Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Idomu ❯ Chapter 11 ( Chapter 12 )

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, voyeurism, body modification, 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: THANKS FOR STICKING WITH ME HOSHI! And especially thank you for this chapter, and telling me it WASN”T working, and making me feel the need to fix it (because, really, it wasn't working for me either…I was just being lazy and didn't want to have to write this *sighs*). :) Everyone THANK HOSHI! You don't want to know what I was going to make you read before….

 

Another note: Probably best to make sure your not going to have to go anywhere, or that your not going to get interrupted while reading this.

 

 

 

Idomu - Chapter 11

 

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

The small contingent of sayians at Bardock's holdings spent the next two days readying the facilities as best as they could for a full blown war. Bardock smirked as he presented Prince Vegeta and Gohan with a device neither of them had seen before; an energy barrier device that could cover acres of land in a slightly glowing visible dome shape that reminded Gohan of capsule houses. “I've been working on making it invisible and mobile between other projects, but these will have to do for now,” Bardock said.

 

“Where do they get the energy?” Gohan asked as he studied a model that hadn't been buried years before around Bardock's home.

 

“They collect solar energy, and the cells are buried underground beneath them. They've been charging for at least ten years,” Bardock smirked, “And can probably run for a full month.”

 

“What's the draw back?” Vegeta asked. He wasn't comfortable sitting behind these barriers as some sort of coward, but other than that, it seemed almost fool proof.

 

“We may be able to stay here safe, and that is fine to face the army…” Bardock frowned.

 

“But not fine for facing Brolli,” Gohan concluded, nodding.

 

Vegeta started as he thought of something, “How do we know Brolli will come here? Vegeta-sei is a very large planet. He could start anywhere…”

 

Gohan shook his head, “He hates your mate more than you know. It's almost an obsession. All we have to do is have Kakarott flare his ki. It will draw Brolli here like a beacon.” Both the prince and Bardock were giving him the look he had come to understand meant he had just said something that didn't make any sense. He sighed, “Another one of those `things' you are going to have to trust me on.”

 

The three of them looked up as Kakarott, Radditz, Selypa and Toma came in through the warehouse doors, “I think we are done,” Radditz said, taking a seat at one of the workbenches.

 

Gohan sighed; Radditz looked thoroughly worn down. “We need to take a break. Get some sleep, eat and relax as best we can,” he stated quietly to the group. He wasn't used to the luxury of having a moment before the fighting started, but he was willing to make use of it.

 

Everyone's shoulders slumped gratefully at the news. Vegeta turned to Kakarott, “I seem to recall you mentioning something about hot springs days ago….”

 

Everyone perked up at his words, and Kakarott smirked, “I'd be more than happy to show you where they are.”

 

Selypa was already heading out the door, “No thanks! Know the way myself.”

 

Bardock chuckled and shoved Toma after her, “Let's go before she gets the good spot.”

 

Kakarott shook his head at his father's antics, “Don't worry, there is no such thing as `the' good spot up there,” he said to Vegeta before the two of them were heading out also. “They are all amazing. Are you two coming?” Kakarott threw over his shoulder at his brother.

 

Radditz looked over at Gohan, “Well, you up for it?”

 

Gohan smiled tiredly, “Yeah, as long as you keep me from falling asleep and drowning myself.”

 

Radditz wrapped his tail with Gohan's, bringing him closer and grabbing his hips, “I'd never let you do that,” he chuckled before laying a quick kiss against Gohan's lips before drawing back and leading the way out of the warehouse.

 

 

~o0o~~o0o~

 

 

“Well, that's four of them,” Videl looked down at the slowly growing pile as Trunks added the dragon ball he had found, “Thank you, Trunks.” He nodded, wiping the hair away from his forehead before searching for Goten.

 

Videl sighed, hugging her jacket tighter as she looked beyond the water dripping from her umbrella to the hazy horizon. Waiting for people to come back with the dragon balls was wearing on her nerves. She had expected Vegeta and Goku to be the first and second to return.

 

Maybe she should have gone out again, rather than having sent Pan out for a second one. This waiting around for other people to make things happen…she had hoped this was only going to take one day, not cross over into two.

 

She sighed as she turned towards the Capsule Corp. building; another hesitation, and then she slowly gathered the dragon balls before walking to the door.

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

“How the hell did you get stuck in there in the first place?” Vegeta asked as he placed his dragon ball and radar down and examined Kakarott's dilemma. The younger sayian was wedged face down up to his hips in some sort of animal den.

 

Even his sayian hearing was put to the test to hear Kakarott's muffled reply, “I couldn't reach the dragon ball, so kept moving forward. Now my arms are pinned to my sides…”

 

“So you can't IT. Why don't you just blast yourself out?” Vegeta asked in exasperation.

 

“There are baby coyotes in here,” Vegeta heard Kakarott giggle and rolled his eyes, “They are licking my face.”

 

“Can't you make the hole bigger?” Vegeta asked.

 

“I don't want to cause a cave in,” Goku explained.

