"Bardock!"  The loud, gruff voice echoed off the walls of Bardock's bedroom.  He groaned and rolled over, trying to pretend that he hadn't heard his father's bellow.

His father wasn't fooled.  "Bardock, get your ass out of bed right now or you can forget breakfast!"

Bardock growled low in his throat.  "I'll get my own damned breakfast then!" he shouted back.  "Just quit your damned bellowing!"

"If I have to come up there and drag your sorry ass out of bed, you are going to get the worst beating of your miserable life!" his father threatened.

"Fuck you.  I'd like to see you try, old man," Bardock called back.  Even as he said it, however, he was crawling out of bed and pulling on his boots.  He tossed one of his lighter wraps over his shoulder and fastened a leather belt around it.  He didn't want to suffer from heat exhaustion today, but he knew his mother would pitch a fit if she thought he was going out with Toma and the others without anything on.  "Just because Celipa's a girl," he thought angrily.  "I don't know why she can't leave that fact alone; Celipa's just as strong as the rest of us."

He walked to the doorway to his room and jumped down to the main room below him.

"About time you got your scruffy ass out of bed," his father grumbled.  "Of course, I suppose I shouldn't expect much less - I heard you come stumbling in drunk off your ass last night."

Bardock made a rude hand gesture at his father.  "What I do is my business," he snapped.  He glanced around and saw that whatever had been breakfast was now just a pile of bones on the table.  One of the larger bones still had a few scraps of meat clinging to it, and he grabbed it and quickly stripped those scraps off and ate them.  He licked the bone clean and tossed it on the floor.  "I'm going out with Toma and the others today," he said offhandedly.  "Don't bother calling for me."

"Bardock, pick up your mess!" his mother called.  He looked over to see her sitting by the window, stitching on a blanket.  He sighed and grumbled, but bent down and picked up the bone.  He tossed it on the table with the others as he walked out the door.

Bardock's mother sighed.  "He's getting impossible.  He's obviously not going to school today."

His father nodded.  "I know, Kuzuko," he said.  "The boy's thirteen years old, though.  He's obviously looking to join a pack.  I don't know that I'd want him to be running with that guy Toma and his bunch, but without beating him unconscious there's not a lot we can do."

Kuzuko frowned; her spiky black locks fell over her face and added to the glare.  "He's going to get in trouble if he's not careful.  He's completely unaware that the young woman running with their group is going to be of childbearing age soon."  She sighed.  "Are you going to the parade for Vegeta-Ouji's birthday, Gobou?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied.  "I know Bardock and that ragtag pack are going to be there, and I want to be there to drag his dead carcass home if he tries to start trouble."

"I would think that our son would know better than that," Kuzuko said.  "He's only rated third class; what kind of idiot would challenge Vegeta-Ouji with that kind of a power level?"

Gobou sighed and frowned.  "I would hope so, but I just have a bad feeling about it."

*

"Oi! Toma!" Bardock called.  He waved as he saw Toma and the others walking toward him.

"Bardock!" Toma responded.  "You're up earlier than I thought you'd be."  He grinned mischievously.

Bardock frowned.  "You can thank my asshole father for that one," he replied.  "Bellowing like some kind of ox, and then he didn't even leave any damned food for me."

Toma laughed out loud.  "Ah ah, Bardock!" he chortled.  "Early bird gets the worm, you know that!"

Bardock just grumbled.  He eyed up the clothing that Toma was wearing.  The teenager's broad, firm chest was accented by a snug, light leather wrap pinned around his waist.  Colored beads strung down the side in an array of random colors.  "That's new," he said.  "Where'd you get it?"

Toma grinned.  "I stripped the back off of one of my mom's curtains," he said.  "The beads came off of one of her necklaces."

Celipa walked up behind Toma and smacked him on the back of the head.  "And what if she goes looking for that necklace?" she asked.

"She's got plenty," Toma replied with a shrug.

Bardock noticed that Celipa was wearing new clothes as well.  The curves of her body were accented nicely by strips of reptile-skin leather, holding a diminutive hide sarong in place.  As he surveyed the rest of the group, he noticed that Panboukin, Totepo, and even Toma's younger brother Costoluto, were all wearing nicer than normal clothing.

"So what's up?" Bardock asked, looking confused.  "Why are all of you dressed up?"

Panboukin laughed.  "You really must have been wasted last night, Bardock," he chuckled.  "Don't you remember? Vegeta-Ouji's birthday parade is today."

