House of Vegeta Chronicles

HOUSE OF VEGETA CHRONICLES 20 Tattle Tales

Kakarot was airborne in his private helipod. It was nearly a three
hour flight, but he finally arrived at his destination. He wasn't
alone. In the back were two bright eyed chibis, settled securely in
seat fasteners. They clucked and chirped, peeping out the side
windows.

"De'Scaba ne, chibis." Kakarot glanced back. "We're nearly there. And
I know someone who'll be glad to see you!"

Earsplitting squalls were the response. Kakarot shook his head,
landing the helipod in his old neighborhood. As usual, the appearance
of a royal helipod caused a great deal of commotion with the
neighbors. They clustered and pointed nearby.

Kakarot pulled the chibis out, noting the audience. "Krukka, they're
ridiculous."

A rail thin saiyan with a hooked nose approached. "Ho, Kakarot...the
cubs are toslo (healthy and plump) I see."

Kakarot hefted each baby in an arm. "True enough, Kasrock. They eat
everything in sight."

"No wonder in that. Your mother has company, I believe."

Kakarot snorted, annoyed. "Thanks for the public announcement. I'm
sure I would have found out anyway."

More saiyans stood nearby, laughing or pointing. Some stared in open
curiosity.

Kasrock glanced back at them. "Don't mind those slarggs,
Kakarot...they've nothing better to do. Baslurr asked about Raditz
the other day."

"He's fine." Kakarot replied shortly, scooting for the front door.
Nuru and Tezar chirped excitedly, hooking little tails around his
forearms.

Kasrock tried to follow him up the front walk. "By the way, Kakarot-"

He was talking to empty air. The front door closed with a slam.

Kasrock rejoined his other neighbors, snarling. "Uppity bastard. So
what if he lives in the castle?!"

Flipping his tail in annoyance, the thin saiyan gossiped with the
others.

****

Kakarot received an unexpected greeting inside. Rocco came down the
hallway, wearing a thick robe. He held a steaming mug of hot haffa in
one hand.

"Hn, the prodigal son returns. How fares our rulership?"

"Still in charge." Kakarot replied, looking upstairs.

Rocco observed the chibis. "Give her a minute. She was coming down
anyway."

"I'll take the cubs in the living room."

Rocco moved aside as Kakarot hauled his sons. "I'll join you."

****

Kakarot plopped his cubs on the couch. The chibis clambered over each
other, squeezing around their father. Rocco laughed from a nearby
chair.

"Hn, little mostri (monsters). They remind me of my viie (nieces and
nephews)."

Kakarot rummaged through a huge canvas bag while the chibis poked at
it. With some difficulty he pulled out pesto bowls and bottles.

Rocco peered in curiosity. "You've got enough provisions there for an
army."

Kakarot didn't look up. "Enough for these two, anyway."

Rocco sighed, noting the short replies. "Kakarot."

Dark eyes flashed. "What?"

"I hope we can be friends. You aren't still angry about that scuffle
we had?"

The younger saiyan growled softly. "I haven't decided."

"It was only a fight. Why hold a grudge?"

Kakarot untangled Tezar from his brother. "Normally I wouldn't."

"But?"

"You insulted my family."

"How so? I love your mother."

Kakarot stared in confusion. "You love her?"

"I said so before. Weren't you listening?"

The younger saiyan thought a moment. "I thought you were saying that
for effect."

Rocco sipped his haffa. "I never do anything for effect, boy. That
woman drives me crazy, but I do love her."

"Hn." Kakarot considered. "Maybe we can fight again later. Then I'll
decide if you're worthy."

Rocco laughed out loud. "Krukka, I like you! Will you roll me in boar
butter and slap me until I give?!"

Kakarot smirked, straining to keep from laughing himself. "Maybe. You
might make good bacon."

"Imbecile!"

"Idiot!"

Both exploded into laughter. Seconds later footsteps were heard fast
approaching. Celipe bounded down, her wild brown hair everywhere.

"Kakarot!" she nearly launched herself. Kakarot grabbed her in
midair, hugging.

