Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Step-parent Saiyan Blues ❯ Life in the Red Ribbon Army ( Chapter 8 )

Raditz' Bedtime Story

 

By Trynia Merin

 

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ. Toriyama and Toei animation do. I do own Stellari, Fermi and Bohr though. I don't get paid for this. This is fan fiction!

 

Stellari's Red Ribbon Career

 

By Trynia Merin

 

This takes place before the 'hunting lodge' scene around the time Raditz first starts training the twins. Italics indicate flashbacks and telepathic conversation.

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Back in the present Raditz blinked open his eyes to look at his mate. Short sighed brown eyes regarded him with surprise at the shared memory between them. So recent it had been and yet they had mutually pulled it up from their separate lives to peruse at the same time. Slowly Raditz smirked at the implications. If a simple cue such as water displacement in the bath could touch off the same recollection, their bond was well on the road to completion.

 

"I won't underestimate humans quite in the same way again after that," Raditz snickered. Across his broad scarred chest he dragged the soap-laden loofa in small semicircles.

 

"Is your hair going to join us in the bath too?" she joked. Between them she reached to grab the bath notions tray in order to remove the barrier.

 

"Maybe I should take that shower," he grunted. Somehow the idea of immersing himself in used water didn't strike him as an efficient means of cleaning oneself.

 

"True," she nodded. Raditz reached down with strong hands pushing against the tub edge. Grunting he heaved himself out then strode towards the spa sized shower. From multiple places the water pelted his body and inundated his thick hair. He wasn't surprised to hear the dragging rasp caused by Stellari sliding the door open to join him. With one hand she snagged a handful of his hair dragging it into the full spray of the main showerhead. Stellari squeezed a bottle of shampoo, squeezed a dollop onto his hair, and tossed it aside. Purring, Raditz sat down on the ledge in the rear. She knew Raditz loved having his hair washed. In the interest of time they kept their ardor in check. It wouldn't do to keep the twins waiting for the sake of a small tryst they could save for later.

 

Self control was something Raditz had little of till lately. Yet he admitted that postponing pleasure to a later time increased its sweetness thereafter. Having something over and over again just cheapened the experience when one or two solid sacred times of coupling achieved the same result as an endless mating fest.

 

A half-hour later Raditz exited the bedroom wearing shorts and the T-shirt brought to him earlier. Stellari flared her ki to dry her shoulder length hair. She soon followed wearing comfortable jeans and a sweatshirt bearing her college football team. The scene that greeted them was preceded with laughter and shouts. Fermi and Bohr were tossing bits of lettuce, tomato and other assorted items into huge bowls. Rather some invisible force did the tossing while the twins rushed around the kitchen opening cabinets and the fridge.

 

"Training?" Raditz blinked at her.

 

"Rein it in boys!" Stellari shouted. "Mind powers are good but remember you've got hands too!"

 

"Sorry!" they chorused. "But it's more FUN this way!"

 

"Yes, but what good's a body that's not exercised either?" she called back.

 

"Training is good for their powers," Raditz suddenly spoke in her mind. "Would you not welcome the opportunity for them to exercise their control?"

 

"It defeats the purpose of chores…" she answered.

 

"Mind AND body take energy. Does it matter the form?" Raditz said aloud. Stellari glared at him, reminding him that there was much to discuss in the rearing of children that should happen behind the scenes. Accepting Saiyan customs did not negate five years of solitary parenting, which had been effective in the absence of a male figure.

 

"Does not your religion require the male to be head of the house?" he murmured.

 

"Provided you embrace similar beliefs yes, and love and provide for me, and give your life for me as He gave himself for his…" she answered.

 

"Hmm," he nodded. "More of this later."

 

Salad and multiple sandwiches later Raditz felt somewhat sated. Yet he knew that in a few hours he'd need to eat again. Later in the evening found him playing along in the pantomime of the two boys using 'action figures' of the world martial arts champions. In particular were the strange figure of 'Hercule the Great' and several others. Hercule warred with alien mutants from Bohr's collection, and several powered rocket ships. Raditz remembered Saiyan youths had little time for 'play' when returning from their purging operations. When he had returned from his first mission so many years ago he was greeted with his mother's open arms and his father's stern nod of approval. Then Father had left for another mission with his team leaving him with his mother's care and appraisal.