 

“Oh, for fuck's sake!” Vegeta sighed quietly. “I am going to grab your legs and pull…”

 

“Please don't do it too fast! You'll cause a cave in!” Goku pleaded the baby coyotes' case with the older sayian.

 

“Damned animals shouldn't be building their homes in such precarious places,” Vegeta mumbled quietly to himself as grabbed hold of Kakarott's ankles and pulled back.

 

“Ow…”

 

“What now?” Vegeta growled as he stopped pulling.

 

“Sorry, my arms don't want to bend that way,” Goku said quietly.

 

Vegeta blew out a breath and pulled more gently. He stopped again, waiting for Kakarott to give him the okay…this was going to take forever, “Do you at least have the dragon ball?”

 

“No…” came Goku's hesitant reply.

 

“Fucking great,” Vegeta growled as he pulled back again. That meant he was going to have to be the one to go and get it once he pulled the other sayian out.

 

“Ow….”

 

 

~o0o~~o0o~

 

 

Gohan relaxed against the side of the onsen with his eyes closed and his head pillowed comfortably atop Radditz arm. Their tails twined slowly together under the water's surface. Radditz gave his shoulder a squeeze, “No sleeping,” the commander whispered in his ear.

 

Gohan smiled without opening his eyes, “No sleeping,” he repeated quietly. He muffled a giggle as Radditz nuzzled into his neck.

 

Bardock splashed water in their direction from where he sat between Selypa and Toma, “None of that in here,” he mock growled.

 

Gohan felt Raddtiz' tail tighten around his briefly which caused him to open his eyes. He laughed at Radditz sticking his tongue out at his father.

 

Gohan's laugh drew Radditz' attention back to the one he was holding. He didn't understand why he found the sound so fascinating. The answer suddenly struck him; he had never heard Gohan actually laugh. Giggle? Yes. Chuckle even, but never all out laugh. He liked it.

 

Gohan settled down when he noticed Radditz' intense attention on him. He cleared his throat self-consciously, “What?” he asked quietly.

 

Radditz blushed, not wanting to state his observation in front of others. For some reason, he felt this to be a private matter, so he shook his head, “I'll tell you later,” he said softly, settling back against the edge of the hot spring.

 

Gohan sighed, closing his eyes, determining not to let Radditz' odd moment keep him from relaxing. It may be a few days before he got to relax like this again.

 

Some time later, Kakarott and Vegeta stepped out of the pool of hot water, “We'll start dinner,” Kakarott said as they started getting dressed.

 

Bardock scrunched up his face, “You two in the kitchen? I'd better go with…” Bardock sighed, hefting himself out of the pool.

 

Selypa snickered, “Like that's going to be much better,” she said, following Bardock out. Toma followed her without any bantering comments aimed at the bonded pair.

 

Gohan shifted. He smiled as he brought his hands up from the water, observing his wrinkled fingers, “I think I should get out also…”

 

Radditz nodded, but kept him from following everyone's example right away. Gohan relaxed into his hold, understanding the commander wanted a moment alone with him: hopefully to explain what had happened earlier.

 

Radditz finally let up when the others had left. He stepped out of the hot spring and offered a hand to aid Gohan. Gohan took it, even though he didn't need the assistance; it was a nice gesture.

 

He gasped as Radditz pulled him into a strong hug with the taller sayian's chin resting on his head. “What is it about you kid?” Radditz questioned quietly before bringing his hands up to Gohan's shoulders and stepping back.

 

“About me?” Gohan asked. He wasn't certain what Radditz was referring to.

 

Radditz squeezed Gohan's shoulders, “I thought I'd be a bachelor all my life, and I was okay with that. I've never fallen for someone…”

 

Gohan blushed; he really didn't know how to respond. He knew he had strong feelings regarding this sayian…he was saved from having to respond right away.

 

“I gave you that look, because I had realized I had never heard you laugh,” Radditz said, letting go of Gohan's shoulders, stretching to the ground to pick up his pants.

 

The observation took Gohan by surprise. He tried to think back, and came to the same conclusion. There had been so much going on, so much preparation needed to happen before the Brolli confrontation, then the additional threat of the king's army, and not knowing how much time he had to train Kakarott and Vegeta…he hadn't had the time to just relax. Gohan realized somewhere within the last couple of days he had determined he wasn't being wished back. He reached a hand to stop the commander from getting dressed, “Dinner won't be done for at least a couple of hours, right?” he smiled shyly at Radditz' nod, “Do you really want to go back right away?” Gohan asked, stepping closer.

 

Radditz' curious gaze turned to one of knowing. The commander tried to suppress the sudden jolt of desire that struck his gut at Gohan's words, but couldn't keep the purr from creeping into his response; it wasn't often the kid was the one being forward, “No,” he said, closing the remaining gap between them. Radditz closed his eyes as their lips met, humming in satisfaction as Gohan yielded immediately before flicking his tongue between slightly parted lips.

