Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Idomu ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 7 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

By: Macha

Disclaimer: I don't own DB/Z/GT or any of the characters found in this fic. They are the property of TOEI ANIMATION in Japan and FUNimation in the U.S.A. I am not making any profit from this.

Rating - NC-17

Warnings - INCEST. And although I don't know that it is so much a warning for this group as it is an encouragement…Yaoi (M/M, M/M/M). Followed by, ice, fire, body modification, voyeurism, bonding, tails, S & M, slave/master, character death, lemons, limes, random Japanese terms, A/U, wishes. (And I apologize for any other warnings I have forgotten!)

Pairings - (stepping out on a limb here folks) Lemons: Prince Vegeta/Kakarott/Gohan, K/Gh, PV/K, Radditz/Gh, V/Gh, V/G.

A/N: Thank you for beta'ing, Hoshi!!!!!!!!

Idomu - Chapter 6

Gohan shivered as he laid out face down on the surgery table. He worried he had made a mistake in telling Vegeta all the prince had wanted to know about Earth, but it had been a part of their bargain. A respirator was pressed through the hole in the table against his face and then strapped behind his head. He started counting back from 100, trying not to tense up. The anesthetic quickly made that worry moot: Gohan could feel his body relaxing as he breathed in the vapors. His eyes closed of their own accord.

Vegeta stood with his back against the door as Kakarott paced the length of the room. The prince had his scouter turned on, keeping a close watch on the slave while he thought some on what the slave had told him of his home world. The only thing of interest was the technology, but the slave had indicated he could duplicate much of it from the resources Vegeta could supply and the equipment Kakarott's father had.

Currently, the scouter held a reading of 10, but the prince wanted to make sure he could mask any sudden spikes that may happen in the slave's energy during or immediately after the surgery. There would be a 12-hour recovery time, where either Kakarott or himself would be in the same room as the slave: a precaution Vegeta hoped was unnecessary.

He found his eyes following Kakarott's form back and forth across the room. Vegeta wanted to go to him…but he didn't know if he could control himself. Wouldn't it just amuse everyone so, if he couldn't keep his hands off of the concubine that had dumped him. He scowled at the thought.

Kakarott stilled as he felt the prince's mood shift. He looked in the other's direction, the desperation he felt easy to read on his face. Vegeta shook his head once, indicating even that was too much in the presence of others, and Kakarott took up his pacing again.

Over an hour later, the surgeon stepped away from the operating table. He wiped off his hands and stepped out of the bottom half of the regeneration tank before pressing the button that would close it. The sides of the tank closed around the patient, and liquid started filling the tank. He turned as the prince addressed him, “Well?”

Dr. Malva looked up, “Everything went smoothly. It was practically textbook,” he said as he handed over the chip that had been attached to the slave's spinal cord. The doctor was thankful there had been no complications; this surgery was a once in a lifetime operation…he seriously doubted there would be another slave in this generation to receive the same.

Vegeta grunted, inspecting the tiny piece of technology. He passed it over to Kakarott as the other came to see, “Here's your proof. I hope you made the correct decision,” Vegeta told Kakarott for the benefit of the doctor.

Kakarott nodded and crushed it between his fingers, “Shouldn't his ki be higher?” he asked.

The doctor cleared his throat, “The tank sequence should be like any other. His ki will stay low until the anesthetic starts to wear off. If you do not need me for anything else, your Highness,” he said. The tension between these two was almost an entity of its own and he would be more than happy to leave to let them deal with things. Word had spread fast that the concubine had been the one to dissolve the contract.

“No. I think you've done well,” Vegeta told the surgeon. He relaxed visibly as the doctor left the two of them alone. “Radditz is waiting outside,” he warned Kakarott.

Kakarott didn't bother mentioning he could feel that for himself: the warning had been Vegeta's way of showing concern, “He's probably going to kick my ass at the first opportunity,” Kakarott sighed.

“You stay here and I'll take care of your brother,” Vegeta said, reaching a hand to brush some hair from Kakarott's face.

“Thank you, your Highness,” Kakarott replied. Trying to explain to his brother this was a part of something much bigger wasn't going to be easy, especially from the inside of a regeneration tank. Radditz had a habit of reacting before thinking…or in this case, listening.

Vegeta left quickly, the temptation Kakarott presented was too dangerous.

Kakarott sighed as the door closed. He shook himself mentally and then went to go and peer at Gohan through the observation window, “You'd have better not been lying,” he hissed quietly before turning his back to the tank, and sliding down to the floor to wait.

Radditz stood to attention as the prince exited the room soon after the doctor. “Your Highness,” he started, “I am sorry about my brother…”

Vegeta shook his head, “I do not wish to discuss this here,” he interrupted, indicating the hallway before leading the other to somewhere he felt more secure about discussing the truth of things.

Radditz nodded and fell in behind his prince; he was already getting razzed about what his brother had pulled, and several of his inferiors had indicated they didn't think he would be keeping his job long after the stunt pulled in the council room. Some of them were too happy at the prospect of a raise in position at his expense, for Radditz' tastes.

