Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Lost and Found II: Lavender Blues ❯ The Fate of Raditz ( Chapter 1 )

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

Like a Father to His Son

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ. Toriyama does. I do own the Idsarjins, and the character of Tomakt, the mate I have made up for Raditz.
Chapter 1 The fate of Raditz

Story Notes: This story contains a flashback of Vegeta's time in Hell shortly after Frieza killed him. This used to be chapter 39 of Lost and Found: Royal Line Blues but at the suggestion of one reviewer I'm making a new story focusing on Future Trunks and Vegeta. Because of clarity issues and contradictions this saga takes up shortly after Bulma and Vegeta return home from their trip to find the lost Saiyan Race Bank. Using the gene samples, an improved cure for Goku's Heart Virus was found. But Vegeta reveals that there were other Saiyan survivors that he did not reveal to the Z Fighters because he wasn't sure his Idsarjin Allies could revive them. Future Trunks has shown up earlier and he joins his father in preparation for the Androids. He stopped a fight between Goku and Vegeta that resulted from Goku unwittingly revealing Trunks parentage by a slip of the tongue. Now he's living at Capsule with his parents, being updated with the finds from Bulma and Vegeta's trek.

(formerly chapter 39 of Royal Line Blues)
***

An hour after Bulma and Vegeta were reunited, they landed at Capsule. Trunks glanced around, feeling a strange sense of familiarity seeing the large yellow dome. His blue eyes held sadness, seeming much older than they should for a boy of sixteen.

"Come on, boy, follow me," Vegeta said, waving to him.

"Trunks, its okay," Bulma said, reaching out to take his hand. "You're welcome here…"

"Hmph, what is that infernal mother of yours going to say?" Vegeta harrumphed.

"Nothing. Just that we brought our son home," Bulma snorted.

"Are you nuts?" Vegeta rounded on her, hands on his hips. "They'll NEVER buy it!"

"Still, he IS family. He's got my father's hair, and my eyes," said Bulma, as Trunks blushed.

"Mom, come on!" he groaned.

"Hmph, whatever," Vegeta grumbled, marching in. Trunks and Bulma shrugged, then followed. Warily the youth glanced around for any sign of danger.
***
Later he accepted the cup of coffee that Bulma set in his hands. Vegeta grumbled, cutting violently into his fourth steak while Bulma clattered about with pots and pans. Trunks glanced up, looking carefully at his father. "So… I guess you're wondering WHY I'm here…"

"Humph," Vegeta said. "Eat something damn it. You look like a fucking skeleton!"

"Vegeta, be NICE! He's probably not had a decent meal in DAYS!" Bulma said annoyed, throwing down a steak on Trunks's pate. The youth pushed it back and forth, cutting small pieces as if to ration them.

"Thanks Mom. Should I call you that…? I mean… it's a bit weird and all," Trunks said, with a nervous laugh.

"Shut up and eat damn it, if you're going to babble nonsense, brat," Vegeta snapped at him.

"Sorry sir," Trunks said sullenly, carving off a big piece of steak. He popped it in his mouth, then closed his eyes with the savory grilled morsels melting in his mouth.

"Tastes like crap, woman. I've had better SPACE rations…"

"It's fine to me. It's the best I've ever tasted?" Trunks said, scratching his head.

"See someone appreciates my cooking," Bulma said with a grin, whacking Vegeta on the back.

"No accounting for taste," Vegeta glared at his son, and then returned to shoveling mashed potatoes into his mouth. Trunks saw him shove the broccoli and gravy towards him, with a raised purple brow.

"Give him time. He's always cranky when he's not had lunch," Bulma whispered to Trunks.

"Um… sir… I'm sorry I showed up out of nowhere but…" Trunks started.

"What's that brat?" asked Vegeta, swallowing his mouthful.

"I said…"

"Don't fucking apologize, brat. Honestly, you're irritating the shit out of me. Did you get your manners from your mother?" he growled.

"So… you believe me?" Trunks asked, leveling his blue gaze at Vegeta's black one.

"Humph, no shit Sherlock," Vegeta harumphed. "You're annoying enough like your mother. And you've got balls and there's no mistaking that royal blue ki. But you're still a brat."

"Sir?" Trunks asked.

"I suppose I can swallow that you're my son," Vegeta mumbled. "But stop acting so damn POLITE! It's making me SICK!"

"Sorry Dad," Trunks said quietly. "I'll try to remember that."

"It's yes sir or yes Father. I'm not a touchy feely sentimental fool like Kakkarot. Honestly…" Vegeta cleared his throat. "You've a LOT to learn about proper manners, boy, when it comes to being Saiyan…"

"I meant to ask you, you mentioned something about a space pod…" Trunks said, glancing at both of them. "How did you come across one…"

"Long story," Bulma said.

