Gravity
Chapter 1: Captured
Disclaimer: I do not own the DragonBall franchise or any of the characters.
Gravity
Deep blue light washed over her sleeping face like a waterfall, streaming through the fine dark locks of her hair to tint them a faint indigo. His coal black eyes traced over her unconscious form with the intent of examining and evaluating her unique physique. It was a typically petite and sinuous build that most females sported for mating purposes, though accentuated by the visible lines of muscle gained through genetics and years of training. By nature of her proud warrior race, her body was as powerful as it was beautiful.
It had been years since Paragus had seen the remarkable figure of a female Saiyan. Twenty years to be exact. The last vision of his late mate, just before the destruction of planet Vegeta, was another faded silhouette in the back of his mind. His heart held no room for meaningless thoughts of the past, for he only wished to move forward for vengeance for him and his dear son.
Still, this girl brought back those memories from the crevices of his hard heart. The gentle curves of her features brought a look of youthful innocence to her sleeping face. Such a peaceful expression was uncommon among the very few members left of her race, regardless of gender, but her energy was undoubtedly of pure-blooded Saiyan power. Her outward serenity contradicted the sporadic pulse that the nearby heart monitor was picking up.
"It's amazing that she survived."
Paragus lifted his eyes from the female to meet those of the doctor, just entering the medical room with a grim expression dawned on his reptilian face.
"None of the residents on that planet were able to withstand our attack." He informed objectively. "Even the army elite couldn't match your soldiers, Paragus. What a shame. It was a fairly verdant planet as well."
"There are far better out in the cosmos." Paragus muttered.
"Indeed, but your son may end up annihilating those ones as well." The doctor gave a serious look from above the black rim of his glasses.
Paragus could feel his gaze darken. "How is Broly?"
"As of now, sedated and asleep." He informed, examining the unconscious female's condition. "Had he gotten too out of control, he would have easily killed her. No doubt, it was her energy that drew him to that planet."
Paragus hummed in agreement. Although he hadn't sensed her as early as Broly had, he knew from the maddened glee in his son's dark eyes, that he had found his newest victim. In the midst of their panicked shock, the rest of the crew had managed to chase after the cackling Super Saiyan by the time he had obliterated the majority of the puny planet and its inhabitants. The helpless souls were only ants for him to crush as he tore through the lands for his prey.
To think he had found another one of them!
Paragus had barely recovered from his stupor in time to save the female from his son's rampant bloodlust. That wasn't to say that she hadn't put up a good fight herself. The absolute rage in her eyes, her attacks, and her screams as she viciously fought off Broly registered clear in his head as the spirit of a Saiyan warrior. Even Broly, throughout his chaotic exaltation, had been taken aback by her exceptional power for a female, seeing as he hadn't killed her right away. He had been enjoying himself far too much to let the fight end so soon. His maniacal smile and laughter had frightened both Paragus and the girl.
"Did you find a reading on her power level?" Paragus inquired of the doctor, interrupting his analysis of his patient.
"Yes." He replied, rubbing his chin in contemplation. "The readings may be inaccurate due to fluctuations throughout the battle, but I've averaged the numbers to approximately 900,000."
Even if it was lower than his own power level, Paragus had to balk at the number. It was far higher than most female Saiyan warriors he had known of.
"What was her peak?" He asked, struggling to maintain indifference.
"The highest number I recorded was 1,700,000 at maximum in base form." He explained, reading over the list from a clipboard. "It was 16,000,000 in her Super Saiyan form. It's still nowhere near as high as yours, let alone Broly's."
"I don't expect it to be." Paragus said gruffly. "Although, after near-death from the battle today, those numbers will considerably increase."
"Indeed." The doctor nodded affirmatively. "We have yet to receive those recordings, and judging from her erratic bodily patterns, she's adjusting to that new power."
Excellent.
"To think there was another Super Saiyan." He murmured.
"Aside from Broly." Paragus added quietly.
"I suspect that it must have been her first transformation, given the spontaneity of her power after what seemed like shock." The doctor muttered in rumination. "Intense anger generates the power for the transformation, but it also takes a considerable amount of strength from the get-go."
