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Barracks
by Chayron
More by this Writer
Due to a curious mix-up Goten is taken into an officer training school. While trying to understand what is happening, he stumbles into a series of strange events, and the dots finally start connecting.
Graphic Violence
Chapter 10
A/N 1: Officer ranks at Hataro Officer Training School from the highest to the lowest:1. Taisa Andera Gendian
2. Shaii Trunks Vegeta
3. Shyu
4. Captain Laureus Tanko
5. Drill sergeant
6. First-in-command
7. Second-in-command
8. Savar anyone attending any officer training school
A/N 2: The Saiyan education:
0. Preparatory school (pupils 8-13 years old)
1. Paramilitary school (pupils 14-18). From there to --> boot camps (drafts/grunts) or:
2. Officer training school (savars 18 – 20). From there to --> military posts or:
3. Commissioned Officer Academy (ranks)
A/N 3: Some of the fighting action sequences are used from Monty Oum’s Dead Fantasy 1. It can be found here: http://www.gametrailers.com/game/monty-oum/4712
A/N 4: The mistakes that are left are mostly due to my stubbornness.
oOO-oOo-OOo
From the rows of savars Goten watched six officers who stood by the sergeant. Two of them were elites, the other four second-classes. All of them had squad lists with savars’ names. Finally, after a month of the exhausting build up of stamina, they were here to undertake the savars’ screening.
“You’ll be placed into three groups according to your fighting skills,” the sergeant started the briefing. “There are a few who won’t need to go through the selection. They automatically fall into the first category. Squad five: Amatachinna Toharu and Kaldera Hora. Squad six: Reneva Kamala.” The sergeant raised his head. “That’s it. Others, find yourself a suitable partner. You have a few minutes for that. You’ll come here when I call your name. If you can’t find a partner, you’ll be paired with a random person. That’s all.”
An immediate ruckus started as savars started looking among themselves, trying to gauge their chances with their friends and acquaintances. Everyone wanted to pick someone close to or a little lower than their own level so as to give the best impression they could. It was in both partners’ best interests that one would not be knocked down on his ass within the first two seconds.
Goten looked around the buzzing savars, wondering who he should pick. Frankly, he had no idea. Like everyone else, he had been training in martial arts since early childhood. He had taken up training with his father and brother and then continued in preparatory school. He had been good at it. Actually, one of the best. But only among third-classes. He could not compare himself to a second-class. His speed, reaction and timing were way off. However, there was this thing he wasn’t sure about – recent fights had been…
“I’m with Bardock Goten!” Toharu declared, sidling up to Goten and throwing his arm around his shoulder.
The sergeant turned to look at them. He gave Toharu a questioning gaze then, looking at a momentarily stunned Goten’s face, nodded. “Fine.”
“Hey, hey, wait,” Goten protested, waving his hands. He tried to shake Toharu’s arm off his shoulders but to no avail. “What the hell are you doing?” he hissed at the shorter man.
“C’mon,” Toharu turned to him, giving a lopsided smirk, “aren’t you interested?”
Goten watched him back uneasily. Of course, the latest events made him itchy to test his fighting skills and power anew, but he wasn’t sure where it might lead.
“I see that even the sergeant is very interested to see how it turns out,” Toharu purred. “I have been interested for quite a while now but I figured it would be tough luck trying to talk you into having a friendly spar with me. So I’ll be a bad boy and use this opportunity.” Seeing Goten’s displeasure, he gave his friend a look which could be called apologetic if it weren’t so excited. “Don’t be angry – it’s the contestant in me.”
Distrustful, Goten rubbed the back of his neck. Then he saw Kyon and Ranvera shouldering through the crowd.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Kyon growled out at Toharu, pushing at the shorter man’s back.
“Hey,” Ario caught his arm, “hands off.”
Toharu motioned for his lover to stay back.
Kyon wrestled his arm out of Ario’s now lax grasp. “Do you want to kill him?!” he hissed.
“I’ll try not to,” Goten joked. He closed his mouth as Kyon’s eyes silently snapped at him, telling him to shut the hell up.
“Calm down,” Toharu said amused by Kyon’s protectiveness. “Have you forgotten how he fought the shaii? And the man is elite, for gods’ sakes. A thir-”
Kyon and Ranvera blinked at Ario’s palm over Toharu’s mouth.
“A blood thirsty bastard he is, indeed,” Goten nodded.
Kyon looked at him. “I thought you said he was a good guy?”