The commander was surprised when Vegeta pulled him into a small supply room. He watched curiously as the prince disabled the one surveillance camera in the room, before turning back to him, “Your brother did precisely as instructed,” Vegeta's statement couldn't have been more shocking to Radditz.

“He was supposed to publicly humiliate you?” he asked before he thought better of his wording. He waited to get reprimanded in some way for his words.

So it was another shock as the prince shook his head and started chuckling, “No. No, but this will work out much better for us in the end.”

Radditz sighed in confusion, “So, I shouldn't beat the shit out of my brother?” he asked, and went on to his next question after the prince shook his head, “And I still have a job?”

Vegeta stopped chuckling, “Who said anything about your job?”

“Well, there were several of the men who indicated because of the shame Kakarott had just brought on the royal family, you'd most likely fire me in the next couple of days,” he explained.

Vegeta snorted, “I can certainly keep my perspective objective when it comes to my different employees,” he frowned, “Although…this may prove useful,” he grinned, “I will want a report as to what happens and I can send you with them, to return to me in a week. When you get back, you can kick the shit out of those quickest to mock you,” the prince granted.

Radditz grinned wickedly, “So, what is it that you will need me to report on, your Highness?” he asked casually.

The prince's head suddenly turned as though Vegeta had heard something weird, “Shit,” he said, pressing Radditz out of the way, and reaching for the door. His commander followed him back to the surgery room.

“What is it, your Highness?” Radditz asked as Vegeta quickly entered and beckoned him in.

“Close the door and turn your scouter on,” the prince advised. Radditz closed the door and turned back to the interior of the room. He noticed his brother peering into the regeneration chamber and turned his scouter on and did a double take at the data readings while tapping the temperamental instrument, “I think it's broken,” he commented quietly. His brother's ki read 10,500, Vegeta's had dropped to 380, and the ki from who he supposed was the slave in the tank had spiked…to 35,000: Vegeta's light training read out.

“I can't get his attention,” Kakarott said to Vegeta, “He is still sleeping off the anesthetic,” he continued worriedly.

“It's okay, I've suppressed mine to compensate. Hopefully if someone comes, they won't actually enter the room,” he turned back to Radditz, “I need you to guard the door. If anyone comes, imply that we are arguing, and that you greatly recommend they do not interrupt us,” Vegeta ordered.

Radditz nodded and did as he was told, although he was becoming desperate for answers. The prince had learned to suppress his ki? He had known the slave's ki had risen without the aid of a scouter? Yes, he understood now, there was much more going on than what met the casual eye. He pressed his back against the door with a grim look over his features, although he wanted to smile at his brother's achievement. Apparently, Kakarott also knew how to suppress his ki, and his brother was not so far off from his goal of making first class: sneaky little pest.

Radditz gasped as another thought struck him; the slave's reading was at 35,000, and it…he was sleeping?! He almost didn't stop himself from going back into the room, concerned for the safety of his prince and his brother. The thought was astounding…almost terrifying. What would his ki be like when he was finally awake?

Gohan tried to shake his head groggily, but it had been strapped into place. He reached to un-strap the mask from his face, barely registering the fact his arm had been tied down. It wasn't until his foggy mind did register the liquid his arm was moving through that he remembered what was going on. He sighed into the respirator as he opened his eyes. He rolled them up slightly, and saw Vegeta exaggerating a pointing down gesture. He didn't get it until Kakarott held up a scouter and pointed at it, and then lowered his ki.

Radditz' scouter started beeping data at him, and he reached up to turn it off before he noticed it was indicating a great reduction in someone's ki in the room. He opened the door and poked his head inside, “What's going on?” he whispered harshly.

The prince waved a hand at him, not turning back from the tank's window to look in his direction, “The slave woke up. It's…he is consciously suppressing his ki now. Come in and close the door,” Vegeta stated.

Radditz did as instructed, and pressed his back up against the interior of the door as he watched his brother bite his nails. He snorted; Kakarott hadn't done that since he was twelve.

“You're awake too early,” Kakarott mouthed slowly at the slave. Gohan closed his eyes, and then he opened them again. “10 hours,” Kakarott mouthed. Gohan sighed into the respirator and closed his eyes: way too early.

“I think it will be safe to have only one person here at a time now,” Vegeta said, “He is actively controlling his ki,” he turned to Radditz, “We still need to finish talking. Kakarott, you stay here. I'll come relieve you in another hour so you can get something to eat.”

Kakarott nodded, and grinned happily at his brother, “We did it!”

Radditz shook his head, “I am not certain….”

Vegeta grabbed his commander's arm; “I'll explain it better. Right now, it is best if Kakarott and I seem to be at odds…which means I can't stay here.” The prince threw one last look at the concubine…Kakarott before opening the door and leaving the room with Radditz following.

Kakarott sank to the floor after the door closed, “This is going to be so difficult,” he admitted quietly to himself.

~o0o~

Gohan brought a hand up to cover his eyes as he and Kakarott stepped out a guarded door to the palace. He knew it had been a long time since he had done anything other than glance at the sun…that had probably been the worse thing to happen to him since becoming a slave: not being able to breathe fresh air. Damn…and it was hot. He thought he was over reacting, until he looked in the sky and saw two suns. Gohan had forgotten that little detail. “Wow,” he murmured.