 

Gohan moaned as he felt Radditz' strong hands clutching at him. He shivered when one snaked its way down his side to squeeze his backside, kneading just shy of bruising before a second joined on the opposite side. Strong arms were flexed, and he was lifted from the ground, stomach and chest pressed against the other's torso. He wrapped his legs around Radditz' hips, shivering and twining his tail around one of the other's biceps as he threaded his hands in the commander's amazing amount of hair.

 

Radditz' broke from the kiss long enough to find some place to sit with his prize. He turned his attention back and smirked as he found exactly what he was looking for, carrying Gohan until he settled back on the somewhat flat bolder. He gasped pleasurably as Gohan rolled his hips while sitting in his lap, the needy move unexpected and entrancing.

 

Gohan's hands worked their way through the tangle of Radditz' hair until he gently embraced the back of the other's head between them. He pressed eagerly against the commander's body, taking control of the kiss, rocking his hips, his abs coming away from contact with the other's as the back of his thighs pressed into Radditz', pulling away as he rolled his hips up, torsos fitting together once again.

 

Radditz growled into the kiss, Gohan's eager, suggestive moves inciting him with a need to control. He traced the palms of his hands along Gohan's arms until he had a wrist under each, and pulled the young man's hands from their hold, before twisting them behind the impatient sayian's back and looping his tail around his captive's wrists.

 

Gohan groaned at Radditz display of verve and then gasped as Radditz' hands began roaming everywhere over his body, nails gently scratching at times. He moaned at a pinch here, shuddered at a clutching there. He keened quietly, rolling his hips to express his need once again, “Please,” he breathed against the side of Radditz' neck.

 

Radditz growled as he cradled Gohan's hips between his hands; the kid begged like he was going to refuse him. He didn't understand where this beautiful sayian's insecurity stemmed from, but there was no way he could deny Gohan anything. He lifted Gohan up, shifted one hand between them making a slight adjustment, before bringing him down. Radditz' astonished hiss was covered by Gohan's call. He stared in amazement as Gohan leaned back in the circle his arms provided, and then started moving again. The rise and fall of the other became the commander's awareness. Up, a gasp that parted his partner's lips: down, a moan that held him spell bound. Away, a possessive need to have the other around him: here, a reason to make him stay.

 

Radditz gripped Gohan's hips, bringing him down again after the next rise, holding him still, growling as the younger moaned in frustration, “Radditz!” The commander ran finger tips across those moving lips, down the pulsing throat, over his heaving chest, across trembling abs, grasping with one hand while supporting behind with the other. His eyes narrowed as he felt and saw Gohan jerk; not surprise or rejection, just reaction to his touch. He rolled his hips up as he brought his hand down.

 

Gohan leaned forward, feeling the continuous growl coming from the chest beneath his ear. He whined, lifting his face as he gasped, purring as he ran his nose under Radditz' jaw. His lips were caught as the commander turned his face down to him: violent, needy. He purred despite the force cutting his lips against his own teeth.

 

Radditz' growl grew as he tasted blood. A new, inexplicable pressure built in the roof of his mouth at the taste of Gohan and the feel of the other's tongue against his. Harsh breathing as he continued to move himself inside the other after this shocking, but welcome discovery. A pacifying, keening noise had him responding with a possessive rumble.

 

A reason to make him stay. The thought teased Radditz' mind enticingly.

 

Gohan mewled as Radditz' lips drew away from his, the commander's hands leaving from their pleasurable occupation to clutch at his shoulder blades. One of those hands snaked into his short hair, pulling his head to the side. He trembled, uncertain, as Radditz nuzzled into his neck: sniffing, licking. This behavior from the other sayian felt different…something was off, he concluded as the commander nudged the thong to his makeshift necklace aside. His shock came so sudden he couldn't react straight away.

 

Radditz felt the other's pulse beneath his tongue, and struck, his growl deafening him to Gohan's dismayed gasp. ~Radditz~ “Radditz, no…” ~no~ the commander growled demandingly. The other would not deny him.

 

Gohan tried to blink back the tears that had sprung to his eyes and snapped his teeth together when he felt the overwhelming need to respond in like to Radditz' action. “Radditz, please,” Gohan begged from between clenched teeth, while he tried to pull his neck away. He could feel skin and muscle tearing, ~He doesn't understand~ “Don't…” he tried to untangle his wrists from Radditz' tail, but didn't want to hurt the other physically.

 

The kid was right, he didn't understand, he could feel the desire the other harbored seething beneath the heavy shadow of disgrace that had sprung seemingly from no where. Radditz growled and strengthened his bite: the kid had nothing to be ashamed of…unless he was ashamed of him….

 

“No” ~Oh, Kami, I should have said something sooner. I should have never let it go this far.~ “I'm your” ~He's my~ Even Radditz could not deny the dishonor he felt through their connection. “Nephew” ~Uncle~

 

Radditz gasped and drew away from Gohan's neck. Even if he would have liked to of denied the other's verbal statement, he couldn't deny the mentally conveyed information. His shock wore into anger quickly as he gazed down at Gohan's tear streaked face. “Impossible,” ~Kakarott has no children.~ It <u>should</u> have been biologically impossible for the bonding to take place if they were related, “You're mistaken,” he growled as he shook the other by the back of his head. ~Tell me you are lying!~ Radditz demanded, eyes boring into the other's. Why had he let himself fall so far….