Paragus shifted his eyes back to the girl. The doctor laid a clawed hand to her brow; the shadow it cast upon her pale eyelids gave her a deathly visage, making her appear all the more vulnerable.
"Her body's reaction to the power change is nearly palpable." He noted with a slight crease in his brow. "I don't understand how she achieved such power on that weakly populated planet. Perhaps she is one of Frieza's henchmen?"
"No." Paragus shook his head. "The men in our army who had escaped from Frieza's ranks provided me with intel of our condition. By the Cold family's knowledge, there were only three known Saiyans apart from me and Broly who were spared from the massive genocide. Prince Vegeta himself; an elite warrior named Nappa; and the first son of Bardock, Raditz. There were no records of females surviving. If there were, Frieza would have been sure to kill them to prevent the Saiyans from repopulating."
"I see. Well then, what was she doing on that planet in the first place?"
Paragus had been pondering over this himself. Crossing his arms, he leveled his gaze with the doctor.
"Given how young she looks, I would assume that she was sent out in a Saiyan pod a day or two prior to Frieza's destruction of planet Vegeta." He spoke gravely. "Saiyan children were sent out to different planets with the motive of conquering them for the Cold family's empire. What perplexes me is that she seemed to be defending the inhabitants there, and was even seen on the lines of the firing force of their military. Why?"
"Hmmm..." The doctor read over a few of his notes, making the furrow of his dark brow deepen in speculation. "Could it be?
"What are you thinking?" Paragus demanded.
"It seemed like a far-fetched theory at first," The doctor began. "But after inspecting some of the damage to her cranium, I discovered an aged scar right about here." He felt a spot on the side of her head.
"What of it?"
"The damaged area is right above the hippocampus, the cerebral cortex's memory storage unit. From what I saw, she didn't give any indication of recognizing your Saiyan energy..." The doctor muttered in contemplation. "She also wasn't wearing any Saiyan armor, nor does she even have a tail."
Before her capture, she had been adorned in the battle garb of the planet's military service, a sign of loyalty to their race. Under their captivity, her armor had been discarded for a small hospital gown that expressed every inch and dimension of her femininity. As for her tail, it had indeed been removed. It was as if all memory of her being a Saiyan, aside from her immense energy, had been erased.
"Where are you going with this?" Paragus asked warily.
"If she was indeed left on that planet for some time as a child, I suspect that damage to this area of the brain made her suffer mental trauma and caused her to forget her origin. That would explain her hostility to the invaders, especially Broly, as they destroyed the planet."
Paragus drank in the possibility of the scenario. "You believe she's amnesiac?"
"It's probable." He replied, though he seemed skeptical of his own conjecture. "Have there been other cases of Saiyan children failing to conquer new planets or assimilating to life on said planet?"
"None that I know of." Paragus replied. "Children would usually die off only if they were too weak to take the planet. She survived, but that may be because she was on a planet of a species known for their advanced healing techniques."
"Then it's very possible that she completely lost touch of her heritage, and embraced life on that new planet. The species isn't, er...wasn't very hostile, based on records. She could have had a change of heart from their kindness."
Paragus scowled at the absurd thought.
"A true Saiyan wouldn't willingly degrade himself or herself to such a pitiable life of peace." He said coldly. "It must be amnesia."
"Interesting." The doctor mused. "I'll see to it that the remaining survivors provide us with information about her."
Paragus nodded in agreement; he too had an agenda to address with a certain individual from the battlefield.
"I wonder if she is a singular case." The doctor speculated. "There must have been other children sent out before Vegeta's destruction, as well. Could there be others out there?"
"There may very well be, but the universe is too vast to search for missing links of a decimated population." Paragus said in a low voice. "However, I'm more than content with our little find today. I'm eager to find out more about her condition."
"It would be best to give her time to recover from today's trauma. She won't be very cooperative unless we gain her trust. Keep the guards around in case she becomes violent." The doctor advised.
To his unpleasant surprise, Paragus let a harsh laugh out from smirking lips.
"No need to worry. Feisty as she may be, she doesn't have the strength to defy us. As of now, her power level is no match for us."