Kakarott had been looking around, waiting for his brother to join them. Radditz was getting some last minute instructions from Vegeta. He turned to look at the slave's…Gohan's quiet exclamation, and flinched, “Damn, you are pale!” he noticed the other was already sweating and shook his head, “Come on,” he said, leading the way away from the wall….

“What about Radditz?” Gohan asked as he hurried to catch up. He didn't want to get out of range of the other brother. He understood Vegeta was nervous about leaving his intended alone with him. “Your Highness, if I had wanted to hurt either you or Kakarott for how you treated me while I was a slave, I would have already done so. You'll have to trust me; I have no intention of killing or maiming him. Unfortunately, I will have to hurt him in order to make him stronger.” Gohan had tried to be as honest about his intentions as possible.

“It's not going to take that long to purchase some cantinas. You aren't going to make it to my father's without some water on this trip,” it was only going to take a day to fly to his father's holding, but if the slave was already sweating from just having stepped out from the palace's environmental controls….

Gohan shrugged his pack further up his shoulder, “Good idea,” he said, wiping the perspiration from his brow.

“Don't do that,” Kakarott recommended as they walked to the entrance of a shop, “Your body is trying to cool you down,” he stated.

Gohan shrugged, he hadn't thought much of it. He looked around the odd shop as Kakarott went through different isles, “Can I get some help?” Kakarott asked, holding up full hands.

“Ah…sorry,” Gohan said, stepping over to the other and taking some of the items. Two cantinas, a tube of something and, “Salt?” he asked, but only received a knowing shake of the head from the other.

“Sodium,” Kakarott corrected, “You really don't know much about Vegeta-sei, do you?” Kakarott asked. He had listened to the slave tell Vegeta about his home planet. A planet that was mostly water and one sun were odd concepts. Apparently the temperatures on Earth were much cooler because of this. He turned towards the door of the shop, stopping at the owner's stall to pay for their items.

They exited back into the street, heading back towards the door they expected Radditz to come out of any moment. “Here,” Kakarott said, putting his pack on the ground, indicating the other should follow his example. He pulled the tube he had purchased in the shop from his pack and opened it. He squeezed some of the cream it contained onto his fingers, and held them up to the sla…Gohan's face, “It blocks the suns' affects,” he said when the other looked at him questioningly, “Hopefully you won't need to keep using it after a day or two.”

“Oh,” Gohan said, closing his eyes and letting the other spread the stuff over his face, neck, ears and hands.

Kakarott shook his head at the small smile that claimed Gohan's features, “You really do care for both of us, don't you?” he asked curiously. For all that Vegeta and he had treated Gohan like the slave he had been…there should have been some bad feelings.

“Yes, I do,” was all Gohan answered. He hadn't been able to convince himself what had happened shouldn't have…if he were going to be wished away to become a slave, then, as perverse as it seemed, he couldn't have wished for a better scenario for something so obscene. He knew the two individuals who'd had the most control over his destiny while he was powerless: at least on a basic level. Society and circumstance certainly made for some interesting differences though.

Kakarott smiled as he shook his head, “You know, we were only….”

It was Gohan's turn to shake his head, “I do understand,” he said, looking into the other's eyes to get his point across. He backed up quickly though…there was that irritating spark again, and he wasn't going to cave to it. Yes, he did care for Vegeta and Kakarott…a great deal, but he also understood there was no place for him with either of them. Any sexual desires he felt for either of them would have to be suppressed now that he had been freed. It wasn't worth the short time he had here to ruin their relationship: it would prove nothing. And he would be returning to his wife soon…he missed Videl. Gohan sighed, frowning a little…yes, he missed his wife…but….

“I am sorry,” Kakarott whispered quietly in misunderstanding. He dropped the tube back into his pack, and pulled out the sodium block, “Here, just lick at it a bit, and then wrap it back up,” he instructed the other.

Gohan inspected the grainy candy looking thing before doing as instructed. He made a face, “Ick,” he said.

“Your body needs it,” Kakarott said, pressing the other's hands back towards his face.

Gohan grimaced, but licked it a couple more times before he wrapped it back up, and placed the remainder in an outside pouch of his pack. If he had the chance, capsule technology was the next thing he was going to share with Bardock, but getting the gravity room built had been a more pressing matter.

The streets were becoming busier. He looked down as something else was pressed into his hands, “You should probably keep this close, but don't drink it all in one go,” Kakarott advised. Gohan nodded and opened the cantina, taking a sip to wash away the salty taste left on his tongue.

The door behind them finally opened, and Radditz stepped out. “He's not coming,” he told his brother as Kakarott looked behind him expectantly.

Kakarott sighed and nodded before reaching down to pick his pack up from the ground, “You ready?” he asked Gohan, smiling. The slave had expressed great enthusiasm for being able to fly again.

Gohan grinned, “Yeah.” His grin became even wider when, for the first time on this planet, he was able to garner enough ki to him in order to fly. He laughed as he took off, the others shaking their head at him and hurrying after.

Gohan slowed down just a bit, “Oh, my god! This feels so good!” he yelled back at the brothers.

Kakarott grinned at him. Gohan was practically purring. Radditz snorted, “Kid, do you know where we are going?” he asked.

