Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Even the Ruthless Fall in Love ❯ Gone... Forever? ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: I don't know WHAT it'll take to pound it into y'allz thick skulls, but I do not own or claim to own DragonBall Z or any of it's characters. That is the *bow* strict right of *bow* Akira Toriyama *bow* ^_^ I'm applying for the rights to the entire Saiyan race!

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

EVEN THE RUTHLESS FALL IN LOVE: Chapter 9 - Gone...Forever?

Mmph. I have this horrible habit of naming my chapters before writing them, so I rarely use the same name I listed in the previous chapter... I've been home sick for two days (per the assistance of a 60 watt bulb and a very gullible thermometer) so I have had a great deal of time to think about this next addition. I shocked myself when I wrote Chapter 8, and I hope it had a similar effect on all my readers... Hah, like there are that many readers. *groan* I pretty much do this solely for my own enjoyment, and cause my friend Lewis seems to enjoy it so much *wink* Now enough with my rambling. ^_^ Enjoy.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Radditz plowed straight through the vacuum door, breaking off the frame in a mad rage. Every occupant of the mess hall turned to stare, causing the infuriated Saiyan to start screaming. He grabbed the closest thing to him; an alien warrior who was in the middle of attempting to escape. Radditz threw the creature into the air, blasting a hole through its chest with a large energy blast. The body fell to the ground, and he continued screaming, shooting blindly in every direction.

Frieza entered the room through the Radditz-shaped hole in the door, peering around to add up the damage. Two other Saiyans came in behind him, examining the display of madness with some interest.

"Vegeta, sedate him. I want him locked in one of the quarters on the port wing," Frieza commanded, pointing to Radditz. He was now forcing his way through the next door and into the meeting hall.

"Yes, sire," Vegeta replied in a dark, raspy voice. He signaled to the large, almost-bald Saiyan beside him and they descended on Radditz, pinning him to the ground. The long-haired beast continued to scream and roar, punching Nappa squarely in the face. The bodyguard backed up slightly while Vegeta snorted, ripping a piece of metal off the doorframe and using it to bind the enraged Saiyan's hands behind him. The prince pulled him to his feet, kicking Radditz in the calves until he began to walk, directing the clumsy, still hollering madman out into the hall.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

It took Khune a matter of seconds to contemplate her options and settle on a decision. She knew they wouldn't bother following her; she would have no reason to come back, and her motives rested upon the screaming baby in her arms. She plotted the course and lay back, trying to calm the sobbing Ona.

Just forget about him, little one. We'll be on our own, but we'll make it, Khune reassured herself more than anything. But she didn't believe a word of it, and set her face to stone as she drifted off to sleep, the baby quickly following suit.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Radditz awoke, his memory in a haze. He remembered her face, set with such hate and pain as he had never seen before. The memory sent him into another rage, but the bounds on his arms kept him from moving very much. His screams and roars slowly turned into a low growl, his tail clinging to his waist, the tip waving frantically.

I promise. The growl quickly escalated into a long, dreadful howl, which filled the room and echoed down the hall and throughout most of the ship.

Vegeta covered his ears, snarling as his food toppled off the low table.

"Shit! What the fuck happened to that... thing?!" He demanded, jumping to his feet and flexing in anger. Nappa looked up and raised an eyebrow, then looked back to his burnt lunch.

"I heard Dodoria say something about 'dirty attachments. He'll be useless for weeks.' I think it has to do with that female we saw, you know, the one who had his scent all over her," Nappa said with a frown. Vegeta glared down.

"Either way, I want to gag him! That sound is absolutely SICKENING!" And with that, Vegeta hit a fist into the table and sent it flying across the room.

"Well, there goes my lunch," Nappa commented, sighing.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Frieza didn't know exactly what had been deleted from the computers, but if it was so important to her, he sure as hell wanted to find out.

"M'Lord, should we track her pod?" Zarbon asked in that strangely calm voice of his. Frieza glared at the green-haired minion.

