Warriors

Pairing: None

Rating: PG-13

POV: Raditz/3rd person

Warnings: Violence

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or Samurai Jack

Even though the day is bright, the sunlight feels cold. Maybe it is because my heart and soul think they are ice. I'm not really sure. All I know is that I was spared by a couple of low-lives who didn't want to kill a few Earthlings. My brother, and his green friend, they want to protect this pitiful planet. It's sad, but it's their choice. It was also their choice to allow me to flee from our fight.

How stupid I am. As I walk under a canopy of trees, I realize how much of a weakling I am. Vegeta was right. He always told me I'd amount to nothing, I would never be a great fighter like him. That is true, though. He always killed more people than I did, caused more pain, always made himself happy. I was the depressed man, complaining and moaning and groaning. Nappa wasn't even as bad as I was. Sure, he complained and dramatized everything, but he didn't whine like a little kid. Vegeta treated me like a toddler. I guess he had a reason.

The trees laugh as the wind passes through their branches. They're even happier than I am. I walk along, bulky in my armor. I stop for a moment, strip off the main armor, and continue traveling. I wonder where I am going. There is not a soul out here, not even a bird flutter or a frog croak.. Only the sound of my footsteps on the underbrush penetrates the silence. I yearn for more than this quiet.

Something catches my eye. I saw it out of my corner of my eye, just a slight movement. It was slight white, barely there. It still occurred, though. Something moved. I turn around, hearing brown branches crunch. The tan pine needles crowd around my shoes. I try to listen more intently, but with each step there is more crunching. Suddenly the being dashes in front of me. I look down at my chest. Blood seeps from a thin horizontal line. As soon as I look up to find the culprit, something slashes hard into my back.

"Damn!" I cry. My hand goes to my back. More red blood all over my fingers. The cut things, but I've been injured far worse. I turn my head upward. The being jumps at light speed bouncing from branch to branch. Sunlight shines through the trees, but still impairs my vision. The being is gone again. I can't believe I missed it again!

The being runs past me. I reach out, and feel soft cloth on my fingers. I turn my head and see what I have in my grip. He is a light-skinned man, well-built, with black hair tied up in a tiny ponytail. He scowls at me.

"Who are you, shrimp?" I ask. He is considerably smaller than me.

"Unhand me, fiend!" the man replies, and jerks out of my grip. In his hands sits a sword, waiting to slash again.

"You didn't answer my question. Who are you?" I repeat. I concentrate some Ki into my hand.

"You are some evil magician of Aku! Be vanquished!" he yells, jumping into the air, sword over his head. The metal glints in the sun. He lands on his feet, but his sword eats dirt. I just took a step back. I lift my leg and my foot makes acquaintance with his face. While he flies into a tree, I smirk.

"I'm not magician, man. My name's Raditz. I'm a fighter. An alien, a Saiyan from planet Vegeta. Ever heard of us? We're pretty well-known. We've killed lots of people," I explain. The man looks up meekly.

"You are no minion of Aku?" he asks.

"I don't even know who that is," I reply.

"Oh." He slowly rises up from the ground and brushes himself off. Picking up his sword, he turns to leave. He looks back at me. Then, without warning. He runs back toward me, trying to slash at my stomach. I catch the sheet of metal between my hands.

A bird chirps. The sun still casts it cold light, but a cloud passes over it, creating shadows. His faces hides behind a shadow for a moment. I see one eye, burning with intensity. He has the appearance of Kakarot, the same anger, the same concentration. I free the sword and fall back into the underbrush. He follows me, and holds the sword over my heart.

"I have heard of your kind, and you are almost as evil as Aku. I must destroy you. I challenge you to a fight to the death." I shake my head.

"Hey, I didn't do anything to you. I'm not getting into another battle. I just fought. I don't...want to kill anyone else," I say, exasperated. I am running, again. Seriously, though, I do not want to fight. I never wanted to kill my brother, but if I didn't, I'd be a corpse at the hands of Vegeta. If the prince finds out my brother's alive, I'll be dead in a matter of days. It doesn't really matter anyway. This missionary is going to hunt me down if I run. I'll be seeing him soon.

I slide away from the sword, get up, and fly right past him.

"I challenged you! Come back!" he yells. He begins to run after me, but gives up after a few steps. I curve my neck to look at him. His eyes still contain that frickin' intensity. Nearly crashing into a tree, I narrowly dodge it and fly through the forest. I don't stop. I don't think of my failures. I let myself become free. I don't want to be held back by my own fears and others' haughty ambitions. I'm my own man now. No brother, missionary, or prince is going to change that.

Jack stood in the forest. The sunlight collapsed onto the underbrush. He could not believe that that man of giant stature would just flee with his tail between his legs.

"He had a tail, didn't he?" Jack says aloud. A few birds speak to each other in a conversation of cheeps. Jack's eyes shift, then he continues walking. The sweet-smelling air and enshrouding nature relaxes him. He strides along without a care. The forest surrounding him reminds him of home. The peaceful atmosphere releases the tension in his muscles. He smiles warmly.

Something cracks.

Machines parachute from the trees and land in a circle around Jack. Their claws shine in the sunlight. Red eyes bore through Jack's back, chest, arms, everywhere. More of them come from the sky, blocking the sun. Jack lifts his sword in defense position. The insect machines surround Jack. He waits for the first assault.

One last machine comes from the sky and falls right in front of Jack. It slashes at him. He fights back. The machines swarm around him, all at once. The sound of metal on metal fills the air as he destroys the insects. They try with all their might to vanquish him, but it is futile. With each movement of his sword another machine succumbs. A head goes here, a torso, a few arms; they are all cut away, bit by bit, until the machines lay I ruins.

