Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Crossed Paths ❯ The Saiyans Arrive ( Chapter 4 )

Crossed Paths - Chapter 4: The Saiyans Arrive

by Mia Skywalker & Wataruo

 

PAIRING: None for this part. Although eventually B/V and one other (a surprise, not giving it away yet)

RATING: PG

C&C: I would really like to get some C&C on this. Pretty please! ^_^

WARNINGS: Some language

DISCLAIMER: We don't own DBZ, nor do we claim to. We wish we owned Radditz and Vegeta, those incredibly sexy Saiyans, so we could cuddle with them at night. ^_~ We do own this fic, the ideas in this fic, and this particular "what if?" storyline. Although we wish we could sell it to the owners of DBZ, because it would be a nice little "what if?" movie for them to make. ^_^

SUMMARY: The heroes re-gather for the upcoming fight, and the two Saiyajin arrive on Chikyuu.

NOTES: I have to thank both Selenity Jade and W-chan for their betas, and especially Selenity for all the help she gave me on this! ^_^ It was her encouragement that got me to start posting this. I hope you enjoy reading this fic as much as we're enjoying writing it.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Previously on Crossed Paths:

 

The heroes defeated Nappa, but at great cost to themselves. They lost Goku, Tenshinhan, and Chaotzu, and Piccolo kidnapped young Gohan for special training. Kuririn and Yamcha spent time at Kami's lookout getting special training from him and Korin. A year has passed, and the heroes re-gather for a new fight for what might be an even more desperate one than before....

 

~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~

 

A YEAR AFTER THE BATTLE:

 

Much had happened this past year - some of it good, most of it not so good. Bulma remembered the conversation she had had with Yamcha right after that terrifying battle. After such an ordeal, for him to break her heart that way.... But she didn't hate him for it. Oh, she had been furious with him at first, she had yelled and ranted at him, but he had been sadly determined. He had said he couldn't love her, not the way she wanted, and thought it was best they split up.

 

Now, looking back on it, she realized he had been right. He disappeared completely for the first few months after the fight, but then suddenly showed up on her doorstep one day, three months after the huge fight. She had been unable to suppress the surge of hope which shot through her, but he carefully told her he had been training at Kami's, and Kami had informed them that this Saiyajin Prince - and apparently at least one other Saiyajin - would be arriving on Chikyuu in about another nine months. He had thought she should know, so she could have the dragonballs ready to bring Goku back to life. He also told Bulma that Kami had taken himself and Kuririn for some special training in his tower, along with Yajirobe, apparently.

 

Bulma realized - when she had seen the gentle but aloof look in Yamcha's eyes - that she had truly lost him. She still didn't know if it was something she had done wrong, or if what had happened was simply inevitable, but she couldn't help blaming herself. Maybe if she had been nicer to him, or hadn't been as pushy, or hadn't gotten so jealous all the time.... She wondered more than once if he had ended up with one of those women that had always flocked around him. He had never seemed comfortable around them - just as he had never seemed comfortable around the girls who had flocked around him when they were younger - but in her insecurity she had been jealous, certain he would eventually prefer one of them to her. She had known that he had always been devoted to her, and yet he had seemed to grow increasingly distant, and she hadn't known either why, or how to handle it.

 

As the days passed, and she knew that this mysterious 'Saiyajin Prince' was getting closer to their world, she did everything she could to help prepare for it. She gathered the dragonballs, although she hadn't summoned the dragon; she fixed the device that the giant, Nappa had worn, making it so the symbols were readable to her; she even prepared weapons to try to help combat them. If these new Saiyajin were as strong as Nappa - and he had bragged that at least one of them was much stronger - it was possible that nothing currently on Chikyuu could kill them. But Bulma wasn't a genius for nothing! She could invent something powerful enough. She might not like weapons, and had never tried to invent one before, but if it was in defense of their planet....

 

It was on a sunny day, almost a year from Goku's death, that she received a call on her cell phone. It was Roshi, telling her Kami had informed him that they should use the dragonballs now. Bulma quickly packed the four capsule cases which she had carefully filled this past year, tossed the bag with the dragonballs and capsules into her fastest air-car, and flew over to Roshi's, brimming with anxious excitement.

 

"How soon will they be here?" she asked breathlessly as she hopped out and re-capsulated the air car.

 

"Kaioh-sama said 22 hours, 7 minutes. Now it's down to 21 hours, 43 minutes." Roshi peered at her. "I assume you brought them." It was a statement, not a question.

 

Bulma opened the bag and pulled out the dragonballs, placing them close together on the ground. She looked up expectantly at Roshi when she had done so. "Are we ready? Do we know what we're supposed to wish for?"