"No point. For one, she's already rewired her ship so it can't be tracked, and two, its a waste of energy. If I ever feel the need to find her again, that monkey Radditz will lead her right to us," Frieza said blankly, caressing the black fabric of his chair with one clawed hand. Dodoria raised an eyebrow, but decided to leave the matter. "Besides, she's running away. She won't come back."

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Khune almost smiled as the beautiful, green orb came into view. Ona was still fast asleep, thankfully, and was probably seeing her second week of life. Khune felt truly sorry for the small being she had brought into the world.

Perhaps she would grow up better here.

The pod came into a harsh landing, instantly awaking the baby. She screamed and cried as the hatch opened, Khune stepping out into the comfortingly familiar air. The sky was black and dotted with stars, mostly blurred out by the radiance of the planet's two suns. The planet was void of a moon, so any prospect of hurting the Letas was comfortably out of reach. Ona stopped crying for a moment, the strange new atmosphere attracting the infant's attention. Khune surveyed the area, instantly recognizing it and flew off, set with purpose.

Kay, the East village's leader, greeted the Saiyan with a rush of images and thoughts, so jumbled Khune had to stop the alien with a hand. The hairy alien removed its mask, watching her face intently, when suddenly Ona began to cry. The Leta leaped back in surprise, the crowd that had formed coming in closer to examine the child.

That's enough now. We need a place to rest, Khune relayed through a series of images and thoughts. Kay nodded quickly and cleared the thoroughfare, letting the Saiyan pass into the main tent.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Radditz wiped his hands against each other, absent mindedly removing the filth from his white gloves. He sighed, unimpressed with the ashy remains of the landscape. He lay against a nearby rock, one who had been spared of his merciless attack, and stretched out. Placing his arms behind his head, he yawned, and that familiar cold emptiness crept up beside him like a cat. Radditz was close to this feeling, which was devoid of any warmth or comfort, which left him naturally unattached.

This month was going to be his fifth visit. Every time he appeared, he would scour the planet, and thus would only be greeted by its accepting inhabitants. More than once they tried to dress him again in their custom-dictated robes, but Radditz rudely shooed them away and would continue on his search. He stayed true to the routine, for this was the only place he could think to look. The Saiyan had accepted hundreds of missions in the far reaches of the known universe, and had never once come across the only thing he wanted.

He expected this time to be no different.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

"Ona! Sit down and finish your breakfast! You are not going anywhere until you give me a proper run through of your kata," Khune commanded, crossing her arms like the steel wall she was. The little girl began to whine, but the evil glare on her mother's face stopped her in mid-thought. Ona turned back to her meal and dove in, Khune sighing and leaving the tent.

The Saiyan flew low over the grass, allowing less than six feet between her and the hard earth. The sounds of her daughter's infuriated "Ha! Heeeee-yah!" as she practiced drifted from Khune's ears. She stopped, landing slowly in the throes of the immense prairie. The grass rippled from a light breeze, her tail waving freely as the four-year-old landed beside her.

"Mom?" Khune glanced down briefly before staring off into space again. "You're thinking about papa again?" Ona inquired innocently.

"No! Leave me alone, go bother Em or something," the older Saiyan snarled. Ona sighed and took to the air, flying back towards the village. Khune turned her attention back to the sky, watching the distant stars. Her fists clenched and she gritted her teeth, then turned away. Suddenly, she felt a familiar energy, but too late.

"You look more pissed off than you did four years ago," a deep voice said, affirming her suspicion and fear. Khune refrained from turning around and either embracing him or punching him. She let out a snarl and walked away.

"Get the fuck out of here," she growled, her voice low and dripping of rage. Radditz touched her shoulder, and she spun with incredible speed. He flew back from the immense blow to the stomach. The long-haired Saiyan stepped back in shock, watching her emerald eyes covered in anger and hate. Radditz met her gaze with an equally irascible expression, regaining his composure.

"I did what I had to," he said at length, his words portraying that he actually believed them. Khune glared.

"Yeah, you did what you had to, to save your own ass!" She roared, her tail twisting around her waist tightly. For some strange reason, Radditz let his furry appendage go freely behind him, twisting with emotion. He knew she was right, this thought searing a hole into his Saiyan pride. He stepped back and turned his head away from her.

