Red Riding Hood, JJFFFT (JJ's Fabulously Fractured Fairy Tales) style. Part 2.

By Zoicyte aka Johnnyjosh

Rating; NC-17

Series; Dragonball Z, sorta *giggles*

Pairing; Raditz/Kakarott, Brolli/Raditz, Brolli/Kakarott/Raditz

Warnings; Yaoi, lemon, language

Archive; geocities.com/johnnyjosh/index.html

No MST'ing, no offence, but I don't like it.

Notes; AU, OOC, more of JJ's fairy tale bastardization *ROTFLOL* This particular fairy tale was suggested by Muryx and Chibi Vegeta. Thanks to Lara for beta'ing.

"Wow, that's quite a tale." Kakarott breathed, eyes wide.

"It is. But there's a bit more to it." Puar regarded him somberly. "You must not talk to strangers in the woods, even if they don't look like him, because the golden giant is not Brolli's true form. He can change his appearance, the golden form is merely a manifestation of his power. So be careful." She warned.

"Alright..." Red Riding Hood said distractedly, thoughts whirling as he set out on the path through the woods.

Puar watched her friend worriedly. "I hope you remember what I've said, Red Riding Hood."

Neither one of them noticed the snow white eyes that had watched the entire exchange from high above, hidden in the branches of the great oak tree.

~~oOo~~

Two hours later....

Kakarott slumped down against the trunk of a maple tree, setting the basket down and wiping his forehead. "It's warm in the woods as well, I'm especially glad now that I didn't take the fields." He looked around, trying to gauge how much further he had to go. "I think perhaps another hour, then I'll be there. Finally!" He looked over at the basket. "I'm so hungry." He whined softly. "But, I can't. Those are for grandfather." The teen sighed and leaned his head back, staring up into the tree branches overhead as his thoughts wandered back to the story he'd heard earlier.

"How could anyone be so vile? So evil?" Red Riding Hood asked, his voice cracking, his expression pained. He jumped and gave a startled cry as a soft, low voice spoke up beside him.

"Who, or what, has made you so sad?" A tall, dark haired man slowly lowered himself to the ground, sitting beside Kakarott. "Hmm? Come on, tell me."

Red Riding Hood studied the man carefully, eyes sweeping over the man's long, shaggy mane, tied back in a rough ponytail. He felt himself blushing slightly as he studied the man's features carefully, his gaze finally coming to rest on the other's dark eyes. "W..who are you?" He asked nervously.

"Just someone passing through." The man answered evasively. "Now, you haven't answered my question. What's gotten you so upset?"

Kakarott titled his head to the side, disarmed by the other man's benign expression. "Well, I...it's just...a friend told me a story earlier." He waved a hand in the air, then quickly blurted out the story Puar had told him about Big Bad Brolli. He was so busy talking, he didn't notice the changes that came over the man's face as he talked, his confidant's eyes going hard, and cold, then narrowing to slits as he turned away from Kakarott.

When the teen finished talking, Brolli turned back to him. "So what do you think of all you've heard?" He asked, voice deceptively soft.

"Well, I think his father was a horrible person, the most vile scum!" Kakarott stated angrily. "Why, we have healers, and other women some might be inclined to call witches, because of the things they can do, in my village. But we appreciate what they can do for us, they're always treated with respect! They have husbands, and children...I don't see why Brolli's father did what he did. He had no right!" He slammed his fists on the ground.

*What? He doesn't seem afraid of me, rather,* Brolli shook his head and tried to keep from staring at the teen. *he almost seems to...feel sorry for me. How is such a thing possible?* He wondered. "Your friend was not entirely accurate with her story." Brolli said quietly.

Kakarott turned to Brolli, eyes wide. "What do you mean?" He asked, the fact that the other man shouldn't have known about Puar being a girl not dawning on him.

"Well, Brolli's mother married a woodsman, true enough, but Brolli's powers were kept secret for almost five years." The larger man sighed. "Then F...Brolli's father decided he wanted to go into the city. He was bound and determined to get there quickly, so he decided to cut through the woods, rather than take the fields, despite his wife's protest of dangerous animals, and magical creatures lurking in the forest."

"Her magic, and Brolli's, was strengthened the closer they were to the forest, right?" Red Riding Hood asked.

"Right. Up until then, Brolli's mother had managed to keep his power under control. But as they got closer to the forest, she could feel him getting stronger and stronger." The stranger dragged a hand down his face. "As they approached the very heart of the forest, Brolli lost control, and changed into what people call the golden giant, albeit a smaller version."

"Oh no..." Kakarott breathed. "His father must have been terrified."

The other man gave a mirthless laugh. "Oh no, he was not afraid, he knew it was magic, and he knew there was only one place the child could have inherited forest magic. His mother."

"So what happened after that?" Kakarott leaned closer, his expression anxious.

"Brolli's father became enraged, and threatened to kill them both. His mother snatched the boy up and jumped from the wagon, racing to the center of the forest. There, she cast an invisibility spell on the child, and told him to run and hide, and don't come out no matter what he heard or saw, until his father was gone. Then she ran in the opposite direction, hoping to lead him out to the fields. She figured someone would come along one of the roads through the fields, and she could get help for herself and her son." Brolli's voice had dropped to a harsh whisper, his fists tightly clenched in his lap. "But the woodsman caught up to her just as she made it out of the woods. She wasn't strong enough to fend him off, after all the years of being separated from the forest, and not practicing her magic, she had gotten weak." He hung his head. "He killed her, brutally, violently, beat her until she was dead, and just left her body there for the scavengers."

