Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Protection the Raditz Way ❯ No 18 vs Videl and Atomique ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter 6 No. 18's vs. Videl and Atomique

Carefully he carried her back to the capsule corps. They had bathed off in a mountain stream, and she was shivering convulsively. Till he warmed her with a surge of ki. The taste of roasted game, that she had cooked lingered on her tongue, and filled her satisfied stomach. It was ten o'clock by the time Raditz lay her in his bed, and kissed her gently.

 

"Stay here. Sleep. I have to report in…"

 

"Will you be in trouble?" she asked.

 

"No, I did my patrol when we… had our fun," he whispered. "Rest now. Don't question me."

 

"What about yours truly?"

 

"He'll be out training in the GR. I'll come back for you in a few hours," Raditz said, kissing her again. Bruises wracked her entire body, and she whimpered with the aching between her legs.

 

"Oh hell I'll never walk again," she gasped.

 

"Yes you will. You held up very well…" he purred, leaning over to lick her lips tenderly with his.

 

"I feel like I've run a marathon…"

 

"You'll be better with rest," Raditz answered. Kissing her one last time, he gave her breast a squeeze, then left.

***

Later the next day, she was at a picnic with the other Z fighters, wearing bandages over her skin. All they knew was she had a lab accident. Only Goku knew the true nature of her injuries, and he swore not to tell Vegeta. They had heard only then about Nappa and Raditz, but were kept well away from Capsule. So they were all unwinding with each other at a picnic at Kami house.

 

It was Atomique's first time to visit Master Roshi, where Krillen lived with his wife No. 18 and their daughter Marron. Already a cookout was grilling, and she was sparring with Yamcha and Videl, showing them what Son Goku had taught her. An urge to show them her ki focusing from Raditz surfaced, but she wanted to wait for the right moment.

 

"Ouch, you nailed me," Yamcha had laughed when they had traded mock blows, and he had tripped her. A quick throw he had shown her was applied, and he found himself flipped over.

 

"Good one, using your own moves against you, bro," Krillen laughed.

 

"Humph, give them any incentive and they'll fight with a new woman," 18 said, only mildly impressed. There were few that could match her brute strength, but she had fast reflexes on top of it.

 

"She's getting better," Yamcha gasped as Krillen helped him up. "Now, come at me and let's see what ELSE Videl's taught you…"

 

"Better get the Kleenex," Krillen had laughed. His daughter was eagerly clapping, sitting near the other kids lounging in the sun. She had stumbled on the unlikely bunch on this small island, not knowing what to expect.

 

Another sweep of the leg, and Yamcha flipped her over. But she rolled and then kicked his feet from under him. He toppled, and crashed near her, almost nailing her in the back with a touch. "Now if THIS happens, you can go WHAM in the gut, then when they roll over, nail 'em in the kidneys…"

 

"Wham bam, where's the thank you ma'am?" 18 commented dryly. Sweat soaked everyone's workout clothes. It seemed most of them had lost interest in any sparring, instead turning to a volleyball game in progress.

 

"C'mon girly pie, I KNOW you can land at LEAST one punch," Yamcha taunted.

 

"Do me a favor and shut up," Tomique snorted. Suddenly she drew back her hand and slammed it right into his jaw. He dodged in the nick of time, but her punch caught his ear and sent him reeling.

 

"Hey, nice shot," 18 said.

 

"What the… hold on honey… I didn't mean THAT hard," Yamcha laughed.

 

"Don't call me honey," she snapped, then slammed her knee up and hit him in the gut. Yamcha dropped like a sack of potatoes, hugging himself and gurgling.

 

"Wow, nice form,' said 18.

 

"Yamcha, are you okay bro?" Krillen gasped as he rolled over.

 

"Never… better… whoa… you didn't have to hit me THAT hard, honey…" Yamcha gasped.

 

"Sorry… I don't like being called girly pie," she mumbled.

 

"It's okay, it's his pride," Videl teased.

 

"I really wasn't aware I hit you THAT hard. I was letting you show me your throws," Tomique shrugged. 18 wandered over and leaned close, then grabbed her arm to tug her away.