 

Not every child was sent away so young, but because of his higher power rating he'd been an exception. The trend to send mere babies to small remote worlds was a very recent thing. Only one generation had done so. Or one generation and a half. Raditz had pretended like most of the others that it was for the good of their society to do so. Now he realized the distortion of such things was not his true culture, but an aberration. Ghostly feelings dredged up at the feeling of Bohr climbing into his lap, precipitating the images of youths flashing through his mind. Did he have the strength to deal with such specters of his past by trying to do right by her children?

 

"Is this redemption?" he wondered. Having love and acceptance by a woman and children when his past was filled with hatred and destruction? Or was it an echo of the cancer Freiza's ilk had wrought on his people by making them his executioners and conquerors. Twisting a culture of warfare and hunting into an instrument of destruction?

 

He buried such thoughts in the immediate moment of the boy in his lap. Heavy arms held Bohr in place and Raditz swallowed the emptiness filling it with smells and sounds of the piece of heaven around him. Sensing the inner turmoil, Bohr leaned his cheek against Raditz chest. What right did this cherub have to embrace such darkness, Raditz wondered? His inclination was to recoil from it, but Raditz knew that was the mark of cowardice. He'd survived the tests of hatred and power, now could he survive the test of being loved? Would he wither and shrink away, or grow and move on?

 

Fermi climbed up and sat on Raditz' other side. Stellari got up from the chair she sat on, sandwiching her son between her and Raditz. Fermi rested an ankle on Raditz knee, and then leaned against his mother's breast while she flipped channels. Raditz fingers started to work through the curls of Bohr's hair, idly grooming to eliminate the howls of the past. Something tapped against his wrist and he realized it was Fermi handing him the remote. He blinked in shock as if he'd received a great treasure. In human society giving the remote to a male in the house seemed the ultimate acceptance. Swallowing hard he took the magic box and started to hit the up and down arrows. While he wasn't sure of what to watch, just being able to change the channel seemed amazing. Could he change the channels so easily in his life?

 

“Uh oh, he's discovered the 24 hour sports channel,” Stellari said, ruffling Fermi's head.

 

“No way, stop here, this is my favorite team!” Fermi protested.

 

“I like the Dolphins, not the Bears,” grumbled Bohr.

 

“Hmm, this seems adequate,” Raditz said.

 

He settled on a game she called football', and rested his feet on the hassock to afford the child in his lap a better surface to recline upon. Bohr settled into a more comfortable position with his head resting on Raditz chest and his bottom immediately next to his brothers so only his side was draped across Raditz lap now. For a time he lost himself in the collisions of players and the deciphering of the jargon the two sportscasters were spinning. He followed the scribbled marker lines on top of the video stills of particular plays' that were noteworthy, likening them to strategies long ago swapped among fellow warriors during mess at the canteen. Fermi and Bohr began to rattle off answers to Raditz questions about the sport, sharing the all time tradition of father/son communication. Stellari felt relief seeing something so natural' developing.

 

Here was something familiar and testosterone laden he could relate to. Snatching onto the straw of football Raditz found an ideal distraction. So THIS was the replacement for latent male hostility, the sports world. Chock full of statistics, blow by blows and other things it seemed almost a Godsend. Granted Saiyans had sports, but theirs were far more brutal. But this Football was full contact charging, tripping, and dog piling like an all out brawl. Yet each teammate had his own position that made him indispensable.

 

“Zone defense… long bomb?” he chuckled. Fermi's answer was a small snore. He felt Bohr snuggling up to his warmth a bit more, then realized by the even breathing that the boy was asleep. Overtop the curly heads of the boys he regarded Stellari's face illuminated by the flickering lights of the game recap cast by the television.

 

“Let them wait a bit to see if they stay asleep before we take them back,” she cautioned him. What suddenly dawned on Raditz was the soothing quality to the television, almost like a hunting fire. No wonder Humans loved sitting together like this before that device.

 

“So what do you think of the game?” she asked.

 

“Mmm, I'd like to know more,” Raditz mumbled.

 

“I'd ask what you were thinking, but on this world that's not something a woman usually asks a man without him recoiling in fear,” Stellari said.

 

“Humph, it's the same for my people,” Raditz grunted.

 

“What sorts of sports are played on your world?” she tried again. “Anything like football?”

