Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Protection the Raditz Way ❯ Gohan's outrage ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter 8 Gohan's Gross Misunderstanding

Next morning, Videl and Gohan were setting the table, while Goten rushed about helping the twins to bring huge pots of food in. Seeing Atomique slowly wandering in yawning, Gohan stopped.

 

"Are you okay?" Gohan asked. “You don't usually sleep this late, Atomique-san…”

 

"Settle down I'm fine! Sheesh!" she grumbled.

 

"Gohan, relax!" said Videl, glaring at him.

 

Fermi and Bohr rushed up to hug their mom as she crouched on one knee. "Good morning mommy," they chorused.

 

She glanced at their orange training gi, and laughed, "What the heck is this?"

 

"Son-kun san and Nissan are going to be training us today," said Fermi.

 

"And I get to spar with Goten," said Bohr.

 

"If he can keep me from kicking his butt!" Goten laughed, plunking down his pot of rice.

 

"Um, hope you don't mind, but they needed some new workout clothes, and well, Goten's old stuff seemed to fit…" Gohan shrugged.

 

"Sheesh, it's fine, but who's who?" she joked, picking up one of them.

 

"Green undershirt for Fermi, yellow for Bohr," Goten explained. "Cool huh?"

 

“Just like brothers,” Videl murmured. “Man, I remember the first time your mom met me… she was convinced that…”

 

“Ugh, don't remind me,” a mortified Gohan groaned.

 

"All of you look cool," she laughed, picking either one up and setting them on her hips. She winced in pain because one of them brushed her taped ribs.

 

"Mommy you got hurt!" they gasped.

 

"Just a lab accident… I had some help though…" she explained, then set him down.

 

"That's good," Bohr said. Goku grabbed one of the twins, taking him onto his shoulders to carry him to the table playfully. Fermi slid down and rushed over to pull a chair out for his mom.

 

"Sit here between us," he urged, as Bohr climbed into the seat next to her. On either side of her the twins sat, flanked by Goten, then Videl, and then Gohan. They all waited for the customary blessings to the ancestors, and then it was time to help each other to the food piled on the circular trivet, and the rice piled on the sideboards. Two huge helpings of rice vanished as father, son, and younger son devoured them. Videl picked bits of rice out of her hair, and glanced at Tomique sympathetically.

 

"You get used to it after a while," Videl said.

 

"C'mon, aren't you gonna eat something? You've hardly touched your food!" Goku protested, showering the front of his blue and orange workout top with rice.

 

"Sorry, just preoccupied," she said, hoping they wouldn't smell Raditz all over her. Goku sniffed the air oddly and shrugged, as the aroma of food was far more interesting. Carefully she picked up her chopsticks and attacked the food with enthusiasm. More was instantly shoveled onto her plate from Gohan, or his dad.

 

“You smell like Dad, but not like dad…” Goten said quickly.

 

“Goten-kun, that's RUDE!” Gohan yelled at him. “C'mon!”

 

“Goten, don't do that, it's not polite! Didn't you learn ANYTHING?” Videl groaned, reaching over to bop the back of his head.

 

“Sorry Sissy, I just…”

 

“Calm down everybody,” Goku called for peace. “There's enough food for all of us, so don't be shy!”

 

“Thanks Dad,” Gohan said with a breath of relief. However he did smell a suspicious scent wafting from Atomique, but dismissed it as his imagination.

 

"You've got a healthy appetite for a change, that's good. Need lots of it to repair all the damage to your body," Goku mumbled through his mouthful of dim sum.

 

"How did you get hurt exactly? What chemicals were you working with?" Gohan asked, glancing down at the bandages on her right arm. She wore a sleeveless top that buttoned at the neck and shoulder, much in the style of something his mother Chichi would wear. But it left her arms bare, revealing the gleaming copper arm ring on her left arm he had never seen before.

 

"I was working with polymerization agents. And the GR blew up," she lied.

 

"Are you sure?" asked Gohan.