 

Roshi nodded. "Goku is ready. We just need to wish him back and...." He blinked suddenly. "Didn't Kami take his body before? He's not going to be able to come back to his body, since his body is already there!"

 

"Oh no!" Bulma exclaimed, her hand flying to her mouth in alarm. "What are we going to do?"

 

"I don't know," Roshi said wearily. "Let's see what Kami has to say."

 

He concentrated a moment, before his mind reached that of the wise old guardian of Chikyuu.

 

::I know you are worried,:: came the soothing mental voice of the ancient guardian. ::We knew this would happen. Goku will need time to come back. That is why we had you summon the dragons now. It will take him a day to get there. You may need to stall the Saiyajin for a few hours while he arrives, but he'll be there soon. He has been taught how to fly - as have Kuririn and Yamcha - and they can travel much more swiftly than before. Do not worry. Goku will be able to come home.::

 

Roshi gave a small sigh of relief, and relayed the information to Bulma. She smiled back, looking just as relieved. "All right!" she exclaimed. "Let's do it!"

 

Roshi lifted his arms over his head, a melodramatic gesture that was entirely unnecessary. "Arise, Shenlong," he shouted to the skies, "and grant us our wish!"

 

The skies darkened and the wind blew in sudden strong gusts, whipping Bulma's hair around her face, and causing the trees on the tiny island to sway dangerously. Bulma was suddenly very glad they were doing it there, with no one to witness it, rather than on the mainland and near civilization.

 

"WHAT IS YOUR WISH?" the enormous dragon's voice boomed over them.

 

Bulma shivered, awed as always when faced with the ancient dragon. "We wish to bring our friend Goku back to life!" she shouted back.

 

The dragon gazed at them for a few seconds before his voice boomed back at them, "YOUR WISH IS GRANTED!" With an almost deafening hum, the seven dragonballs suddenly began glowing so brightly that the two humans were almost blinded by it. Then with a roar the dragonballs shot up into the air and scattered in all directions, shooting so fast that they were no more than blurs of light. The dragon himself slowly vanished, the skies lightening back to the normal blue hue, the wind gentling, the waves gradually easing from their wild thrashings.

 

Bulma looked over at Roshi, her expression troubled. "Well, I guess that's that then," she said, trying to sound calmer than she felt.

 

He nodded, not looking at her. "I guess it is."

 

"What do we do now?" she asked after several minutes of silence between them.

 

"Now... we wait." He finally looked at her. "I have a few things you can model for me while we're waiting!" he suggested with a leer.

 

This was enough to break Bulma out of her fearful musings, and she glared at him, punching him hard enough to send him flying into his house. "Not on your life, old man!" she shouted, and then spun on her heel and headed into the house. "But if we're going to have a bunch of hungry warriors here soon, then I might as well try to whip up something for everyone to eat! It will take me about a day to cook enough for everyone!"

 

She didn't want to admit that she needed to do something to keep her mind off her worries, realizing that everything was about to reach fruition. She knew she wasn't going to be able to sleep that night. There was no way she would be able to sleep, knowing it might be her last night alive.