“A bastard, a total bastard!” Goten shook his head. “Additional ten days peeling potatoes just because I thought the new punishment canceled the old one out! Totally unfair!”
Ranvera gave Goten a look. “You’re an idiot.”
Goten opened his mouth intending to protest but then the sergeant whistled to get their attention and everybody’s eyes concentrated on him. According to his command, seven quite large circles formed on the asphalt. The sergeant and the other officers read the first seven names. Goten watched the savars and their choices walk up to the officers.
“Don’t use your ki,” the sergeant was giving last warnings. “The test is over as soon as the observing officer says so. After he writes down your results, you’re dismissed for the day.” He raised his arm to look at his wristband. “Start.”
Interested, Goten concentrated on two savars from his squad. One was a bulky, fierce looking man. Another was a whole head shorter but equally muscled. There was no slow circling of the opponent or half-hearted attacks trying to gauge the other’s strength. The shorter one started the fight with a leap for his partner’s guts. He jumped aside as he was blocked and the taller man’s leg shot up, aiming at his kneecap.
They obviously were perfectly familiar with each other’s fighting style and it was a pleasure to watch them trying to overpower one another. Both of them had managed to land a few solid hits on their partner before the officer watching them broke the fight. They were given the second category. Both of them looked content with that.
Goten moved forward as his surname was read by the officer who had just watched and dismissed the two from his squad. While unwillingly approaching the officer, he could hear a soft murmur start in the watching crowd. It became much louder when he and Toharu faced each other in an empty circle. Goten glared at him. Damn that Toharu. He really wouldn’t have agreed to this if not for this kind of pushiness. He wouldn’t have wanted even a friendly spar with Toharu, but he would have preferred that to this public display.
Toharu attacked first, his fist targeting Goten’s head. Goten blocked it, diverting Toharu’s arm aside. He used the opportunity and lashed out with his own fist. It bounced against Toharu’s crossed upper arms. Goten leaned somewhat backward to transfer most of his weight to his left leg. Toharu stopped his kick with his left arm. Goten jumped backwards as Toharu tried to seize his leg. Toharu changed his plans, jumped forward and kicked out, aiming for Goten’s side. Goten predicted the move and swiftly responded with his own modified roundhouse. While his left leg made Toharu’s leg collide with the asphalt, Goten’s right heel caught Toharu on his chin. The powerful kick sent the second-class sliding over the asphalt.
Toharu jumped to his feet. Vaguely, he could feel his shirt flapping open over his back where it had ground against the asphalt. He touched his swelling jaw. If Goten had been using his ki, he would have neatly torn half of his head off.
Toharu tugged at the front of his shirt, tearing it off completely, so that it would not get in his way during the fight. His was surprisingly muscled for his build. The bruise on his right side was healing but it was still a sight to behold. Tossing the shirt aside, Toharu smirked.
“Come and get me, then, Golden Boy,” he said, motioning for Goten to come closer.
Goten would have been an idiot to be affected by the easygoing nickname. It was the adrenaline coursing through his veins that made him charge at Toharu. They collided in a blurry of hits and kicks.
In a few seconds Goten started pulling back and Toharu went after him. Goten had realized that there was quite a big difference between the two of them. Toharu’s knowledge in various martial arts enabled him to foresee and avoid Goten’s attacks. At the same time he was quick to adapt to any situation or movement Goten created, modifying his attacks in a blur.
The only reason Goten was still standing was that Toharu was not fast enough. Goten could hardly predict his movements but he had time to avoid them. Another thing was Goten’s strength. Every successful blow Goten delivered forced Toharu to step away and waste time getting his bearings back.
Goten successfully blocked a high kick then ducked to avoid getting backhanded in the face. He whirled around, ramming his elbow into Toharu’s chest. The hit was so concentrated that he hardly made Toharu move, the damage being inward.
Grabbing at his chest, Toharu hunched, thinking that he had heard something snap in there at the power of the blow. He was unprepared for Goten’s knee which met his face, tossing him backward, the sole of Goten’s boot connecting with his face once again while Toharu was still in midair.
Trying to control his breathing, Goten watched Toharu getting up from the asphalt. The second-class’s nose was bleeding and was bent at a somewhat weird angle. It was very likely broken. With a short cry, he charged at the third-class. To avoid Toharu’s kick, Goten jumped into the air, Toharu’s leg sweeping under his feet. But before Goten could find purchase on the asphalt again, Toharu’s back kick caught Goten in the stomach, hurling the younger male backwards.