 

“Mmm,” Raditz grunted with relief, glad she found a topic he could answer. “Hunting games mostly. Target shooting, things of that nature. Like your species does with so called guns shooting at those clay pigeons'. But using trackers and ki beams instead. There's Search, where two teams of opposing Saiyans hunt for a prize kill in a large desert environment. First one to get the kill wins. Then there's Scrimmage, a game much like your football here that involves tackling as many opponents to gain headway while getting all the spheres from your opponents team and carrying them to the end of a rather large X shaped playing space. If they get all of yours, you loose. If all five are placed at the opposite ends then it's considered exemplary. If all are captured and held… it's another way to win. Three population centers had their own best teams. It was played at the Saiyan war academy.”

 

“Any racing?”

 

“Of course woman. Flying and fighting tournaments were held once every two years amongst squads. And there is also the free for all… much like your old ancient Gladiatorial combats. Captives fought to the death, or young elites proved their worth to the royal family by who they could subjugate. One could get a scouter cast feed easily when in hibernation to see your favorite warrior,” Raditz chuckled.

 

Despite the banter, Stellari sensed something dark hovering behind the immediate words. Brooding was a Saiyan tradition as much as hunting and killing, she thought. Through the fledgling rapport she sent a small query. It was instantly answered.

 

"You live with a murderer and criminal woman," he thought quietly.

 

“Tell me something I don't know,” she murmured, losing herself in his eyes again.

 

"And your religion says that a husband and wife should not be unequally yoked.”

 

"The potential for change is there. Even now you are not what you once were," was her silent answer.

 

“Is it considered a habit to tame a wild beast, as I have said before?”

 

“Not tame, train. To a new lifestyle and realm of possibilities,” she said, reaching her fingers out to touch his, around the twin boys snuggled between them. Under her thoughts she slowly released a chunk of her own past. Something dark and equally hidden from behind the light in her soul.

 

Raditz eyes widened. “You… also…”

 

“Yes,” she nodded. He struggled to delve deeper, letting her send what she had dredged up.

 

"Do you trust me, woman?" Raditz asked.

 

"Is that a trick question?" Stellari asked.

 

"Let me in more then you have," Raditz whispered. "Show me on your terms and in your own way. We need a deeper session by meditation to properly see."

 

"Very well," she said. "How is the best to do this?"

 

Raditz shifted in the chair, and carefully replaced himself with a pillow for Bohr. He motioned to the floor. Fermi whimpered a bit at the loss of his mother's warmth, but Raditz was insistent she should join him where he sat Indian style. He tossed a comforter over the twins, and she slid down to sit opposite him.

 

"As we did that first night I first told you about that bond," Raditz grunted. He seized her small hand in his, and then held it up to his temple. "Sit in front of me, so our legs are touching."

 

"I wish I could sit IN your lap," she grumbled.

 

"Later perhaps. Listen to me woman," Raditz ordered. She felt him press his hand to her head in the same place a scouter would attach, and forced her to look into his eyes.

 

"Look at me. Loose yourself in me. You always said a Saiyan had deep eyes with no reflection. Think only of what you wish to show me, and we will experience it together," Raditz urged. "I will be there as one of the others and feel see and sense in your mind."

 

"All right. Sharing memories… that's hard," she whispered.

 

"I trust you'll do it well," Raditz urged. "First… as we've done before."

 

Stellari nodded, her eyes closing tightly. Raditz nodded too, his eyes closing while his tail unlatched and twitched behind him a bit. It finally rested on Stellari's lap, laying across there while Raditz sent tendrils of thought to her mind. Instantly he touched down in a large courtyard. Grand marble buildings rose up all around him just like the history books.

 

"Ancient Rome," he asked.

 

"Something you have come to understand. I'm in here… in the library. This is how I have done this with the boys," she said.

 

"Fine," Raditz said. "I shall come to you. Picture me in your own terms and in your own way. So I may know your mind's language. Find something common we both know."

 

"No, let me show you," said Stellari.

 

He blinked down to see himself not in Saiyan armor, but in another type. The segmented kilt had many more leather straps. Instead of hard plastic his breastplate was composed of rings of iron bolted together and armbands overtop. A green bodysuit underneath separated him from the armor and he wore sandals instead of boots. Strapped to his waist was a small sword Stellari called a gladius, and he carried what looked like a rectangular shield in one hand, and a pilum in the other. Instead of a scouter he wore a helmet, the earpieces tied together under his chin. Long hair was cropped short as Goku's, and he missed the feel of it. To his delight she had let him keep his tail in the illusion.

