Strange New World, That Has Such Creatures In It

Expecting Chapter 8

For the first time since their resurrection, the whole Saiyan populace enjoyed the labors of a hunt, tearing into the dead ginx and passing pieces of the kill around. Raw and dripping, the carcass made a mess of the banquet hall, but none of them seemed to mind. Some Saiyans chose to roast their portion with carefully aimed ki blasts while others left it as is, enjoying the blood with the body.

At the end of the table sat the king, his grandson and Goten beside him. Startled at first by the amount of noise and carnage around him, Trunks adapted quickly and settled into his environment almost as if he'd been raised there. Goten shuddered a little, not at the blood but at all the eyes on him. He often enjoyed being the center of attention but this was downright creepy. A moment later Trunks noticed all the looks his mate was receiving, some of them more lascivious than admiring, and he turned and grabbed Goten, forcing a long kiss from him. After that, Goten forgot all about the looks and paid attention only to his mate.

On the other side of the king, a nervous Namek sat between Gohan and Raditz. The long-maned Saiyan kept his tail flicking in the peculiar manner that kept Gohan's anger at bay, but Piccolo still tensed as Gohan moved to take a slab of meat. If he had to, he would jump out of the way of any ki blasts sent between the two. For his own part, he ignored the dead body circulating on the table and took care that no blood or gore dripped into his water. While he drank, though, he noticed that Vegetasei's water was different from earth's, heady, with a distinct flavor. It wasn't unpleasant, but the difference unsettled him, and he resolved to stop if he started feeling any of the effects alcohol brought out in humans.

Only the king noticed as Bardock slipped away, catching his tail flicking through a small side door that had once been a servant's entrance. The king sighed and looked around again. Once large enough to hold most of the elite populace, the high stone ceiling and broad hall now echoed with their voices, the entire Saiyan race contained in only half its space. Opening the large double doors had seemed almost ridiculous. He wished he had his mate beside him, to lean a little on...

He closed his eyes. Bardock was anxious to meet his long lost son. He hoped the reunion would not disappoint him.

*

Bardock quietly closed the door behind himself, careful to whisk his tail out of the way. The noise of joyful Saiyans faded. He didn't like to miss this first feast, but he had something far more pressing to attend to. For the first time all of the Saiyans were in one area and out of his hair, and he was damn well going to take the opportunity presented to at last see his youngest son.

His footfalls echoed through the halls as he walked, passing sunny windows in shadowed colonnades. He could have flown and arrived in a moment but instead he walked, lost in thought as he remembered his vision of Kakarrot, lost and found, Saiyan but something alien. Something distinctly wrong with his eyes. The hall he traveled seemed longer than it was, and the door he sought was around one last corner at the very end. He kept his pace even. Sun. Shadow. Sun. Shadow. He closed his eyes, annoyed by the glare. Sun. Shadow. Sun.

As he rounded the corner, he heard a shuffling, as of someone rising to their feet. Another step showed him Nappa, the tall guard standing from his seat and blinking sleep from his eyes. Bardock waved him down and went to the door, placing his hand on the knob. He hesitated.

"It's all right," Nappa whispered. "I heard Vegeta say he was going to sleep. Kakarrot's with him."

"My son..." Bardock stared straight at the door as if he could see through it. "What is he like? Was his life anything like Vegeta's?"

"No..." Nappa said. "I can't be sure but...from what I remember, he grew up on earth in relative peace. He grew to believe it was his original planet. Enough to where he'd fight to save that mudhole."