"Which I shall tell him, because you babble too much," Vegeta cut her off. He shoved his coffee cup towards her, which Bulma grudgingly filled. She shoved the pot into Vegeta's hand.

"Might as well drink the whole damn pot, Mister Grateful," she glowered at him, sitting down next to Trunks.

"Whatever," Vegeta waved her away with a white gloved hand. "Now, since you're obviously nosy about this… and you haven't had the benefit of my tutelage in your universe, I'll tell you. Have you ever heard of the Race bank?"

"Race bank? Yes sir… actually I have," Trunks said. Vegeta spewed a mouthful of coffee, hitting both his son and wife.

"WHAT?" he gasped. "How could you possibly if I was dead…"

"Say it, don't SPRAY it! Jeez Vegeta, you say I have no manners!" Bulma yelled at him.

"You kept a diary," said Trunks, wiping off his face with the back of his sleeve while Bulma dabbed herself off with a napkin.

"Figures," Vegeta rolled his eyes.

"Vegeta, speaking of, who saved the Race bank from blowing up with your planet?" she asked.

"Bardock," said Trunks.

"Who?" Bulma asked.

"Kakkarot's father. He somehow got his hands on the race bank. It's not something I readily admit, and if you tell Kakkarot I'll blast you," snorted Vegeta. "He worked in the employ of the elite scientific guild. Apparently his son Raditz mated with the daughter of a high ranking scientist responsible for compiling the race banks and updating them…"

"You mean to say Goku's brother married an elite?" Bulma smiled wryly.

"It's not something we discuss with outsiders," said Vegeta in embarrassment. "It wasn't unheard of for a third class to try and gain more social standing by mating up. But it was more usual for a female of lower class to mate up. Yet considering the shortage of females… it's a wonder that it was even permitted…"

"So it's because of that liaison, that Bardock knew about the race bank?" asked Bulma.

"Yes. According to your diary, Father, you'd found out about the race bank and recorded a whole entry about it, under triple encryption…" Trunks related.

"How could YOU get into it?"

"Hey, there's not much to do when the androids blow up TV, and you're running for your life," said Trunks sarcastically.

"Vegeta, really!" Bulma snapped. "Go on…"

"If I might continue," Vegeta glared at his son.

"Go ahead Father," Trunks said, helping himself to more steak and potatoes. Vegeta shoved another piece of prime rib into his mouth, chewing it thoroughly.

"I only knew Bardock was connected to this, because of a peculiar twist of fate. Which was confirmed when I was killed by Frieza," said Vegeta.

"Excuse me?" asked Bulma.

"I went to hell you idiots," Vegeta glared at them both. "And I ran into some old subjects. Primarily Raditz and his softhearted mate Tomakt. She was the daughter of the scientist who developed the Race Bank…"

"Tomakt? That's hardly a plant name," giggled Bulma.

"Not ALL of us have names resembling fruits and vegetables in your language. It's your idiotic tongue, not mine!" Vegeta glared.

"Okay, just tell us," Bulma snickered, trying not to laugh. Trunks snickered into his hand, grinning at his mother while Vegeta glared daggers at them both. In the kitchen they listened to Vegeta's strange tale after he had died at Frieza's hand.
***

"My prince I've only lived to serve you and the best interests of Vejita-sei," Raditz said as Vegeta's spectral form turned its back. Both Saiyans were wreathed in mist, trudging on a rocky gray plane that stretched to infinity. Overhead a cavernous roof stretched, but was obscured by the haze that separated them from everywhere else. Hell had many levels; Vegeta had come to know after King Yemma had sent him down below. Yet since he wasn't truly evil, he had come to the plane of oblivion, doomed to hear the voices of those he'd killed trying to avenge his lost planet. Imagine his surprise when he had come across Raditz.

Several of the others here had tried to jump him. His faithful soldier had brushed them aside, then dusted his prince off. It was reassuring to see another Saiyan, even in death though it be a third class. Raditz had always served him well without question. Unlike the treacherous Nappa.

"If you hadn't failed your mission third class I'd not BE in this mess. But no matter. I suppose if I have to spend eternity in HFIL, I could do with worse company," Vegeta snorted.

"You shall not regret this, Sire," Radditzu saluted, on one knee. "I can explain the workings of this place to…"

"I got the drill up at that damn way station," Vegeta snorted.

"King Yemma is a pain in the ass, but he has his own method of justice," Radditzu glanced around. He showed the Prince to a flat-topped rock, where Vegeta promptly sat.