Turning in midair, Goten stretched his arms out and caught himself on the asphalt. He turned over, landing on his feet. Ducking Toharu’s kick, Goten tried to sweep him off his feet, but Toharu rolled away to avoid him.
The second-class had hardly managed to stand up as he was suddenly grabbed by his shoulders and whirled around. He stumbled, losing his balance. Goten’s heel connected with Toharu’s jaw, snapping his head aside. Then Goten’s leg shot into the air above Toharu’s head and whooshed downwards, the heel of his foot coming crashing down on the back of the second-class’s head. As soon it was down, it swung upwards, connecting with Toharu’s face again.
Toharu managed to catch himself before he could hit the asphalt with his side. He rolled over the ground, jumping to his feet. He swayed dangerously then shook his dizzy head, trying to get his bearings back.
Moving forward, Goten shifted his weight over to his right leg then turned, and transferred his weight to his left. He threw an accelerated roundhouse kick that connected his boot with Toharu’s face. Staggering backward, Toharu drooped. Goten caught his left arm. Using Toharu’s knee for purchase, he was suddenly jumping on the second-class’s shoulders, his weight forcing Toharu down. He twisted Toharu’s arm, then catching himself at the last second, he kicked himself off Toharu’s side while letting go of his arm. The asphalt crunched under his feet when he landed about two meters away.
Toharu raised himself from the asphalt. He spat the blood from his mouth and wiped at his bleeding nose with the back of his hand. With the adrenaline rushing through his body, he hardly felt the pain after brushing over his broken nose. He had broken his nose about a hundred times already, he also knew that his spotty vision meant concussion. Concussion was also his constant companion. He spat out the accumulating blood again and moved towards Goten.
The jarring sound of the sergeant’s whistle stopped them before they could reach each other. Still hesitant to quit the fight, Toharu watched Goten flop gracelessly onto his backside. After a few seconds, Toharu became aware of the clamor of the savars around them as they exclaimed over the fight.
Feeling the adrenaline dissipate from his system, Toharu rolled his shoulder. He flinched. Goten had nearly broken it. He had also registered the exact moment when the third-class realized what he was about to do and aborted the action. Had they been in a serious fight, Goten would have done him in.
Soothing his shoulder, Toharu walked over Goten. The third-class’s face seemed tired and disbelieving but at the same held an excited expression.
“Sorry about that,” Goten gave Toharu an apologetic look from the asphalt while motioning at Toharu’s shoulder. “I tried to be careful but somehow...”
Toharu’s eyebrows rose in his battered face. His fist swung but never reached its target as Ario grabbed him by his shoulders and pulled him away from Goten.
“Quit it this instant!” Ario hissed, spinning Toharu around. “The fight is over! Or do you want to get suspended?”
“‘Tried to be careful’!” Toharu spat out Goten’s words mockingly, trying to push Ario away. “I’m gonna fucking rip his thr-”
“The only thing you’re going to do is to go to med bay this instant,” Ario said calmly, squeezing Toharu’s strained shoulder. “And don’t make me repeat myself, sweetheart.” His fingers dug even deeper, making Toharu howl in pain, his knees nearly giving out. “Understood?”
Toharu’s defiant eyes snapped to Ario’s face but the merciless look he found there rendered him mute. He lowered his head. “Yes.”
Without another word, Ario tugged him upwards and started leading him towards the med bay. On their way he picked up Toharu’s battered shirt. Uneasy, Goten watched them go. Instinctively, he could feel why Toharu was upset. One didn’t need to have a lot of brain to understand it. He was no less shocked than Toharu.
Goten got up and started dusting his uniform off. He was relieved to notice that it wasn’t torn anywhere.
“Well, aren’t you interested in your score?”
Goten turned his head to look at the officer who had observed his and Toharu’s fight. There was still an empty circle around him, the savars hollering and bawling all around but not approaching.
“Not really,” Goten said. Unconsciously, he turned sideways and started walking towards the med bay, following the two. It was obvious anyway – he had just overwhelmed a champion of martial arts at the paramilitary schools’ competitions. He was still slightly shocked from it all.
Goten stopped as a hand fell on his shoulder.
“I think you should leave them alone for now,” Kyon said. “Let Toharu cool off.”
“Yeah,” Ranvera endorsed Kyon. “Leave him to Ario. You’ll just make it worse.”
Goten sent a somewhat lost look towards the med bay. “Uhh…”
Kyon squeezed Goten’s shoulder lightly. “Sit down and wait for us to finish with this selection.”
