38Hello all, I thought it would be interesting to see things from the very beginning before the start of Gemini Saga, from Raditz's point of view.
Also, as much as I love Dragon Ball Z: Bardock – The Father of Goku, I do not own it or any of its characters.
Beta Read by MariIvyFenta
"...and so, that's what I told him, if all you want to do is just fight all the time, and sniff around that other girl, you can just forget about seeing me when your rut starts up again!"
"You are so right, I don't blame you at all... I told my mate if he doesn't come back, I'll find him and kill him..."
Two Saiyan women sat talking placidly, as they half heartedly monitored the birth pods, munching on Xenoba fruit and grooming their tails lazily, when a small rustling in the back of the nursery failed to catch their attention.
"Oh, and did you hear about Gine? She came to visit her son Kakarot this morning, of course Bardock was nowhere in sight.."
"Ugh, typical male... although, he's not bad on the eyes... or weak for that matter.. "
"Yeah, well, I hope this one is better behaved, not like that little hell spawn Raditz... can you believe that he- "
"Shit! Where is he!?"
Raditz snickered as he ducked away from the sight of the Saiyan women, and ran full bore towards the vast open grass fields of Planet Vegeta, with a purple hue washed in the radiance of the red sky. He heard angry screams behind him and felt the pinpricks of the female's ki as it rushed past his small form. He dodged each shot with ease, whirling around and hopping up in mid air to blow a raspberry at the both of them before he was about to blast off, not before feeling the familiar grip of a hand holding him firmly around the back of his neck.
The two women who had been ready to come after him turned tail and flew back to the nursery with just a small peep, talking excitedly in hushed voices.
Raditz heard a low grunt that could almost pass for a laugh as he was tossed to the ground unceremoniously.
He rolled over and looked up the man towering over him, his pudgy features shadowed over by a large, angular frame.
"P-papa?" He murmured, crawling onto his knees and looking up with large, watery black eyes.
The scarred man looked down at him and furrowed his brow.
"What are you doing out here, runt? Shouldn't you be getting coddled after by those females?" He spoke in a low voice, narrowing his eyes as his young got to his feet and brushed off the front of his red tunic, to which a light leather hide was strapped for his own protection.
He lowered his chin and huffed, "All they do is chatter, I'm bored." He crossed his little arms over his body, which were decently sculpted for a child his age. Bardock scoffed and turned his back to him, leaving the child to only stare up at his shining green and black armour.
"I have better things to do than look after a weakling child, go on back to the den mothers, before I'm forced to take you there myself."
Little Raditz stood his ground and stomped one bare foot obstinately.
"I don't belong with females and infants, none of the other boys my age are there. Only me and those wailing brats! Why?"
He made an agitated whine and pulled on the long brown tail before him in frustration, he only wanted his father to look at him as he spoke.
He quickly felt the tail wrap around his wrists and pull him up roughly, curling him in a ball to Bardock's back as one would hold perhaps a sack of grain, or a bundle of fruit, not normally a child; especially one Raditz's size. He kicked his feet and wailed as Bardock took off, clutching the edges of the armour beneath him in a desperate attempt to hold on for dear life as he returned to the training grounds where Bardock spent most of his time when he wasn't on a mission.
Finally they came to a stop, and Raditz quivered as he caught his breath that seemed to be suctioned out of him from the speed he had been dragged at.
"There you are, we thought you were giving up!" A man said, Raditz turned and saw the familiar company his father usually kept. Tora, the one with blue and black armour.
"Were you giving your mate the business?" A tall, balding saiyan leered, waggling one eyebrow. A female with short bobbed hair gave him a shove and snorted, "Don't be so crude, Borgos!"
"Fasha, if you aren't used to our sense of humor yet, I suggest finding yourself a place in King Vegeta's kitchen..." Bardock teased, rubbing the end of his nose in a familiar way and smirking.
"Oh yeah? Waste my strength slaving over a stew pot? No thanks!" She said, crossing her arms over her segmented armour and pink spandex.
"Papa! Put. Me. Down!" A hoarse little voice growled from behind, then Bardock's eyes widened as he felt little teeth sink into his tail. He turned his head and growled back, "You little- for that, you can stay there!"