"Oh...how horrible." Red Riding Hood sat back, one hand over his mouth, face pale.

"Brolli's father searched for him for the remainder of the day, until the sun started to set. But his mother's spell had given him enough time to find a good hiding place, and he evaded his would-be killer."

Kakarott stared at the man, so swept up in the story, it never even occurred to him to ask how this stranger knew so much about Brolli. "So he just lived here, alone, all this time?"

"Yes." The other man nodded, giving Red Riding Hood a tight smile. "As you may know, there are magical creatures in these woods, some took pity on the child wandering in their midst, and taught him some magic, the rest he learned himself. He roams these woods, not bothering anyone, unless they bother him first. He always keeps an eye out for his father, though." The stranger growled softly. "He will never forget him, or what he did. He intends to repay that monster in kind."

Kakarott stared off into space, lost in his thoughts. Suddenly, he noticed how long the shadows had become. "Oh, gosh! I'm going to be late! I'm sorry, but I have to go now!" He jumped to his feet and turned, only to be stopped by a gentle hand on his arm.

"Wait, where are you going?" The stranger asked.

"I have to get to my grandfather's house." He held up his basket of treats. "These are for him, and I am to help with chores for the next week."

"I see, and how far away would his house be?" Brolli asked.

"It's not far, just the other side of the forest, a short distance north of the river." Kakarott said, anxious to be on his way.

Brolli pondered for a moment, thinking of which one it might be, a small smirk on his face as he thought of one particular log cabin he'd spent a great deal of time watching the past couple of years. "The one where that tall woodsman with the black hair down to his knees works every summer?"

"Raditz." Red Riding Hood said, cheeks turning pink. "Yes, that's the one."

"I see." Brolli smirked, placing his finger under the teen's chin. "This Raditz has caught your eye then, has he?" The young man nodded. "Understandable, he is handsome." The taller man conceded with a chuckle. He tilted his head to the side, leaning forward and nuzzling the teen's wild black hair, holding back a snicker as the young man stiffened slightly. *Both Raditz and this one are easy on the eyes.* Brolli thought. *It is rather convenient, to have them both in the same place for the next few days. I don't think I'll be letting the opportunity pass me by this time.* He stepped back and smiled. "Well then, I shan't keep you any longer. Have an enjoyable stay at your grandfather's, what did you say your name was?"

"Most call me Red Riding Hood, but my name's Kakarott." The teen said shyly, still blushing from the stranger's bold move.

"Well then, Kakarott, I bid you good-day." The stranger smiled and sauntered off.

"Hey!" Kakarott called. "You didn't tell me your name!"

Brolli paused, a grin lighting up his features for a moment. "I'll tell you what, you invite me over for some of those lovely treats, and I'll tell you my name when next we meet."

Kakarott chuckled at the odd deal. "Alright then, you are invited over for tea and treats. I'll expect you to keep your promise and tell me your name then."

"I'll be seeing you soon, Kakarott." The stranger turned and walked off the path, then seemed to melt into the trees before the startled teen's eyes.

"What the.? How did he do that?" Red Riding Hood asked, staring after the man, all of Puar's warnings forgotten. "Oh no! Now it's really getting late!" He cried, sprinting down the path.

Just a short distance away, 'Big Bad' Brolli used forest magic to transform into a sleek, black wolf, loping ahead of the panicked teen as he raced to reach his grandfather's before it got dark.

~~oOo~~

Red Riding Hood ran as fast as he could, uttering a small cry of surprise as he almost crashed into Raditz, who was cutting through the forest on the way to his own small cabin.

"Red! What are you doing out here all alone?" Raditz demanded, grabbing the teen by the shoulders. "You know how dangerous it can be out here, why didn't you take the path through the fields?"

"Well...I ah." The teen stammered. "I have treats for Grandpa, and I wanted to get there before nightfall, so they wouldn't spoil. I'm alright." He insisted. "Really."

"Hn." Raditz scowled. "Well, I'm going to walk you the rest of the way to your grandfather's." He blushed as his stomach let out a cacophony of growls and rumbles. "Uh..right after I find something to eat."

"Oh! I've got something right here for you!" Kakarott beamed, reaching into the basket and pulling out the apple pie his mother had given him. "I saved it for you." He ducked his head and smiled shyly.

Raditz looked back and forth between the offered pie and Red Riding Hood. "Thanks, Red." He said softly, touched by the teen's thoughtfulness.

Red Riding Hood blushed and mumbled something too quiet for the other man to hear, before pointing over at a large, overturned tree trunk. "Let's sit down and have our snack, then you can walk me back to Grandpa's."

Neither man noticed the streak of black that raced past through the trees, as Brolli slipped past them, pushing on to the house.

To Be Continued........

*giggles maniacally* Yeah, I know, I'm turning a simple fairy tale into an epic again *shrugs*

Can't help myself.

Johnny