Ranvera heard his surname called and motioned for Kyon to follow him. Just before leaving Goten, Ranvera’s eye caught a flash of light on his left. He turned and was in time to see a window being closed. In a blink the reflection of the sun was gone. The window was on the second floor, where the headquarters were. He thought he saw a blur of purple behind the now closed window.
ooOoOoOoo
Ario patted lightly at Toharu’s swollen head. Toharu had just been examined by a doctor. As expected, he had a light concussion, a broken nose and a sprained shoulder. They were sitting in a room where Toharu had been advised to spend a few hours just to make sure he was alright.
Ario sighed when Toharu smacked his hand away. “Don’t be an idiot. You do realize that you would have been suspended for attacking him after the test had been stopped?”
“He was toying with me, the bastard!”
Ario shook his head. “He wasn’t toying with you. The aim of it all was a friendly spar, not finishing each other off. Goten simply adapted to your pace. It’s you who has a problem.”
Toharu touched his plastered nose. He got up from the bed and walked over to a small mirror which hung on the wall next to the door. He took a look at his black and blue face. “I think you’d also have a problem if a third-class had done this to you.”
“I thought you didn’t care about classes?”
“I don’t. But the fucker is not a third-class!”
“He is.”
“Is not!”
“He is.”
“Is not!”
“He-“
“Shut the hell up or no sex for two weeks!”
Ario rolled his eyes. “Pathetic.”
Toharu’s head snapped towards him. “I’ll tell you what’s pathetic – it’s to get the shit beaten out of you by a third-class!”
“You said he’s not a third-class?”
“Argh!” growling, Toharu threw his hands into the air. “Leave me the fuck alone!”
Ario stood up. “Yeah, rest for a bit and calm down. I have to come back to the screening. I’ll see you back in the room. And don’t try anything funny with Goten. If I catch you trying to a-”
“Grarghrmrghh!”
Ario held back a chuckle at his lover’s communication skills being reduced to angry growls. “You did know the possible outcome of your fight, didn’t you? And you still challenged him.”
“Grrhmghm!”
Ario hid his smile. “I see,” he nodded. “Now, be a good boy, go to bed, suckle on your thumb to mend your pride and leave it to rest.”
“GRAAAARRRGHHRRR!”
Toharu’s boot hit the door just after Ario had slammed it behind himself.
ooOoOoOoo
Daram entered the room and went to the closet to leave his dirty clothes there then headed in the direction of his bed. He stopped on his way to stare at Goten’s backside. Goten had half-crawled under his bunk and was insistently searching for something under it. The second-year grinned.
“Stop staring at my ass and help me look for him,” Goten said from under the bed.
Daram gave Goten’s ass a last appreciative glance and continued walking towards his bed. “For what?”
“For Fluffy.”
Daram turned around to look at Goten’s behind questioningly. “The chances of us gaining a new roommate are pretty slim, aren’t they?”
“Fluffy is Kyon’s pet.”
The bulky roommate stayed silent for a few seconds. Then he looked around in the room trying to spot the pet. “Sounds hairy.” Sitting down on his bed, he scratched his chin. “I hope he does know that pets are not allowed.”
“That’s not exactly the case,” Goten said, crawling out from under the bed. He stood up and started dusting his clothes off. “I thought I’d take him out for a walk. Last time I saw him, he didn’t seem that well.”
“I see.” Daram shrugged and leaned back on his hands. He frowned, confused, as something wiggled under the sheets.
Goten surged forward as Daram suddenly let out a horrified yell and jumped off his bed. The second-year grabbed a chair and swung it at the sheets. Goten was just in time to grab Daram’s arm before he could smash the chair into the bunk.
“What the hell are you doing?!”
Panting loudly, Daram tugged at his arm trying to free it but Goten didn’t let go. “And what does it seem like?! It’s a freakin’ snake – I’m trying to kill it before it bites me!”
“You can’t kill Fluffy!”
It took a minute before it sunk in. Incredulous, Daram turned his head to stare at Goten. “That is Fluffy?”
Goten nodded.
“As in Kyon’s pet?”
Goten nodded again. He let go of his roommate’s arm and, slowly, as if in trance, Daram lowered the chair back next to the table. “Is he freakin’ insane?!” he hollered then.
“Huh? What’s wrong with it? It’s a part of the program in getting rid of mice in the kitchens. It took us quite a bit of effort to smuggle them through.”