 

"Does it matter?" Goku interrupted, then winked at her. "She's fine, right? Anyway, you know Bulma would throw a fit if we brought her back HERE when she was hurt…"

 

"Mommy's fine," said Bohr. "She's an alchemist!"

 

"She had help, right?" asked Fermi. “Somebody had to put the bandages on her, right?”

 

"What?" Atomique gasped, spitting out her food all over Goten, who laughed.

 

"Don't worry, that was funny," he giggled, wiping it off his face and tossing some back.

 

"Fermi, what did I tell you about reading people's minds without their permission?" Goku said firmly at him. "You're NOT supposed to DO that!"

 

"Sorry, Son-kun sama!" he apologized. "I won't let it happen again…"

 

"Kids," Gohan shrugged.

 

"Wait, they can READ minds?" Videl gasped.

 

"It's easier only if the person is related to them. Usually they have a good handle on it," Goku said. “They have to concentrate harder when it's not a family member…”

 

"This is just getting weirder and weirder. Just when I think I've got this family figured out…" Videl groaned.

 

"You don't look so good Sissy, maybe you should have some more kim chee?" asked Goten, shoving some of his vegetables onto her plate.

 

"Now you KNOW you're supposed to eat what's in front of you!" Gohan groaned.

 

"I'll eat it if you don't," Goku laughed.

 

"Daddy will eat ANYTHING," Goten laughed.

 

"I'm not surprised," Atomique said, feeling a bit nervous and dizzy.

 

"Where the heck did you get that armlet?" Gohan asked.

 

"Where?" she asked.

 

"Well you're um… that jewelry looks like it's made of an unusual metal," said Gohan, pointing to the armlet Raditz had slipped on her right upper arm. She twisted it with one hand, and blushed.

 

"Hey, I got the bathwater going if you gals want to go first in the morning," Goku offered. "We'll just clear this stuff off, and you can give us a holler when it's safe to come out…"

 

"Bath sounds wonderful," she said. "But in the middle of the woods?"

 

"Who's gonna see you," Videl groaned. "Besides, I don't' want some dinosaur staring at me alone…"

***

Both girls wandered out wearing robes. Goku had set the water in the enormous cylindrical tub to steaming hot. Unlike most modern homes, they still bathed in a large outdoor hot tub area. While there were showers in the Capsule house, he still insisted on drawing the large bath for both girls when they were there.

 

"I'm warning you, it's not going to be pretty," Atomique said, reluctantly dropping her robe and sliding into the bathwater.

 

"Hey, where did you get all those bruises?" Videl gasped. "You got into a fight, didn't you?"

 

"I… don't' want to talk about it…"

 

"Is someone beating on you?" Videl gasped. "Because if there is…"

 

"Videl, it was Jeannie," said Atomique.

 

Videl dropped the bar of soap and the loofa she was holding. "What? But she's your friend… why…"

 

"Shh! Goku already knows! Look, Vegeta's taking care of it…" Atomique hissed, pressing a finger to her lips.

 

"Kuso, you can't let her punch you around, what the HELL…" Videl spluttered. She reached down and tugged the soap off the bottom of the tub, then lathered it between her hands.

 

"It's all right, one of the security guards helped me…" Atomique explained, filling her hands with shampoo. Slowly she ran her fingers through her hair, scrubbing it.

 

"WHAT security guards? She's…" Videl asked, narrowing pixie blue eyes suspiciously at her friend.

 

"Videl, I was rescued by one of Vegeta's new guards…" Atomique answered.

 

"You mean… Goku's brother?" she asked. Seeing Atomique tense up, she reassured her, "It's okay, Goku told us that his brother is back. Gohan's not exactly thrilled, but as long as they stay at Capsule… you mean…"

 

"Yes," said Atomique, handing Videl the bottle of shampoo. "He fought Jeannie off, and his friend Nappa rescued us both…"

 

"Huh, weird names," said Videl, lathering her short hair easily. She leaned down to dunk it in the water, then let the suds roll off her scalp into the steaming tub.

 

Atomique had undone the bandages on her burned arm, causing Videl to blink and shiver. At her neck was a particularly nasty bruise that looked like a hickey. Reaching over she ran a finger over them, asking, "But what the heck are those bruises from? Jeanie must have really put you through the wringer!"