"Yeah," Toma added, flexing his arms a bit.  "We want to look like something more than just a bunch of third-class nobodies."

Celipa snickered and waved her tail in a teasing manner.  "At least I might be able to catch Vegeta-Ouji's eye," she said.  "He hasn't taken a mate yet, you know.  I could be sitting above all of you tomorrow."

Bardock laughed harshly.  "In your dreams, Celipa," he said.  "Since when did royalty ever lower themselves to associating with lesser warriors?"

"Just because you don't have anything to show," she bit back.  She stuck out her tongue at him.

Bardock balled his hands into fists.  "Got nothing to show?" he asked incredulously.  "Come on, I'll take you on right here!"

Toma shook his head and laughed.  "Hot head," he said.  "We don't have time right now.  You can have your match later; if we don't get moving we won't get a good place to watch the parade from."

The six of them made their way to the main street, where Vegeta-Ouji's chariot was scheduled to pass by.  Already, the street was full of saiya-jin waiting to show respect for their prince.

Bardock, Toma, Celipa and the others pushed their way toward the front.  They couldn't get a front row view, because of higher level warriors in front of them, but they pushed past their own class and lower to get a fairly close position.

They were only standing there a few minutes when the sound of hooves on stone sounded, and the Royal Guard rode into view, proudly displaying the Vegeta family crest on white flags.  Behind them, an ornately carved wooden chariot rode quietly over the stone street.  In it stood Vegeta-Ouji, his tall, red-brown hair swept up in a proud flame above his head.  His father, Vegeta-Ou, stood beside him, looking strikingly similar save the fact that his hair was darker brown in color.  Both of them had piercing dark eyes underneath heavy brows, and their royal garb was nearly identical, from the color of the leather down to the red symbol painted on their chests.  Vegeta-Ou wore an ornate pendant on a beaded chain around his neck.

Bardock looked bored as the chariot moved slowly down the street behind the Royal Guard.  The saiya-jin in the front of the crowd were cheering and waving.  As the chariot drew nearer to where they were standing, Bardock sneered.  "Hmph," he snorted.  "All show and no go."  He knelt down.

"Oi, Bardock, what are you up to?" Toma asked curiously.

"Nothing," Bardock muttered.  He quickly grabbed a large clump of compacted dirt and rock from the ground and stood back up.

As the chariot drew closer, Bardock could see the nineteen year old Vegeta-Ouji proudly grinning at the crowds of people, while his father stood with his arms crossed looking somewhat bored.

Bardock growled low in his throat.  Toma glanced at him curiously; his glance turned to horror as he saw Bardock draw his arm back.

"Bardock, what are you thinking?' he cried.

It was too late to stop anything, though.  Even as the words left Toma's mouth, Bardock heaved the solid mass at the chariot, catching Vegeta-Ouji squarely on the side of the face.

Vegeta's eyes flashed as the object shattered, sprinkling him with dust and rock.  He brushed some of the dirt from his face and glared as he saw the dirt streak left on the back of his hand.

The crowd gasped and shrank away from Bardock.  "You think you're so damned great?" Bardock shouted.  "Get down here and fight a real man!"

"Bardock, what are you doing?" Toma hissed.  "Are you trying to get killed?"

Vegeta-Ou glared down at the young third class warrior.  "Disrespectful fool," he spat.  He raised his hand to blast Bardock into oblivion, but Vegeta-Ouji stepped in his way.

"No," the prince said, "I will fight my own fight."  He faced Bardock and stepped down off the chariot.  "What's your name, fool?" Vegeta-Ouji demanded.  I want to notify your parents when you're dead so they can claim your carcass."

"I am Bardock, son of Gobou and Kuzuko," Bardock replied.  "But I wouldn't be making funeral arrangements just yet."

Vegeta-Ouji closed his eyes and smiled in amusement.  "Gobou and Kuzuko," he said thoughtfully.  "Two third class warriors with an only son.  Too bad, I'm going to have to deprive Gobou of his heir."  His eyes flashed as they flew open and his hand was instantly around Bardock's throat.

Even as his hand touched Bardock's flesh, however, Bardock's hand was on Vegeta-Ouji's throat.  "As I recall," Bardock sneered, "you're an only child as well."

The two faced off silently for a moment.  The crowd around them was uneasy, and the royal guards were clustered behind Vegeta-Ouji, shifting uneasily, waiting in case they were ordered to attack.  Bardock eyed up the guards while Vegeta eyed up the uneasy crowd.