Gohan slowed even more, shaking his head, but feeling too great to be embarrassed much. Kakarott chuckled and took the lead, while Radditz stayed behind the other two. Vegeta had been very specific about monitoring the alien's ki.

Gohan came even with Kakarott, and they both grinned at each other. Gohan did a roll, and Kakarott laughed, “Just don't give yourself vertigo, and get sick! And don't forget to drink the water!”

Gohan nodded as he turned his attention back to the ground. The landscape outside of the city had become much more barren. He could tell where other holdings or small cities were by the scattered tree lines in different directions. The broader leaf plant species would not be able to survive without constant tending. He was pretty certain it wasn't just his imagination when he thought the sky was bigger than Earth's. The clouds were much higher than they were flying, and they were a great distance from the ground as it was.

Mountain ranges in the vast distances showed evidence of snow at their very tips.

The scientist in him wondered if the landscape below them was introduced to some of the hardier grasses from Earth, if the planet would become cooler…but then, sayians were used to this: this was their home planet, their home environment. Changing it to his tastes wouldn't necessarily be a good thing.

An hour into the flight, Radditz tapped his scouter as it beeped at him, “Yes your Highness?”

Vegeta sat in his private rooms, “How is everything going?” he growled. He'd been edgy ever since Kakarott had left the palace.

“Seems the kid is just happy to be free. Nothing in his demeanor has changed,” Radditz informed his prince.

Vegeta sighed and sat back, although he still felt tense, “Okay,” he didn't know what else to say.

“I'll call you when we get to my father's or if something happens between now and then?” Radditz asked.

Vegeta nodded, “It's the `between now and then' part I am concerned about,” he admitted quietly.

Radditz shook his head, Vegeta observing the motion through the scouter's lens, “I don't think you have anything to worry about, Prince Vegeta.”

“Okay. I have things that need attending to,” the prince told his commander. Anything to get his mind off of the situation he'd let his intended wander into.

Radditz nodded, “A good day to you, sir,” he wished before he signed out.

~o0o~~o0o~

Videl sat at the kitchen table in Bulma's home. Her arm was propped up on the table, and her forehead in hand. “Why didn't you say anything about this before?” she asked the other two with her eyes closed.

Goku shifted nervously, “I…it's not a subject I am comfortable with.”

Vegeta snorted, “You probably would still not know if I hadn't forced him to tell you.”

Goku glared at Vegeta. He could have left that part out!

Videl sighed, and opened her eyes, “But there is a good chance that he didn't become…that kind of slave?” she asked, hopeful. How awful for her husband if he was forced to…she didn't want to think about it. Maybe it had been better when she didn't know. She couldn't imagine having to deal with these thoughts for the next six weeks, let alone a whole six months!

“Oh, God,” she said as she unexpectedly started to shake. She couldn't stop the trembling or the tears.

“I told you, we shouldn't have told her,” Goku whispered to Vegeta just as Mrs. Briefs came into the kitchen.

“Oh, honey!” she said, quickly skirting around the guys, and wrapping a warm, comforting arm around the young woman. “There, there. He'll be back in no time, just you wait and see!” the elderly woman tried to do her best to comfort Videl.

Videl shook her head, pressing it into crook of the frail woman's neck. She couldn't speak right now if she tried.

Pan backed away from the doorway upon seeing her mother crying. It brought tears to her own eyes. She gasped as Vegeta looked back at her with hard eyes, and she turned and ran to the front door.

“Whoa, pardon me,” Bulma said as she opened the front door while Pan was making her escape. She set her briefcase down upon entering the kitchen, taking in the atmosphere, “I'll make some tea,” she said, glaring at the guys who were just standing there useless.

~o0o~~o0o~

Kakarott's excitement grew the closer they came to his father's holding. Yes, he was going to miss Vegeta greatly, but it had been two years since he had been home!

Radditz shook his head, noticing his brother's pent up energy. Times like this, it was difficult to remember he was only 20 years his senior. Seemed more like 40. He raised an eyebrow as they came in sight of their father's holding and Kakarott veered off to one of the lab buildings rather than going to the main house.

Kakarott could feel his father's ki where it was in one of the labs. He should have probably taken the time to set his stuff into the house…but he just couldn't wait. He landed at the entrance and danced from foot to foot while waiting for the motion sensor to kick in and then for the door itself to open, “TADAMEA!” he yelled once he was inside and caught sight of his father's spiked head of hair.

Bardock turned to the sound of his youngest's voice, grinning and opening his arms wide as Kakarott rushed him. He grabbed his son's head between his hands and kissed him soundly on the forehead, “You're taller,” he accused.

Kakarott grinned, “All that rich food at the palace,” he said back.

Bardock snorted, “You won't be getting that here,” he told.

Kakarott laughed and hugged his father again, “Nothing like home cooking! Did you know? No one at the palace even had a clue as to what d'liani was?”

Bardock mock growled, “That's what's wrong with `em!” and then he laughed. He toned it down a bit as his eldest son came into the building with a stranger at his side, “Radditz,” he said, feeling the same amount of enthusiasm, but acting it out much calmer. Radditz nodded towards his father. “And is this the genius that sent me those schematics?” he asked, nodding towards Gohan.