 

Gohan flinched as the second, unexpected telepathic thought stirred through him, and then shook his head regretfully as he gazed up at Radditz' livid face, “No” and then the truth and secrets he'd been hiding surface unhindered: the bond continuing to form despite the interruption.

 

Radditz' eyes widened at the mental information that came so quickly…~His brother contracted to a foreigner, whelping half-breeds with the beautiful alien on a strange planet. His prince doing the same, with a blue haired nymph. The existence of his home planet only thought of as history. Dragons, wishes and epic battles. His mate contracted to an attractive, female alien.~…overwhelming. First and foremost, they were kin. There was so much more information that came in that chaotic burst of knowledge and emotion…that Radditz had problems sorting it into a coherent string.

 

Gohan's dismay and mortification grew as he gained similar information: chiefly, how much Radditz had desired him…until now. He watched Radditz' features run a gambit of emotions, from disbelief, anger, incredulousness, and finally cruelty. He knew then he would not find forgiveness for his transgressions, “I am sorry…” he could feel the blood oozing from the junction between his shoulder and neck, drawn down by gravity, even as the spark that had been between them for weeks faded to ashes. His mouth burned in agony from having fought his instincts. He didn't know what had become of the old him while he was here: none of this would have happened if he'd not found this sayian part of himself so enticing: willing to let himself explore this part of himself while he was away from friends and family. To late now, he was trying to struggle against his instincts: as he should have been doing the whole time. This thought only added more to his guilt.

 

Radditz untangled his tail from holding the wrists in place as he pulled the kid from his lap, and seriously thought about throwing him to the ground…he growled in disgust at himself. He still had feelings for this… “You manipulative, worthless, whore. Get away from me,” Radditz spoke harshly, trying his best to wipe what blood he could from his mouth. He wouldn't have let this happen if his…Gohan had been forthright with him.

 

Gohan moved swiftly to do as he was told; his heart aching and his neck stinging. “I am sorry,” he whispered again. ~I am so, so sorry, Radditz.~

 

Radditz stood and glared down at the other. “Am I supposed to believe you now? You were never planning on letting us…me know the truth! Your apologies are empty…hollow. I should be grateful you didn't let me complete the bond, but I only feel revulsion,” he spat down at the other. Insanity! To think he could have bonded…and he felt even more revulsion when he realized his body was still craving the other: demanding he finish what he had started.

 

Gohan didn't move or speak as Radditz began dressing. His face burned with shame, and he turned his gaze to the less disappointing horizon. “When this is over, and Vegeta-sei is safe, I expect never to see you again,” Radditz said over his shoulder, “As a matter of fact, I suggest you go back to that worthless home planet of yours,” he growled out before he departed.

 

Gohan shuddered as he felt the commander's angry aura fade from his present location, but he could still feel Radditz' seething emotions. He dressed listlessly, only doing so because he knew tomorrow, things would be expected of him.

 

Of all the things he had read about the bonding process, he had never seen information as to how long it took the bond to fade, if it wasn't completed.

 

Hope was a terrible emotion.

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

 

The other sayians understood something had transpired when Radditz came back angry and alone. None of them understood the severity until Kakarott went to check on Gohan, who for unexplained reasons had not joined them for dinner, but everyone could be feel his ki in the warehouse.

 

Kakarott stared at Gohan through the plexiglass. Somehow, the kid had gotten himself into the tank. The other's sad, sleeping countenance spoke volumes; the obvious aborted bonding mark screamed louder. He couldn't pull himself away, until Vegeta came down and forcibly removed him. “Why?” Kakarott asked, touching his mate's marks, unable to comprehend why, or even how, something like this would happen.

 

Vegeta shook his head, keeping silent. He knew Radditz well enough to know there was at least one reason.

 

Kakarott growled as they walked into the house. Vegeta may be willing to let his commander deal with this in his own way, but Radditz was his brother: he knew how his brother overacted. If Radditz had seen something he didn't like when the bond first started….

 

“What are you doing?” Vegeta asked, as Kakarott's hand reached for the doorknob to Radditz' room as they passed on their way to their own.

 

“I…I have to talk to him,” Kakarott stated.

 

“Leave it…” Vegeta began, reaching to turn his mate away from his brother's door.

 

“No,” Kakarott said quietly, “I can't.”

 

Vegeta snorted, but could feel the determination his mate was feeling, “I'll see you in a while,” he said before he walked away.

 

Kakarott sighed as he twisted the knob, “Go away, Kakarott,” he heard his brother growl at him as he entered the darkened bedroom.

 

Kakarott shut the door behind him, “No. You will listen to me,” he said as he moved further into the room with the aid of fingers trailing along the wall.

 

Radditz growled and shifted on his mattress, but knew he had to let Kakarott get what ever he felt the need to say out before he would leave him alone to his misery, “Spit it out, we all need our rest for tomorrow.”

