As previously stated, this is an AU fanfic. Thus, there are changes to some of the elements in the Dragonball Z world. One being that when Goku and Bulma first met they were about the same age. Bulma being ten and Goku being eleven. They had similar adventures, looking for the dragonballs, ran across the same people and yadda yadda. Now they are all grown up, Goku and Bulma in their early twenties. Goku, Krillin and Yamcha are all best friends and Goku and Bulma are together. The story picks up a few days after Goku and Bulma return from their honeymoon.
WARNING: As I progress with the story, it seems that it's going to be getting darker, heavier and is by no means a 'happy' story. If you want something a little more laid back, go check out my V/B story Fascination.
Oh, and another fair warning, Goku and Radditz are a bit OC but not much. Only in the way that Goku is not a complete moron and Radditz isn't totally ruthless. Enough of my ramblings, on with the story!
Disclaimer- Yadda yadda, I don't own DBZ or any of it's characters...I just like changing them! Mwuahaha--Grr..damn rule 20.
-----
Saiya-jin Ways
Chapter 1- Why You?
"Are you sure, Yamcha?" Goku asked for the third time while his friend started setting up next to the heated grill. The scarred warrior laughed, picking up the chef hat and donning it. "Of course, no problem. You just got back, sit down, relax. Besides," He tilted the hat to one side, "I make the best barbeque this side of my desert." Yamcha joked before turning his attention to the BBQ pit and the uncooked meat.
Goku and Krillin laughed at their friend's actions. "Man, it feels good to have the old group back together." The bald-headed fighter commented, smiling around contently.
Goku looked at Krillin with an amused smile. "What are you talking about, Krillin? We've haven't been separated that long. Bulma and I were only gone for two weeks."
"Heh, speaking of which...How was the honeymoon?" Krillin questioned, nudging Goku with his elbow and raising his eyebrows in a suggestive manor. Roshi and Oolong stopped what they were doing and leaned forward, looking at Goku intently and waiting eagerly for some juicy details. Krillin proceeded to yelp in pain just after the inquiry as Bulma clocked him upside the head with the tenderizer she had been using on the hamburger meat.
"THAT is none of your business, Krillin." She snapped, giving him a heated stare before smiling sweetly over to Goku. She leaned down and kissed him before moving over the grill to assist Yamcha. The Saiya-jin stifled a laugh and shrugged helplessly at his best friend. "Sorry, Krillin. The wife has spoken."
The bald man grumbled something incoherent while blushing a deep red and sinking below the table while Oolong and Roshi merely looked disappointed, making Goku laugh even harder.
-----
His stomach growled softly as the sweet scent of freshly prepared meat wafted through the air, but he ignored it. This Saiya-jin had no time to waste on food. Not at the moment, anyway. Raditz continued observing from his position in a tall tree, some three hundred yards from the ones he was watching.
It was just one unpleasant surprise after another. Raditz had been very confused when he came to this planet and found all its inhabitants in tact, not just in tact but flourishing. There was no sign at all that a Saiya-jin had ever landed on this luminous little planet. Only one explanation had presented itself at the time, and that was that the Saiya- jin was killed before he could complete his mission.
But, upon finding his brother alive and healthy, Raditz was back to square one. If Kakorrot was alive, then why was this pathetic race still thriving? Then he saw it. His little brother greeted one of the weak beings with what was obviously friendliness. He had befriended inhabitants of this world.
Upon further examination he was appalled to observe that Kakorrot was not only associates with these humans, but that he acted like them. Raditz couldn't believe that his brother, his own –flesh and blood- had adopted the mannerisms of such a feeble species. Indeed, it wasn't the first time that a Saiya-jin sent to a planet at a young age had grown attached to the people and, consequently, changed. But why did it have to be –his- brother?
The most shocking discovery of them all had been that Kakorrot was mated to one of these humans. The more Raditz watched, the more he hated what he saw. His little brother just started a family, he had friends and a mate and he was happy. A happiness he was about to rip away from him. But he should have known that this day would come. His people wouldn't just leave him here.
"Sorry I have to be the one to bring you back to reality, ototo-san..." Enough of the watching, he was sure the Prince was becoming impatient. It was time to get this over with. Slipping off the branch, the tall Saiya- jin landed quietly on the ground. He wrapped his tail firmly around his waist before venturing forward, soon leaving the concealment of the woods and entering the open area between the trees and his brother.
-----Sorry so short, but I saw that as the best place to stop. So, please review and let me know what you think so far. The next chapter should be up very soon.
Author's Note: In this fic any Japanese is considered to be the Saiya-jin native language, thus translations will come later.