 

"Raditz helped me," she whispered. "He used a first aid kit, and tended to me. Then he made sure nobody bothered me…"

 

"Wow, sounds like quite a guy," Videl teased her. "You said he was Goku's brother?"

 

"Older brother," said Atomique.

 

"You like him or something? Cause you're blushing," Videl teased her.

 

"Come on I am NOT!" Atomique shouted back.

 

“Then why do you have this hickey on your shoulder, hmm?” Videl asked.

 

“Um… well, I was VERY grateful, and he sort of… oh good grief why are you asking me! You know what it's like… or on second thought your idea of a date is beating the crap out of a guy!” Atomique snorted.

 

"Uh huh, you got it bad. I guess the men in this family have that effect on us," Videl said, scrubbing her hair.

 

"Please don't tell anyone!" Atomique begged.

 

"Your secret's safe with me," Videl grinned. "I twist Gohan's arm, not yours.”

 

“That's true,” Atomique laughed.

 

“Have you been training with him?” asked Videl. “You really kicked Yamcha's ass that other day. Where did you learn that? It wasn't Goku was it, because it didn't look like Son Karate, or that Kame sennen stuff Gohan knows."

 

"Raditz," she said. "Goku taught me the Kamehameha wave, but…"

 

"Raditz, that's his name? Weird," said Videl.

 

"Considering Goku's real name is Kakkarot, are you surprised," said Atomique.

 

"Kakarot? Is THAT why Bulma's husband is always calling him that? But he's Goku…" Videl blinked, watching Atomique dunk under the water to divest herself of shampoo.

 

"Kakarot's his birth name. Raditz and he were separated when Goku was a baby…" said Atomique. "This Raditz is from my universe…"

 

"Really?" Videl murmured. "Well, where is he from? Another planet, right?"

 

"Outer space," said she. "A planet named Vegeta…"

 

"Wait, that's Bulma's husband's name!" Videl gasped.

 

"The planet and the royal house had the same name, go figure," said Atomique. "Vegetasei and each Prince have the same name."

 

"That's where the Saiyans come from, huh? Figured that Gohan acted like he was from another planet. He finally told me, but Goku having a brother…"

 

"Gohan hates Raditz, because the Raditz in this universe was cruel and mean," said Atomique. "So that's why he's keeping this a secret…"

 

"Oh I get it. Evil alternate universe doppelgangers," Videl grinned.

 

"I guess you could say that," Atomique murmured, enjoying the feel of the hot water seeping down her body.

 

"I don't know about you, but I'm wrinkled," Videl said. "You coming back into the house?"

 

"I'm going to soak for a while," said Atomique. Videl nodded, and nudged her.

 

"Well, your secret is safe with me. Are you sparring with him a lot?"

 

"He's teaching me to fight," Tomique said. “That's for sure. We haven't been… dating…”

 

"Even better. Nothing says you care about a guy when they let you kick their ass," Videl laughed, climbing out. She rushed into the house, leaving Tomique to remain alone and enjoy her solitary soak.

 

A quarter hour passed. Chilly mountain air rushed by, and she blinked up to see a Pterodactyl flying overhead. She groaned and let the water soak, then realized it was growing cold. Mumbling she hunted for her towel, to find that it was gone.

 

"What the hell?" she cursed, glancing around as she stood up in the tub. Crossing her arms across her chest she shivered, then realized her clothes were also absent.

 

The sunlight was blocked when an armored figure suddenly eclipsed it. Floating with extreme precision, two armored black boots came into view, followed by insanely long hair. She saw Raditz glancing down at her with confusion and amusement, hovering a few feet above the bath.

 

"How primitive… a bathing facility OUTSIDE the house?" he commented.

 

"What are you doing here?" she gasped, glancing up, arms crossed over her breasts.

 

"The Princess wishes you to come as quickly as possible. So she sent me to get you… but if this is an inopportune time…" Raditz said, blushing slightly.