Daram nearly choked. “To smuggle “them” through?!” He started looking around through the room frantically. “Just how many of them are here?!”
“Only Fluffy. Daisy is at Toharu and Ario’s.”
Daram’s eyes set back onto the snoozing reptile between the sheets in his bed.
“He likes to bask between warm sheets. He probably crawled in there as soon as you left in the morning,” Goten said fondly, leaning forward and taking the unresisting pet.
Daram took a few steps back from him. “Won’t it bite you?”
“It might. But Kyon said something about whipsnakes not being poisonous.”
Daram exhaled loudly the breath he had been keeping in and relaxed visibly. “I see. So why didn’t you say so in the first place?” he muttered. He went to his bed and lifted the sheets. “I hope it didn’t crap in my bed.”
“Nah, he likes it clean where he sleeps,” Goten assured him, stroking the reptile.
“Isn’t it much simpler to just buy poison for mice?”
““Simple” he says,” Goten snickered. “Do you even know how many procedures one has to go through to be able to import something like rat poison into the base? We don’t even have the needed authority to ask for it to be imported. Any poisonous chemicals… Let’s just say it’s simpler to import a million whipsnakes than a gram of poison. We just put them down as desserts.”
Daram scratched his head thoughtfully. “I see.”
“Alright, Fluffy,” Goten addressed the creature in his arms, “let’s go for a walk.” He looked at Daram again. “Does he need a leash or something?”
Daram gave Goten a searching look. Seeing that Goten was serious, he shook his head. “I think you just need to carry it. Just don’t let it escape or anybody see you – Kyon will cry.” He scratched his head thoughtfully. “You don’t savvy much about animals, do you?”
“Hmm? Why?” Goten asked, hiding the whipsnake inside his shirt. “Gh!” he shivered. “He’s damn cold!”
“No, nothing. Just… Why “Fluffy”?”
Buttoning his shirt, Goten looked at him. “And what’s wrong with “Fluffy”?”
Daram shook his head again. “No, there’s nothing wrong with it, I suppose.”
Goten waved at him. “Well, I’ll be off, then.”
“A bunch of nutcases,” Daram muttered when the door closed.
Goten rounded the third barracks until he was facing the aerospace center. He knew that it was locked already, the staff gone. He took Fluffy out from under his shirt and lowered him to the ground. The whipsnake just lay there without moving. Goten prodded it with his foot to make sure it wasn’t dead. It wiggled lazily then stilled again.
“I think it just overate. It needs time to digest.”
Goten turned to the source of the voice to see Toharu approaching.
“Daisy is all knobby with mice inside her.”
“Well, she did seem rather vicious…” Goten drawled. He watched Toharu approach him. Then Toharu leaned against the barracks’ wall next to him.
“Sorry about yesterday.”
“Never mind,” Goten said shrugging. “I was quite surprised myself,” he added after a pause.
Toharu sighed. “Are you sure you’re a third-class?”
“C’mon, don’t ask such stupid questions.”
“Yeah…” Toharu drawled. “It seems that your strength is rising in comparison to what it was a month ago as well.”
“Yeah.”
“Any idea what it is?”
“If I knew, I’d have told you long ago.”
“It’s disturbing.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Anyway, man, I’m really sorry for yesterday.”
Goten grinned at him. “Oh, yes, I’m sure you are.”
Toharu grabbed him in a headlock. “Just look at this conceited bastard!” he growled, rubbing over Goten’s stubby hair. “Unforgivable!”
“Quit it! Quit it!” Goten laughed, squirming, trying to get free.
“Do you know that they marked you down in the second category?”
Surprised, Goten tried to look at him but Toharu still was keeping hold on him. “Hmm? I thought I did better.”
“Yes,” Toharu nodded, “you did. I got the third category and you the second.”
“Huh? This doesn’t make any sense.”
Toharu let go of Goten and smacked him on the back of his head, making him yelp. “Idiot, I’m talking about markings in the elite league! However, I’m sure that if your partner had been one of the elites, you would have had the first category; I held you down.”
Goten was staring at Toharu with his eyes wide. “They gave me the second category amongst the elites?” he repeated as if in a daze.
Toharu rolled his eyes at Goten being such a slowpoke. “Yeah, they did. But I’m surprised they didn’t request you fight against an elite.”
Goten waved his hands in front of him. “No, thank you, I’m fine.”
