Welcome to DBZ Love Garden

Mirai blinked rapidly as his sight returned, having been temporarily blinded by the golden light that had engulfed him moments before. His breath left his body as he looked all around him, at the home of his father. The dragon had deposited him in a desolate area, far from the bustling city that his sharp eyesight could just barely make out.

He was overwhelmed by red. It seemed that someone had painted the landscape and the sky in every hue of crimson; from the fiery hues of the atmosphere, to the brick of the sand beneath his feet. Odd croppings of strangely shaped plant life were scattered about, also washed in different shades of red and russet.

He stretched his senses throughout his immediate vicinity, knowing that in this foreign home of his father's warrior race, he would need to keep his guard up at all times. The region was devoid of all but one life sign, but it was a large one. He cautiously made his way, his boots making soft crunching sounds in the brick colored sand, so he levitated a few inches off the ground, to hopefully take the source of the energy by surprise.

His senses drew him to a large fresh water lake, its calm surface reflecting the colors of the sky, reminding him of the serene vision of the lake near Goten's house, where he had been just a short time before. He was certain that the energy he was detecting came from this area, but he could see nothing out of the ordinary. He shrugged his shoulders, deciding that he was probably feeling the ki of some type of giant fish, and began to turn away, toward the city in the distance.

Just then, he heard a mammoth splash of water, and he turned around swiftly, quickly assuming a fighting stance to defend himself from whatever may have been large enough to displace that much water. His eyes were greeted by the vision of a Saiyajin male gracefully arcing from the surface of the lake, his back arched, his head thrown back gasping for air, his arms stretched out to his sides. Muscular legs were splayed slightly, the toes pointed toward the surface of the water. Droplets of water rained down on Mirai, as he drank in the vision of athletic grace.

As the warrior paused in his ascent, several feet above the lake, Mirai finally registered that the Saiyajin was naked. Water trickled down over deeply tanned skin; rivulets snaked seductively downward through the valleys of perfectly sculpted muscle. His lustful gaze at last made its way to the warrior's face. As it did, he made a sharp intake of air, as his mind registered *GOKU!*

The warrior noticed the presence of the other man, as his eyes narrowed on him, scanning him from head to toe. He floated over the lake, to land just a few feet in front of Mirai, his posture straight, but non-threatening. He casually walked in a circle around the stunned demi-Saiyajin, paying no mind to his own state of nudity. Droplets of water beaded up on his flawless body, as the giant sun overhead did its best to dry him. His spiky hair as familiar to Mirai as his own, pre-transformation hair, his face like a photo from Mirai's past. This warrior was much younger than Goku, of course. Mirai guessed that he wasn't much older than he was, if he was older at all. The only distinguishing difference between this warrior and the beloved Saiyajin on Earth, aside from his age, was his deeper complexion, and a sexy scar on his cheek. *SEXY?* Mirai thought to himself, as his eyes widened in shock at the direction his thoughts were taking him. *No, not sexy. Goten is sexier. Yeah. Think of Goten.*

That thought flew out of his mind when the warrior returned to stand in front of him, his arms crossed over his chest, and his massive erection standing at attention, tail swishing seductively behind him. Mirai realized that his own tail was mimicking that of the warrior's, making slow sweeps through the air. He gasped once again as he felt the other man's tail lightly wrap around his own furry appendage, stroking it lightly.

The warrior finally spoke, his voice rumbling from his throat in a deep, rich tone. "Who are you? I've never seen you before." His tone held no malice or threat, only curiosity.

Mirai's jumbled thoughts raced before he was able to think of a response that wouldn't seem unnatural. "Ummm…my name is Trunks. I've been off-world since I was a kid, and I've just returned."

"Where is your family?" the warrior asked, as he ran his fingertips from Mirai's shoulder down to his elbow.

Mirai fumbled again for a feasible answer, as his eyes followed the path the other man's fingers took. "Uh, I don't have any family left. I was on my way to report to the palace and see where I would be sent next."

