time of Nappa's, and as quickly as the sorrow for his home world had appeared, it was gone and forgotten. "Yeah... he ish kinda pafetic," Goku jeered, still shoving food into his mouth. The meals provided for them weren't the worst thing he had ever tasted, but they were far from the best. They didn't lack, though. No one starved. Nappa swallowed hard, his expression scandalized. "Honestly Kakarott, would it kill you to chew with your trap closed? That's disgusting." "Sorry," Goku said, gulping. Nappa twitched slightly in annoyance and Goku rolled his eyes. To be an elite warrior, Nappa sure could be a girl about things sometimes. He also insisted Goku bathe at least once a day, and that he brush his teeth and even his hair. Goku didn't think Nappa had any authority about the hair thing. "Anyway..." Nappa continued,"I don't disagree with you. Raditz is weaker than he ought to be. Your brother doesn't take his training seriously like you and I do." "What a shame," Goku allowed, reaching for his drink. "He's slippery, though, Raditz is," Nappa said. "He's got more friends in more places than Prince Vegeta's got enemies, and that's saying something." This piqued Goku's interest and gingerly he put his cup back down. "Say, Nappa..." "Hm?" "When am I going to meet Prince Vegeta?" Nappa sighed and wiped his mouth. "Whenever the Price decides he's willing to meet you. He's very busy, Kakarott." He nodded in acknowledgment and finished his plate before yawning. Nappa chuckled. "Did I wear you out, Kakarott?" the burly Saiyan asked. Goku had the sense to be embarrassed. "A little bit," he conceded. "Then get some rest," Nappa said, his tone almost fond. "We've got another full day tomorrow." "Right," Goku said. They never took breaks. He stood up and turned to leave and as he did so, he realized Nappa was letting him go by himself. It was a first; Nappa never allowed him to roam the station alone. Normally he never left Nappa's sight. Goku didn't pause to wonder what the sudden allowance of freedom could mean. He just seized it, striding out from the dining hall proudly and totally unchaperoned. It was less than a five minute walk to his quarters, but it was five minute of pristine solitude without Nappa breathing down his neck. It didn't occur to him at any point during his lack of supervision to go find Gohan. He didn't think about it at all. ![]() Gohan slept like a rock. The boy wasn't good for training in much longer than four hour stints and when he grew too tired to keep form, Vegeta simply let him sleep. It did no good to push someone so small too far beyond his limits. In the end it would hurt the boy more than help him and besides that it was far more of a hassle to listen to Gohan's crying than it was to let him map. While the whelp rested he could continue his own training unhindered as well, which made nap-time a mutually beneficial activity. Vegeta could take Gohan into training after they breakfasted, then return him to his quarters once the boy was thoroughly exhausted. He then could see to his own training before lunch, at which point he would collect the boy again and return to training the toddler. The boy had the decency to be a good student and absorbed his training well which made it difficult for Vegeta to entirely despise him. He was an annoyance and a chore still but he was also very entertaining, a fact which Vegeta would sooner be caught dead than admit to anyone. The child had very little sense of how the world worked and believed everything Vegeta said without question in blind faith. Gohan was very stupid in that way, Vegeta had realized. It was normal childish behavior, but it was the type of behavior that would end up getting him killed sooner rather than later. Gohan trusted easily and had completely attached himself to the prince within days of being dropped in his care. Vegeta vaguely thought it must have to do with the fact that he more or less took care of him, and since Vegeta didn't allow for Gohan's basic needs to go unfulfilled, Gohan had mistaken that for care on Vegeta's part. It was all very laughable. Vegeta keyed open the door to his quarters and Gohan rushed around his legs and into the dark room. With ease now the boy pulled off his armor and boots and clambered into his bed, his expression foul tempered and tired. Vegeta rolled his eyes and closed the door, locking Gohan in for his own safety. It had been close to two months since Gohan's well being had been entrusted to him and Vegeta honestly didn't know how much longer the toddler would be his problem. He had hoped it would be a short ordeal two weeks at the most but that didn't seem to be the case. There was no word yet on when he or Nappa would be sent on another mission and it was seeming more and more unlikely that they would be receiving further orders any time soon. Occasionally he would meet with his former bodyguard to discuss their charges for