The young man had the audacity to blush, “Yes sir.”

Bardock waved a hand, “No sirs here! Bardock…and you would be?”

“Gohan, si…sorry,” Gohan said. It was uncanny how much alike father and son looked. Sure, Goten looked the same as Goku, but Goten's hair would grow out long if he let it…he reached a hand self-consciously to his own hair. He had been to see Rose the morning before Kakarott had issued Idomu, and then the surgeon had shaved the back of his head before the surgery.

“Well, come here boy! See what I've accomplished so far,” Bardock beckoned to him before turning to lead the way further into the warehouse.

Gohan gaped as they came around the worktables that had been cluttering his view. Most of the building was nothing but empty space. Bardock hit some switches on the floor, and lights in the center of the building came on, illuminating the spherical design of a gravity room. Gohan couldn't help but step even with Bardock…it finally hit him, he was standing next to his sayian grandfather! “Wow…I didn't expect it to be up so fast,” he said.

Bardock shrugged, “Had the workers expedite it. Told them they would all get extra paid leave if it was finished in a week.”

Gohan nodded, still staring at it, “Have you ran it yet?”

Bardock nodded, “Yep. Had to make sure it wouldn't implode. I could only get it to go as high as 70 times gravity though…I don't know how you thought this design would go to 500 times gravity. Not even ka-chin would be able to stand up to that sort of pressure.”

Gohan started at the mention of the metal that had released Rou Dai Kaioshin from the Z-sword. He hadn't realized sayians might have access to that sort of metal, “You're certain you built it correctly?” Gohan asked, stepping closer to the G.R. 70 times gravity wasn't going to be enough to push Kakarott over the edge into elite.

“Absolutely followed your instructions…with a few exceptions. The hole in the glider for the door caused a great amount of inefficiency in its output. It wasn't until I added the slider shields that I was able to get it up to 70 times gravity,” Bardock followed the young man to the machine.

Gohan frowned, until Bardock handed over a drawing of the design he was talking about, “Genius!” Gohan laughed, “Has anyone been in it yet?”

Bardock frowned, “I couldn't get anyone who wanted to test it, even at one times gravity. The fruit we put in there squashed at half a gravity interval. People were too eager to imagine their heads.”

“And the compression differential?” Gohan asked.

“A tenth of a notch in the inner shell, at full capacity,” Bardock stated proudly.

Gohan grinned, that was even better than Bulma's design: even if the capacity wasn't the same, “And the expansion of the outer shell?”

“Doesn't even register,” Bardock waved the question off.

Gohan couldn't get the grin off of his face: oh, how he'd missed this type of conversation! “Well, should we try it?” he asked the eldest sayian.

Radditz cleared his throat, “I was ordered to get a ki reading once we arrived,” he stated with his arms crossed.

Gohan frowned, not happy about the delay, “Okay, give me your scouter,” he said, holding out his hand. Radditz didn't budge, “Come on. The current design will malfunction before it can get a complete reading,” he told the commander impatiently.

“How do I know you won't be tampering with it to make it read more than I should?” Radditz asked.

“I can tell how approximately how high his level is raising. I should be able to indicate if the reading is faulty or not,” Kakarott spoke up.

Radditz grunted, handing his scouter over, “Do you have somewhere I can work on this?” Gohan asked Bardock.

Bardock nodded and led him over to a bench with various gadgets and components strewn about. Gohan quickly picked up a screwdriver and began opening it. He searched the circuit board, “Do you have any silicon resistors?” he asked Kakarott's father.

“Those are expensive,” Bardock said, frowning.

“Yes, but absolutely necessary. I'll only need to add three to the input grid,” Gohan said, “Please?”

Bardock sighed and went over to an environmental container. He pressed his code into the door before pulling out one tray, and bringing it over to the boy, “I hope you know what you are doing,” he said.

Gohan nodded, and grounded himself to the floor before picking up a pair of tweezers. He used them to pick up the tiny components from the tray, and then place the resistors in place of one he had removed while Bardock was gathering this one. He used his ki to heat the metal of the tweezers to the point he was able to use the tool to solder the components in place: having to bridge them for the lack of individual circuits. He closed the device up, and handed it back to Radditz.

Radditz placed it on his head, and grunted as he turned it on. He tapped in Vegeta's code, “Yes?” he received a response so immediately, it was somewhat startling.

“He is about to increase his ki, your Highness,” Radditz stated, turning the scouter to look at Gohan.

“Um…” Gohan fidgeted, “I only fixed your scouter. Prince Vegeta, will you please turn yours off? Radditz can reconnect once he's gotten the reading.”

Vegeta stared at the screen, “I hope you are not pulling some sort of trick boy.”

Gohan shook his head, “No, your Highness, please?”

Vegeta sighed, and shut his scouter down.

“Okay, show us what you've got kid,” Radditz said.

Gohan nodded, and closed his eyes. He started pulling energy in and letting it flow through him….

“50,000,” Radditz stated, surprised. The kid wasn't even trying!

Vegeta sat impatiently, waiting for his commander to call him back. It shouldn't be taking this long! He heard some commotion in the hall, and in his boredom went to check. “Fucking thing just blew up on me!” a common solder was telling his companion, a ruined scouter smoking in his hands.