 

Stellari's uniform was severe, like the Red Ribbon army. Dark blue with a red ribbon logo on the back, and on her left breast. The coat was long and hung around her ankles while her hair was cut short like a boy's. Almost like Future Trunks hairstyle. Her glasses were futuristic wrap around. Heavy boots encased her feet. "Wait a minute, this won't do at all," she said with distaste.

 

Glancing down, she suddenly changed it for a long palla draped as a toga, her hair piled up in typical plebeian roman woman style. Like him she wore sandals and gold bracelets on one arm. Raditz came up from the company patrol where he was standing, and saw the people walking around him in various clothes. Slaves held up important senators and higher-class roman citizens on litters, and he smelled the horses.

 

"I chose this because this is the closest to you describing your society," she said. He reached for her hand and leaned the pilum and shield against the wall where she indicated. They strode into a vast space where steam misted up, and naked people slid into water that was scalding hot.

 

"The bathhouse?"

 

"Well, that's where the public meets. Each of those people represents a memory. I could just as easily put it into terms that are less archaic," she said. "But you read so much about Rome I figured this would be easier for you to see."

 

"All right, then," he said, pulling off the legionary's helmet and letting her lead him past the baths into a complex of hallways. Many roman baths had libraries and other things as well on site for pleasure. Present were small fertility things that would make most people blush, but were common to ancient Rome, and reminded him of planet Vegeta.

 

Even the armor was similar to his. He smirked and let the woman walk him past huge doors bolted that swung open with a lift of her hand. Her skin was a bit darker as if tanned from living in a Mediterranean climate, and most of the Romans were fair haired or dark depending on what part they were from. Still other Romans were as varied as any other city on earth. Sunlight beamed in through shafts and high set windows. Raditz ran his finger over marble and concrete of all things. His respect for the humans had gone up much for there was nature and a stark militaristic no nonsense feel about the clothes and the architecture.

 

He entered a large space where small cubbyholes ringed the room, and there were small scrolls tucked into each one with tags on them. A lab bench was set with all manner of modern looking beakers in the very archaic roman library. Then he saw the room shape and shift to something else. Suddenly he looked down and was wearing a Red Ribbon army uniform. Several other soldiers were shoving each other and tugging on his arm.

 

"Come on Sergeant Brown! We have to move! Commander Red's ordering us to attack!" shouted one of the other soldiers.

 

"What the hell?" Raditz asked.

 

"Come on!" said Stellari, appearing much younger as she grabbed his hand and he followed her. He saw that his tail was missing, and felt a sense of loss and panic when he stumbled after the younger Stellari and the others. Alarms blared, and the complex whirred to life around them. Huge clanking robots were being trundled here and there.

 

"Scarlet, get over here!" yelled a commander. "Brown, there you are… thanks for bringing her. You know the penalties for lateness."

 

"Sorry Blue," she gasped, panting as she stopped in front of a young man who bored his eyes into them.

 

"That won't happen again, will it, love?" said a dark yet handsome man with a thin face and curly hair held back in a red ribbon hat. Something about him made Raditz want to punch him because he seemed very possessive when he grabbed Stellari's arm and tightened his grip.

 

"No, sir," she said. He saw a matching gold ring on her hand and on the man's, and realized this was her husband, Captain Scarlet.

 

"You know you and I have work to do. Blue wants the Esper corps unit to go in first," said Captain Scarlet.

 

"Not again," Stellari said.

 

"Don't make a scene, dear," said Scarlet, squeezing her wrist. Raditz snapped, and barked, "Is that necessary sir!"

 

"Mind your tongue, Lt. Brown! You're out of order!" Blue shouted. "Yellow, Tan, Cerise, fall in!"

 

"Yes General Blue!" they chorused. Another woman and two more men joined them, their small enameled brain pins with the letters PSY on them. Raditz glanced down to see he had one too.

 

"Get onto the transport now! We're going to attack another insurgent force that threatens us!" Blue said. Raditz struggled onto the transport hover tank with the others, trying to keep on Stellari's other side. Part of him knew this was her past, but the possessive nature of her then husband bothered him.

 

Soon the red Ribbon base vanished into the folds of the mountains and the convoy whizzed down the roads at top speed through the country. Raditz heard barked orders and excited murmurs from the psy brigade.

 

"Going to shower them with magnesium flares, Yellow?" asked Scarlet.

 

"You bet, sir," said Yellow.