the purpose of keeping sure that they didn't cross paths. Kakarott's psyche was unstable at best and Nappa feared that catching sight of his son would trigger a relapse in his damaged brain. Vegeta hadn't yet took the time to meet Kakarott, but from what Nappa said he was inclined to agree. He also believed it would be counterproductive to reintroduce Gohan to his father. The brat had only stopped sniveling about daddy this and daddy that a few weeks prior. He didn't want to restart that phase if he could help it. Instead he and Nappa were very careful to avoid each other. Nappa started the day with Kakarott earlier than Vegeta began his with Gohan, and they always trained in different arenas. When lunch came Vegeta took Gohan early and made sure to be gone before Kakarott and Nappa had even finished training. In the afternoons Nappa and Kakarott took their dinner late while Vegeta and Gohan had already dined and were usually settling into bed. It took a bit more work than Vegeta was really willing to admit to prepare Gohan for bed but he was, after all, a baby. He supposed it was too be expected. Sometimes he just left Gohan in the room alone and went else where in the station until he was certain the brat had put himself to sleep. The prince waited until the door had audibly locked before returning to the arenas to train. When he had Gohan with him he was restricted to the third and fourth arenas, which were the most laid back. When he was on his own he preferred the fifth because it was the most challenging of the five available. Vegeta lived for a challenge. That was part of what made the situation with the brat so obnoxious there was no challenge in it, aside from the challenge of not killing him, which was less challenging than it was just tedious. He wanted missions. He wanted opportunities to test his body to its brink so that he could grow stronger more rapidly. He and Nappa were only given missions to planets where a point needed to be made. If he and Nappa were being sent it meant that total annihilation was the expectation in a 24 hour time frame. All in all it wasn't a bad gig, except for the down time. They were mostly for show. He had realized that a long time ago. They weren't given chances to fight and purge regularly for a reason and Vegeta liked to think most of that reason was Frieza's fear. If he could train a little harder, push a little farther, he would surely become a Super Saiyan. A legend. With that thought in mind Vegeta entered arena five, quickly picking fights with the other warriors there. He was a ruthless fighter who had never fought a fair fight in his life and he swiftly defeated the few combatants available to him. It was pathetic how little competition they provided and in his victory, however meaningless, he grew cocky. It didn't matter what limitations Frieza tried to impose on him; he would achieve his goal in due time. He knew it. |
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Sep 22 2013, 04:13 AM Post #24 |
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About how strong should Goku be by now? Answer this; I didn't quite get all of this down at the end, but Freeza knows very well that they're at this purging station, right? And Vegeta is trying to bring up Kakarott and Gohan to rebel? Am I on the right track? |
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| foot soldier | Sep 22 2013, 04:44 AM Post #25 |
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Yes. Frieza knows. He's being very laissez faire about the whole thing because he's As for Goku's strength, I'd put him at exactly what the chapter said: Approaching Raditz's strength and due to overtake him shortly. Rebels aren't really a thing in this story in the manner you're suggesting, I think. I'm not really big on the whole rebel fighter thing in general, so I probably won't use it as a plot device. |
![]() Playing Raditz's Game | |
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Sep 22 2013, 04:57 AM Post #26 |
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Ah, he's catching Raditz. Well it looks like Raditz has a surprise once he makes it back in soon's time. I wonder how that's going to go done once the bros encounter each other again. It'll be different than last time, that's for sure. Those Zenkai's and constant training is starting to add up in Goku's favor. |
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| Dankness Lava | Oct 6 2013, 04:11 AM Post #27 |
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Dankness Forever
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So whats the status on this |
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Oct 6 2013, 04:15 AM Post #28 |
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I've been waitin' myself, ma'am. How long are you going to keep us waiting? Don't flake out on us now. |
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