Bardock gave a strained laugh, suddenly.  "Why don't we take this somewhere more private.  I'd hate for your hired muscle there to interfere."

Vegeta-Ouji studied him carefully and released him.  "Agreed," he said.  Bardock dropped his own hand.

The prince turned back toward the chariot.  "Take the chariot home, father," he said.  "I won't need anyone to help me deal with this idiot.  He and I will settle our score alone."

Vegeta-Ou frowned, but nodded shortly.  "Very well," he said.  "I will expect your return."  He motioned for the guards and turned the chariot back toward his palace.

Without a word, Vegeta-Ouji blasted off into the sky, and Bardock followed close on his heels.

Toma, Celipa, Costoluto, Totepo and Panboukin stood in stunned silence as the rest of the crowd began to disperse.  Suddenly they were jostled from behind as someone pushed through the crowd toward them.

Gobou suddenly edged out of the milling saiya-jin and stepped up to them.  "What happened?" he demanded.  "Where's Bardock?"

"Ah..." Celipa began.

"He...well, he challenged Vegeta-Ouji," Toma said.  "The two of them left...I guess they wanted to fight elsewhere."  His voice was distant as he spoke, almost as if he were still in shock.

"What?" Gobou cried incredulously.  "Oh, Gods..."  He paled considerably and suddenly looked weak.

"Ah, Sir..." Costoluto began, "would you like us to take you home..."

Gobou turned away as if he were going to be sick.  "I can make my own way home, thank you," he croaked. "Just...just leave..."  He waved at them to go away.

Toma and his group stared after him as the man walked dejectedly back to his home.

"Bardock's not coming back from this one, is he?" Celipa asked.

*

Bardock and Vegeta flew in a curved path, skirting a couple of Tsufuru-jin towns, and finally came upon an uninhabited wooded area.  Bardock pointed to a small, open glade and the two of them landed.

"You picked a nice place to die," Vegeta sneered.

"I suppose I could potentially die of blood loss after you talk my ear off my head," Bardock said sarcastically.  "But I'll be sure to kill you much more quickly before that happens."

Vegeta growled.  "Worthless third class trash," he spat.  "I don't know where you get off, speaking to me in that manner, but it won't be for long!"  He fired a large ki blast directly at Bardock's chest.

Bardock ducked backward underneath the beam and swung around for a blast of his own.  Vegeta easily side stepped it and dove in close for a few quick, short jabs to his ribs.

Bardock exhaled painfully, but used his proximity to Vegeta to his advantage.  While he was doubled over he moved in close and in a sudden movement flipped backward, bringing his foot up between Vegeta's legs at the same time.

Vegeta howled and stumbled backward.  "Cheap shot, Bastard!" he cried out.

"Whatever works," Bardock said with a grin.  He stepped back enough to catch his breath again before the prince could launch another attack.

Vegeta quickly recovered and flew forward again, this time cutting short and swinging around, neatly sweeping Bardock's feet out from underneath him.  Bardock tumbled backward but caught himself and turned it into a back flip.

As Vegeta completed his rotation, Bardock was already on his feet and charging forward.  He came in underneath Vegeta's arms and threw two quick jabs to Vegeta's chin before Vegeta sent him flying back into a cluster of trees.  His impact cracked several of them and buried slivers in his skin.

Vegeta walked up to the third class warrior as he struggled to right himself.  He held out his hand, palm upward, preparing to finish Bardock off.  Suddenly, Bardock fired a blast of his own; it grazed Vegeta's cheek and flew into the canopy.

Vegeta laughed.  "Fool; are you telling me you can't even aim from this close?"

Bardock closed his eyes and leaned back as if bracing himself.  He laughed as an explosion was heard above them.  "My aim was perfect," he murmured.

"What?" Vegeta gasped.  He glanced behind him just in time to see a massive section of tree come crashing through the canopy.  He turned and covered his face; suddenly, everything was dark as the trunk of the tree collided with his back.

Vegeta awoke to dark silence.  He opened his eyes and the darkness didn't lift; his heart pounded in his chest - he couldn't feel the tree on top of him anymore, so why was it so dark?  He sat up and looked around wildly.

A voice behind him made him spin around.  "Never been out after dark before?" Bardock sneered.  "What a baby."

Vegeta glared.  "Of course I've been out after dark before," he snapped.  He watched Bardock for a moment; the younger warrior seemed to be plucking at his own skin.  As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw that Bardock had several bleeding cuts on his body.  "What are you doing?" he asked.