"So what? I've come looking for you two for four years," Radditz said, as if this would atone his actions. Khune snorted.

"I know. And this was the one time I failed to avoid you." He cast her a sidelong glance, the harsh reality descending on him. Radditz watched his... former mate in silent shock, unconsciously feeling along his neck. The bite had healed.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Ona finally got sick of waiting for her mother to show up. She left the tent, flying off towards where she had last seen her.

A scream pulled the two opposing Saiyans from their shocked stare-down. Khune whirled around, the forest green-haired girl holding her tail and watching the stranger with what seemed to be between horror and surprise. Radditz' eyes widened, his poise dropping from a fighting stance to a shocked wobble.

"MAMA! Who is that?!" Ona squeaked, rushing to hide behind her green-haired mother. The little girl had never seen another creature other than her mother and the Letas in her short life.

"Stay back," Khune commanded, putting a hand in front of her daughter's face. She nodded and took a step back, still staring avidly at the newcomer.

"She doesn't even know who I am," Radditz half chuckled, half grimaced. It was an odd combination of emotions, piled into a single sentence.

"Of course she doesn't. I made sure she didn't, I didn't want any part of you corrupting her," Khune said in a cold voice.

"CORRUPTING HER?!" Radditz exploded, and Ona leaped back five feet, while her mother remained in place. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I WENT THROUGH TO FIND YOU TWO?!" He hollered, his eyes wide and full of rage.

"No. Enlighten me."

The Caspians were after him. Again.

The Saiyan maneuvered his half broken pod through the fleet of firing pirates, making his way towards the planet where his scouter had indicated a large power and a similar but smaller one. The ship finally burst through the aliens' outer shield mechanism, heading in for a crash landing.

The planet was pretty much deserted, and the Saiyan managed to brush off a few hordes of giant, ravenous worms. The energies he had detected were two of Frieza's minions, who were cleaning off the planet for sale. He sighed, defeated, and collapsed into one of the dark craters that covered the giant rock's surface.

Radditz shook off the memory and glared.

"Fuck it. I'm out of here," he finally growled, turning around to stalk off.

"You're... You're my daddy, aren't you?" Ona said suddenly, poking out from behind Khune. Radditz turned around, giving her a quizzical expression. She rushed to him, grasping onto his leg. "Papa! You are papa! Don't leave," the little girl begged. He tried to shake her off, but she grasped onto him with determination.

"Yeah I am. But trust me, you don't want me here," Radditz told the little girl, finally prying her grip away from his leg. He held her up in front of him by one arm, and she burst out crying. Khune's maternal instincts kicked in and she walked over, taking the sobbing Ona out of Radditz' grasp.

"Shhh little one," she cooed, but the dark haired girl just cried harder. His eyes softened and he watched his daughter bawl her eyes out, over... him?

"There's probably something wrong with her, you should make sure she isn't sick," Radditz suggested. Khune nodded.

"Yeah..." She began to walk back to the village when Radditz came up beside her.

"Um, do you want me to carry her?" He asked, earning him a shocked expression. "Well, I want to make sure she's alright, and she is my daughter," Radditz added.

Handing over the bawling Ona, they made their way towards the camp.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The little forest green-haired girl was playing quietly with her friend Em and a few of their wooden toys. Radditz watched them, his eyes glazed as he sipped on a bowl of grass juice. Khune leaned back in her chair, wearing a decent outfit made of some gray and white leather.

"She's so... grown up," Radditz said at length. Khune raised an eyebrow.

"Well, what do you expect?"

"My... erm, the little infant I remember, I guess," he sighed. Radditz wrinkled his brow and shifted his attention to the conversation at hand.

"Figures. I was surprised she figured out who you were," Khune commented, taking a final bite out of the biscuit in her hand. She had been nibbling nervously for the past twenty minutes since Radditz arrived, being the highlight of the entire village's day.