“85,000,” Radditz was beginning to sweat. Vegeta had only hit this a handful of times, one of those times in the training room when he had been sent to emergency room, and had told Kakarott of the prince's behavior. The other times had been in battle.

Kakarott stood in awe as Gohan kept increasing his ki. Bardock noted the signs of someone powering up: the kid's hair, even as short as it was, was starting to waver on its own.

“120,000,” Radditz stated quietly, his arms coming down from his chest.

Gohan grinned, opening his eyes. Kakarott wasn't very comforted by the lunacy he thought he detected there and then Gohan started power up in earnest. He threw his head back and roared. The changes in the data happened so fast at that point Radditz wasn't able to keep up with them and he gulped.

Vegeta was about to close his door when the other solder's scouter blew up on him at the same time he felt a ki wave, “What the fuck!?”

“Told ya,” the first solder said.

“Were they turned on?” Vegeta asked from his door.

Both solders looked up and gulped, “Y-yes, your Highness,” one of them stammered.

Vegeta frowned, as he shut his door. What was going on!? The power he felt kept rising!

Everyone in the warehouse was thrown back by the last surge of ki and the gravity room rocked on its stabilizers, before Gohan brought his head back down, shaking out his arms, “Well?” he asked Radditz from where the commander sat on the floor.

Radditz just sat and looked at the number that was holding steady. “Well?” Kakarott echoed quietly.

It took great effort on Radditz' part to get his tongue to work, “5,000,080,002,” he whispered. He was in the presence of a fucking GOD!

Kakarott swallowed as his throat suddenly became dry as the numbers relayed more meaning to him than his still improving ki senses. He…he was going to get trained by this? This was someone who could destroy planets! Galaxies! And his body was going to be subjected to it?!

Bardock shifted slightly, but stilled as this stranger turned his gaze in his direction, “Okay, kid,” he said quietly, “You've proven your point,” any elite pumped up to 75,000 was automatically in battle mode. He had to get the kid to calm down before he did something rash.

Gohan shuddered…it was so difficult to let go though! It had been too long since he had felt his ki run through him! “If you want to test the G.R., you have to calm down. Not even the machine is going to be able to handle that,” Bardock stated quietly.

Gohan nodded his head, panting as he let the energy go slowly. It was a difficult task. Usually he was able to channel the excess into an attack of some sort.

Vegeta paced back and forth in his chambers. He had repeatedly dismissed calls to an emergency council meeting. He wouldn't go until he heard back from his commander, damn it!

The status button on his scouter changed to yellow, and he picked it up quickly, fitting it over his head before he clicked it on, “Radditz?! What the fuck is going on!?”

“Y-your Highness,” Radditz stuttered. “I don't know if you are going to believe me,” he stalled.

“Scouters started exploding, Radditz. An emergency council was called minutes ago. Just tell me,” Vegeta said as he sat down.

“5,000,080,002,” Radditz said.

“Holy shit,” Vegeta replied back quietly, “He's Legendary. No, beyond Legendary.”

“His…his coloring didn't change,” Radditz said in confusion.

Vegeta snorted. Most of the tales of Legendary were myth any way…being of yellow hair and green eyes or not, this kid had gone beyond the milestone everyone agreed it would take to make Legendary: at least three times over. “Any thing else?” he asked.

“No…dad was able to get him to suppress it, or release it,” Radditz said back.

“And he is acting normal now?” Vegeta asked.

“What the fuck is normal any more?” Radditz questioned, “Your Highness,” he added, a little embarrassed from his outburst.

Vegeta grunted. He'd be shocked enough to forget titles also, “Okay. Everyone is unharmed?” he willed his hands to stop shaking. He had sent Kakarott away with a monster! Benevolent, but a monster all the same!

“No injuries, sir,” Radditz confirmed.

“What am I going to tell the council?” Vegeta asked himself out loud.

“Tell them one of my experiments went bad,” Bardock said, the prince's voice loud enough he had been able to over hear the conversation.

Vegeta grinned, “Tell your father he's a genius!”

Radditz laughed shakily, “I will. Good luck, your Highness,” he said before he tuned out. “Prince Vegeta says you are a genius,” Radditz told his father.

Bardock grunted, “Of course I am,” he waved the compliment off, “You okay, kid? Kakarott?” he turned to the others in the room.

Gohan panted and nodded. Kakarott nodded with his eyes still wide.

“How about that gravity chamber then?” Bardock asked, anxious to get everyone's minds on something else.

Gohan straightened up and nodded, “Yeah,” he said before walking over to the machine, “You lowered the floor?” he asked while stepping in.

Bardock shrugged, “No one is going to be using it much, it was wasted space,” he replied as he followed Gohan into the machine, heading for the control panel, “This is the external communication,” he said, pointing out something he had added, “This will allow us to monitor what's going on inside.”

Gohan nodded, “Okay. Well, you step out.”

Bardock nodded. His workers may not have wanted to experiment on themselves, but this kid could obviously handle the pressure. He closed the door from the outside before going over to the monitoring equipment, and flipping a couple of switches, “Can you hear me?” he asked.