"Humph. So, Nappa and the others down here?"

"Yes. But there's only so much I can stand of him wanting to tell me about…" Radditzu grumbled, still on his knee.

"Get up you dolt. If you're my only company here, I can't be talking to your back. Sit down…"

"It's not for me to claim any familiarity," Radditzu said, still averting his gaze, keeping his deep voice low.

"Get up and face me idiot," Vegeta snorted, prodding his loyal third class soldier with his boot. Raditz got out of his bow, and glanced up.

"So… did you avenge…"

"Your brother had that distinct pleasure, Great Oorzu rot his fucking bones," Vegeta spat.

"I'm sorry…"

"Shut the fuck up. As if YOUR apology could address this wrongdoing," Vegeta snapped.

"IF only I…"

"Save it, Raditz," said Vegeta quietly. Anger filled his face and he dragged one foot up to tuck under his bent knee.

"If there is anything I can do…"

"Tell me about how Hell works," he said.

"Yemma sends the souls he sees fit down here. Those that he's putting on the back burner go to a sort of in between place. The truly evil go down in the lower levels…." Radditzu said.

"So, we're in the bowels no doubt. So why haven't we seen Nappa…"

"He's down there… in the pit," said Radditzu. "I was only brought up here… recently. They said that I'd served my time and got transferred up here for good behavior…"

"Humph, evil in degrees. Fitting. So who else did you see?"

"I saw the Ginyuu force on their way down, and several others here. But I don't see my father," said Radditzu quietly. "I had hoped that…"

"So, this isn't the level for the truly evil?" Vegeta blinked, glancing around at the icy shivering wind biting into their souls. He flared his ki, feeling the loneliness biting at the pit of his soul.

"I thought at first it would be fire and scorching sun. It was down lower," said Radditzu. "But here it's just… well there aren't many here. I've mainly been alone. But it's amazing what you can hear when you concentrate…"

"What are you babbling about, moron?" Vegeta snorted. He heard a faint whispering buzzing in his ears, swearing he could discern hundreds of thousands of languages including Saiyaneese. Yet it was a voice of many, a fugue of millions.

"They are the millions we've killed Sire," said Radditzu, brushing off a spot of ground and sitting Indian style by his Prince. He rested his hands on his knees.

"Great. So why am I not alone here?"

"Because I wished to be placed with you, should you have made it here. To serve my prince in this world as I did in the one before," said Radditzu.

"Faithful fool," Vegeta mumbled, prodding Raditz's shoulder with his boot. "So… where's that mate of yours?"

"She… I have not seen her here," Radditzu said.

"Humph, she's killed just as many as you have…"

"She was supposed to be in the in between place," Radditzu said, anger filling him. "Because she had spared the lives of many of her captors, selling them as slaves or as subjects for experiments instead of purging them. I suppose she was a bit soft hearted, but ruthless in her own scientific way."

"Tomakt was a brilliant scientist like your father, but soft hearted," Vegeta cursed. "A wonder she was even Saiyan. If not for the fact her genetic…"

"Radditzu!" called a voice. They cocked their heads, turning to face something moving in the distance. Through the gray mists, another armored figure emerged.

"Tomakt chan?" Radditzu straightened up. "What are you doing here?"

"Radditzu… Great Super Saiyan be praised it's you… and your majesty!" the female Saiyan gasped, dropping on her hands and knees before him.

"I suppose you're getting time off for good behavior?" asked Vegeta matter of fact. "Get up and face me female!"

"Begging your pardon sire, but I only just died," Tomakt said, glancing up at him with dark brown eyes.

"WHAT?" Radditzu spluttered. "But you were… they said that you blew up with… you were with Mother on Vejitasei…"

"Tell me now what this is all about!" Vegeta growled, grabbing Tomakt by her throat.

"Yes… sire…" she gasped. "Of course."

"Please forgive my mate, she's… she's delirious from the strain of passing…"

"No, she's telling the truth," Vegeta snorted. "Answer me, Third Class mate of Radditzu, when did you die and how?"

"I was… Bok Choi's men killed me," she said quietly. "On Archalisei…"

"Archalisei?" Vegeta spluttered. "IMPOSSIBLE!"

"Not so sire," she said. "He kept a few of the females he most liked… and…"

"You know it's impossible for me to miss not knowing that my subjects are…" Vegeta stammered. "HOW?"

"Sire, he cut off our tails," said Tomakt quietly. "Cabernet, Chablis, Merlot… all of us… we were captured and sold to Bok Choi…"

"But I left you behind when I went to find Kakkarot!" Raditz exploded. "You were still ALIVE all this time?"

"Yes my love," she whispered.