The members of his team all laughed, peeking over his shoulder and jabbing at Raditz's stiff body teasingly. Bardock had tightened his tail even further until he was making pained sounds, as the tail constricted around him like a snake as punishment. Raditz managed to get one foot free and kicked the air wildly, grunting. The team all laughed at his struggling efforts and the attention was drawn to him even further.
"Ha! Sturdy! Wonder what his power level is?" Shugesh mused, clicking on his scouter and humming.
"Hmm, 200? Eh! You sure he's yours?"
Tora reprimanded the fat man with a friendly shove, then turned and sized up Raditz's strength.
"Ah, nonsense! Look at the little runt's build, he's wiry! Must have been fast too, to outrun the den mothers."
"And that mug, frowns just like his father." Fasha said softly and pinched his cheek. Bardock dropped Raditz and turned around, then looked at his son with a small gleam in his eye, feeling perhaps less embarrassed of the child. Raditz's cheeks turned red as he stood and was examined by the entire team, he looked at his father and pouted but refused to act frightened.
"Come on, let's get training. I'm sure he'll be fine right here. Hey kid, go count blades of grass or collect rocks or something…" Bardock said with a dismissive flick of his wrist, and began walking away.
Raditz sighed sharply through his nostrils and crossed his arms as he watched them all retreat, brushing off one shoulder after feeling manhandled as if he were a piece of meat having it's value assessed. His little tail twitched angrily behind his back as he watched his father and his teammates all begin to charge at one another and enthusiastically parry with quick blows and ki blasts. He lowered his head and sniffled, wondering if he really was as weak as they said.
Is that why Papa won't pay attention to me? He almost did for a moment...He plopped down in the grass and picked at it, musing.
But his friends think I'm strong...Raditz shrugged to himself, resting his chubby cheek in his palm and gnawing on the end of his tail, feeling a flea nibbling him there. He spat it out and licked the fur, before letting it drop to his lap.
As he watched, Bardock's team began to start training harder, dodging large attacks and making scars in the already battle worn earth where multitudes of Saiyans all trained. It didn't matter whether they were employed by Planet Trade Organization, or The Saiyan Army faction of Frieza Force, they trained and fought relentlessly to sate their need to fight. Truly, Raditz had escaped from the nursery because he felt his little heart beating for battle, but he didn't know much past the basics. The training sessions Bardock gave him were few and far between, but when he did have them they were grueling, and he didn't go easy on him either.
The last session was a few weeks ago, and Raditz had ended up falling hard from the sky and injuring his tailbone, causing a spat between his mother and father. It wasn't often they bickered, but when they did, his mother liked to chase Bardock out of the house, smacking him with whatever object she could find; sometimes a table, other times a frying pan. Raditz had to laugh at his father's reaction, he would chase back after her and tackle her to the ground, wagging his tail as he nipped her playfully. If anything, it seemed being beaten on only made his father act more ridiculous.
Raditz couldn't wrap his mind around it, he was too young to understand that his father liked the fiery nature that was brought out in Gine, an otherwise kind female who normally didn't start spats. She would at times fight with him in order to toughen him up, but she never drew blood or hurt him badly enough to cause bruising. Raditz watched a bit longer as he began to daydream, forgetting about the fighting and staring at the ruby red sky with white towers piercing it. The spires of Kingdom Vegeta stood proud, or rather, house of Vegeta now that they were sworn fealty to the Cold Empire.
Raditz stood and wandered over closer to peer at the castle, seeing the high blockades that protected the castle garden and pondering what it must be like inside. He knew that Prince Vegeta wasn't contained to the gardens, and that he himself ventured out to spar, and was allowed to go on missions at his age, only 5. Raditz frowned, his small tail thumping the ground. For whatever reason, this irked him. As a matter of fact, Vegeta himself irked him.
It's not fair, he's only 5 and he's already barking orders, taking lives, walking around with that smug smile...
He began walking towards the edge of the training fields, seeing his father was wholly distracted by the enthusiastic beating his teammates were giving each other. He crept along the border, darting his eyes back and forth at the guards who sat atop the lookout, who were watching the ground with bored expressions.
Raditz felt around the blockade made of stone, feeling for loose bricks, and finding success when pulling one out. The rest followed in a loud tumble that created a small hole. Raditz looked up quickly to the post, and saw the guards engaged in distracted conversation.
With a mischievous smirk, he pulled his body into the opening and crawled through.