 

"Have your gas changing skills ready," said Scarlet to Cerise. "And you, Tan, throw your rocks at them and crush their chests with TK. Blue and I will bend their tiny minds and make them think they're already defeated."

 

"I thought Blue paralyzed them," Tan said.

 

"Indeed that's one of his facets. Brown, get ready to throw as many incendiary blasts your pyrokinetic mind can generate," he said.

 

"Brown?" Tan elbowed Raditz. "HEY you!"

 

"I hear you damn it," Raditz grunted, trying to fall into his 'role' in Stellari's memory. Blue's orders echoed in their ears as each psy corps member picked up a small headset that fit around their temples. It reminded Raditz much of a scouter, and he buckled on the body armor that fit under the Red Ribbon jackets.

 

"Fan out! We'll distract them," Blue said. "Brown, Opal, and Tan you're with me. Scarlet take Cerise and Yellow with you. Brown; get ready to nail them on fire when and if I tell you. I'm going to let them know we're in town."

 

"This looks like an ordinary village," Stellari mumbled, standing near Tan and Brown.

 

"I know, but Blue's got his orders from Commander Red. They refuse to give us the parts we need, so we'll need to persuade them. If they listen, then nobody gets hurt," Tan said.

 

"Must we?" asked Stellari.

 

"I'm afraid we must follow orders," Raditz said, in his 'brown' persona. Women and children were wandering the streets. At the sight of the strangely suited people, they backed away. Just seeing the Red Ribbon logo struck terror into their eyes. Raditz felt an all too familiar feeling well up. Half of him loved being feared and the rest was outside looking in.

 

"What's the meaning of this?" asked an elderly male voice as Tan raised his hand, and the doors flew open. Blue entered the small town meeting place where a table sat piled high with papers, and men and women were simply meeting for a council session.

 

"Your wakeup call. I understand you've not been forthcoming with the supplies Red Requested. I'm here to remind you of the consequences of such flagrant disobedience," said Blue.

 

"Please General, we've sent you enough raw iron from our mines! If we give any more we won't make enough money for the town's welfare!"

 

"Tut tut, that's not my problem Mayor. The people look up to you. It would be a shame if they were to… lose respect seeing you trembling there," Blue said with a leering grin.

 

"You… this is monstrous!" shouted the Vice-Mayor.

 

"Without us you'd be under attack by those bandits, don't forget," said Blue. "We protect you. The least you can do is give us what we ask for."

 

"Things could get dangerous otherwise," said Tan, glaring at the piles of papers. Suddenly a wind swept in, and fluttered them over the entire place.

 

"You animals, you have no decency!" said the other.

 

"Opal, shut him up!" said Blue. Stellari shook her head no.

 

"Do as I say woman, NOW!" Blue barked. He glared at Stellari who instantly raised her hand to send a hail of spikes toward the offender. Like a butterfly he and others were pinned helplessly to the wall by long spiky shards.

 

"No… you barbarians!" shouted the Mayor. "Stop!"

 

"You can't force us! Others will see and the King will crush you when he finds out…"

 

"Shut him up, Opal!" shouted Blue. She hurled her hand forwards, spraying a solid plastic seal over the Vice-Mayor's mouth and nose. Gasping, the councilmember tried to move but was pinned by her plastic spikes. Choking he started to go red in the face. The plastic blocking his airway with frantic choked screams muffled his voice.

 

"Yes, Brown, do show them how hot under the collar we can get if we're not… properly compensated for," Blue said. Raditz felt himself suddenly glaring at the scattered papers. They burst into flames, causing people to scream and jump under their chairs with fear.

 

"No… don't do this!" cried the Mayor. "Let him go!"

 

"Stop! Please!" cried the others.

 

"Will you behave? Or shall I make an example of you?" asked Blue as he stared at one of the secretaries creeping up behind Blue with a raised flowerpot. She screamed in fear only to have Blue fix his gaze on her. Every muscle stiffened, and she was rooted motionless to the spot.

 

"Let them go!" the mayor said.

 

"Sir, he's had enough," Opal said.

 

"You'll be next if you don't shut up, woman," Blue hissed.

 

"Just release my aid, please!" the mayor pleaded. "He can't breathe!"

 

"Opal, let him go," said Blue. She waved her hand, dissipating the plastic gag till it only covered his mouth. He breathed in air, then collapsed, still alive.

 

"Now… we'll do as you say… just give us time to make the necessary diversions," the mayor sighed.