"What's it look like I'm doing?" Bardock retorted.  "I'm pulling these damned splinters out of my hide."

Vegeta was silent for a moment.  "Can I ask you something?" he asked suddenly.

"Can I stop you?" Bardock asked back sarcastically.

Vegeta frowned.  "Why are you still here?  Why didn't you take off and save your miserable, sarcastic hide?"

"Where's the honor in that?" Bardock asked quietly.  "Running away from a fight is running away, whether your opponent is conscious or not.  I am not about to run away; I'll die before that happens."

"Saiya-jin pride," Vegeta murmured.  "I'd heard that all saiya-jin had it, but I didn't know it was so strong in lower class warriors."

"Hn," Bardock retorted.  "It's what we live on.  We're certainly not handed everything in life, like you royals are."

Vegeta frowned at that comment and watched as Vegeta struggled to reach some of the splinters buried in his back.  After a moment the Vegeta no Ouji got up and walked over to where Bardock was sitting.  He sat down beside the younger warrior and put his hands on his back.

Bardock jumped away instinctively.  "What are you doing?" he snapped.

"Let me pull them out," Vegeta said.  "It'll be faster than watching you struggle all night with them."

Bardock sighed and moved back to where he'd been sitting.  "All right," he said.  He closed his eyes and waited patiently while Vegeta removed the last of the splinters.

After Vegeta finished, Bardock spread his wrap out on the ground like a blanket and lay back on it, using it to effectively keep dirt out of his open wounds.  Vegeta seemed a little startled to see Bardock lying on the spread nude, save his boots.

"What?" Bardock demanded.

"Is that wrap all you were wearing?" Vegeta asked.

"Yeah, why?" Bardock asked.  He glanced over Vegeta's attire.  "Don't even tell me you're wearing more clothes underneath that getup!"

"Yes..." Vegeta said slowly.

"How can you stand it?" Bardock asked.  "I was only wearing this so my mom wouldn't pitch a fit; it's way too hot outside this time of year for all that crap."

Vegeta sighed.  "I don't like it," he replied.  "It's regulation.  I don't have a choice."

"Don't have a choice?" Bardock asked incredulously.  "You're the Vegeta no Ouji!  I thought you could do whatever you wanted!"

"Heh," Vegeta replied bitterly.  "If only it were that simple."

Bardock snorted.  "Why isn't it?  For starters, ditch all those layers...who's going to know way the hell out here?"

Vegeta considered it for a moment, then quickly stripped his top coat off.  Behind it came two thin shirts, and finally he was barechested.  He breathed a sigh of relief as the cool night air brushed over his chest.

Bardock reached over and grabbed the bottom of Vegeta's cloak off as well, leaving the prince attired the same as him - only a pair of leather boots.  "Much better," Bardock commented.  He relaxed back on the spread again.

The two of them lay side by side in silence for a few moments, their battle earlier nearly forgotten.  Suddenly, Vegeta snorted in amusement.

"What?" Bardock asked.

"My father always told me that third class warriors were low level street pigs.  You're not what I imagined a street pig to be like."

Bardock laughed out loud.  "Is that so?" he asked.  "Well, what did you expect a street pig to be like?"

"Well, the palace guards say that they are dirty and smelly, that they only fight warriors lower than themselves and try to seduce higher level warriors to gain status." Vegeta replied slowly.

Bardock snorted.  "Obviously none of you royals have actually spent a day among the lower level warriors," he said.  "My parents have a fit if I don't bathe every day and fighting lower levels is pointless.  As for seducing higher level warriors," Bardock continued, "we only do that if we find them attractive."  He reached over and playfully squeezed Vegeta's rear.

Vegeta jumped.  "What the hell are you-" he began.

Bardock silenced him with a finger over his lips.  "Did that take you by surprise, Ouji?" he asked.  "How about this?"  He ran one of his hands along the inside of Vegeta's thigh.

"D-don't," Vegeta stammered.

"Why?  Afraid you'll like it too much?" Bardock asked with a grin.

"I...ah!" Vegeta cried out as Bardock's fingers met his tail and squeezed gently.

"Like that, ne?" Bardock said.  "How's this?"  He roughly rubbed the base of Vegeta's tail with the forefinger and thumb of both his hands.

Vegeta gasped and arched his hips upward reflexively.