 

~~~~~*~~~~~

 

Yamcha sighed for what must have the hundredth time as he flew side by side with Kuririn. He really wasn't looking forward to the fight ahead. He knew how close they had come to death earlier with the fight against Nappa, and as Piccolo had pointed out, it had taken five of them to defeat him. And this time there was going to be more than one.

 

"Kuririn? Do you think we have a chance?"

 

Kuririn blinked at the question. He wanted to pretend to be confident about it, but that had always been Yamcha's job. He had never been particularly brave, and had always had to be rallied by the others. Yamcha had always been the brash and confident one, the one who had always cheered them up, convinced them they could win. Yamcha had changed this past year, however - had become moodier and more solemn. Kuririn wasn't sure what to attribute it to. The larger warrior had split up with Bulma, but that had been Yamcha's choice, and Kuririn knew he wasn't pining over the blue-haired woman.

 

Kuririn had to admit privately to himself that he still thought Yamcha was insane to break up with Bulma. She was difficult to deal with sometimes, and she was too strong-willed and overbearing at times, but on the other hand, she was the prettiest girl he had ever known, and with her money and intelligence.... How could Yamcha have voluntarily given that up? Kuririn would have given a lot to have a chance with someone like Bulma, and he would have never let her go.

 

"I don't know, Yamcha," he replied slowly, breaking free of his musings. "Maybe if Goku gets back in time. Kami said he might be a little late. I just hope he won't be too late," Kuririn muttered. "What do you think, anyway? Do you think Piccolo will show up?"

 

Yamcha blanched at the mention of the green-skinned man. "Who knows? I really would love to see if Gohan is all right. I don't think that Goku will be very happy to know that we let one of his old enemies take off with his kid."

 

Any reply Kuririn may have given to the baseball player was cut short as the two touched down on Roshi's island.

 

"Hello?" Yamcha called as he approached the front door and poked his head inside. "Master Roshi?"

 

Kuririn had noticed some wonderful smells as they had gotten closer to the house. He wondered if Ranchi had returned and was making dinner. He hadn't seen her ever since she had chased after Tenshinhan so many years ago. He wondered what had happened there - had she ever hooked up with him, or had that fizzled out? He frowned when he realized that she probably didn't know that he had been killed a year ago when that alien Nappa had arrived. It had never occurred to any of them to inform her about his death. For all they knew, she might have been worried.

 

A sudden guilty pang shot through Kuririn. One of them really should have tried to find her and tell her, at least. Even though they couldn't use the dragonballs to bring him back...

 

He shoved those feelings of guilt aside as he entered the house, trying not to dwell on them. He followed the scents to the kitchen, and was shocked to see Bulma bent over a stove, pulling something out. He glanced at the table and goggled in surprise. She certainly had been busy! What had she done? Spent the last week cooking or something?

 

"Bulma!" Kuririn called out. "Nice to see you! Is all this for us?"

 

Bulma jumped in surprise, almost dropping the pan in her hands. Fortunately, Kuririn moved fast enough to catch it, but almost dropped it as well when he realized how hot it was.

 

"Ow ow ow ow ow!" he cried out, carrying it to the table and then blowing on his reddened hands. "Why didn't you warn me that it was hot?"

 

She blinked at him in surprise. "Kuririn. I just pulled it out of the oven. I didn't think I had to tell you it was hot!"

 

Kuririn put one hand behind his head in embarrassment, blushing slightly. "Well... yeah.... Hey! Is Goku here yet?"

 

Bulma shook her head. "Not yet. Kami said he'd get here probably an hour or two after the Saiyajin arrive. He also said you were training with him this past year. So, how did it go?" She couldn't help her gaze drifting over to Yamcha, the wistful longing in her eyes readily apparent, despite her desire to hide it from both of them.

 

Yamcha gave Bulma a tired smile. "Exhausting. Kuririn improved a lot over the past year," he told her, his gaze finding and settling on the little monk. "He gave me a run for my money. Goku will be impressed with him."

 

He knew that his answer and mannerisms were very different from what she was used to. In the past, he had been flirty and cocky; now he had a solemnity even he couldn't explain. It wasn't as if he wanted to be quiet, it was as if something from his life was missing and he had no way of finding out what it was.

 

"How have you been? Are your parents alright?" he asked her, knowing she would expect him to inquire.

 

Bulma shrugged at his question. "The usual. They pretty much don't notice when I'm there or not. I think my father wants me to take over the company, but I haven't encouraged him to hand me the reins, and he hasn't pressed it. I don't think I'm ready for it yet. There's just... there's just so much more I want to do in life first."

 

She was still staring at him, memorizing every new scar, every line of muscle, every whisker he had grown. She smiled suddenly. "You need to shave," she informed him, then grabbed his arm and started to drag him off. "Kuririn!" she called out over her shoulder. "Watch the chickens that are still in the oven, won't you? Make sure they don't burn! I'll be right back!"

 

Kuririn muttered under his breath as he moved towards the stove. "Why me? She always makes me do the stuff she doesn't want to, while she goes off with Yamcha...." He didn't realize how jealous he sounded, but fortunately, no one was around to hear him.

Bulma was smiling up at Yamcha, managing to almost keep the longing out of her face. "You look like a pirate," she teased him. "I don't think you want to have a beard, do you? Come on, Roshi has some razors he never used, not with his beard. And you look so much handsomer clean-shaven! Surely you want to look your best for any girl you'll meet!"

 

Yamcha - the old Yamcha - would have blushed at Bulma's comments. But this one - the one that had watched Tenshinhan, Goku and Chaotzu die in front of him without being about to do anything about it - simply gave a sad sigh. "Ah Bulma, I am not interested in any girls."

 

He nearly ran over Bulma when she stopped suddenly at his revelation, the implications of what he said not making an impact on either of them until she turned curious blue eyes to his. "It's just that...." He shook his head. "Never mind... I don't want to bother you with my problems."

 

Bulma paused in pulling him along, then looked up at him, searching for something in his eyes. Whatever it was, neither of them knew whether she found it or not, but she gave him a gentle smile regardless. Over the past year, although it had hurt her to accept their apparently permanent break-up, she had finally come to truly believe they would no longer be anything more than friends.

 