"Hn, I see. Well, you do know what tonight is, don't you? There won't be any business going on at the palace due to the festivities." His fingers reached for Mirai's jaw line, trailing along it, and his thumb and forefinger pinched Mirai's chin, locking his glittering black gaze with that of Mirai.

"No, I just got back. I don't know what day it is." The younger man said breathlessly. His pulse had quickened, his breathing had become ragged, and he was painfully aware of the growing need in his groin. His desire had gone unfulfilled when he was with Goten not long before, and it sprang to life quickly in response to the naked, very obviously aroused Saiyajin in front of him. His nose had been picking up a peculiar, yet delicious scent as the man walked around him, and now being in such close proximity to him, it was overwhelming. He licked his lips nervously as the slightly taller warrior closed the distance between them, bringing his mouth within centimeters of Mirai's, but not touching.

"It's the night of the full moon." The warrior said in a husky voice. "Tonight is the hunt." His hot breath brushed across Mirai's lips tantalizingly, as he held his own breath. The tanned hand brushed its fingers across his cheek, down over his jaw line, and drifted downward over his throat. When they reached his collar, the warrior pulled the material away from his neck on both sides, as a deep purr rumbled in his chest. "You aren't bonded." He said in his deep, throaty voice.

"N-no. I'm not." Mirai stammered, a faint blush creeping over his cheekbones.

"Good." A growl rumbled low in the warrior's chest. "If you've been off-world since you were just a brat, do you know the significance of the hunt?"

"Um…no, not really."

The warrior closed the remaining distance between their bodies, as a wicked grin spread across his lips as his naked erection pressed into Mirai's clothed, but obviously fully aroused, manhood. "It means…" he purred, as his tongue darted out to flick Mirai's earlobe, "all unbonded Saiyajins are free game to be hunted." His tongue swirled into Mirai's ear, as one hand snaked into the black spikes of hair at the other side of his head; the other found the small of his back, holding him firmly from trying to escape.

Mirai's eyes slid closed as his senses were assaulted by the scent and touch of this gorgeous man holding him in his embrace. "Hunted?" his voice came out in a whisper.

"Mmmmmm." Another deep purr made Mirai feel his knees begin to go weak. "It means you run, I get to chase you, and when I catch you…" he bit the earlobe gently, "and I WILL catch you," he chuckled. "I get to play with you all night long, under the full moon." He released the earlobe from between his teeth, and made a wet trail with his tongue to the curve of Mirai's neck, nibbling on the heated flesh. "And if I decide to keep you, I mark you as mine."

Mirai's voice squeaked. "What…what do you mean by play?"

The hand that was holding him firmly at the small of his back firmly ran down over the curve of his buttock, coming back up swiftly to grasp the base of his tail. He gasped at the unfamiliar sensation; his new tail had never been handled. His hands, which had been clenched into fists at his sides, abruptly found their way to the shoulders of the warrior, gripping them in an attempt to steady himself. The warrior stroked the tail firmly from base to tip, and brought the tip up to his mouth, blowing gently on the sensitive fur, ruffling it and causing delicious waves of desire to flow over Mirai's body. "When I catch you, I get to fuck you senseless." His mouth crushed down on Mirai's, his tongue demanded entrance, which Mirai willingly gave, parting his lips to admit the forceful wetness. Mirai unconsciously began grinding his hips against the warrior's, gyrating in rhythm with the kiss. He groaned deep in his throat as the demanding mouth broke away from his, the sensations of the hand stroking his tail making him weak.

The air around them was thick with musk, as Mirai realized that his own scent was as heavy as that of the warrior, his now fully Saiyajin physiology releasing the pheromones that were brought on by his arousal. He felt helpless in the moment, his senses being bombarded from all sides by the seduction of the warrior, whose name he realized he didn't know.

He managed to croak out, as the warrior renewed his assault on his throat, "What's your name?"

