Earth
"Uncle, who is she?" Gohan asked Raditz with a teasing grin.
Raditz's face flushed before he could speak. The girl piped up first. "Hi, I'm Kana. I'm seventeen! You called him 'uncle'? How old is Raditz anyway? He won't tell me."
"Uncle, you're something else," Gohan said, wearing an exaggerated look of admiration.
"Gohan, it's not what you think listen to me," Raditz hurried to explain.
After leaving Master Roshi, Raditz had wandered from city to city, challenging dojos while deliberately suppressing his power. In the past, he couldn't control his violent aura at all. Now, after months of disciplined training under a seal, he could finally rein himself in.
Kana was a street kid from North City, raised by an old beggar after losing her parents. When Raditz took on a dojo there, Kana watched from outside. His steady poise and fierce, kingly presence struck her like lightning.
When he won, she followed him. At first Raditz thought she wanted money and gave her some, but she kept trailing after him. She told him her story and begged to become his student. Years on the street had taught her to disguise herself as a scrappy tomboy to fend off trouble.
The old Raditz might have lost patience and lashed out. The new Raditz didn't. He didn't accept her as a disciple, but he did buy her fresh clothes and made sure she had a hot meal and a shower. After that, Kana stuck to him like a shadow.
Truth be told, Raditz had begun to feel… something. "When a man chases a woman, it's a mountain between them; when a woman chases a man, it's just a veil," as the saying goes. If he really wanted to shake her, he could have flown off with Bukūjutsu. He didn't.
Before Kana, Raditz had liked strong, domineering women. After Kana, a faint tenderness rose in him he hadn't expected not that he'd ever admit that to Gohan.
Gohan, meanwhile, wore a wicked little smile. "Uncle, you are really something."
"You're Son Gohan, right? Raditz keeps mentioning you," Kana said. "Can you at least tell me how old he is?"
"Age isn't an obstacle. Love can flatten any excuse," Gohan teased.
"W-who said anything about love!" Kana's cheeks burned.
"Right, right. She just wants me to teach her martial arts," Raditz added, digging the hole deeper.
"Sure, sure. Whatever you say none of my business." Gohan's grin grew a shade more impish.
"Raditz, will you take me as your disciple or not?" Kana asked, feigning a huff.
"No. I don't take students," Raditz refused again.
"Alright, enough. Let's head back to Mount Paozu," Gohan cut in. "It's been two and a half years. Everyone's hit a bottleneck. We'll gather, catch up, and plan our next steps."
He warped them to Mount Paozu, then popped over to Galactic Patrol HQ to bring back Vegeta, Goku, and Nappa as well.
That evening
Piccolo returned Goten at dusk. For all his "I'm not a babysitter" talk, Piccolo had been more punctual than Gohan lately and Goten loved tagging along with him.
"Piccolo, stay and eat with us," Gohan said.
"Yeah, Uncle Piccolo, please?" Goten stared up at him with big, innocent eyes.
Piccolo's heart softened. "Hmph."
He leaned against a tree with his eyes closed; food wasn't a Namekian necessity, but water was fine.
Everyone else gathered around the outdoor table. Chi-Chi noticed Kana sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with Raditz. "And who might this be?"
All eyes slid to Raditz.
"She… she's…" Raditz fumbled.
"I'm Kana," the girl introduced herself.
"Heh. Not bad, Raditz," Nappa snickered. "Didn't think you'd beat me and Prince Vegeta to the punch."
"Shut it, Nappa," Raditz snapped, flustered.
Even Vegeta glanced over in surprise. They all knew the Saiyan repopulation plan, but he hadn't expected Raditz to find a partner so quickly. Only Goku, true to form, was oblivious already at war with the food.
Goku's gulping set off everyone else, and the real Saiyan contest began: a battle of chopsticks. To their surprise, Kana kept pace bite for bite. Maybe growing up on the streets made her value every meal whatever the reason, her appetite drew a few raised brows and a few approving nods. It also helped the group warm to her.
Raditz's eyes softened when he looked at her. Gohan had to rub his own eyes. A Saiyan… fond and gentle?
All the better for his "plan."
He brought two cups over. "Uncle cheers!"
"Gohan, you're still a kid. No alcohol," Chi-Chi scolded.
"I know, Mom. Mine's juice," he said quickly.
Raditz couldn't refuse the toast. One harmless drink turned into many because Gohan kept finding excuses brotherly pride, a welcome-home toast, a "to new friends" toast until Raditz's face went a little warm and his steps a little loose. Saiyan constitution could shrug off liquor, but even a Saiyan could feel tipsy after enough rounds.
A little later, Gohan caught Kana aside and spoke quietly. "Be honest. Do you like Raditz?"
"I I…" Kana's face flared crimson.
"You don't have to answer," Gohan said gently. "He's not great at… reading feelings. If you want this to go anywhere, help him back to rest and talk to him. That's all you need tonight talk."
Kana blinked, then nodded, understanding the line he'd drawn.
Under the tree, Piccolo nearly spat out his water. He shot Gohan a razor-sharp look: I heard that. Don't push it.
Ten minutes later, Raditz felt hot and light-headed. "Strange… I'm burning up."
"Kana, take him to rest," Gohan suggested.
"O-okay!" she said, slipping an arm under his to help him to the guest room.
Vegeta's gaze flicked to Gohan, realization dawning. Gohan lifted a finger to his lips. Shh.
When the dishes were picked clean, Gohan clapped his hands. "Alright, that's a wrap. We'll regroup tomorrow. Piccolo, you too."
The cleaning bots zipped out to clear the table as everyone dispersed for the night.
Late night
Vegeta's quarters were near Raditz's. A few muffled, awkward sounds drifted on the air the sounds of a clumsy, honest conversation turning into laughter and then into quiet. Vegeta rolled his eyes and lay awake, but said nothing.
In Raditz's room, Kana had settled him on the bed. Even with a hardened fighter's body, he looked strangely defenseless with his guard down. She sat at the edge, hands clenched tight, then took a breath.
"Raditz… can we talk?" she asked.
The heat in his head faded. He blinked, steadied, and finally met her eyes.
They talked long into the night about North City, about the road from violence to restraint, about fear, pride, and what it meant to choose someone. When words ran out, they simply sat shoulder to shoulder, letting quiet say the rest.
The night passed, warm and unhurried.
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