Bardock noted with satisfaction that Vegeta's erection was quickly becoming very obvious.  His eyes took on a glazed look as he crawled on top of Vegeta and straddled the prince's hips.  "If you like that, you'll really like this," Bardock whispered.  He reached around and carefully positioned himself, then plunged himself down on Vegeta's erection.

The younger saiya-jin screamed to the night sky as pain seared through his body.  For several moments all he saw was red and all he heard was his own screams and the blood pounding in his head.  After a moment, he realized that a keening wail had joined his own, and he looked down to find the Vegeta no Ouji in the throes of ecstasy.

Bardock panted and carefully lifted himself, repositioning without completely moving off of Vegeta.  He reached a more comfortable position and lowered himself again, this time enjoying it much more than he had the first time.  Vegeta groaned and gasped below him, encouraging the younger saiya-jin to pick up the pace.

Vegeta's mind swam with images and sounds as Bardock rode him.  He couldn't keep a rational thought any more; all he could concentrate on was his pleasure.  Suddenly, an aching heat ran through his body, feeling as if it were setting his every nerve ablaze.  He panted loudly and rapidly, then cried out without care as he came explosively.  His world swirled before him, then he passed out.

He awoke once again to darkness, but this seemed like another kind of darkness.  A light mist drifted around him, and he could hear a definite echo of some kind even though it was silent all around him.  Suddenly a voice startled him into spinning around.  He saw images of saiya-jin children, but they weren't any he recognized.

"Oi! Bardock!" one of the children seemed to call to him.  "Your mom said to get home now or you're going to get your ass whooped!"

"Toma, you're going to get your ass whooped if you keep using that language!" an adult woman's voice shouted.

Vegeta seemed to hear himself responding.  "Ha ha, Toma, you're all ready in trouble!"  He then seemed to run off, and the scene faded.

It was quickly replaced by others.  Vegeta knew that they weren't his memories, somehow he was seeing that third class warrior's life.

The images suddenly faded completely, and a bolt of light streaked through his vision.  In an instant, Vegeta was on his feet, suddenly back in the wooded clearing.

A couple of birds chirped overhead in the early morning sunlight.  Bardock was sleeping on the ground, evidence of his own climax dried across his stomach and showing a dull white in the early morning sun.  Vegeta realized that they both smelled like sex, and looked around for a place to wash off.

Bardock stirred slowly and looked around himself.  "Vegeta-sama?" he asked fuzzily.  "What are you doing?"

Vegeta blushed red and looked at the ground.  "I was looking for a place to wash up," he admitted.  "We both smell like sex; I can't go home like this."

Bardock grinned.  "All right," he said.  "I know a place, follow me."  He gathered up his wrap and blasted into the sky.  Vegeta gathered his own clothing in a bundle and followed him.

Bardock lead them to a small, clear stream in a secluded location.  "I come here when I don't want my parents or friends to find me," he said.  "No one will see us wash up here."

Vegeta nodded and kicked off his boots, then waded into the cold water.  He scooped some of the sand off the bottom of the stream and scrubbed himself thoroughly until his skin was bright pink, then rinsed off and waded back onto the shoreline.

Bardock admired the view as Vegeta sunned himself, drying his hair and skin in the warm rays beating down on him.  "Nice," he thought to himself.

"Thank you," Vegeta thought back.

The two of them suddenly looked at each other, startled.

"What...what just happened?" Bardock asked.

"I...I just heard your thoughts...and you just heard mine," Vegeta replied.  "But how?  I wasn't using any kind of conscious thought projection!"

Bardock frowned, trying to think how it could have happened.

"No, it wasn't any of that," Vegeta said, shaking his head.  "I can only come up with one solution; our little fling last night.  It must have been something more...we must have...bonded."  He said the last word almost dreadfully.

"Is that a bad thing?" Bardock asked.  "I thought saiya-jin liked finding bonding partners."

"Normally, yes," Vegeta agreed.  "But...my status.  It'll be unforgivable.  I don't know how I'm going to hide this from father."

Bardock sighed.  "I suppose you're right," he said.  "And for that reason, I won't be able to tell anyone either."

The two of them looked at each other for a moment.  They could each feel the other's fear and confusion.  At last, Vegeta spoke.  "We've already been gone longer than we should have," Vegeta said.  "We'll just have to return to our homes and hope that the Gods are with us today."  He paused.  "Keep in touch," he whispered; he tapped Bardock's forehead as he said it.

Bardock nodded, and they both blasted into the air, each going their separate ways.