"Mother you look great!"

"Hai, and more like myself." Celipe agreed, eyes sparkling. She
ruffled the shaggy hair affectionately.

Rocco piped in from his vantage point across the room. "We were just
discussing the recent past."

Celipe eyed him suspiciously. "You weren't trying to start a fight?"

"Who, me?"

"Yes, you."

Rocco chuckled again, looking at Kakarot. "You were right about this
one."

Celipe waved him off, grinning. "Fool. Stop talking about my cub."

Kakarot pointed at the sofa. "You've got extra company, mosi."

Celipe beamed. "So I see...abendade, chibis! Grandouja says hello."

Nuru and Tezar chirped excitedly, attempting to sit up. They
immediately toppled over into the cushions. Small feet kicked madly
in every direction. The adults roared at the hilarious sight.

Celipe scooped up the angry chibis, eyes widening in
amazement. "Krukka, what are they eating!"

Kakarot snickered. "Most everything, mosi. We're adding meat to their
pesto now."

Celipe kissed plump little faces, bouncing. "Like these fat babies
need it. In any case, I'm glad you came by."

"Well, it was long overdue. Vegeta sends his regards."

The pretty saiyan sat next to her boyfriend. "Hn, our prince shows
his breeding. And your father?"

"Celipe." Rocco growled.

A sniff. "Don't get your tail in a knot, Rocco. I was just asking!"

Kakarot coughed mischeviously. "Father's fine. He's probably
attending a war council about now. I'll tell him you asked."

"Hardly necessary." Rocco grunted, annoyed.

Celipe snickered, sipping from Rocco's cup. "So what's going on. Any
news?"

Kakarot brightened. "Plenty. And it's all about Raditz!"

"What's your brother gotten into this time?"

A dark laugh. "Hot spots."

Rocco rolled his eyes. "Tesrakki (goofball)!"

Celipe elbowed him, jostling the chibis. "Should I be worried,
Kakarot?"

The wild one settled back comfortably. "Well, you could say it
concerns Xenna."

"Hn?"

"The mystery is solved." a wink.

Dark eyes went wide with shock. "Who?!"

Rocco couldn't keep up. "Wait. What's he talking about, Celipe?"

Celipe's tail unwound, puffing. "Not a worm tail!!"

"Feslu. Don't be crazy, mother. You know Xenna's bones!"

"Hn" Celipe sat back, rolling the babies over her legs. "So...not
some rim pig? I may have to disown him!"

Rocco cursed. "Shiksha. Someone tell me what's going on!"

Kakarot eyed him. "Xenna was left for Raditz at the palace."

"Ah." Rocco nodded in understanding. "I take it the mother's been
found."

"No, saba."

Celipe and Rocco stared at each other.

"It was a shock to Raditz as well." Kakarot continued. "Things got a
little rough, but-"

Celipe held up a hand. "Stop. Is he well bred?"

"Heh. I'd say so."

"He can't be elite. Xenna's tailbones are too rough."

"Almost, mother. He's a second class military officer, and-"

"Humoz?!" Celipe squawked, tumbling the babies again. "I should have
known. They've been at it for years!"

Kakarot cringed. "I thought you'd be pleased. Father is."

"He would be. After all, Humoz is a military brat."

"Commando, gold ribbon."

Celipe thought that over. "So he's been promoted."

Rocco rubbed his chin. "I wouldn't mind meeting him myself. I have a
few light ships that need good captains-"

"Humoz has a new family to keep him busy." Kakarot added.

Celipe clutched a drooling Nuru. "Kakarot. Are you saying he and
Raditz bonded?"

The wild one grinned. "Well, it's kind of late news..."

"I always sensed something more. Your brother is fond of his secrets,
but I have a nose for stink."

"Good stink, mosi. I had to bring them clothes inside a castle
corridor."

Rocco laughed. "Krukka. You mean they rolled in the palace?!"

"Ai, at least two rounds by my estimation. It's a miracle they cooled
off enough to get dressed!"

