Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ He Means Business ❯ 06 ( Chapter 6 )

"Say, Kakarrot," Raditsu raised an eyebrow, and Goku raised one in return, inquisitively. "How'd you like to help me out?"

 

"Is that against the rules?" Goku pondered.

 

Raditsu snickered. "Rules? Come on, little brother. Ain't no rules in anything but card games. And even then, it's sketchy."

 

Goku frowned a bit at this, and Raditsu cursed himself for forgetting his brother's apparent obsession with all things fair and nice. He opened his mouth and hoped that something that could save his statement would spew out, but Goku beat him to it with a slightly baffled, "Well, I've never played cards, so..."

 

"Sweet gods," Raditsu whistled lowly, "no wonder you still don't seem like half a Saiyajin." He smirked. Bet you're not half as good as your father, either. And I'd bet you don't know too much about gambling... "I'll show you sometime."

 

The younger Saiyajin nodded, ready to be excited about Raditsu's apparent turn for the better but for that sneaky grin he wore as he spoke. Maybe there was something about cards he just didn't know yet. "O-okay. Sure."

 

"So how about helping me?"

 

Goku's eyebrows knit, trying to evaluate the devious sparkle in his brother's eye. "I, I guess I could, but I dunno how I'd help. I mean, I ain't that smart. Never went to school or nothin'. Maybe you should ask Vegeta."

 

"No," Raditsu stood, crossing his arms, "unfortunately, it seems the Bulma woman has somewhat of a stranglehold on him that prevents him from assisting me, and I suspect it originates at his ba—" they both turned to the nearest hallway, which seemed to be emitting an assortment of coughing and gagging noises, followed by high-pitched and uproarious laughter.

 

"Well, I guess it's 'cause Vegeta loves Bulma," Goku finished, "so it would be pretty mean of him to turn against her." He frowned. "'Cause, it's not exactly like she's Freeza. He had a good reason to turn against him, I guess."

 

"What, to become immortal?" Raditsu chuckled, and then he leaned in close to whisper, "Are you sure Bulma isn't like the Freeza of this planet? It seems that she controls everything."

 

"But she don't kill anyone, so I'd say she's not so much like Freeza," Goku reminded him, a bit too loudly, for similar sounds erupted from the hallway, their pitches reversed.

 

Raditsu shrugged. "Whatever you say." He seemed to be mustering something up, and Goku wondered if he had learned how to raise his power level during the time he was dead, for momentarily his features reflected utmost inward focus. Finally, the Saiyajin exhaled, and, biting his lip, shakily extended one arm. For all his uncertain features, his voice was forceful. "Kakarrot, join forces with me."

 

When Goku didn't reach for his hand, Raditsu felt himself grow more confident as some of the tension melted away. "Together we can be the greatest power on the planet, and then—the universe!"

 

"Um," Goku started, but didn't seem to have anything else to say.

 

Raditsu amended, "Or at least, give your so-called friends what for." Goku chewed his tongue, indecisive about what this could mean, so Raditsu added, "You know. Like a competition. A challenge. What say you, Kakarrot?" Nervously he twitched the fingers of his outstretched hand, waiting for the moment of certain doom.

 

"Well, I guess if you put it like that...I ain't never backed down from a challenge against Vegeta. Sure. Okay! Let's do it!" He stood, grinning and nodding resolutely.

 

Raditsu smirked. "Excellent." Glancing down, he noticed his still-outstretched, still-empty hand, and grew uncomfortable with its proximity to his brother's groin. He blurted, "Are you shaking my hand or not, dammit?"

 

"What?" Goku blinked, glancing downward as if he hadn't noticed its extended position prior to Raditsu's mentioning it. "Guess I could. But, gee, Raditsu, I'm kind of surprised." The other Saiyajin blinked, waiting, and wondering if he was the only one who noticed the uncontrollable quivering of his hand as he prepared to recoil. "Well, I thought Saiyajin thought that that means something different."

 

Raditsu's jaw dropped and he scraped for words to explain himself, quickly crossing his arms.

 

"At least, when I tried t' shake Vegeta's hand the first time, he just freaked out." Goku snickered to himself. "It was priceless; you shoulda..."