"As of now?" The doctor gave a quizzical look. "What are you implying?"
Paragus laid his dark gaze on the girl's tranquil countenance, smiling maliciously as he ran his thumb along the delicate line of eyelashes resting on her soft cheekbones.
"Weak as she may be at the very moment, she's still a Saiyan. And one who had enough gall to take on Broly." He explained carefully. "I plan to make use of her potential power and current weakness. Given that she reaches a certain level of strength, she could be a very positive asset to my plans for later. So I'll make sure she is taken care of."
"Then I would advise you to keep her away from your son." The doctor warned sternly. "Restraining him was near impossible, and it did cost a few lives of your soldiers. Now that he's taken an interest in her, I suspect that he'll be chasing her relentlessly."
"Oh, I'm counting on it."
Paragus lifted his smirk up to the stupefied doctor. "I need something to keep him distracted. It'll be good for the both of them to get to know each other as members of the same race. In time, they'll have a special relationship."
With a few moments of contemplation, the doctor's bewildered expression stiffened upon realizing the subliminal message.
"You're terrible." He stated with a dry grimace.
Paragus's smile spread further on his scarred face as he settled his eyes intently on the girl. Gingerly, he let his calloused fingers trace along the soft curves of her cheek to her small, sensual lips parted for her warm breath to flow into the chilled air.
She was truly a breathtaking relic of the Saiyans.
Before reclaiming his hand from her sleeping face, Paragus spared one last glance at the last female of his race. How odd was it to see a woman who had been so engulfed in wrath, bloodied, beaten, and broken just a few hours earlier, now laying in peaceful slumber in the clutches of the very men who destroyed her home.
But it mattered not.
Like the very planet she had been found on, her past was erased, meaningless, and lost to the darkness of space. Everything she knew from before meant nothing now. She was theirs. She was at their mercy. Paragus would see to it that she would play a part in his plans for vengeance, and a rightful role in his vision for the saved future of the Saiyans.
"Continue your tests." Paragus ordered with a dismissive tone. "I'll pay my son a visit before I call an end to this long day."
"Yes, sir." He heard the doctor murmur before the doors closed behind him.
With images of her flitting about in his mind all the way, Paragus made his way to his son's isolated chamber in their gargantuan space ship. As he drew nearer to the end of the lengthy corridor, he could feel his breath instinctively hitch at the sensation of a staggering energy. With the utmost caution, Paragus slowly and painstakingly creaked the wooden door open to reveal his only son resting in the lightless confines of his room. The illumination of the countless stars out in the thick blanket of space failed to shed any light on him. He was a creature of darkness.
Paragus stopped at a safe distance from his bed to observe his condition. As always, his powerful form was unmarred by any affliction of battle. No scars, no burns, no cuts, no bruises; such ailments could not disfigure him. As his eyes traveled from his masterfully sculpted form to his face, Paragus felt trails of ice channel their way down his whole body. Despite his attachment to his only beloved son, utter dread overtook Paragus each time he saw his face. His herculean appearance was as charming as it was deceiving. Beyond his feigned docility was decadence far darker than any brave soul could hope to stand against. Not even the mightiest of warriors had the courage to stare directly into his caliginous eyes; blacker than the abysmal vacuum of space; colder than the frigid expanse of a land of ice; and far more sinister than any devil to have ever existed.
He was infinitely thankful that those cimmerian eyes were hidden underneath darkened eyelids and darker eyelashes. The faintest twitch of his furrowed brow made Paragus flinch, but his heavy breathing and slack posture were positive indicators that Broly would not be waking up any time soon, thanks to the influence of the doctor's potent sedatives. Every part of him was relaxed, apart from his expression, although that wasn't shocking; even under the calming spell of sleep, he was never at peace.
Paragus let a small sigh escape him.
What ails you, my son?
Broly's instability had gotten worse with age, but there was no way for Paragus to assess the direct cause for his son's disturbing behavior. It must have been the power that corrupted him at such a young age. On some level, he could understand King Vegeta's past apprehension over his infant son's extraordinary power; he was getting harder to keep under control as the years, months, and, days passed; as his incredible strength kept rapidly increasing; and as his sanity kept slowly cracking.