“Meh,” Toharu grimaced at him, disappointed. “Such a waste.” Then his face brightened. “Talking about getting wasted – I fully expect you to take the responsibility for what you did yesterday and buy me a drink tonight. No, make it lots of drinks.”
“C’mon, you make it sound as if I took your virginity.”
Toharu’s eyebrows rose a fraction. He gave Goten an amused look. “You’re about ten years too late for that. But be careful around me with yours,” he said, smacking Goten on his behind. He burst out laughing after seeing Goten’s pouting face.
ooOoOoOoo
It was about half past eleven in the evening, Matilda busier than usual. A table near the very end of the officers’ club bustled up as one of four savars sitting at it noticed Goten walk in through the door.
“Hey, Goten, get yourself a drink and come here!” Toharu shouted, waving at him.
Goten waved back and waded through the scattered tables and the puddles of spilled alcohol and drunken men, some of which were also close to joining the puddles on the floor. He took one beer at the counter and went to his friends, then sat down at Ranvera’s side while Kyon, Toharu and Ario were sitting opposite them.
“Well, did anything good happen?” Ranvera asked when Goten sat down next to him.
“Like what? Finding a sack of gold instead of potatoes?”
“Man,” Toharu patted Goten on his arm soothingly. “You must be dreaming about them already.” He clonked his mug to Goten’s.
Goten shrugged. “It’s not too bad.” He took a gulp from his mug then observed his friends. Kyon was positively sloshed, slumbering in his seat with his upper body resting on the table, his left arm under his head, his right hand still firmly wrapped around his mug; Kyon wasn’t much of a drinker. Toharu was almost sparkling with the excited optimism of a tipsy man, the bitterness of his defeat completely forgotten.
Ario was inspecting the contents of his mug, grunting and snerking from time to time, proving he was listening to Toharu’s story, which Goten was sure he had heard hundreds of times. Ranvera was rapt as Toharu related how his first brawl in preparatory school had resulted in his entering the fighting competitions.
“Why do you think it’s called Matilda?” Ranvera wondered after Toharu had finished his tale.
Goten leaned back on his bench and took a good look around the officers’ club. Wooden tables, leather upholstered chairs and some wooden benches, also a few billiard tables. Dark colors and a somewhat dismal atmosphere – a typical bar. Goten took a gulp of his beer.
“Some tragic love maybe?” he ventured a guess.
Kyon raised his head from the table to look in the general direction of Goten’s voice. “With a male?” he asked sleepily.
Goten laughed. “Doubt it. It would be quite disturbing. I mean, c’mon? Matilda?”
Kyon’s eyebrows drew together somewhat as he was trying to figure out Goten’s sudden appearance. “Goten? When did you get here?”
“Just a few minutes ago. You sleep, sleep,” Goten chuckled, reaching out across the table and patting him on his arm. “Later I’ll help you to get back to our room.”
“Okay,” Kyon agreed without too much thinking, his head thumping back onto the table.
“So it was an unrequited love with a female named Matilda,” Toharu summarized. He turned to look at the owner behind the counter and everyone’s heads followed his, except for sleeping Kyon. The tall, bulky man’s penetrating eyes stared back at them questioningly.
“Nah,” Goten shook his head turning back to the table. “Somehow it doesn’t seem to me that he would have trouble with unrequited love.”
Ranvera grinned. “Oh, so this is what your taste in men is like.” He saluted Goten with his mug of beer.
“No, I was just saying that he looks like he would never know when to give up.”
“Must be tragic love then,” Toharu nodded. “Definitely.” His eyes gleamed up with a dreamy mist. “Imagine them being classmates in paramilitary school. One morning a bunch of elite females came up to her and wanted to take her money for lunch. She didn’t give it and got her ass kicked and was late for school. The teacher went batshit and told her to scrub the men’s toilets after school. But the owner’s younger version had seen how it all happened and felt it was unjust and wanted to stay after school to help her. Matilda called him an idiot and nearly kicked his teeth out in anger but he didn’t relent and so they cleaned the smelly toilets together. A few days later he asked her on a date, she agreed and the romance started.
“After finishing paramilitary school, they went to different officer training schools. The distance didn’t lessen their love, though, and on weekends the bed of the motel where they would meet blazed with lust. And so two years passed and they finished their schooling. She became a pilot. They had gotten permission to mate and were thinking about a couple of cute rascals. She got pregnant just before her first flight where she was supposed to pilot a freighter to Earth. They were both very happy.
“The freighter was attacked nearly as soon as it left the border of the Saiyan Empire. The pirates hijacked the ship together with its goods and people. They killed everyone on board not bothering to ransom.