 

"No, I was just taking a bath… and I can't find my damn towel…" she glanced around.

 

"Seems like the plot of one of those ridiculous pleasure slave movies Nappa's been watching," Raditz mumbled.

 

“Um can you give me a hand looking for them?” she said, a bit nervous about being in the altogether before him, but feeling more comfortable than a stranger. After all they had been sleeping together for the past two weeks.

 

"Allow me to help you dry off without those insipid drying cloths… they hardly work anyhow…" Raditz said, reaching down, and changing his position so he was parallel with the ground instead of perpendicular.

 

Hovering just a foot over the bath, he hauled her up by her armpits with two sturdy hands. Then he swung his armored form so they were both floating vertically with his massive hands clutching her sides. Atomique raised her hands to fold them behind his neck, enjoying the feel of something levitating her for a change. Her toes dangled nearly ten feet over the ground below. Backing out over the homestead he flared his ki around her, vaporizing the water.

 

"Nice trick," she mumbled, not shivering because he was enveloping her with his ki.

 

"This should cover you. I don't wish you to expose yourself to anyone else," he mumbled, setting her down in the grass, and handing her the missing robe. "I found this blowing in the wind and it happened to hit me in the face…"

 

"Thanks," she said, wrapping the silk robe around her. "I just need to get some clothes on… and say bye to the kids, then we can go…"

 

"I'll wait for you out here, if you wish," he said.

 

Before she entered the house, she turned and trotted back to Raditz. Throwing her arms around his neck she leaned up to kiss him on the lips. He drew back, blinking in confusion, and she said, "I forgot to kiss you hello…"

 

"You humans have very odd customs," he mumbled. Puzzled, he reached down to boost her up so she could reach him, and returned the gesture with a simple brush of his mouth against hers. Yet with one taste, he found himself unwilling to let her go, and held onto her waist, pulling her hips up to his.

 

Large lips closed over hers, his moist tongue parting her lips for a deeper taste. Turning his head to the side he brought to mind images of the television he had seen, determined to master the odd Chikyuujin custom that mimicked Saiyan food sharing without the food. Caught up in the kiss, she murmured her delight into his lips. One large hand slid down to support her butt, while the other squeezed the small of her back. There was something incredibly arousing about being held effortlessly off her feet by the massive warrior, and she wondered if this was what being swept off her feet should feel like.

 

"Aww isn't that sweet?" a female voice said. Mortified, she broke the kiss off and stared at Videl standing just inside the doorway with one of her Fight T-shirts and loose sweats on.

 

"Greetings. Do I know you, Miss?" Raditz frowned slowly. Still he clutched what he considered his female possessively close to his body, turning his back to her partway.

 

"Videl, Videl Satan. Don't mind me," she grinned. "You're Goku's brother, right?"

 

"That's correct," he said. "Was I doing something inappropriate?"

 

"Videl, where the HELL are my clothes? Did some idiot take them again?" Atomique said awkwardly as Raditz gently set her down and partly blocked the female's view of her with his body.

 

"Goten, you get your butt out here now!" Videl yelled, rushing into the house and yanking him out by his collar. "You know that's stupid! I don't' know WHAT Trunks is teaching you, but when your brother finds out…"

 

"Hey there," Goten said, glancing up at Raditz quietly. "Are you… my dad's brother?"

 

"Greetings nephew. I am," he nodded, inclining his head to the boy. "You must be the younger boy. You look exactly like your father…"

 

Footsteps echoed from inside the house. Gohan's voice asked, "Videl, what are you doing out there… did Goten do something he wasn't supposed to…"

 

"Um, we've got a visitor… he says he's here to pick up Atomique san…" Videl said, glancing over her shoulder when Gohan came into view. Seeing the occupants of the yard, he froze, eyes wide with fear.

 

The tension rose to breaking point. Atomique saw the abject look of horror washing over Gohan's face when his eyes took in the sight of her and Raditz. Suddenly she realized the reason, and shivered in anger at her carelessness.

 

"Greetings… I assume you're…" Raditz said, dropping to one knee and holding out his hand in the traditional Saiyan salute.