"You're a friend, Yamcha. Friends don't bother friends. Or... I mean, you can come to me whenever you need help. I'll be there for you, like any of my other friends."

 

Impulsively she hugged him, squeezing him tightly. It felt so good to hold him again, even if she knew he didn't feel anything for her. He was even more muscular than before, and she knew that the training had made him stronger than ever. She sighed wistfully, knowing he would never hold her again the way she wanted, even as she reveled in his gentle arms around her at the moment.

 

When she pulled back, tears were shining in her eyes, but she smiled at him through the hurt. "Why don't you shave anyway, Yamcha? I know you always feel better after shaving and taking a shower. And it doesn't look like you had much of a chance to do either this past year. Although how Kuririn managed to keep himself bald...." She laughed lightly, somehow managing to hold back the pain.

 

Yamcha hugged her back, then wiped a tear that from her cheek with his thumb. "Yeah, I think you are right. You do know me better than anyone else." He pulled her into his embrace once again, holding her tightly for a moment before letting go and stepping away from her. "Thank you, you have no idea how much that means to me."

 

Bulma giggled, somehow still looking sad, yet at the same time relaxed. "Yamcha, you were my best friend for almost ten years. You'll always be my friend. And I think you know me better than anyone, don't you?" Even though you don't know me all that well, either, she thought sadly, realizing there were sides of herself she had never shown anyone. Well, maybe that will change. Maybe I shouldn't hide so much anymore.

 

She tugged his arm, pushing him towards the bathroom. "Go. Take a shower, and shave that beard off. There will be plenty of food when you get out. Kami says the Saiyajin won't arrive for another three hours, and Goku probably won't be back for one or two more after that. If you take a shower, you can have something to eat, and then you and Kuririn can warm up a little. Or whatever it is you warriors do before a fight. Don't worry - Kuririn won't eat it all! Now, if Son-kun were here...." She laughed as she looked towards the kitchen. "Don't take too long! You don't want the Saiyajin to be here before you get out!" she teased.

 

The handsome baseball player graced her with one of his winning smiles before affectionately ruffling her hair. "I have missed you, ya know. You bossing us around." Before she could snap back a reply with that quick wit she was famous for, he pressed a chaste kiss against her forehead. "I am going," he told her, giving her a quick wink and heading for the shower.

 

The tall warrior sighed inwardly as he let the water hit him in the face, then began shampooing his hair. What is wrong with you, man? he questioned himself. You just let one of the most beautiful and intelligent women you will ever know walk right out of your life. You need to have your head examined. As he toweled himself dry, Yamcha realized he had done the right thing a year earlier. He knew he was not what Bulma needed, and felt that it was wrong to keep her waiting for a proposal he couldn't give her.

 

He dressed quickly, not wanting to examine his other reasons for it, and met them in the kitchen a few minutes later. "Did I miss anything?"

 

Kuririn was sitting at the table, already eating. "Not much," he tried to say, but his mouth was full so it came out a muffled, "Nmfph mumph."

 

Bulma laughed and smacked the back of his head. "Have you picked up your manners from Goku now?"

 

Kuririn shook his head, blushing deeply, and swallowed the bite he was chewing. "Sorry about that, Bulma," he said contritely. "Naw, been picking up my manners from Yajirobe!" he joked with her.

 

Bulma blinked a second, and then burst into laughter. She had needed the release of tension, and Kuririn did wonders for her. "I missed you guys!" she exclaimed. Then not bothering to explain that remark, she pointed to a chair. "Help yourself, Yamcha!" she told him. "I think Roshi is still watching his 'educational' show, but it will probably be over soon. Then we'll have to deal with him." She rolled her eyes. "I'm counting on you two to help me keep his roving hands to himself for once."

 

Yamcha chuckled. "It's nice to know some things don't change." He was about to say more when he felt a sudden surge of ki. His whole body went tense and battle-ready until he recognized one of them, and he relaxed slightly. "Piccolo is on his way, I think with Gohan." He went to the door and walked out onto the porch to watch the turbaned warrior and Gohan land on Roshi's island.

 

Yamcha was aware that Kuririn had come up behind him and was peeking out from behind his arm. "Gohan? Is that you?" Kuririn asked them, his voice squeaking in surprise. Goku's son had grown considerably since the last time that they had seen him.

 

"Are you ok?" Yamcha asked, more concerned with the little boy's well being.

 

Bulma nudged her way around them, then shoved Yamcha out of the way and ran towards the boy. He had grown, but although he was a little taller, the greatest change was in his demeanor. When she had met him a year ago he had been quiet and shy. He still seemed quiet, but it was the silence that came with self-confidence and strength. He wasn't the slightest bit similar to Goku as a child, she sensed that immediately. He seemed more serious, more intelligent, and more determined.

 

"Gohan. Your father will be here soon," she said quietly, not sure how to deal with this strange, silent child.

 

Gohan nodded solemnly at her, then glanced at Yamcha. "Yes," he said simply. "Piccolo taught me how to fight. He says you'll need me."

 

The little boy didn't tell them that even though Piccolo had told him often enough how strong he was, and how much they were going to need him in the coming fight, he still was unsure of himself, uncertain how he could help them. He had practiced with Piccolo often enough in the previous year, and knew he wasn't nearly as strong as his teacher. If the others were as strong as Piccolo, he didn't see how useful he could be. But he would do his best. He wasn't going to let Piccolo down.

 

He missed his father acutely. He remembered his mother - the softness of her touches, her smile, even the way she would sometimes speak gently to him and other times scold him to study harder - but his memories of his father were almost painful. He remembered a very strong man that had often lifted him and carried him on his shoulders, but there was a strange pain associated with those memories, one that didn't make much sense to him. He didn't remember seeing his father die; those memories - although he didn't realize it - had been blocked by his subconscious.

 

"Well...." Bulma looked hesitantly from Gohan to the Namek. "You're both invited in to eat, if you want anything before the Saiyajin arrive. They'll be here in a couple of hours."

 

It didn't take any convincing for the small boy to come in and join them, and even Piccolo - although he wouldn't eat - came in and joined them as well.

 

