Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Attachments Detached ❯ Chapter 14 ( Chapter 14 )

Chapter 14

Kakarott rubbed his stomach as he swallowed the last of the lunch-turned-dinner. Boy, a full stomach felt good, among other things. He grinned at the woman across from him who was just finishing up her own meal.

ChiChi grinned back, "Was it okay?"

Kakarott couldn't have resisted if he wanted, "Which?"

ChiChi blushed gently and Kakarott knew he'd never get tired of that. "Um, the food."

"Oh, they were both great. I wouldn't mind more." He grinned impishly, thoroughly enjoying this game.

ChiChi giggled, "Well, that could be arranged, but I'd have to go to the store to get more food." She laughed outright as his face fell and he gave her a confused look. He shrugged, leaned over, and took her lips in a kiss that stole the laughter from her and left her feeling as if the table and chair were gone.

She opened her eyes and leaned back to find that indeed, the table and chair were gone. Kakarott had moved around the table and lifted her from the chair and they were just now heading toward the bedroom again.

ChiChi sighed and nuzzled into Kakarott's chest, thinking that she'd never felt so happy, ever.

They entered her room and Kakarott gently laid her on the bed, as if she were as fragile as glass. ChiChi smiled softly, delighted when the man above her answered her with a similar expression as he slowly lowered himself on top of her.

With a sudden crash, the outer wall of ChiChi's bedroom caved under some great weight, which continued its flight path to smack into the adjacent wall, losing enough velocity so that it didn't crash through that wall as well.

Kakarott shielded ChiChi instinctively with his body, turning his head as debris from the wall flew at the couple. ChiChi let out a small scream of panic and clung to him as any frightened girl would.

Carefully, Kakarott moved, shifting the huge piece of wall that had fallen on his back so that he could see what exactly had happened. He looked toward the opposite wall, where a peculiar-looking man was picking himself off the floor, cursing quite colorfully.

The man seemed to notice Kakarott then and the girl under him and gave them a wide-eyed look before chuckling nastily, "I'm sorry. Did I interrupt something?"

ChiChi gaped at the man she could just see from under Kakarott's arm. His black, wild mane fell down past his hips, almost to his ankles, and had a slight widow's peak at the forehead. His brown eyes glittered with maliciousness as neither one of the pair answered.

"Hmm, mute huh? Well, there's an advantage. I won't have to listen to you scream."

Those words caused Kakarott to immediately move, detaching ChiChi from around his waist and standing. He studied the man, whose broad, lean form spoke of much use in the muscle department. The ragged state of his clothes finished the story of a vagabond. "Who are you?"

The other smirked, "So, it speaks. I've been told my name is Radditz, from a computer no less. You see I'm-"

"-an alien." Kakarott finished, ignoring the man's stunned expression, as Kakarott looked at him again, "Where's your tail?"

"Wha-tail?" Radditz's eyes narrowed, "Who are you? How did you know about that?"

Kakarott tilted his head to one side, "I'm Kakarott. We're brothers. You were sent down here to purge the planet. We thought something had happened to you. Where's your tail?"

Radditz tried to assimilate all this new information. He took in Kakarott's own form, noticing the tail that Kakarott allowed to uncurl from his waist and gaping at it. He finally met the man's eyes. "It's under my clothes; for protection." There was a ripping of cloth and Radditz's tail appeared to mimic Kakarott's own tail's movements.

Kakarott winced. He was barely able to control the pain caused by someone grabbing his tail, Vegeta was able to do it much better, but he couldn't imagine having it pulled or prodded as Radditz was hinting it had been. He put his tail back in its place protectively. "You got the info you needed from the pod?"

Radditz's eyes seemed to take on a strange light. "Yes. It said I was a Saiyan and when I destroyed the planet I was on I would no longer be considered weak and would be allowed back into the Saiyan Empire…." He seemed to trail off, waiting for something.

Kakarott nodded, "Yeah, that's about right." He cocked his head to one side, "You could help us. Frieza is coming in three days and I need to get with Vegeta so we can prepare for him. You know this place better than I do. You can help me find him!" Kakarott beamed at his brother, happy to have found a solution.

Radditz seemed to pause, "I've heard of this Frieza…. Who is-Vegeta?"

"Oh, that's our Prince." Kakarott waved away that little bit of info, but Radditz seemed to want to hang onto it.

"And he's here, on Earth?" Radditz smirked.