 

“Radditz,” Kakarott spoke into the darkness, “I don't know what happened…” he was interrupted but a loud growl, and then continued, “But I know you. You don't get sad, like the sayian I just saw in the tank,” Gohan's face was still a clear memory in his mind, “You get angry.”

 

Radditz snorted: he'd heard this statement often enough from his father, but as a warrior he couldn't let something like sadness interfere while in battle. His way of coping with it was to turn it into some useful emotion: usually anger.

 

“Neither of you were ready for this to happen,” Kakarott continued, “You didn't know each other well enough yet. Some of those emotions you were feeling, at the time of the bond, were his,” Kakarott stated. Any type of strong emotion, other than anger, usually made his brother skittish. It was the reason their father had become concerned Radditz would never find someone: and then the kid had shown up in their lives.

 

“So? Who made you the authority on this?” Radditz didn't care what point his brother was trying to make: sounding like a specialist on bonding. With only a varying two to five percent of the population having the gene that made bonding possible, no one was an expert on such a thing. Kakarott had no idea what he was talking about any way: their situations were totally different, after all, “Kakarott…just go to bed.”

 

“Radditz…”

 

“Kakarott! I am sick of talking about it. I am sick of thinking about it! Go away!”

 

Kakarott's tail whipped once before he left.

 

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

Waiting for the army the next day was a trial for all of them. The situation itself would have been tense; the additional antagonism between Radditz and Gohan made all of them twitchy. At one point, Bardock pulled his eldest to the side to try and speak some sense into him, but was snubbed with a rude, “It's not your business.”

 

The sun was moving into the 10th hour before the dust from the army's vehicles could be seen. Vegeta's eyes narrowed. The plan was for him to try and talk to his father before Kakarott finished his challenge. Everyone who could read ki was finally able to feel Brolli's power looming into their awareness. What ever happened, both situations would be compounding each other.

 

Kakarott kept his ki high as he had been instructed, although not ascending, hoping to bait Brolli while not posing a threat to the sayian army.

 

Gohan hung listlessly around the perimeters of the happenings, only giving advice and input when asked.

 

Radditz growled as he stormed over to where Kakarott and Vegeta were trying to confer with Gohan about something, his father having sent him on a useless task, which he knew was only an excuse to make him speak with Gohan. Kakarott and Vegeta quickly cleared the area as they saw Radditz coming closer.

 

Gohan turned to see what had made them practically flee from the conversation. His eyes widened and his heart pounded ridiculously at the sight of the commander coming towards him.

 

Radditz snorted at the kid's submissively bowed head. The kid's reaction was absurd, but preferable. If Gohan had been as angry as he had felt, with as much power as the kid was able to control? Frightening. “Look, we are going to have to work together for the next couple of hours,” he sneered as Gohan nodded his head meekly, “And as much as I should, I-I don't hate you…” He hated admitting it to himself, but his brother had been right: he didn't get sad he got angry. More than half the disgust he had initially felt had faded overnight, the separation from Gohan giving him time to think, and feel, and discover which parts of what had happened were actually his reactions, and not the overflow of emotion from the bond. Radditz had admitted to himself, while he lay in the dark after his brother had left, that he wouldn't let himself feel something like guilt, but would have translated it into something else similar: like regret...no, disgust.

 

The commander noted how the mating mark had scarred instead of healed. When Kakarott had told him he had found Gohan in the tank the night before, Radditz had expected not to see any evidence of his impulsive error left. Maybe his brother had been correct on that account as well…it had been too soon. Or, Radditz had thought it over, or maybe they should have discussed what was happening between them. Radditz knew if he had actually given Gohan the chance to talk about it…but the commander again had to admit something he didn't want to think about: he had been afraid of losing the other, if he had given Gohan the choice.

 

So he had acted out when his instincts had made themselves clear, knowing he would be forgiven later, after the bond had formed: a huge miscalculation on his part.

 

Gohan looked up slowly as he tried to understand why the other sayian would even bother talking to him, “I am sorry,” they were the words that had continuously been running through his head. He couldn't begin to express the hundreds of apologies he wanted to: ~for mistakes, for being weak, for lying….~

 

Radditz' tail loosened from around his waist the tiniest bit; he truly wanted to be able to accept the repeated apology… “I can't,” he whispered. ~Not yet,~ he finished, shaking his head. He was still fuming mad, there was no way of getting around that: Gohan had indeed been untruthful with him, but…he shook his head and growled, not able to fully sort out his own thoughts, let alone express what he was feeling, while in the presence of the other. The partial bond still made it difficult to separate things when they were this close to each other.

 

Gohan nodded, looking down. He thought his mind was playing games with him as the dry, barren dirt beneath his feet faded into wet, damp, green grass. Rain on the back of his neck had him quickly looking up at his surroundings.

 

 

“Welcome home.”

 

 

“Oh gods…no” ~no~ the darkness cleared as the dragon balls dispersed. The hurt he had felt from Radditz' rejection was revealed as trivial compared to the anguish of being torn through time and space from him. Familiar, smiling faces altered to those of confusion or unease at his quiet, initial outburst: barely registered as he fell clutching Radditz' mark.