"Commander Bardock," the warrior said against his skin.

Mirai groaned, as his mind finally wrested control of him away from his body. *Why am I letting him do this? This is WRONG! I want Goten, not this stranger!* His mind reeled as his senses battled for dominance; the musky, purely sexual scent of the warrior was assaulting his nostrils, as his mouth assaulted his throat. The relentless stroking of his tail was sending shocks of pleasure up his spine like nothing he'd ever experienced before. The feel of the rock hard muscular shoulders under his hands; the even more erotic realization that the body pressed against his was naked…his senses were purely overwhelmed.

He forcefully pulled away from the warrior, a loud grunt escaping his throat as he turned away from him. Bardock released the tail he had been stroking, as his narrowed eyes scanned the back of the beautiful Saiyajin. Mirai cleared his throat. "Listen, Commander," he began respectfully, "I can't do this. I'm not going to be on the planet for very long. I'm leaving again tomorrow. You don't want to bond with me; we'll probably never see each other again after tonight."

A low growl rumbled against his back as Mirai felt Bardock press his body against him from behind, as his hands came around his waist, one of them slowly moving downward to cup his erection, and stroke it firmly through the cloth of his uniform. Mirai grunted, and threw his head back against Bardock's shoulder, his eyes tightly closed as he fought to not surrender to the warrior's skilled hand.

"That makes it even more interesting. You're a challenge. I won't mark you against your will, but I will do everything I can to make you WANT me to claim you. Orders can be delayed, even cancelled. I can pull strings." His deep, seductive voice rolled over Mirai's ears, as Bardock's right hand rubbed against his throbbing erection, and his left hand worked its way underneath the armor plate covering his abdomen.

Mirai thrashed his head against Bardock's shoulder, his teeth biting into his lower lip as he struggled to keep his composure. Bardock's left hand captured Mirai's head, bringing it toward his own to forge another attack on his mouth. His kiss was unrelenting; his tongue forcing its way into Mirai's mouth, thrusting in perfect rhythm with the hand pumping at his arousal, and the hardness that was bucking against his ass. Mirai wrenched his head out of Bardock's grasp, tearing away from his demanding kiss with a howl, as waves of pleasure centered in his groin crashed over him. The black material of his uniform grew wet as his climax overcame him, bursting forth only to be absorbed into the confining fabric.

Whirling around to face Bardock, Mirai's black eyes glittered fiercely as he bared his teeth at his adversary. Bardock gazed at his infuriated expression with amusement, the corner of his mouth lifted into a smirk. "Feisty, aren't you?" he chuckled at Mirai, as he put his large hand on top of his head, tangling his fingers into the black spikes. "I'm not done with you, yet." He said, as he pushed Mirai to his knees, rubbing his massive erection against his cheek. "I've got some new orders for you."

The hand tangled deep into Mirai's hair gripped tightly, tugging at the spiky locks, as the other hand found its way to firmly grasp the back of his head, drawing his face directly into his crotch. Mirai inhaled sharply as dark, wiry curls brushed against his nose, the pungent smell of Bardock's arousal violating his control.

His hands reached out, gripping Bardock's hips ferociously, as he snarled up at him, baring his teeth like an animal in battle. His eyes no longer held any semblance of his normally passive being, as they glittered with lust and depravity. He growled bestially, as he opened his mouth and engulfed Bardock's full length deep into his throat. Mercilessly, his head bobbed up and down on the warrior's erection, sucking deeply, scraping his teeth on the delicate skin, his tongue writhing and circling the hard shaft. His gloved fingers dug deeply into Bardock's hips, kneading the flesh, bruising the skin. The Saiyajin blood pumping through his veins had caught fire, heating his skin, igniting his passionate soul as he savored the distinctly male taste of Bardock's desire.