 

"Well, where was THAT when you were first hitting him, huh?" 18 asked her, as Yamcha backed away with Krillen helping him up.

 

"Good question," said Videl, also leaning nearby. "You could have easily beaten him with the first punch if you were going to do that to start out with!"

 

"I think you enjoyed that as much as I did?" 18 asked her.

 

"Yes," she nodded. "He was asking for it…"

 

"Well not THAT much. He's not THAT much of a pill," Videl sighed.

 

"I could have hit him much harder," she shrugged.

 

"I could show you a few things myself," 18 said. "Come over here…"

 

"Whoa boy, she's in trouble," Yamcha coughed, spitting up blood.

 

"Man, are you SURE you're okay?"

 

"Don't worry… she's… whoa… she's got ONE hell of a punch. I guess Goku's training is paying off," Yamcha smiled. Krillen grabbed some ice from the cooler and helped his buddy to sit down under a tree.

 

"Daddy, is uncle Yamcha okay?" Marron asked.

 

"She's fine," said 18, walking over with Tomique and Videl behind her. "Now the real fun begins."

 

"This isn't gonna be pretty," Krillen groaned. "Don't be TOO hard on them, honey…"

 

"And ruin my fun?" 18 laughed, rolling her neck so it cracked.

 

***

 

By the time Videl and Tomique were midway through the fight, both were dripping with sweat. They whirled and levitated trying to avoid the rapid pelting of kiko ha. Not at the full intensity, they were still daunting enough to sting.

 

"C'mon, you're FASTER then that! I'm barely warmed up!" 18 called, throwing a higher intensity one. Videl took a swing, launching herself up, only to feel 18 catch her from behind. She rolled over in the dirt, then spit out sand.

 

Tomique felt 18's fist flash out then raised her hand to aim a blast right in 18's path. It knocked the female android back with a surprise. "Better… you actually caught me off guard for a second," 18 grunted, nodding in slow appreciation.

 

"HYAH!" Videl shouted, rolling over and kicking 18's legs out. Yet 18 rolled over, then twisted her legs with Videl's and flipped her over, delivering a punch that stunned her opponent.

 

"OUCH!" Krillen gasped. "You SURE you didn't hit her that hard, cause Gohan…"

 

"Please," 18 laughed flicking her hair and bringing up her hands to block Tomique's spinning kick, and then a phase out with a rapid-fire series of punches. 18 grabbed her and threw her halfway across the beach. While she was flying Tomique twisted around and landed with a bit of levitation. Videl got up, staggering as she saw the little mock battle escalate.

 

"C'mon, you want a piece of me?" Videl called out. "I'm just getting started! My DAD could do a better work out…"

 

"Oh is that so?" 18 smirked. "Show me what you've got…"

 

Flipping hand over hand, Videl started with her own volley of kicks and punches. 18 countered each with ease, giving Videl a grudging smile, but she appeared bored. Krillen sighed with relief, seeing his wife was trying to hold back for her benefit. Tomique saw the mock battle, which was close to ending when 18 grabbed Videl and threw her to the ground. She pinned her opponent.

 

"Well, do you give up?"

 

"Give me… a minute…" Videl panted. 18 gave a wry smile, which was her version of approval that Videl was at least giving her a mild challenge.

 

"Atomic FORCE!" Tomique shouted, gathering her hands at her hip. 18's head flashed around to see the alchemist crackling all over with purple fire.

 

"Now this is something new. So… she actually has some energy worth collecting," the artificial human mused. She braced herself for the impact, sensing the power levels sharply jutting up. A purple beam slammed into her with greater intensity, actually pushing 18 back. Quickly she regained her balance, then pushed back with her own crimson blast.

 

Tomique dropped, and generated a small ball of ki. She lobbed it towards 18, who simply batted it aside. It flew into the tree near Krillen and Yamcha, then exploded against the tree, reducing it to toothpicks and splinters raining down on everyone else.

 

"HEY!" Yamcha gasped.

 

"Kuso!" Videl gasped. Krillen seized Marron and flew her out of the way.