Celipe was suspicious. "And you enjoyed watching."

Kakarot paled. "Not exactly. I-"

"Quiet, loon. I know you!"

Rocco watched Tezar crawl under another cushion. "I can't believe I'm
hearing this."

Kakarot shook his head firmly. "It wasn't like that, I tell you.
Raditz sent out a call."

"A likely story." Celipe cooed at Nuru. The happy chibi clucked,
pulling her ear.

Rocco hauled Tezar out by the leg, snickering. "A teeny Kakarot with
dark red pelt. As if one wasn't enough."

"Save it, Rocco. We haven't had our other fight yet."

"Who wants a cracked tail?" Celipe warned. "I just got this
furniture!"

Rocco tightened his own appendage around his waist. "Never mind."

****

The saiyans relaxed downstairs after a full meal. Two weary chibis
curled together on a makeshift pallet. Tiny snores soon filled the
air.

Even Rocco beamed, watching them sleep. "Hn, your cubs have perfect
bones."

Kakarot puffed with pride. "Of course."

Rocco shook his head again. "I've never seen third class with such
form. But then, Bardock himself is a strange one."

Celipe tucked warm blankets around the babies. "What are you getting
at?"

"Nothing." Rocco frowned.

Kakarot wasn't letting him off that easily. "Say what's on your mind,
Rocco."

A sigh. "Only that your family is the oddest group of third class
I've ever seen."

Celipe glanced at her lover briefly. "I could take that as an insult,
Rocco."

A quick kiss. "Hn, still bad tempered. Settle down, Celipe."

A growl. "Stop trying to quiet me, Rocco. You insult my son!"

Kakarot shrugged, sipping his hot haffa. "We've heard this before.
What's your point, Rocco?"

"How are you so different? It makes no sense-"

"Your interrogation makes no sense. Don't you have anything better to
do?"

Rocco munched on a bone cake. "I've got eyes, boy. And I know the
rumors about your father."

"Who gives a quoon's ass? I've heard that line since I was a cub."

"You're too touchy, Kakarot." Rocco put an arm around Celipe
suddenly. "Besides, I'd bet a lump of gold your chibis have no kinks."

"Damn straight." Kakarot growled, eating a bowl of slugs. "Good
bones, better blood. What are you anyway, an investigator?"

"His nose tends to grow." Celipe commented, annoyed.

Rocco laughed loudly. "Let's face it, every commander of rank from
Zaruis to Edne knows the talk. Some believe it, some don't."

"And you?" Celipe glared. "This subject never came up before!"

Rocco glanced at the sleeping chibis again. "I hadn't seen Nuru and
Tezar up close before now. It makes me wonder..."

"Believe what you want, Rocco." Kakarot snorted. "No wonder father
fights so much with the cosligri (commanding corps). If I heard that
shit all day, I'd never stop brawling either."

"Hn" Celipe curled in Rocco's arms. "Small difference, if any. Now
tell me more about your brother. Has he made plans?"

Kakarot looked up. "Krukka, mosi. He and Humoz just got together!
With war on the horizon-"

"Excuses. Your father and I went on run when-"

Rocco glared at her, eyes like ice pits. Celipe stopped short.

"Never mind!!"

Clicking noises interrupted. Two small heads wobbled, as sleepy eyes
blinked at the adults.

"That's done it." Kakarot grinned at his sons. "Gesace'i, cubs. Are
we too loud?"

Small tongues poked out. Screeches erupted from happy throats.

Rocco covered his ears. "Vegroo. They sound like my sisters cubs!"

Celipe hauled them up, still wrapped in blankets. "Empty stomachs
make loud chibis."

"I brought plenty of pesto, mosi." Kakarot replied.

"Hn. Any lizard butter?"

"No, but there's yusto cream."

Celipe patted the burping babies. "Time for dinner."

****

True to their high metabolisms, the saiyans ate another meal. Bowls
and plates were passed around. Nuru and Tezar sat at high chairs,
crunching soft bones. Both chibis polished off bottles of pesto and
cream.