"DAMMIT!" Raditz howled.

"Fucking bastard. How did he sever your link?" asked Vegeta angrily, shaking her shoulder.

"He removed the part of our brains. The temporal lobe… and severed the link," Tomakt said grimly. "I'm sorry sire… I tried to die with honor… the secrets of the Race bank were killed with me…"

"Good. So your death DID serve some purpose," said Vegeta with a snicker. "It still exists?"

"Begging your pardon Sire, my father in law… he knows where it is. He had Cabernet and me take it with the 2nd advance scouting squad to Archalisei… then Bok Choi captured us. I had been told that the world was blown up… and then he…" she stammered.

"Your majesty, please let her go," said Raditz.

Vegeta released his grip on the female Saiyan's throat. She rubbed it slowly, then backed away. Raditz rested his hand on her shoulder, squeezing her from behind. She panted, as he turned her and pressed his forehead to hers. Vegeta rose from his rock, pacing slowly back and forth. Finally he wheeled on the two mates, and said, "You two… what others were there at that mission?"

"Cabernet is still alive," said Tomakt. "And Merlot. They… they had the surgery too. But they're still alive… but they're on Pyorrhea…"

"Damn it… and because that fucker did brain surgery, I'm cut off!" Vegeta cursed. "Damn it!"

Out of the mists wandered two hulking shapes. Raditz rose to his feet, gripping his mate's hand. Protectively they stood between their Prince and the newcomers. Once the mist cleared, two one horned demons with HELL printed in black letters across their shirts stopped. "Uh, pardon us, but we're here for Prince Vegeta…"

"You'll have to face us first," Raditz hissed.

"And you know that we don't care to be pushed around like your usual…" Tomakt said.

"Restrain that female of yours, will you? I'm getting sick of her mouth, and her scientific mumbo jumbo!" the one to the left sighed.

"Raditz, Tomakt, step away. What do you two want?" Vegeta snorted. Raditz and his mated moved back to flank him on either side, arms folded across their chests.

"You're not supposed to be here, Vegeta-sama. Someone's wished you back… so if you'll come with us…"

"WHAT the fuck?" Vegeta exploded. "Who DARES?"

"Sorry, but we just follow orders. You gotta report with us to King Yemma. You're going back," said a demon with a clipboard that he pulled out of his shirt. He put on a pair of glasses, tracing a finger down a list of names.

"It's a 245DR. Resurrection by Dragon Ball," said his assistant, glancing over his shoulder. "Rare, but it's enough to get you out of here. So if you'll step this way…"

"You're not taking him anywhere!" Raditz snapped, rushing forwards. He was slammed in the gut by the larger of the two demons. Tomakt raised her hand, firing a purple beam of ki towards them. It glanced off, hitting her in the side of the head. She crumpled on top of Raditz's prone form.

"Enough, you clowns. Who did this?" Vegeta snorted, glancing down at his soldiers to see if they were all right. Seemingly since they were dead, what else could happen. But he wasn't taking any chances.

"Bulma and the Z senshi. So come on… time's wasting," said the shorter thinner demon. "Please?"

"Sire?" asked Tomakt, slowly picking herself and helping her mate to stand.

"Remain here you two. It seems I have a reprieve," said Vegeta with a snort. "I can't fucking believe it…"

"King Yemma hates stragglers," said the larger Demon.

"Hmph, give me a damn moment! What about my soldiers?"

"Nope, they gotta stay here. Frieza didn't kill them. Raditz-san was killed by Goku and Tomakt-san by Bok Choi. They don't count. Sorry," said the shorter demon, glancing at his clipboard.

"Shit," Raditz grumbled.

"Sire, don't forget us," Tomakt said.

"I shall not. Your faithfulness shall be remembered in Saiyan history," Vegeta said, as they both bowed before him. He touched his hand to their foreheads, then nudged his boot against their shoulders. Turning, he grunted at the two demons.

"Ready to go, Vegeta-sama?" they asked.

"Yes, let's go. I'm fucking SICK of this place. And make sure these two don't get trounced by those other buffoons… they're loyal even if they are idiotic…" said Vegeta with a whisper.

"Begging your pardon, but that females' supposedly brilliant… and that guy's not so stupid. He's rather smart…"

"Both are third class. They have their uses," Vegeta said as he gave them a glance over his shoulder. Raditz and Tomakt glanced at their prince fading into the mist, then turned to one another.

She reached out to brush his cheek with the back of her hand. "We're truly alone…"

"Not alone," Raditz said as he turned his face to kiss the inside of her palm, laying his large hand overtop hers. Still crouching in a kneel they cupped each other's faces with trembling hands. From around his waist Raditz unlatched his tail, twining it around her hips.

