Hope

Author's Note:

This fic presents the birth of one of MANY incarnations of Sage, who first appeared in 2002, in my fic 'Birth of a Prince'. He has since then branched out into many other DBZ sandboxes, dabbled in Hellsing, and of course has solid original character status in mine and Dasia's original universe. This fic's sandbox leans much more towards the canonish side of things, and is the result of mine and Manawolf's depraved brain workings. I have other fics in this universe, so if it is well received I will be happy to post more.

If you don't know Sage, that's okay too. :P However he has had the distinction of being the ONLY original MAIN character to be allowed in several fic contests, and every time I think people have forgotten about him I get another email asking if I am going to continue my fics.

Well, yes and no. Though I am happily enjoying Inuyasha at the moment, (and thus far he hasn't stuck his nose in there...yet) Sage is always loud in my brain. I think, regardless of anything else there will always be new Sage fics, even if some of the old ones never get properly finished. He's a capricious brat, and I have only a slippery hold on him. Also he likes to reproduce, and it seems the more of him there are, the stronger the little brat gets.

If you've read this far...well kudos, and please enjoy 'Hope'.

onkru'kah: The term for a child bearing male of the Saiyajin persuasion.

sebba: male birth parent

Hope
By talonsage and manawolf
PG13 for birth details

Vegeta eyed Radditz as the older boy writhed on the thin blanket. The planet wasn't entirely silent...it had only been purged of the "intelligent" life after all. And that he'd mostly had to do himself. You could hardly SEE the bulge, he argued with himself. Still, that had been helpful during the entire pregnancy. And now…it couldn’t be time. Not yet. He wasn’t ready. But Radditz acted like he was being torn apart. And...maybe he was. He tried not to stare, but he knew it was his cub inside Radditz. His get. His progeny. He had done this. His responsibility.

It was the last thing he really wanted to do, bring a prince into what amounted to slavery. But Freeza...damn him. About the only good thing that came out of this was that he himself wasn't carrying. Stupid Awakening. Stupid Radditz for being onkru'kah. In another world maybe...but now? He knows what he has to do, Nappa had taught him. Nappa. He hadn’t realized just how grateful he was that his longtime guard and servant hadn’t been killed with the planet. Nappa was the ONLY adult left. The only one with a complete, Saiyajin upbringing. He knew things Vegeta had no idea he would ever need. And it wasn't like the cub would be totally alone, Kakkarot was still quite young. They could grow up together. He wraps his arms around his knees and sighs. He's barely a teenager himself.

He's jerked out of his thoughts by Radditz' low, guttural moan. He really can't put this off much longer. It wasn't fair to either of them. Still, the way he has to do this requires a certain amount of waiting and labor. Since they're not in a hospital with precision surgical instruments the cub needed to do a fair bit of stretching to make it safe. He has everything he needs for this, he just...he's not quite ready. He doesn't meet Radditz's eyes. Radditz, who was bearing his cub. Without complaint, without blame or accusation, but with stoic pride and love.

He hadn't grown very large. Nappa had said doubtfully that it was because of their situation; not enough food, neither parent fully grown, and the instinct to not make a target or reveal weakness. Radditz's bulk and mane tended to hide the small bulge where the cub was growing. Freeza...he wanted this cub. Wouldn't the best thing to do...the most loving, responsible thing to do...wouldn't it be to kill the cub before it takes a breath?

But one look at Radditz, and he knows he can't do it. Besides. Another Saiyajin was another Saiyajin. Fighting would make his son stronger, and he finally gets up and kneels next to Radditz. His voice is low, emotionless as he strips down his third class companion. A bond bastard prince. But he cannot...dared not mate Radditz. He can feel his cub, inside him. In his mind. In his bond.

The cut he makes with his ki is low, above the pubic bone, and bloodless. His fingers feel for the wall of the carrying chamber, a solid wall of contracting muscle. With the other hand on the top of Radditz' bump, he carefully opens it with his ki blade, not allowing it to shake or waver in the slightest, then pushes down on Radditz’s belly, pressing his cub's head into his waiting hand. Gently he turns it and guides the wet, messy body out of Radditz. The cord is still attached, and he doesn't need Radditz's breathless reminder to leave it for now, the cub needs all the nutrients from the placenta. Instead he lays the cub, still and quiet, face up on Radditz's belly and suctions out the mouth and nose by sucking the gunk out and spitting it to the side. He pays little attention to his son's sebba as he rubs his child, and the tiny, handful sized blue thing begins to stir and fuss. He had been afraid, so afraid for a moment.

Radditz's hands are large and gentle as they stroke and explore the cub as Vegeta tugs gently on the cord to help expel the afterbirth. Once that's done, he stitches and glues Radditz up carefully as the cub nurses at his sebba's wrist. He wouldn't need anything but blood for at least two weeks, if necessary. It gave them time. Time he intended to use. He doesn’t watch…acts as if he’s paying no attention as he does what’s needful, what a father and a mate is supposed to do. A prince. His son is a prince. He pushes it out of his mind.

The afterbirth stops pulsating, and he cuts the surprisingly tough cord and winds it against the cub’s belly. The placenta itself he cleans in a nearby stream and stores carefully. Radditz would need it later. Now was not the time to mock or scoff at old rituals and rites. The simple fact was that Radditz would NEED what the placenta would provide him. Finally, he lets himself really look at his son.

Radditz's mane. That was a relief. The cub would look like Radditz, and not attract Freeza's attentions so much hopefully. Translucent down covering his skin from his forehead to his feet. He was tiny though, and with strong third class markings. But his tail, it was as long and unwieldy as his own had ever been. And it matched his blue on black mane, like a proper royal elite. As proper a royal elite could be with third class coloring that is. He can’t get over just how small he is. Miniature but fully formed, and pink now, wrapped in his sebba's mane and sleeping. And Radditz...he swallowed. Radditz had never looked more beautiful. He was bruised, filthy and bloodied. His mane was a mess, and his face almost gaunt, his ribs showed between his muscles. But he couldn't help but feel the powerful pull to his son's birth giver, and his teeth fairly itch to make the older boy his own.

"What will you call him?" His voice sounds hollow, to himself. He wants to name the boy Vegeta of course, but it's impossible. Radditz's answer surprises him though.

"He's a Vegeta," mused an exhausted Radditz. "He's your son and he'll carry your name. But... in here. Where it matters." Bloodied fingers gently tap the infant's chest, Radditz' hand almost bigger than the cub's entire body.

"I think... I'll call him Sage. His scent, it's sweet... an' he has wise eyes." The young third-class sighed, dark eyes shuttering closed for a moment, as if the birth had worn him out too much to blink properly. "He'll be strong, my prince. I swear it."

He can't think of anything to say to that. So instead he lays down with his son and his son's sebba, holding them both close to him and guarding them as they rest. He had no home, and his people were on the verge of extinction. But now...the line of Vegeta continued. It was hope. At the very least, now they had hope.

owari