Kakarott didn't notice the expression, but he did frown, "Yeah. But that's not the point-"

"Sure it is, brother." Radditz's tone was jovial, but the contradiction paired with the tone put Kakarott on edge. "You see, I got sick of waiting down here. I got so sick of it I no longer wanted to become a part of the 'Saiyan Empire', which I now hear consists of three of us. In fact, all I really wanted to do was destroy Earth and go up and destroy the people who put me here." He tilted his head to one side, "Do you think the Prince will do?"

With no further warning, Radditz charged, knocking an elbow into Kakarott's face that had him flying out the opening Radditz had made. Radditz followed the body, whipping his own tail out to catch it on a piece of wood that still stood in place and using it to swing himself behind Kakarott's flying form, punting the other Saiyan back into the house to crash into the same hole Radditz had just extracted himself from.

Kakarott's breath went out of him twice as first he hit the wall then Radditz hit him, fist connecting with his gut in a strike that felt like Radditz was trying to punch through his stomach.

More hits connected with Kakarott's gut, traveling up to his face, until Radditz finally grabbed Kakarott by the hair and rammed his head down into an upraised knee. Kakarott growled through a bloodied nose. Not only was he allowing himself to be hit, but he was also allowing himself to be beat. He was a Saiyan, taught by the Saiyan Prince himself. Let Radditz have a taste of what was to come if he even thought to fight Vegeta.

Kakarott straightened under a blow to his back, which was supposed to bend him into a sucker punch to his stomach. With set face and glittering black eyes, Kakarott caught the punch and twisted the wrist, bringing his own fist cracking across the smug face before him in a backfist, releasing the hand to let Radditz fall back, shock evident in his expression. This time it was Kakarott who was smirking as the Saiyan phased out, reappearing behind the other to throw a ki blast into his back that threw him through the wall, crumbling it beneath him. Walls can't take that much punishment after all.

ChiChi gave a great shriek and Kakarott turned to her, suddenly made aware of the very real danger to the one he loved. With a snarl, he turned back to Radditz, charging the just-rising man and lifting him up and through the roof, carrying him away from the house and into the surrounding woods.

Radditz was in no way going to allow himself to be bundled away like a child and let out a answering snarl, primal Saiyan inside answering as it never could even against the strongest being on Earth. He put both hands right into Kakarott's middle, releasing a blast that threw the man back from him, yelling in pain.

Kakarott glowered at Radditz as both men regained their breaths and took in their new surroundings. Kakarott recognized the place he had first seen ChiChi and found it fitting that he and his brother should fight here.

He turned to said brother, "Radditz, we don't have to do this. You can help me find Vegeta and we can destroy Frieza. Maybe you just need to talk to Vegeta. He can explain things better than me. Come on, Radditz, we need your help."

Radditz's face took on a thoughtful gaze, "And what do you think Prince Vegeta would say?"

Kakarott shrugged, "We won't know until we find him and talk to him."

Radditz nodded, "And he would forget what has been said? He would accept me with open arms? He would be that soft and weak?" He barked out a laugh, not allowing Kakarott a chance to answer, "Such a weak leader you have; a pansy! No wonder our race has all died, with a leader like that who needs a tyrant, hm? What'd he do, beg Frieza to destroy your planet?"

Kakarott's face darkened, features hardening mercilessly. "No, you're right to denounce what you are. We are a proud and noble warrior race. You would disgrace us with your presence. Since Prince Vegeta is not here, I myself will be the one to uphold your death for actions against the crown."

Radditz laughed again, having to hold onto his stomach in an effort to contain his hilarity, "What are you? The Saiyan Judge?"

Kakarott smirked, an upward tilting of his mouth that reached his eyes with malicious intent. "No." With no more said, Kakarott plunged downward into the trees, ducking beneath them and weaving in and out, vanishing quickly from Radditz's sight in the thick foliage.

Radditz growled low in his throat and followed suit. Really he hated forests. Stopping in the air, he smirked suddenly and rose back into the air, holding both his hands out spread-eagle. He brought the hands up to touch fingers and swung them both in front if him with a great clap.

The shock wave that rolled from the sound and motion was like a hurricane force, flattened and uprooting trees in a twenty-mile radius around the upraised man. Still smirking, Radditz looked around for any sign of his brother, frowning when he saw nothing that looked like an orange speck.

Suddenly Radditz found both his arms drawn back in a half nelson that had him catching his breath in surprise. He felt the other's breath on his neck. "That wasn't very nice, Radditz. I liked those woods."