 

Agony. He…he couldn't…think….

 

Goku could only attribute it to Vegeta's ever-pessimistic outlook that the prince reacted first. If Vegeta had not thrown up the ki shield, the shockwave from Gohan's first scream would have killed the humans: at the least. As it was, outbuildings and landscape were rendered apart, as much as he could see, before he IT'd to get to his son, and then IT'd to get him out of there. Forget caution…things weren't happening as they should…hopefully Piccolo's head wouldn't be destroyed...Goku learned first hand how un-instantaneous IT was; and that he could ascend in that blink of an eye.

 

Dry, arid, barren: this was as good a place to meditate, as it was to lose one's sanity. Another scream; another shockwave, “GOHAN!” the back of his hands were flayed as he was able create a ki shield for the rest of his body, but couldn't wrap his hands protectively if he didn't want to let go of his son. A reprieve as his son took another breath, “GOHAN!” a semblance of recognition flashed in those eyes, “Gohan. Come on…”

 

“Kakarott?” it had been a bad dream…

 

Goku's body was drug down by both shock of his son using that name and the weight of his son's body as the other's legs gave out. “Wha…” puzzlement.

 

“You have to tell your brother I am sorry…” desperation; if there were anyway to fix this mess…

 

“Brother?” confusion. Why would Gohan want to tell his brother anything?

 

“Tell Radditz I didn't mean to deceive him, please! He'll listen to you…” Misery. Even if Radditz never reciprocated, he needed this closure…

 

Goku couldn't make that promise, “Son, I don't think I can…” He hadn't seen evidence Radditz was in hell, nor could he imagine he would have been granted life in other world. He didn't understand the gasp…

 

“Oh, I see, he's told you already…” distraction. So much for a last ditch effort: wait. Kakarott certainly wasn't acting as fickle as Radditz had to this whole thing…but, then, he was now bonded to another….

 

“Gohan, Radditz is dead,” what the heck wasn't he getting here? Vacant, soulless eyes turned up to him.

 

“No,” Gohan shook his head childishly, “Please, don't lie to me.”

 

His son's obvious turmoil made him ache for him as shaky, sweaty fingers came up to touch his lips closed. Still, the reality was… “Son, you know he's dead. He's been dead for years…” Goku gasped as the fronts of his shirts were gripped powerfully.

 

Dead? Where had he been when that had happened? “Who killed him?”

 

The insane obsession in that hissed question made Goku very uncomfortable. He didn't have time to form an acceptable answer as Gohan turned away from him to growl at something a distance from them, “It did.”

 

And then Goku could feel Piccolo's ki returning as the Namek regenerated; “Yes…” he barely caught hold of Gohan's wrist with a damaged hand, “Gohan!”

 

“Let me go,” Gohan hissed back at Goku, trying to shake his father's hand loose.

 

“Sorry, can't do that son: you aren't thinking straight,” Goku said as he jerked Gohan back. He dodged the fist that came swinging at his head, and barely blocked the kick that came up from the ground. He barely realized his error in time; phasing in between his attacking son and a defenseless Piccolo, “Gohan!”

 

“Get out of my way!” Goku kept himself between Gohan and his son's apparent target as Gohan circled them. “Don't think I won't destroy you also,” Gohan warned, “You told me you held him while Piccolo shot him…it would be fitting for the two of you to go down together this time.”

 

“I don't know what this is about…”

 

“You are absolutely correct,” Gohan spat, “You know nothing, Goku.”

 

“Son?” Goku heard Piccolo from behind him, “What's going on?”

 

“Piccolo!” Goku threw over his shoulder, keeping tabs on his son, “I don't know. What I do know, is Gohan's going to kill you, if we can't get you out of here.”

 

“I can fight my own battles…” Piccolo unwarily objected to Goku's interference.

 

“That's right, let it fight me,” Gohan grinned.

 

“I don't think you want to do that,” Goku cautioned, “Something's not right with him. All of this has been unprovoked. WHOA!” he exclaimed while blocking another strike from his son, “He's not playing games…”

 

Piccolo growled agreement, using his protected position from behind Goku to stretch an arm out and pull one of Gohan's legs out from under him, “Did you see that?” Piccolo asked Goku quietly as he withdrew his arm. The technique barely fazed Gohan, who was back on his feet in an instant.

 

“Clever little Namek, I'll remember that…”

 

“A tail,” Goku whispered back, “Is that going to be our strategy? What if he has it trained?”

 

“You got a better one?” Piccolo asked as he discarded his cape and turban. This was going to depend on speed and distraction.

 

“No,” Goku said as he deflected a ki shot.