~~~~~*~~~~~

 

"Planet-fall in five minutes," a computer voice intoned. Vegeta opened one eye to glare at the console, irritated that they weren't getting to Earth fast enough. ::Wake up, Radditz,:: he communicated to the other man. ::Time to have some fun.::

 

All things considering, Vegeta found himself in a fairly good mood. It wasn't every day you could look forward to defeating your most hated adversary. It was quite possible the Saiyajin Prince was putting too much hope on Radditz' younger brother's existence. But if he were dead, there was still the option of his son. If things don't work out as planned, Radditz and I can take the brat, at least.

 

His musing were cut short by the pod shaking violently as it entered the Earth's atmosphere. It streaked across the sky, leaving blue-white trails in its wake, before crashing into a uninhabited area.

 

Vegeta got out of his pod and surveyed his surroundings while he waited for Radditz to emerge from the ship that had crashed several feet away. He watched Radditz approach with a fairly bored expression, and then went back to his silent study of the mountains in the distance. "I can see why Freeza wants this planet so much. It would certainly get a decent price."

 

"Hmm." Radditz frowned, studying the area as well. It wasn't the sort of place that appealed to him, but then again, it wasn't much like Vegeta-sei. It was too green, too peaceful, with too much of an aura of contentment and gentleness. He wasn't sure he liked it much; he would rather have been on his home planet.

 

He put his scouter on briefly, and then tapped the side of it to find the power levels on the planet. When a number of strong readings showed up, he pinpointed them, noting with almost savage satisfaction that they were all in the same vicinity. They weren't too far away; perhaps a few minutes by flight.

 

Radditz snapped his scouter off and pocketed it again, then pointed in the direction where he had sensed the ki readings. "If he's here, it's most likely over there. And if he's dead... then at least we'll have found Nappa's killers."

 

He had no idea what Vegeta had in mind to do if Kakarotto was indeed dead. Would he want revenge on the humans who had killed Nappa? Or was he going to try to ally with them? Radditz had mixed feelings himself about the natives. He had respected and even liked Nappa to a degree, and had certainly been grateful that the large warrior had saved his life as a young man, but if one of them was his nephew....

 

"How convenient," Vegeta murmured. "At least we won't have to fly around trying to get them in one place. Shall we go and pay them a visit?" Vegeta took off without waiting for a reply, or to see if Radditz was coming along, for he already knew that the other warrior would follow him without question.

 

Radditz wasn't sure what to make of Vegeta's comment as he flew after his prince. What did Vegeta have in mind? Was he going to attack them, or bargain with them? Radditz wasn't even entirely sure what he wanted himself.

 

As they approached the area where the scouter had indicated the readings, Radditz frowned in surprise. It was a tiny island in the middle of the ocean, with an even tinier pink house nestled rather cozily on it. He might have even believed that the scouter had been malfunctioning, if it hadn't been for the small cluster of beings standing in front of the building, obviously expecting them. Radditz wasn't sure how they could have anticipated them at exactly that moment, since he couldn't see any scouters that would have told them they were there.