"I never thought I'd see you again. IT was a knife going through my brain… when Bok-Choi…"

"Shh," Raditz whispered, sitting down. He pulled her into his lap, curling his arms around her body. Tomakt heard him purring lightly into her ear. All over she trembled, feeling her mate's hands caressing each curve he'd memorized in the long sleeps in suspension.

"My love, what will we do now? Our Prince is alive, but what of the Saiyan people?" Tomakt turned to face him. He bumped his cheek to hers, then nipped her ear.

"We enjoy this time, even if it's in Hell together. I've been separated from you for twenty years… not knowing that you were alive, that you'd survived. That was hell enough," Raditz whispered.

"I feel it. You just shut yourself down… all you gave a care for was eradication… what a waste," she said, sensing his frustration and a dozen other suppressed emotions through their bond.

"It was our job, Tomakt. You never DID get it," he grunted, stiffening under her grasp. "You were always sentimental. I told you that you couldn't keep every specimen for a zoo. They were vermin…"

"What you consider vermin was not so," she said. "I learned so much more by studying them, not killing them. They would die soon enough under the experimentation of…"

"You haven't changed," he snorted, wanting to push her away.

"All you cared for in the end was how much we could make on the next planet," she shook her head.

"I was trying to make us RICH so we could buy our contract from…"

"There WAS no contract to buy. Freiza owned us, and killed us all. Bok Choi was his little Saiyan exterminator…" she whispered.

"Where is father and mother?" Raditz asked.

"Your father is on a higher level. Seems that since I sold my specimens into slavery and experimented on some of them with new drugs and chemicals I was all the killer you were," Tomakt whispered.

"You're a Saiyan. We take what we want," Raditz said quietly. "Staying on Planet Vegeta made you soft hearted…"

"Don't you START with me!" she snarled, grabbing his face and baring her fangs. "We could have been trying to save our race instead of killing for that lizard! I wanted to have children for YEARS but you were always running off on some DAMN fool mission with the Prince!"

"I did what I HAD to, to bring honor to our family!" Raditz snarled, pushing her away.

"Oh yes, the big hunter. How many could you kill, to keep up with Nappa! What a fucking WASTE! All those cultures you could have STUDIED! That's why I wanted to stay on Archalisei… but Oorzu rot that bastard Bok Choi… I wish he'd killed me then and there… I wish I'd been blown up! Damn him," she cursed, snarling as her tail bristled and fluffed out.

"Do you know how long I wished that I had perished WITH you, and mother and father? What hell I went through because you were DEAD. Now to find you were alive…" he snarled back.

"I'm sorry, but I can't fix it!" she shrilled, baring fangs and snapping at his hand. "You don't GET it!"

"What is there to get? This is MY fault?" he snorted. "If you'd STAYED on Vejita-sei with Mother you'd…"

"We're both dead, Raditz. There's no going back!" she said, turning her back on him as she clawed at the dirt. "So save it!"

"Stubborn FEMALE," Raditz roared, spinning away from her. He hurled a ki blast into a pile of gray rocks, scattering them in the mist. Both mates kept their backs to each other, heaving in and out. IN the afterlife they still felt as if they were living, yet detached.

After a long time, Raditz turned to his mate. She huddled with her chin in her knees, tail wrapped around her ankles and bottom. "Tomakt-chan…"

"What?" she snorted, batting his hand away.

"I must apologize. I did not think that seeing you again would be so… painful?"

"Radz-kun, we're dead. Let's not waste this time yelling at each other for eternity… I've not seen you for 20 years…" she heaved a sigh. He gripped her shoulder then pushed himself to stand. Reaching down he pulled her to her feet, then rested his hands on her armored shoulders.

"Do you know where Father is?"

"Otherworld," she said quietly. "Somehow someone pulled some strings, so he and Mother are there. I saw him when I died… and he told me to give you a message…"

"What did he have to say, Tomakt?" Raditz asked, cupping her chin and stroking his fingers through her shaggy spiked hair. While not as long as his, it was shoulder length, consisting of smaller slightly curled spikes that poofed around her head, short on top, but long around the back.

"He said to let Kakkarot off the hook. That being angry with your brother was useless… till you knew the whole story," said Tomakt.

"Stupid waste of skin," Raditz growled.

"Radz, now stop it," she growled, squeezing his wrist tightly, imbedding her claws into it. "Blaming HIM isn't going to help!"

"He was a DISGRACE!" Raditz exploded, wanting to push her away.

"Tell me what happened," Tomakt said, squeezing his hand. "We've got all the time in this world…"

"Hmph, well it all started…" he trailed off.
***