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

“That stupid bastard,” Vegeta cursed, picking up his speed again as he felt Kakarott ascend to the second level. Goten and Trunks had already fallen behind in the rush to get to where Kakarott had disappeared. Videl was so far back he didn't even consider her part of the game; he had ordered her to stay behind any way…

 

Still, Vegeta supposed Kakarott hadn't had much of a choice in the matter. Letting Gohan stay within Capsule Corporation's perimeters wouldn't have been any better, “Couldn't you have gone somewhere closer? Oh…” Piccolo's ki had fully revived and then flared, “Hang on Kakarott,” Vegeta encouraged as he took a moment to glance down at the capsule Bulma had pressed into his hand before he and the boys had taken off, “I hope this shit is strong enough…”

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

“What the hell is wrong with him?!” Goten yelled over the wind.

 

“How should I know?” Trunks replied; he'd been wondering the same thing. He grimaced as he felt the gap between them and his father increase, “Shit!”

 

Goten grit his teeth and pressed his limit. They weren't going to make it in time to stop the fighting, but hopefully they'd get there in time to pass out senzu, because people were certainly going to need them.

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

Videl felt her ki wavering, “Not here!” Shit, there was nothing but ocean between her and her husband's radically different ki signature. She should have paced herself, but…

 

“Oh crap!” Videl's blue eyes widened as she realized she wasn't going to find an island in time.

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

Pan had hesitated to follow the rest of the group. Her mother's insistence that she stay behind encouraging her to do so…her tendency to be disobedient causing this whole mess in the first place.

 

But that was her dad…she had made her decision when her grandmother was distractedly giving Bulma the riot act about getting a vehicle ready to follow…

 

She had almost caught up with her mom and was slowing so she wouldn't be detected; “Oh no!” she dove as she felt her mother's ki give out.

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

Videl used what little ki she had left to help control her fall. She'd at least be able to swim if she didn't break any thing…dang, that water sure was coming fast though…when had she gotten so old?

 

“MOM!” Pan watched as her mother splashed down, breaking the surface moments after to follow her. She gripped one slim wrist and pulled to the surface, using ki instead of swimming to make it back up.

 

Videl tried to see through the salt water as her wrist was grabbed. Almost forgot herself as she wanted to sigh in relief at Pan's ki signature. Air, breathe. “What are you doing out here? I thought I told you…”

 

“Grandma was going to follow any way. I'd have been there one way or another,” Pan reported as she treaded water.

 

Videl shook her head and pushed her bangs up out of her face, “Well…this is one time I am glad you didn't listen…”

 

“I promise not to make a habit of it,” Pan said, relieved her mother wasn't going to be angry for long, “What do we do now?”

 

Videl sighed, “You have enough strength to carry me?”

 

Pan sighed in exasperation, “Of course, Mom. I am a quarter sayian.”

 

Videl hid a small smile, “Well, I think we should go back. I don't have enough strength. Besides, your grandpa should IT everyone back to Capsule Corp as soon as things are under control…”

 

Pan nodded, but looked in the direction they had been heading, “It doesn't feel promising…”

 

“Vegeta will make it…”

 

“I hope so. Grab on,” Pan turned her back to her mother, and lifted out of the water once her mom had a good hold.

 

“I hope Bulma has convinced grandma to stay…”

 

“Me too.”

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

He knew what they were doing, but the opportunity presented was too great to resist. He lunged at Piccolo, twisting his body at the same time so Goku wouldn't be able to get a hold of his one vulnerability.

 

He laughed as he sent a fist through Piccolo's chest. He knew he should aim to destroy its head, but he couldn't help the desire to make it suffer. He pulled his hand out in time to back hand his father with a closed fist, “Not fast enough, old man,” he gloated prematurely, “Gah!” the one thing he hadn't anticipated, a third party, “How the fuck?!” he should have felt this one coming…

 

Vegeta bit the protective cover of the syringe needle off, spit the plastic out of his mouth, and then stabbed the metal into Gohan's butt cheek, “I ran.”

 

Gohan snarled weakly at Vegeta, “Shouldn't have…” and then he dropped to the ground.

 

Piccolo groaned, “Fuck.”

 

Goku lifted his head and shook dirt from his spikes, “Close.”

 

“Too close,” Vegeta snarled at him over his shoulder as he controlled Gohan's decent to the ground. He waited to be sure the brat was out before letting go of his tail.

 

“I thought you said he was going to be ki-less,” Goku said as he straightened up.

 

“He should have been,” Vegeta said, pulling down Gohan's collar to get a better look at the back of his neck, “And tailless…” he stilled at the mark on the kid's shoulder, pulling the collar wide on the other side, and seeing no matching mark, “Fuck,” he said distractedly, sighing as he let the body the rest of the way to the ground. The sayian thumbed Gohan's lower lip and then forced Gohan's jaw down, groaning when he noticed extended lower canines…he'd never thought this would be problem…or a possibility. He fingered the capsule tied to Gohan's neck, wondering where it had come from: the design wasn't quite the same as Bulma's….

 

“What?” Goku asked, coming closer.

 

“Did he say anything? Or just start fighting?” Vegeta asked, running a hand through his hair.

 

One of Goku's eyebrows rose at Vegeta's gesture…very unlike him, “Um…he wanted me to tell Radditz something…”

 

“What?” Vegeta glanced up at the other sayian.