"Me too." The two watched Ona break a wooden space pod apart, grinning as her Leta playmate began to cry. "She got your attitude," Radditz remarked. Khune snickered and rested her elbow on the table, propping her head up.

"I'll have to agree with you there. Though, I must admit, I'm still at a loss as to why you're here," she confided, raising an eyebrow. Radditz' eyes clouded over as he sat back, sipping his drink.

"I don't know why you think I wouldn't come after you. I... I knew you would find some way out. I didn't want to get myself killed in the process," he said. Khune jumped up, fuming.

"GET YOURSELF KILLED?! What about us?! So you would've let us get killed and say you had nothing to do with us so you could save your own ass?!" She screamed. Ona instantly got to her feet and bolted out the tent. There was nothing in the world that could make her miss... um... Bee's birthday. Yeah. That's it.

"What was I SUPPOSED to do?! I am a Saiyan, so are you. We both know better," Radditz said, crossing his arms and glaring. Khune sighed, leaning back against her chair.

"Point taken." He examined her downcast face, her nicely trimmed green hair in a fluff around her eyes. He felt the urge to rush beside her and kiss her all over, but he kept himself firmly planted in his seat. Radditz shifted his armor and looked around uncomfortably. Khune raised an eyebrow and watched, before adding, "Now that you've found us, what do you want?" Radditz looked up, eyeing her warily.

"Excuuuuuuse me! I haven't to anyone in five years, give me a break," she groaned, her tail sagging behind her. She turned and began to walk, Radditz taking up step beside her. He looked at her inquiringly and she gave him a classic half-smirk, the image of her as a rude, jumpy twelve-year-old appearing in his mind at the glance.

"The creatures here are peaceful. This planet had been classified as hostile, probably because Frieza wanted it cleansed without a second thought. The Letas, as they call themselves, communicate by telepathically transmitting images and thoughts to communicate to one another. I usually only speak briefly to Frieza's goons before I blow them to smithereens," Khune told him, grinning mischievously at her last sentence. He grinned back snidely and his tail waved free, feeling that there wouldn't be any threat here. He stopped and turned to look at her.

"I… I missed you," he admitted, his cheek twitching. She brought a hand to his face and grinned, then, he punched her in the arm.

"Ow! What was THAT for?!" She demanded. Radditz sneered.

"THAT was for when you called me an asshole the day you left," he grabbed her by the neck and gave her an immense noogie. "And THIS is for when you apologized afterwards!" They laughed and continued walking, tails winding around each other.

Those green orbs could never be lied to, and he knew it.

"I... I missed you," he replied. Khune stared at him in shock, and almost as quickly she tipped back too far and landed flat on her back. Radditz rushed over, helping her up, then dropped her again the second he realized what he was doing.

"Jeez! Thanks alot!" Khune groaned, rubbing the back of her head. She got up, dusting herself off, when suddenly she was pushed forward, landing in Radditz' arms.

Ona laughed.

Great idea, Em! The little hairy alien nodded in agreement. They hopped away, trilling and giggling.

Will your parents ever... what do you call it? Mate again? Em asked, hopping in her white dangling robes. They were just slightly too big for her.

I hope so. Mom has been so antsy and bossy lately, Ona replied, sighing.

Agreed.

Khune stared up, blushing. It was an action that hadn't bewitched her for years. Radditz took a few steps back, but stopped when her jade eyes flashed that radiant glow. Her tail slowly unraveled, dancing in the air as he wrapped his furry appendage around hers. A shiver ran up her spine, a cruel reminder to the long absence of the familiar and comforting feeling. Radditz leaned down, kissing her tightly on the lips, which Khune returned eagerly. She knew she was just getting herself mixed up again, and this time, it wasn't just herself at stake.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

^_^ Well? What did ya peoples think? I don't know, because NONE OF YOU HAVE BEEN REVIEWING! AARGH! >O I am seriously considering not even writing the sequel, since this one's almost over.. Oops, I hope I didn't spoil anything.

Anyways, please R&R!

~Majin Niña~

Of course, no bets as to the next chapter. Chapter 10 - Hearts for Hearts