Bardock threw his head back as he fought to regain control of the situation; this wasn't the way he had meant for this to happen when he first caught sight of the beautiful Saiyajin on his knees before him. He felt that he was helpless in the presence of this intense man, when it should be he, the Commander, that was calling the shots.

He brought his hands down, clamping Mirai's wrists, and forced his hands away from his hips. With an animalistic growl, he fisted his hands into the spiky black hair, holding Mirai's head firmly in place, and began thrusting his penis into his hot mouth in an unrelenting pace, forcing himself down his throat.

Mirai struggled to break free, but found himself pinned within the warrior's grasp. He tried to keep control, to lock his jaw, to prevent access to his throat with his tongue, but it was all no use. Although his mind told him that he was stronger than Bardock, that he had been a Super Saiyajin for over a decade, he still was powerless to stop him. If he would admit it to himself, the truth was he didn't want to break free. His Saiyajin nature embraced the ferocity of the act. Unconsciously, his hand groped at his painfully hard erection still covered by the wet fabric of his uniform.

Bardock's hands tore at Mirai's hair, as a deafening roar was ripped from the center of his chest. He drove his penis deep into Mirai's mouth, his hot, thick semen shooting down his throat. His body convulsed, muscles twitching and contracting as he nearly doubled over with the aftershocks of his orgasm. His fingers relaxed, allowing Mirai to pull free of his body, and drop to the ground limp and breathless, experiencing identical sensations as his second release had overtaken him just after Bardock's.

Bardock dropped to the sandy ground next to him, also gasping for breath, as he reached his hand out to stroke Mirai's black spiky hair, gently this time. "Oh yeah." He breathed. "You'll be mine."

Both Saiyajins lay in the sand for long moments, their breathing returning to normal, the sun slowly descending toward the horizon. Bardock cleared his throat, speaking in a low, husky voice. "The hunt will be starting soon. I suggest you get cleaned up." He said, as his eyes swept over the wet crotch of Mirai's uniform.

Mirai groaned, and covered his eyes with his hand. "Shit. This is the only suit I have."

Bardock got to his feet, and extended his hand down to Mirai, offering to help him up. Mirai stared at his face in contemplation, before grasping his hand and pulling himself up. "Come home with me. I've got extra suits, and you can take a shower and get something to eat; you'll need your strength for the hunt."

Mirai shook his head. "I told you, this won't work. I have to leave. I'm not going to participate in the hunt. Don't you have anyone else you are interested in?" He attempted to be diplomatic, hoping that his impassive demeanor would deter Bardock's interest in him.

Bardock chuckled at him, his eyes glinting with amusement. "You don't get it, do you? You don't have a choice in the matter. EVERY unbonded Saiyajin that is of age will be hunted tonight. You should be thankful that I have chosen you; a lot of the hunted won't survive the festivities. There will be a lot of blood crazed freaks out hunting tonight. If one of them declares that he is hunting you, you may not live to leave tomorrow." He said, ending on a somber note. "But…after I catch you, you won't want to leave."

Mirai sighed in defeat. "Ok, what do I have to do? How do you declare that you are hunting me?"

Bardock gave him a genuine grin. "That's more like it!" He laughed. "Come back to my quarters. I'll explain everything there. I'm starving!" He walked over to a small outcropping of oddly shaped vegetation, where he reached in and pulled out his uniform, quickly getting dressed. Mirai shifted his weight from one foot to the other, uncomfortable in his wet, sticky clothing. Bardock caught sight of his discomfort, and grinned again. "Come on; let's go get you out of those clothes, so I can see what I'm getting!" He launched himself into the air, taking flight at a leisurely speed, as his relaxed state of being allowed him to enjoy the wind whipping over his body.