Radditz merely barked a laugh, "Oh so sorry, Kakarott. They were an eyesore to me. Here, take a closer look." With a great heave, he brought his arms forward, pitching Kakarott over his head to plummet to the ground.

Kakarott caught himself before hitting, flipping in midair to glare up. He brought both his hands to the side; power beginning to glow there as he intoned the words that brought focus to his move.

"KA…."

Radditz clearly heard the words reaching him and raised a brow.

"ME…."

He started to tap his foot in impatience.

"HA…."

Wondering when the attack would actually come, he sighed with half-disgust.

"ME…."

Radditz shrugged and phased out, appearing behind Kakarott to throw an elbow the back of the man's head, dissipating the blast and throwing Kakarott forward. Not allowing the other to recover.

"H-" Kakarott fumbled, a wide-eyed look on his face as he stumbled forward. Feeling a knee connect with his lower back, he howled, sure he had heard a crack, which definitely wasn't a good thing.

He connected with a downed tree, draping across the huge trunk. With a grunt he tried to lever himself up, letting out another pain-filled yell as Radditz placed both boots in his back again. Oh, there's the crack.

Radditz chuckled at the downed man and prepared to deliver a blow that would ensure his victory over the Saiyan Empire. Hey, if he could kill the Prince's bodyguard, surely he could kill the Prince.

Vegeta cursed himself quite colorfully, in several different languages, finally reverting to his own when he ran out. Saiyans had the dirtiest mouths in the galaxy.

Why in the world had he done that to her? He had been the one to insult her and when she had basically told him that, he'd taken offense. Was he that sensitive to comments that he would take off because someone told him they wanted to be left alone because of him? No, if anyone else had told him that, he would've just shrugged it off and gone on, accepting it as his lot in life. It seemed to be the fact that it was she who had said it that-hurt?

He shook his head, flying toward the setting sun with a frown still in place, not noticing the vivid colors of red, orange, and blue that seeped to purple behind him, delicate stars tracing patterns in the darkening sky.

Thinking back on the look on her face, he wondered if she was not hurting as much as he. Did she think he was really that mad at her? No, it wasn't her he was mostly mad at; it was himself. He'd seen how people reacted to Kakarott. Despite his Saiyan heritage, the other man had an affable attitude that everyone reacted with. He had a charisma to him that people responded positively to.

Vegeta however, excelled in pushing people away. Who knew what they would think if they saw the 'real' him? He chuckled with irony. Was there even a 'real' him anymore, or had he become what he wanted people to see him as?

He wondered if he should go back or if Bulma would even want to see his face. Most people he pushed away stayed away-forever. That last word made Vegeta's flight falter. He tried to console himself with that fact that he hadn't succeeded in pushing Kakarott away, but Bulma was not Kakarott.

Flexing his shoulders as he continued on, barely noticing the mountains before him, he decided that maybe he should stay out of the way until later that night; then sneak in after she was asleep. He had made promises he couldn't break just because she might ha- He closed his eyes and willed away that thought, denying it vehemently.

He opened his eyes with a start as-something pushed into his mind forcefully. It was not a voice, not a presence, more like a feeling-a warning? He looked around, now noticing the mountain range he had stumbled upon. Below him was a quiet, darkening wood. Beyond that was an entire section of that same wood that was flattened. To the right- Whoa, back up!

He focused on the flattened section, looking at it with wide eyes. Halting and moving down, he tried to see what could have caused such a phenomenon. It seemed to be a perfect circle of smashed trees and he had a feeling that whatever was in the center was the cause.

He frowned, trying to get rid of a nagging feeling. However, it insisted on being listened to and he did so in the hopes of shutting it up.

His eyes widened and he sped up dramatically. He didn't know how exactly he knew but Kakarott was in trouble.

He came upon a scene that had him trembling in rage. A man with a long mane of hair and a tail that lashed the air was laughing as he pummeled an orange-outfitted man that was lying across a fallen tree.

Yamcha's words, half spoken when Vegeta had first met him, came back. Radditz was Kakarott's brother. At the moment, it didn't matter why the other was attacking Kakarott. Only Vegeta was allowed to beat up Kakarott.

Swooping down out of the air, he tackled the other man, twisting both of them in midair so that he had a firm grip on his tail. As he had suspected, Radditz immediately lost the altitude he was trying to gain, immobilized by the simple hold.

Vegeta sneered as he held the man up, levitating and listening pleased to the other man's howls. He carefully set himself down, hearing a 'thump' as Radditz was not so carefully set down.