Celipe squeezed fat little feet. "It will be difficult, cub."

Kakarot stared in confusion. "Hn?"

"When the chibis are sent offplanet. Are you prepared to deal with
it?"

Kakarot looked down at his plate. "I try not to think about it too
long. But what choice do I have? There's no way I could endanger my
own sons with war looming."

Celipe scratched behind his ear. "I know. A parent...never wants to
say goodbye."

"Vegeta won't even discuss it."

"There's no need, until the time comes."

"Soon enough." Kakarot stuffed an owl leg in his mouth.

Rocco observed him. "We've all been through it, one way or another."

Kakarot stared at his busy chibis. "How so? There haven't been any
major conflicts in years."

Celipe sighed. "None that you remember. Nearly thirty years ago the
battle of Solaris was fought."

The younger saiyan seemed surprised. "But I thought that was merely a
skirmish with the Oltoids-"

"Started out that way." Rocco supplied. "It escalated into a code
three war. I lost two cousins."

"Sorry."

Celipe munched a hog ear. "We sent your brother offplanet for that.
Your father took it hard."

"I didn't know this!" Kakarot nearly shouted. "Why didn't anyone tell
me?!"

"Trojo (the past). You weren't even born when that happened."

"You still could have told me later."

Celipe shrugged. "Whatever for? Your brother returned healthy in his
pod, and planetary war was averted."

Kakarot stared at nothing, eyes flashing darkly. "And now I'll have
to say goodbye to my own sons."

Celipe rubbed his shoulders, soothing. "Only for a little while, cub.
Be at ease...I have a sense for things. You know this."

The wild one sighed, relaxing. "I know. Hostilities will be starting
soon."

Rocco's jaw set. "No doubt, boy. But all able bodied saiyans will be
ready. Even some not so stable." a wink.

Kakarot couldn't help but grin. "You should be a comedian, Rocco.
Maybe I should talk with Raditz about this."

"I need to talk to him myself." Celipe crunched a leg bone,
stretching against Rocco.

"You're worried?" Kakarot wondered.

"I know how he is about Xenna."

"He's mature enough to handle it, mother. At least that's what I'd
like to believe."

Celipe laughed softly. "He's older than you, but just as
inexperienced being a parent. Your chibis are so small."

Kakarot smiled sadly, pulling Nuru's tail. It coiled his forearm like
a spring. "Sometimes I still can't believe I'm a parent."

Deep eyes were warm on her son. "Kakarot, I have a suggestion. Stay
overnight here."

"I'm not sure I can. My schedule's pretty busy tomorrow afternoon."

"You'll have plenty of time to get back to the castle. Stay."

"But I-"

Celipe pointed at the kitchen. "There's some honey glazed snake gut
in the freezer box."

Kakarot brightened a bit. "With fried yabba lips?"

"Of course."

The younger saiyan stood, grinning. "Sounds good! Besides, I brought
plenty of food for the chibis so they certainly won't go hungry."
With that he stood and headed for the kitchen.

Rocco stared. "Like a big cub. How old is that one, Celipe?"

Celipe smiled gently, rolling both chibis into her lap again. "Twenty
five."

A pause. "A fine warrior specimen. You must be proud."

"Ai, proud of both sons." Celipe sniffed soft skin blissfully. Nuru
and Tezar purred, cuddling. Rocco tickled their noses before needle
teeth snapped at his hand.

"Fireballs. These chibis are certainly spirited."

"Kakarot was the same way, although Raditz was louder."

"I find that hard to believe!"

Celipe grinned at a memory. "It's true. Raditz had a pair of lungs
second to none. We used to get complaints about late night noise."

Rocco gulped his haffa. "In this neighborhood, that's saying a lot!"

Strong hands bounced Tezar. "Ai, and his brother bit everything in
sight. I even made a muzzle for Kakarot by the time he was ten months
old."

Rocco snorted in amusement. "Now that seems most likely. Can you make
a larger one for him now?"

"Rocco!"

"He seemed to like chewing my tail during our tussle."