Gohan nodded and Bardock could see it in the camera, “Yeah. I am going to start with one level. We'll see how it runs before going higher,” he stated before turning to the control panel.

Radditz and Kakarott crowded around Bardock as the machine started to make a whirring noise. “Whoa,” they heard Gohan say over the speaker.

“Something wrong?” Bardock asked.

Gohan shook his head, “No,” he had just figured something out though. This was one times Vegeta-sei's gravity…which meant 10 times more on Earth. He grinned, “No, better than expected!” Bardock grinned. “Going to two times,” Gohan said over the speaker while he increased his ki to compensate.

Kakarott noticed that the clothing had plastered itself to Gohan's body, and gulped. He was supposed to train with that in there?

“Okay. Here goes. Going to slowly increase until I am at max,” Gohan warned those outside.

Bardock nodded, “Understood.”

Gohan increased his ki as he slowly slid the switch up until it was at max. The whirring the machine had started with became un-hearable at 5 times. He was sweating and grinning by the time the machine reached 50. H grunted with the strain to stay on his feet without raising his ki at 60. He grit his teeth and increased his ki one last time to get the machine to 70, “Okay,” he said slowly, “Going to let it run a few more seconds before backing it down,” he said to those outside.

“Acknowledged,” Bardock replied. The three of them waited expectantly until the indicator lights flashed green and the door opened.

Gohan stepped out and smiled, “Perfect!” he said, “I didn't notice any compression though,” he started.

“Actually, the compression doesn't start until 80 g's. It's just a safety measure. The 1/10 of a notch was at 100 g's,” Bardock explained.

Gohan chuckled, and then drew his grandfather into a hug, swinging him around, “Perfect!”

“Okay kid,” Bardock grunted, “Can you put me down?”

Gohan smiled, setting the older sayian to his feet, “Sorry. This is just exciting!”

Bardock shook his head, ruffling his hand through the kid's hair, “That it certainly is. For some reason, I expected you to be much older,” he commented seemingly off handedly, but his eyes shifted ever so slightly to his eldest. Radditz didn't quite understand what the look was about, so he ignored it. Bardock shook his head, “I call you kid, but you're probably as old as Kakarott…” he started.

Gohan did a double take at that. He was as old as his…he finally looked at Kakarott; really looked. He had been `with' him for almost five Earth months, and the concept of their ages had never hit him. Still, he didn't look as old as his father, did he? “I don't know, sir. I am 28,” he stated.

“Ah, not too far off. My youngest is 27,” Bardock said, “Well, how about we get you guys something to eat?” Gohan only nodded as he followed the others to the main house. Not only had he been throw across universal lines, but back in time in this one? Why?

There was a very awkward moment before they began eating as Gohan began to take his accustomed place on the floor. He blushed as everyone looked at him before he pulled a chair out, seating himself between Radditz and his father, “Sorry,” he said before turning his eyes to his plate, and began eating.

Bardock raised one eyebrow at Kakarott; so this part of the rumors was true, “So, kid, Kakarott indicated you had some other things you wanted to show me while you are all here?”

Gohan nodded, “Yes. Plans for capsules, and if you have the resources, reconstructing a very useful plant extract.”

“Capsules?” Bardock asked between mouthfuls.

Gohan grinned, “Yes. Much easier storage for things…it's kind of hard to explain,” he started.

Bardock held up his hand, “Then eat. We can discuss this later tonight, or even tomorrow if you are staying?”

Kakarott cleared his throat, “I-I guess I wasn't too clear on that part.” Bardock gave him a look, and he continued, “I will be here for a year, if you'll have me. I issued Idomu yesterday.”

Bardock sat back in his chair, “Well. I guess the rumors were true then. You cancelled your concubine contract?”

Kakarott nodded slowly, “Yes, but it's not all it seems….”

Gohan smiled, “Kakarott's not going for first class. He's going for elite.”

Radditz spit out the mouthful of water he had taken in. Vegeta's two faced actions and graciousness towards his brother during this whole situation was suddenly made more clear. Bardock's frown slowly became a wicked grin, “Like him, do you?” he asked his youngest.

“Yes, sir,” Kakarott grinned back.

“And he likes Kakarott,” Gohan confirmed.

Bardock threw his head back and laughed, “Oh…this is great!” Kakarott blushed.

With the most worrisome topic out of the way, the conversation became much more animated between the family members, and Gohan ate in silence as he took it all in.

“Leave them,” Bardock said as Gohan picked up his dishes, “I'll have one of the staff cover this. You three traveled a ways today. Why don't you two,” he looked at his sons, “Show our guest to a room, so he can get settled in?”

Kakarott went to go and retrieve his pack from the floor while Gohan followed him before leading him up a flight of stairs, with Radditz at their backs. Kakarott stopped in front of one room, “You can have this one,” he said as he reached his hand into the doorway and flipped on a light switch so Gohan could see what he was getting himself into. It wasn't huge, by any means, but there was plenty of space…and a desk! He grinned as he entered, setting his bag down on the bed. He even had his own shower and bathroom! Not so exciting on their own, no, but he had privacy to go with them now!

“Well, I'll leave you to get settled in then,” Kakarott said from the doorway.