Still holding onto the tail and ignoring the man's pleads, he walked to where Kakarott still form was, frowning and dragging a helpless Radditz behind him. His frown eased when the man still bent over the tree moved, trying to put a hand underneath himself.

"Kakarott?" Vegeta had finally reached and put a hand on the other's shoulder, holding him down as he tried to lever himself up with one hand. "Stay still."

Kakarott's head turned and he looked wide-eyed at Vegeta, wincing as he pulled a torn muscle in his neck. "Vegeta? You found me?"

Vegeta rolled his eyes, "Just in time it seemed. What happened this time? You didn't use the Kamehameha without giving yourself enough time again, did you? You know, for a trademark move, it takes an awfully long time to-"

Kakarott interrupted the much-heard lecture, getting a scowl in return, "What are you going to do with him?" He managed to nod his head toward Radditz.

Vegeta turned behind him to glance at the man, "Oh, him? Well, does your pain feel like this-" he squeezed the man's tail bit by bit, causing him to whimper and squirm, "-or this?" He gave the tail a giant squeeze, hearing cartilage crackle like that cereal the woman had fixed him that morning. Radditz threw back his head and screamed.

"Vegeta…."

Vegeta turned back to the man who was again trying to rise, succeeding in putting a knee underneath him before he had to stop. "You're no fun."

Kakarott's mouth twisted in a half-pained, half-amused grimace, "Vegeta, you're a sadist."

Vegeta nodded, face set serious. "And according to the girl, I'm also a masochist."

Kakarott chuckled this time, bringing the other knee up under him and using the other hand to push himself, breath labored, to a sitting position. He was glad Vegeta was letting him do so on his own. "I want to continue the fight."

Vegeta nodded, "Of course. I just wanted to see you doing your best, and you obviously were not if you let this maggot even touch you."

Kakarott groaned, "Please, Vegeta. He-interrupted me."

Vegeta noted the pause, still ignoring the man who was practically yelping every time Vegeta shifted, thus shifting the hand that held his tail. "Interrupted what?"

Kakarott's face took on an interesting shade of maroon and Vegeta raised a brow, "Kakarott? What were you doing?" His voice took on a hint of command.

"Um, well. I met this girl and she's been helping me and stuff…."

Vegeta smirked, "I'll bet. I bet she's helping a lot." He laughed as Kakarott's face deepened several shades. "Well, glad to know you've been having fun while the girl tore her hair out with worry for you. I've been training this last week, but I can see you haven't. Take this one back here as your first day back into the business. Take care of him quickly so we can head back."

Kakarott tilted his head to one side, hopping down from the trunk and steadying himself as his knees buckled. "But-this girl, ChiChi, I like her a lot, Vegeta. Can't you guys come here? It's in the middle of nowhere so we won't draw attention-"

"You'll have to take it up with the girl." Vegeta's mouth thinned and Kakarott, knowing his friend's expressions, caught it.

"Why can't you ask her?" His eyes were almost shrewd.

Vegeta glowered at the nosey man. "I don't think she wants to talk to me right now…."

Kakarott folded his arms across his chest; then changed his stance so that he could stretch sore muscles for the upcoming fight. "What'd you do this time?"

Vegeta scowled, "I did nothing! She took offense to something said, I took offense to something said. I took off. If I hadn't taken off you'd be a smear on that trunk. Now will you shut up and get on with it? I'd like to get back with my training. We only have three days now!"

Kakarott raised both his hands in defense, "Okay, ok. Let Radditz go and we'll get back to the fight."

Vegeta turned his full attention to man behind him finally, smirking as he was glared at. If looks could kill, Vegeta estimated he'd be halfway to the afterlife by now.

Things seemed to slow down as Vegeta's hand unclenched from around the tail it held. Radditz's face twisted in hate and rage as he stared at the man who was responsible for his imprisonment on this backwater planet that he'd been kicked and abused on since before he could remember. His attention focused on the hated face before him, forgetting about the other as he lunged, wanting nothing more than to rip that smirk from the angular, lean face.

Vegeta watched, amused, as the man lunged at him. Well, even if Kakarott's gasp indicated he hadn't been ready for it, Vegeta had. He grabbed the hand that was trying to punch him and grabbed the other that came up as well, twisting his body so that his knees blocked the twin kicks and spinning the man around. He pushed him into Kakarott, who grabbed him around the waist and threw him into the air.