 

"Oh I will. Once we've shown the price for your disobedience," Blue said. "Tan, Brown, burn this place down. Opal; start making examples of the others.

 

"But you said…" Stellari protested.

 

"An example must be made. If you're fortunate enough to survive that's not my concern," Blue laughed evilly. Suddenly people who were not pinned to the walls were hurled back and forth like rag dolls. Others gasped as their ribcages were cracked with the force of invisible TK pressing against them. Those that Stellari had pinned up Blue fixed his stare on. They froze in place, their faces twisted in horror as they stopped breathing from his mental order. All around them the city hall burst into flames as Raditz inside 'brown' watched himself set anything combustible on fire. Including the people.

 

As guards streamed in, the attack continued in earnest. Stellari turned to hurl a plastic dart at an approaching soldier about to hit Raditz from behind. He yelped in pain as a shard of plastic went right through his heart and lungs. More screamed as their legs were caught in the plastic threads tossed at them and they fell, only to have their weapons turn on them and fire under Tan's TK power. Timbers fell around them giving the squad time to evacuate.

 

Once Raditz was outside him and the other the psy corps watched the Red Ribbon troops sacking and burning the town. Regular rank and file soldiers and those in robotic tanks flattened everything around them while soldiers looted valuables. Women screamed and men howled and gnashed their teeth as their city was decimated.

 

"You IDIOT!" Scarlet snapped as he glared at Stellari. Telekinetically she was thrown against a wall, and pinned with the force of his mind.

 

"Let me go please!" she gasped.

 

"You almost embarrassed Blue by failing to carry out his commands! Don't you realize that it makes me look bad!" shouted Scarlet.

 

"I won't do it again! Why must I fight!" she called.

 

"Stupid woman you should know better then that! If you don't fight, our children could suffer! You know that Commander Red does not tolerate weakness or failure! I'm doing this for your own good!" Scarlet shouted.

 

"Let her go!" Raditz shouted, breaking out of his persona, and grabbing Scarlet by the back.

 

"Traitor! You attack me, Brown?" Scarlet asked. Raditz growled as a force hurled him off, and he was pinned next to Stellari by Scarlet's glowing hand. Red ki burned around them, causing both to scream in agony.

 

"I can make you feel any pain imaginable! Shall I make an example of your stupidity, dear by this interloper?" he asked, glancing at her.

 

"Please don't hurt him!" Stellari cried. "I can't let you do this!"

 

"What's going on here?" Blue shouted as he came upon the scene.

 

"I'm merely having a discussion with my wife, and this traitor who tried to ATTACK me!"

 

"LIAR!" Raditz shouted. "That coward attacked his own wife!"

 

"Is that so?" Blue asked.

 

"He's lying. Aren't you! TELL them you're lying!" Scarlet shouted, his eyes glowing cherry red. An intense pain shot through Raditz nerves, and he hollered.

 

"No!" Stellari screamed. Her hands flared silvery white, and yet the pain suddenly jolted through her. She collapsed to the dirt, writhing in pain.

 

"You stay out of t his woman! Obviously you care something for this traitor! How do I know he hasn't taken you way from me! I warned you about others getting too close!" Scarlet snapped.

 

"It wasn't his fault!" Stellari gritted, pushing herself up on all fours. "Leave him out of this."

 

"You should listen to me, wife of mine. You belong to ME!" Scarlet shouted, moving over to grab her by the back of her jacket.

 

"Stop mucking around, Scarlet. I can't have you killing my operatives! The next time this happens, tell me! Stop taking matters into your own hands! That's Black's job!" said Blue angrily.

 

"Sorry sir," Scarlet said. He yanked Stellari to her feet as he released Raditz. With a grunt he fell to the ground, his face hitting the dirt. Blue glared down at him, as Tan and Yellow shook their heads.

 

"You shouldn't piss him off," Cerise whispered, reaching down to help him up. She was a pretty blonde haired thing, the only other female in the team. However Raditz snarled and shook her hand off, climbing to his feet.

 

"You will learn to obey me, you lab bound fool! How dare you embarrass me?" Scarlet raised his hand. As his fist flew out, Stellari turned and blocked it.

 

"How dare you…" Scarlet gritted, angered that she had stopped his blow. Instead he shoved her down by grabbing her hair by the roots and pushing her on her hands and knees.