 

~~~*~~~

 

The Z warriors had sensed the arrival of the two Saiyajin before they had even landed on the planet. Both Kuririn and Yamcha had been set to head off towards where they could sense they were landing, but it had been Kami - through Piccolo - who had told them to stay where they were. The two human warriors couldn't help feeling both a little puzzled and concerned; why weren't they going to be allowed to go after the Saiyajin? Why let them bring the battle to Roshi's island? But they realized that by doing so they were keeping the battle away from innocents, so until they managed to defeat the Saiyajin - assuming they were successful - other people wouldn't be killed.

 

The two Saiyajin studied the warriors arrayed against them. It didn't take Radditz more than a second to realize his brother wasn't amongst them. He tried not to analyze the sinking feeling in his gut; after all, a Saiyajin warrior wasn't supposed to care about anyone, not even family, right?

 

"It seems that Kakarotto is not with them, Radditz." Vegeta's eyes flicked over each of the warriors then settled on Gohan. "But it appears that his son has survived."

 

The human warriors glanced at each other. Piccolo remained impassive, and Gohan's eyes widened fractionally.

 

"Kakarotto?" Kuririn questioned, his voice ending on a squeak in his nervousness. He flushed slightly in embarrassment, realizing he had allowed their enemy to know how afraid he was. "There's no one by that name here!"

 

"Kakarotto. My brother!" Radditz snarled, stepping forward. "You!" He moved menacingly towards Kuririn. "I remember you, I remember your voice. You were the one who said he was dead. Is my brother dead? Is my brother the one you called 'Goku'?"

 

Gohan gasped in surprise at Radditz' words, and Bulma echoed his gasp from her position behind the curtains in the house. She didn't notice the sudden jerking of Vegeta's gaze towards her hiding place, so intent was she on the larger, seemingly more dangerous Saiyajin standing menacingly over Kuririn.

 

"My dad is Goku!" Gohan blurted out, his whole body shaking. Whether he was shaking from fear or anger, it was difficult to tell, even for him.

 

Radditz' eyes narrowed as he studied the small boy who was very probably his nephew. He suspected that the boy was both angry and afraid, but was unwilling to admit to the former.

 

"Your father is Kakarotto!" Radditz snapped back angrily. "He's my little brother! Is he or is he not dead? I heard you say he was, when he was fighting Nappa! Is he, or is he not?"

 

"Uh...." Kuririn started to shiver as well. "Uh... yeah... he is. Nappa broke every bone in his body, I think. He died, and Kami took him...."

 

Radditz didn't understand the secondary meaning behind the small human's words, so ignored them. With a roar of grief, he lunged towards Kuririn, wanting to kill the one who had told him his little brother was dead.

 

"STOP IT!" Vegeta commanded the much larger man. "Bakayaro! He is dead. There is nothing you or I can do about it. Calm down." The Saiyajin Prince looked slightly annoyed but not overly concerned about Radditz' behavior.

 

Radditz stopped instantly in mid-stride at Vegeta's voice. He stared down at Kuririn, and then his hands dropped to his side and he turned towards Vegeta.

 

"Yes, Your Highness." His tone was grudging, but Vegeta knew it wasn't that he disagreed with him or was being disrespectful; it was because he was so angry and grief-stricken that he was unable to control his voice or actions. The humans, however, were unaware of Radditz' shortcomings, and so were wondering about the interactions between the two Saiyajin.

 

"Why do you want my daddy?" Gohan demanded in a low voice, his stance tense and menacing. He wasn't nearly as brave as he was trying to act; it was taking all his willpower not to turn tail and run. Over the past year Piccolo had taught him how to sense ki levels, and what he felt coming from these two Saiyajin absolutely terrified him.

 

"It hardly matters now, brat," Vegeta remarked dryly, watching the way the small fists clenched and unclenched. The boy was scared but wasn't going to bolt. Good, Vegeta thought to himself. He will need to be strong. "What do you think we would want with one of the last of our kind left in the galaxy?

 

"I think you might want to kill him," Piccolo growled in reply. "You killed him before."

 

Radditz turned towards him, then his eyes narrowed as he studied him. "The Namek," he stated, then shook his head. "Nappa was an idiot. If he'd had any brains, he wouldn't have killed him. Kakarotto is my brother! Was my brother. I would have asked for his help, not killed him...."

 

Once again, Radditz turned away, his grief overwhelming him. As always, Radditz was unable to hide his emotions, and Bulma, from her hiding place in the house, could see that his grief and anger were genuine. She didn't entirely understand everything that was going on, but she realized that unless someone did something to stop what could be a potentially deadly fight, a lot of people might be killed unnecessarily. As it was, she didn't think any of the lunkheads out there were going to be able to do anything constructive, so as always, it would be up to her to take control.

 