 

"JEEZ what are you trying to do? Kill us?" Krillen snapped angrily at them.

 

"It wasn't MY fault you didn't get out of the way," 18 said. "Besides, I'm testing your reflexes…"

 

"Shimatta, what the hell was that?" Master Roshi exclaimed, falling off his deck chair as he dropped his girly magazine. "Someone let me KNOW when you're setting those things off?"

 

"Wow, that was a pretty big bang," Gohan commented, landing near Videl. "I saw it from up there… is everything okay, Videl?"

 

"Yeah, just Tomique showing off. And 18 too," Videl chuckled. "I think it scared Master Roshi though…"

 

"Ugh… well are you two about ready to go? My dad's cooking dinner and sent me to get you all so you won't be late…" said Gohan.

 

"Tomique! Dinner!" Videl called. "Are you done pummeling us, 18?"

 

"Yes, thank you," 18 waved. "Actually that was the best workout I've had in a few days… not bad kid…"

 

She said this glancing at Tomique. "You know you could actually be dangerous…"

 

"Thanks I think," said Tomique. Yamcha and Krillen were staring at her nervously as she walked towards Gohan and Videl.

 

"What are YOU looking at? Not used to seeing more of us women actually putting up a fight?" 18 glared at both of them.

 

"No, nothing here… just… watching the ocean…" Yamcha stammered.

 

"Honey, relax… it was just… I'm not used to seeing any other woman as powerful as you… or nearly…" said Krillen nervously.

 

"Get me a wine cooler, goon," 18 said with a bored sigh. She wandered up and sat on the porch, Marron toddling up to her with a squeal of delight.

 

"Mommy you kicked butt!"

 

"Great, just great," Krillen groaned, marching over to the cooler and fishing out a drink for his wife. He lobbed it into the air, where she promptly caught it by merely sticking up her hand.

 

"Are you okay?" Videl asked, glancing at Tomique.

 

"Fine, why do you ask?" Tomique glanced back at her.

 

"Well, for starters I've never known you to be so… bitchy. Not that it's a BAD thing where those guys are concerned, but you're kinda not quite… well… you're all jumpy and edgy…" Videl said concerned.

 

"I've had better days. A whole lot of bad memories are floating around up here in my head," she said.

 

"Bad… memories… Gohan told me that you came from a pretty bad world… not the one you originally were from…"

 

"My whole world was destroyed, Videl… there's very few who could relate to that… except maybe Prince Vegeta…" she said.

 

"Wow… I guess I've got no idea. I mean we went through a lot of terrible stuff when Majin Buu attacked…"

 

"But you have the Dragon Balls to fix things. We don't. Our heroes failed us, and my world is as good as ashes. I tried to make a new life on the alchemy planet with my two sons, but they were taken by those Kami damned destroyers…" she gritted.

 

"You don't have to worry about that. Goku and Gohan will protect them… and you're learning to fight. I mean come on; you already DO have pretty good martial arts skills, and the things you do with your powers… I mean you can use ki! I can't… not like Gohan…"

 

"You're lucky to have someone love you like he does…" said Tomique.

 

"Come on it's not… like that…"

 

"Uh huh," Tomique said with a knowing smile. "Just enjoy it. Don't let him go. Marry him and have kids. Just… don't wait… because you never know…"

 

"I do know," Videl said. "About your husband… I'm sorry…"

 

"So am I. But… I can't bring him back. Goku said the Dragon balls wouldn't work on someone who doesn't WANT to come back. And Paul's already moved on… to another realm…"

 

"Like King Kai's planet? Gohan told me about that… when he was training with his powers…" Videl explained.

 

"Goku mentioned about the Kais. The Four I suppose are like them. I still hear from Paul in my dreams. He tells me all sorts of things about how he has to fight in Other World. To think Goku trained him before he went to fight in the same Budakai you and Gohan were in… then the Buu thing happened," whispered Tomique.