Celipe rubbed Nuru's tummy. "In a fight anything can happen. I
almost wish the two of you would go at it again."

Rocco rubbed his fists together. "Another fight!"

"So fight already. I'm tired of hearing about it!" Celipe made faces
at her grandsons. The chibis burbled, drooling.

Rocco poked a finger at the babies again. Small jaws nearly caught
his hand.

Celipe laughed. "Keep on going, fool. You'll be amputated soon
enough!"

Small tails frizzed as the chibis snarled in agreement. Rocco
carefully withdrew, reaching for a sweetcake instead.

"I'd better quit while I'm ahead."

****

Kakarot stretched in the upstairs hallway. A hot bath always relaxed
him. He cradled two squeaky clean chibis.

"G'sarde, chibis. Time for bed, eh?"

Loud screeches in protest. Kakarot laughed, tossing each baby over a
shoulder. Celipe came around the corner, seeing the chibis dangling
awkwardly.

"Hn, you carry those babies like bags of sand."

"It's good for their circulation, mosi."

"Gesla" (Bull). But I'm glad you decided to stay."

Kakarot pecked her cheek. "Me too. At least Vegeta didn't have a fit
about it."

Celipe looked worried. "He doesn't approve of them being here, does
he?"

"Irrelevant. In any case, I never asked him if he did."

"He's our prince."

Kakarot snorted. "Ai, and stubborn. But so am I." a wink.

Celipe relaxed, grinning. "Imp!"

****

Rocco clutched his significant other, kissing. "Hn, a quiet night.
Amazing, considering who's staying."

Celipe blinked sleepily. "Give it a rest, Rocco. I think you like my
son."

Rocco thought a moment, staring at the viewscreen. "Rascal. And
insolent."

"He is that. But only until you know him better."

"Raditz seems a bit calmer."

Celipe changed channels with the remote. "In some ways he is. But
they're both fairly hot headed."

"And protective of you."

Celipe turned her nose up. "Naturally."

Rocco laughed, settling back on the couch. "Kakarot must have been a
handful growing up."

"Hn, I'll say. But he turned out well. The chibis have calmed him a
little."

Dark eyes narrowed. "I'd hate to think how he was wired before."

Celipe was thoughtful. "I'm impressed with how he's handling
fatherhood. Bardock and I weren't certain he wouldn't be overwhelmed."

"He wasn't?"

"He never slowed down enough to notice. Everything happened so
quickly."

"Kakarot is certainly devoted to his cubs."

"You couldn't peel the babies away. When they were born-" Celipe
paused at a noise.

Rocco likewise stared upstairs. "Krukka, what's that racket all of a
sudden? Sounds like a boar in heat!"

Celipe frowned. "We'd better investigate."

****

They padded upstairs on bare feet. Celipe grinned, waving Rocco to
silence. She pointed at an open bedroom door.

Inside lay Kakarot with the chibis in a pile. They were wrapped in
folds of soft blankets. Nuru and Tezar sat quietly against their
snoring father, peeping about.

Celipe snickered. "That's so cute."

Rocco covered his ears. "They probably can't sleep for the noise!"

Kakarot razzed like a foghorn, snoring even louder.

"Enough of this." Celipe went over to the bed, shaking her son.
Kakarot flopped over, burying his face in a pillow. The chibis
reached for Celipe, clucking.

A broad smile stretched pretty features. "Descarde. Would you like to
sleep with grandouja?"

Bright faces grinned, chirping. Stubby arms waved in excitement as
Celipe plucked them up.

Rocco shook his head in amusement. "So we have company, eh? What if
Kakarot wakes up in the middle of the night and doesn't see them?"

As if on cue, Kakarot suddenly rolled to his side, staring. Shaded
eyes glazed in sleep, unfocused.

Celipe didn't move, staring back. Shrugging, the younger saiyan
flopped back over. Seconds later loud snores resumed.

Rocco blinked, stupefied. "Well I'll be a fat assed slarrg."

Celipe smirked in triumph, walking out with two shiny eyed
babies. "Grandmother's privilege."

THE END