Mirai paused before following Bardock into the air, his mind racing as he tried to figure a way out of the mess he had found himself in. *Just because he is going to hunt me, doesn't mean he is going to catch me. I'll just have to find out what this hunt entails, then just put my genius mind to work and find a way to get away from him.* He couldn't hide his smirk as his pride in his own crafty mind overtook him. He glanced at the warrior flying just in front of him. *You just have no idea the challenge I'm going to be.*

They flew in silence for nearly half an hour, before Bardock slowed and began descending into the midst of a city. The palace of Vejiitasei gleamed like a jewel only a mile away, piquing Mirai's curiosity. He had, after all, come back to Vejiitasei in order to experience what life was like for his father, not to be involved in some primal mating ritual. As they landed, Bardock noticed the faraway look in his intended mate's eyes, and followed his gaze to the palace. His expression softened, as he spoke in a gentle voice. "You're anxious to see the palace. It is magnificent, isn't it?"

Mirai simply nodded, not taking his eyes away from the immense building. Bardock lightly gripped his elbow, pulling him toward the building that he lived in. "Let's get cleaned up. There should be time before the hunt to go to the palace. I'll take you."

Mirai was startled by the kindness Bardock was showing, after the passionate ferocity he had shown less than an hour before. His mind wandered back to the events that had just taken place, and he reluctantly realized that he was growing aroused again. He glanced at Bardock as he led him through the door into the small dwelling, and let his eyes drift slowly over his body. He was a truly gorgeous man. If circumstances had been different… He shook his head to purge the thought. Circumstances weren't different. He didn't belong here on Vejiitasei. He would be leaving tomorrow to go back to his own life, his own world…to Goten.

Was he cheating on Goten by being with Bardock? Yes, he assured himself, he was. But did it count that the situation was out of his hands? That he had no control over the fact that he was sent back on the night of the full moon, and that he had landed so close to where Bardock had been swimming? Was it his fault that Saiyajin physiology could turn him into a primal sexual animal just at the scent of another horny Saiyajin? No. These factors were beyond his control. He didn't plan on any of this happening; he couldn't control his own body's reaction to the pheromones put forth by Bardock.

Again, his thoughts drifted to Goten. Sweet, playful, trusting Goten. This wasn't fair to him, but would he understand? Should he even tell him? Could he live with himself if he didn't? At this point, he didn't even know if what he was doing could be called cheating. Goten didn't belong to him, he belonged to his other self; the Trunks of his time. Goten couldn't even look him in the face, because he looked like his other self! Did that pain justify his being here with Bardock? Did it justify the fact that he wanted to be with Bardock? That he was attracted to him, even though he knew it was only for a day?

Mirai's head ached from all the questions running through his mind. He was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn't notice the hands at the waist of his armor, stretching it out and tugging it over his head. He registered what was happening when he heard the thunk of the heavy armor hitting the floor. His startled gaze met the dazzling black eyes just inches from his.

"Welcome back." Bardock chuckled. "Thought you'd checked out on me." His hands drifted to the narrow straps of stretchy material that crossed Mirai's shoulders, and pulled them down over his arms, stripping the material away from bulging muscles. Mirai barely recognized his own body, as the transformation to full blooded Saiyajin brought with it a bulkier form than his half Saiyajin body had held.

Bardock peeled the material from Mirai's chest and abdomen, admiring the perfect body that he was uncovering. "I feel like I'm unwrapping a gift." He chuckled, as he continued downward. When he slowly uncovered his lower body, Mirai's arousal nearly leapt from its confinement beneath the tight uniform, the air hitting the hot, moist flesh causing him to shiver. "Mmmmm…" Bardock purred, as he knelt down in front of Mirai, letting his hands release the black uniform when he reached the tops of Mirai's boots. He slid his hands up the solid muscular legs, as he buried his face into the wet, purplish-black pubic hair, inhaling Mirai's scent deeply.

"I should get cleaned up." Mirai croaked, willing himself to keep control of his rebellious body. The smell of musk was once again engulfing him, as Bardock's arousal made itself known, and was answered with Mirai's own.

"Mm hmm." Bardock nuzzled his face between Mirai's legs, the tip of his tongue darting out to flick over the underside of his arousal.