 

"Videl, go into the house with Goten NOW," Gohan said, anger filling his face.

 

“Gohan… what's going on?” Videl asked. He shoved his girlfriend and his brother behind him forcefully.

 

“Don't ASK, just do as I say!” Gohan yelled at her. “Goten, take her INTO The house!”

 

“Yes, Nissan…” Goten said, recognizing the tone of voice he dared not disobey. Grabbing Videl's hand he dragged her back into the house and slammed the door.

 

“Gohan, it's NOT what it looks like!” Atomique said, stepping forwards. Raditz rose to his feet, sensing he was not welcome, especially from the way in which his scouter was bleeping urgently.

 

“Damn… he's as powerful as the prince,” Raditz murmured in shock. Power levels were flickering up by increments of one hundred, easily topping Nappa's readings of a Saiyan Elite.

 

"You're not wanted here, so leave now," Gohan said with a low growl as his hands flickered with gold energy.

 

"Knock it off, Gohan, he's not going to hurt you!" Atomique said, pushing between them. "You could easily harm him anyway…"

 

"Did I miss something?" Raditz asked, grasping her shoulder. Gohan's hair flickered momentarily gold, startling the Third Class when turquoise eyes glared furiously at him.

 

“Stop it!” Atomique cried, before Raditz shoved her behind him. His heart pounded with fear, but he knew he had to face whatever this new threat was, even if it meant he was hopelessly outmatched by the massive power levels dwarfing his.

 

"I don't care where you're from… you have five seconds to LEAVE!" Gohan hissed flaring with energies that shook the ground. "We don't WANT you here!"

 

"I did NOT come here to battle, young one, but I cannot let you endanger the female," Raditz said, letting his hair flare. Anger surged through him, and he felt strange levels of energy coursing through his body.

 

“How DARE you!” Gohan yelled, his hair standing on end. “I won't let you hurt anyone again!”

 

“I cannot let you do this, whelp… your power might be enough to vaporize me, but I won't back down without a fight…” Raditz growled, shoving down his fear. All he saw was a danger to the female that he was shoving behind his body. Anger arose from panic pounding through his body, and his own hair seemed to flicker and swirl in energies erupting from the pit of his soul.

 

"Knock it OFF now!" Atomique shouted, pushing Raditz back. "Raditz, step back now. Gohan, it's NOT what you think!"

 

"Gohan, what the HELL's gotten into you?" Videl asked, grabbing his arm.

 

"Get back in the house Videl! NOW!" yelled Gohan. "Do as I say! Atomique, get AWAY From him!"

 

"Gohan, he's not going to hurt me!" Atomique called out.

 

Raditz pushed Atomique to his side, taking a defensive posture. Dark hair flickered to gold momentarily, as his energies reached levels that he hardly believed possible. Not bothering to question them he snarled, "I've no wish for conflict whelp, but it seems that you've got stomach for challenging me… and I don't enjoy not knowing WHY…"

 

"I don't WANT him here!" Gohan yelled, pointing a finger at Raditz. "He has NO place here! I can't understand WHY you let him, Atomique-san! He'll kill you!"

 

"He SAVED me!" she burst out, glaring at him. To her shock she saw the same gold flames wreathing Raditz's form, flaring his hair upwards.

 

“How… you can't possibly…” Gohan gasped, gaping at his uncle flaring with super Saiyan energies. Raditz was unaware of his transformation, breathing deeply as he regarded his nephew across the space of fifteen feet.

 

"She will NOT come to harm around me, whelp," Raditz said angrily. "How dare you accuse me of…"

 

“You can't have that power… there's just NO way… but it won't be enough to stop me from…” Gohan panted, narrowing his eyes as he increased his level. Raditz couldn't believe the energies he sensed surging through himself, and wondered why the female was gaping at him with awe as she moved back.