 

"Funny coincidence…"

 

"Blackwell I suppose you could say was like Buu, but far more malevolent. The same force for destruction. But he needs a living host. The Destroyers weren't our only problem. Their agents, the Princess, Flame, Bandit and Foxfire were also implements of destruction. Then the Destroyers had their mutated pet dinosaurs. Odd because on your planet dinosaurs are still alive…"

 

"You mean on your world…"

 

"They were extinct for centuries. And we didn't have sentient animals like you do here. Things are quite different on my world…"

 

"Must be confusing to go from one dimension to another…" mumbled Videl.

 

"Parallel universes. Ace had the power to bend space and time, and he used that power before he died… to scatter us across the universe. I ended up in a world where Alchemy was the main science, and technology was probably like two hundred years in the past. There were cars and phones. But they didn't hover. And there was no television or computers. But my original world was much like Chikyuu..." she said.

 

"How long has it been since your husband died?"

 

"It's been at least four years according to the twin's time. And about two for me. Time moved differently between worlds. For them, four years went by without daddy…"

 

"You've been without your husband for FOUR YEARS?" Videl gasped.

 

"Yes," she nodded. "It's crazy…"

 

"Hey babe, here's a beer!" Yamcha called. She blinked up and saw him holding up a bottle.

 

"Sorry about earlier, Yamcha," she said.

 

"Hey, no hard feelings. I'm kinda glad you've improved so much, sweets. Catch," Yamcha called, throwing her the Budweiser. She caught it easily. Videl caught the can of diet soda that Gohan threw her, and both of them opened their cans.

 

"Thanks!" she called.

 

"Videl, are you okay?" asked Gohan.

 

"I'm just having a little girl talk over here. So give me a while, okay?" Videl called. Gohan nodded and sat down with Yamcha and Krillen to play cards on the beach. Master Roshi and Oolong had pulled up deck chairs to join them on the porch of Kami house. 18 picked up Marron and moved to sit in the shade of the palm trees. Goku shot across the sky, with Goten and the twins rocketing after him. They landed nearby, and went to see what the others were up to. Marron squealed, joining her twins.

 

Videl glanced sidelong at her asking, "Aren't you… lonely?"

 

"Yes. There was… someone on the Alchemy world who I was with. But he was killed in a war I had to fight…" she said quietly.

 

"Isn't there someone HERE?"

 

"Who?" she blinked.

 

"You've got hickey marks all over your neck," Videl whispered.

 

"It's someone at Capsule," said Tomique. "But it's our secret."

 

"But it's GREAT… I mean you found someone ELSE!" Videl said. "Not that you NEED a guy friend but…"

 

"We're keeping it a secret. Because it's against company policy to date co workers…"

 

"You don't WORK for capsule!" Videl protested.

 

"I work in Bulma's research unit so I do," said Tomique. "I insisted on a job because I hate charity. Besides, I can't earn anything working for Goku as a housekeeper… I do lab work and research, and well… I only stay at Goku's because he has my sons there, and I don't' want to have them not know me as t heir mom…"

 

"My mom died when I was younger. At least they HAVE a mom. You know all about my Dad," she winced.

 

"Who can forget Hercule Satan?" she teased. "Well, the man I married was a rock star. So I know what you're dealing with…"

 

"A rock star. Boy I feel sorry for you," Videl winced. She glanced at Tomique's bruised skin and burns.

 

"A lab accident," Tomique said quickly.

 

"Are you sure you're okay? IT looks like a NASTY burn… wait THAT'S why you were gone for two whole days… you had an accident?" she asked.

 

"Yes," she nodded.

 

"Hey Atomique-san, why don't' you join us over here?" called Goku.

 

"C'mon, let's go join the boys," said Videl, crawling to her feet. She extended a hand to Tomique, who took it reluctantly. Yet she went into the circle of the Z fighters to pretend that she had some circle of friends for now. They were a ragtag motley crew, but they were accepting of most people. Even Vegeta at times, who wasn't much for socializing.

 

"Lab accident, huh?" asked Master Roshi. "I wondered why you weren't showing off that cute set of legs…"

 

"Shut up you ecchi," Videl grumbled at him.