"Uhnnnn!" Mirai grunted, as his clouded eyes watched the slowly moving head at his groin. His gloves made a striking contrast, gleaming white burrowed into the dark mane of the Saiyajin on his knees. "Pleeeeeease…" he hissed, "sssstop!"

Bardock begrudgingly pulled back, picking himself up to his feet, and staring into Mirai's lust-hazed eyes. "Right." He said in a husky voice. "Plenty of time for that tonight. Follow me." He turned on his heel to lead the way to the bathroom.

Mirai paused for a moment, then remembered that his pants were down around his ankles, and he still wore his boots. He cursed under his breath as he scrambled to divest himself of his remaining garments, leaving them in the floor where they dropped, with his gloves on top of the pile. He dashed in the direction Bardock had gone, and found him in the bathroom, already running the shower.

His eyes once again gazed appreciatively at Mirai's body, for the first time seeing him without gloves and boots, as Bardock turned to face his companion. He hissed through his teeth as he felt his erection twitch at the sight of the perfect example of a Saiyajin male in front of him. He cleared his throat, and said "Shower's ready, you'll find everything you need in there. When you're done, just come across the hall and I'll have a new suit for you."

Mirai averted his eyes to the floor, and choked, "Thanks."

Without another word, Bardock left the room, shutting the door behind him, mentally chiding himself for not staying and showering with him.

Mirai finally turned to face the mirror on the wall, having not yet seen his appearance, since his transformation. He gasped in shock at the vision looking back at him. His resemblance to his father was unmistakable; the slanted eyes and heavy eyebrows in the reflection startled him with their similarity. His face held the same shape as his father's as well, although Vegeta's deep widow's peak was missing. The most shocking feature, however, was his hair. His familiar soft lavender human hair was replaced with long spikes shooting in every direction, but falling to a deep point just past his shoulder blades. Under the direct lighting of the bathroom, the jet black mane shone with a deep purple cast. "Wow." He breathed, as he spun around to look at the dark tail swishing behind him. His own tail had been cut off when he was born, and unlike Goku and Gohan, his had never grown back, so the tail was something to get used to.

He broke his reverie when the mirror became too foggy from steam to see his reflection clearly. He stepped into the shower, and soaped up his body, relishing the heated water pounding on his stressed muscles. He worked shampoo through his coarse hair, wondering how his father and the other Saiyajins had managed to do it every day, as his fingers became entangled in the thick, sudsy mass. He stood under the flow of water for several minutes, letting his tension run down the drain with it. He turned off the water, and stepped out into the large, tiled room, flaring his ki to dry himself. "Here goes nothing." He whispered to himself, as he pressed the button that opened the door.

He crossed the hall to find Bardock had also taken a shower; steam was still rolling out of the door at the opposite end of bedroom. The warrior stood naked in front of a closet full of uniforms and armor, all identical to what he had worn before. The body suits were black, just like the one that Mirai had been wearing, but the armor was green and black, with long curved plates that covered his hips. He tossed one of the black bodysuits to Mirai, who caught it and put it on hastily.

"Your armor should still be ok. I left it in the front room for you, with your boots and gloves." Bardock said, looking at the sleek body of his soon to be prey, the black material clung to every defined muscle. He growled low in his throat, as he turned back around to retrieve a uniform for himself.

Mirai retraced his steps back to the front room, and quickly pulled on his armor and boots, leaving his gloves on the small table by the door. When he was done, he turned around to see Bardock, also fully dressed, saunter into the room with an intricately engraved golden circlet in his hand. He approached Mirai, and circled around him to stand behind him. "Lift your hair." He said, as he reached around Mirai with the circlet.

Mirai did what he asked wordlessly, and Bardock pressed the golden circlet to his forehead, and brought it down over his ears, and to the nape of his neck, where he clicked the sizing clamp shut. "Is it too tight?" he asked, as his fingers lingered at the nape of Mirai's neck, lightly ruffling the tiny hairs.