 

"S-so...you aren't going to shake my hand?" Raditsu blinked. "Ever?"

 

"Don't make no difference to me," Goku shrugged. "Kick me in the shin, for all I care."

 

Raditsu grinned, mopping the nervous sweat from his brow with relief. "Don't mind if I do."

 

 

...

 

 

While hiding from Nappa certainly did provide a level of entertainment that nearly approached playing cards, Bardock grew increasingly frustrated with the game as Nappa improved. It didn't help that the guy seemed to know everyone, and didn't have a problem with asking passers-by if they'd seen him. This had made his attempts at gaining solitude—by the hour, or by the day when he was lucky—nearly impossible, so he'd taken to disguising himself. His red bandana was perhaps one of his most distinguishing features, but he was too attached to give it away; he tucked it into his armor along the back of his neck, where it would not be visible to anyone searching for it on his forehead.

 

And many in Hell were familiar with his son—Kakarrot, of course; hardly anyone knew Raditsu—so his hair was a problem as well. He tousled it frequently in the hopes of breaking up its distinctive shape.

 

He even pilfered armor from another Saiyajin, and was finally satisfied. Let Nappa find me n—

 

And his now-bare forehead slammed against the ground as he collapsed.

 

The little boy who looked just like Kakarrot was scratching his head as he explained something to Kakarrot himself, and from his view of the scene Bardock could see the concern on Kakarrot's face as he glanced toward Raditsu, who also frowned. They exchanged words, and Raditsu took something from Goten's hands—a gathering of papers, perhaps?—observing it for several moments before handing it to Goku, who shook his head.

 

Vegeta entered from past where he could see, whispering to the brothers as he nonchalantly laid his hand against Goten's head, disheveling his hair. He pointed to something on the papers and spoke with an expression so arrogant that only a Vegeta could wear it. As he left, Raditsu smirked and—

 

"Subplot!" Bardock blurted as he exploded back into consciousness.

 

"Imposter, more like!" came a regal voice from behind him. Bardock froze, afraid to turn around. While with his powers he could only see his son's future—now that he had none himself—he felt he already knew that what stood just over his shoulder was a fate worse than Nappa.

 

 

...

 

 

Around the corner, in the noisy hallway, there was brief chattering, and Vegeta emerged moments later without Bulma. "Touching reunion," he rolled his eyes toward Goku and Raditsu. "And by the way, the health of my reproductive organs is in my hands and no one else's."

"Oh, I'll bet," Raditsu chortled, and Goku glanced between them confusedly, ready to shrug and give up on figuring it out but for the immense irritation etched onto Vegeta's face, which Goku had believed that only he could invoke.

 

"Goddammit, you know I didn't mean it like that," Vegeta growled, "And so you know, Raditsu, I haven't gotten any weaker since we last met."

 

Raditsu merely shrugged, smirking smugly as he suddenly realized the freedoms that standing beside his brother allowed him. "Anyway, I don't believe you. About your woman."

 

"Oh, yeah?" Vegeta nearly snarled, more upset than he wanted to admit about the sudden brazen confidence of the man. "I don't need to do everything for her just to make me happy!"

 

"Really?" Raditsu raised an eyebrow, and Goku considered jumping in to stop the conflict until Raditsu sent him a warning glance from the corner of his eye, raising his arm to block his brother from moving. "Is that so?"

 

"Yes," Vegeta crossed his arms. "Let me prove it to you. I recommend that for your success you turn that sports shop back into a dessert shop. Your employees are already proficient with running it, and with his nearly unmatched experience with the foods of this planet, your dear Kakarrot will be invaluable to you in making culinary decisions." He turned his nose up with resolve. "See? There."

 

"Thanks, Vegeta," Raditsu's voice rolled from his throat smoothly, "I'll get right on it. Come, Kakarrot. Our prince's advice is sound. Quite the businessman himself. Wouldn't his mate be proud?"

 

Vegeta's eyes widened, and he gulped. "D...don't tell! That's not fair!"

 

Raditsu merely waved as he strode out the door, and Goku paused to stare at Vegeta, conflicted. A contest, a voice rang through his mind, a competition. "I think Raditsu would say...something about cards!" he blurted, and then bolted for the door.