 

“I tried to explain that Radditz was dead…” Goku started.

 

“Here,” Vegeta grunted, sitting back on the ground, running his gloved hands over his face.

 

“What?” Goku asked.

 

“Radditz is dead here,” Vegeta's reply was muffled through the hands covering his face, but Goku was still able to hear the clarified response.

 

“Oh…”

 

“Someone care to fill me in? Seeing's how it was my head he seemed to be after?” Piccolo interjected.

 

Vegeta shook his head, “We don't have any answers…” he lied smoothly; but really, all he had to go on for now was speculation.

 

“I think we should get him back to Capsule Corp.,” Goku interrupted.

 

Vegeta sighed, “Wait `til the boys get here. Then we can all go back at once.”

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

 

Cool, soothing, nothingness…faded into disorientating grogginess. Lights wavered in his vision. People he could hear but not see…fading…

 

“I think he's reviving,” Goku whispered over the gurney.

 

Vegeta looked down, grunted his agreement, and reached for another needle.

 

“Wait!” Goku said, reaching up to hinder Vegeta.

 

“What?” Vegeta mumbled around the cap.

 

“Don't you think we should give him a chance?” Goku said. What ever Vegeta had been injecting into his son's system was pretty damned powerful.

 

“A chance to what? Destroy the building? Kill our families?” Vegeta argued.

 

“No…I mean, there has to be some reason he did what he did, and if we keep him drugged, we won't know what to do to help…” Goku tried to reason.

 

Vegeta growled: he had a fairly good idea what had caused this, but he wasn't ready to reveal that information yet, “I'll let the woman come up with something better, later. For now,” he pressed the needle through the brat's skin, and pressed the stopper down, “This will have to do. How are your hands?”

 

Goku looked at the back of his hands, “The senzu worked,” he shrugged as they moved around a corner.

 

“That one,” Vegeta indicated with a jerk of his chin, and Goku turned into the lab with the front of the gurney.

 

Bulma was already in the lab, Chichi keeping close tabs on what the scientist was doing, “Oh, Gohan!” she sobbed as the sayians came in with Gohan between them. “What's wrong with him?” she asked accusingly when she received no response.

 

“Vegeta has sedated him,” Bulma said matter-of-factly.

 

“Drugs?” Chichi demanded.

 

“Woman!”

 

“Chichi,” Goku interrupted before Vegeta could get started, “He wasn't himself.”

 

“I know that…”

 

“He was a danger,” Vegeta spit out, “To my family, to yours…probably to himself.”

 

“How many shots have you given him?” Bulma asked as she lifted an eyelid and shone a light into one of Gohan's eyes.

 

“Six,” Vegeta shrugged.

 

“Six?” Bulma asked incredulously; they hadn't been gone for more than two hours.

 

“He kept waking up,” Goku said as he took a seat. Waiting for the boys had seemed as though it had taken longer than it should have.

 

“Are you going to be able to do something?” Chichi asked in a huff.

 

“I don't know,” Bulma mumbled as she dug around in a cupboard, pulling out restraints. Vegeta shuddered.

 

“What are those?” Goku asked suspiciously; he hadn't missed Vegeta's reaction to them.

 

“Ki restraints…designed them after the Brolli incident,” Bulma said as she began replacing the leather ones that came with the movable bed, “We can't keep him sedated on something that obviously isn't working…”

 

“Oh…”

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

Pan landed tiredly in front of the Capsule Corp building, “Back to where we started…”

 

Videl took in the sight, eyes continuing to widen in amazement, “He…he really wasn't happy to be back,” she gulped. What had happened to her husband?

 

Pan sat in the recently cleared dirt, “I am sorry…”

 

Videl sighed; “Honey…” but she didn't know what to say. This was her daughter's fault, and they both knew it…she sat in the dirt next to her daughter and pulled her close.

 

“What…what if he wants to go back?” Pan asked.

 

Videl blinked. She hadn't thought of that possibility, “I don't know. I don't know that it would even be possible…”

 

Pan nodded, drawing stick figures in the dirt with a tired finger.

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

“I want to be here when he wakes up!” Chichi insisted.

 

“Chichi,” Goku started.

 

“Look, he obviously wasn't happy to see any of us,” Bulma said, “Vegeta's got the best knowledge of Vegeta-sei, and he's not going to get hurt if Gohan throws a fit while he is wearing those,” she nodded, indicating the restraints.

 

“But…”

 

“Woman. Do you really want to be here if he has to discuss…relationships,” Vegeta cut to the chase tactfully.

 

Chichi blushed, “Gohan can talk to me about anything…can't he?”

 

Goku shook his head, “I don't know that he'd tell you details, if it involves that,” he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, “Come on hun…”

 

“O-okay,” Chichi gave in grudgingly.

 

“I'll have someone bring down some food,” Bulma said before she followed the other two out of the room.

 

“Thanks,” Vegeta commented, waiting for them all to round the corner before taking a seat. “Wake up kid.”

 

 

~o0o~