"No, but what is it?" Mirai asked as he turned around to face Bardock.

Bardock remained silent, his breath caught in his throat as he gazed at the Saiyajin in front of him. He was struck by the significance of the moment; his intended mate was standing before him, with his symbol engraved on the circlet around his head. Mirai's heart skipped a beat as he looked at Bardock's enraptured expression. He felt his cheeks flush with warmth, and he dropped his eyes to the floor.

The loss of eye contact broke the spell over Bardock, and he shook his head to clear his mind. "It's my declaration." He said in a low voice, nearly a whisper. "It means that you are mine to hunt. If anyone else attempts to claim you, it is a crime punishable by death."

Mirai's fingers ran lightly over the gold band at his forehead, as his eyes returned to meet Bardock's gaze. "Why haven't you claimed someone before now?"

"The moon is only full once a year, so the hunt only occurs then. Once a Saiyajin hits his 21st standard year, he is allowed to participate in the hunt. Being a ranking soldier automatically means that I am a hunter, rather than the hunted. This is the fifth year I have been able to participate, but in the past years I haven't found anyone that I wanted to claim. I hunt every year, and I am always successful. I haven't found anyone that I wanted to mark once the sun rose the next day." He shrugged his shoulders, his unblinking eyes showing only honesty. Mirai had no reason to doubt him, but he still had questions.

"Why haven't you bonded the ones you've hunted? Why didn't you want them? And how do you know you want me?" Mirai asked quietly.

"In all the years past, I have hunted female Saiyajins. They are good for a night of fucking, but I wouldn't want to bond to one of them. I have a son with the woman I caught the first year, and last year's conquest also became impregnated. He is in the incubation pods, and should be fully developed within the next few weeks. So you see, I have two children, I don't need anymore, so I no longer have the need to mate with females. Now I'm free to take the mate of my choice. I chose you."

Mirai's head was swimming with all the information Bardock had just given him. "But you didn't answer my last question." He breathed. "Why me?"

Bardock shrugged again. "I knew the minute I saw you today that you were different from the rest. I suppose it's because you were off world for so long, but you just have something about you that is mysterious. I can feel it in your aura. You are immensely powerful, yet you have a gentle soul. That's a rare combination."

Mirai pondered Bardock's words for a moment, searching his glittering eyes. He realized that the very words that Bardock had used to describe him was what attracted him to both Goten and to Bardock. Their strength was beyond measure, it was apparent, but both had gentle hearts beneath all that power. He trusted his instincts about Bardock after the short time he had known him. He exuded so much power and dominance when they were together before. He was a rough sex partner, but that is what Mirai needed. Since they had collapsed from sexual completion earlier, Bardock had been nothing but kind to him. Thinking back on the words of his seduction, he realized that he was thankful that if he had to be sent to Vejiitasei on the night of the full moon, that it was Bardock who had declared to hunt him.

Bardock broke the silence between them, turning around to stride to the door, saying over his shoulder, "Hungry?"

Mirai's face lit up at the mention of food, and his rumbling stomach answered for him. Bardock chuckled, and said "C'mon. Let's go eat at the palace."

Mirai's expression brightened even more. "Can we?"

"Sure. Told you I'm a Commander. I can come and go at the palace as often as I want."

"Alright!" Mirai nearly jumped in his excitement at finally getting to do what he had intended when he first made his wish.

"I'll warn you, I am a Commander. I won't treat you the way I have been while we've been alone. Please don't take it personally if I seem gruff; I have to. My soldiers wouldn't be so quick to obey me if they saw me fawning all over you." He gave Mirai a wink before pressing the button, allowing them to pass into the hot air of the evening.