But he would have risked losing such power out of fear of being overthrown? He would have eliminated one of his elite and most loyal warriors? All out of fear? Such cowardice was unbecoming of a King and a Saiyan. That man had no place as ruler of a proud warrior race. Paragus would shove those fears back down that gutless bastard's throat, wherever he was burning in Hell. Broly's power would be the key to his plans for vengeance and for the revival of the Saiyans.
Paragus dared another look at his sleeping son, once again feeling relief wash over him at not having to face those dark eyes and that darker smile. Never had he seen such a deranged exhilaration take residence in his son's eyes as it did today during his fight with that woman. If she could entice him at this stage of strength, then this arrangement between them would prove meritable if he could draw out more of that unlocked power within her.
Paragus deftly left Broly to his slumber to retire to his own vacant chamber. All the way, his plan for the two young, sleeping Saiyans brought a smirk to his lips.
With his careful planning, the two of them would indeed bring out the best in each other.
XxxxxXxxxxX
Cries of anguish roared against the blood-red blaze devouring everything around her. Every sound of the planet's suffering resonated like the howl of a wounded beast as her home was devastated, violated, and desecrated before her eyes.
But far more daunting than the bedlam was something only she could feel. None of the soldiers would have charged off to battle had they sensed such an incredible intensity. This singular power was supreme and unmatched by anything she had ever sensed before. It crushed her from the inside, draining her of any hope for survival, leaving her as helpless as an animal awaiting slaughter.
"Be brave."
Those were the last words her father had whispered gently to her before plunging into the bloodbath.
Could he be laying amongst the countless corpses surrounding her?
A single sound transcended above the waves of destruction. Sharp, guttural, nightmarish laughter that echoed in the darkened skies. The power drew closer, and spiked incredibly upon feeling her.
Her eyes shifted straight to her inevitable doom, absorbing the final image of what would seal her fate: spikes flying about like golden flames; a predatory gleam in a menacing smile; savage bloodlust reflected on the glassy surface of teal eyes.
Closer...closer...closer...
All I see is red.
Maniacal cackles rang like a death knell to announce her final moment.
Closer...closer...closer...
All I see is red.
Reaching deep within, she found the miniscule strength she had left to face him.
Closer...closer...closer..
Every ounce of hatred she felt was channeling towards him.
All I see is red.
Everything within her that had been reduced to cinders was ignited with an ardent light.
Rage erupted from within her searing core. Her screams reverberated in the sky, bringing her fury to life for the dying planet to behold. Unknown power surged like tidal waves inside of her, but she didn't waste another thought on it.
All I see is red.
It was then that her rationality relinquished its control of her to primal instinct.
She descended into oblivion.
She was rushing closer to him by unfathomable speed. A weak inkling in the back of her mind screeched that she was charging into the arms death, but its plea fell on deaf ears. Stopping would be pointless. She was already on the precipice of life and death.
There was no turning back.
Everything she knew shattered like glass. Life, death, good, evil, and even the home she held dear became meaningless.
None of it mattered anymore.
Nothing was there but him.
Nothing would stop her.
All I see is red.
Not the fear in the eyes of the few remaining alive.
Not her beloved home shattering beneath her feet.
Not the psychotic elation that sparked in his crazed eyes.
All I see is red.
Not until he lay dead at her feet.
XxxxxXxxxxX
A/N: Paragus be creepin'.
I hope you enjoyed this opening chapter, and please review if you have any thoughts you'd like to share. This is my shy attempt at writing a believable romance with, in my opinion, one of DBZ's most underdeveloped male villains. Let me know what you think.
And yes, the bolded lines are lyrics to the song Deeper by I.O.N. (Perfect Super Saiyan theme imo)
Also, if anyone has any grasp of the utter BS that is the concept of power levels, please let me know if I chose a reasonable starting point for my newly transformed OC. She's obviously weaker than SSJ Goku from Namek at the moment, but I plan to show her growth throughout this fic.
Thank you for reading!