“When he got the notice that Matilda was dead, it was as if his heart was torn apart. He could neither eat nor sleep. It took him years to learn to live with that excruciating loss. Nonetheless, as you can see from the title of this officers’ club, he never recovered.”
“Maaann,” Ranvera whistled. “That’s some story you have there.” He looked opposite the table where loud sobs could be heard. “Hell, Kyon, stop crying, for gods’ sakes! He made up all of that. Stop crying, I told you! Have another beer or something!”
Suspicious, Ario tapped Toharu’s mug with his finger. “Sweetheart, just how many of these have you had?” He started as suddenly Toharu jumped from his seat, grabbed Goten by his shoulders and pulled him into a fierce hug.
“I’m so glad you’ll never be a pilot!” Toharu cried. “It’s so fortunate you failed that stupid test!”
Groaning, Ario slapped himself on his forehead.
“Uhh,” Goten patted Toharu on his head. “Yeah, I suppose. Ehh…” he drawled, somewhat disturbed, “…are you crying?”
Toharu sniffled. “No, not really.”
“He passed,” Ario said, sighing.
“Huh? Passed? Passed what?”
“The piloting test. The moron passed it,” Ario explained.
Goten peeled Toharu away from him to look at his remorse-filled face.
“I promise I’ll definitely fail the next time!” Toharu swore. “I’ll fail so badly that the lecturer will forbid me to even approach the aerospace center!”
“Oh, c’mon!” Goten wailed. “How could you?! I tried so hard and you were just fucking around and passed!”
“It’s his specialty,” Ario pointed out. “He fucks around but it just works out somehow in the end.”
“I thought it was because you’re always there to cover his ass,” Ranvera said, grinning at Ario.
“Well, yes,” Ario agreed, “there’s that, too.”
“I’ll fail, I’ll definitely fail!” Toharu promised.
Goten pushed him away and flopped back onto the bench. “Idiot, don’t screw up just because of me.”
“Well, actually, he’ll have to screw up because of me,” Ario said matter-of-factly.
“What the hell is wrong with all of you?” Toharu bristled. “I told you I hate flying!”
“And yet you passed the test.”
“It was an accident!” Toharu exclaimed, returning to sit next to Ario.
Ranvera chuckled at his pouting face.
Ario patted Toharu on his stubby head. “I believe you.”
“It seems you’re the only one,” Toharu complained.
“That should be enough for you,” Ario said, leaning in to brush his lips over Toharu’s.
Ranvera averted his eyes as Toharu’s arms wrapped around Ario’s massive shoulders and the two engaged in a gentle kiss. Goten became very interested in what was in the bottom of his mug.
“Well, it seems someone is going to get some tonight,” Ranvera muttered. He sipped his drink.
Goten laughed softly.
“Kinda makes me jealous.”
“Hmm?” Goten hummed questioningly, as Ranvera’s fingers wrapped around his beer and lowered the mug to the table.
Ranvera slid forward over the bench until he was facing Goten. Watching Goten, he straddled the bench. Goten’s eyebrows rose a fraction and he gave Ranvera a mischievous look as if daring him do anything. Spurred on by the by the playful flirting, Ranvera dared to lean in closer, carefully gauging the younger man’s reaction. Goten did not shy away, and their lips met. He teased Goten’s lips with his own then, when Goten started responding, cupped his head to deepen the kiss.
After a moment, Ranvera’s hand slid from cupping Goten’s head to tease his nape. Goten could feel Ranvera’s other hand moving south, fingers gliding down over his chest and tracing over his ribs. They reached the hem of his shirt and, after undoing a few buttons, slid under.
Goten’s eyelids fluttered shut and his breath caught in his throat as the warm hand started caressing his stomach. Then his breath rushed out, together with a soft moan. Ranvera’s palm slid upward over his skin. It was drawing small circles, playfully, teasingly. Again, Goten made a small noise at the back of his throat. He felt Ranvera’s mouth on his and, eager, parted his lips to answer the kiss.
While they were kissing, Ranvera began to push Goten backwards. He was still holding Goten by his nape, while his other hand held onto the bench to support both of their weights. Goten didn’t seem to mind or notice the shift in their positions. When it became somewhat uncomfortable he raised his arms to wrap them around Ranvera’s shoulders. When Goten felt his back press against the bench, his eyes opened a fraction. He chuckled lightly after discovering his position.