Without another thought, she stepped out of the house, pushing her way past the much larger warriors and stepping to the forefront. Her blue eyes flashed fire as she glared at the two Saiyajin, and she put her hands on her hips belligerently.

 

"And what were you going to ask Goku's help to do? Help you kill more innocent people? That Nappa fellow who came here before said he was here to kill everyone on this planet! Is that what you do? Kill people? Did you want Goku's help to do that? Because he would never have helped you, if that's what you wanted! Goku isn't like that!" She pointed a finger towards Vegeta and waved it in his direction angrily. Although she was slight, and hardly imposing, there was something oddly intimidating about her.

 

Somehow, Bulma sensed that regardless of size, Vegeta was the one in charge, so she glared at him rather than at Radditz. Perhaps it had been the tone of command he had used with his larger companion, or perhaps it was the deference Radditz had paid him. Whatever it was, Bulma decided to focus on him, figuring he was the one in authority so would be the one to deal with.

 

"Uh... Bulma...." Kuririn murmured nervously. "Don't you think you should go inside?" His words were lost in the tension of the air, however, and no one paid any attention to him whatsoever.

 

"Oh?" Vegeta arched a brow at the woman, a little amused by her anger, his mouth twitching up into a cocky smirk. "And are you his mate? Is that how you claim to know him so well?" Vegeta did not think that the pale creature in front of him could even handle a Saiyajin male, let alone survive childbirth, but he instinctively knew his words would annoy her.

 

Bulma stared at the warrior in front of her, her mouth open in shock. How dare someone talk about her private life that way, as though it were up for public scrutiny? And the way he had done it, in such a way that it was obvious he was mocking her....

 

She snapped her mouth shut, her eyes narrowing in anger. "How dare you?" she hissed at him. "I've known Goku since he was a little boy! I practically raised him! And it's none of your business who my 'mate' is, anyway!"

 

She felt a sharp pain in her heart at her own words. She knew that by 'mate' he was referring to either a boyfriend or a husband. And I'll never have either, at this rate, she thought with a pang of grief. She was getting too old now, and Yamcha's decision to break up with her seemed to prove to her that she just wasn't as desirable and pretty as she had always believed. Especially since for the ten years that they had been together, he had never once touched her, not even the mild necking that all teenagers indulged in. When she had wanted to go further than simple kisses, he had always shied away. No, she would never have a 'mate', she knew that now, and it hurt more than she wanted to admit.

 

She didn't let her expressions show in her face, not in a manner that might have been noticeable by a human. But to a Saiyajin, trained to control his own expressions, as well as having keener senses than a normal human, Vegeta saw something of what she was trying to hide.

 

Yamcha blinked. What the hell was going on? Weren't they supposed to be fighting these Saiyajin? But no, here they were, all of them watching the shorter Saiyajin taunt Bulma into a fit of temper he would have been terrified of. And what was going on with Piccolo? The Namek was simply leaning up against a tree, watching the argument with something akin to disgust on his features.

 

"I see." Vegeta's deep voice caught Yamcha's attention and he glanced back over to him. "Then you consider yourself his mother." Yamcha blinked in surprise, as the shorter Saiyajin's smirk grew wider. "Funny, I did not think you to be quite that old."

 

Oh, shit. Yamcha shared a glance with Kuririn, and they both winced. "I can't believe he said that. Bulma will kill him," he whispered to the bald monk.

 

"Yeah, I know!" Kuririn murmured in agreement, looking, if possible, more worried than his friend.

 

Despite how softly the two humans were speaking, Radditz' Saiyajin hearing picked it up easily. He turned back towards the group, looking over at Bulma and studying her with narrowed eyes. He didn't think the small human woman was very powerful, but these warriors were obviously afraid of her. Why? She had no muscles, and was small and looked fragile. It was true that size didn't always matter; Vegeta was much stronger than he was, and appeared much weaker.

 

Radditz wished he could pull out his scouter and check the female's power level to see if it warranted the nervousness of the human males. But he knew he couldn't; he had used the scouter earlier, because he and Vegeta had remained silent so the scouter wouldn't transmit their voices to Freeza in an instant. If he could count on these humans remaining silent while he turned the scouter on, he would be willing to do it, but not otherwise.

 

He didn't think the woman was that powerful, however. After all, she had been hiding in the house when he and Vegeta had arrived. She had not been standing with the other warriors, ready for battle with the rest of them. If she were a warrior, then she hadn't been as prepared as they had been. Or perhaps they had simply been holding her in reserve...

 