 

"Just giving her a compliment… sheesh!" Master Roshi threw up his hands. "Can't an old man in his twilight years enjoy looking at the merchandise?"

 

"Depends on if it's for sale or not," said Tomique glancing at him with a smile.

 

"Now SHE gets what I'm talking about," Roshi glared at Videl. "But I'm forgetting you're already spoken for…"

 

"Thank Kami for that," Gohan said, moving over and sitting next to his fiancée. She hid partly behind him like a shield, glaring at the two resident ecchi's, Roshi and Oolong.

 

"Some people can't take a joke," Oolong glanced sidelong at Yamcha.

 

"Hey, leave ME out of it," Yamcha nervously laughed.

 

"Considering, you haven't got any claim on you, have you?" Oolong pointed at her.

 

"I'm seeing someone at Capsule," said Tomique. Goku blinked in confusion.

 

"Jeez, you never told any of us that…" he said.

 

"Bulma… well when I was working in her lab, I met him," said Tomique. "And well nobody had better make a HUGE deal, because it…"

 

"It's against Capsule policy to date co workers, boy I know that line!" Yamcha rolled his eyes. "Well luckily I didn't work for capsule when I was dating Bulma. I just lived there…"

 

"Even when you were…?" asked Krillen before Yamcha waved his hand quickly.

 

"Well, it WAS a nice place to live. Besides, Bulma and I go WAY back… I mean she's MARRIED now, but even after we broke up I still hung around to train there…"

 

"You mean the ten million times you broke up and got back together," Oolong commented.

 

"Ancient history, my man, ancient history," Yamcha sighed. "Because I've got a honey I'm seeing that's a nice steady sure bet…"

 

"So he says now," Gohan mumbled to Videl.

 

"Watch the circus, it will get fun from here," Videl whispered back, shaking her head. "And I thought my dad was hopeless."

 

Bohr and Fermi scooted over to sit by Tomique. "Mommy, why are you so sad?" asked Bohr.

 

"Did you get into a fight?" Fermi asked.

 

"Well… yes… I had a disagreement with… a co-worker…" she said. "And I was in the hospital…"

 

"Who?" asked Fermi.

 

"I promised them I wouldn't tell. It's nothing you two need to worry about. It's a grown up problem," she said quickly.

 

"Did Uncle Vegeta-sama beat them up for you?" asked Fermi.

 

"Well, two of his friends did," said Tomique. "Look, let's not talk about this. It's not something you two need to worry about. I'll be fine…"

 

"You should tell Son-kun-san," said Bohr sternly. "He'll take care of them…"

 

"He already knows," said Tomique quietly. "He and Prince Vegeta. They'll… make sure I'm fine…"

 

"Do you have to work so far away?" Fermi wondered. "I know you need money and all… but…"

 

"She doesn't want people to think she and Son-kun-sama are married cause he still has a wife and she's gone away a long time," Bohr said.

 

"Wait a second, you weren't supposed to know that!" Fermi glared at him.

 

"Oops," said Bohr, looking ashamed of spilling something he shouldn't.

 

"Who told you that?" she asked.

 

"Videl and Gohan-kun were talking about it," Bohr said with wide eyes.

 

"Look you guys, you don't have to worry about your Mommy. No matter WHAT happens with me, or Son-kun, you'll always have a family to care for you… got it?" she said to both of t hem. "I won't leave you again!"

 

"We know that you didn't leave us behind in a mean way," Bohr said.

 

"Don't be sad Mommy, you've got us. And we know you gotta work, okay? And that you gotta train to be strong… so don't cry!" Fermi said, hugging her tightly.

 

"You're too young to worry about those things," she said quickly. "You should be like Son-kun-san and just worry about learning to fight and enjoy life!"

 

"She's right, you know," Goku said, moving closer. "You guys don't' have to worry about those things. So stop already will ya? Now who wants some ice cream?"

 

"Thanks," She whispered to him. He nodded with a knowing wink, getting up to wander over into the house and find what the two boys were after. Bohr crawled on her lap and leaned against her, while Fermi leaned against her abused ribs. She hugged them closely, letting a few tears slip down her cheeks.

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