They immediately leapt into the sky, flying the short distance to the palace. When they landed, Mirai was immediately taken aback by the beauty of their surroundings. The immense palace stood proudly in the center of the bustling city, looking centuries old compared to the modern, rounded white buildings all around. The stone walls glinted in the waning sunlight, flags with the symbol of Vejiitasei fluttered from high above their heads. They passed through the great heavy doors, the guards bowing their heads slightly as they passed. Bardock grunted in recognition of them.

They strode into the huge foyer, the floors, walls and columns appeared to have been hand carved from a stone similar to black marble, veined with gold. Great golden chandeliers dangled from the high ceiling, with matching sconces on the walls. A crimson carpet ran down the center of the marbled corridor, which lead to many open doorways. The atmosphere was that of boisterous chaos, as servants and soldiers bustled about putting the finishing touches on the palace before the festivities of the night would commence.

Bardock walked closely to Mirai, keeping his voice low so that he could only be heard by his companion. "The palace is being prepared for the royals and the elites who will hunt tonight. They will bring their captives back to the palace for a grand ball, which is really just a huge orgy. The royal family and the elites are allowed to hunt even if they already have mates, they just cannot bond to their captives, since they have already been mated. The law was made so that the elite and royals could still participate in the thrill of the hunt, and still fuck all night with no repercussions."

"So what happens to the… captives," Mirai gulped, as he realized that is exactly what HE would be. "when morning comes if they aren't to be bonded with?"

"Well, like I said before, not all of them will survive the night. The full moon brings out the most primal instincts in all of us. If the captives are weak, they won't survive through a night of sex with their captors. Many of the elite hunt the weak ones on purpose, so that they won't have to worry about having children or any attachments when it is over. They purposely fuck them to death."

Mirai looked at him with wide eyes. "So…ummm…where are your captives from the past years?" he said nervously.

Bardock laughed. "They're all alive and well, don't worry. Besides that, I intend to keep you for a long time. I don't want to break you our first night!"

Taking his arm roughly, but giving him a covert wink, Bardock directed Mirai into the huge dining hall that was overflowing with Saiyajins eating and drinking, and servants bustling about keeping plates and goblets full, and as much food off the floor as possible.

They sat at a table that was covered with plates and plates of exotic, yet delicious smelling foods. Both Saiyajins dug into the food with gusto, eating and drinking their fill without speaking. When they were finished, Mirai finally took in his surroundings, and noticed at the far end of the room, the royal family was seated, eating with much more grace than the majority of the other diners. Mirai's jaw fell open when he laid eyes on a small figure at the head table, with hair in the shape of a flame. *FATHER!*

Bardock registered the stunned look on Mirai's face, and followed his gaze to the head table. "It's just the royals; you can close your mouth."

Mirai's jaw snapped shut, as his stunned gaze drank in his father's small form, as well as that of his grandfather, the king. "I've just never seen them before." He whispered, not breaking his stare.

Just then, horns began blasting throughout the palace, deafening Mirai, as his hands flew to his ears and his eyes shut tightly. Bardock looked at him with amusement, and said, "The hunt is about to begin. That's the 15 minute warning."

When the horns stopped blaring, his eyes flew open again, returning his gaze to his young father's table. Mirai fingered the circlet at his forehead, his mind reeling at all that was happening so fast. Here he was, in the same room with his father, who couldn't have been more than five years old, his grandfather, and a man who intended to chase him down and spend the night engaged in all sorts of carnal activities. He thought his heart was going to pound right out of his chest. His tail began to bristle, as his senses seemed to heighten suddenly.

He finally broke his gaze away from the royal table, to look at his companion. He was shocked to see that the mild expression was gone from his face, as Bardock stared back at him with bared teeth and narrowed eyes, his tail twitching in agitation. He barely registered that the room was suddenly a chaotic frenzy of people running for the doors, as he was dumbstruck by the change in Bardock's manner.

"You've got 15 minutes to get a head start. I'd suggest that you run." Bardock snarled, his lips curled back and his eyes flashing dangerously.

Mirai gulped, but paused only for a moment before he leapt to his feet and did just that. He ran.