No, Radditz didn't think that was the case. There was something puzzling going on here, and he had no idea what it was.

 

Bulma turned white at Vegeta's words, then a slow flush built up, turning her entire upper body red from the chest up. With the short halter-top she was wearing, the flush was quite visible, staining her fair skin a deep scarlet.

 

"I am NOT OLD!" she screamed at Vegeta, her teeth showing fangs in her anger. "I'll have you know that I'm one of the most beautiful women on this planet! Men fight over me all the time! Goku is like a little brother to me! I AM NOT HIS MOTHER!" Although her statement about men fighting over her wasn't strictly true, she wasn't about to tell Vegeta the truth about it.

 

"Men fight over you?" Vegeta chuckled. "Why? Unless the men here prefer their women pale and scrawny. Then again..." Vegeta looked over the humans, glancing over at Yamcha, then settling on Kuririn, "the males of this planet aren't much to look at, either."

 

"Pale and...." Bulma stared at Vegeta in shock. Her face somehow managed to get even redder than before with her anger. "As if YOU can talk! You're just a pipsqueak with no fashion sense! I'll bet women run screaming from you in horror, if they're not laughing themselves to death!"

 

Bulma was so angry that she was becoming reckless in her insults. The human warriors sweatdropped, knowing she was about to become completely dangerous.

 

With a loud 'crack!' her hand found its way to his cheek, hitting him with surprisingly enough force to move his head slightly to one side. The impact barely stung, however, telling Vegeta that the blue-haired shrew in front of him wasn't nearly strong enough to make these human warriors so fearful. If they were this terrified of her, it made him wonder about their power levels. Since he hadn't seen the numbers on Radditz' scouter, he really had no way of judging.

 

Radditz stared in shock at Bulma's actions, but it lasted less than a second before he acted. Before any of the others could stop him, he responded with the impulsive rashness that had gotten him - and the other Saiyajin - in trouble so many times.

 

Radditz lunched forward, lifting Bulma up by the throat, his face a mask of murderous fury. "NO ONE touches the prince!" he roared, lifting her so that she was at eye level with her and squeezing her throat so she couldn't breathe. "Anyone who does, DIES!"

 

Bulma tried to choke out a reply, but was unable to with the giant Saiyajin crushing her windpipe. Desperately she clawed at his arms, but her wild thrashings were completely ineffectual. As she felt her vision going dark, she wondered why she had to die so uselessly, why no one would come to her rescue and save her. Goku! her thoughts cried out, as she wished desperately that her friend would once again come to her in time to save her.

 

To be continued....

 

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And in the next exciting episode of DragonBall Z: Crossed Paths... Will Radditz kill Bulma? Who there can stop him? ^_~

 

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Oh, I'm evil, aren't I? ^_~ I wonder how many of you are going to hate me for this cliffhanger.... ^_~

 

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Review Responses:

 

DarkBulma: *blinks* You're not going to win any popularity points with me by dissing Yamcha or any other DBZ character (other than Freeza, whom I despise). I personally adore Yamcha. I think you've been reading too many B&V fanfics where the authors make Yamcha OOC as a crutch to get B&V together. I personally think that cheapens B&V's relationship, and won't do it myself. Yamcha is not a jerk, he's not an asshole, and he's not a womanizer or abusive. All those fics that make him out that way are completely OOC, and I have no respect for authors who do that. Btw, at the beginning of DBZ, Yamcha is about the same strength as any of the other humans. He's no weaker than the others, and in fact, at this point in time he's equal in power to Radditz. (I'm following the anime for power levels, and both of theirs is 1200.) And keep in mind that Radditz, while not an elite, IS a first class Saiyan, meaning he's no weakling. (Nappa and Vegeta call him that in the anime, but that's because they're both elites, and he is weaker than they are.) All of the humans (except Bulma and Roshi) at this point have power levels equivalent to first class Saiyans, something which has already surprised Radditz, as they were told that Chikyuu-jin are all weaklings. It really bothers me when people diss any DBZ characters, because - whether you realize it or not - when you do that, you're insulting the show. And it also means that you haven't watched any of the early stuff like Dragonball, and have no inkling of Yamcha's importance to Goku's development.

 

danieloflorien: I'm glad this inspired you somehow. It's always nice to know I've inspired someone in some manner. :-)

 

sky: Well, I hope you're still reading this now. I know it has been a while since my last update, so you might not even remember this fic anymore. :-(