His clothes slightly torn, Jack surveys what he has overcame. The machines twitch and buzz, but do not raise themselves up and fight again. Jack wipes some blood from his cheek. Time to move on.

Jack thought about Raditz again. He had seen many aliens in his time, but none who looked so strikingly human. Most were spotted with multiple eyes, or were colored green or blue or pink, or had many arms. Instead, Raditz's only odd appendage was his tail. His appearance bothered Jack, but he didn't know why. He seemed so strong, so able to destroy him. He ran away from a fight. It was against what the man stood for: power and pride. A memory must be corrupting his mind. Jack had heard of Saiyans, and new they never ran from fights unless something was terribly wrong.

Traveling along, Jack sees a town and stops. People bustle about, unconcerned and uncaring. There are no signs of Jack posted on any wall, so he heads into the open air. The aromas of frying meat and slaughtered fish make a home in Jack's nose. Reaching unto his pocket, he finds no money. Disappointed, he walks past the stores to try and discover an in.. At the end of town, in the shabbiest area, an in lives. Jack steps in and sits down on the moth-ridden couch. The inn-keeper pays no attention while Jack dozes off into dreamland.

The world is old, and smells of nature. A boy, small but tough, practices his sword technique.

"Hi ya!" he yells, the sword ripping through the hot summer air. His parents watch him, amused. His father harbors a real sword in his belt, but hides it from his son's view. He does not want him to take it. The boy hits a stone dragon, pretending it is a real, fire-breathing one.

"You can't stop me, evil dragon!" he calls, slicing a whisker off.

"Oh dear," his mother chimes, a hand covering her mouth.

"No troubles, my love," his father says. "We will have it repaired." The boy smiles sheepishly at his parents.

The world dissolves. Jack awakens, his eyelids fluttering. Slowly getting up, he hears a sound from the couch. He reaches between the cushions and finds some change.

"Lucky me," he says to himself. He leaves the inn, money in pocket. Grinning, his tired mind leads him to the nearest bar to receive a cold refreshing drink.

I yawn. It's kind of boring here in this dusty little town. Reminds me of where I grew up for some time. There was one huge capitol on Vegeta, and then a bunch of little towns. I lived in a town out in the desert, where the sun always shines but there's nothing to drink. Dad was gone was most of the time, fighting in missions and such. I usually was alone, being a street rat. I stole, I killed, I did anything to survive. It was a difficult life in those times. T hen Vegeta hired me. Life changed. No more desert, just a dusty room and a cot. Felt like home, at least.

I eye another patron's drink. He's flirting with the female bartender, trying to lead her to his home (and his bed, I suppose). Since he is busy, I just take his drink. I sip. Mmm, it tastes delicious. Sweet with a touch of sour. I missed alcohol.

A customer walks through the doors. The bartender gasps. I turn my head and see the missionary.

"Hey!" the bartender yells, gaining courage. "I don't want any trouble, ya hear?" The missionary nods. I turn back around and duck behind my mass of hair. He sits down besides me. That's just great.

He smiles pleasantly. He orders a drink and pays with some change. I bed, I plead in my mind. Don't notice me! How can he not, though?! My long hair is a giveaway, and all I am wearing is some black spandex. Maybe he'll just ignore me.

"Hello Raditz," he says calmly. I nearly fall out of my seat.

"Hi," I reply, gripping the table.

"We never finished our battle," he remarks. His voice is deadpan, so calm it's unnerving. It bothers me so much that I can't respond.

"After our drinks," he says. I gulp mine down. He quietly sips at his. Staring at him with wide eyes, I sweat profusely. I don't want to fight this guy. I know I'll kill him. He's asking for the Grim Reaper. If I have to, I'll fight him. My main objective while on this planet is to fade out of existence. I want to be a no-name, someone no one will recognize. Unfortunately, I told my name to this guy.

He finally finishes his drink. Without a sound, he rises from his chair and walks into the street. I follow him. Time to let the true Saiyan out. He wants Raditz, well, here he is.

He stands in defense position, while I just cross my arms over my chest. He's ready. So am I.

He attacks. I dodge out of the way. He slices again, cutting open my leg. People begin to crowd around, interested. I turn and kick with my good leg, sending him through the bar doors. Glass crashes and shatters. He comes running out with glass shards in his hair. Some thick black strands hang in his face. He frees a battle cry and races toward me. I hit him square on with a magnificent (if I do say so myself) punch. He flies into another building. His hair becomes undone, and reaches out with its strands like tentacles. I walk over to where he lay.

"You are an excellent fight," he compliments. I grin arrogantly. "I believe I have found my equal. No you are a greater fighter than me. But I do not forfeit."

"I'm gonna kill you then," I say. He pauses.

"I cannot die! You cannot kill me! I must destroy Aku!" he cries, slowly getting up from the pieces of wood he created by falling.

"It's my duty." I concentrate a large amount of Ki.

"NO! Wait! Let me make a deal with you. Let us be allies instead of enemies. Let us fight together." He raises a hand to shake. I'm the one pausing. He'd be a good partner to have. I might need him. He was a formidable opponent. I need an ally with Kakarot still somewhere.

"Okay," I say, shaking his hand and grinning. Shocked, he shakes back slowly. He can't believe I was so soft. Either can I.

Life has changed again. The two of us work together, a revered duo against the evil. I was once that evil, but I keep it hidden from Jack. I got out and kill, yes, but I blame it on Aku. I need to feed that darkness within me. Still, I enjoy this life the best. I am the more feared because I have do not hesitate to kill an enemy. Jack likes to leave the humans alive. I don't.

Something things never change.

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