Gohan turned to him, “Thank you!” but the other had already headed towards his room. The tailless sayian turned back to his pack and dumped it out on the bed, looking around the room figuring out where to start putting things. Not that he had much. The journal and few writing instruments he had taken with him went on the desk. The clothing Kakarott had given him went into the closet. He took what was left of the cantina to the bathroom and dumped it out in the small sink. Then he placed it back in the pack and shoved that to the back of the closet on the floor.

He ran his hands through his hair, wondering what to do with himself next. He grimaced as they came back oily, and decided a shower was most definitely next. He went into the side room, frowning upon his inspection. It was so small compared to…then he chuckled at himself. Even as a slave in the palace, he had become spoiled in something! He shook his head as he exited the room. Seemed someone had forgotten to stock his bathroom with towels.

He turned the left hearing someone in the room next to the flight of stairs. He knocked on the door, “Enter!” he heard Radditz' voice. He shifted uncomfortably at the thought of interrupting the commander, but opened the door to the room any way.

“Commander Radditz?” he called out, not seeing the sayian immediately upon entering.

“In here boy. And you can cut the commander shit. We both know you could tear my head off if you wanted,” came the apparently disgruntled sayian's voice.

Gohan followed the commander's voice. He walked into the bathroom, expecting a similar design as the one in his room, and so was a bit shocked when the first thing set in his sight was the shower itself, “Oh, sorry,” he stammered stepping back a bit as he caught sight of Radditz' form through the frosted door that kept the water from spreading out to the rest of the room.

Radditz peered at him over the door, “What's a matter kid? I think you know all about bodies. No need to be shy,” he raised an eyebrow as the slave…Gohan actually blushed at his words.

“Yes, I mean no! I mean, I didn't mean to interrupt your privacy!” Gohan stammered. Gods, his uncle was tall!

Radditz shook his head, “Whatever. I shower in the barracks while at the palace and space travel has even less luxury. I hardly ever have anyone concerned about my privacy. What did you need?” he finally asked.

“A towel,” Gohan said, more comfortable with this subject at least, “And some soap.” He wasn't expecting Radditz to open that door and hold out a bar of soap to him.

“Come on kid. The hot water isn't unlimited around here,” Radditz spoke quietly.

Gohan hesitantly stepped forward to reach for the bar, his eyes curiously wandering on their own. He could have smacked himself when he realized what he was doing and quickly looked up to the smirking look on his uncle's face, “Like what you see, kid?” Radditz asked quietly.

“I-I-I…” Gohan couldn't get any words out.

Radditz shook his head again and closed the door slowly with the aid of his tail, “If you weren't acting so shy about it, I'd ask you in to help wash my hair,” he snorted. The kid may have ki potential greater than anyone in the known universe, but Radditz thought he just might be able to kill him with a heart attack…or a nose bleed, “Towels are behind you,” he said, pointing over the shower door behind the kid's head.

Gohan made an indescribable noise as he quickly turned to grab one of the towels off of the shelf indicated without actually looking and hurried back to his room. He slammed the shower room door shut, and leaned against it, panting. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” he asked himself. When no immediate answers were forthcoming, he started stripping out of his clothing.

He was actually able to smile at his foolishness by the time the water started cooling down. He stepped out and dried off, wrapping his towel around his waist when he realized he hadn't brought a change of clothing in with him. He frowned as he stepped towards the closet, catching sight of his piercings in the mirrored closet door. He toyed with the one at his neck for a moment, “Should have had Rose do it if you are thinking about removing those?” he heard his uncle's voice from behind him.

Gohan whirled, barely catching the towel from dropping off his hips. He gapped at the sayian he saw dressed in civilian clothing leaning against the doorway to his room. He quickly turned back to the mirror, “I am not a slave any more,” he whispered at the floor as he retightened the towel around his waist.

“What's that kid?” Radditz asked, moving further into the room.

Gohan flushed red, both in embarrassment and a little anger. He was beginning to suspect this man was intentionally pushing at his comfort zones, “I said, I am not a slave any more,” he repeated more forcefully than he had intended, but he didn't want this person thinking that just because he had been…what he had, he was going to be an easy target.

Radditz frowned; maybe he was being too forward? But that was just the way he was; why did he feel the need to change the way he usually operated if this wasn't the correct approach to this individual? “You sure aren't,” he commented after an extended pause. He couldn't help looking at the extremely pale skin exposed to his view, surprised by a couple of faint and fading scars on the kid's back. Vegeta had flogged him? He hadn't thought the prince's and the slave's relationship had been that dark. Were they from before Gohan had become a part of his prince's life? He reached up to run a curious finger over one, and found himself flipped onto Gohan's mattress before he had taken another breath.

“Don't, touch, me,” Gohan hissed at him.

“Whoa…didn't mean anything by it, kid. Just curious where you got those,” Radditz said quietly. The only response he received was a shudder from the one leaning over him before Gohan removed his hands.

“I'd like a little privacy to get dressed,” he said, not looking up.

Radditz shifted off the mattress and straightened his clothing as he stood, “We'll be having drinks down below, if you care to join us,” Radditz said, giving the other one last look before closing the door behind him as he left.

~o0o~