 

"Radz-chan calm down," Atomique urged, hugging him tightly around the waist. "Please… he doesn't know… you don't know…"

 

"Gohan STOP!" Goku shouted, appearing between them in a sudden burst. Raditz blinked to see the same startling transformation in his own brother, that mimicked his Prince in Ultra elite form. Such things were only the stuff of legends, but his own nephew and brother were both shimmering with the gold hair and sea blue eyes that none thought they'd ever behold. Temporarily Goku seemed startled when he glanced from his brother to his son.

 

"Raditz, Gohan, Power down this INSTANT!" Goku yelled.

 

"But Dad…" Gohan gasped.

 

"Do as I say!" Goku yelled. "NOW!"

 

"But…"

 

"He will not endanger you…" whispered Raditz, clutching her tightly and forcing her behind his armored body. She felt the surging gold aura crackling over her, not burning her but surrounding her in its intensity as her fingers twisted into gold locks streaming down his back.

 

"Get BACK in the house. I will NOT have you attacking him! He's NOT the enemy!" Goku said angrily, glaring at his son. Gohan dropped his power, glaring at his father in confusion.

 

"C'mon, Gohan, let's go back in the house… okay?" Videl suggested.

 

"I can't believe…" Gohan gasped, breathing heavily. “He can't have the power to change… it's not possible!”

 

"ENOUGH!" Goku yelled. "I mean it! NOW!"

 

"Yes Otosan," Gohan bowed, letting Videl drag him away. Goku heard the door slam, and turned to Raditz who was shielding Tomique with his body.

 

"My apologies Brother… I didn't wish to cause conflict…" Raditz said, dropping his power. Instantly the gold faded from his hair, restoring it to the usual black, while his eyes darkened again.

 

"You didn't know. He… he doesn't' care for Saiyans. He's seen them as the enemy… I'm sorry Raditz… I wasn't thinking," Goku choked. Extreme happiness at his brother's sudden ascendance to Super Saiyan was marred by the agony of his son's hatred. Should he tell Raditz what had just happened, or not? Regardless, this wasn't the right time or place. For all he knew, Vegeta might have taught both of them to become Super Saiyan.

 

"It's understandable… I should not have come," Raditz said.

 

"I'll talk to him," Goku said. “And Raditz… did you know… what just happened to you?”

 

“What do you mean, Brother?” asked Raditz, blinking at him uncomprehending.

 

“I… there's some things you need to know… about when you get… angry… you… you saw how my son… and I looked…” Goku said.

 

“Just like the Prince… I had hardly imagined it possible that my own brother was… the Legendary… how…” Raditz stammered. Goku released the power, diminishing in stature as his aspect faded to its usual state.

 

“Anything's possible… look… I want to see you again… there's so much I want to show you… I can help you…” Goku said.

 

“I had best… leave now,” said Raditz. “Till another time…”

 

"C'mon, let's go to Capsule. Goku… are my boys okay?" asked Atomique, glancing from one brother to another.

 

"Yeah… they're in the house…" Goku said. "Are you all right?"

 

"I'm fine," she said. "Maybe you'd better wait for me at the bottom of the hill, Radz…"

 

"As you wish. Again I'm sorry Kakkarot… I did not know your son would see me as an enemy…" Raditz inclined his head.

 

"Don't blame yourself," said Goku, reaching out to pat his brother's shoulder. “And please… you have to come spar with me. You need to understand why your power… did what it did…”

 

"Not now Brother. I had best leave. I shall wait for you, Tomique-san," he bowed to her, and then lifted off to fly to a safe distance. Atomique looked at Goku with angry tears.

 

"I'm sorry…" she whispered.

 

"Don't be," said Goku, giving her a comforting hug. "Gohan needs to work it out on his own. But one day he WILL be okay with Raditz here… I won't give up on this…"

 

“Goku, you saw… does he realize?” Atomique asked.

 

`I don't think so,” said Goku sadly. “But… he's reached it without even knowing… and I have to help him…”

 

“Later Goku… later…” she whispered as he hugged her once more. Sniffling, she moved past him into the house to get her clothes and change. Suspicion crossed her mind with what had triggered Raditz's change, and it terrified her.

 

“Not again, please not again,” she whispered. Goku bit his lip, and entered the house after casting a glance in the direction his brother had flown.

***