“And what do you intend to do now?” he asked, grinning up at Ranvera.
“Well, to kiss you silly is first on my list.”
Goten laughed. “I don’t think it will require much effort.”
Laughing, Ranvera leaned down to press another kiss to Goten’s mouth. Goten answered, his tongue darting out to meet his. Goten was getting better at this, Ranvera noticed.
After a few moments Goten rested his head on the bench exhaling loudly. His arms still held onto Ranvera’s neck and shoulders and he opened his eyes to look at his partner. The older male returned a dreamy look. This felt nice, Goten’s body was tingling in pleasure. Not yet aroused so much that he felt the invincible need to progress further, but just where it felt delightful and comfortable.
Not quite sure why, but feeling as if someone was watching him, Goten turned his head to the side. His blissful smile faltered as his eyes met a blue stare. He felt Ranvera’s mouth leaving a trail of kisses on the column on his neck, and Goten suddenly felt the urge to swat his face away. From the bench at the other table, the shaii gave Goten another look and saluted him with his mug of beer. Then he turned his back to them and concentrated back on a few sandwiches on his plate.
Goten continued glaring at the man’s back. Had the shaii just sneered at them? And all they wanted was just to have some fun and affection. Maybe they really looked pitiful to a man who could have it all, any Saiyan female he wanted, any foreign female he wanted. He didn’t need to seek affection among his friends. Goddamn the bastard!
Goten shivered as Ranvera’s hand slid over the front of his trousers, caressing him lightly. He suddenly became aware of Ranvera trying to unbuckle his belt. He pushed at the older male’s chest, making him sit upright. Confused, Ranvera looked down at Goten who still lay on the bench.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’m not in the mood.”
Frowning, Ranvera shook his head. “You were in the mood just a second ago.”
“But now I’m not!” Goten snapped at him.
Ranvera threw his hands apart angrily. “What the hell has gotten you so worked up?”
Goten’s head turned to where the shaii’s bench pushed backwards noisily. Taking his empty mug and plate, the prince stood up then started walking towards the counter. Goten’s head turned back to Kyon. “Have you ever slept with a female?” he asked.
Ranvera blinked in surprise. “I… No.”
“Why?”
Seeing that there was not a chance for the previous mood to return, Ranvera lifted his left leg over the bench and sat at the table. “Maybe because I don’t have the money? A visit to one of those “birthing factory” houses costs five thousand credits. Besides, the women who are free… Well, they have much higher standards than…” not finishing, he motioned at himself.
Goten nodded. He sat up. Holding onto the table, he shifted so now he sat facing it. “So I thought. And this is how things are.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Goten waved it off dismissively. “Never mind. Let’s just grab two more beers and call it a night.”
Unseen by Goten, Ranvera rolled his eyes at the idea but he didn’t voice his displeasure. Maneuvering through the tables, he went to buy more beer. On his way he met the shaii and saluted. He couldn’t be sure in this half-light, but it seemed that for some reason the prince gave him an unfriendly gaze. Wondering what his problem was, Ranvera moved toward the counter.
ooOoOoOoo
The shaii examined the thick sheaf of a catalogue which proposed the schedule of the sporting competitions. The shyu and other officers had put a lot of effort into composing the agenda. While the prince’s eyes were scanning through the timetables and suggestions, from time to time he would underline some of them or put a question mark next to them for further discussion.
About four minutes later, the rustling of the papers and scribbling of a pen stopped. The pen started methodically thumping against the surface of the desk. The shaii was on the fifth page when he realized that he didn’t remember anything from what he had read on the fourth. He turned a leaf back. His eyes carefully read the first three lines at the top of the page then they unfocused again. The pen continued its drumming against the desk.
Goten’s laughing and flushed face resurfaced from the shaii’s memory for the second time. Misty but at the same time vivid visions of Goten passionately answering that kiss and closing his eyes while he purred like a cat flashed through his mind.
The prince hammered with the pen on the table. Was Goten an idiot? Why the hell was he together with that Ranvera sicko again? Was there a shortage of normal guys on the base or what? Did Ranvera even know that Goten was a third-class? What would he do if he knew? Or maybe he did know. Probably, as long as their partner was a good lay, types like Ranvera didn’t care about class.
He was somewhat disappointed in Goten’s choice of partners.
The shaii snorted at himself and continued to read the catalog. For all he cared, Ranvera could distribute hundreds of copies of porn where Goten starred as the main actor and he wouldn’t give a damn. Not a bit.