Kakarott charged the man, who was again trying to reach the smirking Vegeta. For his inattention of Kakarott, Radditz received three hits to his stomach that doubled him over and sent him flying back.

Vegeta boosted himself onto the tree trunk Kakarott had been on and sat back to watch the show, still smirking.

Radditz wisely brought his attention back to the obstacle in front of him, meeting Kakarott's charge with a ki blast that knocked the other man almost back to where Vegeta was. Radditz grinned and phased out, reappearing behind Kakarott to fly at Vegeta.

Vegeta rolled his eyes and didn't even move as Radditz charged him once again. Radditz suddenly found himself yanked back by his collar inches from being able to hit Vegeta and gagged as he was again flung back into the sky.

"Kakarott! Focus, idiot! If I have to take care of him, you will surely regret it!"

Kakarott nodded, not looking at the man who had yelled at him. Instead, he crooked a finger at Radditz. Radditz sneered and charged once again, this time deciding to try something a little different.

Radditz phased out right before running into Kakarott's waiting punches and Kakarott whirled around, thinking the same trick was being performed as last time. Instead, Vegeta found himself being confronted with a sneering Radditz, who threw a ki blast right into his face. He then turned around and hurled one at Kakarott, who was able to block it better than Vegeta had.

Vegeta cursed as he flew up from his position on the ground, where the surprise attack had hit him, hair singed. Now, Vegeta was one vain man when it came to his hair and as of now, this meant war. "Kakarott! He's MINE!"

Kakarott whined a little, but he could totally understand Vegeta's position. No matter what he did, Radditz wanted a fight with Vegeta, and he was going to get one.

A/N: Ohhh, what an unexpected turn of events! Oh boy! This should be a good fight, eh? Sorry I made Kakarott a seemingly inept fighter, but remember that no one but Vegeta has ever come close to his power level and they never fought seriously…. Anyways, this is the only one I can update. I'm like 10 chapters ahead of myself here…. Next Chapter:

"It was on their way to where Yamcha had last sensed Radditz that they saw the flattened land beneath them. Piccolo scowled, "Isn't this near where Miss Mau lives?"

Yamcha nodded silently, mouth set in a grim line, changing his angle so that he was flying over the devastated land. Piccolo followed and both were silent until Piccolo's sharp sight caught a flash of orange. He pointed and he and Yamcha were soon landing beside an orange and blue clothed man."

Hmm, okay, how is it I manage to tell you absolutely nothing with these things? Anyways, see you next week with another exciting episode of-um, Attachments Detached…. (That just doesn't sound as good, does it? ^_^)

Susan: (sigh) *_* I don't know…. K/CC are kinda cute and sweet aren't they? I LOVE them as a couple!!! Oh, I have a boyfriend! The Summer of Boyfriendlessness is over!!! Anyways, more happened this chapter, eh? There's Radditz…. And, as Vegeta would say before he betrays Goku's trust, "Heh!"

JadedBest: I know…. I have been in denial…. Boyfriendlessness will do that to you, you know. But, now that I have a boyfriend, everything is clearer now…. I've become all mushy and stuff. Not chick-flick mushy, but wow-that-sex-scene-was-so-sweet mushy. Anyways, M. Trunks? Nah, no longer interested. Did you know he (my bf) had a dream where I was chasing a dragon (Charizard O.o) and he 'swooped' in and he was--Vegeta? Weird…. Everytime he says the 'M' word I freak inside. And he's scared of spiders (sadistic chuckle). Our relationship is already backwards…. He keeps saying if we watch a scary movie (Evil Dead) he's going to need comforted…. O.o Well, no further explanation needed there. ^_^ Wow, I feel giddy! Headrush! Soon? Hmm, let's see, 67 pages, 100 some written…. Nah, not soon. Too much else is happening…. Eh, sorry about Radditz. I made him--evil. Sequel? (squeal) Can't wait…. [Vegeta: (aside to Kahlan) You have to wait for the other story to finish.] (blushes) Oh, yeah. So…my luck is great…are you thinking of suicide? O.o; J/K Seriously, I am! Don't use your 'Writing Pen of Doom'! lol

Masamune: Sorry 'bout that. I'm picking it up in subsequent chapters….

Maria S.: You left your email in your review…. Want to be notified of updates? Checking because I'm slow sometimes. There's Radditz. I even gave him what I consider a cool attack.

Moonsaiyanprincess: ^_^ Thanks! I hope I always meet your expectations….