 

"He shouldn't lay his hands on his own wife," Raditz snarled. Wiping dirt away he glared around at the psy corps. Enough was enough. Even though this was but a memory, his pride as a Saiyan warrior soared to the fore.

 

"It's his right to do so," said Cerise quietly. "That's the price of marrying a fellow soldier in the Red Ribbon army."

 

"He shouldn't punish her so and belittle her in front of the others," Raditz said. As he grew angrier his body flickered with gold energies, momentarily dropping his guise as Brown in Stellari's memory.

 

"She will be punished in due time," Scarlet said, and again yanked his wife to her feet. As she squirmed against him he suddenly grabbed one wrist and painfully twisted it behind her back. A mean gleam shone in his eyes, further angering Raditz.

 

Raditz snarled deeply, his arms spanning wide as he saw Stellari's pained face. Cloth vaporized revealing Raditz in full Saiyan armor, his hair standing on end like a porcupine's quills. White canine teeth gleamed sharp and menacing, his dark eyes glowing with full Saiyan rage.

 

"What… what are you? You're not Brown…" stammered Scarlet.

 

"You BASTARD how DARE you harm my MATE!" he roared, raising his hand and summoning a ki blast. Everyone's eyes widened in horror as the Saiyan's blast smashed into Scarlet, knocking him back from Stellari. At the same time, Raditz blurred from sight and caught her as she fell.

 

"This is for her, you wretch," Raditz growled. "Double Sunday!"

 

Twin spheres of energy whizzed off his palms, and zinged into him. He stared dumbfounded as he vanished in a flare of power, followed by Tan, Blue, and all the others except Cerise. Holding Stellari there, Raditz growled at the shaking red ribbon female. Scarlet screamed as the ki consumed him.

 

"You fools are amateurs," Raditz snorted. "Die like the cowards you are!"

 

Reality melted away around them. Running as a watercolor hit by too much liquid the memories dripped into a spiraling vortex. Only Raditz sturdy body provided an anchor in the howling chaos. Then there was blackness followed by a blinding light. Reality jolted her entire body, heart pounding in fright at the unusual ending to her painful memory.

 

Never had anyone changed the course of her recollections in this way. Sometimes some psychics would use that technique to get the subject to rewrite their own memories with positive outcomes. Far more unusual was for another to edit her memory without her asking.

 

Stellari blinked awake, gasping in shock as Raditz grasped her shaking arms. She looked at his deep frown with surprise and mingled anger. "What did you just do?"

 

"That bastard dared to attack you, I merely defended you," Raditz shrugged.

 

"It was only a memory! He wasn't real!" Stellari glared at him.

 

"He shouldn't have done that," said Raditz quietly. "I lost my head for a moment. Besides they were only memories it wouldn't harm you to attack them."

 

"But…" Stellari blurted out. "Those were my personal memories! What right did you have to muck about with them?"

 

"As your mate I have EVERY right to protect you. No one will humiliate you like that again, or cause you pain," Raditz said with a deathly serious glare. Reaching over he pulled her into his lap, and positioned her so she was sitting with her legs across his thighs. She shivered with the pain of the memory, letting him hold her close to his warm body.

 

"But don't memories of pain make you stronger?" she shivered, touched by his devotion and concern.

 

"Yes, but that memory has held you down and back for far too long. Allow yourself to rise above it and accept my strength," Raditz whispered.

 

"Is that a Saiyan custom?"

 

"Yes," Raditz said. "The next stage of the mind bond is when a Male confronts a painful memory of his mates and shows how he would have dealt with the danger the female faced. To show his ability to protect and defend her now that he's bonded to her. I simply did what my custom dictated."

 

"I see," Stellari said quietly. "Is that reciprocated?"

 

"Yes," Raditz nodded. "But the male goes first. And soon when the time is right, you'll enter my mind, and then show how you would nurture and support me."

 

"I'm… glad that you were there to share that memory," she whispered.

 

"Now I know that you and I truly ARE more alike then we could have guessed," Raditz nodded. Turning her in his lap he gave her nose a soft nip, and then nuzzled her cheeks with his. Stellari rested her forehead to his widow's peak covered one, sliding her arms around his neck. Softly she covered his face with small kisses. Raditz encircled her with his strong arms, pulling her into contact with his body. Still clumsily he angled his mouth overtop hers, giving her a rather sloppy wet yet sweet Saiyan version of a kiss. He definitely had improved with practice.